Cookies & Crafts

Hi, I'm momentarily resurfacing from the land of felt, scissors, glue, glitter and cinnamon to share links to the recipes + projects keeping us busy this week.  If you've read my blog for any length of time you know that I'm not all too much of a crafter.  In fact, I'm a bit of a deer in the headlights when I try to navigate my way through the aisles of Hobby Lobby.  And navigate I did, for the likes of mysterious unknowns such as the liquid glycerin and epoxy glue needed for some of this week's ideas.  I'm also not a step by step tutorial kind of blogger either {the cake pop post literally took me four days to write}, but lucky for all of us there are others who are brilliant at explaining and tutorialing so I will link to them.  Have fun!  These have been BIG, BIG hits with my boys.

no. 1} snowflakes ~ with no sign of snow, we created our own with giant snowflakes for the playroom.

supplies:

6 sheets of computer paper + scissors + tape + stapler

takes about 10 minutes per snowflake. 

perfect for 3rd grader with a little help from me. 

instant gratification and no trip to the store required!

no. 2} mason jar snow globes

{we let the glue set up overnight}

supplies:

mason jar with lid + glitter + water + liquid glycerin 

{found with soap making supplies in craft store, can also buy at drugstore} 

+ small little toys/ornaments + epoxy or crazy glue. 

both boys helped with these. 

i did the gluing, they did the rest.

no 3.} soft sugar cookies + butter cream frosting

my recipe notes:

i creamed butter + sugar , 

then added 1 egg at time + vanilla, 

then mixed in dry ingredients.  

i also used a little more milk in the buttercream frosting.

no. 4} gingerbread houses

{take note of decapitated gretel on top of charlie's house, a lovely festive touch!}

supplies:

kits from trader joes.  

the best premade kit i've ever used. 

nice thick gingerbread, assembles in a snap, with all natural ingredients to boot.  

no artificial color in the candy either. bam! i love TJs.  

easy enough for a 3 year old to construct, 

though not so easy to resist eating. 

you need to make the icing with the powdered sugar in the kit.  

just add egg white and a few drops lemon juice.  

i placed icing in disposable pasty bags with the tip cut off.

no. 5} ruffled felt Christmas trees

supplies:

styrofoam cone + felt + scissors + straight pins + optional embellishments 

i skipped the iron on waxpaper step.

perfect for 3rd grader to complete independently. 

 this was so fun with just the right amount of time to keep his attention. 

can you tell which one andrew made and which on i made?

no. 6} cinnamon and sugar monkey bread + gift tag

my recipe notes:

i used a 36 count Rhodes dinner roll bag, 

divided into three paper bundt pans from the container store. 

i assembled it the night before and baked in the morning.

do not cover with a damp cloth, it will make the paper bundt pans damp,

just cover with saran wrap coated with cooking spray.

place bundt pans on a parchment lined baking sheet to rise  

cook bundt pans on the same lined baking sheet.  

we took them to neighbors still warm.  

serious yum. a new tradition is born. 

so much easier than making lots of cookies and a little unexpected.

I've got a few more ideas up my sleeve.  I'll blog about them if they turn out to be a success.  But maybe not till after Christmas...