candy cane treats! YUM!

December 13, 2013 by mama lola

tis the season for candy canes! my kids are a bit little for just sitting and eating a cane; it tuns into a huge sticky mess, which i hate! so, instead i love to incorporate candy canes into all sorts of treats we like to eat. here is a round-up of super yummy candy cane treats of all sorts… from cookies to fudge to bark!

ENJOY!

chocolate peppermint bark cookies from recipe girls

candy cane cookies from foodless

candy cane hearts from glorious treats

candy cane joe joe’s from cake or death

candy cane marshmallow pops from liv life

which one is your favourite? which recipe will you be trying this season?

the marshmallow treats look perfect for a cuppa hot chocolate, so i think i will make some when we head up north to the cottage for the new year!

christmas cookie round-up!

December 10, 2013 by mama lola

the christmas season is full of yummy cookies. we love to bake all sorts of cookies this time of year. here is a round-up of decoration ideas from snowflakes to snow globes to hurt gingerbread men.

melting snowman cookies from simply stitched together

christmas ornament cookies from fresh cut flours

snow globe’s from hello naomi

christmas cookies from sweetopia

christmas cookie snowflakes from pasta princess & more

gingerbread cookie recipe from glorious treats

gingerbread men cookies from the national geographic

i am so inspired to roll up my sleeves and get baking! i love, LOVE decorating cookies!

what kind of cookies are you baking this holiday season?

do you prefer gingerbread cookies or sugar cookies, or do you bake both?

felted soaps!

December 8, 2013 by mama lola

most people don’t use bars of soap anymore, because of the icky mess they leave behind. why most bath sets i’ve seen like this Gruffalo gift set use liquid soap nowadays. it certainly makes bath time with the kids less messy. though if you were looking for a way to make bath time more fun and creative then a bar of soap is definitely the way to go. and if you want to avoid the mess then a felted bar of soap is a wonderful way to do so. they are so fun for kids to make and they feel great using them at bath time! please note that you can do these with most soap types, so if you have a special soap product that you only ever use, be sure to repeat the instructions using the bar of soap of your choice.

MATERIALS:

roving wool
bars of soap
cheese grater
a bowl
old pantyhose
hot water source.

INSTRUCTIONS:

cover your soap in roving wool. you will need to be quite generous with how much wool you need. make sure the entire bar of soap is covered well.
place your woolied bar of soap into a cut piece of pantyhose. you want the soap to be snug in the hose, so firmly tie knots at each eand.
place your bundle in hot water and start rubbing. the friction with the warm water is what gets the felting process going. keep wetting your felt soap bundle in warm water and rubbing. depending on the size of your soap and how much wool you used this can take as little as 10 minutes or as much as 20 minutes.
once you are satisfied with your felting, removed the pantyhose and place your soap to dry on a plate.
if you want to make felt soap stones, take a regular bar of soap and grate down the corners, collecting the soap shreds into a bowl. once you are satisfied with the general shape of your soap stone, wet your hands and gently add the soap shavings to your soap bar. use warm water and gently rub the shavings into shape.
then, go to step 1, by adding the roving wool and follow the rest of the directions as suggested.

roving wool comes in a rainbow of colours; i am working with black and white today.

when researching how to make felted soaps, i found the rhythm of the home shared a wonderful tutorial written by ginny. she shares wonderful pictures of her children making their won felted soaps! check it out HERE!

martha stewart was the one who inspired me to make the stone soaps. her tutorial is HERE.

have fun with this clean project!

it’s beginning to look a lot like christmas!

December 5, 2013 by mama lola

counting down to christmas.. three weeks to go! woohoo!!

we’ve already crossed several items off of our x-mas bucket list. see the list HERE.

last weekend, my lion and i were still sick, coughing and basically feeling sorry for ourselves. blargh. so, to change the vibe and energy at our house we decided to get our christmas tree. we went to a local tree farm, found the most delightful tree and chopped down our own piece of christmas heaven! although the weather was freezing, drizzly and raw, the kids had fun! at home, we turned on some festive tunes and started to unpack the decorations.

now that, i think, we have taken a turn with our health, i am hoping to get back to my holiday crafts and projects!

is your tree up?

are you ready for the holidays?

fancy festive bow ties!

November 19, 2013 by mama lola

my boys have their own sense of style and love to look fancy.

they love to look handsome for birthday parties, weddings and christmas festivities are no different. so, this season i am again sewing new bow ties for my wee trend setters, which they will discover one december morning in their advent calender! see previous tutorial HERE.

this is such a quick n’ easy sewing project.

SUPPLIES:

* festive fabric of your choice

* scissors

* thread, needle

* iron

* elastic

INSTRUCTIONS:

* cut two rectangles, one bigger than the other.

* fold fabric in half with the patterns sides facing each other, sew around the edges, leaving an unstiched opening at the end.

* sew all the way around your rectangle, except for a small opening at the end. you need this opening to get your fabric right side out.

* cut the corners and then turn the rectangles right side out. mine look wrinkly, because it’s a tight squeeze through the small opening! a quick iron will that!

* sew up the openings by hand.

* this time i used a small scrap piece to cinch up the two rectangles to create the bow tie shape. before, i’ve sewn specific pieces for the centre for cinching. you can find those instructions HERE.

* cut and measure elastic band. loop through the back of the bow tie and then sew the wends together.

here are some examples of other bow ties i have sewn for the boys. the top one is from bear’s 4th birthday. instead of making loot bags all the guests received a bow tie! the one on the middles is another x-mas bow tie and the purple one at the bottom is from a wedding the kids were in. now, my kids wear bow ties all the time; school pictures, just because or for looking fancy!

and don’t forget, bow ties are not just for boys!

preschool is fun or is it?!

November 11, 2013 by mama lola

my lion began preschool in september. he goes for three hours, twice a week. he started the year with great enthusiasm, excitement and joy, but that honeymoon period seems have come to an abrupt end.
i kinda thought it might.

lion is still eager to go, but it’s what i hear from his teachers that has me a tiny bit worried. apparently, he doesn’t talk very much and is very quiet, even with his peers. which, for a 3 year old isn’t unusual, but lion is a pretty chatty guy with the people he interacts with regularly. also, he is apparently sitting back a lot from activities, choosing to watch rather than participate. again, not really a big deal considering his age, but he says he feels sad and that’s why he’s not participating.
that kinda breaks my heart.

and, the fact that the teachers are bringing it up, worries me.
i’ve tried chatting casually with lion about preschool. i have tried asking specific questions, but it is impossible to get any clear answers from him. he contradicts himself in a sincere way that only a small child can.

a couple of weeks ago dear hubby and i spent a small portion of the morning at the preschool playing with the kids and chatting with the teachers. lion was happy to have us, as he showed us all sorts of wonderful toys he gets to play with.

as his mama, i want to do what’s best for him, without pushing him too much. finding that balance, knowing when to push and when not to, is such a tricky dance i seem to be doing all the time with the kids. as a mama, i want my kids to feel challenged, but supported. it’s ok for them to feel apprehensive about new situations and people, i just don’t want them to feel debilitated by those feelings of fear or anxiety causing them to choose not to participate in activities.

to help him feel more grounded, dear hubby has been sleeping on the bottom bunk with him for a couple of weeks. sometimes i think the kids need indirect support, care and love, which co-sleeping allows us to do. i remember going through phases in my childhood, where i would curl into my parents bed.

sometimes these things are phases, and sometimes these things are personality traits. either way, i just hope my lion feels supported at home.
i have such love and pride for him.

thanksgiving & fall crafts!

November 2, 2013 by mama lola

i thought i would put together another thanksgiving/ fall craft round-up.
thanksgiving is coming up, the colours are changing in the trees, so clearly fall has arrived!

check out these great projects!

recycled paper acorn banner from crafting a green world

felt acorn napkin rings from tikkido

leaf jar candle holder from kidz world

hanging leaf garland from full circle

woven placemats from mind bites

leaf masks from 5 orange potatoes

i really like the leaf garland and think we might make one, before we get overwhelmed with christmas crafts.

i will try to squeeze out a few more fall crafts while i can!

am i taken for granted? a mama vent.

October 27, 2013 by mama lola

as a stay-at-home-mum, i do a lot of stuff for other people. my days start early with thoughts of getting kids to school, what to make for dinner, how to dress my boys, remembering their vitamins and signing whatever form school sent home.

then, at school i kiss my eldest for the day and depending on if it’s monday or tuesday or wednesday or… well, you get the idea, i go grocery shopping, drop my youngest off at preschool, organize playdates, do laundry, wash floors, mend torn pants, make halloween costumes, or i think in detail what any of us may need depending on the season in regards to winter clothing, summer clothing, i book dental appointments, optometrist appointments, doctors appointments.

just a little humour from pinterest!

and, where do i fit into all of this?
who takes care of me? who reminds me of my appointments, who asks me if i need new winter boots and then buys the for me?

there are days when i feel as though i am empty. as though i have given the last morsel of myself to my family. and, i don’t actually mind feeling empty and exhausted from giving, because i have chosen this role for myself. but, i am hurt by the lack of acknowledgement, gratitude and attention my continue efforts are rewarded. i am not asking for a parade, or gifts, but i do expect a simple thank-you, a hug or a nod in my direction. the thank-you’s and hugs are what re-charge my batteries and inspire me to do more. but, when i am continually what feels like ignored, i become filled with resentment.

clearly, i am feeling taken for granted as i write this.
i know my family isn’t hurting me on purpose.
i know they love me with all of their hearts. they just forget to mention that they appreciate their dinners made from scratch, clean n’ fresh undies and my undivided attention.
i have not lost perspective.
i just need to vent.

source

thanks for listening.

not your average burlap round up!

October 17, 2013 by mama lola

when dear hubby and i were married, we gave our guests little live spruce trees as favours, because we me at tree planting and it was so fitting! the trees had root pods, which we wrapped in burlap with a simple ribbon! they were perfect. but, when i purchased the burlap i bought WAY too much, and still have an enormous amount! so, i decided to scour the internet for some fun ideas on ways to use up some of it.

there are so many burlap round ups out there, so i decided to NOT include wreaths, christmas stocking or table runners. i love so many of those ideas, but i just wanted to find some other uses for the massive burlap stash in my basement!

BOO pillow from nap time is craft time

pencil case from factory direct craft

burlap ornaments from bliss bloom blog

burlap scrubber from maya*made

burlap stamp from chicken scratch NY

burlap peg bag from homedit

how to: a burlap sunglasses case from crafting a green world

i am in need of a holder for my clothes pegs, and that peg bag looks perfect!
which project caught your eye?

quick halloween ghost project!

October 9, 2013 by mama lola

i found some old white sheets in the basement and decided to get crafty just in time for halloween. this is a super simple, super quick project, but super spooky too!

SUPPLIES:

old sheets or fabric of your choosing
thread, needle
scissors

INSTRUCTIONS:

to give the fabric a rougher, spookier look i tore the sheet into squares

i gathered whatever was left over and made little bundles, that i tied into head shaped balls

i sewed on the faces free hand with a needle and red thread, super quickly. the less precise they look, the better i think
i held the fabric tightly to make the fabric taught and flat, making it easier to sew

my kids love these ghosts! i’ve made four and they are hanging around spinning around on their own. it’s kinda spooky, actually! everyone who has seen them has adored them!

quick and easy and perfect for halloween!