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12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 8

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:43:39 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 8
Popcorn Wreath

Popcorn strands are classic tree decorations, but you can also use them to create a wintery wreath.

What You Need:
Paper Plate
Scissors
Waxed Dental Floss
Sewing Needle
Popped Popcorn
Ribbon

What To Do:
1. Cut the center out of a paper plate.
2. Cut a 3-foot length of waxed dental floss; tie one end to plate.
3. Thread other end through needle, and string popcorn.
4. Wrap strand around plate; tie off.
5. Add strands until wreath is covered (layer to fill gaps).
6. Loop ribbon and hang; glue on a bow.

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 7

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:42:57 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 7
Rice Krispies Ornaments

Here’s a yummy holiday treat you can make with your kids! These Rice Krispy Ornaments are a cute treat to bring to neighbors and they look great as a holiday centerpiece.

What You Need:
1/4 C. butter + extra for your hands (you’ll need for shaping the Rice Krispy treats into a ball)
1 10-oz. package marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla
6 C. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
Holiday-colored sugar sprinkles
Rolo candy
Toothpicks

What To Do:
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until well-combined. Add vanilla, and stir again. Add the Rice Krispies cereal. Mix until all of the cereal is coated with the marshmallow mixture.

2. Butter your hands well, then and shape the cereal into six balls. Make sure they’re packed tightly. Acting quickly, roll the balls in colored sugar or sprinkles until coated.

3. For the top of the ornament, stick a toothpick into one end of a Rolo candy. The other end of the toothpick long goes into the Rice Krispy ornament.

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 6

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:56:16 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 6
Salt Jar Votives

Now that the cold weather has started and the days are getting shorter, candles are making a regular appearance in our house. These salt jars are perfect. Made from recycled jars and Epsom salt, they add a beautiful wintery touch to home decor and help keep little ones fingers away from the flame.

What You Need
Recycled jars
All purpose glue that dries clear
Epsom Salt
Foam Brush
Paper Plate

What To Do:
1. Pour a generous amount of empsom salt onto your paper plate
2. Using the foam brush, coat the outside of your jars with glue
3. Roll your jars onto your plate of epsom salt to coat.
4. Allow glue to dry completely before using as a candle votive.

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 5

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:34:19 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 5
Stone Snowman

This little project is a great way to kick off the winter season with kids. The snowman can be scaled down or up according to what you want him for, don’t limit yourself to a doorstop; these little guys can work as paperweights, yard art or just something fun to sit on your mantle!
What You Need:
Glue
Acrylic Paint, various colors
Felt square (color of your choice)
Scissors
3 rocks, similarly sized. Also, Look for stones that have at least one slightly flat side to make assembling these easier.

What To Do:
1. Decorate your snowman first with the acrylic paint. Add a face, buttons, boots, whatever you please! You can leave your snowman skin natural (stone colored), or paint it with pain acrylic paint. Allow ample drying time before assembling your “stoneman”.
2. Once dry, stack your stones and glue together.
3. Using your felt square and glue, create a scarf for your snowman.

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 3

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:33:32 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 3
Cheesecake in a Jar

Cheesecake in a Jar is a sweet surprise for friends and family!

What You Need:
8 4-ounce mason jars with seals and lids
1 3-inch roasting pan
1 Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
Graham Crackers (crushed)
(recipe makes 8 servings)

What to do:
1. Preheat oven 325 degrees.
2. All ingredients to be room temperature. Mix all ingredients. Add 1 egg at a time. After mixing the cheesecake batter, strain the batter through a small-holed strainer to get rid of excess liquid.
3. Pour batter into jars 3/4 full (do not put on lid). Place jars in roasting pan, and add hot water carefully into pan half way up to jars.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Shut off oven. Leave jars in oven for 2 hours, then take out jars, and let cool.
5. Top the jars with fresh berries and crushed graham crackers.
6.Seal the jars and place in the refrigerator.These can also be frozen. Take out night before and place in the refrigerator to thaw.
7. Add a ribbon or a bow and give these delicious and creative treats to your sweetest friends!

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 4

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:30:07 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 4
Hand and Footprint Reindeer Tshirt

Things you need:
* Plain T-Shirt in any light color, that will accommodate the hilds footprint
* Brown Acrylic Paint or brown fabric paint
* Foam brush
* Newspaper
* Googly eyes
* Red pompom or jingle bell (bells must be sewn on for safety).
* Wet towel
* Your child

Things to do:
1. Fold newspaper and place inside the t-shirt, so your printing doesn’t come through to the back of the shirt. Its best to keep this in for the entire project.
2. Fill a container with brown paint and using your brush or sponge, paint a piece of newspaper,with a thick enough layer of paint to accommodate printing 3 times.
3. Start with the foot, and place it in the paint. Have the child stand with the painted foot, in the middle of the shirt. 4. Pull the foot from the shirt, and put it on the wet towel. This stops the child from sticking to anything with paint, as well as removing the paint.
5. Repeat step 4 using the child’s hands. Place the handprints on either side of the footprint to represent the reindeer antlers.
6. Using Fabric Glue, place on the eye’s and nose of your extremely Unique “Rudolf” the Red Nosed Reindeer. You can also use a jingle bell instead of the pompom, and decorate the “antlers” with other decorations such as smaller glittery pompoms if you like. Imagination is the key!
7. Allow to dry completely before wearing.

NOTE: Washing the shirt will remove the design, consider using permanent fabric paint to ensure your design doesn’t disapear in the wash, or create your craft on construction paper to keep year after year!

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 2

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:45:17 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 2
Peppermint Stick Candle Holder

These holiday Christmas candle holders are sweet in more ways than one! Make several of these candle crafts to keep and to give. As an alternative, consider using the same technique to cover a square or rectangular paper box to give or store Christmas cookies.

Things you need:
* Circular container, without the lid (Recycled coffee cans, food containers etc. are great eco friendly options)
* About 40 or so 4-1/2” peppermint sticks
* High shine glaze spray
* Super tacky glue
* Waxed paper

Things to do:
1. In a well ventilated area, lay the peppermint sticks on top of a few sheets of wax paper and spray with the glaze. Let the glaze dry completely.
2. Make a wide bead of glue along one side of a peppermint stick, and press it onto the side of the circular box. Make sure the bottom is lined up evenly with the bottom of the box. Repeat with each stick until the box is completely covered.
3. When the glue is dry, if you want the tops of the peppermint sticks to be even you can sand the tops though this is not necessary. Seal them with another coat of glaze.
4. Fill the box with the glass marbles and add the votive candle. Fill in around the candle with more of the marbles to keep the candle secure.

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 1

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:43:18 +0000

12 Days of Christmas Crafts: Day 1
Chocolate Filled Cookie Cutter

DESCRIPTION

Great gift for teachers or someone you would like to say thank you to! Give one to your mail carrier, baby sitter or other people that help care for your child. After the chocolate is gone…they have a cute Christmas Cookie Cutter!

MATERIALS

* Metal Cookie Cutter
* White Chocolate or Brown Chocolate Bark
* Sprinkles
* Spoon or a pastry bag
* Microwaveable bowl

OTHER MATERIALS

* Cookie Tray
* Parchment Paper

STEPS

1. Line cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper about four inches bigger than your cookie cutter on all sides
2. Place cookie cutter in center of piece of parchment paper, cutter side down.
3. Put 2 or 3 squares of chocolate bark into a microwave safe bowl.
4. Microwave as directed or 30 seconds. Stir and repeat at 15 second intervals. Mix well after each heating.
5. Carefully pour into center of cookie mold and use spoon, or fill pastry bag with chocolate mixture and squeeze into cookie cutter mold.
6. Holding cutter down with fingers, gently shake the cutter side to side and the chocolate will spread into all corners.
7. Adult should do this to prevent the chocolate from leaking out from under the cutter. Add more chocolate and repeat if necessary.
8. Sprinkle with candy decorations or drop onto area you desire.
9. Let cool and harden on the parchment paper. For faster results, cool in refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS
* When heating chocolate, stir well for at least 30 seconds to spread heat evenly. The hotter part will melt some of the chocolate as you stir.
* Very Important: Heat until just melted and chocolate is smooth and shiny. Chocolate scorches easily.
* After pouring chocolate into cutter, press down on cutter with fingers and gently slide the cutter back and forth to settle the chocolate. The parchment paper should move with your cutter.

Patriotic Parent Award

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:15:58 +0000

Do you know an outstanding parent that has also served our country? We are looking to salute an all around Patriotic Parent with our first ever Kid Ventures Positive Parent Award!

The award winner will receive (1) Parents Night Out voucher for Kid Ventures for up to 2 children ($75 value), $15 to spend at the Kid Ventures Cafe, and (2) buddy passes.

If you know a veteran or active military parent that deserves extra recognition, please nominate them below in our comments section. Tell us WHO deserves the award and WHY. Be sure to include your contact information in your nomination!

20 Candy Alternatives for Halloween

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:55:30 +0000

For many kids, Halloween is the most fun night of the year. While they look forward to dressing up and eating fistfuls of candy, candy manufacturers might be having an even better night. After all, one quarter of annual candy sales are attributed to Halloween. Unfortunately, for parents– that much candy in the house can be a nightmare. Moms around the country have put their heads together to come up with clever, kid friendly, and fun alternatives to passing out candy on Halloween. Listed below are 20 of the best!

1. Temporary tattoos
2. Stickers
3. Pencils
4. Fancy erasers
5. Book marks
6. Crayons
7. Plastic vampire teeth
8. Superballs
9. “Slime”
10. Plastic jewelry/decoder rings
11. Silly Bandz
12. Glow-sticks
13. Tiny decks of cards
14. Fake money
15. Bubbles
16. Granola bars
17. pretzels
18. cheese and cracker packs
19. Small PlayDough containers
20. packets of instant hot chocolate or cider

***Keep in mind, most parents will throw out anything that is not store-bought and packaged– so refrain from portioning out pretzels, granola bars, and cracker packets yourself. Keep them in their original packaging***