Tissue Tube Santa Craft

Good Morning,

How are your holidays going? We are getting ready for school to start back up again and I am trying to get my oldest in school mode. When you have been plugged in most of the holiday season, as most kids are, it’s time to get real and start putting homemade homework packets together. There is still time for a little fun though too. Enjoy this Tube Santa Craft.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Sincerely,

~Mandu

Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger

http://www.emdiau.com

 

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Tissue Tube Santa Craft

By Chris on December 16, 2009

It just wouldn’t be crafting if we didn’t make something out of a recycled toilet paper cardboard tube.

This craft can be adapted to make just about anything including: Santa, Mrs. Claus, Reindeer, Snowmen, Elves, Angels, etc. In addition, you don’t just have to use toilet paper tubes. You can also use paper towel rolls and wrapping paper rolls.

You’ll Need:

• Recycled toilet paper tube
• Construction paper (red, white, pink, and black)
• Markers or crayons
• Glue (or gluestick)
• Cotton balls
• Wiggle eyes (optional)

What to Do:

1. Wrap a cardboard tube with a 4 x 2 inch sheet of red paper and glue in place.

2. To make the face, use a 3 inch wide circle of pink paper and glue in place.

3. Cut a 4 inch wide half circle and roll it into a cone. Glue in place. Glue the cone on top of the tube to make Santa’s hat.

4. Cut a thin black strip of paper that is long enough to go around the tube. Glue it in the middle of the tube to make Santa’s belt.

5. Use the markers or crayons to make Santa’s facial features. You can use the optional wiggle eyes if desired.

6. Tear apart cotton balls and glue onto the tube to make the beard and hatband. Make a small ball of cotton and glue it to the point of the hat.

My kids are absolutely crazy about these things!  We have to make new ones each year.

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Crafts for all occasions! If you have children, then you will love doing all of the crafts in this book for all seasons. Enjoy!

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Merry Christmas 2009

From Our Family To Yours Happy Holidays and Safe Keeping. Blessings!

FREE Educational Songs for Kids

Do you remember singing the alphabet song or the Spanish counting song? Songs help kids learn and remember. That’s why teachers (and even advertisers) use songs and jingles in everyday activities. They help to make the material more memorable. Whether you are homeschooling or are just looking for songs that will help your children learn basic skills, you may want to download and listen to these free educational songs for kids.

Blogging Calendar for 2010!

Are you the kind of blogger that doesn't have a clue what to write about from day to day and month to month? then BlogEnergizer is what you need. BlogEnergizer has all the goods when it comes to various topics that interest most everyone on some topic. See what you can get for $10/month!

Brought to you by EMDIAU and provided by Blog Energizer

7 Tips for Living in a Frugal Way

We have cut our costs down like by, at least in some circumstances, in half. Living frugally is definitely not the end of the world in fact it is nicer to your pocketbook. You don't have to be hyperventilating or worrying about how much is in the bank. By living frugally you are able to keep better track on what you have spent and in my personal opininon spend less of what you have. Enjoy this awesome article by Suzanne Meyers.

Sincerely, 
Mandu
Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger
http://www.emdiau.com/  



There are a lot of reasons why more and more of us are embracing a more frugal lifestyle. Sure, some of it is due to the economy and we are becoming more frugal by either necessity or fear. But for many of us it is a lifestyle choice. It’s a way to get back to the basics and spend more time on things that are truly important instead of chasing that new house, car or exotic vacation. If you’re ready to embrace living in a frugal way, I have seven tips that I’d like to share with you today.


Ask Yourself – Do I Really Need This?




This is a good question to ask yourself anytime your about to make a purchase. It’s a great tool when you’re just starting out, but also something I still do on a regular basis (and have to remind myself to do as well). A good way to look at it is to distinguish between needs and wants. Let’s look at some quick examples:






I really need to buy these groceries or else my family won’t have dinner.






I really want this new shirt because it looks cute, but the once currently in my closet are still working fine.






What works for me is to make myself delay any “want” purchases by at least a day. Once I had a chance to sleep over it, the new item I thought I couldn’t possibly live without suddenly doesn’t seem quite as important anymore and I’m able to walk away from it.






Skip The Meat And Other Grocery Saving Tips






A big part of living more frugally is cooking and shopping for groceries that are less expensive. Rely less on convenience foods and cook more from scratch. Sure it’s simpler to buy that frozen lasagna and just heat it up, or pop a breakfast sandwich in the microwave every morning, but you’re paying the price for that convenience. Instead make your own lasagna (in fact, make a double batch and freeze one for later) and grab a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast instead. Just scoop 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of dry quick cooking oats into a bowl, cover with water and microwave for 1 minute. Then just add sugar and cinnamon or whatever else you like.






Meat is another biggie. You don’t really need to cook with meat every single day. Work in a few days a week without and prepare a bean and rice or bean and cornbread dish instead. It will provide you with plenty of protein, is low in fat and has a lot of healthy fiber in it. To be truly frugal, you’re going to want to cook up the beans yourself from dry ones of course.






Another thing that works well for me is to simply reduce the amount of meat I’m putting in a dish. If you’re making pasta or casseroles, you can easily cut the meat in half and substitute more rice, pasta, potatoes or veggies.






Repurpose and Reuse As Much As Possible






Don’t discard or throw out anything without considering first if there’s something else you can do with it. I mentioned oatmeal before. We eat a lot of it for breakfast and as a result we end up with a bunch of empty round oatmeal cans. I’ve turned some of them into flour and pasta containers, others hold various craft items. A member of my Hillbilly Housewife Club recently pointed out that it would also be easy to put contact paper around them and then let the kids color them. It’s a very cute idea and the end result will be a perfect and unique gift container for Christmas or Birthday presents.






When I don’t know what to do with a particular item (an old bath towel for example), I go to the web and search for “What can I make with …” or “reusing …” or “repurposing …”. Give it a try. You’ll be surprised how many things that you would ordinarily throw away can be reused and brought back to live with a different purpose.






Small Habits and Changes Add Up






Don’t get discouraged by how small the savings are for all the little frugal things you are doing. On their own, they may not seem like much, but by making them habits that you do day in and day out and by combining quite a few of these little things, they will start to add up and translate into big savings.






What works for me is to sit down from time to time to write down all the little things I do to help save money and live more frugally. I cook batches of dry beans in the crockpot and freeze them instead of using canned beans. That ends up saving me about $0.05 per can. I also line-dry my laundry which saves a few pennies a load. The list keeps going on and on. Each thing I do only saves pennies (and sometimes dollars), but by the time I’m done, they all add up to quite a bit of money each month.






Thrift Shops, Hand-Me-Downs, Yardsales and Such






When I was growing up, we’d always get Hand-Me-Down clothes, toys and books from older cousins. For some reason that frugal habit has gotten out of style over the years, but it still works well and we still practice it in my family with this generation of kids. They often outgrow things much faster than they wear them out and there’s no reason not to pass them on. Talk to your family and friends about it and see if you can’t start trading things.






In addition, you can find plenty of “gently used” items at yard sales and in thrift shops. They are usually the first places I look when we need something.






Keep it Simple – Keep It Fun






Often the simplest things are the most fun and don’t have to cost a lot of money. Instead of going out to a restaurant, grab the kids and have a picnic at the park or cook outside on the grill. Other frugal activities we enjoy are game night where we dig out our favorite board games, reading together, going for hikes and exploring some of the playgrounds, parks, museums and such in our area.






Another thing that works well for us is movie night. We pick up a movie from the library or borrow it from a friends house, put on PJs and pop some popcorn. Great family entertainment for a Friday night.






Learn from Others and Get Support






There is a lot of frugal knowledge out there. Talk to the women in your family to learn more or find an online community of women that have the same values and interests. Not only are they a fountain of knowledge when it comes to all things frugal, they are also there to encourage you and motivate you to keep going.






I would like to invite you to join our frugal community at Hillbilly Housewife Club  We have a great group of women just like you who share tips, stories and recipes about living a frugal lifestyle.

Christmas is 10 Days AWAY....Excitement is in the air;)

Issue 17, Vol. 2  December 15th, 2009



Good Morning,



Can you believe that Christmas is ONLY 10 days away? My daughter will be starting her Christmas Vacation soon too. We are busy decorating the tree, almost done with gift wrapping, shopping and enjoying all the warm fuzzy feelings you get at this time of year as well. What are you thankful for this year? Is there anything that has changed from last year? Better or Worse?
 Our theme this month is Thankfulness and Bountiful Blessings. We are thankful for another year and that no one in our family was harmed. 
 For us here at EMDIAUs Monthly Times we have decided to become a Bimonthly newsletter with seasonal and holiday themes. It is always fun to do themes and you'll have something to look forward to every other month, too! I will continue to post on a weekly basis about good food, coupons, business ideas and anything else we feel any family would be interested in.

Here's to a prosperous New Year and Safe Holiday Season to You and Yours. 

Sincerely,
~Mandu
Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger
http://www.emdiau.com

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Topic of the Month

WINTER is in FULL SWING! What do you think of when you think of the Winter? The Holidays? The Food? If you will be able to spend time with family out of state? Whatever Winter weather does to your spirit, I am going to incorporate the different aspects of this season as well; Giving, Thankfulness, Gifts from the Heart and more in this December newsletter. I meant it when I said that this newsletter will incorporate what this holiday is about and should be every day. To give generously without malice and from the heart because if there is no heart in a gift it defeats the purpose;(.  Enjoy this beautiful season and be thankful for the every day because it is definitely a gift in itself: The Present. Live it Hard! Live it Well! Live it Abundantly and With Purpose!

Article of the Month

All you moms and or dads out there, how do you teach your children the value of giving to those in need and how do you live it every single day. Giving from the heart is so special and remembered long after all of the gift giving has been said and done. Enjoy this article.


The Giving Jar

Written by Rachel Paxton

Giving with a happy heart. If you teach a child to give with a happy heart you will raise a child who will never hesitate to lend a helping hand. Children enjoy helping others, especially if they see their parents doing the same. When a child’s basic physical and emotional needs are met, they are willing to share almost anything they have with someone in need.



My daughter wanted to help others from the time she was old enough to understand what it was she was doing. Before she was old enough for an allowance she helped me go through her outgrown clothes and toys to give away to charities. At Christmastime we would shop together for needy families (she looked forward to this as much as picking out her own gifts). And this doesn’t mean we weren’t needy ourselves. When my daughter was young I was a single mom working and going to college, and I was barely able to make ends meet. What little we had left over, however, we used to help others. I am convinced that this act of helping others took my daughter’s focus off of our own circumstances and created a passion in her for helping others. She always had food to eat and clothes to wear–she did not sense a lack in her life and so was willing to freely give anything she had.


As my daughter got older and started getting an allowance, she started spending her own money. She spent her allowance on family Christmas and birthday presents (however small), started tithing, and started contributing to charities of her choice. My daughter’s allowance is relatively small, compared to some of her friends, but that doesn’t keep her from making contributions, no matter how small, to people and organizations she wants to help. Now that she’s old enough to babysit, she has even more money to decide what to do with. She decides what to spend on herself, what to save, and what to give to others.


Our family recently came up with an idea of how we could work together to save up some money to help others. I am forever picking up loose change around the house, on the floor, in the car, and in the bottom of my purse. We decided to start a “Giving Jar” where we could deposit our spare change, and then as the occasion arose, we would use it to help others. We all pooled together our spare change and we already had more than $15. I placed the jar on the kitchen counter and put a big label on it that says “Giving Jar.” It has motivated us all to save more and is also a great conversational piece!


Don’t think you have to have a lot of money to give others a helping hand. Any amount, no matter how small, develops in your child the gift of a giving heart.


Article by: Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For complete resources for the Christian home, visit her web site at www.Christian-Parent.com

Stress Relief


Stress Help – Inspirational Quotes That Can Help You Cope With Stressful and Challenging Times

Written by Elizabeth Kuhn
Stress makes us lose perspective, while inspirational quotes can help us get it back. So here are a few quotes to keep around when the going gets rough…



When you’re going through hell, keep going. — Winston Churchill


When you don’t see where you’re going, when you don’t think you can stand it one second more, if you only keep putting one foot in front of the other, chances are, you’ll come out on the other side. Either that, or you come across a road sign that will point you in the direction that will get you out.


Do what you say you value. — Roger Mellott


Much of our stress comes from a conflict of values — we know we shouldn’t be doing something, yet we do it — and stress about it. If we align ourselves with what’s important to us, and act accordingly, things will be a lot less stressful.


Despair says I cannot lift that weight. Happiness says I do not have to. — James Richardson


Another way to approach perspective. We look at what seems like an insurmountable obstacle and feel despair because we can’t see a way to get across it. Yet we forget that sometimes we can simply go around it instead, and sometimes, there may even be a door. Either that, or we might be able to stay right where we are and be all the happier for it.


Do you want the problem or do you want the answer? – A Course in Miracles


If we focus on the problems we have, we’ll probably get stuck there. Instead, we might want to focus on how to get where we want to go.


If you think you need to get it all done before you can be happy, consider that on the day you die, you will have email in your inbox. — Robert Holden


Doesn’t this one make you smile? We take ourselves and especially our to-do lists far too seriously. The next one fits right in:


Don’t take life too seriously. It’s not permanent. – On a Coffee Mug by OZ


Indeed it isn’t. Horace came up with “Carpe diem” and told us to seize the day. We’re only here for so long, and we shouldn’t allow needless stress to ruin what time we do have.


The purpose of life is not to arrive safely at death. — Alan Cohen


This one accompanies a picture of two unicyclists riding on tightropes across an abyss, all the while playing music and enjoying themselves. Sometimes we’re stressed because we’ve been taking chances. It’s scary to jump off a cliff into the unknown. It’s scary to take that road less travelled (thank you, Robert Frost). Yet what’s the alternative?


A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. – William Shedd


Like the ship that would be so much safer in the harbor than out on the ocean, we’re not supposed to always play it safe. Sometimes, stress may be a sign that we have taken risks, the kinds of risks that move us forward. But that doesn’t mean we have to let stress get the best of us.

Looking at the above quotes should help us put things in perspective and help us find some stress relief and  reclaim a little inner calm. That, and taking a deep breath.


If you liked these quotes, you may also enjoy Elisabeth Kuhn’s FREE stress tips report. And here’s a related article on stress and time management.

Parenting Humor


You Know You're a Mom When...


...Your feet stick to the kitchen floor and you don't care.


...the kids are fighting, you threaten to lock them in a room together and not let them out until someone's bleeding.

...You can't find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend to call you, and you run around the house madly, following the sound until you locate the phone downstairs in the laundry basket.


...You spend an entire week wearing sweats.

...Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.


...Popsicles become a food staple.


...Your favorite television show is a cartoon.

...Peanut butter and jelly is eaten at least in one meal a day.


...You're willing to kiss your child's boo-boo, regardless of what body part it happens to be on.

...Your baby's pacifier falls on the floor and you give it back to her after you suck the dirt off of it because you're too busy to wash it off.

...You value sleep above all else.


...Your kids make jokes about farting, burping, pooping, etc., and you think it's funny.


...You're so desperate for adult conversation that you spill your guts to the telemarketer that calls and HE hangs up on YOU!


...Spit is your number one cleaning agent.

...You're up each night until 10 PM vacuuming, dusting, wiping, washing, drying, loading, unloading, shopping, cooking, driving, flushing, ironing, sweeping picking up, changing sheets, changing diapers, bathing, helping with homework, paying bills, budgeting, clipping coupons, folding clothes, putting to bed, dragging out of bed, brushing, chasing, buckling, feeding (them, not you), PLUS swinging, playing baseball, bike riding, pushing trucks, cuddling dolls, rollerblading, basketball, football, catch, bubbles, sprinklers, slides, nature walks, coloring, crafts, jumping rope, PLUS raking, trimming, planting, edging, mowing, gardening, painting, and walking the dog.


...You get up at 5:30 AM and you have no time to eat, sleep, drink or go to the bathroom, yet you still managed to gain 10 pounds.


...In your bathroom there is toothpaste on the light fixtures, water all over the floor, a dog drinking out of the toilet and body hair forming a union to protest unsafe working conditions.


...You buy cereal with marshmallows in it.

...The closest you get to gourmet cooking is making Rice Krispie bars


...You eat your dinner on dinosaur-decorated placemats


...You catch yourself singing the "Barney" theme song -- in public.


...You take phone messages in crayon


...You buy jelly according to the characters on the jar.


...You know the best way to scrape dried Cheerios off the floor.


...You don't own a single store-bought Christmas tree ornament


...You share the storage closet with a miniature broom and vacuum cleaner.


...You always buying the big pack of batteries-- but you can never find one when you need one.

Poem from ParentingHumor.com

AllRecipes.com

Recipe of the Season


  Holly Christmas Cookies

Ingredients



1 (16 ounce) package large marshmallows


1/2 cup butter, softened


1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


1 1/2 teaspoons green food coloring


4 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal


1 (2.25 ounce) package cinnamon red hot candies


Directions



1.In a saucepan over low heat, melt together the marshmallows, butter, vanilla, and food coloring. Mix in the cornflakes cereal.


2.Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper, and decorate with red hots. Set aside, and allow to cool.

Article Source:


Christmas Craft Activity

This time of year is always fun to create some crafts with your children. Enjoy this video and start creating memories to last a lifetime;-).




*Note if you enjoy crafting with your children, I highly recommend Chris's Book about crafts for kids. We always have fun doing the crafts, which are imaginative, not boring and keep the children's attention span long enough to get things done around the house as well. Most crafts can be done with the option of using glue or a staple(with adult supervision of course;).

                                                            Little Kid Crafts Mini Book

Business Joke of the Month
A businessman, on his deathbed, called his friend and said, "Bill, I want you to promise me that when I die, you will have my remains cremated."



"And what," his friend asked, "do you want me to do with your ashes?"


The businessman said, "Just put them in an envelope and mail them to the Internal Revenue Service. Write on the envelope, 'Now, you have everything.'"


Inspiration of the Month

Always Learning

When you don't understand something, that's an opportunity to learn. And when you do understand, you can also learn.



From every situation, from every encounter, from every experience, you can learn. From success, and from disappointment as well, there is much you can learn.






Why is it so important to learn? Because knowledge leverages your every action.






The more you know, the more effective you can be. With sufficient knowledge, what was once impossible becomes possible and what was once merely a possibility becomes real.






Learning is not just for students in school. The most valuable, useful learning often comes from the rich experiences of everyday life.






Each moment is a unique opportunity to learn. Value and make use of those opportunities, and life will steadily grow more richly rewarding.




Read more: http://www.greatday.com/#ixzz0Ynpv9DTR

-- Ralph Marston


Closing
Thanks for allowing me to share your day and being my subscriber, if only for a moment. If you have any questions or comments about my newsletter, please feel free to contact me. Have a great day.

Sincerely,
Mandu U.
Owner of EMDIAU
Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger
http://www.emdiau.com

Paper Plate Wreath Ideas

Good Morning, I thought you would enjoy making this craft with your kids and hope that you try it. This wreath picture is obviously not mine, but I like to include it so that you have an idea of what it looks like. The owner is Chris of Kids Craft magazine. Enjoy this craft and share it with family and friends.

Sincerely, 

Mandu

Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger

http://www.emdiau.com  

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Paper Plate Wreath Ideas
by Chris on December 11, 2009


The paper plate wreath has probably been around just about as long as the paper plate itself, but what Christmas craft season would be complete if we didn’t do at least one paper plate wreath?


So here are a couple of ideas you might like to try this year!


Tissue Paper Plate Wreath
What You’ll Need:
Cheap Paper Plate
Green Tissue Paper
Red Tissue Paper
A Piece of Ribbon or String For Hanging
Scissors
Hole Punch
White Glue
What To Do:
1. Cut a hole in the center of the paper plate so that you have a ring that is about three inches wide.


2. Cut your tissue paper (or tear it for a different effect) into 2 inch squares.


3. Crumple each square up slightly and glue the center onto the plate. Fill the plate in with the green pieces, then go back and add red pieces randomly to make berries.


4. Punch a hole in the top and thread the ribbon through to hang the wreath. You can embellish this project with a bow, glitter, etc. You make this craft as fancy or as easy as you want and it’s suitable for kids of all ages!


Variation on the Tissue Paper Wreath
The tissue paper Christmas wreath above probably won’t work well with the youngest kids, but there is a variation that seems to work much better.


All you have to do is leave the tissue paper flat and glue the squares onto the paper plate, rather than crunching them up. The project will go much faster this way and younger kids understand what they’re supposed to do better when you do it this way.


Plus it still makes a pretty wreath.


Evergreen Paper Plate Wreath
What You’ll Need:
Cheap Paper Plate
Cheap Evergreen Garland (Dollar Store Type)
Red Pom Poms
Glue (Hot glue or white glue)
Stapler
Ribbon
What To Do:
1. Cut a hole in the center of the paper plate so that you have a ring that is about three inches wide.


2. Cut a piece of the garland that’s long enough to go all the way around the surface of the paper plate… probably about 18-24 inches depending on the size of the plate.


3. Staple the garland to the plate, making sure the place the staples on the center cord of the garland. You’ll need to staple it every four inches or so all the way around the wreath, then fluff it up so that you can’t see the staples.


4. Glue red pom poms onto the wreath using either white glue or hot glue (adults only).


5. Tie a ribbon into a bow and glue it onto the wreath.


6. If you want to hang your wreath, punch a hole in the top and use a string or simply tie a string around the wreath.


This is the wreath pictured and would work well for older kids, scouts, etc. If you don’t want to use staples, you could always hot glue the garland onto the paper plate, but most kids shouldn’t use a hot glue gun on their own.


I hope you enjoy the wreaths!

Christmas Baking Galore!

Good Evening!

At our house we love baking during the holidays and dressing the tree too. This evening I would like to share this article with you. It is about 5 Christmas recipes that will warm your heart and your mouth this Christmas. Hope you have a joyous season now and all the year through too.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Sincerely,

~Mandu

Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger

http://www.emdiau.com

 

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5 Delicious Christmas Cookie Recipes by Julie DeHart

 

 Get a jump start on your Christmas baking with these classic Christmas cookies.  You can make them ahead & pop them in the freezer.  They freeze beautifully & will be resting nicely until you need them during the holiday festivities.  Enjoy!

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Kisses

Chocolate Kisses & Peanut Butter!

What a delicious combination!

These Peanut Butter Kisses deliver pure goodness.

 

Make sure not to cook the bottom cookie too much -- you want it to be nice and chewy.

 

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter -- you could use either creamy or chunky; whatever you prefer

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Big Hershey's kisses, unwrapped, of course.

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix the sugars, butter, peanut butter & egg.

3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt.

4. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Mix until well blended.

5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

6. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

7. Bake until set, but not hard; about 8 - 10 minutes. But watch the first time you bake these, because everyone's oven is a little bit different.

8. Toward end of baking, place a chocolate Hershey's kiss in the middle of each cookie; press down slightly. Bake for a few more minutes.

 

Spritz Cookies

You will need a cookie press with a variety of tips for these spritz cookies. In our house, we shaped our spritz cookies into wreaths and then used green & red candied fruit for the bow. You could also use small cinnamon candy pieces.

 

1 cup butter

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 tsp. almond flavoring

1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cream butter & sugar; add egg & flavorings.

3. Sift together flour & pinch of salt. Combine with creamed mixture; mix well.

4. Fill cookie press with dough; press into shapes. Decorate with candied fruit and/or cinnamon candy. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until set & lightly baked.

 

Pecan Tarts

These pecan tarts are like mini pecan pies with a custard center & chewy topping.  Delicious!

 

Pastry:

1/2 cup softened butter

3 oz. softened cream cheese

1 cup all-purpose flour

 

1. Cream butter & cream cheese with hand mixer.

2. Blend in flour.

3. Chill.

4. Form into 24 balls. Press into mini muffin tins or pastry tart pan. Grease pan well.

 

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 T. melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

 

1. Mix filling ingredients together & fill tart shells 3/4 of the way full. If they are too full, they will cook over & make a big mess in your oven.

2. Bake 20 - 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

3. Cool slightly & remove carefully with a table knife to loosen edges.

 

Afghan Cookies

Afghan cookies are flavorful & chewy. The cornflakes give them a nice texture.

 

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

2 cups cornflakes

 

1. Cream the butter & sugar together until light & fluffy.

2. Sift together flour & cocoa.

3. Combine dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix well.

4. Fold in cornflakes.

5. Spoon dough in tablespoon-sized mounds on greased cookie sheet; gently pressing together.

6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes in 350 degree oven or until set.

 

Butter Cookies

These butter cookies are very festive looking without elaborate decorating.

You can change the jam to suit your tastes.  Blueberry jam sounds yummy -- really delicious!

These butter cookies are best when baked right before serving.

 

1/2 cup butter

3 T. sugar

1 cup flour

Pinch salt

 

1. Cream butter & sugar with hand mixer; add flour & pinch of salt. Blend well.

2. Roll dough into 3 long strips about 2 inches wide each.

3. Place on cookie sheet.

4. Place a strip of strawberry jam down the center of each strip.

5. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes in a 325 degree oven.

6. Cool briefly & drizzle with light frosting.

 

Frosting:

Combine 1/2 - 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 T. softened butter & enough milk to combine into a thin frosting.

 

To your Christmas baking!

 

 

 

Julie DeHart is the author of http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/  Visit her site for more delicious, easy recipes, home & kitchen organization tips, parenting tips, conversations starters, and cooking techniques. 

http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/cookie-recipes.html

 

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

 

 

Second Hand Clothes, First Class Style

I used to be embarassed about telling people where we shopped for our children's clothes, but after awhile I realized that we are recycling gently used clothes and these have been my most fabulous buys yet! Now when people ask I can proudly tell them how much the designer jeans were at the consignment shop, value village, Good Will, Garage Sale or St. Vincent DePaul I frequent on a yearly basis now. I loved this article by Rachel Paxton about this very topic, which says it so plainly and very well too, I might add.


Enjoy!
~Mandu
Aspiring WAHM, Wife and Blogger
http://www.emdiau.com
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Second Hand Clothes, First Class Syle
By Rachel Paxton
     Consignment shopping can be fun as well as rewarding. I was first introduced to consignment shopping when I was pregnant with my daughter, about 12 years ago. The trend of buying second-hand items was just beginning. I started shopping at a store that consigns women’s and children’s clothes, toys, and baby furniture. At first I just bought some baby clothes there and marveled at how inexpensive they were (1/3 or less of retail prices). As my daughter got older I didn’t have any little girls to give her clothes to, so I started consigning her clothes. The consignment store decided how much the clothes should sell for, and after the clothes had sold, they gave me 30 to 50% of the purchase price. For just a few items that might only add up to a couple of dollars, but if you make a practice of taking in all of your children’s outgrown clothes, it can add up quickly. Where I shop, they will either give you the cash when the item sells, or they will hold your money “on account” so that when you buy something there in the future, your purchase is subtracted from your account.







After I had started consigning my daughter’s clothes and realizing the benefits I was receiving (when you both buy and sell items at consignment stores, you get the benefit of low prices, your children get the benefit of wearing the clothes until they quickly outgrow them, and then you get to re-sell them, making a profit that almost equals the value of buying the clothes in the first place!), I started going through my dressers and closet and realized how many clothes I had that I never wore. I was a little reluctant at first to get rid of so many clothes, but I took a deep breath, and consigned them. I ended up bringing home at least $50 for a couple of grocery bags full of clothes. I realized that I could use that money to buy new (used) clothes that I really would wear, and that no money would have left my pocket! That’s when the adventure really began. As time went on, I got braver and braver about simplifying my life and getting rid of all of the things I didn’t want or need anymore. Have you ever paid a lot of money for an outfit and then didn’t like it after all? Of course you have! Many times people are reluctant to part with clothes that they paid a lot for and never wear (maybe because it shrunk the first time you washed it). Consignment shopping takes all of the guilt away! The first step is to let go of the guilt and get rid of the clothes. When you start buying your clothes at consignment stores, that guilt is never there. If you decide you don’t like something you bought there, take it back and consign it. You didn’t pay much for it in the first place, and you can use the money you get from consigning it to buy something else.






At first I usually just kept the money and didn’t buy new clothes with my profits. I only shopped there occasionally and didn’t see much I was interested in. Then I started going more often and realized that there really were great clothes there, but they go in and out of the store so fast that you have to go often to find the best deals. I haven’t bought a brand new pair of jeans in years. I have, however, bought many brand-name pairs of jeans consignment shopping that would have cost anywhere between $30 and $50 new, and I paid about $8 a piece for them. Many look like they’ve never been worn.






I bought and sold my daughter’s clothes there from the start. She is now 11 years old and I have very rarely ever bought new clothes for her. My sister spent about $50 on a shirt and a pair of corduroy overalls for her last Christmas. A few weeks later we found a similar pair of overalls in another color at the consignment store for about $8. My daughter was thrilled. I’m glad she can also find joy in consignment shopping. I know that in a couple of years she may not be as thrilled about buying second-hand clothes, but buying used clothes is becoming a lot more acceptable. More and more people are becoming fed up with expensive prices and the high cost of living in general. Our favorite consignment store even recently created a section just for teens that looks just like a department store display.






If you don’t have a consignment shop in your town, the next time you visit the nearest big city, check out their yellow pages or ask around. Even if you make a trip once or twice a year to clean out your closet, it’s well worth the effort! In these times of corporate “down-sizing” and just trying to get by, don’t spend a large portion of your money on new clothes. You don’t have to be as extreme as I am and buy all of your clothes at consignment stores, but if you keep your eyes open and look for opportunities to spend less on clothing, you won’t regret it!






Article by:






Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at www.creativehomemaking.com

Ideas for Family Night Activities

Ideas for Family Night Activities by Aurelia Williams

Family time is becoming an activity that is rarely seen these days with both parents working and not enough time to spend with the kids. In many homes these days, children are booked with activities spanning from school, to sports to church and parents are busy with work. It seems that it gets harder and harder to schedule valuable family time .

Well, it’s time to change that. Even though life seems hectic and you may feel this just can’t be done; it is possible if you put your mind to it. Find at least one night a week where all of you can get together and do something fun as a family. If you’re new to the family night thing and don’t know what to do; here are some ideas to help you get started:

Play a board game- Scrabble and Monopoly are popular board games that the whole family can play together. You can have fun teaching your kids new words or how to count money, while having fun. Let your kids win once in awhile. They would like nothing more than to be able to win against their own parents and have fun taunting you about it as well. This will help them want to look forward to the next family night, so they can beat you again.

Fly a Kite-If the weather is nice, try going to your Local Park and flying kites. It’s a nice fun activity that doesn’t cost much to do and keeps your kids active, instead of them sitting in front of a T.V. playing their video games.
Play Sports- Spend some time outside and shoot some baskets or play catch with a baseball. Sports activities are a good way to get your kids and yourselves exercising. Sports make exercising more fun than doing a regular routine of walking or running.

Baking- If the weather is bad outside and you need to find something to do inside, spend that time baking cookies or brownies. You could try out a new recipe or just have fun making an old favorite. The kids can get involved with decorating the cookies if their too young to do much else. While you’re waiting for the cookies or whatever you’re making to get done, you can play a game of charades and act out your favorite things to see if everyone else can guess.

Scrapbooking- Have some fun photos of the family that you want to do something fun with? Scrapbooking is an excellent way for a family to get together and showcase those photos in a unique way. It’s a way for your children to use their creativity by creating the pages that the photos will be placed on.

There are many more activities a family could do together, but these will help you get started. Once you get into it, you’ll find your own activities to do. If you set aside the same night every week, for family time, such as Wednesday night; your family can plan a week ahead of time what you will do for the next family night. Make it a tradition and get the family back together again.



Aurelia Williams is a certified life coach and author of Real Life Guidance: Finding More Family Time. Take the 1st step to finding more family time today.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com/