Old Drawer Planter

Here is a cute idea I found for an outdoor planter. Find an old dresser drawer and some old legs from an old chair or you can purchase legs from your local Home Depot. Paint the drawer and legs.Distress the legs if you bought new and attach them to the bottom of the drawer. Line the drawer with a cocoa liner,add dirt and flowers and place it on your porch or deck for a very cute and unique planter.

Skkidewalk Squirty Chalk

Kids playing with sidewalk chalk is one of Summers favorite activities. This chalk is easy to make and wows the kids with its magics changing colors. Kids not only get to create Art, but they get to explore Science and review color theory. 

Supplies:

Squirt Bottles

Corn Starch

Food Coloring or washable water colors

Vinegar

Method

You will want 6 squirt bottles. Fill 3 bottles 2/3 of the way up with baking soda and corn starch.I did equal amounts of each,add a few drops of food coloring to each bottle(one red,one bluenose yellow) fill the rest of the way up with water. Use a butter knife and stir well, place the cap on and shake well.

Fill the remaining 3 bottles with vinegar, add food coloring one red one blue one yellow,vinegar.

Send the kids outside to play

Mixing the colors like blue and yellow will make green. The yellow chalk and blue vinegar will make a magically green fizzing color. Combining the blue vinegar with the red chalk makes purple fizzing Art. Let them experiment. When their done easily clean up with a hose. If using food color have the kids wear old clothes or substitute the food coloring with washable water colors.

 

Pasta Salad

This is your everyday pasta salad with a twist. Its made with red, white and blue pasta. I buy regular pasta, cook it and then divide it into 3 sections and using food coloring dye one red one blue and leave the other white. You could also use different shaped pasta, which would give it a different look. I then add my fixings green onions, black olives,celery,cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese. I toss it all with an Italian dressing, and serve it chilled. You could add tuna fish and instead of dressing add mayonnaise the possibilities are endless. I make this for our memorial day and 4th of July celebrations.

Camping with Kids

Camping with kids doesn't have to be scary. Most campgrounds have all sorts of things for kids to do. Swimming,biking,game rooms and once in a while planned crafts. Sometimes though you have to have a backup plan. When I know the grand kids are coming to camp with us I always make sure I have some things planned. They can only swim, and  bike so much, before boredom sets in and then its "what can we do?" I have print outs for scavenger hunts,where they are sent out to find all sorts of things,Sometimes I change it up and I give them a list of questions to ask other campers. Its fun and gets them to meet other kids. I also have collected flat rocks and painted pictures on them. Then at night sitting around the campfire they use them to tell a story. Another great idea using the stones is to write the places you've been on your many camping trips,addding the date and year then place them in a jar. Its fun to go back and see where you've been. I also make sure to always have games and puzzles available for those rainy days.

Fire Starters

Camping and bonfires seem to go hand in hand. I remember the first camping trip we went on,I had planned everything we needed down to a T. We arrived at our camp site, set up camp and while I prepared for our cookout over an open fire, my Husband built or tried to build a fire. After many attempts a nearby camper, who probably felt sorry for us came over to help. He handed my husband a small rolled up ball, said put this on the logs light it and you'll have a fire in no time. He had purchased these little miracle workers at the camp store.  His kindness saved what was about to turn into a disastrous first Camping trip.
I hadn't thought about those starters in years until moving up to the lake and found out that my neighbor makes them from shredded paper, and wax. She puts this concoction in a paper bag ties it shut and you have a fire in no time.They have come in very

handy when the grandkids are up here visiting and want to do S'mores,or just want a fire to sit around.
Our fire pit is loaded and ready with twigs from yard clean-up after a long winter and we are going to put these to work as soon as the weather  cooperates.

Sizzling Summer Salad

Now that its getting warmer outfits time to crank up that grill. This recipe is easy and very good.

Ingredients:
1 package of sweet Italian sausage links
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1garlic clove crushed
1T capers
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups baby spinach
1cup raspberries
1/4 cup basil leaves sliced
2T dried currants
2T pine nuts toasted
Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Preheat the grill to Med heat. Cook sausage for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally,remove and keep warm.
In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, oil,clove,capers,lemon zest and pepper.Place the pan on the grilling heat until well blended and warmed through. Remove from heat add spinach and toss to coat.
Divide the spinach mixture between 4 plates, place 1 sausage on top, sprinkle each place with raspberries, basil,currants and pine nuts. Drizzle with any leftover dressing and garnish with parmesan cheese,
Serves 4

Button Craft

We all have extra buttons. I have a mason jar that over the years I have tossed any extra ones in and now I have quite a collection. The question is what can we do with all these extra buttons. Well they are great for all kinds of crafts. I have made pins,book marks, and heres another cute idea for the kids' button tree.

Supplies:

A jar of assorted buttons

Paper

Water color paints

Glue

Instructions

Paint a tree trunk with branches on the paper

Glue buttons on the branches for a beautiful Fall tree