Re-Purpose Glass Jars for your Pantry, DIY

I love the mason jar craze, however I want to save my jars for canning peaches. We have a peach tree and Dear Hubby loved it when I learned how to can them (future post). I still wanted to use jars in my pantry and I have come up with an alternative that I really like.

On occasion I purchase jars of fruit from our local discount grocery store. Because of the measurement on the sides I liked them and decided to use these instead of my mason jars. However they come with tin lids that are just ordinary to look at. But while looking for something else I spotted these and wondered? I got an idea...a wonderfully nifty idea... I purchased them to see if they would fit.

They do! These are white plastic lids from Ball. You can purchase them just about anywhere canning supplies are sold. They come in a pack of 8 for a reasonable price and you can get them in regular or wide mouth size. Once I chose what pantry items I wanted in each jar I labeled them with letter stickers from my scrapbook stash.

I just love them! What do you think?

6 Reasons you may like Potato Chip Casserole: New Meal Monday

Ok, so this is not a new recipe for me but maybe for you? I was feeling sentimental (missing my dad and grandmother). And Potato Chip Casserole sounded good for dinner. This is one my Grandma Lois used to make.

If you never have had this, you may like it for the following reasons:
1) You like potato chips
2) You like cheese in your casserole
3) You like tater tot casserole
4) You like tuna casserole
5) You like any casserole
6) You like comfort food

Ingredients:
Wavy or Ruffles original potato chips
1 can tuna drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of evaporated milk (regular milk will work too)
grated cheese (I used rest of havarty and colby)
pepper

 In a baking dish mix tuna, canned soup, cheese (leave some to put on top), pepper and the milk. Once combined slowly add the potato chips- careful to break up chips but not crush them. It will look like this when ready for oven:

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbling. Then add remain cheese to the top and put back in oven to melt the cheese.

Enjoy! What is one of your comfort food recipes? Please share in the comments below.

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Our lessons from a Sense of the Resurrection

Our lesson, Bible and supplies for our first day!

We are enjoying our countdown to Resurrection Sunday with
A Sense of the Resurrection These lessons have been wonderful. Everything from deep conversations about what Jesus did for us to giggling over making our own scented paint. Some activities are simple such as gluing leaves onto paper. While other days are more involved like baking bread. But each day is meant to involve one or more of our senses. Here are some of the things we did.

 Day one we read about Mary and her offering- of washing Jesus' feet with an expensive perfume. We made scent jars for our home as well as scented paint by putting a kool-aid packet into some water and painting a "paper" jar. We then cut it out and added it to our Easter Banner.
On day two we cut leaves and discussed Jesus' triumphal entry. Day three we learned why Jesus would wash someones feet. She painted some feet to add to the banner.

Day four we made bread and learned that Jesus gave himself up for us. She added to the banner torn strips of brown paper bag to resemble bread.

By the way: Sunshine makes good bread!

Day five we talked about Jesus truly being King of kings and the purple robe the solders put on him. We added a cross with a purple cloth to the banner. Day six (half way through) was on Peter forgetting how much he loved Jesus and denied him 3 times. We put 3 feathers on the banner. We homeschool so these lessons just become part of our school day, but these are made to fit any schedule. And any time you would be able to invest would be so worth it!
What are some ways you teach the Resurrection Story to your children. I would love for you to share in the comments below!

Affiliate link included: I only share what I truly feel is a blessing to families.

Camo Cupcakes-homemade goodness!

These were so fun to create and they topped off my nephews' Camo Birthday Party. I will share with you here today how I made these. I was needing 2 cakes- one white and one chocolate. The chocolate one I found in my book: Taste of Home's Complete guide to Baking. It is a Chocolate Buttermilk Cake. I don't buy buttermilk, I just make my own. I needed to do that first. I poured 2 TBS of lemon juice into a 1 cup measuring cup. Then filled the rest of the way up with milk (I used 1% milk). You could also use white vinegar if you do not have lemon juice. Let is set for about 5 minutes and it will curdle. While that is going on I go ahead and get the rest of the ingredients ready.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 and 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup water

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in buttermilk and eggs. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Set aside and star the next cake mix!

I was looking for a white cake mix, however most white cake mixes call for lots of egg whites. I finally settled on a yellow cake mix on Pinterest called The Best One-Bowl Yellow Cake. I was willing to try this recipe because it has charm. It came from a 100 year old cook book. Hey, with that much experience behind it, it is bound to be good. And besides it only called for 2 eggs! I followed the recipe just as it says.

Once the yellow cake mix was ready I divided it in half and colored 1 olive green and the other I added just enough brown to make it tan. Then I was ready to fill the cupcake pan. I used small scoops and alternated the chocolate, green, and tan cake mixes. (Sorry forgot to take a picture of this step). I baked at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes or so. This is how lovely I mean how manly they looked coming out of the oven!

While the cupcakes cooled I got to work on the frosting. In my same book: Taste of Home's Complete guide to Baking, they have this one to go with the Buttermilk Chocolate. I ended up doubling because I had almost 40 cupcakes. But for the regular recipe it calls for:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectioners sugar
4 to 5 tsp milk

Cream butter, shortening and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar and enough milk to achieve a spreading consistency. Once I had the frosting complete, I separated it into 3 bowls and colored one olive green, one tan, and the last brown. I used a large star tip and coupler set to get the swirl effect I was looking for.

 They were yummy and just about gone before the days end!

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Making a big deal of the Resurrection and still keeping within budget

It's not about what she gets, its not about how cute or how fun. It is about pointing her to my Savior, creating family memories, and trying to make as big a deal of His death as we do His birth. And all without blowing the budget. This year I believe we have a balance of some budget friendly items but also something that she needs "spiritually".

First off I have this on order.

She is at the stage where I have read all the devotional Bibles we own to her. I feel that she is ready for a Bible that she herself can read. I chose this one because I use the NIV, this one will be close to my version. I also wanted an early reader Bible to help her gain confidence in her reading abilities. I want her to enjoy scripture reading, not to get frustrated with it. Looking through it on Amazon, there are even fun study questions throughout the book that will allow us to explore deeper. I am paying $12.80 (plus $3.99 shipping) for a new hardcover early reader.

Now on to the basket. I shop the thrift stores regularly and was pleased to find this bike basket for only 65 cents! I new immediately this would be used for her Easter basket.

After Easter this will be added to her bike

The items I am filling it with are from Dollar Tree, Walmart, and Joann's and all cost $1 each. With the exception of the My Little Pony stuffed animal which was $4 at Walmart and the cross necklace which I saved up for and bought from a friend who sells Premier Designs. The total for the basket was $13.65 the total for cross and Bible is $36.79.

We believe Easter is a special day and deserves to be celebrated!

Other ways we are making a big deal out of the Resurrection  are our DIY Resurrection Eggs and  our Sense of the Resurrection lessons, which we are working on each day as we head into the big day!

He is Risen!



Affiliate link included in this post. I will only share what I truly feel is a blessing to families. 

Camo Birthday Party Ideas

My first official order for this new business of mine, was from my sister-in-law Carly. She gave me call and said she was looking on my Facebook page and decided I needed a boy party on the page. She was right! My nephew's birthday was coming up and she ordered some camo cupcakes and I also went ahead and did the banners as well. She then let me take pics of some decor ideas that she used. 

The duck in the picture below I purchased at the thrift store for only 65 cents! We both thought it would fit in with what she was planning.

For starters I knew that I would want to make some cake picks. I have a Cricut machine, however I do not have a cartridge for the shape I wanted. Well, what did I do before I received a Cricut- I did it by hand. 
I was going to need a pattern so I turned to Pinterest for one. I enjoy Pinterest immensely! You can find just about anything there. I found a few that would work, however my printer was not working at the time. I was unable to print out a pattern. 
So what's a girl to do? Yep, that's right, I traced it. The computer screen works like a light box. So I gently placed a piece of copy paper up on the screen and lightly traced around the pattern. I cut it out and then used it for my pattern for the cake picks I would make. 

I worked on a few at a time and before I knew it, I had enough small for 24 cupcakes and 6 large for the banner. Once I cut them out of cardstock I inked (using an ink pad) around the edges with bright orange to give it some pop! Then I adhered them to a toothpick.

large ones I used for banner, I layered with a piece of camo paper

I did 12 bucks and 12 duck camo cake picks

In case you are wondering I timed myself on the small ones, I was under 2 minutes to trace and cut each one. Not too bad for how cute they turned out! 

The banner I made with scrapbook paper and my Cricut machine for the letters. I found here a pattern to make each triangle. I inked around the letters with a stamp pad in bright orange as well to coordinate with the picks.

This was a very fun party. It was a beautiful March afternoon. My brother BBQ'd, we shared potluck, the kiddos got to run all over the countryside as well as horse ride and everyone got to enjoy the yummy cupcakes-which I will share in Friday's post.

DIY Resurrection Eggs!

Counting today there are 13 days until Easter. Want a fun easy way to celebrate with your kids? Make some DIY Resurrection Day Eggs! Gather all your supplies today then start counting down tomorrow. You will open your last egg on Easter morning. Other options are to do them over several days or even all at once. I have done them all on one day as an Easter morning Sunday School lesson before.

What you need:
Bible
1 empty egg carton 
12 plastic eggs
number stickers (or permanent marker)
several small leaves
a couple pieces of bread (or croutons)
3 dimes
a small piece of purple cloth/felt (I used a sock)
thorns (from tree or bush)
small strip of leather
2 tooth picks to make a small cross
3 small nails
piece of sponge dipped in vinegar
1 toothpick & small paper triangle (to make spear)
small flat rock
glue gun 

Once you have gathered your supplies decorate the outside top of your egg carton. I used scrapbook paper and sticker letters and glued it to the top. Then I took the 12 eggs and numbered them 1 to 12. I then started filling each egg with that days item. Below is the list of what to put in each egg and the Bible verse for that egg. At the end of this post I will have a print button for you.

#1 small leaves for palm branches, Bible verse- Mark 11:8 
#2 small pieces of bread or croutons for the Passover meal, Bible verse- Matthew 26:26
#3 3 dimes for 30 pieces of silver, Bible verse- Matthew 26:14-15
#4 small purple cloth for the robe, Bible verse- Mark 15:17
#5 thorns for the thorn crown, Bible verse- Matthew 27:29
#6 strip of leather for the scourge/whip, Bible verse- Mark 15:15
#7 2 toothpicks for the cross, Bible verse- John 19:17-18a
(to make the cross I hot glued them together, then I cut the ends of each point off just enough so it would fit into the egg)
#8 3 small nails for the nailing Him to cross, Bible verse- John 20:25b
#9 small piece of sponge soaked with vinegar, Bible verse- Matthew 27:48
#10 toothpick/paper made into a spear, Bible verse- John 19:34
(hot glue triangle paper to an end of toothpick and trim other end down if needed to fit into egg)
#11 small flat stone for the stone rolled over the tomb, Bible verse- Matthew 27:59-60
#12 empty egg for the empty tomb, Bible verse- Matthew 28:6

Each day have kids pick the egg for that day and open it up, let them explore it and talk about it. Ask them questions about it. Then open to the Bible verse for that day and read it and discuss with them what God's Word says. Pray with your kids thanking God for His Son Jesus and what He did for us! 

I plan on doing this each morning with Sunshine during breakfast. Then later in our school day we keep working on our lessons from Sense of the Resurrection!

print directions 

Affiliate link included in this post. 
I will only share what I truly feel is a blessing to families.  

P.S. I thought I would share this book that we borrowed from the library. The Legend of the Easter Egg by Lori Walburg. It has a meaningful way to think about Easter eggs!