Chocolate Eclair Dessert (5 Star*****)

This is a very easy and deliciously chocolaty recipe. It needs to be refridgerated for a few hours so it's a great make ahead recipe.

1 3/4 cup of milk
1 4 serving box of French Vanilla Pudding
8 oz of Cool Whip
24 Honey Graham Crackers
1/2 cup of butter
4 squares of unsweet chocolate (grated)
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 lb of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of milk

Pour milk into a large bowl and add pudding. beat with a wire wisk untill well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Layer 8 graham crackers into the bottom of a 13" x 9" pan. Spread half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Repeat layer. Place remaining 8 graham crackers on top.
Melt butter and chocolate squares in the microwave. Add vanilla. Add powdered sugar and milk, it needs to be spreadable so I don't usually add all of the powdered sugar. It will thicken quickly so add more milk if it's not spreadable. Spread over the graham crackers and refrigerate for a few hours.
I found this recipe at kraftfoods.com "Easy Peanut Butter & Chocolate Eclair Dessert". It took the peanut butter out and added frosting instead of the glaze.

Necklace

I saw the cutest necklaces at rufflesandstuff.com and decided to try my hand at making some or at least one. Let me tell you, it looks easy until you have to connect all the pieces together. I wanted to make one now but I didnt have some jewelry clamps I wanted, soooo I knoted the brown ribbon and sewed the necklace pearls to it. Now, I think it looks pretty cute so I will give it another shot as soon as I get some jewelry clamps. I did string the beads too tight and the lace was so tight it tried to curl up so I added the flower to make the lace lay flat and then I thought WOW, I really like it with the flower on it. I found some old brooch pins that would look cute on a necklace, so here I go again.

Tooth Fairy Instructions

I give the parents a gift bag with the Tooth Fairy kit inside it and the following instructions. Some parents don't like lying to their children. I just think they won't be young for long, so don't make them grow up faster than they need to. And whats wrong with make believe. If you ask my grown children today if they still believe in Santa Claus they will tell you yes and I agree.


Your child is about to be visited by the Tooth Fairy. Just before your child’s 4th birthday you will receive a tooth fairy kit. It includes a note, fairy pouch with tooth charm, toothbrush and tooth paste. Place the pouch where they will find it but not out in the open (drawer, under pillow, behind door). When the Tooth Fairy visits she leaves fairy dust (glitter) for a more magical feel. Read the note to your child. The main point is for your child to keep their teeth clean so the fairies will come back for them when lose them. Hopefully this will help them want to brush their teeth. Reread the poem when they fuss about brushing their teeth. Place the tooth in the pouch and the Tooth Fairy will leave gifts from the fairies. The fairies leave unique gifts such as 1$ coins or 2$ bills. Search the Dollar store for small gifts (magical fairy gifts), and stock up before you need them.

Tooth Fairy Kit

There are so many kids in the family I decided to come up with a Tooth Fairy Kit. It includes a tooth pouch and charm, note, tag, toothbrush and toothpaste. I bought the bags in bulk off the internet and I made a tooth charm from white Shrinky Dink and beads. I took a tooth template and enlarged it to about 3 1/2" tall, punched a hole on the side and then placed it in the toaster oven to shrink. You can cut the Shrinky Dink sheet with scissors and when you shrink it it becomes a hard plastic. I used a jump ring to hold the charms and beads. Make sure you punch the hole before you shrink it or you will have to drill it. The tag has the childs name on it a picture of little fairies. This is the inside of the card:

When the Tooth Fairy hears your getting old enough to lose a tooth, she plans a trip to visit you. She checks her fairy map and finds your house. She sprinkles on some magic fairy dust and with her magic wand she gives it a tap. She gives you a fairy pouch to place your tooth into when it falls out and a new toothbrush. She takes your healthy clean teeth and grinds the teeth into magic fairy dust for all of the other fairies. While you sleep, where dreams are made, let us see if we can make a trade. Keep your teeth clean and healthy and when they fall out she will leave a gift from the fairies.              The Tooth Fairy

I hope this will help the kids keep their teeth clean. I almost forgot...since the fairies make fairy dust with the teeth you need to sprinkle fairy dust (glitter) around when the fairies visit. I include a instruction sheet for the parents, please see Tooth Fairy Instruction Sheet.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a very spicy soup, 5 Star*****

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cubed)
1 Onion (chopped)
1 cup of Celery (chopped)
2 cans of Mild Rotel
1 can of Hot Rotel
2 cloves of Garlic (minced,
I got mine from a jar)
1/2 teaspoon of Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper
10 oz package of frozen Corn
3-4 cups of Chicken Broth
Lots of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Tortilla chips

Brown the chicken. You can brown the chicken in a large stock pot or brown it then place it into a crock pot. In the pot add the onion, celery, Rotel, garlic, chili powder, black pepper and corn. Add enough chicken broth to make it soupy. Cover and simmer on low for 6-8 hours or medium/high for 3-4 hours.
To serve, sprinkle with lots of cheddar cheese and tortilla chips over soup. I leave out the tortilla chips for a low carb meal.
*You can use 3 cans of mild Rotel if you prefer not to glisten (sweat) while eating

Bishop's Blanket

My grandson rocks and this is the blanket I made him. I ironed 2 sided fusing onto the back of the guitar and then ironed it onto the blanket. I zig zag stitch around the edge to make sure it won't pull off. I ironed 2 sided fusing onto the back of the black piece inside the guitar and the zig zag stitched his name onto it before iroing it to the guitar piece. I ran single stitches down the handle to look like strings. I sewed this side of the blanket to another piece, turned them inside out nad ran a single stitch all around the edge. I think the blanket looks pretty cool, just like my grandson. I hope you can see the stitching in the photo below.

Blue Jean Brooch

I made this re-purposed brooch from a pair of old blue jeans and some left over burlap. I cut circles and flower shapes starting with a 4" burlap circle and adding layers and layers of material. I had some left over curtain material and used it for some of the rings and then topped it with a button that I had cut the back off of. There are 10 layers and I just hot glued them together and added a pin to the back. The burlap and the blue jean material will fray but that just adds to the cuteness of the brooch. It dosen't look like much untill you add the button...bling.

Nice and Naughty Christmas Spinners

 I made these Nice and Naughty spinners for Christmas. My nephew got one from his mischievous elf who kept telling Santa he had been bad. On the computer in Word, I printed the square and Name on red construction paper. On white construction paper in Word, I created the I've been Nice / Naughty with pictures of coal and candy canes. I cut it out with an 2 5/8" circle punch. With 2-sided tape I attached the circle to the square, and laminated them together. I punched a hole in the center and added a grommet. I found some spinners at Hobby Lobby that are held on with a brad. I would like to find some different spinners that have a top and bottom piece. I placed a smiley face sticker on the back to cover the prongs from the brad. I am going to make a bunch for next Christmas so all the kids will get one from their elf.

Baby Bib

I made this bib for my Sister's granddaughter and then I made a smaller one exactly like it. My sister bought a doll so her grandaughter and her doll would have the same bibs...so cute! 

Barbie Doll House

We made my grand daughter a Barbie house for Christmas. Her grandpa bought a sheet of 1/2" plywood and made each floor 13" high and it was 36" wide. I sanded the wood and painted it all white. I decoupaged some paper rugs onto the floor and some paper trim around the top.The paper will wrinkle and it looks terrible but when it completly dries it will smooth out. I bought some doll house windows at Hobby Lobby, painted them pink and placed a photo behind them then secured them to the walls. I didn't find doors that were tall enought so I bought two photo frames that had 3 x 3 photo openings, painted it pink and placed a 8 x 10 picture of my house behind the doors, I added 2 beads for door knobs. I bought some furniture and made the bed and lounge chair in the bedroom. I took an oval decoupaged box and made a back rest, covered it with white vinyl and hid the imperfections with trim and a pink boa. She was so excited she just kept jumping up & down.