The 4-Crow's Blog: A Very Pinteresting Christmas 2013

Showing posts with label A Very Pinteresting Christmas 2013. Show all posts

Friday, December 20, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 15: For the Teachers

I can't believe today is the last day of 2013's A Very Pinteresting Christmas. I have had so much fun bringing you all the food, fun and crafts that I have found on Pinterest this year. If you missed any of my days, be sure to go back and check them out. Today is for the Teachers in my life, I mean my children's lives. I love those special people.

I made Peppermint Puppy Chow and Crow Bars for B's teachers and found these cute little Chevron bag toppers to go on the snack size baggies. How cute are these? Perfect for a 13 year old boy to give to his Middle School techers, not too babyish, but then again the teachers still know his Moma made the treats so they are safe to eat. They even had guides to help me cut them perfectly. KUDOS to balancinghome.com!

Miss K's teacher gets this:

I'm pretty pumped about this one. If you recall on Day 7, I told you about the craft we made during the Pinterest Party. It was these chalkboard clipboards. I followed the same exact steps but made my own template with her name and stick figure. I figure she can use it as a decoration outside her door or actually use it to take notes on.

I prepared the clipboards ahead of time. I really do like the spray chalkboard paint.

Then I used wax paper, wax side down. The direction called for transfer paper. I still do not have a clue what transfer paper is. Then I centered the design sheet over the wax paper/clipboard and begin tracing over the letters with a pencil.

The wax left an impression like this.

I took a fine point white paint pen and when over where I had traced. Once dry, I lightly sanded over the letters to give it more of the chalk effect.

Thank you for tuning in each day this week as I brought you "A Very Pinteresting Christmas" Linkup and if you have any Pinterest inspired activities throughout the week, be sure to grab the above button and linkup your ideas! "A Very Pinteresting Christmas" was 15 days of Pinterest inspired food, fun, crafty days of linkups that all can be used during this wonderful season of joy. It ran from December 2-20 here at The 4-Crow's.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 14: Melted Snowman Bottles with a TIP

Yeah, I totally stole this one from this pin/blogger at thatswhatchesaid.net. How could I not? The labels were free and the pin said,
"Add some fun to your winter party with these FREE Melted Snowman Water Bottle Labels!! Print, cut, tape and enjoy custom water bottles for your parties!"

C-ute! I could not have made them cuter for my little Miss' Christmas Party at school than this. Love them.

I will tell you a little trick though, since obviously these are printed off on copy paper, do you ever wonder how to keep the labels from getting wet and how to make them stick perfectly?

Packing tape. Lay your label on the stick side of the tape. Perfect size. The tape will act as a barrier between the bottle and the label. Leave about 1/4" at the end when you cut it. As you wrap the label around the bottle you will attach the label to the sticky side that was left. Pefect. No extra tape showing.

You are very welcome for that tip. Hope I was as clear as these melted snowmen. Aren't they adorable? One more day until party day. You still have time to make these!

Be sure to tune in each day this week as I bring you "A Very Pinteresting Christmas" Linkup and if you have any Pinterest inspired activities throughout the week, be sure to grab the above button and linkup your ideas! "A Very Pinteresting Christmas" will be 15 days of Pinterest inspired food, fun, crafty days of linkups that all can be used during this wonderful season of joy. It will run from December 2-20 here at The 4-Crow's. I hope you will join in on the fun!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 13: Our 2013 Christmas Eve Gift for the Neighbors, Snow Button Ornaments

If you are a neighbor of mine, stop reading this post right NOW! Take your mouse to the upper right corner of your screen and hit the "X" button. Thank you. Whew, now that the nosy neighbors have quit reading this post I can share with you their Christmas Eve Gift.

On Christmas Eve, before my children are allowed to open one single gift, they take a special gift to each of our neighbors. This has been a tradition of our now for 10 years. I believe that it instills in my kids that it is better to give than receive and that giving of oneself is the greatest gift we can give to others. I try to make it a crafty gift and have even baked. This year's gift is an ornament. A snowman ornament. I found this pin and immediately knew it was the one. Now I know mine is not as fancy as hers, she is a professional with an Etsy shop and all.

Here is what we did: (we includes my 6 year old daughter)

1. Cut 4.5" shape with Cricut

2. Painted three different sized buttons white, glued them on

3. Used scripture stamps to put a verse on the shape

4. Made a tiny fork bow for snowman out of bakers twine

(yeah this can be done, watch this video)

5. Hole punched top and made a hanger out of bakers twine

I think they turned out pretty cute, and will be a yearly reminder of my kids to the neighbors for years to come!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 12: Christmas Potpourri

All over Pinterest you see the stove top Christmas Potpourri- cranberries, cinnamon, orange peels, but not one pin is the same on how to make this "potpourri". Everyone adds their own touch and amount. Maybe that's why it's called potpourri. It's whatever you pour in the pot. So I decided to just do that. I ate/peeled a few oranges. I found a few cinnamon sticks. I even bought some fresh cranberries this year as a garnish for a drink I made for the Pinterest Party. Then I added water and brought to a boil, then a simmer. The sauce pan I used is tiny, but gave off a fantabulous smell.

I posted this picture on Facebook, and everyone wanted me to share. It is PRETTY, y'all!

I had to place a warning that this was to be inhaled, not ingested. It also last a few days. Enjoy!

And yes, I might need to clean my stovetop again before I decide to snap a pic! LOL!

Monday, December 16, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 11: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Taquitos

My family NEVER eats an entire loaf of bread. Does yours? I usually feed the birds our old bread. But now I have found a way to feed the CROWS the bread before it gets old.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Taquitos.

Just the name sounds yummy right. I found this pin, and had to try it.

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese (one package) softened a little

1 cup white granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 loaf white bread

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar, set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon, pour onto small plate, set aside.

Melt butter in a small bowl, set aside.

Using a rolling pin or glass, roll bread completely flat. Try to get them as flat as you can. Try not to tear.

Place about one tablespoon cream cheese filling on bread and roll it up like a taquito. I spread mine with a butter knife. Carefully dip wrap in butter and roll in cinnamon mixture on the plate. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a little crispy on the outside.

I get about a dozen out of this recipe. I did mine slightly different than the original pin. I use my bread crust and she uses a different type of bread.

My kids loved this recipe!

Friday, December 13, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 10: Basketball Cake

I have to take a little break from Christmas in December to celebrate a very special day. The birth of my first born. My son. His birthday was yesterday. This was no ordinary birthday. He became a teen. Yikes. I have a teenager in my house. Actually I have been seeing the signs for a while now. Weird smells, a changing voice, peach fuzz, the know it all attitude.

13 years ago I was blessed with the wonderful gift that I call my son! He is kind, compassionate, and has a heart bigger than Dallas! Above all he loves Jesus! Happy Birthday Braden Chase!

This year I decided to make his cake. Pinterest inspired of course. Anyone that knows my little man knows that he is all about he hoops. I found this pin originally and it would have been so much easier to make, but then I found this one and decided to try it since I had the ball cake pan. I think I used it for his 2nd birthday and have loaned it out several times since.

Here is the final result.

I used a Pillbury chocolate cake, tinted a can of white icing a peachy/brown color and then decorated it with Reece's Pieces. The 19oz Family size contains plenty of brown and orange to decorate this cake. Just try not to eat too many of the yellow ones.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 9: Christmas Chalk Art

One of the gifts we received at my church's annual A Christmas Gathering was this fabulous two sided chalkboard. I love it. I think I have mentioned time and time again how much I love chalk art. Today I am going to tell you an EASY way to do this yourself.

Handy George is one of my favorite fonts. It's FREE. Download it and install to your Word program. Find a quote you want to put on your chalkboard- make sure you season your board first if its new. What does season mean? Take the flat side of a piece of chalk and rub it all over the board then erase/wipe off. If you don't then you will have permanent marks all over your board from the first thing you wrote.

I pinned this picture last year. Loved it. I have since seen a gazillion different versions.

Anyway, once you pick out your saying, go to your Word program and size it accordingly. Mine font size is 114 and my margins as narrow as can be to fit on one page. I just used one font for this small space and was pretty simple, but you can get as extravagant as you want. But it doesn't have to be on one page. Also remember you can do this in PicMonkey or Photoshop and can send it to your favorite photo copy place to have made as big as you need.

After printing take chalk to the backside of your print over the letters.

Then you will tape the paper onto your chalkboard and begin tracing with a pencil.

The chalk from the underside will rub off and look like this.

Then take your chalk and go over the chalk lines. I like to use chalk markers. Then you have this beautiful chalk art to display. Fun. Fun.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

A Very Pinteresting Christmas Day 8: The Party Food

Pumpkin Muffins
brought by Sarah

right click/save or print

No-Bake Chocolate-Pretzel-Peanut Butter Squares

brought by Dusty

Recipe courtesy Trisha Yearwood, Food Network

Total Time: 0 hours 17 minutes

Prep: 16 min

Cook: 1 min

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, melted

2 cups pretzel rods, crushed into crumbs

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup plus 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

In a medium bowl, add the melted butter, pretzel crumbs, confectioners' sugar and 1 cup of the peanut butter and stir together until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Combine the chocolate chips and the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate and peanut butter are melted and smooth; two intervals should be enough. Mix to blend, then spread over the peanut butter-pretzel layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

White Chocolate, Orange and Cranberry Truffles
brought by Isabella

right click/print or save

French Dip Croissants- Roast Beef & Pepperoni

brought by Pam

right click, print or save

Bacon & Cheese Dip

brought by Sarah

16oz sour cream

2C shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1pkg of real bacon pieces.

Add all ingredients, mix well. Serve w/ crackers.

Let me just say, the food was yummy! If you are not following these ladies on Pinterest, I hope you will. I linked their boards with their names above. I hope you are following me as well!

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