Rainbow Cake

Remember this, last year's attempt at a rainbow cake for St. Patrick's Day? What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment--I had to try a rainbow cake again this year.  I know what you're thinking... But it worked!  I went smaller, lots smaller this year.  Let me show you.

I only used one box of white cake mix.  I just divided it into six bowls, used food coloring to create six different colors, then poured them carefully into the bundt cake pan.  I started with the red, then poured the orange on top of that, then the yellow on top of that, etc.  I wasn't sure if I'd end up with a big brown mess, but as you can see, it worked wonderfully!  So simple, so fun.

St. Patty's Day Centerpiece Tutorial (Kid-Friendly!)

This is one of the cheapest and easiest projects I've ever done.  I am a leader for my daughter's Frontier Girls troop--We have six girls ages 4-6.  I did this project with all the girls on Monday afternoon and it went fabulously.  I was a little worried about Mod Podging with six wee ones, but they did a fantastic job, which emphasized to me how simple this project really is.

Want to know the best part?  Each centerpiece costs under $2!  All of the supplies (except for the Mod Podge) were purchased at our local Dollar Tree.

SUPPLIES

-Small square candle holder

-Scented tea candle

-Green decorative glass

-St. Patrick's Day Napkins

-Mod Podge  (Not pictured)

-Foam brushes (Not pictured, but available at the Dollar Store)

-Scissors (Not pictured)

Unfold a napkin.  Use your scissors to cut out two of the green squares with clovers inside.

Mod Podge a clover square to two opposite sides of the candle holder.

Fill the candle holder with the green class about 2/3 full.  Place the tea candle into the center of the candle holder.  (You can kind of twist it down into the green glass a little bit.)

Enjoy!

I'm currently working on a Home/Life Organization Binder.  It's nearing completion, so I hope to have photos up soon.

Also coming soon... A Spring Wreath! 

Clovers

I love St. Patrick's Day.  Maybe it's the Irish in me or maybe it's just another excuse to celebrate and decorate... Whatever the reason, I'm excited for the 17th!  Last year, I snagged a couple of wood clovers from Goodwill.  Each one cost me under a dollar.  I finally got around to Mod Podging them last week.

Later this week, I'll have a tutorial for a kid-friendly St. Patrick's Day centerpiece, made completely from Dollar Store supplies and costing less than $2!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

What does St. Patrick's Day mean to me?  Well, I'm not Catholic.  And I don't drink.  That about does it. No wait, I'm like twenty-five percent Irish.  Sweet, I can celebrate.

Last night, in preparation for today's festivities, I had the grand idea to bake a rainbow cake.  Yes, I'm talking about a six layer cake.  Genius, right?  Let me tell you, it was AMAZING.  About a foot tall.  Four containers of icing and an entire bottle of red food coloring (red, orange and purple all use red!).  Awesome.  Check it out for yourself:

And then this happened.  Suck.

That about did me in.  Do you have any idea how much time I spent on that thing?  Time I'll never get back.  Oh well.  My kids still thought it was cool.  It's the taste that counts anyways, right?

On to today.  Breakfast was green mini shamrock pancakes, made using a heart shaped cookie cutter.

Green applesauce.  I had to post the close-up for the nastiness factor.

I sewed this cute little leprechaun shirt for my son last night.  He loved it and wore it to school today.

Dinner was green spaghetti (I cooked the noodles in water with food coloring) with Pesto Alfredo sauce.

Cucumber Salad

Asparagus

Green Shamrock Rice Crispy Treat

And finally, mint Oreos dipped in green chocolate (white chocolate dyed green).

My six year old can't wait to see if his pee turns green.  After all the food coloring we ate, I wouldn't be surprised.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day Bunting

March is here!  The beginning of spring (although not really here in WI) and St. Patrick's Day are just around the corner.  At our home, we love any reason to celebrate, i.e. decorate.  So here's a tutorial for making a very simple St. Patrick's Day fabric bunting.  This is so simple to make--It only took me a couple of hours, including a gazillion interruptions from my kids.  The sewing is very basic as well, perfect for beginners!

Supplies:

6 sheets of felt (I used off-white)

1 Fat Eighths Pack of Green Fabric (You could also use scraps)

1 Package Green 1/2" Bias Tape

Matching Thread

1) The first step is to cut 9 triangles from your felt (Blank, K, I, S, S, Blank, M, E, Blank).  I drew a template on card stock and then cut it out of my felt.  Then I just used that first felt triangle to cut the rest.

2) Pin your triangles to the wrong side of each of the fat eighths.  You'll have to get 2 triangles out of one of the pieces to have your first and last triangle on the bunting match.  (Don't forget to iron the creases out of your fabric before you pin--Trust me on this one.)

Be sure to leave the felt pinned to the fabric after you cut each triangle, because we'll just go ahead and sew them like that.

3) Draw the letters K, I, S, M, E on card stock.  Cut them out and pin them to a sheet of felt.  Then cut them out of the felt.

Your project should look like this:

4) Using a zig-zag stitch, sew along the edge of each triangle (1/4" seam allowance).  Back stitch at the beginning and end.

Hint (for the sewing amateurs like I am): At each corner, leave the needle in the fabric, raise the presser foot, and rotate the fabric until it's in the correct place to sew up the next side.

5) Using a straight stitch, sew each letter on to its triangle.  Backstitch at the beginning and end.

6) Now get out your bias tape.  You could use ribbon as well, but I like just being able to tuck my triangles right up into the fold.  Leaving an 8" tail on each end, pin each triangle into the fold of the bias tape.  I like the spacing best when they're pinned corner to corner.

7) Using a zig-zag stitch, sew along the entire length of the bias tape, tails included.  Now you're done!