YODA SNOW FLAKE

This was made using a sheet of paper, scissors and an X-Acto knife and a free downloadable/printable diagram from Anthony Herrera Designs.   There are several other Star War snow flake designs, so if  are Star Wars fan it is worth taking a look at.

It took about 15 minutes to do as the smaller areas take time as you only go through a few layers at a time, but it was easy and fun to make.   I was worried that some of the choppy areas would make it look bad, but I think it gives it more character.

For the diagram and instructions, click here.

I am linking this up to Meijo's Joy.   

Key Lime Fudge

This is for Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge where each month she picks a theme (this month it is fudge) and the mission is to seek out a recipe of a fellow blogger's recipe them make and post what you make on the 7th of that month.

I wanted to try something a little different than the standard fudges I have made in the past and chose Key Lime Fudge from blogger Shugary Sweets and the only variation that I made was to use Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal instead of graham crackers, used non-stick coating spray on the pan and I didn't press them in the fudge as I didn't want them to get soggy.

It was super simple and we loved how it turned out...it had a lime taste without being overpowering, sort of like a fresh breeze of summer of a chilly day.

Recipe

• 2 - 11oz bags white chocolate morsels 
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 
• 5 key limes
• 1/2 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal or Graham Crackers
• Non-stick coating spray

Wash the limes, roll lightly on a table to help get the juice loose (optional), zest the limes on a zester or grater (I used a grater), cut in half and juice the limes.

On low heat (I heated mine on the 1 1/2 mark on my stove) melt the sweetened condensed milk and both packages of the white chocolate chips until smooth - it took 18 minutes on my stove.

Once smooth, turn off heat and add the lime juice and the lime zest; mix thoroughly.

Spray a pan - I used a 9x12, but if you wanted thicker pieces you could use a smaller pan or a larger pan (or more than one) if you wanted to have thinner pieces.  Pour the fudge into the pan.

 

Crush up 1/2 cup or more of Cinnamon Toast Crunch or graham cracker topping (leftovers are fun to use as an ice cream topping).

 Sprinkle topping on the fudge and let set until cool (I cooled my off in the refrigerator) and then cut into squares to serve.

Please check out everyone else's fudge creations at the linkys below and a special thanks to Tina a Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge for hosting and organizing this event, which is no small feat with the number of participants.

Next month's challenge is soup - if you are interesting in participating and do not already do so, click here for more information.

Happy Holidays and God Bless :)

Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge

SAMARITAN'S PURSE / OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

I am getting ready to send out my package for Samaritan's Purse/Operation Christmas Child
and thought I would share it here in case anyone else is interested in participating this year or in the future.

 

I learned of this opportunity to make a child's Christmas brighter over at The Krazy Coupon Lady
where you fill a shoe box with things a child might like, donate $7 for shipping and drop off 
about two months ago and she recommended buying throughout the year different things on clearance and using free samples.   She indicated she has been doing this for several years and stockpiles school supplies that she has gotten for nearly free, free gum samples, summer clearance items like sunglasses, visor, flip flops and 4th of July T-shirts after the holiday.   On Samaritan's Purse website they have a story of a little 5 year old boy who had a shoebox packing party for his 5th birthday. 

As I have a son, I decided on picking out things for a boy 5-9 years old and picked out things that he liked at that age from the The Dollar Tree, Target, Walmart and Walgreens.

I used a Zoo York shoebox that had contained from my son's 10 1/2 mens size which might be slightly above a standard shoe box, but it was all that I had on hand and I ended had to cram to get everything to go in, so you could get by with buying less than what I bought. 

I spent a little over $16 for all of the items pictured below.

• Smarties (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Planet Earth Coloring Book (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Notebooks (Walmart - .20 cents & .50 cents)
• Puzzle (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Cars bouncy ball  - (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Hot Wheels (Walgreens - buy one get one 1/2 off - $1.69)
• Cars mini-frisbees (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Pens (Walmart - .50 cents for each packet) 
• T-Shirt - Medium (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Cars swim trunks - Medium (Walmart - $4 - built in undies and sturdier than regular fabric)
• 2 prs of socks -  (Dollar Tree - $1)
• Kleenex (free sample that came in the mail)
• Lipbalm ($0 - was in a gift basket received and never used)
• Soap (.79 after coupon at Walgreens)
• Baby powder (.99 at Walmart)
• Toothbrush & toothpaste ($1 at Dollar Tree)

Collection week is this week through November 21st.

In addition to the above, I downloaded and completed the "About Me" at their Graphic Resources 
(but it is not required)

If you pay the $7 shipping online to be able to track what country the box ends up in; I chose this option and paid by credit card.   When I looked up drop off locations within 25 miles found 5, the closest one being within 5 miles of where I live.

Here are more detailed instructions from Samaratin's Purse website on preparing a shoebox for mailing.  I looked up drop off locations and there are


Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.


Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by downloading the artwork to the right. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.


Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child.  Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page.


Please donate $7 or more for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using our “Follow Your Box Donation” option, or you can write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoe box, please make one combined donation.


Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop off at the Collection Center nearest you during our collection week, November 14-21.

For locations and hours of collection visit our Drop-Off Locations page where you can find the nearest place to take your shoe box by entering your ZIP Code or you can call 1-800-353-5949.

You can also send your shoe box gift to:
Samaritan’s Purse
Operation Christmas Child
801 Bamboo Road
Boone, NC 28607

For further details if interested, visit Samaratin's Purse website

PROJECT {DOLLAR STORE} ACCESSORY CHALLENGE - #2

Sorry for the late posting - had this done on Friday but not able to post it until today.

This week's PROJECT {DOLLAR STORE} ACCESSORY CHALLENGE - #2 was picking out a piece of jewelry and decorate a pair of shoes and create one other accessory to go with it to accessorize a little black dress.

I chose to decorate a pair of shoes that I already had and make a bracelet to go with it.  My total out of pocket for this challenge was around $2.50, which is for sparkly bead trimming ($1.99 @ 50% off) and scrapbooking diamond shaped rhinestones ($2.99 @ 50% off) both purchased at Hobby Lobby and I still have plenty left over.  The remaining items were from my stash and the round clear rhinestones were from a package of mixed rhinestone from the dollar store.

SHOES
The shoes started out a pair of sandals with a strap in the back and I used an X-acto knife to cut the back strap off on each side as close as I could and to make it look more blended colored the area that was cut with a black sharpie.

I next taped off the shoes with masking tape except for the very bottom of the heel and then spray painted it gold to tie in with the gold in the necklace and to give them a more expensive look.

For the glue on the shoes I used Amazing Goop as I have used it in other shoe projects and it has held up very well, but any strong clear glue would do.

I glued two small rhinestones on the side of each shoe with a diamond rhinestone in the middle.  On the back of each shoe I glued a larger rectangle.

I used one square of felt to line the inside of the sandals, first by outlining the shape of the shoe and then by trimming to fit before gluing down.


 The picture on the left is the shoes before and the center and right sides are the after. 

BRACELET

I started with a 1 liter Diet Coke bottle and used masking tape to mark off where I wanted to cut, used an X-acto knife to cut the strip, then wrapped the strip in black ribbon fastening on the inside with hot glue.

I glue a strip of the shiny beads down the center and then glued a dab of glue on the inside of the bracelet and then wrapped diagonally the shiny clear bead string and glued at the end.  I did the same with the gold cord and wrapped it in the opposite direction to create "X"s.

The picture on the left side is the before...it was part of a 1 liter plastic bottle of Diet Coke.  

Be sure to check out other creations by Project Dollar Store Accessory Challenge 2 here.

Happy crafting!