Homemade Finger Paint

Who doesn't love getting their hands dirty?  I suppose some kids with sensory processing issues and another small percentage of "type A" kids don't, but for the most part the little ones love any chance to squish something with their hands.  

My kiddos love using finger paint.  I mean *LOVE*.  They start the activity putting the paint on the paper with their fingers or paint brushes, then it somehow the activity turns into "hand-washing with finger paint".  I'm okay with that.  A little mess doesn't bother this mom.

Homemade Finger Paint

flour

water

food coloring

There's really no recipe here.  Just mix together the ingredients until it's to a consistency of your liking.  I find that the lids of jars holds the paint really nicely.

I've also found that a heavy-duty canvas paper holds the thick paint a little better than regular paper, but we use both.  A pad of canvas paper can be bought at Michael's pretty inexpensively, especially if you use one of their weekly 40% off coupons.

Now go whip up some paint and get creative!

Photo: A Musing Mamma

Free Shipping on Diapers and Wipes!

Did you know that Sam's Club and Costco offer free shipping on their baby diapers and wipes? That's pretty great, if you ask me.  

There are so many times where I'll almost be out of diapers or wipes, and I can't tell you how convenient it is to be able to order them online in less than 10 minutes.  Though I can't vouch for Costco, Sam's Club usually arrives 2-3 days after I place the order.  Another plus!

If you're a Sam's Club or Costco member, I highly advise you to make your life a little easier and take advantage of this convenience.

Photo: www.samsclub.com

Gorgeous Children's Table & Chairs Set

How gorgeous is this children's table and chairs set?!

This exquisite piece of furniture is available for my esty shop, handcrafted by my brother-in-law.

This solid wood children's table and chairs set is created from Alder wood. No MDF or plywood used. This is heirloom quality furniture, something that can be passed from generation to generation and withstand the test of time and roughness of children's play.

Available in any color of your choosing.

This stuff is built to last.  None of this particle board stuff they sell in some shops.  Good, solid, craftsmanship.

Photos: A Musing Mamma

What Has My Attention On Etsy Right Now...

Etsy is a fantastic place to find one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts for someone you know (or for yourself!). It's a great way to support local artists (there's a feature to only search artists local to you).  Head on over and find something great today.  While you're there, be sure to check out my shop MimiAndWah. I have a couple amazing things I'm lining up that I can't wait to sell!  Check back soon to see them.

Check out these super cute little girl hair clips and headbands from CharlottesCorner2013.  Very adorable and very affordable.

Photo: CharlottesCorner2013 via www.etsy.com

How cute is this cowboy/girl hat and boot set from sheepishhooker?

Photo: sheepishhooker via www.etsy.com

Not from Etsy, but here's a less expensive cowgirl boot for a sweet little babe from iKnitQuiltSew.

Photo: iKnitQuiltSew via www.handmadeartists.com 

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love The Wizard of Oz.  Might have to buy this lot of 12 Oz fabric panels from QuiltPanelsAndCrafts and whip up a quilt.

Photo: QuiltPanelsAndCrafts via www.etsy.com

Speaking of The Wizard of Oz... how great is this bookmark from kiranichols?

Photo: kiranichols via www.etsy.com

I have to bookmark these slippers from FrancescasToyChest when some of my nieces' and nephews' birthdays roll around.  Adorbs!

Photo: FrancescasToyChest via www.etsy.com

Beautiful dress and pretty affordable from wonderxue (whose other dresses are amazing too).  Now only if I had somewhere to wear it.

Photo: wonderxue via www.etsy.com

Neely's BBQ Sauce + Slow Cooker Anything = Major Deliciousness!

The Neely's BBQ Sauce from The Food Network is my go-to barbecue sauce.  It is tangy, sweet, and has a bit of a kick.  It's quite simple, and the flavors all blend together really nicely.

Now, what I absolutely love about this sauce is that you can put any meat in the slow cooker, dump the sauce ingredients on top, in a couple of hours you have a delicious barbecue meal.  I've tried it with chicken, pork, and beef, and all turn out superb.  I omit the white sugar (and sometimes even cut down the brown) and it still works.  I will also omit the 1 cup of water if using in the slow cooker because the juices from the meat water it down enough for my taste.  To make sure we get our veggies, I will usually toss in a diced onion, 3 carrots (cut in to chunks), and sometimes a couple of halved potatoes.  So simple.  So healthy.  So delicious.

Ingredients:
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients in your slow cooker.  Put meat in slow cooker.  Cook for 5-7 hours.

Photo: A Musing Mamma

Homemade Paddles and Balloon Game

I'm very cheap when it comes to my children's fun.  If I don't buy their entertainment at a garage sale / thrift store / children's consignment event, then I make it.  Children are usually entertained by the simplest of things, so I generally believe that most entertainment can be found in objects around the house.  Mine currently love watching the washing machine run through a cycle, for instance.  When we're not watching our clothes being laundered, we are playing this game.  It's simple, really, and the kids get a kick out of it.  You make two paddles of sorts, then you hit the balloon(s) with them.  So we have balloons, and we have hitting stuff.  What's not to like?

Materials:

balloons

duct tape

paper plates or cardboard

popsicle sticks

First, blow up your balloon(s)*.  Now, I would have used paper plates for our hitting device, except that we didn't have any.  Instead, I cut large squares from a moving box we had lying around.  Next, use the duct tape to affix your popsicle sticks to the paper plate / cardboard.  I couldn't find our duct tape so I used scotch tape instead, which I really don't recommend.  It works in a pinch but doesn't stay taped like duct tape does. And that's it.  Hit those balloons, and be entertained by the fact that you just created some cheap entertainment.

*Obviously you must be careful with latex balloons around small children, as they can pose a choking hazard if popped.  Therefore, you must keep a close eye on youngsters playing this game.

Photo: A Musing Mamma

Healthy Honey Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

I'm always on the lookout for healthy recipes, especially for dessert.  I love a sugar-laden, buttery, chocolate chip cookie every now again, but for the most part I really do prefer the healthier option.  I don't feel so sluggish after eating them, for one.  I also feel better giving them to my kids.

They were asking for a cookie and we had just run out of our last batch (which we typically keep in the freezer to last us longer).  The kids really enjoy cooking with me so I figured why not search for a new healthy cookie recipe to try out?  I found Healthy Honey Oatmeal Cookies from www.Food.com and made a few adjustments.  To be a bit healthier, we used Greek yogurt instead of butter, and we cut the sugar from 1/2 cup to a scant 1/4 cup.  They are still plenty sweet even with the reduction. You could probably use even less and they would still be tasty, especially if using chocolate chips or the other optional ingredients that provide sweetness.  The chocolate sweetens them a lot, so I used a bit less than I normally do.  There's a very subtle sweetness to the batter, which balances out the chocolate nicely.  They are pleasantly chewy, which I wasn't expecting.  They hold their shape rather nicely.  Since butter is absent, they didn't spread, so they were perfect bite-size snacking cookies.  We likely won't even have a chance to freeze these -- I'm certain they will be gone in the next couple of days!

Healthy Honey Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 20-25

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
scant 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Optional Ingredients: chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon, chopped nuts, chopped dates, chopped figs, currants, dried cranberries, dried cherries, white chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly oil cookie sheet or use parchment paper.  Mix together yogurt, brown sugar, honey, egg and water.  Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Add the optional ingredients, if using. Use a cookie scoop or drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.  (Since these don't spread at all, you can place them rather closely on the cookie sheet.  I managed to put all of mine on one sheet.) Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Photos: A Musing Mamma