MamaBlogga

Tag: winter-bazaar

  • Marshmallow Treats

    I have no idea where this recipe came from, but it’s a great new twist on “crisped rice desserts” (because I’ll bet the term “Rice Krispie Treats” is trademarked. . . . Oh crap.).

    Anyway, it was a recipe that my mother had us make, oh, probably 10+ years ago, back when we did crafts/treatmaking each night in December. This was one of the first treats we made.

    Ingredients
    Marshmallows (big ones, not teeny ones)
    Caramels (unwrapped)
    Crisped rice cereal

    Directions
    Melt the caramels in a saucepan (or, if you want to use the microwave, a bowl will do). Pour the crisped rice cereal into a shallow dish or bowl. Place a sheet of waxed paper next to that bowl. Once the caramels are good and melty (don’t you just love the precision of this recipe?), dip one end of the marshmallow first into the caramels, then into the crisped rice cereal, then place it on the
    waxed paper to cool. Repeat until you run out of something.

    someone elseI don’t have any pictures of these, but at right is a picture from a similar (but much more involved) recipe from AllRecipes.com. The picture has added food dye to the caramel.

    I also think these would be good if, after dipping in the crisped rice cereal, you dipped them in chocolate. Or before. Or instead of the caramel. Chocolate…..

    Part of Scribbit’s Winter Bazaar and
    2007 Christmas Confection Collection

  • Natural air freshener

    I can’t remember where I first saw the idea for this natural air freshener, but it’s easy and, I think, Christmas-y: perfect for late fall and early winter. Best of all, it’s fairly easy, if you have the materials.

    Materials:
    Cookie sheet
    Aluminum foil
    Pinecones, rinsed

    Put the aluminum foil on the cookie sheet, then put the pinecones on the cookie sheet (yes, in that order 😉 ).

    Put the cookie sheet into the oven and set it on 200 degrees (or ‘warm’). Bake them for 30-45 minutes: piney goodness.

    The pinecones also open up and may drop their seeds: pine nuts!

    And they’re ready for crafts. And who doesn’t love pine cone crafts? (Okay, okay, you can put your hands down.)

    Part of the Scribbit Winter Bazaar and Works-for-Me Wednesday!

  • The Ultimate List of Pregnancy and Maternity Costumes

    updated for 2012

    Don’t miss the ultimate list of family costumes!

    I was almost six months pregnant with my first when Halloween rolled around. I was completely stumped for a good costume, and we had a party to go to. After looking on dozens of message boards and lots and lots of web searches, I assembled the granddaddy of all lists of pregnancy-related costumes.

    jrrshalloween05I realize that not everyone is looking for a couple/pregnancy costume, so the list starts off with “stand alone” costumes that highlight your “baby bump.” Next is couple costumes, although there is some overlap between the two. Most of the costumes were fairly self explanatory, but I elucidated a bit for a few. Please note that I’m not saying that I think these ideas are good/creative/funny; they’re just everything I found. Also note that any links in the list are affiliate links; I get a small percentage of any purchase made after clicking on the links. Not all linked costumes are “maternity” costumes, but they may still fit.

    Not the costume type?
    Check out these “instant costume” t-shirts, including a skeleton baby, “I’m dressed up as my mom,” jack-o’-lantern print and “This year my costume is ‘exhausted pregnant chick.’”

    Stand Alone

    • 8 Ball (you could even be magic, if you feel so inclined)
    • alien creature coming out of your belly
    • angel
    • baker
    • Baker’s Wife (“Into the Woods”)
    • Barney
    • big baby
    • Belly Dancer
    • Big Bird
    • Bowling Ball
    • bumblebee
    • angel
    • bump in the road (wear all black, use sticky-backed felt strips to create road markings. Stick some cars on your belly)

    Couple Costumes

    There were a few things on my list that were “topical” (read: “dated”). Can you tell what year this was?

    My favorite idea wasn’t really related to pregnancy, but adorable: Sesame Street Martians (see for awesome instructions instructible and their family song if you’ve forgotten it .) I told my husband it’d be cute to put “Yip, yip, YOU!” on his back and “Yip, yip, ME!” on my back and “Yip, yip, BABY!” on my belly. Ryan laughed at me.

    Our choice? That’s us at the top of the post. The day of the party, I got some pipe cleaners and headbands and made myself a halo and Ryan a set of sparkly red “horns.” He wore his red boots and his shirt with flames on it; I wore a flowy white shirt and skirt. It ended up being so flowy that almost no one could tell I was pregnant. Oh well.