Fun in the Sun: Heather

Hey there One Artsy Mama readers! My name is Heather and I blog over at A Cupcake Love Affair. If you don't know me, I blog about all things cupcakes and a lot about baking in general. I'm a pastry chef working toward opening my own bakery. In the meantime, I work full time at a small Christian ministry in Central Florida. I love God, my family, my friends, and my puppy Jax and am truly blessed to live the life God has given me!

Me and Jax

I hope you all are enjoying time with your family this holiday weekend! I'm so excited to be a part of Amy's "Fun in the Sun" series and to share a delicious recipe to celebrate the ending of summer. As it draws closer to fall, we have just a few evenings left to enjoy the warm weather and what better way to do so than with a fun dessert with elements of a summer favorite? Today I'm sharing a delicious recipe for S'mores Cookie Bars...just the name makes my mouth water! You start with a buttery graham cracker crust, fill with your favorite cookie recipe, and top with toasted marshmallows. Simple, but fabulous!

A plate full of yumminess!

S'mores Cookie Bars For the crust: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers) 1/3 cup sugar 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter Mix all ingredients together with a fork and press into the bottom of a nine inch square pan. I then added a layer of semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips...you know...cuz you can never have enough chocolate! For the cookies, I used my new favorite gluten free chocolate chunk cookie  mix. I know that the graham crackers aren't gluten free so this can't be labeled GF but I just really love this mix! If you have a favorite mix or homemade cookie recipe, feel free to use it! The one I use is a Pamela's gluten free mix that is just fabulous!

Source

Carefully press the cookie dough over the chocolate chips and crust and bake at 350 degrees until cookies are just about finished (literally, just about finished). I pulled mine out when they were starting to brown on the edges but still soft in the center (I like my cookies soft and chewy...not crispy). Top with marshmallows and place under the broiler until toasted. Once cooled, cut and serve brownies, and be ready for the sighs of bliss.  I also added broken up graham crackers and pieces of a milk chocolate bar. Seriously, these are just delicious! Obviously, you could also make S'mores Brownies by replacing the cookie dough with your favorite brownie batter....yum!

For more tasty desserts, stop by and check out my little corner of the blog world! You'll find me in all the usual places...

Blog  //  Facebook  //  Twitter  //  Pinterest

Thanks, Amy, for having me today! 

Until next time, happy reading and more importantly, happy cupcake-ing!

Fun in the Sun: Angela



Hi Everyone! I am Ange over at Decorating the Dorchester Way and I am so excited to be a part of the "Fun in the Sun" Summer series! Thanks Amy!

This summer we spent a lot of time playing with our Water Table. What kid doesn't love water?!  Mine is no exception. But I was getting tired of cleaning all of the bugs, dirt and leaves out every time he wanted to play with it.

So I decided it was time to make a cover for the water table! I used a shower curtain I purchased at Target on clearance. I thought a shower curtain would work well for this project because it is meant to get wet and can handle rain.

The first things I did were: cut the shower curtain to make it the correct size and sewed my unfinished edges. Then I placed the shower curtain upside down on the water table.  I used painters tape to hold it in place while I positioned it where I wanted it.

 Next I pinned the 4 corners.

Then off to my trusty sewing machine! I said a little prayer that it would fit (like I always do when I am sewing!! I am not an expert sewer so one of these days a project is bound to be a major fail!!!)

I waited until I was able to position the cover on the water table before cutting off the extra fabric from the sides.... just in case I needed to re-sew one! I used Velcro on all four sides to hold the cover in place.

Yes, a finished Water Table cover! And a happy mommy who doesn't have to constantly be cleaning the dirt and bugs out! And of course a happy little man who will have more time to spend with his water table!

Fun in the Sun: Sarah

Hey Everyone!

I'm so excited to be guest posting for the wonderful AMY!!  My name is Sarah, some of you might know me from my part in Amy's Contest she held not that long ago, and other might not know me at all.  ;)  For those that don't know me..... I'm a huge DIY/ Crafty/ Everything design obsessor.  I specialize in creating crafts out of wood. You can check me out over on our blog 

My Simple Obsession 

For the "Fun in the Sun" Summer series I wanted to do something that I think every parent would enjoy making while the kids get to reap the benefits! ;)  As it is the end of summer for most of us and school is just beginning, it's time for us to clean out our houses and garages for those end of the summer yard sales!  Whats not a better way then to have your kids join in and sale a little lemonade and treats? It gives your kids something to do and will also spike interest in garage sale hunters!

....So today I bring you...

First things first,

The List

• 2 Wooden "Drawer" Crates (JoAnns)
• 1 2'X4' 1/4" board (Lowes)
• 2 1"X2"X4' Side posts (Lowes)
• Elmer's Wood Filler "Natural" (Walmart)
• 2 Bags of 3/4" screws "#6" (Walmart)
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• Clamps
• Miscellaneous decor

BTW!!! Did you know that if you find a ding or a crack in any wood or craft items at JoAnns, they will  give you a discount!  I got 40% off just for this little crack on one of my crates! And it was already 25%! So on top of that I practically walked out of there with a free crate drawer unit!  Plus, JoAnns lets you use as many coupons you have all in one checkout! I <3 that store!

Step One:

Your going to measure the side of the crates.  ( I cheated. I took out my drawers and laid one crate down on my 2'X4' board and traced it.) Don't do what I did unless your good with eyeball dimensions.

Once you measure and trace out your measurements on the board, cut it out with a jigsaw. *Tip* Slow and steady wins the race.... "Just saying.."

Step two:

Then take your clamps and place the newly cut board in between your crates and place a  clamp at the top and bottom.  This will hold them in place when you screw into the wood.  Look below for reference to clamps.

*Tip* Lay the crates down so your screwing down instead of up right.  It helps the screws go in deep. review picture to the right for further tips......

Step Three:

 Measure the top of the crates where the table will be. It should come out to 9 1/2" X 24".  Draw it out on the 2'X4' board and cut it out with a jigsaw. (BTW, I should mention that you will be cutting 3 pieces out of this board so make sure your measurements count. If you have to make all the measurements before hand and draw them out before you do any cutting)  Once again, slow and steady with the jigsaw!  After your board is cut, sand the edges down. "We don't want our kids coming up to us with splinters!" Screw in the top board.  I went in from the outside with this one because the top piece is skinnier than the top of the crate. (Make sure you inset the screws.)

Step Four:

Take your 2 Long posts and screw them into the side of the crates. (Screw from the inside) It's nice to have someone to hold it for you while you screw the screws in. I was not so lucky since "The Man" is now on night shift. *Sad face* But it worked out great anyways because, "I have mad skills yo!" Use picture to the left for reference.

Step Five:

Measure the length from post to post and the length of how wide you want your sign.  I measured mine based on AB's height.  (Yes, I'm that mom that makes their two year old come out in the garage so I can have her stand behind the lemonade stand to get the right height for the sign!) Draw it out on the board if you haven't already and cut it out with the jigsaw.  Sand all the edges! And clamp it the the posts, one on each side.  Place one screw at the top and one on the bottom on each side. (make sure to sink the screw a bit, this will help with the next step)

 Step Six: 

Take your wood filler and fill all screw holes.  Let them dry for 15 minutes and then lightly sand them smooth.         Once that is done take one screw and Screw into one of the posts leaving the screw sticking out slightly to hang a sign on.  See picture below for reference.

And there you have it! A lemonade stand to decorate as you please!  

I have some very cool things to add to this to put all those other lemonade stands to shame! To see how this bad boy turns out check out our blog next week!  Hope to see you all there.  

Below are some awesome pictures of AB's First Lemonade Stand that I had made for her 1st Birthday Party.  Hope this gives you all some ideas for decorating your lemonade stands!

Until next time keep creating, living, and obsessing! ;)

Fun in the Sun: Carmella

Hi One Artsy Mama Friends!

My name is Carmella, I am the crazy girl behind the Creative Carmella Blog

I am so happy to be here today! 

Being a lover of all things creative and involving my kiddos in most everything I do, you know I am a fan of One Artsy Mama! Always so much inspiration here...and I just love seeing pictures of her little crafter's sweet smile!

Today I am sharing a fun rainy day project that my kids {and my 11 year old brother} and I made.

Kinda fun, right??

My kiddos love night lights....I'll be honest, they have quite a collection!

But...I do believe they like these the best {for now, that is}

I was really excited to finally use the battery tea light candles I got at an after Christmas sale this past year. I knew I would have an idea for them sooner or later {and how could you beat a 75% off sale?!}

Here's what you will need:

Baby food jars

white tissue paper

battery operated tea-light candles

glue

assorted acrylic paints

To start, I cut the tissue paper into small squares {about 1 inch} to make it easy for the kids to work with them. 

I put some glue on a plate and mixed in a very small amount of water to thin it out a bit.

 {no need for exact measurements here, just enough to thin the glue slightly}

With our sponge brushes ready, we started painting on the glue and layering the tissue paper on. Once the entire surface of the jar was covered we let them sit to dry for a while

When they were all dry we let our "inner artists" take over and started painting!

I love the look of the light bulbs my brother came up with!

With the tea light added we were all done!

What do you think? Would your kids love these like mine do?

Amy, thanks so much for having me!

And a big thanks to you all for reading!

 I would love for you to come chat with me on Facebook or stop by my blog any time!

{to this stay at home mom, adult interaction during the day is always welcome, haha!}

********************

Be sure to come back tomorrow for a special giveaway from this talented lady...one of her special necklaces!  See you then!

Fun in the Sun: Reannah

Hello One Artsy Mama fans! I’m Reannah and I write over at Shaped by Grace! On my blog I share decorating, crafting and recipe ideas, incorporating my faith and life as a single mom along the way. I am so, SO happy to be here today as part of Amy’s summer fun series!! I am always inspired by the crafts and fun Amy has with her little crafter! And summer is my boys’ and my favorite time of year! {It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a teacher and get the summer off OR that my birthday is in the summer -wink} It DOES have everything to do with the fact that I get a chance to spend lots of time with my kiddos! One of our favorite activities we enjoy as a family is camping! And what is THE BEST camping food?? You guessed it – s’mores!! Today, I’ll be sharing three easy s’mores variations for you to make your own summer treats! Any of these are perfect to bring to a summer barbeque or make with your kids! VERSION ONE – S’MORES CUPCAKES I love these cupcakes simply because they are SO cute!! They’re an easy way to wow your friends with an awesome looking treat! Here are some basic directions~ You will need:

• your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe (not shown)
• graham crackers
• a hershey bar or two
• mini marshmallows
• butter

(not shown)

• sugar
• toothpicks
• a kitchen utility (candle) lighter (shown in the picture below)

Basically these are chocolate cupcakes with TWO DIFFERENCES inside: 1) The base of the cupcake is actually a graham cracker crust mix. I used this recipe without the cinnamon. Press the graham cracker crust mix about 1/4 of an inch think into the bottom of your cupcake liners: 2) Pour your chocolate cupcake mix to about 3/4 of the way up the cupcake liner (just like you would when you normally make cupcakes!) 3) BONUS – add 2-3 mini marshmallows into each cupcake. They disappear/bake away but add a little extra flavor into your cupcake. (I’ve made the cupcakes without this step and they are still really delicious!) ~Of course, what makes these cupcakes super cute is the decorative top!! I frosted each one with white buttercream frosting and sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top. ~I then took it one step further and cut a little graham cracker rectangle and broke off one hershey rectangle square from a big hershey bar and set them in the frosting. ~And the marshmallows?? Look closely! Yeah, I roasted mini marshmallows! I used my bic kitchen utility lighter. {Shown below – use very carefully!} It doesn’t take much time or heat to roast a mini marshmallow! I think those final steps puts these s’mores cupcakes at the top of the coolness meter!! How about you? BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!! I promised you three  types of s’mores remember? And these last two are the easiest of all!! VERSION TWO - CRESCENT ROLL S’MORES All you need to make these babies is Pillsbury crescent roll dough, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows! Roll up and bake as directed for the dough and you’ll have your own s’mores crescent rolls to enjoy! If you want the full tutorial and recipe -  click here. And finally…. VERSION THREE – SUMMER S’MORES You only need 3 ingredients  to make this delicious treat – can you guess what’s in the middle? If you guessed BANANA – ding! ding! ding! You were right!! All you need for this treat is graham crackers, bananas and chocolate chips! EASY STEPS: 1) Cut a banana in half (width first) and then cut in half again lengthwise. 2) Place 1-2 of the banana quarters on top of a half piece of graham cracker. (Another option is to mash and spread the banana; whatever you prefer.) 3) Melt chocolate chips carefully in the microwave and drizzle on top of bananas! 4) Cover and press with another graham cracker half, let cool and enjoy!! WARNING – if you enjoy any of these treats, things may get a little messy… But, hey – that’s what summer is all about right? For more summer fun, I’d love for you come by and say hello on my blog or Facebook!! I love meeting new blog friends! Thank you so much for having me Amy!

Fun in the Sun: Emily

   I am SO thrilled today to be sharing with you at One Artsy Mama. I started reading during the One Crafty Contest and have been a faithful reader ever since! Okay, you aren't here to read how much I love this blog (we all just do!) you are here to see what I have to share.
Today I have.... (drumroll please!)

My inspiration for this is my three year old son. He LOVES to win.... doesn't matter if he actually does win, he will say he is the winner. If I want him to do something, I just make it a race against his little brother (who is easy to beat!) and he gets it done. I probably hear, "I'm the winner." "I'm the fastest" "I'm was first" a million times a day. So.... in honor of Jack AND the Olympics (which I am obsessed with!) today I am sharing how to make you very own gold medal!
Now EVERY kid can be a winner!
First, gather your supplies. I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up round wooden discs ( I was hoping to find a pack, but had to buy them separate), gold spray paint ( I used a weekly internet 40% coupon!), beading wire, a black marker, and ribbon (which happened to be half off that day, score!) We drilled small holes at the top of each disc, peeled off the labels and sprayed both sides gold. I sprayed two coats on each side. Next, cut your ribbon. I cut approx. 25 inches for each. Sew with right sides together at an angle on the bottom. Press open. Fold a thin wire in half (about 8 inches long, 4 when folded), thread through the hole, and twist to secure. Write you message on one (or both) sides. I wrote, "You are GOLD." on all of mine. 
Now to attach the disc to the ribbon... Turn both the ribbon and the gold disc to the back side and hold the ribbon ends up. Spread the wire and put one side on either side of the seam. I folded the wire over so it wouldn't stick out and used hot glue to hold the wire to the ribbon and the ribbon to itself. When you have both sides glued, trim any extra ribbon and you are finished!
And now you are ready for our family favorite saying... "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!"
Please stop by and visit me sometime at my regular blogging home
www.nap-timecreations.com

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