9 Years ago Today...♥

 I married the man meant just for me.

June 16, 2002.  A simple, outdoor wedding.
The best day...

 

Father's Day T-Shirts

 

I had no idea what I was going to do for Father's Day this year.  Not for all the dad's in my life or for my husband. No clue. So when inspiration struck, I was so glad it was not too scary, could be done in a day, and best of all?  The girls could help.

A Little Foodie Fun for the Fourth!

This post needs little introduction. 
I just came up with fun food ideas and treats with a 4th of July theme.
I also share some how to's and maybe some funny mishaps along the way.
Enjoy! 


Berry Sweet Ice Cubes

You need an ice cube tray, blueberries, and strawberries cut into small pieces.

Just plop those berries in.  

(I used about 2 blueberries and 3-4 small pieces of strawberries)

When you are done...pop them in the freezer until set.

 All set!

Now pop them in a tall glass of lemonade.

Perfection.

Berry Kabobs with Yogurt Dipping Cups

Fill a small, single serve cup with vanilla yogurt.

Add blueberries, strawberries (maybe even raspberries and blackberries) on a 4 inch skewer.

 Oooh...add a some mint leaves too!

(I bet some granola for some crunch would be amazing too)
You now have some adorable red, white and blue (and a little green) single serve parfaits.

Star Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

 Bake some sugar cookies (or your favorite cookies) and cut them into star shapes.

 Pour some happy Red, White, and Blue Sprinkles on a plate!

 Scoop some ice cream on a cookie.

Smoosh another cookie on top to make a sandwich.

Dip it in the sprinkles.

Yummy 4th of July cookie sandwiches.

 Ice cream and cookies. Produces happy and somewhat hyper children. :)

 Flag Cookies On a Stick

 But these were so cute and since I did them with the girls I wanted to share.
Even though I did every bit of the icing and could totally lie to you and tell you they did it.
I try but I simply have zero skills in the cookie, cake, and cupcake decorating department.
I embrace this truth with humility.
I actually have a flag cookie cutter but I wanted mine on an actual stick so I just hand cut the flags and folded the end over a lollipop stick.
I just always make my cookies too thick so they end up looking like square pancakes.
Here is me waving my puffy flag.

 I am convinced some of you can do better and I hope if you make your own cookie flags, you will share your genius with me. :)

 Mini Ice Cream Stars

Now this one is not for the faint of heart.  I must say this little idea brewing in my head was harder to carry out in real life.  I should have kept it safely there in my head.  I wanted to make little mini ice cream cakes out of star cookie cutters.  I should have known cookie cutters work best with...you know...cookies.

I bought some ice cream and um...ate some before attempting this little food feat.
Have more restraint then me.

I tore the carton off around the ice cream...

Which left me with a vanilla ice cream block.

I then sliced it like bread  in order to use the cookie cutters to make the shapes.

Um, ya'll?  Ice cream melts.
And I mean fast.  If I could have vlogged this experience for you, I would have.  It would have been entertaining...I am sure of it.

As I hyperventilated, I started cutting out the stars with my cookie cutters.

And putting them on a cookie sheet like they were hot potatoes.
And this is when it got interesting.
So I started going in warp speed trying to get a bunch of stars on my cookies sheet and it was just not working. It was melting so fast! So I decided to throw EVERYTHING in the freezer and crank up the temp to the coldest setting.  I put the cutters, my knife, everything in the freezer and then tried again.

 Most stressful dessert I have ever prepared.
I do NOT recommend it.

 But I thought you would enjoy my attempt at creativity. :)

Well that concludes my 4th of July Idea Parade!  
This was so much fun and I hope you came away with some ideas for the fourth and ideas for the Summer.
I like that a lot of these are fun for both us adults and for the kids.
Did you like it?

Thank you for your comments, sweet encouragement and friendship!
You are in my heart!

XOXO!

Linking to:
Tatertots and Jello
Show and Tell Saturdays:  Be Different, Act Normal

All American Rag Wreath with a Cute Little Star!

 

Are any of you fabric junkies like me?  

Because once the word gets out that you are, you get fabric from all over the place just handed out to you!  And I am not complaining since I can usually find a use for it. But I have been hanging on to some fabric that had me scratching my head.  Not much you can do with stars and the fabric had a country, folky kinda vibe going which is not exactly my style.  But I knew if I used some vibrant 4th of July colors...I could make this fabric work for an easy 4th of July Rag Wreath. And I love that for me, this entire project was another one that cost me...ZERO DOLLARS.

I grabbed some wire wreath frames and began sorting red, white, and blue fabric.  

I cut them in to strips and began tying them around my wreath frame.

 I tied them in single knots in case I had a change of plans later.

 I also added burlap and red ticking to give it a summery feel with some texture. It also helped with the khaki color that made the star fabrics kinda country looking and even that color out.
I loved that it worked together beautifully.

 Next, I decided to make some stars out of the red ticking and make them into little cutie patootie stuffies to hang from fishing line on the inside of my wreath.

I used a light blue embroidery floss, stuffed them with a little poly fil, and blanket stitched them closed.

 The navy and star fabric turned into little rosettes for the striped stars so they would have "stars and stripes."

 Cute right?
Yet I always think stars look like they have arms and legs and the point sticking up is a head.  

Do any of you?  

Am I alone in this wacky thinking?

 I love how they warm up my front doors.  I have to tell you I was kind of sad taking down the ruffly white wreaths I made for Spring. But change is always good so you appreciate things more, right?
And I ended up putting them on the inside of my house on one set of french doors. 
Yay me.

 I hung the wreaths with extra red ticking and made little bow tie bows for them too.

Such an easy project and great for kids to help out too!