A couple of FuN pRoJeCtS

Holidays are a great excuses to do fun projects with the kids.  Here are a couple that we have tackled the last week or so.

My mom found this cute craft to create jack-o-lanterns using old milk cartons. 

First, drink a whole bunch of milk (or better yet, chocolate milk).  Then clean out the empty cartons and hand them to your children with a magic marker (this is the dangerous part).  Let them use their creativity to transform said milk carton into a pumpkin face.

After the tykes are done you will probably want to go back and fill in their coloring because they will probably leave lots of spaces in their drawings (at least my kids did).  The faces need to be really dark in order to show up well.

Next, buy a couple of strings of orange twinkle lights.  Cut a space in the back of each milk jug and shove some lights inside.  If you are anal (like some of us) count your lights and be sure there are an equal number of lights inside and then spacing in between each jug.  I also painted the lids green so that I didn't have mismatched pink and red and brown caps on the jugs (that really annoyed me).  I sprayed the entire project with acrylic finishing spray to seal everything.  

In real life each individual light doesn't show up quite as much as this picture makes it seem.  The jugs just sort of glow orange, but my camera decided to honor each little bulb on its own so you can see them all...but you get the idea. 

What a fun project, and the kids LOVED it (which is the whole point in the first place).

This is sort of how they look chillin' in our front yard.

Next:

Just for fun, we decided to make sugar cookies the other day.  We had so much flour smattered, sticky frosting fun that we couldn't help but share.

First we made the cookies (AAARGH!  A tray of naked sugar cookies!).  My favorite sugar cookie recipe below.

Next we pulled out our colored sprinkles and decorations and we let the kids go wild!

Aubrey did most of the frosting because that was a struggle for most of the little kidlets.  She is such a sweetheart.  I just adore that girl.

This is my adorable niece who was hangin' in our hood
for the day.

Everyone added sprinkles and shapes to their cookies.

 Some added more decoration than others.

But everyone had a great time and finished with a smile (and some crumbs) on their face.  So.  Much.  Fun.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/4 lb butter

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lemon -- juice and zest (I just use juice)

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 cup cream

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking pdr

Flour to make stiff dough ( about 4 - 4 1/2 cups)

Refrigerate dough for an hour or so then roll out in a thin sheet, cut and bake at 450 degrees for about 7 minutes.  They are very yummy!