Lego Building Challenge #1 - Supermarket (Wegman's anyone?!)

Summer is here!  Time is aplenty.  Challenge your little (or big) builder with a Lego theme for the day.  If you have to, break apart all of those old creations that have been gathering dust and start fresh!  Need some inspiration for themes!? Check back every Monday for a new building challenge!

Lego Building Challenge #1 - Supermarket

Old-Fashioned Learning Fun, Inspired by the Delaware Children's Museum

Last week, we went to the Delaware Children's Museum in Wilmington, DE.  It resides in a huge warehouse that used to be home to a bar / restaurant back when we were in college.  I will tell you - the museum is a GIANT upgrade.  At $10 a ticket with AAA, it was a GREAT value.  We were there for three hours, and we could've stayed for more.  Because my right shoulder seems to sag below my left shoulder due to the gargantuan weight of my pocketbook, I didn't bring my camera.  But, we got tons of good ideas for low-tech, old-school summer activities as a result of exploring the museum.

Make Your Own Soccer Ball Cake (or Tennis Ball Cake.. or Baseball Cake... or...)

So, now you know how to make the best ever chocolate cake recipe (from a mix).  It's time to decorate it, with no Martha Stewart skills or tools required!

To make a soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball, volleyball (you get the point!) cake, you have two choices... You can purchase a ball-shaped cake pan from somewhere like Jo-Ann Fabrics.  I used this Wilton Soccer Ball 3D Cake Pan.  Don't forget to google for a Jo-Ann coupon (at least 40% off). Plus, they frequently offer $0.97 flat shipping.   They also sell baseball cake pans, volleyball cake pans, etc., but any of them will do...  You're just going to cover it with frosting anyway, so the little details from the pan won't be visible.

Don't feel like ordering a cake pan?  I've heard that you can use glass bowls to bake a round cake.  Disclaimer:  I've never tried this, so proceed at your own risk!  Interested? Here's a tutorial from livestrong.com. 

Okay, now that we've covered the pan part, let's get to the fun, sweet stuff!!

Make Your Own Easy Soccer Ball Cake
(or Tennis Ball Cake or Baseball Cake or Basketball Cake or Volleyball Cake)

Upcycled Glass Jelly Jar - From Trash to Treasure in 15 Minutes

Sometimes, I clean and save empty glass jars.  I'm not sure why.  There's something inherently crafty about them.  However, there's nothing crafty about them if you let them sit on a counter, collecting dust (as is usually the case in my house!).

Sometimes, inspiration strikes.  I was looking for a container to hold Q-tips on my bathroom counter.  Using an old jelly jar (with a name like Smuckers, it has to be good), a scrap of fabric and glue, an upcycled apothecary jar was born!

Here's how to make yours...  This whole project took about 15 minutes, total. 

Upcycled Glass Jelly Jar - From Trash to Treasure

Great Mother's Day (or any day!) Plant for Beginners - Try a Hosta!

Over the past few years, I've developed a love of plants.  Now, that doesn't mean that I know what I'm doing, but I like to try!  After much trial and error, I've found a few tough plants that can withstand the beginner (but look nice enough to be from an expert gardener!).

The First Member of Our Backyard Family

 

Best Ever Chocolate Cake Recipe - From a Mix!

In another life, I would be an ace cake decorator.  I would effortlessly take a regular cake and turn into a work of art.  In real life, I have not been as successful.  There was the time where I dropped an unfrosted cake on the floor (true story).  There was another time where we ran out of frosting at 10:00 PM the night before my son's birthday (thank goodness for Genaurdi's!).  But, I still keep trying, and I love it!

This past year, I tried something a little different.  I ordered a cake pan from JoAnn Fabrics (sometimes they have free shipping, which is awesome) and decided to make a soccer ball cake.  There are also ways to bake a cake in a glass bowl, to simulate the round shape.  I haven't tried that, but I'll include links to that in part two of this post.

Before I share with you how to make the easiest soccer ball (or baseball or basketball or volleyball) cake ever (using no special tools), I'm going to give you the BEST chocolate cake recipe on the planet (using chocolate cake mix as a base, no less!).  THIS is the recipe that I use year after year, and every year, it does not disappoint.

Best Ever Chocolate Cake Recipe (from a mix!)
(Source:  The Cake Mix Doctor - I cannot recommend books from the Cake Mix Doctor highly enough!  Man - that's my kind of doctor!  Nurse, get me the frosting, STAT!)

3 Easy Steps - Instant Personality for Your Plain Pot

The plant in my son's room came in a plain old brown, plastic pot.  Could I have switched it to another pot?  Yes.  But, the plant looked happy in there and I didn't want to tempt fate, so I left it.  But, the plainness (is that a word?!) was begging for a makeover.  Here's a quick and easy way to give any pot personality in three easy steps....  The whole project took an hour, from start to finish, and looks amazing. Plus, this is a great project for kids to practice their cutting skills!

Quick & Easy - Instant Personality for your Plain Pot 

Build Your Own Lego Man - Free Pattern!

My next post was created by a very special guest, my six year old son!!!  For St. Patrick's Day, we made a cool shamrock out of legos after seeing this pattern for it on Pinterest.

A few weeks later, my son ran downstairs one morning and was busy working for about an hour.  After which, he unveiled LEGO MAN.  LEGO MAN has been sitting on our kitchen table for two weeks, and has become part of the family.

If you'd like LEGO MAN to become part of your family (or are just looking for a simple project to do), check out our free pattern. 

Fried Matzoh - Buttery, Crispy, Salty, Easy

Fried Matzoh is not a complicated recipe AT ALL, but it is FULL of warm comfort-food flavor!  Traditionally made during Passover, you'll want to make this year-round (whether you celebrate Passover or not).

When you fry up this recipe from my DIY Heirloom Cookbook, the house smells like heaven, and this dish only requires 4 ingredients.  This is one of those recipes you can't get wrong.  Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

Fried Matzoh Recipe (also known as "Matzoh Brei")

Part II - Sixteen Chapter Book Series Guaranteed to Get Your Elementary School Child Excited About Reading

In Part I of our series on how to get your elementary school child excited about reading, we talked about why and how Chapter Book series are great tools.  But what to read?  Here are SIXTEEN of our absolute favorite chapter book series, guaranteed to get those pages turning!

Part I: How to Get Your Child Excited to Read Using Chapter Books

My son has recently started to sit down with chapter books and read silently.  It warms this bookworm's heart.  Everyone's experiences with helping children to read are different, but I'd like to pass on a few ideas to jump start your child's interest in reading independently, using chapter books.

Why Chapter Books?

Life of Pi(e) - A Supersized Chocolate Cream Pie, That Is!

Around Thanksgiving, I told you about the BEST....PIE...EVER...  I made it for Thanksgiving, and we went through all of the phases of grief as we stared at the empty pie plate.  So, when it was my Dad's birthday, we decided to GO BIG.  This decadent recipe can easily be tweaked to make the finished product 50% bigger.  All you need to do is streeeeetch your pie crust to cover a large pie plate, and increase the ingredients.  I know, when you add math to the equation, things get less delicious, but lucky for you, we've done the math for you! 

Supersized Chocolate Cream Pie

Great deal on Photobooks - Get those pictures ready!

You might remember my earlier series of posts about how to transform your backed-up digital photos in actual albums (if not - relive the magic all over again by clicking below!!)

• Part 1 - Digital Photo Organization- How to Transform Your Backed-up Digital Photos into Actual Albums
• Part 2 - Ongoing Digital Photo Organization - Staying Organized and Stress-Free 

If you need some incentive to get rolling, Living Social is offering a great deal on photobooks from My Publisher.  You can get a $20 Photo Book for $5, a $36 Photo Book for $9, and so on.  It's usually about $5 for shipping.  

Blueberries & Cream English Breakfast Bread

Maybe you want to celebrate the upcoming royal baby, maybe you loves yourself some Prince Harry, or maybe you just want to bake an easy, delicious treat...  Either way, I have the recipe for you! Oh, and don't get scared by the cream part... I use low-fat sour cream, and it turns out delicious!

Blueberries & Cream English Breakfast Bread
(Adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe from People magazine)

The Final Frontier - How to Organize Refrigerator Art

I've been through many phases in my life.... collecting magnets on every vacation, papering the fridge with every photo I have, decorating it with adorable art from my little man, hanging dry-erase boards, you name it.  Right now, I am craving a peaceful feeling when I look at my fridge, which is no easy thing.

When I googled and pinterested (Is that a verb?  It should be), I couldn't find too many ideas, besides very expensive fridge frame magnets (like picture frames, but with powerful magnets).  So, I headed to my happy place (JoAnn Fabrics) on a random shopping trip, and happened on the PERFECT thing in the clearance rack.  It was like divine intervention.  So, I whipped up:

Easy DIY Terrarium - Bring a little of the outside inside!

This next project comes to us from City of Motherly Love reader, Alison.  It is perfect for those of us who are itching for a little spring.  It's also a low-cost entry to the world of indoor plants and a craft wrapped up into one.

Easy DIY Terrarium How-To

Hamentaschen - The Best Dessert You've Never Had!

Maybe you celebrate Purim and this is the year you've decided to try baking Hamentaschen, a light, delicious, triangle shaped cookie with tasty chocolate or fruit filling tucked inside.  Or, maybe you've never heard of this fun Jewish holiday, and just want to try an easy, new dessert recipe that will knock EVERYONE's socks off.  Here is the recipe for YOU!  

TheCityofMotherlyLove.com baker extraordinaire Wendy sent me this recipe, and me and my son made these show-stoppers this afternoon!

Hamentaschen - The Best Dessert You've (Probably) Never Had!  

 

Dirty Money Coin Activity - Great for President's Day (or any day)

We did a fun little project this weekend in relation to President's day, but you could do this anytime!  My son loves collecting coins, and throughout my Pinterest travels (ah, Pinterest, how I love thee), I saw a cute, easy project for us to do.

Dirty Money Coin Activity - Good for President's Day or Any Day!

Egg in a Heart - Easy Valentine's Breakfast

Looking for an easy way to get Valentine's Day (or any day) started?  Try this tasty breakfast that is  my son's favorites.  Not only is it cute, but it's delicious, too.  I haven't made it in a month or two (and plan to make it for Valentine's morning), so I don't have any pictures to show you.  But, I'm sure you'll get the gist!

Egg in a Heart

Can You Feel the LOVE? An Easy, Fun Valentine's Day Decoration

My son has been super into arts & crafts lately (which is heaven for me!), and he's been asking me to come up with different projects for us to do together.  Last week, we were doing all things Valentine's Day and came up with this little ditty.  It's great because it helps hone cutting skills, uses things you have around the house, and can be as simple or complex as you want!  Also, coming from thecityofmotherlylove.com, I do love me some love-themed projects!!!

Feel the LOVE Banner