Memorial Day Activities and Favorite Recipes....

Our children are officially out of school and their summer vacation has begun.  I know, I know, Summer doesn't technically starts until June 20th. 

The last week of May doesn't only bring the end of the school year but it also brings a very important date to remember.  Memorial Day is a day of prayer for absolute and permanent peace.. 

While many of us will be firing up our grill, having pool parties with some fireworks or maybe you have plans to enjoy the weather by visiting your local beach.  

It is imperative that we explain to our children that Memorial Day it's an occasion to honor the men and women who have died serving our country. 

Did you know.....

"Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, a day to honor American Civil War dead.  Following World War I, Memorial Day became a day to honor soldiers killed in all war"...

Find memorial Day Lessons here: NEA: Memorial Day Lesson Ideas K-5th

My Favorite Activities....

Patriotic Wreath

This easy to make wreath can be used for Memorial Day, Independence Day and/or Fourth of July.  This craft will not break your bank when buying the required materials and it can be used year after year, saving you even more money.

However, I will warn you, it can be time consuming and if you choose to do a larger size wreath, you will most likely spend an entire afternoon wrapping the yard around the foam wreath.

 Memorial Day Crafts for Kids

by

Metroparent.com

Popsicle Stick Star Streamers

"Pom-Pom" American Flag Painting

My Favorite Recipes....

Strawberry Blueberry Limeade 

by 

The Taylor House. 

Check out her website to get this delicious recipe The Taylor House: Strawberry Blueberry Limeade Recipe.

Watermelon Stars with Strawberries and Blueberries

by

Amanda of Wit & Whistle

Baked Beans Cowboy Style

by

WickedGoodKitchen.com

How delicious!! Of course we all have our own special recipes our families love... you know the ones that have your kids lick their fingers!!  :)

Now, who can forget the special sales from clothing stores! After all we do have to get all of our swimwear ready for the beach!! 

We hope you have a safe and fabulous three day weekend!! 

Cherry Blossom by Sinful Colors Professionals

Today I bring to you "Cherry Blossom" by Sinful Colors Professional. 

Now, if you follow us on Facebook then you've watched our "weekly nail polish update"  video and you've seen the new additions to my "Sinful Color" Nail Polish Collection!

This nail polish looks as delicate as the name and is full pink shimmer! (this reminds me of Ms Bree's new favorite show Shimmer and Shine)

Don't forget to apply a base coat before applying the color.  There are a couple of reasons why I always recommend base coat before applying any polish but especially a dark color polish: 

a.  It helps the nail from staining when using dark colors. Here is an extra tip, use a "nail hardener" to keep nails healthy and strong, then apply the base coat, and

b. The nail polish tends to last longer when you use a base coat.

As you can see on the picture above, the color is very light after just one coat but you can still appreciate the amount of shimmer.  It will be perfect for any little girl!  

One coat didn't do it for me therefore I applied a two more coats. I really wanted to capture the color of "real cherry blossoms".

This nail polish doesn't require a top coat as it contains a lot of shimmer but I highly recommend it, especially if you want to give your nail and extra glossy look.

*Sigh* the final product!! Isn't it lovely??  I added something new this time, a little applique!

What do you think?  

Remember, you can grab this nail color or any Sinful Color Professional nail polishes at your local store from $1.99- $2.99!

Easy Spring Crafts for Kids- Project 3: Easter Egg Wreath

I just love spring and the many activities we can do during this time with our kids.  As I mentioned on our first post, I love spending quality time with our children which is very important to me.  

Ms. Bree knows how much I enjoy making new wreaths for our home.  Therefore, she wanted to make one for her room.  Instead of buying all the materials I would normally buy to make a wreath for our front door, I decided to buy this pack of 30 Foam shapes. 

All Easter theme items are on sale at 50% off their regular price at our local crafting store and the final price for the foam shape pack for $4.79.  They already have the "egg" shape we need and the pastel colors are perfect for this project.

PROJECT 3

EASTER EGGS WREATH  

Unlike the last two projects, your little ones are going to required a little bit more of your help, specially with the assembling of the wreath.

What you will need to have: 

13 Oval Shape Foams (or Easter theme scrapbook paper);
Glue;
Markers; and
Piece of Ribbon

First thing to do is to ask your child how big they want their wreath to be.  I used thirteen (13) shapes to create ours.  

The next step is to decorate the oval shapes.   You can use markers and draw lines, circles, flowers, whatever design your little one wants to have or you can print Easter Eggs Coloring pages, color, cut and paste them onto your shapes. 

Once the shapes are decorated to the satisfaction of your little artist, it is time to assemble the wreath. 

You will need two pieces of ribbon of you choosing.   Make a bow using your first piece of ribbon and glue it to the front.  

Add the second piece of ribbon to the back of your wreath to hang it and now you're all done!!   

There it is ladies and gentlemen.... for less than $5.00 your little one can create his or her own Easter Theme Wreath!! 

Happy Crafting and stay tuned for our next Easy Spring Crafts for Kids!!  

Easy Spring Crafts for Kids- Project 2

Hello everyone and welcome to our second post on "Easy Spring Crafts for Kids".

PROJECT #2

Colorful Mini Flower Pot   

First, let me start by giving all of you an update on Ms. Bree's condition.  Yesterday was our follow up appointment with Dr. Oliver, ENT.  I'm happy to share that she is recovering nicely and has been given the "green light" to ease herself into her regular activities.  However, her desire to jump on the trampoline is going to have to wait a few more days.  Ms. Bree is back at school today and she was beyond excited! Thank you for all the prayers, positive vibes, and well wishes!  We truly appreciate your support. 

Now, let's start with our second easy spring craft for kids made by kids.  This craft is not only easy and fun to make but it will be easy on your wallet as well.  

You will need the following: 

1. 2 3/4 inch Clay Pot........$1.29
2. Outdoor Paint................$0.79
3. Soil...................................Free
4. Flower seeds pockets...$0.89
5. Stickers...........................Free
          

                   

Let your little ones paint their miniature pots, once they have finished their master piece, set the pots aside for drying. 

After their clay pots are completely dry, it is time to DECORATE as much or as little as they want to!!  

I wish she would have let me apply a couple of more coats of paint to the pot in order to give it that nice bright neon pink color.  But it was not my project, it was hers and she loved the pot just the way it is.. if she is happy then I'm happy.

So there it is ladies, for less than $3.00 you are guaranteed an hour of quality time and you will be coolest mom ever! :)

Happy crafting! 

Easy Spring Crafts For Kids- Project 1

Welcome back everyone! 

To continue with our Spring and Easter theme this month, we have quiet a few easy crafts that you can do with your little ones while at home.  

Instead of writing a very long post, we've decided to break our Easy Spring Crafts for Kids into a series of small posts.

Project #1

Colorful Picket Fence & Flowers

These beautiful picket fences are easy to make by using things our children love to play with:

a.  "Popsicle" sticks
b.  Glue
c.  Kids' paint and
d.  Foam stickers. 

Possibilities are, you already have some these materials are home, like the paint, popsicles sticks and glue.  The foam stickers can be found at any store for less than $2.00! 

This project guarantees to give you some quality time with you little ones and it WILL NOT break the bank... this is what I call a "win-win".

The only messy part of this project is the painting of the popsicle sticks.  

Once the sticks are completely dry, it is time to glue them together.  Remember, the fence can be as long as the kids want them to be.   I always tell my kids, "Sky is the limit here"!

Once the sticks are glued in place, it is time to decorate!  You can easily display these pieces of art by sticking them onto your refrigerator or add a piece of ribbon onto to the back so that kids may hang them. 

Happy Crafting and don't forget to share with us your master pieces!!! 

  

Modifying Your Spring Wreath to an Easter Wreath

Hello everyone!

A few a days ago I shared a quick DIY post on how to easily create a Spring Wreath.  If you missed our post, you can see it here:

http://caramelcurlz.blogspot.com/2016/02/diy-spring-wreaths.html

Today I will be sharing with you how I easily converted my spring wreath into an "Easter Wreath" instead of buying all the materials needed in order to create an Easter Theme Wreath.  After all, we are all in the business of saving money when we can. 

I purchased my wooden bunny and the decorative eggs a couple of weeks ago from Michael's at a very low price.  The bunny was only $1.79 and my little branches with glittery eggs were 0.89 cents each!  I don't think it can get any better than that, right?

By carefully removing our initial "C" from the center of the wreath, I then placed our glittery and beautiful bunny.  I added our sparkling eggs all around the wreath to re-create the feeling of "bunny hiding the Easter eggs".  

My children happily volunteered to help me find the perfect spot for all of our tiny eggs. 

And here it is, the final result! For less than $4.00 we were able to give our Spring Wreath a quick make over and it's now our beautiful Easter Wreath!

Stay tuned for our next spring post!    

DIY- Snow Globes

Hello Everyone!!! 

      The big day is almost here and my little ones at getting a little wrestles.  Due to unfavorable weather, they have not been able to go outside and play and boredom is starting to set in. 

      I know I have not posted any new hairstyles, but Ms. Bree's hair is still styled in two strand twists, but I will unravel all her twists on Sunday before we head out to Church.  

   Here is what her hair looks like now: 

      Now, I'm going to be sharing my friend Yari's idea!  This is a very easy and simple craft that all the kids will enjoy making.   Our scout elf, Snowflake brought the kids some snow globes as a gift, but because it has been raining heavily in the past couple days, she had no other choice but to use some of her magic to protect them.  Unfortunately, she had to disassemble them and the kids had to put them back together.  

    The Materials: 

• Mason Jar (I already had these jars, but you can buy them at any store)
• Glitter (1.99)
• Their favorite figurine (if you think they will notice the figurine belongs to them, you can buy small ones from the Dollar Store)
• Hot Glue Gun

    Directions:

(I did the following while the kids were asleep, after all, these were a gift from Snowflake)

1. Hot glue your child's favorite figurine onto the inside of the lid;
2. Let the glue cool;

     Below you can see Snowflake's special note to the kids  At the bottom of her note are the directions to complete the Snow Globe. 

        

1. Add the glitter to the empty jar;
2. Add water to the jar (all the way to the neck- but if your figurine is a bit in the large size, I suggest adding a bit less water.  You can always add some more later)
3. Carefully insert your inner lid with your special figurine
4. Seal tightly, flip, shake and enjoy your special Snow Globe.

      And your snow globe is all complete!  

      

DIY: Ribbon Christmas Trees

Hello Everyone! 

The countdown to Christmas has begun and our little Elf, "Snowflake" has taken our letter to Santa Claus.  Soon, it will be Christmas morning but first, let's put on our "crafting hats" and start by creating some beautiful Ribbon Christmas Trees. 

These Christmas Trees made out of ribbons are so cute and they have become very popular in the last couple of days.  

I originally crafted these trees for our children's teachers as a "Thank You" for all the hard work they do.  

I have to say that the response from all of our fans.... really overwhelming !

The Materials: 

• Small Box of Pins;
• Ribbon of your choice (approximately 3 to 4 spools);
• Foam cone, I used the medium size cone, approximately 3-7/8 inch x 8-7/8 inch.
• Something to use at the top.  A 3D Star would be ideal but it all depends on you.  I used Small/medium size poinsettias to match the ribbons, and some really nice floral decorations I found at Micheal's.
• Scissors.
• Ruler.

The Steps: 

1.  Cut the ribbon (about 4.5 inches long).  Tip: this is the time consuming part of this project. 

2. Start pinning the first row around the corner. Tip: Make sure is close enough to cover the cone.

3.  Continue to pin the strips of ribbon around the cone until you get to the very top.  (you may chose each row a different color. Remember this is your project.) Tip:  Each row should only be half an inch above each row.  

4.      I used a glittered snowflake foam sticker to cover the very top.  Each end of the sticker will cover the pins on the very top row, and will also cover the top of the cone. 

and your Ribbon Christmas Tree is now done!! 


We have now these beauties available for purchase! 


      Frozen Ribbon Christmas Tree
 
                       
                                               The Traditional Ribbon Christmas Tree

We are currently taking orders, each tree is $15.00 plus shipping.  To place your order please email us your request to caramelcurlznswirls@yahoo.com. 

These are a great addition to your decor or as a gift!  

DIY: Guitar

Hello Everyone!!  

We hope that every single one of you had an amazing Thanksgiving Day with the loved ones. 

After that tiny break, it is time for us to catch up on some of our latest creations.  Today, we will be talking about the DIY Guitar Ms Bree made with her Dad.  

This project was called "The Sound Rubric Project" and it was for her Music Class.  The requirements for the project were: 

1.  Instrument most be created by using items found in your home; 

2. Must create sound; 

3. Must be created and decorated by the student (with the help of a parent, only when needed); 

4. Student must be able to explain how the instrument was created; and 

5. Student must be able to demonstrate how the instrument creates sounds. 

At this point I have to say that I am glad she did not choose a "piano". (Thank the Lord for small miracles).  This school year seems to be full of projects.  Maybe the explanation lays on the fact that Little Man is now in 3rd Grade and Ms Bree is in 1st Grade.  Things seemed to be a lot easier last year. 

Okay, let's move on, shall we.  In order to comply with the first requirement on the list, we had to figure it out how to create a Guitar from things that we have a home.

Our materials: 

Body of the guitar...... empty shoe box (small /thin preferred)

Neck of the guitar...... empty Paper towel roll

Strings......................... Rubber Bands

Now, in order to raise the rubber bands we needed somethings that it was small in size and that could be easily glued.  Daddy found two pieces of wood in his toolbox that worked perfectly. 

Okay, so here are the Steps: 

1.  Draw and cut a circle on the front of the shoe box;

2.  Measure, draw and cut a circle on the top of the show box (this is where you will insert the paper towel roll);

3.  (this step is optional) Wrap the shoe box with wrapping papers.  

4.  Carefully with your finger feel where the cut out circles are and cut the wrapping the paper.   Do this for the front and top circles previously cut.

5.  Insert the  empty paper towel roll.  If you need the roll to be a little more secure, you can place a piece of tape around the top and/or inside the front circle.

6.  Glue the two pieces of wooden sticks on each end of the box.  

7.  Place rubber bands.  (we used the large rubber bands.) 

8.  And last but not least... the decoration part! As you can see, a girl can never have enough stickers! 

This is a very cute craft that can be done with the little ones at home.  Especially if you have a little one who loves music.   The fact that most of the items were found at home, make this project one of the most inexpensive ones we have made this year, so far.  

This DIY instrument will always be unique for them.  Something they created with their own two little hands. Ok, you helped out a little, but come on, we have to be realistic and imagine what will happen if you let your little one use "Gorilla Glue"... :)

And the results were?

Ms. Bree received 100% for her project!! I was proud of her, because she was able to present her project in front of the class, and her Daddy was so proud of her because she remembered how to properly played the "strings".   But most importantly, SHE was proud of herself.  She picked the decorations, she helped wrapped the box and the empty paper towel rolls and she watched Barbie Rock & Royals enough time to know how to play the guitar like a PRO!!

Okay, well, let's not  tell her she's not ready to perform live yet!!! hahaaa

DIY: A Festive Fall Wreath Tutorial!

Hello Everyone: 

Labor Day has passed, the rains have began to arrive, along with the chilly mornings and warm afternoons. 

It truly feels like fall but officially Fall begins in just a few days, September 23, 2015! 

With my favorite season in mind, I can't help but to be excited to see the amazing colors, the pumpkin infused coffee and the right to wear BOOTS!! 

If you follow our Facebook Fan Page, Caramel Curlz N Swirls, then you already know my obsession with boots and nail polishes.  Of course my dear Husband always indulges me when it comes to my footwear! 

Although Fall has not officially began, this is the perfect time to create your DIY Projects!! The majority of the crafting stores are filling their shelves with winter decorations and all of the Fall & Halloween items have to be cleared from the floor, which means SALES SALES and more wonderful SALES!!!

I bought my items from Michaels, all of their Fall Decor & Fall Floral Accents on sale 40% but starting September 20th the sale will increase to 50% Off.  (Check with your local Store for more accurate prices, current sales and coupons)

The Materials:

 1. Glue Gun; 

2. Scissors; 

3. Wire cutters; 

1 Straw Wreath Form- 18 inch;

 2 Plaid Glittered Fall Ribbon (or the ribbon of your choice);

1 Green Floral Wire- 24 Gauge

1 Bush of Orange Mums;

1 Bush of Blood Red Flowers 

 4 Pumpkin with leaves embellishments

1 Pumpkin Shaped Wooden sign 

The Steps: 

 Start by applying a few drops of glue on one end of the ribbon and

apply it to the wreath form; 

Continue by tightly wrapping the ribbon around the wreath form;

 Continue to do the same until the entire wreath is covered or until half the wreath form is covered (whichever you decide); 

(In order to covered the entire wreath form, you will need 4 Ribbons)

 Cut the mum using your wire cutters make sure you leave approximately 2 inches of the

steam attached; 

Place the mums on the top half of your wreath form; 

Fluff them, rearrange them until you get the look you desire; 

I used one Orange Yellow mum, then 2 Red Orange Flowers; 

Cut the Pumpkin stems, again make sure you leave 

approximately 2 inches so that you may glue the wire 

to the wreath; 

 Here is the final result! 

If your wreath is too wide to fit on your wreath hanger, don't panic.  Simply apply 2 screws approximately 3/4 of an inch apart, cut some green floral wire, approximately a 2 1/2 inched long.  Wrap each end to one of the screws.  Now you can hang your wreath!!

A pre-made wreath like this can cost you approximately $60 to $89.00 depending on the size and fullness of the arrangement. 

Here is the total I spent making this: 

18 Inch Straw Wreath Form....$6.99

2 Glittered Wired Fall Ribbon....$4.98 

1 Green Floral Wire 24"....$1.99

1 Bush of Orange Mums....$5.99

1 Bush of Red Orange Flowers....$3.19

4 Glittered Pumpkin Accents....5.96

1 Pumpkin shaped Wood Sign....$3.59

TOTAL:  $32.69!!!

How Fantastic is that!!