Thanksgiving Treats Mini Book & Strawberry Jello Salad Recipe

Just finished working on this little mini spiral bound book and am ridiculously pleased with how it turned out. It's 4X6 and alternates handmade paper pockets, made out of scraps from another project that I'll share later on this week, and pictures from last year's Thanksgiving gathering.

Inside each of the five pockets is a tabbed note card with a recipe and a photo of the dish on the other side. Since it's a standard picture size at 4X6 it was so easy to just add photos, no need to crop or embellish. Since I developed them through Shutterfly they even have a nice description of each picture printed on the back, with everyone identified for prosperity.
We eat a pretty traditional American Thanksgiving meal but it's still nice to record our traditions. It's also nice to finally have a copy of the recipe for my Grandma's strawberry jello salad that shows up at all the big family gatherings. It's just not a gathering of my mom's side of the family without it. ER is pretty cute enjoying her personal ramekin of pumpkin pie too☺
I am linking this up to:

Make It for Monday at Cottage Instincts,

It's So Very Creative at It's so very Cheri,

Making the World Cuter Monday,

DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land, and
Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog,

And just because I know you're dying to know my family's all occassion jello salad recipe, here it is without further to do! (Sorry for the bad photo, I'm on a mission to capture a more appetizing one this Thursday. It really is quite good☺ Thanks Aunt Margie for sending it to me!)

Grandma's Strawberry Jello Salad

Ingredients
2 3oz. pkgs. strawberry Jello
1 Cup boiling water
2 10oz. pkgs. frozen, sliced strawberries, thawed
1 1lb. 4oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
3 Medium bananas, mashed
1 Cup chopped walnuts
1 16 oz. sour cream

Directions
1. In large bowl, combine jello with boiling water, stirring until dissolved.
2. Fold in strawberries, with juice, drained pineapple, bananas and walnuts.
3. Turn half of the strawberry mixture into 13x9 pyrex dish as first layer. Refrigerate until firm, about one and a half hours. (Cover the remaining mixture and set on the counter for later.)
4. Evenly spread the sour cream on top.
5. Gently spoon on the remaining strawberry mixture and refrigerate.
6. Cut in squares to serve.

Exploding Mini Book or Card

Last weekend I shared the exploding box that I made for my Dad's birthday this year. I mentioned in that post, I made him an exploding mini book for his birthday card one year. I've managed to find the pictures I took of it several years ago to share with you. We were still living in New Mexico at the time, so I had to mail him his gift. I decided to combine things and make an extra special birthday card and gift enclosure. In the center square, there is an envelope I made. It has a gift card inside.

Since this is quite a few years old, I don't have tutorial pictures to share with you, but you can find instructions for a similar one, here, if you use the second set of materials. That one has an extra sheet of paper in it, so it's a little bigger. Mine is made with 2 pieces of 12X12 paper not three and is 6X6 when folded up. It's a really fun way to make a gift card a more personalized gift.

I'm a Winner with Birdy's Boutique

You've probably noticed by now, that this month has been different from ones in the past. I've gotten several opportunities to share great holiday gift ideas and giveaways on my blog, and changed my content a little bit to accomodate them as the holiday season approaches. Besides the ones I've posted on I also wanted to highlight one I was lucky enough to win!

I got a pretty eco friendly reusable bag that I won from my friend Steph's giveaway from Etsy seller Birdy's Boutique. Look how nicely it came, wrapped all pretty! It was so hard to choose from all the pretty fabrics but I finally settled on this pretty one that coordinates so nicely with my favorite Vera Bradley bag. I've been using it a lot since getting it. It's big enough to fit two whole apples cut up into slices inside, so it's quite roomy! ER's been getting compliments when we're out running errands and people see her sitting in the shopping cart eating out of it. As you can tell from the top picture, it's also great for bring snacks in the car too.

I love knowing I'm doing my part and setting a good example for my daughter. We regularily use plastic containers to tote around our snacks but they are clunky and don't fit well into my smaller bags. I've got to lug around my tote bag. What I love about these reusable bags is that it's so much easier to throw them in my bag and squeeze them into whatever space I've got left.

Here are the product details from one of Birdy's Boutiques listings for a similar bag.

Never use plastic bags for your snacks again! Stylish and colorful snack bag that is environmentally friendly since you can reuse it many times and don’t throw plastic away.

The bag neatly fits sandwiches, pretzels or corn chips, and is equally good for carrot or celery sticks! Never leave home without one! Bags can also be made with a flat bottom, just convo bag with a flat bottom if you prefer, please convo me.

This bag is fully lined with Rip Stop nylon. After each use, simply shake out the crumbs or throw in the washing machine.

Bag measures 7" x 7"
Cotton and nylon

Fully lined
Closes with Velcro at the top

Each one costs just $4.50 and these would be a great practical stocking stuffer and so much better for me than candy! Here's my current favorite.

Thank's Stephanie and Birdy's Boutique!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

That depends...on my dream wish list or on my way more reasonable and down to earth wish list? Well of course I'd love a Cricut Expression Machine, a Canon Rebel, and a Flip Video Camera...but it's much more likely I might get a Zutter Bind It All, Version 2.0, Fleece Lined Hoodie in Chocolate Brown from LLBean, Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten, and Sew Sunny Homestyle by Tone Finnager. Oh yes and on my real wish list are some new flannel bedsheets and bath towels, sheesh am I practical!

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

A Raggedy Ann dress and doll that my mom made me when I was little and a Hawaiian print bag that my friend Meghan had her mom make for me.

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

Sewing purses and bags but mainly for gifts for myself☺ But I know if I was able to whip them up I'd definitely make them for all my friends too.

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

A bouncy horse that I would bounce on for hours called Star Horsey.

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

She's all about Disney Princesses, Cinderella to be exact. She want a "mama" doll with different clothes, which is really this Barbie set we saw at the Disney Store with Cinderella and some more outfits. She also wants a new baby doll version of Cinderella. She also wants the Playdoh Ice Cream set, a PlasmaCar, and camera.

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

All the really bad for you appetizers like creamy dips and deep fried anything. By the munchies is where I'll be.

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

Focusing mainly on making cookies with ER this year but we're going to make some ornaments and maybe some stocking stuffers.

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

Home Alone 1 & 2, because I remember seeing and laughing really hard to them when I was growning up. Not really sure if they are holiday movies but they both take place at Christmas.

9. Favorite holiday song?

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

Decorating the tree with ER and drinking peppermint mochas, my guilty pleasure.

I tag all my crafty friends because I know you'd love for Santa to show up at your house with this "sleigh" packed with goodies!

To enter win all these cool prizes simply answer the questions in this meme, make sure to post links back to TodaysMama.com and Provo Craft (use this link: http://bit.ly/4ikY3c ) and tag your friends! Then send the link to: mailto:%20info@todaysmama.com with “Wish List Meme” in the subject line by December 13th. Find out more here.

What do you win? Well their “sleigh” is a Madsen Bike filled with gifts and goodies from Provo Craft to help you create those handmade projects including a Yudu screen-printing machine, a Cuttlebug, a Cricut Expression Machine, a Your Story thermal book binder, and a Knifty Knitter loom set. That’s not all, how about a Dyson Blueprint, an Easy Walker Sky stroller from MamaBargains.com, two Sidekick baby carrier bags from Kemby and an Amber Alert GPS unit and a full year of service. That’s over $3,800 in gifts!

Charitable Creations Jewelry Review and Giveaway

Still need the perfect gift to add to your wish list? Have a picky teenager on your list? Or a Grandma to spoil? Have I got a great company to share with you! You will love their unique and custom handmade designs, with fresh twists on handstamped jewelry!

Pick out the perfect present. Or maybe a little something for yourself and use their wish list to give your family a friendly nudge toward what you really want! Shop at either one of their online locations, their main store Charitable Creations or Charitable Creations on Etsy.
Celebrate the special people in your life with personalized sterling silver hand stamped jewelry from Charitable Creations. From mommy necklaces that proudly show off your little ones to couples charms that signify your love, we hand make a wide variety of hand stamped designs that make unique and memorable gifts for any occasion.

Our hand stamped jewelry is made to order and any design may be personalized by you.At Charitable Creations you will also find handmade Artisan Jewelry that captures and reflects the beauty of every woman.
The best part about Charitiable Creations and how they got their name? They help others by donating 10% of all sales to charities that they let their customers choose. With every purchase, you have an opportunity to pick which charity you'd like your 10% to go toward. Don't see your favorite one? Just let their founder and designer Shelly know and they'll add it to their list.
I just got this really pretty Monogrammed Charm Bracelet to review. I knew the second the box was opened that I'll be wearing it every day from now on. I love it's classic look and the little freshwater pearl dangle on it. It's also perfect for dressier occassions; I've found my new signature piece!

It's completely hand made, thick 16 gauge sterling silver wire was used to create the chain. The sterling silver toggle clasp is wire wrapped and gives it a nice bit of extra design detail. The discs are made with 20 gauge sterling silver discs in half inch and three-eighths inch sizes. I love how the middle one is larger than the side ones for extra pizazz and uniqueness.

The All About Family Necklace is my favorite piece at Charitable Creations Jewelry, it's so different from anything I own. It features an antiqued copper leaf, handstamped pure copper bar, hammered disc, and cranberry glass bead it's so fun and you get all those fun dangles for only $25! This one is definitely on my wish list!

Name stamped necklaces are always special gifts for mothers, but what happens if you have more than one or two children? If you have too many names to fit around one disc, I thought the Hand Stamped 4 Layer Necklace was a really good option, so no one is left out!

I really love this Grandmas Angels Hand Stamped Necklace, what a fun twist on the Grandma's necklace concept. If you like this design, you can also customize it with many different sayings like 'Mom's Angels', 'Mommies Angels', My Angels', 'Aunties Angels', 'Blessings', 'My Blessings', 'Our Boys', 'Our Girls', 'My Boys', 'My Girls', or perhaps a favorite pet name you have your children.

With so many different pendants, charms, and messages you can have put on them, there's truely something for everyone, even your pets! While I've focused on their hand stamped jewelry, Charitable Creations also has several other types of unique designs, like this Sterling Silver Reflections Necklace. I've also got my eye on the Sterling Silver Orbit Ring, that is very dainty and pretty.

Special Savings!

Enjoy a special discount, just for my readers, with the code KNS10. Save 10% on your purchase!

Win It!
Pick out and customize the design of your choice and add it to your collection, with a $25 gift certificate to Charitable Creations Jewelry!

To Enter:
Tell me which piece at Charitable Creations Jewelry you'd use the $25 gift certificate for or towards if you won.

Extra Entries: {leave an extra comment for each additional method of entry}

• Follow my blog publicly via the Friends Connect gadget.
• Subscribe to my blog by email, use the gadget at the bottom of the page.
• Post my link button.
• Add this giveaway to your blog with a post or a one line link. Tell me where I can see it to verify.
• Follow me on Twitter, tweet about this giveaway, and leave me a link to your tweet.
• Follow the Charitable Creations Jewelry Blog.
• Join the Charitable Creations Mailing List.
• Follow Charitable Creations on Twitter.

Giveaway open through December 1st midnight EST, to readers worldwide. Your email address must be accessible through your blogger profile or in your comment to win. Winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or another one will be chosen.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Charitable Creations Jewelry for the review and giveaway products. This review relates my own personal and unbiased opinions and experience, with them. Yours may differ.

The Circus is in Town!

Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey's Over the Top has come to the Palace of Auburn Hills. We went to the opening performance last night and had the best time at the greatest show on earth!

There's still time to get tickets and take your family to the show!

Thursday November 19: 7:30pm
Friday November 20: 11:00am, 7:30pm
Saturday November 21: 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
Sunday November 22: 1:00pm, 5:00pm

Don't forget the special ticket pricing available to my local readers! You can purchase a 4‐pack of tickets for only $44 by logging onto http://www.ticketmaster.com/and entering the coupon code: MOM

{minimum of 4 tickets must be purchased for this offer, not valid on Circus Celebrity, Front Row, or VIP seating, and cannot be combined with other offers. Service Charges, facility & handling fees will apply.} One of the best parts of the show is the ALL ACCESS PRESHOW that all ticket holders are invited to attend, ours began one hour before show time. It was so cool! We got to head down to the circus floor to get up close to special mini acts and ER even got to meet one of the clowns! There were three main areas you could visit. We spent most of our time watching the acts that performed inside the red ring on the end. ER really enjoyed the clown jugglers, and because we got there early she got to sit right on the other side of the red ring. She was captivated.
She also really like the Chinese jugglers, who were quite impressive. While all this is going on there are also lots of other performers walking around, some on stilts, one of whom even jump roped! Now THAT takes balance! You could also see an elephant on the stage, so there was lots to do and it made the circus a really fun and memorable event.
I was really shocked when ER insisted on getting her picture taken with the lady clown, as she called her. Previously, she's always been a little hesitant around clowns but this one she got up the nerve to march right up to. We got to see her and all the other clowns throughout the show, when they popped up dancing and singing or during their funny penguin act.

It's time for the big show! It's billed as "Over the Top" and did not disappoint! There were lots of big cast numbers, fancy costumes, energetic dancers and acrobats, talented animals, and well timed explosions woven into the storyline that the ring master and head clown were battling over who's circus it is. Throughout the performance, the ring master's hat was being chased by both.
I really liked the aerialists; they were incredible! Just in case you were wondering...yes they were very high up in the air! When the men would twist and turn their fabric and come flying down I was always a little bit afraid someone was going to get hurt! I think I held my breath through most of their performance.

One of the big numbers had several acrobats bouncing on these enormous inner tube looking things and bouncing off and on them.

It also had the motorcycle madness act, with up to seven motorcycles spinning around in a Globe of Steel.

And of course it wouldn't be a circus without trapeeze artists and at Over the Top they even have a rare double decker trapeeze to show off their gravity defying acts.

Before the group act, the lead trapeeze artists climbed up really high, to the ceiling with no safety rope attached and it was a long way down to the mat below. Brad told me on the way home, that was the point in the show that he was most nervous for the performer's safety; said his hands were sweaty after the guy finally came down.

We also saw dogs flip, twist, and run through an obstacle course and after frisbees. There were also ponies that ran around in circles and horses that ran around the ring with men and one woman doing impressive tricks on them. Plus a pack of Bengal tigers and their trainer who lead them several tricks like standing on their hind legs and jumping over one another.

But I think the Asian elephants were our favorite animal performers, partially because of ER's love for the movie Dumbo. After the elephant performance we got to see the Chinese jugglers from the preshow do their acrobatics and I don't even know how to begin to describe the swinging thing they were on. Let's just say it was amazing!

It was really an excellent show and fairly long at about two and half hours including an intermission. Add the All Acess Preshow and it's a full night of fun and a great entertainment value. I wasn't even able to cover or describe all the acts in this post, there was just so much to see! Don't miss your chance to see the circus when it comes to your town!

Disclaimer: I am part of the FELD Family Activator program, and I received tickets to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Over the Top for promoting this event as part of Mom Central's program with FELD.

Oompa Review and Giveaway

ER's Godmother Alicia, first introduced me to Oompa Toys when we were looking for super cute wooden food to give ER for her second birthday. We loved that Oompa specializes in toys that don't need batteries or have blinking lights and are not cartoon themed. The last one was an especially important point to Alicia, who doesn't like anything emblazoned with a logo or licensed character. She's the one who first introduced me to natural toys made out of beautiful materials with timeless appeal, exactly the type of things Oompa carries. They also strive to ensure that their products are "created in humane and safe working conditions by adults and with absolutely no child-labor."

We knew we already liked the company, but I think we actually squealed with delight when we saw all the food by Haba that they carry. You've seen ER playing with it in a few of my blog posts and I've gotten several emails from readers wanting to know where we got it from. My mom ordered the Basket from Haba through Oompa. It's a great little basket full of a variety of pieces of food from starches to fruit and veggies and even some protein all in the sweetest little basket to carry it around.
My brother got her a half dozen eggs, a cherry ice cream cone, and a chocolate ice cream cone at the same time. After her second birthday party, she started off with a well stocked pantry indeed! Both of their purchases earned them loyalty points, a great way to get the quality toys you want for your child and earn money to save on more.

We've since added to ER's collection and I've found out from shopping around that Oompa's prices are usually at least a dollar and often more like two dollars lower than the per piece price at my local Haba retailers. Those saving add up, because when they're purchased within an order for $65 or more shipping is free.

It's easy to hit that because they carry a fabulous selection of toys from my favorite companies like Green Toys, Kettler, Skip Hop, Haba, Plan Toys, Yellow Label Kids, and Jellycat that we already have in our home. So you can save by finding great prices for specialty toys, get free shipping with a $65 purchase, AND earn more off a future purchase...seems like a win win to me!

We were very excited to get a set of Bajo Dominoes Figures with 28 pieces from Oompa to review with ER. The set is made in Poland and described as:

Domino games become more fun with these oversized dominos! Child-friendly images of common geometric shapes are printed directly onto hard wood. We love the bright saturated hues and size of these dominos. They're far too big to be choking hazards and, because of their size, these dominos are easier for toddlers to play with. Play a game of dominoes or simply stack them up in a row, and knock them down!

Comes with 28 wooden tiles, in a wooden box. Bajo wooden toys, baby toys, cars and furniture are hand-finished in a small village near the Carpathian mountains. These beautiful European toys are made of locally grown apple wood, cherry wood, alder, maple, beech, birch or walnut and are finished with child-safe, non-toxic lacquers. Each piece: L 1.5 x W 0.25 x H 3.0 in.

All the pieces fit nicely into this little box with a sliding lid. Keep in mind that ER's a fairly small 3 year old, only in the 15% percentile, and you can get an idea of how compact the set is. The dominoes have a very slim profile, so if your child is younger than 3, I suggest this thicker looking set as they'll be easier to grasp by little hands.

The game is very well made with very smooth edges and even the box has dove-tailed corners. The pieces are bigger than regular dominoes and the numbers are each in their own shape. Younger children can match the shapes or colors up and older kids can practice counting while playing the game. It has a much more educational feel than regular picture dominoes, which I like. ER is at the perfect stage for it, and to her it's very much a fun game. She doesn't realize it's working on counting practice, as we talk about matching up the five pentagon and the six hexagon. She wants to play over and over and over and over...AND tell me how to play too☺ "No Mommy your red one circle OVER THERE," she'll point if I start to lay it down in what she considers, the wrong spot. So bossy, can't imagine where she gets that from...

To play a two person game, each player draw seven dominoes. The youngest player puts one tile face up to begin play. Players then take turns matching ends up, drawing extra dominoes as needed. First person to be out of dominoes wins. It's a basic dominos game, and perfect for preschoolers while still entertaining enough for older siblings to want to join in.

Win It!

This 28 piece set of dominoes by Bajo retails for $19.99 but you can win a set from Oompa!

To Enter:

Tell me another product at Oompa, not mentioned in this post, that you'd love to give a special child.

Extra Entries: {leave an extra comment for each additional method of entry}

• Follow my blog publically via the Friends Connect gadget.
• Subscribe to my blog by email, use the gadget at the bottom of the page.
• Post my link button.
• Add this giveaway to your blog with a post or a one line link. Tell me where I can see it to verify.
• Follow me on Twitter, tweet about this giveaway, and leave me a link to your tweet.

Giveaway open through December 2nd midnight EST, to US residents.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Oompa Toys for providing the review and giveaway product sets of dominoes by Bajo. This review relates my own personal and unbiased opinions and experience, with them. Yours may differ.