As I sit here loading embroidery designs for a baby shower tomorrow, I am counting my blessings. I hear the children laughing hysterically playing with a simple red balloon. What a blessing. I know there are many who cannot have children for a number of reasons.
I am blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. He is always trying to make me happy. All the little things he does for me makes me smile. We can talk about anything. I help him he helps me. I am so blessed by having such a fine man. Thank you God.....
My best friend is a blessing she gets me through some hard times. Lets me tell her all about the hard times, the frustrating times, the happy times the sad times.....
Friday, August 7, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
How To Make Your Own Baby Food
Making your own baby food will ensure that what your child is
eating is fresh, nutritious and free of additives. By making
your own baby foods, you'll be saving money, up to 50%. And to
top it off, it's easy; making baby food at home is probably a
lot less time-consuming than you may have thought.
In order to make your own baby foods, you'll need something to
cook in. A steamer basket is cheap and by cooking fruits and
vegetables in it, you'll be sure of keeping the nutrients in the
food, instead of in the cooking water.
To puree your foods, you can use a fork, a food mill or blender.
A blender quickly purees almost anything into the finest
consistency. When your baby first starts on solids, you'll be
pureeing things to a very fine consistency and, as baby gets a
little older, you will make foods a little coarser.
You may wish to buy a food mill which comes in large and small
sizes. It is very handy and inexpensive. The food mill strains
most cooked foods to a very smooth consistency, although meats
can be a problem as they will have a coarser texture.
As babies are susceptible to digestive upsets, you'll want to
take note of the following tips concerning the handling of foods:
- always work with clean hands.
- always use clean utensils.
- prepare foods immediately upon removing them from the
refrigerator.
- freeze immediately after cooking any foods you want to store.
You can prepare large amounts of foods at once and freeze them.
Take your prepared foods and plop by spoonfuls onto a baking
sheet. Freeze the plops right away and then take them off the
sheet when they are frozen and put them into plastic bags.
Label and date. You can also freeze the food in plastic "pop
out" ice cube trays. Small tupperware jars with lids serve the
same purpose and stack easily. Frozen baby foods can be stored
for up to two months.
When you take frozen foods out for baby, warm the food in a cup
placed in a saucepan of boiling water with a lid on.
Cereals are typically the first foods given to a baby because
they contain lots of iron. You can buy the commercial baby
cereals, or prepare your own, by running oatmeal through your
blender, for instance.
Fruits are generally given next. Except for raw, mashed banana,
you will need to cook all other fruits till they are soft.
Try making your own applesauce and pearsauce; don't add any
sugar, as these fruits are sweet enough on their own. You can
also peel peaches, plums and apricots and boil or steam them.
Use fresh vegetables whenever possible in order to provide the
best nutrition and flavor for your baby. Frozen vegetables are
better to use than canned. Steaming vegetables is the best
method of preparation. Carrots and sweet potato are two popular
choices to begin with.
Yogurt, mashed cottage cheese, mashed pumpkin, baked potato,
avocado and tofu (oriental soy bean curd) are all popular with
babies. One good idea is to blend together cottage cheese,
banana and fresh orange juice - delicious!
Meats should be added slowly. They can be boiled or broiled,
then put in the blender with a little milk and perhaps banana or
cream of rice to get the right consistency. Chicken is
generally the first meat baby is introduced to and usually goes
down fairly well.
There is no rush to start your baby on solid foods. Milk is his
most important food. Your doctor's recommendations and your own
intuition will help you to know when to begin introducing solods
to your baby's diet. Always remember to be patient with your
baby and allow at least a few days between newly added foods to
make sure baby doesn't suffer any reactions.
eating is fresh, nutritious and free of additives. By making
your own baby foods, you'll be saving money, up to 50%. And to
top it off, it's easy; making baby food at home is probably a
lot less time-consuming than you may have thought.
In order to make your own baby foods, you'll need something to
cook in. A steamer basket is cheap and by cooking fruits and
vegetables in it, you'll be sure of keeping the nutrients in the
food, instead of in the cooking water.
To puree your foods, you can use a fork, a food mill or blender.
A blender quickly purees almost anything into the finest
consistency. When your baby first starts on solids, you'll be
pureeing things to a very fine consistency and, as baby gets a
little older, you will make foods a little coarser.
You may wish to buy a food mill which comes in large and small
sizes. It is very handy and inexpensive. The food mill strains
most cooked foods to a very smooth consistency, although meats
can be a problem as they will have a coarser texture.
As babies are susceptible to digestive upsets, you'll want to
take note of the following tips concerning the handling of foods:
- always work with clean hands.
- always use clean utensils.
- prepare foods immediately upon removing them from the
refrigerator.
- freeze immediately after cooking any foods you want to store.
You can prepare large amounts of foods at once and freeze them.
Take your prepared foods and plop by spoonfuls onto a baking
sheet. Freeze the plops right away and then take them off the
sheet when they are frozen and put them into plastic bags.
Label and date. You can also freeze the food in plastic "pop
out" ice cube trays. Small tupperware jars with lids serve the
same purpose and stack easily. Frozen baby foods can be stored
for up to two months.
When you take frozen foods out for baby, warm the food in a cup
placed in a saucepan of boiling water with a lid on.
Cereals are typically the first foods given to a baby because
they contain lots of iron. You can buy the commercial baby
cereals, or prepare your own, by running oatmeal through your
blender, for instance.
Fruits are generally given next. Except for raw, mashed banana,
you will need to cook all other fruits till they are soft.
Try making your own applesauce and pearsauce; don't add any
sugar, as these fruits are sweet enough on their own. You can
also peel peaches, plums and apricots and boil or steam them.
Use fresh vegetables whenever possible in order to provide the
best nutrition and flavor for your baby. Frozen vegetables are
better to use than canned. Steaming vegetables is the best
method of preparation. Carrots and sweet potato are two popular
choices to begin with.
Yogurt, mashed cottage cheese, mashed pumpkin, baked potato,
avocado and tofu (oriental soy bean curd) are all popular with
babies. One good idea is to blend together cottage cheese,
banana and fresh orange juice - delicious!
Meats should be added slowly. They can be boiled or broiled,
then put in the blender with a little milk and perhaps banana or
cream of rice to get the right consistency. Chicken is
generally the first meat baby is introduced to and usually goes
down fairly well.
There is no rush to start your baby on solid foods. Milk is his
most important food. Your doctor's recommendations and your own
intuition will help you to know when to begin introducing solods
to your baby's diet. Always remember to be patient with your
baby and allow at least a few days between newly added foods to
make sure baby doesn't suffer any reactions.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Some of my creations on Angel Bottom's Boutique
These are many examples of what I can and will make. If you want something that is pictured here, please email me. I will give you a price quote and will need your zip code for a quote on shipping. My website is down right now for maintenance but will be up and running pretty quickly.
Easy Pleasy Pumpkin Cheesy
AIO cloth diaper
Easy Pleasy Pumpkin CheesyAIO cloth diaper
Teddy Bear Set-fleece diaper cover, cloth diaper,
microfleece insert, cloth baby wipes/wash clothes, legg warmers
Baby Wipes/Wash Clothes
Wool Holiday Stockings
Baby Wipe Box
Wool diaper cover/leggings
Wool Diaper Cover/Leggings
Wool Leggings can use with cloth diapers
Baby Leggings
Christmas AIO-All in One cloth diaper
Baby Leggings
Malden Mills AIO cloth diaper
Leggings for babies
Leggings for Babies
Knitted bag
knitted leg warmers
knitted leg warmers
Spinning Wheel
Diaper Cake
Burp Clothes
Cloth Diaper Keychain
Cloth Baby Wipes/Wash Clothes
Basket of Nursing Necklaces
Green and White Finger Nursing Necklace
Cloth Baby Wipes/Wash Clothes
Rainbow Nursing Necklace
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Arts and Crafts Idea: Foam Sheet Glasses Case
Are you a camp director, teacher, or homeschool mom looking for a new arts and crafts idea for your kids? Or maybe you are a recreation director at a senior center or nursing home and could use a new project. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting and fun for all. This glass case can be used, given as a gift, or converted into a necklace purse.
To make the glasses case, you will need the following simple materials: a square of craft foam, plastic or large blunt needles, lanyard lace or thick yarn. Cut two rectangles from the foam, each 3-1/2 inches (9 cm.) by 6 inches (15 cm.). With a hole punch, make holes on three sides of each rectangle, leaving one short side unpunched. Make the holes 1/2 inch apart and allow at least 1/4 inch between the hole and the edge of the craft foam. The holes need to line up so that the two pieces can be laced together. If you are preparing the craft for small children, you should make the holes yourself. Otherwise, the crafters can do this step if you have enough pairs of hole punches.
At this point the crafters can cut decorative shapes from other colors of craft foam, or you can buy sets of ready-cut foam shapes. If you are doing the craft at a special event, like vacation Bible school, choose shapes that echo the theme of the event. For instance, if the Bible school or camp has a cowboy theme, find shapes that fit well, such as boots, cowboy hats, and stars. Let the kids choose the shapes they like and glue on as desired. You might also like to provide beads or sequins to glue on as well, especially if the crafters are a little older.
The next step in this arts and crafts idea is to thread the plastic needle with the yarn or lanyard lace. Yarn might be a little easier to handle, but lanyard lace is shiny and attractive. In a pinch, some teachers of small children use a bobby pin as a needle. It is certainly a safe alternative. Simply loop the yarn through the opening and use the open end of the bobby pin as if it were the point of the needle. The children can now begin to lace the front and back of the glasses case together.
To turn this arts and crafts idea into a necklace purse, simply attach a piece of lanyard lace to each corner making a long handle. Kids will enjoy using this case as a place to store secret notes and small objects. If they'd rather, they can give the glasses case to a parent, grandparent, or friend who wears glasses. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting for all.
To make the glasses case, you will need the following simple materials: a square of craft foam, plastic or large blunt needles, lanyard lace or thick yarn. Cut two rectangles from the foam, each 3-1/2 inches (9 cm.) by 6 inches (15 cm.). With a hole punch, make holes on three sides of each rectangle, leaving one short side unpunched. Make the holes 1/2 inch apart and allow at least 1/4 inch between the hole and the edge of the craft foam. The holes need to line up so that the two pieces can be laced together. If you are preparing the craft for small children, you should make the holes yourself. Otherwise, the crafters can do this step if you have enough pairs of hole punches.
At this point the crafters can cut decorative shapes from other colors of craft foam, or you can buy sets of ready-cut foam shapes. If you are doing the craft at a special event, like vacation Bible school, choose shapes that echo the theme of the event. For instance, if the Bible school or camp has a cowboy theme, find shapes that fit well, such as boots, cowboy hats, and stars. Let the kids choose the shapes they like and glue on as desired. You might also like to provide beads or sequins to glue on as well, especially if the crafters are a little older.
The next step in this arts and crafts idea is to thread the plastic needle with the yarn or lanyard lace. Yarn might be a little easier to handle, but lanyard lace is shiny and attractive. In a pinch, some teachers of small children use a bobby pin as a needle. It is certainly a safe alternative. Simply loop the yarn through the opening and use the open end of the bobby pin as if it were the point of the needle. The children can now begin to lace the front and back of the glasses case together.
To turn this arts and crafts idea into a necklace purse, simply attach a piece of lanyard lace to each corner making a long handle. Kids will enjoy using this case as a place to store secret notes and small objects. If they'd rather, they can give the glasses case to a parent, grandparent, or friend who wears glasses. Either way, this arts and crafts idea will be interesting for all.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Giveaway – The Hidden Art of Homemaking
Giveaway on http://the-barefoot-bride.com/?p=23#idc-container for the book The Hidden Art of Homemaking. You can get up to 3 entries. Check it out!
Hot Weather Fun: Summer Crafts for Kids
When boredom looms and the weather's hot, get everyone involved in summer crafts for kids. Kids are always excited to be free from the school routine when they are let out for summer break, but it isn't long until they start wondering what to do. Summer crafts for kids will keep them occupied and maybe even teach them a thing or two.
In summer, crafts for kids can involve found objects, like seed pods, grasses, and similar objects. Let kids create nature collection collages by gluing these items to a stiff piece of cardboard. Help them spray paint some of the findings with silver or gold paint. Alternatively, they might like to glue glitter to some of the findings. Perhaps they would also enjoy collecting wild flower seed heads and creating dried flower arrangements. Arrange the bouquet in a homemade vase.
A vase for summer bouquets, fresh or dried, is another craft that naturally fits into the summer crafts for kids category. A simple vase can be made from a tin can. Soup cans work particularly well because they are smooth on the outside and rather narrow. Be sure to file off any sharp spurs on the inside opening. Start the work of art by cutting a piece of construction paper or other colored paper to fit around the sides of the can. This will be glued to the outside of the can, but first it needs to be decorated.
The vase cover can be decorated in many ways. The child can draw a summer scene on the paper and then decorate it with glued on glitter or small stickers of summer things. Another idea is for the child to write their name in large letters, and glue beans, seeds, or glitter to the letters. Let all glue dry before attaching the paper to the outside of the can. Add water and fresh flowers or leave dry for dry flowers.
You can also use the can for a trinket container or a place to put pens, pencils, and markers. To make them real summer crafts for kids, glue grass seed heads and found seed pods to the paper in a decorative way.
Jar vases make good summer crafts for kids, too. Canning jars make particularly cute vases, but any cast off mayonnaise, pickle, or other jar, even plastic ones, can work, too. To make a jar into a vase it first needs to be sparkling clean. Kids love getting wet in the summer, so let them roll up their sleeves (or put on a bathing suit!) and have fun splashing at the sink while "washing dishes." When the jar is clean and dry, tie an attractive ribbon around the opening. If desired, decorate the outside of the jar with glued on beads and buttons.
Summer crafts for kids will provide some cute decorations around the home and keep the kids from being bored. This summer, crafts for kids should be at the top of every parent's To Do list!
In summer, crafts for kids can involve found objects, like seed pods, grasses, and similar objects. Let kids create nature collection collages by gluing these items to a stiff piece of cardboard. Help them spray paint some of the findings with silver or gold paint. Alternatively, they might like to glue glitter to some of the findings. Perhaps they would also enjoy collecting wild flower seed heads and creating dried flower arrangements. Arrange the bouquet in a homemade vase.
A vase for summer bouquets, fresh or dried, is another craft that naturally fits into the summer crafts for kids category. A simple vase can be made from a tin can. Soup cans work particularly well because they are smooth on the outside and rather narrow. Be sure to file off any sharp spurs on the inside opening. Start the work of art by cutting a piece of construction paper or other colored paper to fit around the sides of the can. This will be glued to the outside of the can, but first it needs to be decorated.
The vase cover can be decorated in many ways. The child can draw a summer scene on the paper and then decorate it with glued on glitter or small stickers of summer things. Another idea is for the child to write their name in large letters, and glue beans, seeds, or glitter to the letters. Let all glue dry before attaching the paper to the outside of the can. Add water and fresh flowers or leave dry for dry flowers.
You can also use the can for a trinket container or a place to put pens, pencils, and markers. To make them real summer crafts for kids, glue grass seed heads and found seed pods to the paper in a decorative way.
Jar vases make good summer crafts for kids, too. Canning jars make particularly cute vases, but any cast off mayonnaise, pickle, or other jar, even plastic ones, can work, too. To make a jar into a vase it first needs to be sparkling clean. Kids love getting wet in the summer, so let them roll up their sleeves (or put on a bathing suit!) and have fun splashing at the sink while "washing dishes." When the jar is clean and dry, tie an attractive ribbon around the opening. If desired, decorate the outside of the jar with glued on beads and buttons.
Summer crafts for kids will provide some cute decorations around the home and keep the kids from being bored. This summer, crafts for kids should be at the top of every parent's To Do list!
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