It's Time to Tie One on... or 2 or 3

Summer is the perfect time for light weight clothing, dips in the ocean, lake or pool and homemade crafts to cobble with friends.... all of which are more fun when you can make something of a mess in the process... and what could be cooler, faster and easier than a kickback TIE DYE sesh.


There are all sorts of DIY pages out on the interwebs, but none were nearly as quick and simple as this from Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/SimplySpray - How to Tie-Dye Shirts with Spray Paint

This ridiculously easy-to-follow vid shows how to design and dye a T-shirt.  Scrunch and twist and tie all your favorite summer accessories from beach towels to tote bags and bucket hats.  Rubber bands make the 'tie' part of the tie-dye process all the simpler.

"Tie-dye is a process of resist dyeing textiles or clothing which is made from knit or woven fabric, usually cotton; typically using bright colors. It is a modern version of traditional dyeing methods used in many cultures throughout the world. "Tie-dye" can also describe the resulting pattern or an item which features this pattern. Tie-dyeing became fashionable in the West in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of hippie style. It was popularized in the United States by musicians such as John Sebastian, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and Joe Cocker."

Spray Fabric Paint from Amazon

Tie-dye Party Kit Simply Spray Fabric Paint

Each Kit makes about 24 shirts Stays Soft and pliable Dries in just 30 minutes Permanent after 72 hours No need to heat set it Washes off your hands easily with soap and water Simply Spray is a permanent aerosol fabric paint, not a dye. It is non-toxic, non-flammable and completely safe. The colors blend nicely. You can create tie-dye effects instantly without the mess! All you have to do is pop the blue safety tab, apply even pressure to the trigger and simply spray! Great for use on furniture, material, clothing, carpets, car interiors, wood, silk, leather and more. MADE IN THE USA

Amazon Price: $25.20 (as of 05/01/2011) 

next up = more summer fun with sunglass, flippy-floppy & shell candle crafts

Cheep Thrills

These whimsical Eastery cupcakes from FoodNetwork.com cracked me up!  Easter egg puns notwithstanding, they were too darn cute not to post  

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla cupcake, recipe follows
• About 1/3 cup White Fluff Frosting, recipe follows
• Green coconut grass, recipe follows
• 6 small candied malt balls (2 yellow, 2 pink, 2 white)
• 1 yellow chick peep
• White Airhead candy

Directions

Frost a cupcake with fluff frosting. Press a circle of coconut grass on top. Nestle the malted eggs on top of the grass. Gently press the peep onto the center of the grass. Cut the white Airhead into a 1/2 oval shape; trim one side so it has a cracked egg jagged edge. Place egg next to chick.

Vanilla Cupcakes

• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake tins with paper liners. (To avoid cupcakes sticking if they overflow slightly, lightly spray the tops of the pans.) Put tins on a baking sheet. Set aside.

Process sugar and butter in a food processor until very creamy, scraping sides as needed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, pulsing after each addition. Add the milk, water, and vanilla and process to blend.

Whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients, in 3 batches to the wet, pulsing, and then scraping batter off the sides of the processor as needed after each addition. Process until the batter is very smooth and pourable likepancake batter, about 2 minutes.

Evenly pour the batter into the prepared cups, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Bake until the cakes are just firm and spring back when gently pressed, and the tops are golden, 18 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly in tin, and turn out of tin when cool enough to handle. Cool cupcakes completely on a rack before frosting.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy

Fluff Frosting

• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• Pinch fine salt

Whisk the milk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.

Slowly beat the butter and sugar, in another medium bowl, with an electric mixer until incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.) Add the fluff and salt and reduce the speed to low. Add the milk and vanilla mixture, scrape the bowl down, and mix until fully incorporated. Raise the mixer to high and beat briefly until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Frost cupcake immediately.

Yield: 3 3/4 cups

Coconut Easter Grass for Cupcakes

• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 to 2 teaspoons liquid green food coloring
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon liquid yellow food coloring

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a mesh rack on top, if available.

Put coconut in a shallow bowl. While tossing with a large spoon, add food coloring drop by drop until the desired color is reached. A little more green than yellow makes a pretty grass color. Add a few tablespoons water to moisten the mixture and help disperse the color evenly. If the color is too dark, add additional water, as needed, to dilute to the desired color. Drain the coconut in a sieve or strainer.

Spread the coconut in an even layer on the rack, or directly on the lined baking sheet. Place in the oven until dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. Use immediately, or store in covered container for up to 3 days.

Cook's Note: Food coloring can be messy and can stain your skin. To prevent this, wear latex gloves. You may find it easier to color the coconut in a large zip top plastic bag, tossing it to color evenly.

Yield: 2 cups coconut grass

Childhood Obesity Prevention - Tell Your Mom You Want to DANCE

She looks like a typical little girl... for now

Parents:
The studies, the statistics they all say the same thing -- childhood obesity is on the rise just as are the weights of those being monitored.  So what is a conscientious parent to do to stave off this growing health risk and social problem?  A most of us know by now, the causes of excess weight seem to be boil down to three basics -- 
1. Genetics -- this is the least of most people's worries as it relates to weight
2. Unhealthy Eating Patterns -- yep, we can ALL use a friendly reminder when it comes to this, although a basic balanced diet with room for occasional fun foods should handle this issue nicely
3. Lack of Physical Activity -- in the era of computer-generated entertainment and activities this too comes as little surprise.  But this is the realm in which parents need not deny their little ones any good thing.  Rather they can lavish upon their children the opportunity for festive, fun, playful activity

But a sedentary life and too many
treats can start to add up

Whether a child becomes involved in team sports or individual athletic pursuits, he or she will be presented with a variety of ways to learn patience, persistence, discipline... all while gaining coordination, confidence, poise and skill.


Dance has long been a favorite among youth, especially girls.  From the costumes to the music and the choreography there is fun galore!  Whether it is a traditional form of dance such as ballet or tap, or something with some ethnic pizzazz along the lines of Polynesian or Bollywood, there is a type of dance for every child's body type, lifestyle and taste.


Party with a Purpose
Little girls can do much more at their birthday parties than just eat cupcakes and open gifts.  They can transport themselves to another time and place and culture at a Joy of Dance Theme Party.  Genres include Genie Dreams bellydance, Bollywood Blast, Aloha Wahinis island dance, Go-Go & Giggles 1960's party, and 23 Skiddoo flapper party.  They will have a ball while getting some healthy kid exercise and learning a thing or two with theme games, quizzes and activities.


It is the gift of far more than a single birthday... it is that of an entire lifestyle -- and a healthy, enriching one at that.