Crafty Crafty - Father's Day Gift

Yes, I realize that I'm posting this after Father's Day but, my husband reads my blog so I couldn't post it before! Don't worry though, you don't have to wait until next year to use these ideas; you could use them for birthdays or even for an upcoming grilling party!

My whole planning idea for Father's Day all started when I posted this post from Sassy Sites on a Too Cute Not To Toot post.

Now, if you read my Father's Day post you are probably thinking . . .. this looks NOTHING like what she did!  And, you are right!!!  But, it was my inspiration because it was with this post that I thought to get tickets to our local Baseball Team, The West Michigan Whitecaps!.   I had planned to do the whole baseball bucket (using a baseball Easter Basket) and some of my husbands favorite treats.  Then, I ran across so many other cute ideas that I had to morph all of my thoughts into something different!.

I saw various ideas to go along with my first project but the original idea came from KMcKay Designs.  

The first thing I did was print off the fantastic printables supplied at the original blog.  I used a 4 pack of Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Drinks so yes, I had to sacrifice and drink them all :-) haha  You could use any 4-6 pack of bottles of your choice but think about the treats you want to put in the bottles.  I was going to use a 6 pack of Jones soda but realized that the Recess Peanut Butter Cups wouldn't fit in those bottles.  Next, I cut down some scrapbook paper to cover the outside of the box.  The original post talked about spray painting the carton but I was afraid it would get soggy so I skipped that post!!  I just secured the paper and the label with tape - I figured this didn't need to last forever so tape was ok :-)

Next I filled each of those bottles with Darryl's favorite treats, attached a label to the lid and wrapped scrapbook paper around the bottles to cover up the writing on the bottle and affixed another label supplied by the original blog :-)  It was so easy!!!!  (I have realized that I should have taken a few more pictures  . .. not sure why I didn't!)

The original tutorial for the Burger and Fries along with the templates can be found at Bakerella.  A few things that I learned with this fantastic project:  I printed all of the items out on just regular typing paper.  They all worked fine for what I needed.  The burgers were very easy.  I will admit that my "ketchup" frosting was a little pink so make sure and add lots of food coloring to get a true red.  The sesame seeds on top make the difference between looking like a cupcake and looking like a bun so don't leave those out!  The fries were a little trickier.  I think I rolled mine a little thin so they kept breaking when I tried to move them to the cookie sheet - using parchment paper would have helped.  I also wondered about cooking it as one large cooking and than cutting it into strips but I'm not sure how that would work :-)

So, that was my craft Father's day fun!!!  You may see those "burgers and fries" show up in a birthday post later this year. .. I'm thinking they fit really well with the theme I'm planning!

Keep getting your craft on!

Too Cute Not To Toot!

Are you ready?  I am!  Lets kick of this weeks version of Too Cute Not to Toot with a great idea for the 4th of July !!

Craftomaniac gives a great tutorial for an adorable cupcake topiary Star - I love how original it is . . .not just your normal sytrofoam ball!

I'm thankful for my husband's job and, even though sometimes he has to be gone 1, 2 or even 3 nights a week, I'm thankful that he is home most of the time.  When I saw this idea, I was just thinking of it as a card for Father's day but what it really is, is a countdown for when dad will be home for all of those traveling dad's out there!  Check out this great free printable from My Computer is my Canvas. 

I'm already throwing ideas around for my boys' birthday parties - I have to start thinking now since we have a birthday, Thanksgiving, a birthday, and Christmas, one right after another!!  So, when I saw this idea, I had to put it here as a reminder for me because it is something I was already thinking off so this idea is 100% for me. .. you just get to enjoy it from Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats.

MegaCrafty shares a really easy idea for 4th of July decor using cookie cutters.  You could easily morph this idea to use for any holiday or party - it is so easy!  AND what a perfect way to add a little holiday/theme decor to your kitchen :-) (Don't forget that you can decorate for Memorial day and keep it up through 4th of July so you do two holidays in one!!)

Summer has just started, but have you heard "I'm bored" yet?  LOL  Thankfully, my kids are too that stage yet - as long as there are toys to play with and we can go outside, they are happy.  For those of you hearing those words (or for an idea for the future) check out this "I'm bored!" jar idea from The Happy Housewife and she even gives a free download!.

I've also noticed lots of Beach Themed ideas floating around (haha) blog land.  I really like this beach bag - I have been looking for the perfect bag to put all of the sand toys in and this might just be it! Check out this idea from Artsy VaVa.

A Pumpkin and a Princess shares her ideas for her Ocean Theme for the week (she is doing a theme a week, I believe).  I really like this little art project for the kids using .  .their HANDS!!

What's more fun than food based on a theme?  Check out this really cute idea from Sunscholars for some beach pudding cups.

I realize that by the time I post this, Father's day will be in the past but, I wanted to share any last minute ideas here because I'll look back at this post next year for ideas!  I love this poem/picture idea and you could actually create this anytime of the year for a gift or just to add to a photo disply. All the info needed can be found over at The Gunny Sack .

Another fun idea from Something Created Everyday is a great Father's Day gift idea but again, you could morph this into any theme you are decorating with or use it as a baby shower or wedding gift by using the name of the individual(s).

 Previously I've shown an art display that I want to put up for kids art display but here is another idea from Clean and scentsible that is super cute especially for a smaller area.

 Another teaching idea comes from I heart crafty things and is based on a book on pirates.  I love the creativity of the simple paper plate craft.

There was a guest post over at Val So Cal and she shared a cute Smore's idea.  It looks very yummy and would be a great dessert for a family party in the summer.

I actually made these Berry Popscicles this week from over at A Pumpkin and Princess and they are SOOOOO good!  They are my new favorite thing to grab from the freezer.

My boys are starting to enjoy chairs and sometimes, you really need something small you can throw in the car for parades, fireworks or even for visiting at someone's home.  When I saw these "camp chairs" from Simple Simon and Co., I knew they needed to be on my to do list. 

U Create has a guest blogger posting about these really cute and easy hanging "lanterns".  They are a great idea for any kind of party.

Can you believe I even have more posts to share? I do!  Here is another cute caft idea from A Pumpkin and a Princess that cooresponds with her 4th of July theme that she is doing with her kids right now. 

This slushie idea looks super yummy from Oopsey Daisy - what a great way to use up some watermelon! (I found this one day too late ... I just threw out the last of a watermelon we didn't finish!)

This idea for a Fourth of July banner from How sweet it is using paint chips is too cute to pass up!!

Love sweet love shows how to make a great porch planter.  I'm tuckin this idea away for next year!!

 This simple patriotic decor idea from a guest blogger at Not just a housewife would be so cute anywhere you deside to stick it . .. such a simple, yet creative idea!

When I saw this post by Shugary sweets, I had to post it.  Have you ever had a Lofthouse cookie? They are sooo yummy!!  If this recipe is really this good - I'm in trouble :-)

Up last this week is another idea for a quiet book.  I'm still pound and determined to get two of these made for my kids.  This post over at So you think You're Crafty is part of a compitition so you will get bonus posts to look at too :-)  The quiet book is #7 - you can even vote for your favorite post (can you guess which one I voted for??)

Lots of ideas for you to explore this week!  Enjoy and get crafting!

21 Days of Prayer Challenge - Day 14 - Goodness

This was posted in the leader guide for this topic - I thought I would share it!

What are you aiming for? When your boys disobey, disrespect, are unkind. When they seek to understand what's important. When they notice girls, cheat in school or fight on the bus. When they're seeking marriage, failing in school or deciding whether to have sex for the first time or not … what are you aiming for?

I want their hearts. No behavior modification or fad parenting of the day. No, I want the hearts of our boys,because

God wants the hearts of our boys. I'm aiming for the heart. But how?

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which

outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you
outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
(Matthew 23:27-28, ESV)Looking at parenting through the lens of these verses has changed everything for me. You see I was a Pharisee. Boy was my cup clean on the outside. But on the inside? On the inside my cup was filthy, full of all uncleanness.

I had everybody fooled, even myself. I believed that if I did good things, it made me good. Actually, it's probablycloser to the truth to say I believed that

if I didn't do bad things, I wasn't bad. I didn't know that no one is good. I

didn't really understand that everyone sins. And I didn't understand the depth of my own sin until the Lord

showed it to me.

Question:

In our efforts to raise our sons are we teaching them that if they do good things they are good?

Righteous even

? If we teach them that being good is all it takes, if our discipline and training focuses on their

behavior,

how will they know they need a Savior?

Are we raising little Pharisees? Or are we raising Godly men with a heart for God? If a Godly son is your goal,

you must aim for the heart. Because unless the heart is changed--touched--the behavior will stay the same. It

might look a little different, morph some as they grow. But behavior is always a symptom of the state of the

heart. What's in the heart, comes out.

"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." ~Matthew 12:34

Ask yourself these questions:

•

What parenting tools have I been using that only focus on changing behavior and not the heart? Am I

willing to lay them down even if they produce what looks like a good child?

•

Reaching a child's heart takes time. Behavior modification is much faster! Am I willing to change things

about my life so that I have the time to invest in the hearts of my children?

•

Most importantly: Am I willing to submit my own heart to God and allow Him to mold me from the

inside out?

Shepherding our boys is not for the faint of heart friends! Once a week or more I'm tempted to just throw it all

out the window (including the boys … ) and take the easier path. So what keeps me going?

I want their hearts. Just like my Heavenly Father wants mine.


Today's challenge - pray the 10 prayers in the chapter for today - on Goodness!