Pop-Up School Valentines

A fun tradition. We started doing this at the request of my oldest son who wanted homemade cards to take to school on Valentines day. This cute little pop-up card is made using scrap book paper, some thick paper, ribbon, and glue. Because it is made up of scraps it lends well to adaptations.

First start with a 2.5 inch by 5 inch piece of card stock, or other thick paper, even a thin bit of cardboard will work. Fold it in half.

On the folded edge make two 1 inch cuts.

Open the paper and fold in the middle section in to create a "stand".

And then close again to crease the folds.

Add a scrap of paper to the outside to hide the hole from the stand.

Add the word Valentine with a black pen. Use all caps and add dots to all of ends. Mark out your word with pencil first.

Cut a heart. About 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch.

Glue the heart to the stand. Make sure the point of the heart is above the bottom crease for the stand.

Add ribbon, or twine etc. by loosely tying it around both the heart and the stand.

Add a personal message above and below the heart

such as:

Happy Valentines Day (above),

and With love from... (below).

Punch a small hole in the bottom of the card and add ribbon to tie it shut.

My boys chose more masculine colors for their cards and they did not perfectly cut out or glue on anything, but that is part of the charm of these little cards. And the time spent making them also makes joyful memories. :)

Gingerbread House Cake

There are no words for how much I love these little Graham cracker gingerbread houses! This one sits upon a wedding cake I made a couple of years ago for a very adorable couple. These cracker houses make cute cake toppers. They can be used also as decorations or as gifts. Regular Graham crackers stuck together with a mixture of pasteurized egg whites, powdered sugar, and water and candy to decorate is all it takes to create them.

To make the "glue" frosting I use Wilton's Royal icing recipe which can be found here or at  wiltons.com

You can also substitute the meringue powder in that recipe with a product called 'just whites' or another called 'simply whites' or any other pasteurized egg whites. I also add just a little vanilla.

Not a cake decorator? Just top your cake with lots of fluffy white frosting so it looks like snow, add your gingerbread house and decorate with a candy. Very simple, very fun!

Giving at Christmas time

Giving at Christmas time is one of the best ways to show others love. Ultimately the money you give will be used and gone. The things you buy to give, worn out and thrown away. But what remains has value far greater than the money spent. You show someone that you care, you give love, you create memories that never leave. There are many ways to give at Christmas. For some giving is easy, they give from their abundance and do not miss what they have given away. For some giving needs to be planned but is not terribly hard to do. For some giving is difficult. The thought of 1 dollar going anywhere but where it is most suited is stressful. And some need all the help others can offer. If you are in this last category, receive with joy! We are taught it is good to give, but often never taught that we bless others by receiving with joy the gifts they give us. I believe most people touch on each category at least once in their lives.

There are many ways to give: 

Money usually is the simplest but, you can also give of your time, or by giving your possessions, or by giving your joy. 

Nursing homes are always welcoming of joyful people to read to or sing to their residents. Call ahead to find out the best times and any policies. 

You can give of your talents. If you sing, play an instrument, or have a similar talent, finding a holiday venue to share them brings holiday cheer. 

Volunteer in you community, church, or school. 

Often baking is useful for events, fundraisers, or just to cheer a neighbor.

Visiting people you love is an important way to give. We do not take the time in this busy world to visit like we should. 

Does your neighbor or a family member have a need? Sometimes just saying 'is there anything you need' can make a difference. 

Many schools and churches have giving trees. Giving trees are where those that have needs leave a paper ornament with details of their gift wishes and those who would like to give take the ornament and do their best to fulfill the needs. 

Food and toy drives this time of year are in full swing and that just takes cleaning out the pantry, decluttering, or picking up a thing or two when shopping. 

Getting rid of our clutter and donating it to charity is always a good thing, or you can offer it up free on Craigs list or local Facebook group. 

Do you know an elderly person who no longer drives? Driving them somewhere, or running an errand for them can be a huge help. 

And of course there is the person ringing that annoying bell outside of every store right now. My children love them for some reason. And when I see the joy in my children's eyes at the thought of giving, the handful of change in my pocket doesn't stand a chance.

Historic Thanksgiving & My Recipe: The Three Sisters

It is strongly believed that "The Three Sisters" were prevalent in the first Thanksgiving feast.  These 'three sisters' are squash, corn (maize) and beans.  Native Americans would build a mound, sometimes placing a fish in this mound to fertilize the soil, and plant several corn seeds close together in the center of the mound. After the corn grew about 6 inches, beans and squash seeds were planted around the maize. These three crops benefited each other, the corn provided a structure for the beans to climb, the beans provided nitrogen to the soil helping other plants to grow,  and the squash spread along the ground blocking the sunlight, preventing weeds, and helping the soil retain moisture. They compliment each other nutritionally as well; Beans and corn eaten together provide a balanced diet. Tribes in the southwest often included a "forth sister" known as the Rocky Mountain bee plant, which attracted beast to help pollinate the beans and squash. This practice of planting beneficial plants together today is called companion planting.

The Three Sisters are featured on the back of this 2009 coin.

My family has a tradition of serving a Three Sisters Recipe at Thanksgiving.

It is a simple recipe:
Layer baked squash,
cooked or canned beans
and corn in a baking dish and heat until everything is warm.

And that is it! The flavors are wonderful together! And because it comes with the companion gardening story, it is always a hit at Thanksgiving dinners.

I love using cast iron frying pans pans, they can be used as a baking dish in the oven as well as on the stove top. For a rustic recipe such as this, it adds just a little charm.