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Click HERE to see why I have been gone.

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Delurking Alert

I am delurking tonite. I have just a ton of bloggy work to do (if only I got paid for all of it) and I just didn’t want to do anything. But I have missed just commenting, checking out blogs, catching up with old blogging friends, and all that stuff. I have missed it alot. So I am just going to be “hanging out” in the blogosphere tonite…so if you are around tonite…e-mail me, comment on one of my blogs, twitter me (Kerith), and just say hi…maybe take a nite and cruise the blogs with me…maybe I will see ya around.

Homemade Glues

CLASSROOM GLUE

• 1 cup non-self rising wheat flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold water
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 Tbs. powdered alum
• 1/2 tsp. oil of cinnamon–this is optional

Combine the flour and sugar in a large pot.  Slowly stir in cold water to form a paste.  Slowly add the boiling water, stirring vigorously to break up lumps.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until thick and clear.  Remove from the heat and add alum.  Stir until well mixed.  You have to use immediately unless you add the oil of cinnamon. 

Classroom paste is a good all-purpose paste, especially for crafts with children.  It is also good for papier-mache projects.  If you store it in a tightly closing jar or container, this glue will last for several weeks if you add some oil of cinnamon.  If the glue gets too thick, thin it by adding boiling water.

 COLLAGE GLUE

• 3 parts white household or school glue *
• 1 part warm water

*A thin solution of Paperhanger’s Paste or Waterproof or Glass Glue can be substituted.

Combine the glue with water in a jar or bottle witha  sxrew top lid.  Shake until well mixed.  Apply using a sponge paintbrush.  Now craft away!

Winter Bazaar

Happy New Year everyone.  Welcome back.  I know I am glad to be back blogging everyday.  Boy did I miss it…bad!

But on to my idea.  If you read any of my blogs, you know that we have 4 kids, including a 9 month old pair of twins…yea…I know.  Once they were born, it was hard to pay any quality one-on-one time with our oldest (he is 5).  But he loves games, learning, and getting stuff.  So we “made” an Award Board on the back wall of our living room wall.  This board is only for him.  He get certificates when he cleans his room without being asked, being a good helper, brushing his teeth.  His most recent awards are because he was having school withdrawal.  He searched out 2 workbooks he knew we had, and finished them–cover to cover.  I had to leave him alone because he was “learning”.  You bet he got 2 certificates.  This Award Board lets him know we are always thinking of him and helps him to get ideas on how to get new ones.

Check out the other fantastic ideas at Scribbit’s blog.

PS–It is kind of the middle of the nite here when I took the picture.  Everyone is asleep so I kept the lites off when I took the picture.  But you get the idea.

Check out my monthly giveaway drawing contest and spread the word!

CALLING ALL READERS….CALLING ALL READERS….

I am getting my blogging butt out of my chair and am re-vamping my blogs. I will still be on them but not really blogging on them very often.I need your input. I have 6 blogs (I know, can you believe it) and I am doing an audit of all of them. I would like all my readers…and anyone who just comes across my blogs in the next few weeks to give me your:

• comments
• questions
• concerns
• advice

Just click on the picture below to be taken to a list of my blogs.

Any and all comments you have to improve on my blogs are welcome. I have had them going for almost 6 months now and with the new year, I am going to be doing more with my blogging.

I am also looking for other bloggers/website owners:

• Mommy bloggers
• Iowa bloggers
• Family Friendly bloggers
• Arts, crafts, food, scrapbooking, sewing, etc. bloggers
• Plus sized men & women bloggers
• Multiple birth parents/bloggers
• Freelance writing & problogging bloggers
• Family Friendly websites

I am interested in any bloggers/website owners who would be interested in getting some free advertising for their blogs/websites. I am looking for people to guest post on my blogs, to interview in their chosen field, and anyone who would be willing to donate or give me a large discount on products for upcoming give-a-way contests I will be holding beginning the first of the year. Again, this is a great way for you to get free advertising for your blogs, websites, and products.

I am also looking for budget friendly graphic artists & blogger and wordpress template creators and designers. I am looking for someone to help me change the look of my blogs. I am looking for something fun, family friendly, and fantastic.

If you are interested in free advertising and helping me take my blogs to the next level, please comment on this post or e-mail me at cathicollins (at) gmail (dot) com.

I can’t wait to hear from you.

 

Christmas Traditions

Christmas is the yummiest time of the year.  I really love traditions that involve food.  But I love Christmas in general.  I always have. I was the one that always hung the stockings by the chimney with care (well, more like up on a nail on the wall with care).  I even wrapped my own christmas presents.  My parents just put my presents in big boxes.  There is one tradition that my parents had that I still do today.

We made chili on Christmas Eve.

Yea, I know it seems like a silly tradition.  But it was something I did look foward to at Christmas time.  It would cook all day ( my mom always made it from scratch…i cheat…mine is from a can…but it is chili).  She would make extra spicey for her and my dad and would make a whole other separate pot for me and my brother.  When my brother got a girlfriend that didn’t eat chili, I thought she was going to pass out.  But fear not.  My mom found a white chicken chili recipe for her…and it is delish.  But she will not give it to me….dang her…dang her to heck.  I really love this tradition and I wanted to share it. 

What kind of traditions do you and your family do?  What traditions did you do as a child?  What do you think would make a fantastic tradition?

Winter Bazaar–snowflakes

Hello everyone.  ok…I love christmas.  I wanted to decorate the house and for little to no money.  My hubby was kind enough to show me and our oldest son how to make snowflakes.  I had a step by step picture I hope I can describe for you as to how to make them.  They are so easy but kind of time consuming.  I did have about 15 different snowflakes to show you but our daughter was kind enough to rip them up…oh well.

1. Get a regular piece of typing paper.
2. Fold it in such a way that it goes over itself, meets on one side, and makes a point.
3. Fold it over again to make a triangle.  You will have some excess on the bottom.
4. Now cut that excess off.
5. Fold one of the bottom points over so it meets in the middle.  The top point should still be at a point.  The bottom point should be hanging over, so to speak.
6. Do the same with the other bottom point.
7. Now flip it over…and where you see the paper edge…cut the excess bottom points off.
8. Now you are left with an even smaller, yet thicker, triangle.
9. Now start cutting….you can cut any design you want….experiment.  I just took a picture of the one I made.
10. Now you can unfold it and TADA….you have a magical snowflake.
11. I included pictures of the snowflakes that survived my daughter’s hands.

Now go and see what other Christmas goodies you can do over at Scribbit’s blog….well…Christmas is over 2 weeks away…you may have time.

WINTER BAZAAR

I love Christmas.  Well, I love all the holidays.  My husband, not so much.  But I like to think he loves that I love Christmas.  Anyway, when we got together, I wanted to have a Christmas tradition that was just for us…a new tradition.  We actually stumbled on this one bored and quiet night.

CHOCOLATE COVERED POTATOE CHIPS

Oh, they are so good.  They are simple but are time consuming–and so worth it.

• Start with good quality rippled potatoe chips…must be rippled.
• Then get some chocolate.  I use 1 bag of chocolate chips with one tablespoon of crisco.
• Get a little basting brush.  Go on…get one.
• Melt the chocolate and crisco in a double boiler…or a big bowl of slowly boiling water with a small bowl that fits on top of-but not in big bowl-for choc. and crisco.  Don’t forget to stir once in awhile so chocolate doesn’t burn.
• While choc. is melting, pick out the best and biggest chips to use.
• Lay out wax paper…you will need alot of space for the choc. covered chips to cool.
• Once melted, take chip, dip only half way, and brush off excess chocolate.
• You can vary anyway you want–more choc. covering–more choc. on chip—etc.
• You should let them cool before you eat them but I bet you all the chocolate in the world you can’t wait.

We make this every year and they never seem to last to Christmas day.  Once you make them, you will find out why!  Now go check out Scribbit and find more awesome Christmas traditions…who knows…maybe you and yours can find a new tradition to start.