Make Flower Lollipops for Spring

I love colourful projects and these flower lollipops for Spring just make my heart happy! I first made these with my daughter 8 years ago when she was in Grade 4 and since then, they have always been one of my favourite things to make for Easter and Spring. And despite their pretty sculptured look, they are surprisingly simple to make with a few supplies.

I have made these with lollipops with kids and it's so fun to watch them experiment with colour. One year, my daughter and some of her friends even made some tie-dye looking flowers that were really cool. There are so many lovely colour choices for these simple lollipops, and the colours can be coordinated for any event. All that is needed is a few supplies that you can find at either at your local Michaels Store or Bulk Barn.

Flower Lollipops

Supplies:

Melting wafers in different colours

Lollipop mold {I got mine at the Bulk Barn for $3.69}

Paint Brushes for Food

Lollipop sticks

Directions:
1. Place melting wafers in small bowl and melt according to package directions. For painting flower centers, melt very small amounts at a time. Make sure lollipop mold is clean and dry.
2. Using paint brush, paint flowers centers with melted wafers. Let set for 10-15 minutes or until firm.

3. Once flower centers are 'set', melt another colour of wafers. Stir until smooth and then pour into mold...not quite filling it to make the flower.

4. Place lollipop stick in melted wafer as shown. 

5. Pour a little bit more melted wafer over top to hold it firmly into the lollipop. Let lollipops set for 20 minutes. {You can pop them into the freezer for a few mintues too}Then using fingers, gently pop flowers out of mold.

By using a few different colours, you should find yourself with a beautiful assortment of flowers to create a beautiful bouquet like the one I made below.

Add these little cuties to a pot with some paper grass for a pretty arrangement or centerpiece for a table. They are also a fun treat for Easter, a children's birthday party, bridal or baby shower.

These treats are so bright and colourful that they cannot help but add some happy cuteness to any occasion.

Thank you so much for visiting me!

Looking for more Easter ideas?

My Easter board on Pinterest is full of a ton of beautiful ideas. 

Please visit it HERE.

This post is linked to:
The Scoop, Tatertots and Jello, Linky Party Palooza,Tidy Mom, Tip Me Tuesday, Gingersnap Crafts, Savvy Southern Style, Show Me What You Got, One Project At A Time, Take A Look Tuesday, The DIY Dreamer, Inspiration Gallery,  Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons,  The Party Bunch,  Super Saturday, Our Sunday Best, That DIY Party, Monday Funday, The Sunday Soiree Party, The Block Party,  Home Stories A to Z,

A Fresh Bedroom Look For Spring

Aaah! Spring! Did we think it would ever arrive? I love when the days become filled with longer hours of bright sunlight and windows can be opened for crisp envelopes of fresh air. 

After months of winter...it feels so good to re-fresh the house some spring cleaning and fresh looks.

One of the things I turned my attention to recently was our bedroom. Completely ready to throw off the browns of winter, I wanted to go for something new for Spring. There is nothing like new soft bedding to crawl into at night in bright new colours. 

I have always loved blues, so I though I would return to those shades for a new look for Spring.

I'm not sure if it's because I am a Nova Scotian girl who grew up with the Bay of Fundy within a stone's reach, but I find watery blues and green so soothing and calm. 

And it was also a chance to bring out the afghan that my Grandmother knitted for me more than 25 years ago in my favorite colour...blue...of course. Although my grandmother passed away more than 12 years ago, I am so happy to have this beautiful treasure made by her.

I also decided to bring in some fresh tulips to enjoy while reading at night. Plus, it's so nice to walk past the bedroom during the day and see those lovely tulips.

I think having a calm and soothing bedroom is so important. Bedrooms can be a such peaceful sanctuary after busy or stressful day. I like to keep our bedroom clutter-free and organized so that it feels calm as soon as we walk in.

 I have never had white bedding before, so this new look feels so good!
And I never, ever put sheets or anything on my bed unless it has been washed in Sunlight Laundry Soap first.
I have very sensitive skin and when I wash clothing or bedding, not only do I want them to be clean and to smell great, but I want things that are gentle to my skin.
That is why I have used Sunlight Laundry Soap for 25 years.
When I first moved out on my own 25 years ago, I quickly learned that picking up any laundry soap was just not going to work for my skin. And I found that of all the brands that I tried, Sunlight-The Lemon One,was the one laundry soap that did not bother my skin and it has been my mainstay ever since.

I have used this brand to do my family's laundry since I have become a wife and mom too.

It's a brand that I know, love and trust.

Did you know that Sunlight-The Lemon One-is also hosting a great contest right now too?

When you buy any 2 Sunlight products, you could enter to win 1 of 10 packages of appliances, products or cleaning services for a year.

Learn more and enter by visiting HERE.

Disclosure: Thank you so much to Sunlight Laundry for sponsoring this post. As always, I only partner with brands and products that I use and love in my own home. And I have been a long-time use of Sunlight Laundry Soap.

Linking up with:
Tidy Mom, Tip Me Tuesday, Gingersnap Crafts, Savvy Southern Style, Show Me What You Got, One Project At A Time, Take A Look Tuesday, The DIY Dreamer, Inspiration Gallery,   The Party Bunch,  Super Saturday, Our Sunday Best, That DIY Party, Monday Funday, The Sunday Soiree Party, The Block Party,  The Scoop, Home Stories A to Z,

Veggie & Cheese Flatbread Wedges with Creamy Coconut & Pineapple Sauce #PataksMom

With a a busy family, I often find it so helpful to have a few large size flatbreads in the freezer that can be quickly and easily turned into either appetizers, lunch or dinner. And with the help of different toppings and ingredients, a multitude of different flavours can be created. Recently when making a flatbread to serve as an appetizer, I decided it would be fun to mix in a little India and with the help of one of Patak's cooking sauces, I was able to create a flatbread with the wonderful layers of flavours of India, vegetables and cheese. And best of all....not only was it so tasty, but it only took 20 minutes from start to serving time.

We love flatbreads and pizza,but  we often like to skip the all too familiar tomato sauce and try something else as a sauce or base. This Patak's Creamy Coconut and Pineapple Cooking Sauce was the perfect trade up to a zippy flavor that we love with our food. Tasty and fragrant....it really added something wonderful  to these flatbread appetizer wedges.

Let's get to this easy appetizer recipe, shall we?

This recipe is really flexible because you can use whatever veggies and cheese you already have in your kitchen and that your family likes. And by using different veggies and cheese, you can create new flavours each time!

Veggie & Cheese Flatbread Wedges with Creamy Coconut & Pineapple Sauce

1 Flatbread

1/2 cup Creamy Coconut & Pineapple Sauce

1/2 Sour Cream

Chopped veggies {I used tomatoes, green onion, zucchini and red pepper}

Cheese of choice. I used both feta and mozzarella

Cilantro or Parsley, chopped

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place flatbread on cookie sheet. Mix together sour cream and Creamy Coconut & Pineapple Sauce. Using spoon, spread coconut mixture over flatbread.

 2. Sprinkle flatbread with chopped veggies and cheese. Finish with sprinkling of chopped cilantro or parsley.

 3. Place flatbread in oven for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and cut into wedges.

This would make not only a wonderful appetizer, but a great lunch or dinner if served in larger slices too.

Part of my journey with Indian cooking has been learning more about the culture of India. Back in November, I visited an Indian restaurant for the first time and enjoyed an amazing meal full of new-to-me flavours. In January, my family enjoyed an Indian movie night where we watched Slumdog Millionaire and enjoyed these Crispy Curry Potato Skins with Mango Chutney.

And this month, I decided I would share with you my new knowledge of the practice of meditation, which has roots and origins in India. I started the practice of meditation to combat the stress of too many commitments that leave me feeling overwhelmed and jittery at times.

After searching for things that would help me to de-stress, I read a great book on Transcendental Meditation. This book teaches you how to meditate at home, which can help combat things like stress, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and depression...to name a few benefits.

Transcendental Meditation uses the mind and voice or mantra to focus on a goal or feeling for a period of 15-20 minutes, twice a day, and with eyes closed, so that the mind can be cleared and a state of calm can be reached. An important component of mediation is slowing the breath.I find breathing so important because often I catch myself breathing too fast, which contributes to my feelings of stress. When a conscious effort is made to slow down breathing, it is possible to tap into the nervous system to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

The thing I have discovered about meditation is that not only does it work, but it can be done conveniently at home and does not require a big time commitment. Sometimes I find my schedule does not allow for a complete workout at the gym or a long walk.I find that meditation can fit in almost anytime. I just sit quietly by myself for 15-20 minutes and I can come away feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day in a great mood!

Have you ever tried meditation? I highly recommend it!

Disclosure: I am part of the Patak's Ambassador Program with Mom Central Canada and receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Tidy Mom, Tip Me Tuesday, Gingersnap Crafts, Block Party, The Sunday Showcase, Monday Funday, Show Me What You Got, One Project At A Time, The DIY Dreamer,  The Party Bunch,  Super Saturday, Our Sunday Best, That DIY Party, Monday Funday, The Block Party,  The Scoop,

I am Guest Posting on Tatertots and Jello...

I am so absolutely thrilled to be guest-posting on Tatertots and Jello this week! I have been reading TT&J for at least 6 years and I adore all of Jen's projects. She has recently been renovating a 1905 Cottage and it is fabulous! Hop on over and say 'hi' and check out my project of Bunny Mocktails, along with all of her amazing projects!

Wishing you an amazing weekend!

 

Easter Banana Pops

Happy Spring!

 I hope you are well and that the snow will soon be leaving your neck of the woods! I love all of the pretty pastels and ice cream colours that Spring and Easter bring to our surroundings. It's so refreshing after a long winter. Since the Chocolate Pecan Bites were so popular at my house a few weeks ago, I just couldn't resist making these banana treats again and giving them a new 'outfit' for Spring. They look so pretty, while being the easiest thing in the world to make!

This is a great afternoon activity for little ones too. Bananas are very easy to cut...even with a plastic knife. I say this because when my daughter was little and she wanted to 'help' in the kitchen, I always gave her a plastic knife to cut with so I wouldn't have to worry about boo-boos on the fingers. And after cutting the bananas, the rest of the projects is just lickety-split easy.

To make Easter Banana Pops you will need:
Bananas, cut into thick slices
Wilton melting wafers in yellow, or your colour
Easter egg shaped sprinkles.
Small wooden picks or lollipop sticks

Step-By-Step Instructions:
1. Melt a small amount of wafers in bowl in microwave, following the directions on the package.
2. Dip end of wooden picks or lollipop sticks into melted wafer and then spear banana slice. {The melted water helps hold the banana on the stick}.
3. Chill bananas in freezer on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes.
4. Melt a larger amount of wafers in a bowl. Then holding each banana slice over the melted wafers, use a spoon to drizzle the melted wafers over the banana completely. Then sprinkle sides of coated banana slices with sprinkles and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Let set...about 10 minutes.

Now serve and enjoy! 

Kids will not only love making these, but love eating them too!

If you are looking for more fun Easter-inspired projects to make with kids, don't forget to check out  some of  the awesome recipes & ideas at Life Made Delicious!

Here are but a few of the fabulous ideas that you can find there:

Easter Bunny & Chick Cookies

Easter Bunny Cookies

Fudgy Truffles Eggs

Wishing you fun & much memory-making in the kitchen!

Disclosure: I am a part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger Program and I receive special perks as a part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Linking up with:
Tatertots and Jello, Linky Party Palooza,Tidy Mom, Tip Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style,Take A Look Tuesday, The Sunday Showcase,  Block Party,  Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, I`m Lovin` It, The Inspiration Gallery, Monday Funday, Show Me What You Got, One Project At A Time, The DIY Dreamer, Gingersnap Crafts, Inspiration Gallery,   The Party Bunch,  Super Saturday, That DIY Party, Monday Funday, The Sunday Soiree Party, The Scoop, Home Stories A to Z,

Show Your Love With A Strudelgram And Win #Strudelgram

With two teenagers in the house, mornings are pretty quiet as my two sleepyheads tumble out of bed to get ready for school in silence. Both of my kids prefer quiet mornings and don't feel very chatty until they are more awake...which usually means that the car is quiet on the way to school too. As a mom, I try to respect their need for quiet in the morning, but that doesn't mean that I cannot sneak in a little fun with some kind of artwork or special message with Pillsbury Toaster Strudels. It's my little way of reminding my kids how much they are loved. Plus, who can resist the fun of a little packet of icing?  Here is one of my favourite little piece of artwork for my sleepyheads.

What is a 'strudelgram' you ask? A strudelgram is a Pillsbury Toaster Strudel decorated with artwork using one packet of icing. And here's more exciting news! Pillsbury Toaster Strudel is hosting a contest from February 21 to March 29, 2014 and one lucky contestant could win a grand prize of $1000 or a secondary prize of $500. All you have to do is create your own "Strudelgram" and post it on the Pillsbury Toaster Strudelgram on the Facebook Contest site HERE. That's it!

So get going with some fun art for your loved ones and share it HERE for a chance to win! To learn more about contest rules and requirements, visit HERE. 

Disclosure: I am part of the Pillsbury Strudelgram Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on the blog are my own.