For the August issue of Sandbox Press, we’ve created a fun end of summer activity. Splatter paint stationery is fun to make and easy to use for sending thank you notes, making note cards for a gift, or writing home from summer camp! Kids can even make fun posters to display in their rooms.

Supplies:

Spray bottle, acrylic or Tempera Paints in a variety of colors, water, cardstock or other thick paper, small objects, such as seashells, leaves, and other trinkets, and envelopes for mailing (optional)

Steps:

1. Cover your workspace with newspaper.
2. Pour a few teaspoons of paint into the spray bottle. Add about an inch of water.  Add more water for a more transparent color.
3. Arrange your seashells or other objects onto the paper (if using).
4. Spray your colored water onto the paper.
5. Repeat with other colors.
6. Let your paper dry overnight.
7. For stationery or note cards, cut the paper to fit your envelopes.

Try to choose a variety of paint colors and shades of paper.  Thicker paper, such as cardstock, works best but you can also use printer paper.  Stones, seashells, or your child’s hand will create different silhouettes on your paper. Making coordinating envelopes tied with a piece of ribbon makes a nice gift set.

Need to celebrate a little princess in your life? Madalyn, my “cakery intern”, has gotten very good at making a princess crown! First for Natalie:

And then Reagan and Mackenzie:

The colors differed a little but the vanilla cake with a cream filling was deliciously adorable!

Ok – It has been way too long since we posted! Tracy was on an international honeymoon and I have been juggling 2 wee ones with little assistance from an overworked Daddy! But no excuses allowed!

Today’s post is all about my recent obsession: Baked Oatmeal. There is a little restaurant near me called Azafran that has this amazing Baked Oatmeal. But as a mother of 2 wee ones, the joy of going out for breakfast has become almost extinct. Except for the occasional trip to a local favorite, Surf Bagel, or the international fave, Starbucks!

Anyway, since I can’t go out, I brought it in. Tracy found this recipe and I have literally made it weekly since May. It is such a treat and a great meal for my 3 year old son. He doesn’t care that oats are a super food, it has healthy fruit in it, and it gives him energy to make it to lunch without a snack. He does care that it is super tasty – especially when I drown it in milk!

Enough about that. Here is the recipe which I adapted from here:

There are a lot of ingredients. But I like recipes like this. That means you can do some substituting if you are missing something and the flavor doesn’t really change. For example, I ran out of yogurt so I used sour cream. It tasted great!

Here are the ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 to 1 cup raisins (more or less depending on how much you like raisins.)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream works well too!)
• 1/2 cup whole milk (I’ve used buttermilk once or twice as well!)
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Directions:

1. Mix up your dry ingredients – except the brown sugar and 1/4 t cinnamon.

2. Mix up your wet ingredients.

3. Mix them together and pour into a greased 8×8 pan.

4. Mix the 1/4 t cinnamon with the brown sugar and sprinkle on top.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool for a few minutes (if you have the patience. I never do which is why there is no picture of the baked product!)

7. Serve with milk or yogurt. Yum!!!

I am seriously obsessed. Please make this and then come back and tell me how much you LOVE it!

This holiday, I have a perfect craft for you to make with your kids…

Red, White, and Blue Sidewalk Chalk! These festive stars are quick to make and are a great addition to your bbqs and block parties!

You can make these for any holiday – or just for fun. My son is a little obsessed with sidewalk chalk these days. That means his attention is held for at least 30 minutes at a time!

Here’s my recipe:

1/2 cups plaster paris

3/4 cup water

1-3 Tempera Paint (of each color – no need to measure, just add it until you like the shade.)

A mold (candy molds work great, as well as toilet paper rolls and coin roll wrappers.)

Plastic or paper cups and spoons for mixing

Steps:

1. For 3 colors, put 1/2 cup plaster paris in each of 3 cups.

2. Add 1/4 cup water to each cup and stir to the consistency of ketchup.

3. Add Temera Paint to each cup to reach your desired shade, while not altering the consistency too much.

4. Pour into a mold. For toilet paper rolls, line the roll with some wax paper to keep it from absorbing too much liquid. Stand it up on one end (on more wax paper) and pour into the top.

5. Let it dry a few hours to overnight.

6. Go outside and color!

Have a wonderful Fourth of July!