A Collection of Thoughts

Hip Hop Hooray Fun

via tatumwoodroffe.typepad.com

Did you do any creating from Mel and my Hip Hop Hooray projects ?

Check out Tatum's gorgeous bunny ears and biscuits - over here - such pretty photos. Thanks for sharing Tatum.

Tamar x

Hip Hop Hooray for Easter - Thank you

 

Mel and I just wanted to say thanks so much for your lovely comments and emails on our Hip HOP Hooray projects - We love bringing them to you too!

If you have been head down for the last week and have missed out, this image is a little compilation of the projects we worked on.

Head on over here to see all of mine - and here for Mel's.

We are already planning our next Hip Hip Hooray and lots more - can't wait to share it.

Tamar

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter - Day Four

Welcome to day four of our Hip Hop projects.

I tell ya this one has been stressing me out as to how to actually get the details up for you! This is my Easter gift for the girls this year and I was unsure as to how to pull it together without them knowing and photograph it then hide it away. They have been stuck to my side all holidays!

 I am however an insomniac most nights - so at 2.25am - here's the proof

I popped back up and made myself a cup of tea  - set up my white lights and mocked this up the best I could.

I'm glad I did because now I know what the last little bits are I want to collect. I've been gathering for a little while now.

Easter Gift Tray

Supplies

• Muffin Tray (I've used disposable ones as we have no need for new ones )
• Some raffia or filler
• Little gifts and treats to go in each hole

 

I found these disposable trays  at stacks ( junk store ) and some pink filler - which will not make my non pink girl happy  but I think I have plain raffia somewhere which I can use for hers.

 Fill your tray holes with the filler

 and add your gifts ..

I have  gomus- which will make my two sooo happy I swear if I hear one more time Mumma can we please get some Gomus I'll scream.

For the blissfully unaware they are erasers - cute ones - there are over 100 to collect ( of course )and they have their own website  where you can track which erasers you have - and how many points they are worth. 

They are available at Target Kmart and toys stores - and come in packs of 1, 3 or 6- the packets of 3 are around the $4 mark- you swap them with your friends.

Next up we have  Squinkies - aren't you glad you've stumbled into this girly land of new things? - yet again I had no idea what they were and had to sit through MANY TV commercials to finally get it worked out

Also little - also cute also but Mumma we NEEEED  squinkies everyone else has them.

And just secretly up until now we have managed just fine without them but I have  caved - and they are cute LOL

Oh and they have their own website too and their purpose is to be a pencil topper but I have the feeling they are more a collect and swap item too.

There are MANY of these - and are available form Kmart Target Djs Myers Toy stores etc - They come in a variety of collectors packs   I  chose a set of 16 spit between the two trays  and they were in Target reduced by 20% so about $15 something. They are around $1 each usually from what I can work out.Its worth it to shop around as I've seen them as much as $24.95

Next up two of my holes are filled with these plastic eggs and some chocolate eggs - One will have jelly beans in and the other will have a new necklace/set of beads which has become an Easter tradition in our house.

 I made some bunny wraps for the girls - they didnt know :-)

and my last empty space is for a Cadbury creme egg which they have never had and keep telling me that they think they'd really like one - I keep telling them they are waaay too sweet - neither Richard or I eat them  (I know you are horrified I don't meet many people who don't like them !) so one creme egg will go in the last hole

I also popped some little pink chickens in too!

For boys -  hot wheels, these cool beetle growing things , Bakugan, Comet balls - (Helium filled ),  Jumpz, and of course tech decks

I'm thinking I might make a version for Richard - he may not be fussed on the pink either - and no doubt would prefer it if every hole was just filled with chocolate - but I'll think about it - I still have Saturday morning to hit the shops.  Any suggestions gratefully received!

 

 

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter - Day Two

Welcome to Day Two of our Hip HOP Hooray projects.

Today's project involves baking. We always have an Easter BBQ over the Easter weekend and the  girls are in charge of providing a yummy dessert. We often turn to Martha for ideas but this year we created this one by ourselves - thinking we were super clever - and then I saw lots of similar things.

 By Easter Sunday dessert time we are over chocolate so we usually stick to something non chocolately.

 

Vanilla cupcakes - topped with fairy floss and a "natural " looking egg.  We found the fairy floss at target the other day for $2 a tub and thought it made the perfect Easter coloured nest (and then I saw this one over at pinterest LOL). The candy covered eggs is always such a nice look I think. They cost $2 at the junk stores or a little more in Big W.

 Here is the tub of fairy floss from Target so you can be on the lookout

 TIPS for success

Candy floss becomes a gooey mess kinda fast - especially when you add it to wet icing.  So  ice and add your nests last minute before you take them to the table. Do one  as a test  early I think differing levels of humidity will make a difference to the longevity.

Keep your air tight lid on your candy floss.

Use the large eggs - they look better - unless you're making tiny cupcakes.

We have switched to these  foil cupcake wrappers - the silver foil goes with everything - you can buy them at the supermarket in packets of 100 and they hold their shape and colour  - unlike all the other pretty ones out there that I find end up looking all cooked and yucky with butter seeping through.

We made this batch for my crochet ladies and it was a huge hit -  we are making little mini ones for our Easter BBQ -and I'm trying to find some blue and green fairy floss too - for the boys :)

Cupcake Recipe

Makes  6  LARGE or  12 Normal size

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup SR flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 2 tablespoons milk

Throw into a bowl and beat ( yes really)   - spoon into  wrappers and bake for 20 minutes until golden.

We have double tripled and quadrupled the recipe in the past with no problems.

Don't forget to head to Mel's blog for her Day Two recipe.

If you have other Easter cupcake decorating ideas I'd love to hear them.

Happy Baking

 

 

 

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter - Day One

 Hip HOP Hooray it's finally here  Day One of our Easter creating.

First up I have a double project for you -something  to keep the kids happy while you are stitching away - Using the same template of course to make things easier.

 So here are our little projects - some cute cards

and a stitched bunny popped in a frame.

 

 Supplies

 For the cards  you will need

Bunny Download  - printed onto cardstock  - I  printed at 4 x 6 inches but I have made it as PDF for you so should be perfectly sized - famous last words :)

  Download Easter Bunny

• Colour pens pencils whatever  suits
• washi tape
• cardstock

 

 for the frame you will need

• Bunny download
• some fabric strips
• googly eyes
• embroidery thread and needle
• trims and lace

 

 Cards

 Step One

 Print the cards out onto white cardstock

 Step Two

 Colour them in

 Step Three

 Trim back

 Step Four

 Cut a suitable size cardstoock mine is 6 x 12 and folded in half

 Attach your trimmed bunny with washi tape.

 and your bunny cards  are complete

 Bunny in a frame

This little sweetie took just over an hour in front of the TV one night - its not going to be a family heirloom but it adds some cheer to our easter corner

Step One

Print the image out onto white cardstock

Step Two

You can choose to either pre prick the holes using an awl

or else just go straight ahead and stitch.

The printed side is your back side so make sure you are keeping your knots etc on that side

 I didnt stitch all the detail - it gets a bit too much otherwise

Step Three

Add some google eyes and trim back to a 6 x 4 size

Step Four

Trim some leftover fabric into strips - mine is 2 inches wide but it depends on what size frame you are going to pop it into

Step FIve

Attach the two sides by machine  right side down - lightly iron them out

Step Six

 Now stitch on your top and bottom

 Step Seven

I used the paper that was already in the frame and then attached my finished bunny to the paper

- turning the edges over.

 Step Eight

 Add some more embellishment - Some trims and a little yoyo flower a pom pom for a tail

 Pop it into your frame ( no glass )and you are done ready to cheer up a corner in your home.

 

Don't forget to pop on over to Mel's blog too to see her sweet project for today. Hope you enjoy!  Please share if you are creating along with us.

 

 Hip Hop Hooray for Easter !

Tamar x

 PS Tomorrow we are baking!

 

 

 

 

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter- Starts Tomorrow

Our  5 days of creating starts tomorrow - So happy with all my little projects I have lined up for you and you wait till you see Mels stitching project -I've already told her she can't post that one till later in the week so I have had time to make it too and share it.

If you haven't already - mark your calendars -we have 5 days of Easter craftiness coming up - Our first post is tomorrow night at 6.30pm.

 My frts porject I have two verisons - one for the Mummas which involves some fabric, stitching and a frame and one for the kidlets  colours, washi tape and some cards :)

 Can't wait. Please share the news.

 Tamar xx

Candle Making

I have wanted to dabble in soy candle for some time now. My first ever soy candle i received as a gift from my lovely friend Mel.  Then I noticed them popping up at markets but with three candle lovers in our house they are a little luxury.

 When I saw this cute Easter idea pop up on a few blogs I thought thats it I'm going to give it a try.

 

via pinterest.com

So with some research I went with this company.

Their soy wax is a little more expensive than others but they have excellent testimonials and I received my order super fast!

One of our projects during our hip hop hooray week will need the following supplies. So I thought I would give you the heads up just in case you wanted to play along too.

If you have  no candle making supplies ( like me ) this is the order I placed.

• Fragrance Oil - Chocolate Milk (25 mls)  $2.90
• Dye Chip - Brown ( 10)    $2.50
• Wicks HTP 31 - (20 wicks)  $2.24
• Soywax CB-135 Container Blend - 1 kg $8.95

This will leave you with leftovers but was the smallest quantities I could purchase in and being Easter I decided we'd make chocolate ones with chocolate scent too - there is chocolate chip as well! I think I should have bought some wick holder thingys too but I'll make do with a makeshift one when I'm creating.

Shipping for this order is a little steep -as they also add a $5 handling fee on orders under $50.

I was VERY tempted to buy a starter kit too for $39.95 which gives you three fragrances and enough wax and containers to make 6  candles - GREAT value I think .( There are other things not pictured here included.)  You can get the full supplies list here . And if we have fun/success with this project I definately think I'll be heading back to get this.

via www.naturalcandlesupply.com.au

 

I placed my little order on Friday night and received it on Tuesday.

Look forward to sharing the results with you in  Hip Hop Hooray next week.

 Tamar xx

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter- Blog Button

 Here we go a cute button to add to your blogs if you are joining us in our Easter creating!

and the code

<a href="http://tarisota.typepad.com/my_weblog/hip-hop-hooray-for-easter/" target="_blank">
<img src="https://tarisota.typepad.com/photos/2010blog/hopblog.jpg" \border="0" alt="Hip HOP Hooray!" />
</a>

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter

Mel and I are soooo HOPPY ( sorry couldn't resist LOL) to bring you the third in our series of Hip Hip Hooray projects - This time of course it's Hip HOP Hooray for Easter - as named by my two girls and in honour of the new movie HOP which they are busting to see.

Beginning April 18th for a week Mel and I will be sharing a series of tips and projects for keeping those busy hands creating.  I will also be throwing in some crafting and projects for the Mummas ( or Dads) too - depending on the age of your children you may be able to set them up and then have your own project happening on the side.

Home decor, cooking, fun links, stitching , papercrafting a little vintage and a little mod all thrown in together,  Feel free to borrow this image to share on your blogs.  We will also have a button badge for those of you wishing to join us before we start- we'd love to have you playing alongside. Next week I'll be sharing a few supplies you'll need for one project in particular but we do try hard to keep the ideas to things you'll likely have at home or are easily acquirable.

So excited to share these project with you as are my girls - while it's a short holiday it's one of our favourites

 Hip HOP Hooray for Easter.

 Join us

  

If you are new and wondering what the  whole Hip Hip thing is all about - pop over here for our Hip Hip Hooray for Holidays , and our Hip Hip Hooray for Valentines.