Flowers bring such joy and freshness to life! This kids craft/game from 5 Orange Potatoes brought nothing but smiles to my face because the concept captures how innocent children are and brings hope by wishing on “frozen” flowers. 5 Orange Potatoes explores art and nature through many unique projects that I would have never thought of or dared to try. Check out the blog you will be encouraged to think outside the box and fulfill your dreams by creating something from your heart without boundaries and endless possibilities!

Supplies:

• Flowers
• Muffin tin
• Yarn
• Water
• A Tree to hang wishes

Directions:

Place flowers in the muffin tin, add yarn and freeze.When frozen and ready for use, place the tray in warm water to loosen the flowers from the muffin tin.

Wishing Rules:

1. Make your wish as you hang the flower in the tree. The object of this game is to catch the flower before it hits the ground.
2. You are not allowed to rub the ice with your hands in order to make it melt faster, however, you may use your breath. And catching icy drops with your tongue is a MUST!
3. Watch over your wishes, you’ll want to keep a good eye on that piece of yarn! Making predictions by looking closely at the yarn can be a big help in determining which wish might fall next.
4. If you catch the flower before it hits the ground, your wish will come true.

I absolutely love this backyard home made fountain idea! All products used to make this can be found around the home including a simple Terra Cotta planter pot! The sound of soothing trickling waters relaxes and creates a peaceful living environment. There are many ways you can create an indoor/outdoor fountain at home by using different bowls,pot,planters,containers, or tanks. Get creative and see what you can do. The fountain shown below was found at MyHomeIdeas under their “10 Great Backyard Ideas”.

Here is a link up to a cute set of digital scrapbook alphas and numbers in upper case and lower case that gets going into the “back to school theme”! All are cute and fun bright colors to use any time of the year and with any theme!

These are ALL FREE thanks to LC Essectials from her School Days Digital Kit!
Click the pictures or links below to download yours!

{NUMBERS DOWNLOAD}

{LOWERCASE ALPHA}

{UPPERCASE ALPHA}

This is a great sensory art project that encourages little hands to get moving and creative juices flowing! The inspiration for this project was from the weekly theme of “Fishing”. Each week this summer our program ventures out into the community for an all day field trip followed by a weekly theme for weekly art projects, songs, skits, and other various activities that corresponds with the field trip! Keep reading to learn more on how to create this project.

Supplies:

Long piece of white butcher paper

Tempura paint in blue,green,white

White paper plate

Various colors of tissue paper squares

White liquid glue

Sponges/Paintbrushes for mural background

Pencil

Scissors

Directions:

*This is somwhat of a longer project, it may take two days to complete.

1. First create the paper plate fish by cutting a triangle shape on one side of the paper plate to act as the fish’s mouth, with the newly cut off triangle glue to the back of the other side of the plate to be the tail.

2. Glue tissue paper squares to one side of the paper plate by dipping/applying glue, use the eraser end of a pencil to act as a utencil applicator (its easier to apply the paper).

3. Afer the fish is covered completely set to dry and work on mural!

4. Create a textuired look with the paint to be the “sea” water.

5. After the paper has dried, use a child’s handprint in a stacking order to act as the “see weed”

6. When the mural is dry and the fish are dry, simply glue the fish to the mural and you are finished.

Over the weekend the ladies in my family went to the theater to see the movie Julie&Julia! If you are not familiar with the movie it is based on Julie Powell, a 20 something hum drum government worker in New York who came up with the concept to cook her way through her mentor/idol Julia Child’s cookbook Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year and blog the whole process! Julie’s new found project was called “the Julie/Julia project” which consisted of 524 recipes in 365 days that was turned into a book in 2005 and recently released movie in 2009!

Before the movie I didn’t know much about the plot but that it was just about Julie and Julia cooking their way through life. But I came out of the movie uplifted and wanting more which is why I highly recommend watching this movie or reading the book! I am placing an order for the book because it is just that good!

Here are the link to pick up your book!

The movie goes back and forth from Julie’s cooking adventures and Julia Child the beloved chef before she was famous and her exploration of learning to cook and finding the best food through Paris and Europe.

Below is Julia’s classic recipe, Beef Bourguignon, which does make its star appearance in the movie too! It’s a wonderful dish, and actually very simple to make–even though the instructions are long.

Beef Bourguignon

Serves 6

For the stew

* 6 ounces bacon, solid chunk
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
* 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
* 1 onion, peeled and sliced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 3 cups red wine (a full bodied wine like Bordeaux or Burgundy or Chianti)
* 2-3 cups beef stock
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 2 garlic cloves, mashed (you may choose to add more)
* 1 sprig thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dred thyme)
* 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

For the braised onions

* 18-24 white pearl onions, peeled
* 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup beef stock
* salt & fresh ground pepper
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 sprig thyme
* 2 sprigs parsley

For the sauteed mushrooms

* 1 lb mushrooms, quartered
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
First prepare the bacon: cut off the rind and reserve.
Cut the bacon into lardons about 1/4″ think and 1 1/2″ long.
Simmer the rind and the lardons for ten minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water.
Drain and dry the lardons and rind and reserve.
Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a large (9″ – 10″ wide, 3″ deep) fireproof casserole and warm over moderate heat.
Saute the lardons for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly.
Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
Dry off the pieces of beef and saute them, a few at a time in the hot oil/bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides.
Once browned, remove to the side plate with the bacon.
In the same oil/fat, saute the onion and the carrot until softened.
Pour off the fat and return the lardons and the beef to the casserole with the carrots and onion.
Toss the contents of the casserole with the salt and pepper and sprinkle with the flour.
Set the uncovered casserole in the oven for four minutes.
Toss the contents of the casserole again and return to the hot oven for 4 more minutes.
Now, lower the heat to 325°F and remove the casserole from the oven.
Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered.
Add the tomato paste, garlic and herbs and the bacon rind.
Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove.
Cover and place in the oven, adjusting the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly for three to four hours.
The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms and set them aside till needed.
For the onion, if using frozen, make sure they are defrosted and drained.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions to the skillet.
Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions about so they brown as evenly as possible, without breaking apart.
Pour in the stock, season to taste, add the herbs, and cover.
Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Remove the herbs and set the onions aside.

For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over high heat in a large skillet.
As soon as the foam begins to subside add the mushrooms and toss and shake the pan for about five minutes.
As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

To finish the stew:
When the meat is tender, remover the casserole from the oven and empty its contents into a sieve set over a saucepan.
Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it (discarding the bits of carrot and onion and herbs which remain in the sieve).
Distribute the mushrooms and onions over the meat.
Skim the fat off the sauce and simmer it for a minute or two, skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock.
If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency.
Taste for seasoning.
Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
If you are serving immediately, place the covered casserole over medium low heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve in the casserole or on a warm platter surrounded by noodles, potatoes or rice and garnished with fresh parsley.
If serving later or the next day, allow the casserole to cool and place cold, covered casserole in the refrigerator.
20 minutes prior to serving, place over medium low heat and simmer very slowly for ten minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

I am happy to announce this week’s Friday Free Day winner of the CIBU samples is…

SARAH at MRS. D. LIGHTFUL!!!

Thanks to all who participated in this week’s giveaway, I do read ALL of our comments on the blog and try to respond to all of them so thank you!

Sarah: If you could kindly send me your mailing address to so I can get these awesome treats off to you!

Almost all stores by now have their Back To School supplies and goods out, ready for eager students to find and beg parents all around to buy the most expensive next best thing out there. Well not all things have to be expensive, I found this neat colorable tissue box at where else but MY FAVORITE Target for only a buck. Yep, that’s right it was only a dollar. They had a few styles, one was girly and princess like, another was boyish with Tonka trucks, and another was neutral gender I guess it had clowns and circus themed shapes.

I probably wouldn’t choose to buy this to showcase in my living room, but would look cute in a child’s bedroom or classroom.

We made at site this a few months ago and I am just now fidning the picture! This is a fun summer craft to do with kids of all ages and who doesn’t like Watermelon on a nice hot summer day!?

Supplies:

• 1/2 of a paper plate
• Glue
• Red and Green construction paper cut or torn into little squares
• Black cut as the seeds
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Cut the red and green construction paper into little mini squares ( or you can have the kids tear them)

2. Cut the paper plate in half

3. Cover paper plate red squares by gluing down to paper plate

4. Glue green squares to the edge of paper plate

5. Glue on black construction paper to be the seeds!

With a little over a month before it’s back to school! Can you believe it? It’s already August, this summer just flew by. Decorate a NEW digi scrapbook page to get your kids excited about going back and document their first day of school by publishing the photo with this neat Back To School Kit! Trixie Scraps Designs is providing the kit for FREE just a quick download and you’re set to get scrappin.

Click {HERE} to download or click the image above

Check Out August 2010 Digi Scrap Freebies list, there are more Back to School Kits:

https://twoheartstogether.com/2010/08/15/august-digi-scrap-freebies/

Make the best of your summer at home and try a Staycation! A Staycation is vacationing at home by turning your backyard or favorite living space into a true oasis without the pricey traveling. Some ideas may be turning your backyard into Italy, Camping and everyone’s favorite, the beach.

Other Staycation Theme Ideas:

• Take a trip to the museum.
• Make some home improvements Paint a room, install ceiling fans, refinish furniture—and be home to enjoy it when you’re done.
• Visit the Zoo and make a day of it!
• Organize your own Field Day Create your own Field Day at the park, complete with games, bicycling and a picnic lunch.
• Take a hike Google around for local hiking groups and trails.
• Amusement Parks Make a day trip or overnighter to the nearest amusement park.
• Take a dip Your swimming pool, a friend’s or the city pool—it’s a cool deal, any way you dive in.
• Garden Plant wildflowers, a vegetable garden, a kitchen herb garden … whatever fits your style.
• Let go of the slack Hire a maid to clean your house while you lounge.
• Get crafty Yes, it’s time to finally finish that scrapbooking project or start something wild with the kids.
• Cook up a storm Try new recipes and stock up the freezer.
• Organize a block party Hang out with the neighbors.
• Indulge in a spa day At home or at the spa—either way, a luxurious treat.
• Throw a party It’s the perfect time for a BBQ or cocktail party.
• Attend a home screening Rent all those movies you’ve been planning to see; don’t forget the popcorn.
• Be a tourist See all the sights where you live; get a guidebook or contact the chamber of commerce for details.
• Book a mini-getaway Stay at a nice hotel for one night and indulge in the pool, spa, gym, restaurant, room service …
• Scrounge Comb the local flea markets and bargain stores for interesting finds.
• Take a night in or a night out Every member of the family gets one night in or out with their friends.
• Hit the matinee Seriously. Like every day.
• Green clean the carpets When else do you have time to move all the furniture?
• Book it Put together a reading list and hit it hard.
• Get artistic Create art for your home: an abstract canvas in accent colors, framed photography or flea-market finds.
• Paint a room Even if you’re not crazy about home projects, painting one room is easy and gives your home a real lift.
• Play a game Schedule a video game or board game night.
• Tour historic sites Find a guidebook or listing of nearby historical places and chart your own tour.
• Cheer the home team Attend local sports events.
• Take in an outdoor performance Get tickets to outdoor concerts, Shakespeare in the Park and other summer culture
• Try mini golf or bowling You really can’t beat these for cheap fun.
• Go stargazing Always free, always amazing.
• Take a class A savvy choice for grownups and kids alike.
• Plan a romantic getaway Recruit a friend or relative to babysit and break free from the kids for a night or two.
• Try new restaurants Investigate that new vegan cafe or organic, whole foods diner you’ve never had time to try.