Cake Pops and Chocolate

Yes, I have posted before about the cake pops I have made here. Everyone seems to enjoy them. After the last party, I had a ton of left over cake. I did NOT want to be eating cake forever, so I made cake balls. This time I stepped it up a notch and dipped in chocolate. This could be a good Mother's Day dessert!

A chocolatier I am NOT. But, these were SOOO good. I just used chocolate melts, half milk chocolate and half dark chocolate. Melt in the microwave (50%power) and then dip chilled cake balls. I placed them into mini cup cake liners to help limit the mess. I think it makes the presentation nice too - not that anyone around here cares about presentation! I had to freeze them so I didn't eat them all super fast. These were an even bigger hit that the plain cake balls.

What is your favorite way to deal with left over cake? I probably should just throw it out, but I have yet to be able to bring myself to do that.

Later.

Christmas Ornaments, a family tradition

I come from a long line of creative people. My great grandmother (gma Lefler) is as far back as I remember. She use to braid my hair, taught me how to do needlepoint when I was little, made amazing rolls and molasses cookies, was always making us clean (boo hiss), and always had yarn in her hands. I currently have  4 afghan blankets she made. One of which she made for my wedding day, which she never witnessed.

Then there is my gma Hewitt (currently known as cowboy gma). Gma is always positive, willing to do just about anything, and (sorry gma) can't bake. She loves to thrift shop, play bingo, and eat out. She also paints. I wish I had just an ounce of her painting abilities. She will say she isn't very good - but I disagree. She and gpa have been making Christmas ornaments ever since I can remember.

'tis the season - cold and flu season

Well, we have fully experienced colds so far this season. 3 of us hit so far. Yep, it's that time of year again. The worst part for me is the tissues. My poor nose! Over the past several years, I would just use all the lovely flannel burp clothes we had on hand. But, we have moved past that point in out lives and all the burp clothes have been passed on for others to use. Don't worry, they were washed - a lot.

So, once the cold hit my son, he requested I make some more. Instead of the fancy curved burp clothes I had previously, I went with simple (and FAST) squares and rectangles. I made a few double layered soft flannel hankies. Size doesn't really matter - they are all a little different, depending on how much I had on hand.

Seriously, you should make these. Your noses will thank you.

Jumbo Checker Boards

Need a great handmade gift for the holidays? 

Ever want to have a game that is over-sized? We love jumbo checkers. It can be used on a table as well - in case someone doesn't want to sit on the floor. I also make a simple drawstring bag for storage. Great family fun!

Special gifts

We are always trying to think of ideas for personal gifts. Pinterest sure is a great resource for ideas! Thank goodness! I'll tell you, people think I am SOOO creative, but really I just actually MAKE some of the ideas/projects I find on the internet. Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone. ;)

This spring I had to make some teacher quilts. Well, HAD to might be a bit misleading. That is what I typically make for teachers at the end of year. My middle daughter has a large creativity streak in her (yay!). One day she had done a design in crayon on some paper. I LOVED the pattern. So, she and I together created a digital file that could be uploaded to Spoonflower and made into this and this fabric! And then that fabric became part of her teacher's quilt. Cool right? (Her fabrics are the 2 fabrics that look patterned in this photo.)

Speed Cleaning

Over the past month I have discovered a 'new' exercise routine. Speed cleaning.

We are currently trying to sell our house. I am not always on top of things. I have a life, and cleaning is NOT at the top of the priority list. That being said, if someone wants to see the house in 3 hours, I'm not going to say no. So, enter Speed Cleaning.

I actually have to RUN through the house at various times to get it all done. Sweeping, mopping, bathroom cleaning, etc. etc... Big dirty house - clean in 2.5 hours.  I don't know how many calories I burn, but it feels like a lot. And I am always sore for 1-2 days after.

soothing aches and pains

The last couple of nights I have not slept well. I woke up one morning with a sore neck. Grrr. But, this brings up a great topic. How I deal with those aches and pains that come with exercise.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor. I was formally a Certified Athletic Trainer - but that was several years ago and I have not been in the field since. Of course, those first couple of days of starting a new exercise, your muscles will ache. And, it does hurt. But, it is different than the pain of an injury. I'm sure everyone has felt both! I am going to be addressing general muscle soreness - NOT injuries.

Usually a little Ibuprofen, some ice, maybe a little heat (as long as you don't have a new injury), and a little extra stretching is all that is needed to get through those first couple of days. Or, just tough it out without doing anything. Me, I typically use a little Ibuprofen and leave it at that. But, most importantly, keep exercising. The increased blood flow will help the pain go away faster.

My other way I like to deal with muscle soreness: Rice heat/cold packs! These little buggers are FABULOUS. I keep a couple of little ones in the freezer so they are ready for any bumps and bruises the kids may have (or on the rare occasion an injury I or my hubby has acquired). We like these better than using ice and they are more conforming to the injury site and don't leave you wet! These are NOT washable (unless you use a separate cover), so just be aware of any bodily fluids that may come in contact with these little buggers. I use the larger ones for heat pads. Of course, you can use just one for both purposes. For the larger ones, just pop in the microwave for 45-60 seconds and enjoy. If it feels a little too hot, remove from the area for a minute or two and try again. I use less time for the kids - just in case.

There are many tutorials out there on how to make these (here is one), so I won't go into lots of detail. But, basically these are a couple of pieces of fabric sewn together and filled with rice. I add scented oils to mine - just because I don't like the smell of plain rice heated. They can be made (or bought) in just about any shape or size. I even made some heart shaped ones as Valentine gifts for the tykes.

Shameless plug - Yes I make and sell these too. You can probably find many more available on Etsy or HandmadeAtisian.com.

How to you deal with muscle soreness? Other than not exercise. ;)