Half Price Coupon

Saturday Afternoon Classes are held at The Source (http://www.thesourceabq.com) . Right now I have limited space for toddlers ages 2-5 for my 3pm classes. Hopefully more classes will be available soon.

Since we are still in the process of getting started, to get my name out there I want to tell you about my referral program. If you refer someone to my class, and they come try it out, I will give you one bonus stamp on my punch card. 5 stamps gets you one free class!

And FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

Print this page to get 50% off of any one class.
Strings: Coupon can only be used once, one discount per child. Expires October 31, 2011.

I will offer more coupons and classes throughout the year, so keep checking in for more info.

September Calender

Upcoming Classes:

Sept 17, 2011 PRIMARY COLORS- we are going to make our own play dough in Red, Yellow and Blue and mix them together to make Green, Orange and Purple. Children will get a tactile experience and learn how to mix the primary colors and how they are the basis of all the colors in the rainbow. We will also look at a color wheel and talk about how it works.

Sept 24, 2011 AUTUMN EXPLORATION - We are going to learn about how plants change to get ready for winter and make leaf etchings. We will also talk about chlorophyl and what makes the leaves change colors.

October 1, 2011 HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS - we are going to learn about Oragami and make Halloween bats nad pumpkins to decorate with. We will also talk about complicated oragami and different types of art made with paper.

Hot Cocoa Mix- Chai Spice

Turns out that on a weeknight, between work and dinner there is really only time for a short project. Sophia and I made the Chai Spice Cocoa mix and it was fantastic. Since you already have directions and a recipe on my previous mix I will just add pics. If you would like to try it but don't want to make it order a 16oz jar from my Etsy store.

These pictures show, the chopped bittersweet chocolate, the sugar cocoa powder and chai powder mix, and pouring the total mix into the jar. We need to make up a more festive label though. That will be tonight project. I think this is going to make a delicious gift for the people on the list, can't wait to try the almond cocoa mix and the spicy mexican cocoa mix. I have a feeling these are going to be yummy.

Paper Candle Shades

So my second idea for small presents is to create a paper candle shade. I saw some really beautiful candlesticks on Etsy and cannot afford anything like that, but I thought it would be really cool to try and come up with a simpler but just as beautiful idea. So I am off to the paper store to find some lovely inspiration and searching the ends of the internet for stencil designs that i might be able to use to make a similar design. I am thinking that I need to use a frame so that there is little or no risk on the burning down the house thing. So this weekend I am going to try and make a beautiful paper shade with some dimensional cut outs. I will post lots of pics and directions if it turns out okay and if not well, I will post the pictures and maybe try again or maybe move on to a new and more practical idea.

Jars of Hot Cocoa Mix

Today I am thinking of making jars of hot cocoa mix with my daughter for her to give as gifts to her teacher, and the secretary at my work, and maybe other people who deserve to be remembered with something thoughtful. Our budget is Super tight this year so over the next few weeks I am going to come up with, and execute ideas that make lovely presents for everyone on my list for as little money as possible. Since presents that require less money, tend to take more time to make Sophia and Desi and I are going to be working on small projects after school and before dinner and on bigger projects on Saturday afternoons.



First up is my idea for acquaintances who need more than just a card. I love to bake, and my children love to get messy in the kitchen so I am keeping this part kitchen themed. I can picture beautiful little jars of hot cocoa mix with directions and pretty handmade labels and lots of festive ribbon. Tonight we are going to try out three recipes: Almond Dark Chocolate Cocoa, Chai Tea Milk Chocolate Cocoa, and Spicy Mexican Cocoa. I figure that having some different flavors will take some of the kitschy out of this gift and make it memorable. When searching for hot cocoa recipes on the internet i found a bunch of dried milk and cocoa powder and sugar or powdered sugar recipes. To me that sounds like the same stuff you get in a box at the store. So I am going to make hot cocoa mix with chocolate to be added to hot milk.
Here is my basic recipe:

1/4 pound of Bittersweet baking Chocolate (grated)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (milk or dark your choice)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup white sugar

for the Chai tea recipe I am going to add 1/8 cup of Chai Tea powder (I found this at my local east Indian market) and mix that with the sugar
for the almond I am going to add 1/2 cup of Dried Almond Milk (I found this at the health food store)
for the Spicy Mexican Recipe I am going to add 2 Tablespoons of Cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

I wanted to layer these so they would look pretty in a jar, but I am thinking a nice mix will do better for preparing the hot cocoa. The directions will simply be to stir 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa mix into a glass of steaming hot milk. To heat milk can be done on the stove top on low heat so it doesn't scald or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

My daughter and I are going to make some of these up tonight and tomorrow I will post pics and reactions. If anyone wants to try out some of my recipes or suggest other delicious ideas I would love your comments.

I Never Grew Up Giveaways.

I entered all of these giveaways and so should you. but do it today because they end February 28th.

Wordful Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Wordful Wednesday. Wordful Wednesday is hosted by Angie over at Seven Clown Circus. Want to see more go check out her page!

I have seen so many fun blog ideas and I guess I will try a few of them out until I can come up with one that is just as good and hopefully at some point just as well followed. 

This picture was taken this summer, That is my lovely girl, Sophia and my sister's friend Corina. And Sophia is the one in charge of that kiss. I thought this was so cute at the time and the picture is just as cute.

Reduce and Reuse

Today I am thinking about a campaign that I remember from fifth or sixth grade. We we're learning about reducing, reusing, and recycling to keep the planet green (and blue I think). It seems to me that we are all doing a lot better about the recycling than ever before, but we forget that recycling takes a lot of energy. Energy that for the most part is still using our precious natural resources. So Today I am compiling lists about Reducing and Reusing, this will save energy and money. 

Reduce:

Plan a shopping list to prevent purchasing on impulse. I think this is a great idea. All the things I buy on impulse (like cookies) end up in the trash and I usually wish I hadn't bought them. Purchase products that will not go out of fashion quickly. This means no  Purchase things with less packaging. Supporting companies that are making the green effort has made a difference and will continue to make a difference Purchase things in bulk quantities eg. one large box of breakfast cereal instead of two small boxes. Don't forget to make it items you can eat before they go bad. A jumbo jar of pickles that get thrown out isn't reducing anything. Purchase durable items that will last you a long time eg. rechargeable battery. Purchase refillable items eg. dish washing liquid. Borrow, share and/or hire things that you only need occasionally. maybe start a neighborhood co-op of occassional use items that some of us already have.  Bring a shopping bag while shopping instead of requesting for plastic or paper bags. Use cloth instead of paper tissue for cleaning. Store perishable food eg. bread, fruits in refrigerator. This way they last longer and don't end up in the trash. amazing! Pack breakfast or lunch in washable container instead of a one-time container. Call the respective organisation/s to remove your address from their mailing list to prevent junk mail. wouldn't it just make your day to get the mail and have no junk? Use one strong bulb instead of a few low-wattage ones. Check for dripping taps and inspect taps and pipes to prevent water leakage. often these are so easy to fix that you can do it yourself with online instructions and a dollar worth of gaskets from the hardware store. Take a shower instead of a bath. Wash only with full loads of laundry. do laundry less, better for everyone including the environment. REUSE Reuse used glass and plastic containers as receptacles. This is a great idea especially for some of the prettier bottles. Use unwanted plastic bags to bag garbage. Remember because we reduced these we don't have many unwanted plastic bags or as much garbage. Use old clothing as rags for cleaning. my mom has been doing this for years Convert scrap paper into memo pads. Pass old textbooks, story books, and toys to others. Some of my favorite Sophia toys were given to us or bought second hand  Pass smaller size but good quality clothing to others.  Donate good quality but unwanted items to old folks' homes, charitable organisations etc. Goodwill will pick up bigger items if they are being donated for free, or if you collect a lot of items from your neighborhood you can have them picked up and save you time. Repair and recondition faulty electronic appliances to extend their useful lives. Make sure you let a professional do this, and don't forget that sometimes newer more effecient appliances are neccesary  Clean and reuse washable cutlery and crockery for the next party. No one really enjoys the paper and plastic at a party anyway, If the party is too big for your dishes and cutlery you can rent it.

More Ideas are always welcome, What do you do to keep your world green? How can the kids help?