Fun with Golf Tees & Cardboard Boxes

My sister-in-law gave me a fun idea and we tried it out today. You just need an empty cardboard box, golf tees, and a hammer for an easy homemade pounding bench. I had to get the golf tees started for my little guy (probably because the hammer I gave him was pretty wimpy, even for a toy). We'll use all six sides of the box and then when it's filled with holes, throw it in the recycle bin.

12-drawer Kids Activity & Storage Table Plans

We've had a lot of people interested in purchasing the activity/play table featured in the playroom makeover post, but it's massive and super expensive to ship. Now there are plans for sale in the Iron Timber shop for you DIYers. :)

Chicken Coop Storage Bin Plans

The most popular post on my blog is about the playroom makeover (which happened waaay back in '08). Since then I've had quite a few emails about the storage bins and the play table for Legos that we made for the room.

I finally talked my husband into creating plans for the Chicken Coop Storage Bins (been trying since waaay back in '08) and they are for sale in the Iron Timber shop on Etsy. The play table plans will be available in the near future as well...

Handmade for Hope

I'm participating in the Handmade for Hope fundraiser for Joplin, Missouri. Brittany from Display Your He{ART} graciously put together 31 baskets of items from crafters all over the globe. You can enter to win a basket for $1 per entry (and can enter to win as many baskets as many times as you want). My pair of earrings are in basket #20. The event runs until July 1, 2011.

Earrings for Japan

Update: I have made the donation to AmeriCares (more than $200 thanks to several people who donated more than $20 per pair of earrings). Thanks again to those who participated!

I am selling 10 pair of earrings for $20 each with free shipping and donating all proceeds ($200) to AmeriCares to help with the disaster relief effort in Japan. I chose AmeriCares because over 98% of the donation money goes to humanitarian services and it has a four-star rating on Charity Navigator. If you would like to participate, here's how:

* Choose any pair of earrings from my shop.

* Send me an email at jess-at-lostbuttonstudio-dot-com with your choice of earrings and your Etsy username.

* I will create a custom listing for you for $20 (free shipping).

After all 10 pair are sold, I will make the donation to AmeriCares. If you are not interested in a pair of earrings but can help spread the word, that would be awesome too! Thank you!

Baby C

We welcomed Baby C into our home about a week ago...she has lots of dark hair and chubby cheeks. We are so grateful for her. She is sweet and calm and has us all wrapped around her little finger.

I am so saddened by what has happened in Japan and although I'm a late in responding, I will be hosting a little fundraiser in the next few days.

Our Favorite Multigrain Pancake Recipe

Lately we've been eating a lot of pancakes and after trying quite a few recipes, I'm really liking this one (slightly adapted from this recipe)...

Multigrain Pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal or oat bran

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon orange juice (optional, a tip I read at KAF to mellow the bitterness of whole wheat)

1 large egg

I make up mixes of the first 7 ingredients; stirring everything well to incorporate the brown sugar so it doesn't clump.

Pour the mix into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients; stirring until mixed. Let it sit while you preheat the griddle and it will thicken slightly. Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto a 350 degree griddle and turn when the tops are covered with bubbles.

Makes one dozen pancakes.

While I was searching for a healthy berry syrup recipe to go with these pancakes one morning, Mr. M helped himself to a package of NikLNips for breakfast. I guess you win some, and you lose some. :)

A Baby Girl and a Vintage Upholstery Quilt

I have good news I've been planning to share for a while...we are expecting a little girl in a couple of weeks! We are getting so excited to welcome her into our family. She'll be in our room for awhile, and since Mr. M (now 2) is still in the crib, I haven't gotten a room ready for her yet, but when I do it will all be inspired by this wonderful quilt that my husband's grandma made out of upholstery samples...

I love, love, love all the different colors, patterns, and textures and it will be so fun to use it in her room.

Candy Cane Popcorn Recipe and Labels

This year we made a bunch of candy cane popcorn to give as gifts. We covered a folding banquet table with freezer paper, set up an assembly line, and went through 15 pounds of almond bark and 120 candy canes. We used this recipe but added extra almond bark.

Candy Cane Popcorn

24 oz. vanilla almond bark

12 peppermint candy canes, crushed in a food processor

1/2 cup popcorn kernels, popped

Follow package directions to melt almond bark in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop. Stir 1/2 cup of the crushed candy canes into the melted bark and pour over the popcorn (you need a very large bowl). Stir to coat popcorn while sprinkling with remaining crushed candy canes.

We packaged the popcorn in red Chinese take out containers and added a label. Here is a pdf of the labels (cut with a 2" circle punch).

Caramel-y Cream Cheese Frosting

A few years ago I posted about a recipe for Caramel Apple Dip and since that time I found out that if you reduce the sugar a bit it makes a an easy caramel-y cream cheese frosting for cakes (so far I've used it on an applesauce cake I make quite a bit but I think it would be good on any spicy cake, especially a carrot cake).

Caramel-y Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip cream cheese until fluffy, then add brown sugar and vanilla and whip some more until smooth.

Etsy Stocking Stuffers

Here are a few things I bought from Etsy for stocking stuffers this year for the boys. Wanted to share since it's always fun to promote handmade gifts.

For Mr. M (age 2)

{crayon roll from KateWDesigns}

{mini i spy bag from thosegreathousewomen}

For Mr. B (age 11)

{guitar pick necklace from JCGrafixDesignStudio}

{secret decoder ring from 14th Place Trading}

{a few different kinds of cool rocks from earthlightgems}

Handmade Advent Calendars

Just popping in to show the advent calendars we are posting for sale in the Iron Timber shop. My husband made the pegboards and I'm stamping the muslin bags with antique rubber stamps. They can be used two ways...either starting December 13 to countdown the days until Christmas (order by December 7 to receive it by December 13), or by reversing the order of the bags and using it for the twelve days of Christmas which traditionally begins on December 25 (order by December 20 to receive it by December 25).

I also have jewelry back up in the Lost Button Studio shop after a long break. Ordering by December 18 will ensure delivery by Christmas.

Happy holidays!