Upcycle: box to dollhouse

Hello summer! Too bad it's raining today. A great way to have fun and stay out of mom's hair while she works.. make something! (Besides a mess!) haha. During the school year my mom saved a couple of these boxes for crafts. They certainly came in handy because today I channeled my inner interior designer and made a chic dollhouse. I couldn't leave my little brother empty handed so we also made a Skylander box for him too. Super easy! Super fun!

They aren't quite finished yet.. still want to add some finishing touches, but wanted to share what I put together so far. Hope you like!

Supplies:
Box(es)
Magazines with home stuff/furniture
Scissors
Spray Glue or deco glue
Scrapbook paper

Simply cut out what you want to decorate with and glue them to the box. See, told you it was easy!

I used the front and back of my box. The living room/office on one side, and the bedroom on the other.

I will probably add on later. Maybe a patio with a grill or garden on the outer side or something. I can't wait to get more boxes and make more rooms.. stack them and create a whole apartment complex! hahaha! The possibilities are endless!

For Jr we cut out images from his Skylander lego boxes and created a mini battlefield. Cool part is, when you're done playing you can store your toys right in the box and put it neatly away.

Hope you enjoyed this dollhouse tutorial! Happy Crafting!

Love, Lana

Banana Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing

 

Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided $
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

Icing

• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cupcakes, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and banana; set aside. 
3. Beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 3 minutes). 
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana mixture to sugar mixture, beating well. 
5. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.
6. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. 
7. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
8. To prepare the frosting, beat the powdered sugar, chilled cream cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla at medium speed of a mixer just until blended (do not over beat). Spread frosting over cupcakes.
9. My fave part is topping. I guess the normal thing to do is top with walnuts or something like that but hey, I'm a kid! Kids like sprinkles on everything! 

 

Simple Party Hats

My little brother was in charge of Party Hats for his teacher's surprise bday party. Here's a simple way to upgrade plain party hats into SuPeR-CuTe party hats! "It's the small details that make a big difference."

All you need is hats, poms, and a glue gun. (Hit up the dollar store!) We were thinking of putting fringe at the bottom using streamers but didn't have time. I think they look pretty cute as is. I heard it was a great party and they went perfectly with her cupcakes!

Super Kids Chore Charts Printable

**FREE PRINTABLE**
When I was younger, I admit, I was spoiled! I expected to get something EVERY time we went to the store. Now I understand the concept of earning things. For every chore we complete we get a star. (100 per chart!) Fill it up and we get the toy of our choice. It takes a while but makes us feel accomplished. I always finish my chart before my brother, because when it comes to chores he is lazy! haha

Eggspensive Vases and Spring Time Decor

EGGSPENSIVE VASES

Here's another Easter/Spring time craft for ya! This one is sooo pretty! Start off by using a needle to poke a hole in the top of a raw egg. Gently use your finger to break away some of the shell to open the top. Empty it out into a bowl. Rinse out your empty eggshell. Do this for however many "vases" you'd like to make. Fill them with delicate wild flowers and display them in the carton. These make a creative and beautiful centerpiece for Easter Brunch or as a gift. Best part is.. you can make scrambled eggs afterwards! Mmm!

SPRING ARTWORK:
Print out, have the kids color them, and put them in a pretty frame for some cute spring time decor!

Happy Spring Time!
Love, Lana

Eggstra Special Message

Try this really cute craft for Easter! It's like a "message in a bottle" but replacing the bottle with an egg.

You will need:
Raw eggs
needle
bowl
paint
scissors/exacto knife
paper

1. With a needle, poke a hole on the top and bottom of a raw egg.
2. Empty into a bowl. If the contents don't fall out completely make the bottom hole a slightly bigger and gently blow through the top hole.
3. Rinse out the egg.. GENTLY! and let dry.
4. Paint it however you wish.
5. Cut a strip of paper and write a nice easter message.
6. Roll it up tightly and push into the hole.
7. Carefully place it into a small box or basket with tissue gift paper or "easter grass".

It's a little surprise that will make your friends & fam feel Eggstra Special!
Happy Easter!

Love, Lana

quick quiche muffins

Think you don't have time for a hot breakfast in the morning? Think again! Here's a quick way to get all the joys of  quiche in a convenient mini muffin. The beauty of this is you can make it the day before and just reheat it in the morning. You may love it so much your cereal and oatmeal will get jealous! haha!

Ingredients

6 eggs, beaten



salt and pepper to taste
2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 oz. shredded mozzarella

nonstick cooking spray

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can cook bacon ahead, if you don't have any on hand, you can microwave the two pieces for a few minutes to crisp. Crumble them in to small pieces.

3. Add about 1T of the eggs into each cup. Then sprinkle a little of the bacon into each. Then add remaining egg mixture to the cups, it should be about 1T each. Lastly, sprinkle with mozzarella.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes. You can do a "toothpick" check to be sure. (insert toothpick in center, should come out clean)

These are a great snack or quick breakfast when you're running out the door.

They reheat well in the microwave and only take about 30 seconds.

Switch it up! Use cheddar cheese or cooked sausage instead. Add cooked hashbrowns or sauteed mushrooms, peppers, onions, spinach.. top with parmesan, or serve with salsa..  anything you would like with an omelet.

Breakfast in 30 seconds?! You've got time for this!

Love, Lana