Melt white candy according to package directions making sure not to overheat. If the candy gets too hot, it will seize. If desired, add 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil to make the melted candy pourable.
Dip the pretzel twists in melted candy, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the pretzels on waxed paper until dry. Rearrange the pretzels into pairs for wings.
Dip Nutter Butter cookies in melted candy, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl.
Place the cookie on the pretzel wings and immediately add the Lifesaver candy as a halo. Allow to dry completely.
Melt chocolate candy according to package directions making sure not to overheat. If the candy gets too hot, it will seize. If desired, add 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil to make the melted candy pourable.
Using a toothpick, draw two half circles on the uncoated portion of each cookies to be the eyes and a larger dot as the mouth. Allow to dry completely.
Angel Nutter Butter Cookies
Ingredients
12 Nutter Butter cookies
24 pretzel twists (2 for each cookie)
12 pineapple-flavored Lifesaver candies (1 for each cookie)
White candy melts or vanilla flavored almond bark
Chocolate candy melts or chocolate flavored almond bark
You will also need:
Large open star tip (Wilton 1M Open Star Piping Tip)
Piping bags
Toothpick
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
Melt white candy according to package directions making sure not to overheat. If the candy gets too hot, it will seize. If desired, add 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil to make the melted candy pourable.
Dip the pretzel twists in melted candy, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the pretzels on waxed paper until dry. Rearrange the pretzels into pairs for wings.
Dip Nutter Butter cookies in melted candy, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the cookie on the pretzel wings and immediately add the Lifesaver candy as a halo. Allow to dry completely.
Melt chocolate candy according to package directions making sure not to overheat. If the candy gets too hot, it will seize. If desired, add 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening or coconut oil to make the melted candy pourable.
Using a toothpick, draw two half circles on the uncoated portion of each cookies to be the eyes and a larger dot as the mouth. Allow to dry completely.
Your cat will love you this Halloween! Here are a few Halloween Treat Ideas for Cats. Give these treats to your cat this season.
Halloween is approaching this month and the stores are getting creative with their Halloween displays and decor. I walked into a grocery store recently and saw bats and ghost decorations hanging from the ceiling along with shelves and bins full of Halloween candy. I love the fall season and my family loves to participate in trick-or-treating on Halloween as well as other fun fall events such as festivals, hay-rides, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, costume parties, and more.
It’s fun to celebrate the holiday season with family and friends, but sometimes we overlook our furry little friends! They want to be included in the fun, too! That’s why I decided to create a fun treat for my cat, Candie, to enjoy this Halloween. Treat baskets are easy to make and fun to fill. You can get very creative with your treat basket for your pet this Halloween and add a variety of treats inside!
I included the following items in Candie’s basket this year:
Toy mouse
Jingle Balls
Collar
Cat Food
Treats in a Decorative Container
Candie needs a bit of exercise, so I’m hoping the jingle balls and the toy mouse encourage her to move a bit. The collar will be fun to wear on Halloween night when trick-or-treaters arrive.
I surprised Candie with the cat food early. She was laying outside lounging on our back porch and I called her in for her treat. As you can see below, she was happy to enjoy an early surprise.
Putting together a Halloween treat basket for your cat this Halloween is a great idea! You can also create a fun ghost craft with the cat food containers since they have a white lid!
Here’s how to make these ghosts:
Supplies:
Cat Food Containers with white lid
Permanent marker
Directions:
Using a permanent marker, draw a silly ghost face on each container. *Parental guidance recommended with younger children when using permanent markers.
Set these silly ghosts around as Halloween decor during the month of October until you are ready to feed them to your cat.
My girls have been begging me to make slime. It’s like a daily thing around here. “Mom, do we have this? Do we have that?” They love watching YouTube videos of kids making slime and always want to try the different recipes and ingredients. Recently, we stumbled upon an easy slime recipe to create that doesn’t require Borax. We changed the recipe up to make this our own and were very pleased with our batch. I think the batch we made is perfect for two children to play with. This recipe wasn’t too sticky for the kids and they loved the texture. We added foam slime balls and glitter to our slime for added fun.
1. Pour the glue in a mixing bowl.
2. Add baking soda, food coloring, and contact solution.
3. Add glitter and foam balls.
4. Mix well until slime forms.
Here’s a video if you’d like to see how we made our Halloween slime:
Do you have a cat that is litter box trained? Read our tips for How to Keep the Cat Litter Area Clean and Tidy!
Having a cat is a major responsibility.
Even though cats seem easy to take care of, they do require daily feedings, clean water, regular vet appointments, and regular snuggle time (which usually consists of Candie cat laying on my head every night and taking up half of my pillow!)
There’s also the dreaded litter box cleanings that must take place regularly to keep your cat happy and healthy!
Before we get started, let’s answer these two important questions:
How Often Should I Scoop My Cat’s Litter Box?
Litter boxes should be scooped out at least once or twice a day. If you can scoop the box after each use, that’s even better for your cat.
How Often Should I Clean My Cat’s Litter Box?
It’s best to replace the cat litter and clean out the box with soap and warm water at least once a week.
NOTE: If you keep your litter box in a location that’s hard to be seen on a daily basis, it may be easy to forget to keep an eye on it! Post a reminder somewhere in your home to make sure you remember to scoop and clean the litter box regularly!
(In Memory of Calico Candie 7/6/2021. You can find her on Instagram!)
Cleaning the cat litter area doesn’t have to be a dreadful task.
In fact, over the last few years, I’ve developed a system that works for me when it comes to tidying up my cat’s litter box area.
When you have all of the right litter box cleaning supplies nearby, cleaning the litter box area can be a simple task!
Below, I’ve put together tips on how I keep my cat litter area clean and tidy. I’m including my must-have litter box supplies that make cleaning up a cat litter area a breeze!
How to Keep the Cat Litter Area Clean and Tidy
1. Select a piece of litter box furniture that fits in with your home decor.
Did you know there are cute furniture options to place and/or hide cat litter boxes?
If you are looking for a better way to store your cat’s litter box, consider selecting furniture that fits in with your home decor for a better overall look.
It’s a good idea to scoop your cat’s litter box at least once daily with a high quality litter scoop.
I keep a small trash can lined with these scented trash bags next to Candie’s litter box. When it’s time to scoop Candie’s litter, I simply scoop and toss the contents into the bag.
Then, I throw the bag away in the in the garbage can outside and line the trash can with a new liner.
You can also use these pet waste bags to dispose of your pet’s mess!
We do keep our litter box covered with a lid (not pictured above.) Here are a few examples of litter boxes with lids.
We made the mistake of not using the lid once in an old rental house and had to pay $200 in damages because she missed the box every now and then and it soaked into the baseboards. (Yuck, I know!)
Today I shared with you tips on how to keep the cat litter area clean and tidy. Candie is an important part of our family. I like to keep her happy by keeping her space neat for her.
Does your American Girl Doll have tangled hair? Learn How to Untangle American Girl Doll Hair with these tips!
My girls have recently expressed interest with American Girl dolls. If you know anything about American Girl Dolls, you know these dolls have a pretty price tag, with most dolls averaging around $100 or more.
They love to play with their dolls with the neighborhood friends and it’s fun to see how excited they get with doll pretend play.
How I Found Our American Girl Dolls
I love thrift store shopping and try to find most items for my household at local thrift stores before paying full retail price for items.
I’ve been doing this since college to try to save money. Many would say I’m crazy, why not just pay full price? But thrifting is a hobby of mine and I enjoy it. I always will!
During a thrift store shopping trip several weeks ago, my daughter found an American Girl doll complete with the outfit for $10!
The doll was in excellent shape. The doll she found is here on the far left.
Keep reading to see how I fix American Girl Doll hair!
She used her allowance earnings to pay for the doll and has had fun with it ever since we found her. I was able to find 18 inch doll clothes at a great price that she could usewith her doll.
Mom, Can I Have a Doll, Too?
When my youngest daughter found this great find, my oldest daughter started expressing interest in her own doll.
However, I knew I didn’t want to pay the money for a brand new doll, and the dolls on Ebay were still a pretty price.
I was considering purchasing one for her upcoming birthday from Ebay, but was on the fence about paying the money for it.
During my most recent thrift store trip, I checked the doll bin for dolls. I didn’t expect to find anything that great since this doll bin included mostly dolls that were well loved!
The majority of dolls were missing their outfits and had tangled, matted, and frizzy hair.
I did thumb through the selections and noticed what I thought looked like an American Girl doll! I pulled the doll out, searched for the tag and sure enough, she was an American Girl.
She was priced at only $3!
But her HAIR!
What a mess! Creepy?!
Now keep in mind, there’s a good reason most people overlooked this doll.
The hair was a mess and you can tell that the little girl that owned her practiced with makeup around her eyes, maybe even toothpaste around her teeth.
It looked like there were shades of makeup in her hair. That was all easy to clean off with a wet towel.
I won’t lie, the doll just looked a bit creepy. My goal was to take a well loved doll that was discarded and in need of restoration, and make her beautiful. This became a project and I really just wanted to practice to see if I could complete this task.
I have a friend that was able to give me a few great tips to help me along the way before I sat down and attempted restoring the doll.
If you have a doll with tangled or frizzy hair, try these tips below to see if they work for your doll, too!
Here’s what you’ll need:
doll with tangled hair
plastic grocery store bag
small cloth
waterproof tape
high quality shampoo
high quality smoothing conditioner
detangling brush (other options: wide tooth comb or a wig brush)
Patience!!!
(Note: When I say ‘high quality’ shampoo or conditioner, I don’t mean the kinds that are cheap or watered down. I used Dove conditioner for this doll.)
I had no idea how this would turn out, but I am very pleased with the results. I think and hope you will agree!
How to Untangle American Girl Doll Hair
Create a Work Space
I laid a towel down on the table so that I could have enough space to work with the doll as I was brushing out the tangles.
Prepare the Doll
Securely wrap the doll’s body in a plastic bag. This will keep any water from getting the cloth material on the doll wet. The arms and legs are vinyl, so if these parts get wet, it’s not really a big deal. Just dry them off with a towel.
Cover the eyes of the American Girl doll with cloth. Secure the cloth with waterproof tape. This will keep water from entering the dolls eyes. (Tip: I actually used a small piece of gauze and waterproof first aid tape for this part!)
Can you Wash American Girl Doll Hair
The answer is yes! You can wash American girl doll hair. Keep reading below to find out how.
How to Wash American Girl Doll Hair
Make sure you read the steps above to learn how to prepare your doll before you wash the hair.
Once prepared, start by washing the dolls hair at the sink with a high quality shampoo and warm water.
Rinse the shampoo out.
We aren’t finished yet! Below you’ll see how I condition the hair. The conditioner will need to be rinsed out once finished.
How to Brush American Girl Doll Hair
Add a high quality smoothing conditioner to the dolls hair. Keep in mind, for this particular doll, I used a generous amount of conditioner so that I could work a detangling brush or wig brush through the dolls hair easily afterwards. A wide tooth comb or wig brush works well, too. Do not rinse yet.
NOTE: For this part below, I’d like to mention that if I had another doll to restore, I’d try starting at the bottom and work my way towards the top to prevent hair breakage. While the method below worked for me, you may want to try the bottom to top method!
Starting at the top of the hair and scalp area, work the brush through the hair. Avoid brushing the bottom of the hair until you have worked all of the tangles out at the top first.
Once these tangles are brushed, start working towards the bottom of the dolls hair. Add more conditioner along the way if desired. For this doll, I used about one half of a bottle of conditioner to get her hair tangle free.
Important Note: Don’t give up too quickly! At one point when I was brushing the hair, I thought I’d never be able to get it to work out, but my secret was, MORE conditioner!
Hair Falling Out?
Depending on how bad the dolls hair is tangled, you may notice that hair falls out while you are brushing the tangles out.
This was totally normal for me during this process. I just discarded any hair that fell out and continued brushing until I was able to get the dolls hair straight. She still had a ton of hair left when I completed the entire process!
Allow the Hair to Dry
Once the doll’s hair is straight and tangle free, rinse the conditioner out and continue brushing the hair to keep the hair tangle free as it dries.
Once the hair is completely dry, style the dolls hair as desired!
How to Defrizz American Girl Doll Hair
Brush the hair
Start by brushing the hair carefully and thoroughly to remove any tangles or knots.
Apply defrizzing serum
Apply a small amount of defrizzing serum to the hair, and distribute it evenly.
Comb the hair
Use a wide-tooth comb to gently comb through the hair, starting at the tips and working your way up.
Use heat protectant spray
Hold the hair in one hand and use a small amount of heat protectant spray with the other hand.
Blow dry the hair
Gently blow dry the hair, using low heat.
Be careful not to overheat the hair, as this can damage it.
Style the hair
Once the hair is completely dry, use a brush to style it into your desired look.
With these simple steps, you can have beautiful, frizz-free American Girl doll hair!
I added a little side braid. This was the hair style I gave the doll before revealing the results to my daughter!
Heating Products
I do not recommend using heating products for your dolls. If you MUST use a heating device to dry the hair, use a blow dryer on the lowest setting. Do not use a curling iron on the doll’s hair. The dolls hair can melt if high heat is used.
How Long Did This Process Take?
This process from start to finish took me a little over an hour to complete. Overall, I enjoyed seeing the before and after results of this doll.
When I picked up my girls from school that day, as a joke, I told my girls I found an American Girl Doll and shared the before photo with them that you can see at the beginning of the post. The looks on their faces! Then I told them I restored her and showed them the after picture. They both started arguing over who was going to get her!
When my oldest daughter came home, she immediately dressed up the doll and fixed her hair the way she wanted it! You can see her new hair style below.
After this project, I had a thought in my mind that maybe I should go back and save all of the dolls I can, restore them, and pass them onto someone that could love them as much as they were once loved. (Just another crazy idea, I don’t think I’ll have time to really do that!)
I’m sure these tips will work with any dolls hair! You just have to try it out and see!
Organization is important for a successful school year! Read how to get organized this school year!
Back-to-school season is very exciting, but it can be quite hectic and messy too. There are books to keep track of, lunches to make and 100 different dates and activities to keep track of. This year, make life easier on yourself with these six easy ways to get organized this school year.
How to Get Organized This School Year
1. Organize Your Time: Create a Routine
Do your kids dilly dally when it is time to get ready for school in the morning or fight you when it is time to do their homework? Make routine tasks easier on everyone by establishing routines. For example, you could make a picture list that shows your young children all the steps they need to do to get ready in the morning. You could also make an after-school routine of snacks and then homework before dinner to help keep your older kids on track with their homework.
2. Organize Your School Supplies: A Place for Everything
School books and supplies have a way of wandering off. Prevent this by designating a certain spot to do homework as well as certain spots they put their shoes, lunch boxes and library books. When your kids get into the habit of always leaving their items in their spots, things are far less likely to get lost. Here are a few great entryway organizers that would be a great way to organize belongings. A shoe organizer is a MUST in my house!
3. Organize The Papers: Don’t Be Afraid to Recycle
Kids bring home an insane number of papers each week. Don’t feel like you have to keep them all. Have your child select the papers he or she is most proud of to display those on the fridge and then recycle the rest. If you truly can’t bear to part with projects, take pictures of them to use for a scrapbook page before recycling them.
4. Organize the Forms: Use a Wall-mounted File Sorter
In addition to all of your kids’ school papers, you will undoubtedly have several forms, permission slips and important newsletters to keep track of. Organize them with a wall-mounted file sorter and colored folders for each child. Put all essential papers straight into the sorter, and do your best to get important papers on their way quickly. This way, you are never hunting for a permission slip or important paper at the last minute.
5. Organize Your Schedule: Use the Right Calendar
Between work, school, sports, extracurriculars, church and family activities, your family has a lot on its plate. Keep track of all important dates by writing everything down on a large desk calendar. You can use a large paper or white board calendar in your kitchen or an online synchable calendar on your computer or phone. Write everything down, and you are far less likely to forget a date or double book yourself.
6. Organize Your Lunch Supplies: Create a Lunch Supply Bin
Packing school lunches can be quite tiresome when you have to figure out what to make each morning. Instead of constantly searching through your cupboards to see what you can throw together, create a school lunch bin. This is a great place to put individually portioned fruits, veggies and crackers. Then, every morning you can just pull out what you need. In fact, if you get really organized, the kids may be able to make their lunches themselves, saving you lots of time and hassle!
Shop Back to School:
School items can get lost easily! Don’t forget to label all of your school items! Get FREE shipping on super cute labels.
Save your old and broken crayons! Learn How to Make Melted Crayons.
Do you have a bunch of broken or old crayons around the house? Instead of tossing them, consider making melted crayons with the crayons! My girls saw a video about making melted crayons on YouTube Kids and we went to our art shelf and pulled out as many broken crayons as we could find. Then, we broke them down into even smaller pieces and melted them into these beautiful crayons! This activity is perfect for kids to help out with – breaking the crayons, placing the small cupcake liners in the pan, and even removing the crayons once they’ve cooled and finally, coloring with them!
***Warning: Moms, you’ll want to make sure you take care of all of the oven work if your child isn’t old enough to use an oven!***
How to Make Melted Crayons
Here’s what you’ll need:
Old or broken crayons (a variety of colors, paper removed)
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(a variety of colors, paper removed)
