Well, I guess ol’ Phil saw his shadow today.  Not good news…I am ready to be warm.  In celebration of the day (and our friend P’s bday) we made Groundhog Treats for afternoon snack.  I saw the idea HERE and it originally came from HERE and did a little modification.  I used pudding cups instead of cupcakes.  Quick. Easy. Yummy.  That’s a Nilla Wafer with a little melted chocolate chips for nose and mouth, sliced almonds for ears (adhered with said melted chocolate) and crushed Oreos sans the creamy stuffing for ‘dirt.’

The newest issue of Woodlands Family Magazine is out!  You can pick one up for free at area Kroger stores or see the issue online.  I love Valentine’s Day and it shows this month with some super cute crafts!  Take a look (and get the instructions from the magazine!)…

And don’t forget to pick up your free download of those cute lolly covers…right over on the sidebar!

I just posted another quick and easy project over at The Hybrid Kid.  And this time, I used my Cricut!  I’m falling more and more in love with that thing the more I use it.  Check out my Christmas tree boxes…

A good friend of mine recently had a baby…a gorgeous baby, actually.  And, of course, when I went to visit this gorgeous little one, who happens to have a head full of blonde hair, I took a gift.  It was one of those swaddler things…hard to find apparently…anyhoo, I’m off subject.

I also took her some pretzels.  Candy coated pretzels are just about the easiest things to make, are inexpensive, and de-lish.  Plus, they are completely customizable…we dip orange for Halloween, red for the holidays, purple for birthday, you get the idea.  And, with any gift, presentation is the key!  I knew a cute little container and some packaging would make those pretzels taste even better!

First…the pretzels.  I buy those candy chips in the baking aisle at the craft store.  You melt them in the microwave and dip your pretzels in them.  I use the mini-twist pretzels.  While they are still wet, I sprinkle decorator sugar (we call them sprinkles at our house) all over those puppies.  Sweet, salty, sugary, crunchy…what more could you ask for?

I have been saving some containers that I knew would be good gift packaging.  I have kept a bunch of strawberry containers.  I have also started saving Lunchable containers…the new ones that are like a strawberry basket but without a top.  They are perfect!  I just bagged some pretzels and put this cute little band of paper all the way around.  I punch a scalloped circle with my new 3 inch scallop punch (which I heart) and printed a little circle with this cute baby graphic on it!  Really not that complicated.  I believe they were thoroughly enjoyed!

I’m not a big pumpkin fan.  I like them for sitting on my porch, but that’s about it.  I do, however, like pumpkin bread.  yum.  And I found this great recipe for little pumpkin cupcakes.  Absolutely worth making.  I added a little cream cheese frosting (that’s supposed to be a ghost).  Delish.

Here’s the recipe (adpated from a recipe from Cupcakes: From the Cake Mix Doctor)

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil  *here’s where I adapt…I use less oil, like 1/4 cup and add about a 1/3 cup of applesauce*

1/2 cup milk

3 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Beat ingredients on medium for about 2 minutes or so.  Scoop into cupcake papers. Bake according to yellow cake mix box…about 15-18 minutes.

I found the cutest cupcakes on Bakerella’s blog.  She made hamburger cupcakes and sugar cookie fries.  I knew my daughter Lolly would love a little kitchen project, so we whipped some up.  Not too hard, really.  And, as presentation is everything, I made a template for a paper tray and fry holder.  It was just too cute, so I used it as a hybrid project to go with the release of my kit, Backyard Barbeque.  And I’m giving the templates away over at the other blog.