weekly wrap

So, last week it was all about some bread!

Who would have thought bread could be so much fun?!

Tuesday, we had boozy bread…

Thursday, V got all fancy with bread…

and Friday it bloomed into a mama activity with bread :)

Home DIY: Bread Clay Flower

So, sticking with the bread week & all…I decided to play around with the dough from the Bread Clay Beads a little bit & make it mama project worthy ;)

And by golly I wasn’t going to let the rest of the loaf of white bread go to waste either!

So, the bones of this tutorial are similar to yesterday’s post, with a few little tweaks here & there.

Materials

• 6 pieces white bread (the super cheap stuff)
• 3 TBS white glue (I used a generic Elmer’s)
• clear dishwashing liquid
• food coloring (I used these neon colors)
• bead/button
• E6000 craft adhesive or a comparable heavy-duty craft glue
• frame (optional)

Tools

• food processor
• workable mat (I used an old cutting board)
• wax paper

So, with this mama bread clay version, since I didn’t have miss V’s little hands assisting me, I threw the bread, glue, and a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid into the food processor until crumbly.

When I did this version, the mama version, the dough came out a very different consistency by combining it in the blender versus just by your hands.  The consistency was smoother & more like modeling clay.

So, go ahead and rub your hands completely in dishwashing liquid to make a seal from the dough’s stickiness.  Remove from the food processor and knead until it is no longer sticky.  Mix thoroughly with your hands, adding more glue if the dough is too dry or more dishwashing liquid to your hands if the dough starts to stick to your hands.

After it is combined, divide the dough into separate batches for each color you would like to make.  Add several drops of food coloring to each ball and blend thoroughly to get the color you wish to achieve; you may need to add more drops for your desired color.

At this point you can either put the dough into baggies & refrigerate it to work on it later or start molding right away.

I molded my clay right away into little balls, then flattened them.  I then molded each petal to make them more organic looking with indentations.  I placed the petals on top of each other going around in a circle, placing and molding in the center to mold together as I went around the flower.  Once I was satisfied with the way my flower looked I added a button to the center to secure its location once dried.  It is important to do this because once the flower is dry you will have that impression in the center which will make gluing it down easier.  Let flower dry for 48 hours on wax paper (time may be less or more depending on the size & clay involved in your flower), then glue down the button with the E6000 glue on the center impression you made prior to drying.

Voilà – you are done – you now have a pretty little clay flower!

I put my little flower on a frame, but the sky is the limit on what you can put this lovely little flower on; a frame, hairclip, headband, artwork, mirror…etc., etc., you decide.

I soooo would love to see your final product & what you came up with!!

Kiddo Craft: Bread Clay Beads & Necklace

So, I’ve declared this week Bread Week!  Yay!  Yippee!  Wahoooooo!

Okay, I’m done ;)

Tuesday, we had my yummy Beer Bread on the docket.

Today, little miss V is gonna share with you how to make these adorable bread clay beads for this fabulous necklace (well, I’m really the one who is gonna share; she can’t really type yet – she’s only 2 1/2 :).

We will learn how to make this super cool, Anthropologie-esque, delightful, kiddo-made necklace!

Did I use enough adjectives for ya?  No?

What about spectacular, magnificent, razzle-dazzle (that’s YGG speak), & stunning!

Too much?  I need an adjective INTERVENTION – EEK – LOL!

Materials

• 6 pieces of white bread (the super cheap stuff)
• 3 TBS of white glue (I used a generic Elmer’s)
• clear dishwashing liquid
• acrylic craft paint (I used the same brand I used for the Neon Dinos, My Studio Acrylic Craft Paints in: Seaside 72747, Lavender 72759, & Key Lime Pie 72734)
• string

Tools

• toothpicks
• mini cutters (I used these)
• workable mat (I just used an old cutting board)
• bowl
• plastic kids’ needle (I have these)
• scissors

In this kiddo version, I wanted to have as many activities as possible to involve V.  She is very hands on, as most toddlers are, and loves helping me with tasks.

I had her start by tearing off the bread crusts and then ripping the bread into small pieces, while I prepared everything else.

While the kiddos are doing this, rub your hands completely in dishwashing liquid to make a seal from the dough’s stickiness.  Then in the bowl combine the glue, shredded bread, & a couple drops of dishwashing liquid.  Mix thoroughly with your hands, adding more glue if the dough is too dry or more dishwashing liquid to your hands if the dough starts to stick to your hands.

After it is combined, divide the dough into separate batches for each color you would like to make.  We made three colors, therefore we divided it into three balls.  Add several drops of acrylic paint to each ball and blend thoroughly to get the color you wish to achieve; you may need to add more drops for your desired color.  This part is also a great part for the kiddos to do as well.  It is a great sensory experience smushing the dough between their fingers, and by using the acrylic paint, which is water-based and non-toxic, it is safe for them to do so.  This is another reason I opted for the acrylic paints versus the food coloring.  Plus, the acrylic paints provide an easier clean-up and won’t dye their little hands! :)

Once the colors are blended into each ball, have the kiddos go to town with it.  Our intention was to make a necklace, so I rolled the balls for the beads while V flattened the dough with her hands creating a pancake, and then used the mini cutters to make shapes.  Something else to keep in mind, too, I gave V the mini cutters that were the most simplistic, with the least amount of detail.  Due to the dough being very sticky, less detailed shapes will hold up better for the process.  Make sure you also grease up the mat & the cutters with the dishwashing liquid so it is easier for them to create.

After all the shapes are made, pierce a hole in each shape with a toothpick, inserting it completely through and leaving the toothpick inside the shape for the first stage of drying.  After 2 hours, remove the toothpicks from the shapes by rotating them out of the hole and creating a bigger hole that will make it easier to thread onto string for the necklace.  Let shapes dry completely overnight, or longer, depending on the thickness of your shapes.

After this drying period, reinforce holes with another toothpick, then with the plastic kid needle, making sure the needle & string will be able to travel through each shape.  Go ahead and thread the needle for your little one, tying a knot at the end.  Let them thread the necklace in the order they want (keep in mind this is a kiddo craft; it doesn’t have to look symmetrical or perfect :)  Let them have fun threading the shapes (which happens to be a great motor skill activity, too)!  Once the threading is completed, finish it off for them anyway you want; there is no rhyme or reason to this process.  At this point, V wanted me to add “mama beads” to her necklace, so we went down to my craft room & I gave her some “mama beads” to pick from.  I finished it off with the “mama beads” & really liked the frayed pieces (V thought they looked like tails ;), so I added a few more intertwined through the beads.

And, there ya go, kiddo craft perfection!

Mind you, my little miss fashionista demanded to wear this necklace all day.

I had to bribe her with chocolate milk (with whipped cream!) at naptime to get it off of her for her nap ;)

Well, have fun, and craft on!
Oh…and be sure to check my mama take on this cool way to make clay :)

And here are the printable instructions (click on the button for a printable PDF file):

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The above post allows a free printable PDF download; you will need Adobe Reader to do so. It is free to download at Adobe’s website here.

Please read here before you download any of mama miss’s PDF files…thanks, man!

eats: beer bread

I have a severe weakness for bread!

mmm-m’mmm-mmm-m 

I read somewhere that the average person consumes 53lbs of bread a year – “GREAT SCOTT” – if that’s the case, then my average consumption has to be at least double that!  Wow, really Melissa, 106lbs of bread – WOWZERS, maybe I should cut back – HA!

So here’s where you can’t go wrong…it’s Beer Bread, like the title says.  That means it is bread with BEER in it, folks!  Can it get any better than that?  I think NOT!  (If you are unsure that this is a victorious combo, go ask your hubs; I think he will agree with me ;)

#2 reason that this is a beautiful combo in bread making.  IT’S SO EASY.  I mean so easy, your cat could do it!  I mean cats can pee in a toilet & flush said toilet, like in the movies – so why couldn’t they bake bread, too, no?

Reason #35…yes, I jumped ahead ;)  The bread is yummy sweet!  I love me some sweet bread!  I’m a big fan of Challah bread – I could eat a loaf in one sitting of that yumminess – holla!

Reason #127…stay with me here.  There is NO YEAST involved (unless you count the beer)– hallelujah!  See, me & the little yeast packets, yeah, well, we don’t get along.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of self-rising flour (I use Gold Medal)
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 12oz can of beer (I usually use Natty Light) (experiment with different beers for different flavors!)
• 2 TBS melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Spray a bread loaf pan with non-stick baking spray & set aside.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, & beer in large bowl & mix well; The mixture will be very sticky.
4. Pour mixture into the sprayed loaf pan & bake for 52 minutes.
5. After the 52 minutes, remove pan from oven
6. Using a pastry brush, spread butter on loaf to create a glaze.
7. Place back in the oven for 3 more minutes to set glaze.
8. Remove from oven & let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Slice & enjoy!

Serves: 4-6

And here’s the printable recipe (click on the button for a printable PDF file):

mmmmmmmm….

yum…

did I say YUM already?

Terms and Conditions

The above post allows a free printable PDF download, you will need Adobe Reader to do so.  It is free to download at Adobe’s website here.

Please read here before you download any of mama♥miss’s PDF files…thanks, man!