Homemade Dog Biscuits (Kid-Made Gift Series)

Kindness to animals is a virtue, right?   I am not a pet lover, but I can at least find it in my heart to treat the canine member of our extended family to a little something special at Christmas.

This year the boys made Leo's Christmas dog biscuits and so we're passing it on to you as another installment of Kid-Made Gifts :)

Homemade Dog Biscuits

(our recipe is adapted from this one here)

Ingredients

1/2 c. flour

1 graham cracker, crushed

1/2 c. rolled oats

2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

2 T. grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp. peanut butter (or corn syrup)

3 T. water

1 T. apple sauce

Instructions 

(and gratuitous photos.  thanks for humoring me.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together flour, graham cracker, oats, bouillon, and cheese.

Stir in the peanut butter, water, and apple sauce.  Add flour if necessary to thicken it to a stiff dough.

Roll out onto a floured surface.  (we used lots of flour after the first attempt stuck to the table :) )

Cut out treats using a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter.

Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  

Bake in preheated oven for 16 - 18 minutes.

Cool completely before storing.

 We created 18 "Buffalo Bites" using a 2 inch bison cookie cutter, and stored them in a pint-and-a-half mason jar.  Dogs don't care much about ribbons and bows, but we do what we can to spruce up the gift - for the sake of the dog owners :)

*   *   *   *   *   *

other kid-made gifts in this series:

Scrappy Yarn Sun Catchers

NFL Team Logo Embroidery

Easy-Peasy Bookmark Craft

Ceramic Tile Coasters

Washi Tape Vases and Tea Light Holders

Toddler Scribble Art Books

*   *   *   *   *   *

And... check back next week for one last installment of...

Toddler Scribble Art Book (Kid-Made Gift Series)

Today in the Kid-Made Gift Series, Amanda from Erring on the Side of Love shares a project she did with her two adorable sons. I've got to be honest with you, I believe this is a project of sheer genius and think it very likely that Amanda will skyrocket to toddler handmade Christmas gift fame after this concept hits the mass market :) I hope you love this idea as much as I do. I know you will... so after your done Pinning it and Tweeting it and plastering it all over Facebook, head over to Amanda's to see what other great stuff she's chatting about at Erring on the Side of Love (I stole her burlap garland idea... and she does things like make gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches... so you see, she's got more than a couple great ideas brewing over there!)
Amanda has also written another something else lovely here at Ordinary Lovely you may want to check out :)

If you're new here, welcome!

And especially to Amanda, welcome and thanks for contributing!

* * * * * *

Back when Theresa from Ordinary Lovely mentioned she was looking for bloggers to participate in her Kid-Made Gift Series, I got excited, thinking surely I could conjure up something fun for my 3 and 1 year old to make! ...surely!

Oh, how I was fooling myself. Throw in some teething mess, along with the attention span of 2-seconds for both my boys in this season of life, and I couldn't think of anything that could be counted as gift-worthy from these two little monkeys.

Then enter this little child. My artist. The one who loves to color and draw with colors, pens, paint, and markers.

See, this is a new world for me. Having a little one who enjoys the arts. It always felt like pulling teeth to get my first born to color or draw with anything till Linus came around. His strokes are intentional and his focus is awesome. Now Bigfoot joins the artsy fun way more often than he used to, which is where this little gift comes in.

You know all those sheets and sheets of random scribbles the littles make? Some with stickers. Some just pencil. Some just markers. And, some made with stickers and pencil and markers? Those little or huge stacks you aren't quite sure what to do with? Unless you have this awesome scanner and filing organizational thing going on in which I then count you as awesome!

But if you don't have said organizational scanner awesomeness going and do have these stacks and stacks of art, I say let's put them together and make something with them!

What you'll need

All of your toddlers sheets of scribbles and beautiful penmanship

Markers

Whatever festive stickers you have

Festive Ribbon (I had some left over from last year)

Cardboard from a box or recycled brown cards

Scissors

Hole puncher (Advice: If you have a two hole puncher - use it! The one hole puncher will hurt your hand after all the papers of toddler art!)

Crafter's sticky glue (I used this to further stick whatever stickers have already been placed)

Get them all organized into two separate piles - 3 year-old pile and 1 year-old pile. Cut into fours (We have three sets of grandparents and will be keeping the fourth little book from each of the boys' for our little home.).

Cut, hole punch, and tie your ribbon through. Add some little detail and maybe let the boys share some more marker fun on the front and back cover to further make their styles identifiable (Haven't done this yet.) and Tadaaaa! Kid-Made gift with some help from mama....because 3 and 1 year olds.

Theresa, thanks for having me and giving me a reason to wrap up all of my boys' hard work into a gift!

Do you all have stacks of scribbles? If so, hope you enjoyed this little gift! And, if not, share your wisdom with me!

*   *   *   *   *   *

other kid-made gifts in this series:

Scrappy Yarn Sun Catchers

NFL Team Logo Embroidery

Easy-Peasy Bookmark Craft

Ceramic Tile Coasters

Washi Tape Vases and Tea Light Holders

*   *   *   *   *   *

And... depending on time and energy, I may have one or two last minute projects cooking up here at Ordinary Lovely, so check back next week for more...

Happy Handmade Christmas (the Giveaway!)

A little over two years ago I started this blog.  I think Ordinary Lovely is pretty much what I expected it would be - small, cozy, sometimes prolific and sometimes dry, sometimes... boring ;), usually conversational and drama-free.  But I don't think I knew back at the beginning how much I would enjoy making friends via this outlet.  I've really enjoyed it!  And I really like you guys (fyi: in Western New York, "guys" means everyone - so even if you're a gal, it means you!)  

It's one of my favorite things ever to make stuff for friends and family.  (I probably love it more than they do...  "oh boy, another craft Theresa's trying her hand at... ;0))  The past two years on the blog I've given you a glimpse of the things I've made and given them as Christmas gifts.  But today's edition of Happy Handmade Christmas is so that I can give something to you - my friends and readers!  

My gifts to you are simple, humble, and of course handmade... by me, so maybe they're not as exciting as some other opportunities out there.  (still no sponsors banging down my doors with lots of pretty presents for you ;0)  But I offer what I have to you as a sincere thank you! from me.  Thank you for making it a joy to blog.  Thank you for getting to know me here, and most especially, thank you for letting me get to know you!  

I almost didn't have a giveaway because I really would love to give something to everyone that reads here.  But as it is, I have four small gifts to offer.   Please accept my thanks and enter to win one if there's something here that strikes your fancy!  Leave a comment with the one or two things you like the best.  (You might get bonus points if you throw in some suggestions of what you'd like to see at Ordinary Lovely as I start planning blogging for the new year!!)  If more than four people "enter," I'll organize a very fair, highly supervised drawing from a hat Monday night.   Winners will be announced on Tuesday morning, December 16.  And... if I get your address in time, maybe your gift will arrive before Christmas.  And if it doesn't, surely you'll accept it as an Epiphany gift instead! 

(Item 1) 

Set of 6 Crocheted Nesting and Stacking Bowls 

in brown and pink colors

My girls love these as toys and I think they'd make a sweet gift for a littler one, or you could keep them for yourself to use as jewelry organizers, office supply storage, or ___ (fill in the blank!)___ 

The largest bowl measures 4 1/4 inches across and 2 1/4 inches high.

The smallest is 2 inches across and 1 1/2 inches high.

The six bowls stacked together measure approximately one foot tall.

my girls love theirs and use them for all kinds of things...

(Item 2)

Child-Size Kitchen Apron 

A reversible apron in green and white polk-a-dots and friendly snowmen.

Perfect for winter-time baking and helping around the kitchen :)

The apron measures 20 1/2 inches from just below the neck strap to the bottom.

(if you want to make your own smaller, toddler-size version, here's the link to my pattern and tutorial.)

Ruth is modeling it for you.  She's an average size 4 1/2 year old.  I'd say the apron could fit up to a 7 year old, and could be adjusted to fit down to a three year old.  

(Item 3)

Holy Family Painted Wooden Peg Dolls

Small and sturdy for little hands.  Simply painted for imaginative play.

Mary and Joseph measure approximately 3 1/2 inches tall.  Baby Jesus is approximately 

1 1/8 inches tall.  

They are finished in a glossy varnish to seal and protect the paint and to make it easy to wipe off pencil scribbles / toddler artistic expression (ask me how I know...)

(Item 4)

Women's Size "In Bloom" Crochet Beret

Crocheted in classic Oxford Gray.

A super soft blend of wool and acrylic.  Washable.

Light weight for warmer climates, but covers your ears for when and where it's colder!

It's stretchy, cozy, and comfortable - in fact, I can't wait to make one for myself!!

Made using this free Ravelry pattern.

look!  I even went out in real snow to model it for you :)

If you see something you like, I hope you'll enter!  I'd love to extend my love for handmade gift-giving to my lovely and frequent readers!  Don't forget to enter before Monday, December 15, 10 pm Eastern Standard Time.  

Thank you to all the Ordinary Lovely readers and the friends I've made here!  

And (almost!) Merry Christmas!  

Evidence of the Bizarre and the Beautiful :: Embrace the Ordinary (vol 17)

In these 8+ years of parenting, I've really come to appreciate the peculiar things that I encounter around the home each day courtesy of my kids.  You know, the things that you stumble upon that are at once totally bizarre and completely normal because there are children living in the house.  For example a few of my favorites have been finding a brick of cheddar cheese in the living room rosary/prayer book basket and uncovering a little plastic reindeer in a tupperware of leftover birthday cake.  I love these kinds of things.  They rejuvenate me; they make me laugh and remind me how much I love this life.  They're so unexpected, yet are to be expected.  They help to ground me and remember fondly that my home will never be worthy of a catalog photo shoot, but it is the perfect place for crazy and creative little ones to explore, express, and experiment.  

I also appreciate the bits of beauty that I encounter in our home.  This past week I've had a gorgeous mum (?) above my sink, a hearty flower left over from a Thanksgiving bouquet Russ had brought home weeks ago.  It's so cheery and, combined with my brushes from recent painting projects, has been a little bit of pretty in an otherwise chaotic and bizarre kitchen!  

So this week I share with you some evidence of the bizarre and the beautiful in our everyday home life... a roll of toilet paper that I found with a bite mark in it......??????? and my pretty corner above the sink.  They're both so perfectly representative of life here and I love each of them.

“…there is something holy, something divine hidden in 

the most ordinary situations, 

and it is up to each one of you to discover it.”  

St. Josemaria Escriva, Passionately Loving the World

Don't forget to click over to hang out with Gina, the lady who embraces the beauty of ordinary life each week and shares it with us!  

Unicorns, Mittens, and Burlap (Crafting All the Things)

I have been fairly prolific in the crochet and craft department lately.  It's not so much about lots of free time, holiday gift crafting, or Christmas decorating.  It's actually been a bi-product of observing Advent intentionally and an endeavor to reset and refresh the ever-present yet ever-new resolution of "order in the home."

I just had too many projects laying around half finished.  It's hard to put away half-finished projects, so the alternative was to finish them and get them out of the way.  

So, show and tell time :)

I had finished making mittens for all the kids back at the beginning of summer.  I wanted everyone to have two fresh pairs for when fall hit.  Well, fall hit and Clare lost three of four mittens...   Rrrrrr.  So I spent a weekend making one purple mitten and a new pair of flower mittens for her.  What are the chances these will be not lost all winter???

I actually set these out backwards... the flowers are on the backs of the hands, not the palms :)
here's a link to the mittens pattern I always use in case you want it :)

A couple months ago I tried my hand at a burlap wreath.  People all over the internet are making cute things out of burlap all the time, but no one ever tells you how messy it is.  Burlap fibers everywhere.  But that didn't stop me from making another wreath and garland, too.  It is a really nice neutral background for pretty much anything...  And plus, that's why I have children - to vacuum up the debris left in the wake of my crafting sprees ;)

used this flower pattern, with double strands of yarn

Finally, I finished a project I had started on our road trip to Ohio - three unicorn hats for three sweet little girls we know!  This was a fun project!  I took a few pictures of my own girls modeling them before I passed them along.  Cute, right?!  (blurry photos because no little girl can stand still when she's got a mane to toss...)

Unicorn hat pattern from Repeat Crafter Me

It really feels so good to have these projects done and not laying around waiting any more.  What shall I start next???  

Have you finished up any projects lately? 

Washi Tape Vase and Tea Light Holder (Kid-Made Gifts Series)

This craft is another simple one that hardly needs any instructions.  Pictures will suffice! (And I'm pretty sure you know what it's all about even before seeing the pictures :)  )  Simple crafts like this are wonderful for toddlers - they can complete it almost entirely on their own, and in the end they've made something beautiful and useful. 

tips: The girls used large salsa jars for their "vases" and baby food jars for the tea light holders.  I pre-ripped pieces of washi tape for my two-year-old, and my preschooler was pretty much on her own.  It worked.  

*   *   *   *   *   *

other kid-made gifts in this series:

Scrappy Yarn Sun Catchers

NFL Team Logo Embroidery

Easy-Peasy Bookmark Craft

Ceramic Tile Coasters

*   *   *   *   *   *

I'm posting a different craft idea every week, so don't forget to check back for more...

Happiness. Lately. November 2014 (vol 6)

Happiness.  Lately.  November.  My monthly collection of "Happiness" - appreciating God's goodness in the little things and seeing his grandeur in the simplicity of my life and "Lately" - what I've been into and up to...

It's a short list this month, not because it hasn't been blessed, but because this last week I've been fairly detached from the online world.  I've enjoyed it that way - lots of time to recuperate from bronchitis and be with my family - but not a lot of time to reflect back on November :(  

Happiness is...

Aaron getting to meet his pen pal of a year and a half!!  Isn't that great?!  We took our second family road trip/vacation this year (unheard of) to spend a few wonderful days with my Aunt Janet and then to spend a day with Aaron's pen pal, Joseph, and his family!   Joseph's mom and I were in Residence Life together in college and though we were close friends then, we haven't seen each other in ten years!  So, it was a real treat for Aaron and for me :)  We met them for lunch at a pizza place and of course all the kids hit it off very quickly!  Then we went bowling and then back to their house where the boys played outside and Legos.  We hated to leave shortly after dinner, but we had to get back on the road before it was too late.  We're really hoping we'll be able to spend more time with their family again soon!  

the first snow

Picture out my front window when it was sunny where we lived, but dropping 7 feet of snow
 on friends 15 minutes south of us.  You may have heard about that crazy storm...

first fire in the fireplace! 

Lately...

from the kitchen - a first snow cake :)

I've been reading...  

I finished Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy, by Rumer Godden  I don't read a lot of fiction these days, but I forgot just how much I love Rumer Godden and might have to stop watching mindless Netflix so I can get back into my reading habit :)  

 Soul Gardening Journal.  Have you heard of this?  It's wonderful!  Created by mothers for mothers.  It's free!  but they will gladly accept your donations to help continue publication.

Advent reading.  Here's my previously published list of Advent favorites and added to it this year is the book chosen by my prayer group, Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Art of Waiting, by Mother Mary Francis.  

I've been crocheting lots of of stuff for Christmas!   I'll probably have some updates on all that as Christmas gets closer.  Gotta keep a few secrets here ;)


Thanksgiving in all things.  Thanksgiving was hard this year.  I posted this St. Josemaria quote the Wednesday before - I really needed to take it to heart...

"Make it a habit to raise your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day. Because He gives you this and that... Because someone has despised you... Because you don't have what you need, or because you do have it.

"And because He made His Mother, who is also your Mother, so beautiful. Because He created the sun and the moon and this animal or that plant. Because He made that man eloquent and you He left slow of speech... Thank Him for everything, because everything is good."
I read this only a few hours after finding out that we would not be hosting guests for Thanksgiving due to the illness going through out family.  Rereading this was so instrumental in helping me not dwell on the disappointment, but instead to bless God for our circumstances - our immediate family would still all be together, cozy, at home!  Thanksgiving was still hard.  We were sick and we were "alone."  But it wasn't terrible.  And in the days after, we received a lot of help from my wonderful, generous parents, especially while I got to a doctor, got meds, and went back to bed.  And we're finally starting to come up out of the illness.  Finally.    

So, I think that's it.  Short and sweet.  I think it will be a little more like that as we proceed through December.  I have a long list of things I've been wanting to write about, but I think it's more important right now that I focus on His short list for me - peace, prayer, joy, family.  I hope you all have a blessed Advent!

*   *   *   *   *   *

**  Feel like joining me in reflecting on the past month and sharing some of the moments that made you happy and the things you've been up to?  Link up your November list of Happiness. Lately.  I'd love to have you join me! **  Don't have a blog?  Let's chat in the comments!