Trying out Cake Pops... Baby Cakes Pop Maker Review!

My Son Jude's 3rd birthday is in May and I wanted to make cake pops instead of cupcakes for the occasion. I haven't made cake pops myself but after watching a few You Tube videos on them. I thought to my self WOW that's alot of work.  Then while I was looking through a Khol's catalog they were selling the Baby Cakes Pop maker for $19.99 originally $29.99. Plus we had an additional 30% coupon! So we picked up this AWESOME find for $13.00

So before the big Birthday bash I wanted to perfect my skills at this little gem.  I used a box cake mix (Vanilla flavor) from trader joes as well as their chocolate cake frosting and semi sweet chocolate callets.  I mixed the frosting and chocolate together for my coating.


Here is what they turned out like. I now know what to tweek when I make these next time. I need better styrofoam bases to stick my stick's into. (I used the styrofoam from the box the pop maker came in :) I also think I need to use more chocolate callets in the next batter so they harden up better. Or first dip them in the frosting let them cool and then dip them in the chocolate.

All in all they turned out good. They tasted great but were still really time consuming. Dipping all the pops took the longest to do. 

...but My kids sure loved them!

Homemade Playdough

 

Making your own playdough is super easy as well as safe for little ones in-case they put it in their mouths.

How to make it:

no cook recipe with my own variation... 

• 1 Cup FLOUR
• 1 Cup SALT
• 1 Cup WATER
• 1 pkg KOOL-AID MIX (any flavor/Color unsweetened) this is for smell and color not to eat.

Mix together in a large Bowl with your hands until pliable. If it still feels too sticky keep adding a little bit of flour at a time till it reaches the correct consistency. 

The benefits of play-dough:

• Great for all ages. 
• Helps to strengthen little fingers, hands and wrists.
• Long lasting fun.
• Great imaginative play- your kids can create anything - food, animals, bowls, shapes etc.
• A great release for tension - by squeezing it through fingers.

Set up a Playdough table at your next birthday party. It is a great entertaining activities for everyone.

For more playdough recipe's check out this website. http://www.playdoughrecipe.com/

Turtle Shakers

SHAKE  .  SHAKE   .  SHAKE

This is a fun and cute craft you can do to make music shakers

I have always wanted to create something cute out of the little fruit cups my kids eat. 

Well here you go! 

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Three Green Pipe cleaners
• Fruit Cup
• hand full of Pasta shells (any kind)
• Plastic baggy
• green food coloring
• hot glue gun
• Green Paper (trace the bottom of your fruit cup and cut out the shape)
• Scissors 
• Googly eyes
• Pencil

Lets Begin!

1. First you want to take the pasta shells and put them in the zip lock bag. Add a few drops of green food coloring and shake! Open the bag and let them dry. 
2. Take a sharp object and poke four holes in the side of your fruit cup. You want to try to make them opposite of each other. Then you want to poke two holes in the front side by side about a 1/4" apart. this is where the head will go. 
3. FOR THE LEGS: Next let your child string the pipe cleaners through the holes to the other side. Be sure to leave the same about on each side. fold the pipe cleaner from the outside back in through the hole and twist them in the inside. Do that on all four sides. You can add a dab of hot glue where the hole and pipe cleaners meet so they don't swing, and the turtles legs stay sturdy. Fold the feet up.
4. FOR THE HEAD: Next take a pipe cleaner and fold it in half. Poke one side in one hole and the other side in the other from the inside of the cup twist the two ends together. then you can hot glue your googly eyes on the face. 
5. Take a few pasta shells and put them inside the cup. Be sure not to over stuff him or your pasta will not have room to shake. 
6. Take the hot glue gun and glue along the edge of the bottom of your turtle shell, take your green circle shape and place it on top. 
7. Emelia wanted a girl turtle so we added a flower to the top of her shell. You can decorate it or leave him as is. 

Tada it is done!  HOPE YOU HAD FUN!