Archive for December, 2009

Making the Perfect Birthday Cake

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Birthday cakes are fun and easy to make. Kid’s birthday cakes are probably the most fun to make. Castle birthday cakes are an enchanting and magical way to celebrate your child’s birthday party. Themed birthday cakes are gaining popularity for the extra excitement and surprise they create. In today’s world you can get birthday cakes in almost all types of shapes and sizes in all different flavors and decorations. Birthday cakes are sweet and delicious. Sculptured novelty birthday cakes are always a hit with children.

If you prefer making everything from scratch and baking your own birthday cakes make sure you plan it all out before starting. Try to get useful baking tips, techniques and recipes to make great cake. There are fundamentals to baking cakes that will apply to every cake you create. You know you perfected the baking the cake when the scent of the cake fills the air and it is like being in a bakery.

Try your hand at decorating these birthday cakes. Here are some tips when decorating birthday cakes, make sure you find icing that is easy to work with, that you find the correct color and writing tube to write on the cake. Find cake decorating books for a birthday cake idea which fits your needs. You can talk about cake decorating with people on the internet to get ideas. One decorating technique that I have used in the past to decorate my son’s birthday cakes is to use small toys on top of the cake. Finding cake recipes from Kraft Foods along with pictures and instructions usually makes it easier and reduces stress on what type of cake to make.

What makes a perfect Birthday is the flavor of the Birthday cake. Since you are thinking cake, what is the special someone’s favorite flavor for cake. Make sure your cake is very moist and light with an intense flavor. Try to shop for the birthday girl or boy favorite birthday cake flavor; this is one way to let them know you really put some thought into it. The same goes for the icing and the decorating, make sure you get something the guest of honor would like, not something you like. You can do beautiful things with fondant but the flavor leaves something to be desired. You may also want to experiment by changing the flavor of the cake mix you use too. You can also add color to the icing by purchasing food coloring and adding it to vanilla icing. This is another way of sprucing up the cake.

Let’s face it, birthday cakes are special to the birthday guest of honor. The shapes of birthday cakes are a big deal; you don’t just have to do round. You can go to the local craft store and pickup many different designs. The children’s birthday cakes are always a huge success; they always eat the cake and often ask for more. Choices for birthday cakes are numerous.

David Marc Fishman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/making-the-perfect-birthday-cake-74748.html

10 Comments »

Suz on December 23rd 2009 in children craft ideas

The Act of Play is an Important Part of the Learning and Growing Experience for Children and Parents

Media, PA (PRWEB) December 20, 2008 – The days of play in a child’s life are more than times of entertainment as child development specialists and doctors agree the minutes spent exploring and experimenting with regular or science toys and kids games help to develop growing brains and improve motor skills.

Perhaps as equally important to your munchkin’s play time is the time that they spend with mommy and daddy interacting with these games and toys. As important and peaceful it can be for a parent to have a child with the ability for independent play, the exchanges between parents and kids is essential not only for their socialization proficiency but for a stronger bond between parent and child.

The early stages of a youngster’s life depend so much on their relationship with their parent or who ever are raising them. The best times to be able to truly interact and have fun at the same time is during game time and games that teach little ones basic educational skills have the biggest impact for longer periods of time. These are the times and types of play events that can shape a child’s future desire for learning and make a difference between kids that like to be inquisitive and those that are more passive and uninterested in life and what surrounds them.

Toy stores that sell the latest commercial trend aren’t always the best places to get games and toys that are fun to play but also have a much deeper developmental outcome. Thinking ahead in terms of what is best for the child as a long range plan can make the immediate moment much more meaningful and a richer experience than just getting them something to occupy their time.

In scouring the Internet for sites and locations of more intelligent children’s items you can find one such company in LB Toys. This is a company that seems to have gotten it right as they match and blend a variety of toys, games and books that have commercial appeal while maintaining a strict eye towards keeping their selection filled with items that will improve young minds and not just keep them quiet.

LB Toys at www.lbtoys.com has been providing a wide range of stimulating playtime toys, games for kids, plush dolls, books and arts and crafts for years. The company was founded by parents who wanted to be more than just your average toy store.

Keeping in mind that kids react strongly to advertising, LB Toys carries all the name brand toys and games like Lego, Simon & Schuster, Playmobile, Webkinz, Ty, Zoobie Pets and many, many more. But the one thing you will come to discover that sets LB Toys apart from other toys stores is that everything they carry does not require batteries.

This is a rare and bold decision for a toy company to take in the face of large competing stores like Toys R Us, Target and Wal-Mart who seem to thrive of supplying toys that need a virtual power plant. But the philosophy behind LB Toys choice to avoid the glitzy and noisy mechanical monstrosities is simple and smart. They want the kids to use their imagination.

Imagine that.

Andrew Torchon
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/the-act-of-play-is-an-important-part-of-the-learning-and-growing-experience-for-children-and-parents-711302.html

5 Comments »

Suz on December 23rd 2009 in arts and crafts for kids

Using Tapestries For Home D…cor

Your home can have a special look if you adorn your walls with tapestries. You will find these tapestries in different sizes and designs and they also differ significantly in style. You can opt for wall tapestries if you want to give your room a stylish look. Belgium and other tapestries made in Europe by talented artisans are considered to be of excellent quality because these tapestries have been made for centuries. This work of art can be passed on to your offspring as a kind of heirloom because wall tapestry is made in such a way that it will be used for a long time. Such a work of art represents a particular period in the history and they look magnificent.

The tapestries of the middle ages and from Europe are found in a number of styles and also in various sizes like these http://www.european-wall-tapestries.com/store/catalog/Medieval_page_1_c_2.html. Many artisans make these tapestries from Europe and William Morris is an example of one of such artisans. Tapestries are weaved and they represent different expressions. The Arts and Crafts Movement that took place in England was led by William Morris gave strength and liberty to tapestries of the Middle Ages and Europe. The wall hangings from Europe as well as medieval tapestries are considered to be special and attractive for your walls.

If you do not wish to buy the original work then you can opt for the substitute of these tapestries, which are less expensive in price. Not only does wall hanging have profundity and feel but they also look appealing to eyes. These tapestries are made in such a way that hanging them is made simple. On the back of the tapestry you will see a lining which shields the material from spoiling and in order to make it convenient to place them against the wall, you will find a rod sleeve. These tiny and special wall hangings will give style and brightness to your home and they indeed will make a difference. Opt for wall tapestries if you want your home to have attractive works of art.

Kelly LaRose
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/using-tapestries-for-home-dcor-119555.html

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Suz on December 23rd 2009 in arts and crafts at home

What can I do on Winter Break for kids arts and crafts?

NOT anything with Christmas

THANKS
i need it for an 11 year old

There are a bunch of Craft Ideas and directions here:

Craft Kits – http://www.craft-kits.net/craft-projects.htm

Other ideas are to make pet treats

Dog Treat Recipes – http://www.dog-pound.net/other-dog-treats.htm

Or if you are into organic these are directions for organic recipes that could be a great craft.

Organic Recipes – http://www.organic-items.com/organic-directory.htm

Have fun!
HTH

2 Comments »

Suz on December 22nd 2009 in arts and crafts for kids

Giant arts and crafts ideas-spring themed?

I need to make some props for an open mic stage at my school. They have to be big, maybe around three feet tall. I was thinking of making flowers but I can’t find anything on giant arts and crafts. Some things i could do would be dragonflies, flowers,butterflies… If you have any ideas on how to make something like that or know a website please tell me
thank you.

try www.instructables.com

They have a search bar at the top for just about anything!

1 Comment »

Suz on December 22nd 2009 in arts and craft ideas

Any ideas of crafts etc I can do with a group of guides aged between 10 and about 15?


I don’t know how elaborate you want to go but a fun project I have done with kids was using Pebeo Porcelain paints to decorate dishes etc. I purchased white dishes from the local Goodwill / Value Village etc.

After painting the dishes, you wait 24 hours for the paint to cure. Then you bake them in your oven at 350F for 30 minutes. The paint is baked on and now is dishwasher safe.

Dick Blick is a good on line source for the paints. I found their prices to be lower than our local craft stores. http://www.dickblick.com/zz029/08/

If you don’t want to do the project above, here are some websites for different craft projects for all ages:

http://www.kaboose.com/

http://www.crayola.com

http://www.kinderart.com/

http://www.e-scoutcraft.com/toc_text.html

******New Idea*****

Another craft project for a group of kids:

Find a large piece of paper (heavy weight would be best but not necessary). Cut it up in jigsaw puzzle shaped pieces before the meeting. When it is time, hand each person a piece of the puzzle and have them decorate it any way they want. (Use markers, crayons, paint, yarn, glue, glitter, fabric scraps–anything you have available.) When they are done, they put the pieces together to form the full picture.

The idea is to illustrate that we all may be different but when we all work together….

12 Comments »

Suz on December 14th 2009 in crafting guide

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