Monthly Archives: June 2012

God Bless America

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Tank top part 2

On Saturday morning the twins and I decorated another tank top.  With America’s birthday just around the corner I thought we would do a patriotic themed tank top.

Materials we used:

Tank tops, cardboard, painters tape, textile medium, acrylic paint, Stained by Sharpie markers, old toothbrushes, tongue depressor (not shown), alphabet stamps and star stamps.

I inserted the large piece of cardboard inside the tank top so the ink/paint would not bleed through to the back.  Using the Stained Sharpie marker as the ink, I stamped God Bless America near the front neckline of the tank top.

I taped the edges and made stripes using the painter’s tape to keep the white parts white.  I also taped off the area for the stars.

We tried to splatter the paint on the tank tops but the technique just wasn’t fast enough for 3-year olds.  So they took matters into their own hands and “painted” with the tooth brushes.

When they were finished we stamped the stars using the Stained Sharpie as the ink.  And added some detail to the back.

It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but I just had to go with the flow and make changes as we went.

You still have time to make something for just as fabulous for your July 4th celebrations!

In a jam

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Free time has been practically non-existent this week with the twins at our house.  I took a personal day from work yesterday so we went on the Great Strawberry Hunt to get strawberries for jam.

Our Spring came early this year as did the flowers and early summer fruits like strawberries.  It took some time to find fresh local berries but we were finally successful.

We used the recipe from the Sure-Jell box for freezer jam.  First the quart of berries were cleaned.  Then the twins used potato mashers to “kill” the berries and sample them as well.  They took turns adding the four cups of sugar and stirring it in.  I “cooked” the Sure-Jell (pectin) with 3/4 cup of water on the stove.  I poured the hot solution over the sugary berries and they stirred it.  And stirred it.  And stirred it.

Here’s the only photo from the Jam Session with them stirring everything together:

They really like licking the spoons and bowl when we were finished.  In fact they wanted to drink the jam.  Don’t worry Mom, they didn’t.

This recipe was just the right amount to do with children.  We made 5 1/2 jars of freezer jam.  I have enough berries to make another batch.  Maybe tonight.  Or not.

Wrandom Wednesday

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In no particular order:

1.  I lost my blogging mojo a few months ago.  I can’t seem to find it.   I used to post 4-5 times a week.  Now it’s 4-5 times a month.  Am I really this dull?

2.  We started “summer hours” at work this week.  That means we can work four 10-hour days and have the fifth day off.  Monday is my day off and I love it!

3.  I started cleaning the basement.  When we moved into this house 18 years ago, Mr. Aitch put things on shelves.  I rearranged them about 10 years ago.  Yeah.  I’m throwing things away and/or donating them.  I thought about a yard sale but I just don’t want to devote the time and energy to do one.

4.  I am a carnivore.  I like red meat.  I also like fruits and veggies.   Add chicken and turkey to the list.  And some mild fish, too.  Bread, yes.  Pizza, not so much.  Really, I’m not a pizza fan.  Mr. Aitch and I made a meal of warm, fresh-baked bread and a bottle of wine once.

5.  I iron clothes when I’m bored.

6.  I love my green eyes.

7.  I used to be a great navigator.

8.  I want to lose 10 pounds.