Elf on the Shelf

Our Elf on the Shelf, Buddy Kringle, did a self-depiction in marshmallows last night.  He used my Wilton Food Writers on 2 large marshmallows and a mini marshmallow.  He seemed to be requesting hot chocolate, so we obliged....

Laptop Lunch Giveaway!

With all of the talk about Laptop Lunches on Learning As I Sew lately, I thought I should SHARE one with one of our blog friends!  I bought a Laptop Lunch Salad set just to giveaway. 

(Actual colors of interior containers are different than pictured below.)

MANDATORY ENTRY - Leave a comment here that you 'liked' us
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2. Visit Laptop Lunch and tell us what is your "must-have"

3. Send us a picture of a lunch you made for yourself or your kids in a bento box.
dawn [at] ownfairygodmother [dot] com

3. Tweet this about this giveaway Enter to win a Laptop Lunch Salad Set #Giveaway from @fa1ry_godmother http://learningasisew.blogspot.com/

4. Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page, make sure to tag Learning As I Sew with a link to this page. http://learningasisew.blogspot.com/2011/11/laptop-lunch-salad-set-sale-coupon-code.html

5. Blog about this giveaway, make sure you link directly to this and leave the link in your comment.

6.  Grab my button for your  blog and leave your blog's link in your comment.

7.  Tell us your favorite Christmas lunch decor/design, your world-famous recipe, the best gift you've gotten, or anything Christmasy!

Giveaway is only open to U.S. residents and ends Sunday, December 11 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Winner will be chosen by Random.org, and announced on the blog and contacted by email. Winner will have 24 hours to respond otherwise an alternate will be chosen.

Marshmallow Snowmen

I made marshmallow snowmen using Wilton Food Writers for the kids' hot chocolate this morning. Welcome Christmas season!

Baby Bedding turned Teddy Bear

Here is an image of our oldest's bedroom nursery 6+ years ago in our last home.  You can't see the baby bedding very well, but I'm having a hard time finding a great picture of it "before."  Note to self for the next one...Take pictures before cutting it all up.  There was a red silk shantung bumper pad with antique cars.  The quilt was dark denim with a trim with ticking stripes and red satin ribbon.  The bedskirt has black and white plaid blocks, red silk shantung, and shimmery silver fabric.  He had a toddler chair that I had covered in the ticking strip fabric with a red silk shantung skirt.  Those pieces combined were plenty for more than one "project."

I cut it all up, and turned some of it into a bear for our son.  His full name is on the bear's right foot and his birthday on his left.  I hope to make 3 more for myself and his grandmothers.  I will do the same with the twins' nursery bedding when they get older.

Bento: Laptop Lunch

Yes, we love our Laptop Lunch system.  I even ordered a salad set for me last week (the sale was still valid when I checked this morning if you haven't grabbed one yet.) 
This morning, I didn't have a plan, theme, or even a real inspiration.  However, I know our 6 year old will eat everything in this box!  I still made the sections fun with just a few simple additions: a frog cupcake holder, 4 heart picks, and stealing a few of the SCRABBLE Cheezits to spell "E-A-T."  
The note at the top is "I'm Thankful for Healthy Foods!"  It's a free printable from Nourish Interactive.

• Julienned carrots and dressing
• A mini Rice Krispy treat (leftover from Halloween) & 4 yogurt covered pretzels
• Cheezits - E-A-T
• Frog shaped cupcake liner (from the clearance section of my grocery store) filled with dried cherries & potato bread with cheddar cheese and turkey cut in heart shapes with heart-shaped picks

Laptop Lunch Salad Set - Sale

Laptop Lunch salad sets, the lunch-packer's favorite, are priced at a steal this week! Fill the colorful containers with a balanced meal and pack them inside the exterior insulated sleeve to keep salads and sides fresh. This sleek design fits easily into your briefcase or backpack!! No need for an expensive salad bar. Save cash and eat well too!

Regularly: $31.18
Currently a steal at: $14.99 + a donation to local schools with coupon code "earleyfam"  (A portion of the proceeds will also be given to local schools with this particular code.)

I'm ordering mine today!  I've been eating more salads for lunch lately anyway, so this is PERFECT!

Updated Fall Mantle

I finally found 2 vases for the sticks and leaves!  JoAnn Fabric had these rafia-wrapped glass vases on sale for 50% off, and I had a coupon for an additional 25% off. They're perfect.

Metal Letters & Numbers

Maybe you've seen the metal numbers and letters that I've been coo'ing over for a couple of years?  At first, I wasn't sure what letters I would want or even where I would put them....At $20 each, I knew that I didn't want to have to order too many.

My doll of a husband brought home some individual boxes (wine-crate-like) of candele lunghe Italian pasta, and it finally hit me.  In that really awkward small space above our extra tall upper kitchen cabinets, I could put pasta "crates" and the letters "E-A-T".  Really, $60 + taxes + shipping for three little letters???  Not so much. 

I had to find a way to do it for less...and I *did*!

Paper mache letters from Hobby Lobby or JoAnn Fabric + a couple of metalic paints from Home Depot or Lowe's?  Yes, please!

The pasta crates.  (The candele lunghe noodles are each as long as the box!)

Even though they aren't lower case letters, I absolutely love them.  I've already started thinking of ways that I can incorporate them into seasonal decor and possibly do some on the other side of the kitchen as well.  All said and done, each letter (depending on how much paint from each can I actually used) cost me about $3.50-$5.00 to make.  Even if I had emptied out both cans on the 3 letters, they would have been less than $9 each. I made a set out of thinner chip board letters as well for my sister.  If you can snag the letters when they are on sale for 40-50% off then, you could make them for about $2.50-$3.00 each!  If you're a big fan of the numbers that are found on everything right now, this would be an inexpensive way to add one to any part of your home!

Italian Flag Chicken

If you know me, then you know that I cannot *stand* to watch or hear Rachael Ray.  I'm not a fan of her cookbooks, either.  I'm not a food snob; although I certainly love food and appreciate really great food. 

I have a confession: Her magazine is starting to grow on me.  I don't know where the subscription came from; honestly, I thought it was a joke from a friend at first.  It keeps coming.  I pick it up. I flip through it.  I even *gasp* tried a recipe.

I saw a recipe for "Italian Flag Chicken" in her November magazine, and I altered it some.  I will say that I was happy with the results.  It was healthy and tasty.  Even our little people enjoyed it.

Italian Flag Chicken

adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion diced & sauteed
• 8 packed cups stemmed, thinly sliced kale
• 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 oz. shredded fontina cheese
• 1-2 T minced garlic
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1 t thyme
• 6 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3 lbs.)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T EVOO
• 2 cans cannellini beans

Directions:

1. Cook kale in pot of boiling, salted water for 5 minutes; drain and run under cold water. Squeeze dry or spin in a salad spinner and transfer to bowl; stir in tomatoes, garlic, thyme, oregano, sauteed onions, and cheese.
2. Cut a deep pocket in center of each breast; stuff with kale mixture and season.
3. Heat EVOO in skillet over medium heat; add chicken and cook about 10 minutes.
4. Add the beans and any remaining kale mixture to the pan. 
5. Cook until chicken registers 160 in the thickest part of uncut chicken breast. (Not the stuffing)

Bento: Fall

Food Markers....I've seen some amazing things done with food markers on cheese, and so I finally broke down and ordered some Wilton Food Writers on Amazon.  I think this cheese had too high of a moisture content, because I struggled.  Regardless, I'm here to share my triumphs and what I am LEARNING as I sew, bake, cut, and create.  I'm going to try on Provolone next time and see how that works.

In the Laptop Lunch system:

• Sandwich with fruit leather cut out and negative
• Crackers with Cheese leaf cut outs (colored with Food Writers)
• Yogurt covered pretzels
• Dried pineapple
• Mini rice crackers - my son prefers the apple cinnamon ones even over the caramel!