Magic Orange Candle

Today's weather may have been very gloomy, but this little orange oil candle certainly has brightened my mood with its sunshiney glow! ^.^ These are very easy to make. Just cut an orange in half, and carefully cut/scoop the flesh, making sure to leave the pith (middle stem) intact. Fill with any kind of cooking oil (I used olive) to just below the top of the pith. Dip the pith under the oil to coat the tip, and then light. It took me 20-30 seconds to get the pith to light, so be patient. Depending on the size of the orange, they will remain lit for quite a while. I used tiny clementines, which burned for over 3 hours. If you wish, you can scoop out the other half and cut a hole in the top for a glowing orb effect. These would be a great to incorporate into a winter solstice celebration! Or imagine a whole bunch of them as a centerpiece for a special dinner. So simple, yet so cozy.

Squishy Pumpkins!

Oliver and I made squishy pumpkins this morning, and I just had to share since it's so easy and fun! (Please excuse his dirty face... I made a pumpkin spice latte this morning, and he convinced me to share.)

Using a permanent marker, draw a pumpkin on a plastic baggie (preferably a heavy-duty storage or freezer kind). Older kids can draw their own silly or scary faces. Squirt in some shaving cream, and add in a few drops of red and yellow food coloring. Try to get out as much air of the bag as possible, seal, and then as added precaution, use tape along the top.

And then.... SQUISH!!!!

And SQUISH some more!!!

Until the squishy pumpkin 'magically' turns orange! ^.^

Thank you Naturally Wise for sharing this fun idea on your FB page!

Lucky Pennies!

Here are the lucky winners of our Penny Sale giveaway! I had oodles of fun, and truly enjoyed reading all the comments. Thank you so much for participating, as well as for supporting my little shop, and other WAHMs. <3

If you are a winner, please email me at EnchantedDandelions@gmail.com for furthur details. Also, please, please, PLEASE mention your name and which prize(s) you won in the subject line to make things a little less confusing/chaotic. Thanks, and congrats!

1. Organic Broccoli Toy - #12 Ebony Black
2. Paper Star Lantern - #4 Katie Anderson Zuko
3. Baby Sampler Set - #19 Rachel Dawson
4. Frog Headache Helper - #11 Lacey Pyle Mason
5. Custom Bow - #17 Monica Williams-Brown
6. Bar of Soap - #7 Miranda Steward Hunter
7. Baby Leg Warmers - #23 Louise Casey
8. Crochet Bird Rattle -#29 Lisa Rivenbark-Hodson
9. Beaded Stitch Markers - #22 Krystyl Olson
10. Wipe-N-Go Placemat - #6 Stacy Hahn Blake
11. Wool Dryer Balls - #35 Carla S DeMarco
12. Enchanted Dandelions Surprise Box - #26 Carla Corley

As a special thank you for all participants, use coupon code "LUCKYPENNY" to receive 10% off your next order from Enchanted Dandelions (valid until August 6th).

Also, Crunchy Family Rising is offering 25% off orders in her shop using coupon code DANDELION (valid until August 6th).

If you're not a fan already, please consider 'liking' Enchanted Dandelions on Facebook. It's the easiest way to keep up with the latest products, sales, giveaways and more. Tonight being an exception, I promise I don't post too much.. just a few times a week, so go ahead and click like! ^.^

Homemade chocolate syrup!

I just made a big pot of chocolate syrup, and now the house smells *so* yummy!! ^.^

• 1 + 1/4 cup water
• 1 + 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the first three ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 1 minute. (Note: pay attention to avoid a chocolately bubbly mess. Reduce heat and stir constantly to prevent boil-over.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

I let it cool, and then store in the fridge in a clean ketchup squeeze bottle. Great for making a quick glass of chocolate milk for the Sprouts, or a yummy coffee drink for me! This can also be drizzled over ice cream, brownies, fresh fruit, etc. Woot for ooey, gooey chocolatey goodness, and double woot for being HFCS-free, unlike bought chocolate syrup! ^.^

* use any brand of cocoa powder except Nestle's Tollhouse, please.

Hello again!

Soooo, I thought I would start blogging again! This past year has honestly been the hardest of my life. I made the decision to end my almost six year marriage for several different (yet all upsetting) reasons. It put me (and the Sprouts) in an less-than-ideal situation, but in the long run, it was for the best for all involved. I feel like I am a much better person... so much stronger than I ever thought I could ever be. I have been, and am continuing, to discovery myself- who I truly am, and it's been an amazing journey, even if it started under horrible circumstances.

We have been living with my mom since February of last year. While I'm eternally grateful for her opening her house to us, it's been rough. Definitely not enough room- the Sprouts and I all share a teeny bedroom and a single bed. My sewing and business stuff is crammed into every possible nook and cranny, making running my Etsy shop hard to do. HOWEVER, I just signed a lease on an amazing house with plenty of space, which we'll be moving into in 9 days (!!!).

My last post here on this blog was titled In a Fog. But lately, it's been a bit more sunny!

In a fog...

I know I haven't posted in over a month. The Bad Situation I have vaguely referred to in previous posts have spiraled out of control. We're currently living at my mom's house, camping out in her living room. So much has gone on, and so much is still happening. I feel like we're stuck in a fog right now, because I can't see any way out. Everyone tells me it'll be okay, and I know it will, but just hard to focus on that promised better future, or anything else for that matter, right now. :-/

Inexpensive & Easy Thank You Notes

I almost feel silly blogging about these little thank you notes since they so simple, but thought I would share what works for me and my Etsy shop.

First, start with 4x6 scrapbooking paper. (You can use larger sheets, but this size makes it so convenient since there is no measuring- just one fold, one cut and you're done.) I purchase my paper on Etsy as I love supporting other shops. You may want to pick a specific color/theme to match your shop's ambiance, or if you sell a wide range of products, get a variety to suit the individual customer and their order (e.g. I'll send a funky thank you note with funky Owie Bags, a pink & chic note with pink & chic wipes, etc.)

Next, fold each one in half, hot dog style (channeling my kindergarten art teacher here *grin*). Eyeball what would be the middle, and cut in half, like so:

These cards are just large enough so they don't get lost in the package, but small enough where you aren't wasting paper. I can either write a simple "Thank you! ~ April", or squeeze in a personalized note or memo if wanted/needed. Eventually, I would like to get a custom stamp so I can put my logo on the inside top. Another idea would be to get a "Thanks" stamp (which are widely available) to do on the outside, assuming you are using a lighter color paper.

I bought my last batch from BethMarie10, and the resulting thank you notes only cost 4.5 cents each. That's a small price to pay to be able to give my customers the warm & fuzzies about both my shop and buying handmade in general. <3

Wordless Wednesday - Yes, more snow pictures

Sorry for 1) my blog being almost entirely "wordless" lately. Still so much going on that I can't really talk about here at the moment. And 2) all the snow pictures, but that seems to be the recurring theme around here these past few weeks. ^.^

Me and my Snow Turtle (no, that's not my tail *wink*)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - My Bucket Heads

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - You know it's cold when...

Crabtree Falls (tallest waterfall east of the Miss. River), which normally looks like this:

turns into an ice sculpture, frozen all the way down the mountain

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Saving the Earth, one cloth diaper at a time!

Using disposable diapers has a horrendous impact on the environment, to the tune of creating an estimated metric ton of waste for each child by the time they are potty-trained. I've had 3 children in 3 years. I can not fathom looking out the window and having a THREE TON pile mountain of soiled diapers in our backyard. Especially one that would take approximately 500 years to decompose.

And let's not forget the resources it takes to create disposable diapers in the first place- manufacturers use over 1 million metric tons of wood pulp and 75,000 metric tons of plastic each year. And that's not including the chemicals used, such as sodium polyacralate, dioxin, and stearyl alcohol.

Using cloth diapers is much more environmentally-friendly, even after you take into account their manufacturing process and washing routines. There are many other benefits as well, such as being healthier for your baby, saving you [lots of] money, and being so gosh darn CUTE! (Future blog posts on all of those points coming soon.)

If you have any questions about using cloth diapers, feel free to ask, and I will try my best to help! ^.^

Pictured above is my 18mo Oliver, wearing an embellished fleece soaker I made. They are also available in my Etsy shop.

Wordless Wednesday - SnOMG 2009

A few weeks ago, the east coast was hit with a massive snow storm. In less than 24 hours, we went from light flurries to a landscape of indistinguishable white lumps.
(picnic table)

(van)

We cut paths for the Sprouts to go out and explore. (Isaiah was apprehensive and stayed attached to my leg the whole time)

And the real aftermath of the snowstorm...

"Da... ah!"

The other day, Isaiah came in here, handed me what he calls his magic fire truck shirt, and said "da...ah!" (that on).

January 9th, 2010, at age 3.5yo, Isaiah said his first unprompted 2-word sentence. ::happytears::

I haven't posted about his speech progress lately, because honestly there hasn't been a whole lot to report. Due to various reason, he's only had three 45m ST sessions in the past 2.5 months, so hopefully once we start having it regularly, that will help. At home, we've been doing lots of scripting (recently explained by Jen here: http://jenkrause.com/blog/2010/01/posting-an-old-post/ ). On his own, he just uses one word sentences. His vocabulary is increasing, but pronunciation is still poor for the most part- tends to use largely vowels and 1 syllable most of the time.

But I'm still SOOOO over the moon happy for "da... ah!". And while it might take a while to become regular, having said it once breaks that barrier and it'll be that much easier for future sentences to come through. I'm so proud of Isaiah. <3

The Box

When I first proposed my Box idea to my husband, he didn't seem to understand why I wanted to make the Sprouts a plain wooden box. But here's my reasoning behind it... every time a sizable cardboard box comes though the house, the Sprouts have SO much fun with it. They crawl in and out, on and under, as it transforms into a house, a car, a boat, and a rocketship. However after a couple days, the box is no longer a box, but just flattened heap of cardboard.

Soooooo, my idea was to make a wooden cardboard box that could stand up to my three Sprouts. A quick sketch, a trip to the hardware store, and a few hours later... here's the finished product:

The Box measures 2 feet tall, 2 feet wide, and 4 feet long. We made sure to make it as sturdy as possible to withstand climbing. Only half the top is covered, so it doesn't feel too cramped and the Sprouts can get in/out easier (although a blanket can be draped over the second half if need be).

And of course, a window to peep out of...

These pictures were taken on Christmas morning, but The Box has since been sanded even more, making all edges rounded and smooth. We still need to put a clear coat of sealer on it, but with all the snow, we haven't had the chance. But that's it... any other details or features will left to the Sprouts' imaginations. ^.^

Wordless Wednesday - Just a few holiday photos

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

And the winner is...

Out of 99 comments on my General Mills Movie Cash giveaway, Random.org picked #13. That's my lucky number, and today it's Crystal R.'s lucky number as well! Congrats, enjoy your movie tickets, and eat some popcorn for me!

24-hour GIVEAWAY for 4 free movie tickets and cereal!

Hi, April the Slacker Blogger here. I know this is my excuse every time I get behind in blogging, but I've been so crazy busy lately between my Etsy shop and the Sprouts. You know what I need? A night out, perhaps to catch a good movie. I'll have to buy some Lucky Charms first, and I don't mean just for the luck I'll need to actually get a break around here.

You see, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of General Mills’ Cereals! After purchasing two cereals, just visit General Mills Movie Cash to enter the code found inside each box of cereal and print your free movie certificate good for admission to any movie. This promotion started back in November, so I'm not sure how long specially marked boxes of cereal will be out on the shelves. The Movie Cash website says you can enter the codes through June of next year, so keep an eye out for those boxes!

But guess what... thanks to General Mills and MyBlogSpark, you can win a prize pack right here, right now, including FOUR Movie Cash certificates. Using them is easy-peasy. Each one can be redeemed for one admission ticket (up to $12) for any showing of any movie at participating theaters. (The list of theaters is insanely long, so chances are, there's one around you!). Not only that, but it also includes a voucher for any box of General Mills cereal- yummy!

How to enter: Simply comment on this blog post with your favorite kind of General Mills cereal that you either enjoy now or when you were growing up.(Click here to see a list, midway down the page) Be sure to leave an email address if one is not listed on your profile.

Optional extra entries: Be sure to leave a separate comment for each one!
* Tell me what movie you think you might want to see using these tickets (or who you plan on giving them to).
* Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
* Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/magicdandelions
* Tweet the following "RT @MagicDandelions Win 4 free movie tickets and a box of cereal! 24-hour giveaway, so hurry! http://tinyurl.com/ycvd8wh" (please show link. can be tweeted once every 4 hours)
Giveaway ends Monday (12/14) at 5pm EST, and winner will be contacted shortly after. I need the winner's information before Wednesday, so please respond ASAP. Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday - First snow day!

(Wish I had got more photos, but it was still coming down pretty hard and didn't want camera to get wet. Hopefully there will be many more snow days this winter!)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - Isaiah and his Bebe

We bought Isaiah a Baby Bottom Doll ("Bebe" as he calls it) for his first birthday, and I'm SO glad we did.

July 2006.

October 2007

July 2008

November 2009

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Mmmm, pumpkin spice latte!

I realize this is a bit late in the season, and folks have probably moved on to gingerbread and peppermint lattes by now. However, I still want to share since I love it SO much and can't get enough.

Pumpkin Spice Latte
* 2 cups milk
* 1 cup strong coffee
* 5 spoonfuls of pumpkin puree
* 6 tbs sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* dash of ginger
* dash of nutmeg (I didn't have any so did another dash of pumpkin pie spice)

Put all ingredients in the blender, and blend until smooth and frothy. Pour into a saucepan and heat until piping hot. Feel free to serve with whipped cream. :)

The recipe makes enough for 2 people... or for a second cup for yourself *grin*.

I also make a batch minus the coffee (replacing with more milk) for the Sprouts so we can all enjoy this yummy treat together. And hey, pumpkins are healthy so it's all good, right? ;)