Just for Fun

Today marks my 100th post on this blog! For me, there’s no better way to celebrate than with my favorite pastime: Arts & Crafts. And even better, March is Arts & Crafts Month!

Crafty related posts have been popular since we started this blog, so here’s a brief look back at some of our favorites.

Here in our home of State College, PA, the arts are front and center in early July for the annual Central PA Festival of the Arts, AKA Arts Fest! This past summer, we highlighted some favorites from Children’s Day. In the past we also mentioned one of the top draws at this festival and other events around the world: sidewalk chalk creations.

We see so many great blogs and websites that showcase projects and creations of all kinds. But one of our favorites is Made by Joel! He creates anything out of everything and it’s all centered on fun. We’re very happy to hear he is debuting a book of 35 craft projects entitled “Made to Play” in October!

A tough thing about crafting (and any sort of project!) is how to keep everything in order. Here are some simple solutions to keep supplies organized, from containers around the house that can be repurposed, to various vessels that are works of art in themselves!

A childhood favorite is on display in this post – Lanyards Maybe you know these knotted, summer camp standbys as “Scoubidou” or “boondoggle.” No matter what you call them, these colorful crafts keep kids busy, and are entirely mess-free.

See other arts & crafts themed posts on our blog, including holiday craft ideas. Of course, watch for more!

If you are not yet signed up to receive our Email Updates, today’s the day to sign up! Our next email will feature more of the wonderful world of crafting.

With our Day Out With Thomas™ post yesterday, we wanted to see more with the train in action! What better perspective than that of a family? Here is a well-done video from YouTube user “saltybagel,” starring two very cute (and as noted in the comments, well-behaved!) children. Listen closely and the baby even says, “Thomas!” This great example of the Day Out With Thomas™ fun is from the Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NJ.

Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends are characters that have stayed popular (if not become more popular!) with girls and boys today. So, how amazing would a bigger-than-life Thomas, Sir Topham Hatt and a full slate of Thomas-related activities be to a child? For the 16th year in 2011, Day Out With Thomas™ events all over the world bring Thomas and his friends to life.

The “Leader of the Track Tour” will visit 45+ railways in the U.S. and Canada for the unbelievably unique experience of RIDING a Thomas train! Other activities vary by location, but may include tons of fun like petting zoos, face painting, Thomas storytelling and more to celebrate everyone’s favorite train.

As 2011 plans continue to be ironed out, be sure to keep up with the official website for ticket information and more. Here are some railroad websites that have already posted information for 2011:

The Strasburg Rail Road in Lancaster County, Pa. is one of the rail sites taking part in the 2011 festivities: on June 18-26, Sept. 17-25 and Nov. 18-20. They even have special shirts to commemorate the occasion. If you are interested in getting tickets, stay in touch with them on Facebook for ticket information.

Oklahoma Railway Museum will host Thomas later this fall, with trips on Sept. 23-25, and Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

Can’t wait till summer? We’re only weeks away from Day Out With Thomas™ events in warmer locales. The Copper Spike Train in Globe, Ariz. has rides 25-minute train rides set for Mar. 5-6 and 12-13, and the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish, Fla. will welcome Thomas on Apr. 2-3 and 9-10.

In the meantime, and we bet your kids don’t need help getting “revved up” for this event, take a look at our popular Thomas the Tank Engine Toys. A Thomas jigsaw puzzle would be a good way to pass the time until you hear, “All Aboard!”

Picture of cute child with Sir Topham Hatt, and the 2011 ad, are from the Day Out with Thomas™ website.

Over the weekend, I watched a lot of the live coverage of the Pennsylvania Farm Show. I was amazed by what I thought were rather giant pigs, but learned they were actually pretty standard sized pigs. Nonetheless, it made me want to look around for some truly large animals. As with pretty much anything with the internet, Wikipedia sums up the subject well! Here are some favorites from that list.

Largest… Anteater
The biggest anteater has an appopriate name, the Giant Anteater, reaching heights of eight feet and weighing in close to 150 pounds. Its prehistoric ancestor, the sloth, was as tall as 17 feet!

Largest… Lagomorph
The biggest bunny you’ll ever see is a Flemish Giant, tipping the scales at nearly 30 pounds! Martha Stewart’s resident petkeeper, Mark Morrone, has a Flemish Giant that’s often featured on his shows.

Largest… Frog
The Goliath Frog, found in a relatively small habitat in Africa, can be near nine pounds with a “snout-to-vent” length of 14 inches.

Largest… Centipede
Watch out if you are in South America, as you may see a foot(!)-long creature – the Peruvian giant yellowleg centipede!

Largest… Pigeon
The very blue, and very pretty Victoria Crowned Pigeon boasts the honor of largest pigeon, weighing up to 5.5 pounds. Size-wise it doesn’t compare to the largest known bird, the extinct Dodo, a flightless bird that weighed up to 50 pounds!

See the full list of largest organisms (and more pictures like the ones you’ve seen here), and for young animal lovers, take a look at all of our wild animal and zoo toys!

A while back when I did a post about the awesome show Fun House, I found it simply crazy to look back at all those old advertisements. So many seemed so corny! With the holiday season among us, here is a festive look back at some “retro” Christmas commercials.

This Fruity Pebbles is just so familiar – I wonder how many times they aired it during Rudolph and Frosty in the 80’s.

Any of you Underoos fans will appreciate this ad from 1978 for the famous undergarments.

Another interesting ad comes from none other than Taco Bell. Only 59 cents for a soda AND a glass! And I have to admit, there’s something a little spooky about that Santa.

Now these two crafty kids try to use the technology of the time – Polaroid – to catch Santa in the act. Do you think they pull it off?

Of all the ads I watched, the one that spurned the most childhood memories were Rodney & Rhonda Reindeer. There were more R-named reindeer in this Hallmark family, and they were also available at Burger King.

Of course, that is just a few. View any of these videos and you’ll see many related holiday ads (among other advertisements) on the side. Happy Holidays!!

Looking for some new recipe ideas this holiday season? Here is one of each dish needed for a holiday get-together. Kids can at least help with all of these recipes, and they all contain 10 ingredients or less!

Drink: Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider

2 quarts apple cider
6 cups cranberry juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 lemon, thinly sliced

1. In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon slices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon, cloves, and lemon slices. Serve hot.

Source: Family Oven

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Snack: Christmas Snack Mix

1 jar (1 lb) dry-roasted peanuts
2 bags (14 oz each) red and green candy-coated chocolate candies
2 bags (14 oz each) red and green candy-coated chocolate-covered peanuts
1 bag (14 oz) chocolate-covered peanuts
1 jar (7 oz) wheat germ nuts snack

1. In large container, mix all ingredients. Store in covered container up to 1 month.

Source: BettyCrocker.com

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Appetizer: Almond Pinecone Cheeseball

1 1/2 cup almonds, whole
1 cream cheese, 8 ounce package
1/2 cup mayonnaise
5 bacon slices, crisply cooked
1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dill weed, dried
1/8 teaspoon pepper, ground

1. Spread almonds in single layer in shallow pan. Bake at 300 degrees, 15 minutes, stirring often, until almonds just begin to turn color.

2. Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise; mix well. Add bacon, onion, dill and pepper; mix well. Cover; chill overnight.

3. Form cheese mixture into pinecone shape on serving platter. Beginning at narrow end, press almonds at slight angle into cheese mixture in rows. Continue overlapping rows until all cheese is covered.

4. Garnish with artificial pine sprigs. Serve with crackers.

Source: Organized Christmas

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Salad: Spinach & Green Apple Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 5 cups lightly packed)
1 Granny Smith apple
1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted in a dry skillet over a medium-high flame until fragrant, about 2 minutes
Blue Cheese (optional)

1. In a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Toss the spinach with the dressing until evenly coated then divide the spinach among 4 serving plates.

3. Core the apple and slice it into matchsticks. Sprinkle a quarter of the apple pieces on top of each salad.

4. Follow with the walnut pieces. If desired, crumble blue cheese on top of salad. Serve immediately.

Source: Mom’s Cooking Club

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Main Dish: Cornish Hens

2 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon browning sauce, optional

1. Place hens on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Combine the apple juice, soy sauce and browning sauce if desired; pour over hens.

2. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan juices. Yield: 2 servings.

Source: Taste of Home

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Side Dish: Tasty Green Beans Recipe

4 leeks, well washed, root end and tops trimmed, sliced lengthwise into quarters and then chopped into 1/2-inch segments
1/3 cup fresh dill, well chopped
3/4 pound green beans, tops and tails trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
extra-virgin olive oil
fine-grain sea salt

1. In a large thick-bottomed skillet of medium-high heat add a generous splash of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and the leeks. Stir until the leeks are coated and glossy. Cook, stirring regularly until a lot of the leeks are golden and crispy. (about 7-10 minutes)

2. At this point stir in the dill, and then stir in the green beans. Cook for a couple more minutes – just until the the beans brighten up and lose that raw bite. Turn out into a bowl or onto a platter and serve immediately.

Source: 101 Cookbooks

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Dessert: Dad’s Favorite Fudge Recipe

3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 lb semi-sweet chocolate, chips or block chocolate chopped up
7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

1 Prepare everything in advance and have ready to go – chopped chocolate, chopped nuts, best to have marshmallow cream already out of the jar and in a bowl that you can easily scrape out with a rubber spatula. Line a 13″x9″x2″ baking pan with foil, butter the inside (alternatively, line the pan with waxed paper).

2 In a 3-quart, thick-bottomed saucepan, bring sugar, butter, and milk to a rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly once the mixture begins to bubble. Once the mixture reaches a boil, set your timer to 4 minutes. You will want to remove the mixture from the heat once it reaches 234°F on a candy thermometer (234°F at sea-level, adjust for altitude) which should take about 4 minutes. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, just go with the four minutes.

3 Remove from heat. Quickly stir in chocolate and marshmallow cream. Once those have melted and are well mixed, stir in the vanilla and then the walnuts.

4 Pour into prepared pan.

5 Cool to room temperature before slicing (about 4 hours). You may want to chill in the refrigerator to get it more firm.

Source: Simply Recipes