Ice Cream Cake

My husband isn't a fan of cake but he loves ice cream. With the help of my mother I found an excellent but simple ice cream cake recipe. It was so good and so easy to do.

I also love the way it looks inside.Usually, ice cream cakes are really dull when they are cut apart.

This will be one that I will make over and over again. This can also be made months in advanced and then used when needed.

Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream "Cake" (I doubled the recipe)

1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping warmed

1 tub cool whip divided

1 pkg (4oz) jellow chocolate instant pudding (I used Cookies & Cream)

12 Orea Chocolate sandwich cookies

12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches (When I doubled the recipe I got 12 Cookies & Cream sandwiches plus 12 vanilla sandwiches)

Pour the fudge topping into a medium bowl.  Stir in 1 cup whipped topping with a wire wisk until it's well blended.  Add in the dry pudding mix, stir 2 minutes or until well blended.  The consistency of fudge topping can vary depending on what brand you purchase.  If your fudge topping mixture is too thick to spread easily, add in 1/4 cup milk.

Chop Oreo cookies roughly into chunks.  Stir into the pudding mixture.  Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches side by side on a 24x12 inch piece of foil; top with half of the pudding mixture.  Repeat the layers.  Top the pudding mixture with the remaining 4 sandwiches.  The layers create a neat striped effect when sliced.  Frost the top and sides with the remaining cool whip.  It doesn't have to look perfect.  Bring up the foil sides.  Double fold top and ends to loosely seal the packet.  Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.  Let stand at room temperature to soften before serving.  Makes 12 servings.

Beaded Socks

Any one know how to crochet? These are fun to make and they look so cute on! Sorry its hard to see the detail-I should have used a different color thread. I would rather not try to take on the task of trying to give lessons on how to crochet but for those of you who do here are a few instructions:

1-Tie a loop on your hook(0.3mm) with your tread of choice.

(Like you normally would to start a project.)

2-Push your crochet hook through the material at the top of the sock.

3-Grab the thread and pull it through the material and the 1st loop.

4-Crochet 5 stitches of the chain.

5-Then insert the hook through the eye of the bead.

6-Grab the thread with the hook and pull it back through the bead and the previous loop.

7-Crochet 5 more stitches of the chain.

8-Repeat steps 2 through 7.

*I would like to thank the Ryan family for teaching me how to make these!

Bean Bag Letters

Do you have a youngster learning their letters? Why not make it fun with

BEAN BAG LETTERS

You could come up with all sorts of simple games and activities to make learning fun. Go to makeitandloveit.blogspot.com for a step-by-step tutorial.

**These are also a good idea for a gift especially if you make them to spell the child's name.**

Finally Here

Hello Everyone-

I'm Janelle and I am the new author that has been missing in action. But here I am and this is what I have been up to in the last month.

Every Thanksgiving my sisters, my mom, and I always make a Christmas craft. This star was our craft for 2009.  I know that Christmas is over but I am hoping that I will be able to make one for the 4th of July in red, white, and blue.

I found the idea and a great tutorial @ makeandloveit.blogspot.com.

Toddler Walking Rope

I was just recently put in charge of 3 year olds at our church and needed something to help me get 7 of them from one destination to another.  I came up with this....

Every child just holds their own loop, and since they are already spaced out, I don't have them walking on one another.  It was really simple to make and cost me very little since I was able to use fabric from my stash.  I got some of my yard sale scrap fabric and cut 2 pieces of fabric 4 inches by 45 inches.

I then cut 8 straps of jean fabric and then 8 straps of matching fabric that was 1/2 inch wider.  Before cutting the yellow fabric out I ironed Heat n' Bond to it.  I then wrapped each jean strap in the other fabric so all the raw edges on the jean strap were hidden and then ironed.

I placed the right sides together on the long strip and pinned the straps on in between the two fabrics.  Sew the two long sides and one short side, leaving one short side open and ready for stuffing.  After turning it right side out I sewed on the edge all the way around the three sides to make sure the loops were in securely. I just used trash bags to stuff.  Stuffing would have worked too but I had way to many trash bags that I needed to use up and I'm cheap. :)  I took the last foot and cut the fabric into thirds.  I tied a not at the top, then braided  the fabric and finished up with another not.  I did it this way so I can open it up if I need too and also so I had a nice little section for me to hold onto.  UPDATE:  I've had to add more stuffing to the rope because the trash bags condensed after use.  I'm glad that I didn't sew it closed!

There are a lot cuter designs out there that you can buy but you can't beat a project that was almost free.  I originally got the idea for one when a friend of mine made one into a snake.

First Birthday Cake

(Sorry for the bad photos.  We got a new camera that we are now taking back!)

I decided to make my son's first cake.  It was fun but a lot more work then I'll probably do most of the time. (I even used cake mixes and it still took me forever to do!)

I decided I wanted it colorful inside so I made up the cake mixes like the box instruct you too and then I divided it up into four bowls.  I used Gel food coloring to die the cake the different colors.  I then randomly spooned in the cake mix into my two pans.  I baked it like normal and then when the cake was done and cooled I put them in the freezer.  The next day I stacked the two cakes on top of each other and cut them into the number one. 

I made up some frosting and put frosting between the two cakes and then the sides and top.  The coolest way that I learned to get the frosting to look smooth is to use wax paper.  After you have your frosting on the cake take your wax paper and push it a long the frosting with your fingers until the frosting is smooth.  The frosting won't stick to the wax paper.  (Sorry I couldn't find where I found this helpful tip.)  Also all I had was whole milk when I made the frosting and it made the best frosting I've ever made.  It was the perfect consistency.   So next time you have to make a bunch of frosting, keep that in mind. 

I then used a decorative tip to decorate the outside.  To help me get the star shape I just lightly pressed a star cookie cutter on the icing.  It left just enough of an indent for me to follower with my decorative tip. I made Alex's little cake just from the scraps of the big cake and again used the cookie cutter as a guide for the frosting.

My favorite part about the cake was when you cut into it and saw all of the colors.  I looked and tasted amazing!

Silhouette Ornaments

This year I finally gave into my mom and gave her ornaments for Christmas instead of buying a gift.  I've always wanted to do some silhouette crafts for myself and thought a silhouette ornament would make the perfect gift for Grandma and Grandpa.

I got the wood pieces at Michaels for .35 a piece (I think.)  I also got the paper at Michaels.  I loved the cracked look of it.  I attached the paper onto the wood with mod podge and sanded down the edges.  The easiest way that I've found to make the silhouettes is to take a picture.  I just printed the picture out and taped it to some black card stock.  Then I took an razer blade and cut out the picture and the card stock at the same time.  It was really easy and exact (which is kind of important with silhouettes.)  I mod podged the silhouette to the wood pieces and then did a couple layers over top as well. Finally, I took some antiquing glaze that I got at Lowe's and put it on the edges.  So simple and just the right price!

Shirt Samples Quilt

FROM THIS......

TO THIS...!!

 I FINALLY finished the quilt I made for a wedding gift for my sister and brother-in-law.  I had to cut each block out and sew every square together with a temperamental sewing machine.  I actually hate the way it looks but my husband convinced me to give it to my sister in law anyways.

 I made this quilt for a total of $7.  All of the samples cost me .25 cents total and I didn't even use half of the samples.  The backing is a sheet I found at a thrift store for $4.  I found the batting at a flea for $1.50.  I used one spool of thread which was $1.25.