GoodyBlog

Springtime Ice Cream Flower Pots

The Pioneer Woman Cooks is one of my favorite food blogs. Ree, the hostess of the joint, is the unpretentious master chef for her rancher husband and her hungry kids. Her site is, coincidently, the home of my favorite guilty pleasure sandwich. Just the thought of that sandwich makes my lizard brain revert back to Neanderthal times. Grrrrrrrr. ME HUNGRY!

This month, she came up with the feminine foil to those manly steak sandwiches: Springy Flower Pot Desserts. No, that ain't dirt—that's Oreo deliciousness. And under that chocolatey soil lays layers of ice cream and pound cake.

It's an elegant-looking dessert, but it's very simple to put together. It's the perfect dessert for a daughter's spring-time birthday party. (And at the very least, this recipe has to be better than Ree's Ethyl Merman impersonation.)

Parents on TV: Birthday Party Tips

Our lifestyle editor and party/craft/everything fun-guru Amanda K. was on Better.tv recently to share some of the adorable birthday themes (and tips for a stress-free party) from our May birthday issue. Check it out!

M.Y.O.S (Make Your Own Stamp)

If you are really into scrapbooking and crafting, you'll know that rubber stamps can cost a ton of cash if you are of the type that needs variety. Here are a few super-easy techniques to M.Y.O.S (yes, I have officially coined this term).

Got a collection of great cookie cutters? Sew-Mad came up with this great way to make stamps from a cookie cutter, craft foam, and a piece of scrap wood. Check out her site for the great tutorial (and look at the precious craft she created with this bunny stamp). Thanks to Whip Up for the link.

Kids Craft Weekly uses this classic technique with sponges to make a stamp. I love how she glues the sponge to a jar (yes, we'll all about reusing) as the "handle".

CraftChi went for the all- in-one and carved a shape from a wine cork (parents, this one is strictly for you). I love the simplicity of the designs.

Are you a stamp-master that thinks beyond the potato? We'd love to hear your cool ways to M.Y.O.S.

Happy Birthday!

Ahhhhh, birthday parties! (Do you hear a sigh of joy or perhaps a frazzled, pull-your- hair-out scream?) These events welcome both the joys and the anxieties of being a parent. But don't fret; we're here to help.

Check out the May issue of Parents that hit the news stands yesterday for 87 new birthday party ideas (yes, we actually counted). We give you everything from party themes to party planning do's and don't's to the coolest cake pans you'll ever see, so you won't be left twirling in circles, begging Calgon to take you away. And of course we would never leave you without the ever-important time line that will help keep your candles and cupcakes in a row.

Now you can breathe a sigh of relief. Party planning just got a little easier.

Happy 50th Birthday 64 Box!

In the 50 years since the Crayola 64 Box was first introduced in 1958, 200 million 64 boxes have been sold. Fun Fact: The 12.8 billion crayons inside would circle the earth 24 times! To commemorate this milestone, Crayola decided to revamp the classic so that it better reflects the color preferences of kids today. Eight new "Kids' Choice Colors" for 2008 were chosen by kids across the country in an online survey and will be sold in the limited edition 50th Birthday box. Check out the cool new colors and their meaning:

famous American Idol and shows like it inspired this hue, as kids believe they can become celebrities just like everyday people who become stars
bear hug a hue of harmony, as kids want their homes to feel warm and loving just like a great big bear hug
super happy kids don't want to worry, they just want to be happy - "super happy" - as their color says and they wish the same for others too
best friends this shade of purple reveals who kids' real BFFs are - their parents - and spending time with them is what they enjoy most
fun in the sun riding bikes, playing soccer, skateboarding, and gymnastics - kids said this color means exercise and keeping fit are important... and fun!
giving tree it's a colorful truth that kids are thinking green too and want to play a part in protecting the Earth
awesome means kids think school is cool and getting good grades feels awesome
happy ever after kids want to make a difference and create Cinderella moments for others, so everyone's story has a happy ending

What do you think of these Kid's Choice Colors? Do you have a favorite classic Crayola color? Final Fun Fact: Americans love blue! Out of all of Crayola's 120 shades, blue is the #1 ranked color. (Cerulean, midnight blue, periwinkle, aquamarine, denim and cornflower all made the top 10.)

Cupcake on a Stick

If you're looking for a cute way to cut down on the sugar rush epidemic at your child's next birthday party, here is a great solution.  These two-bite cupcakes are not only beyond adorable, but they are easy to make, and fun to eat (kids love anything on a stick).   

Go to Bakerella to learn how to make them.  Thanks to How About Orange for the link!

A Cause Worth Celebrating

Want to cut back on the amount of toys that never make it out of the toy box, or think it's time to teach your kids about charity? Then check out ECHOage for your child's next birthday bash. Founded by two moms, this site invites your party's guests to make a contribution (between $10 - $30) instead of bringing a present. Half of this is then donated to a charity, while the other half is sent to the host so that they can purchase a single gift for the birthday girl or boy. Your child gets one meaningful present that she really wants, and learns a lesson in giving. Bonus: you don't have to clean up the wrapping paper and ribbons left behind in the aftermath of tearing open gifts!

Do you think your kids would be cool with an ECHOage party? Or is the thrill of the pile of presents half the fun of a birthday party?

Image via

New Stuff From Fred!

I'm completely obsessed with Fred, the super-cool company whose witty, well-designed products have me convinced that they can do no wrong. Witness, my brand-new faves:

The Arty Party

Pick Your Nose Party Animals

And the Wishosaurus

Good Eats: Cool Tools for Mealtime

Maybe it's because we eat at least 3 times a day that the world is obsessed with designing the coolest mealtime gadgets. (And clearly I am too, as this is the second post of mine concerning this topic.)  I just couldn't pass over these with my mouse without sharing them with you!

This melamine Puzzle Tray by Royal VKB (their motto: We make food smile at you!) teaches kids how to set a table.  Well, sort of.

Oriental Trading is my go-to spot when planning a Carnival party, a Halloween bash, or when I'm simply in need of craft material inspiration.  I was delighted to discover that they also sell nifty gadgets such as these Plastic Sandwich and Drink Holders.  Planning a birthday party picnic?  You can't beat $5.95 for a dozen of these suckers.

And lastly, uber-cool Boon developed this Squirt spoon that dispenses baby food by squeezing the bulb (that's their word choice, not mine).  So in the unfortunate event that you break your arm, Boon has come to your rescue with this one-handed feeding contraption. 

Thanks to CribCandy.com for the Plastic Sandwich Holder and Puzzle Tray links.

Thanks to LilSugar.com for the Boon spoon link.

Your Name in Jell-O!

If you don't quite have the skills to make the uber-famous cupcake birthday cake, how about crafting your kid's name in a personalized Jell-O mold (link thanks to Mighty Junior)? Even I (the talentless baker that I am) can make Jell-O! Though, I can't help but think about weird neighbors and getting my wisdom teeth out when I think of Jell-O.