Canada Day Flag Cake

This cake looks yum and I love festive celebrations! I already have a round chocolate cake in waiting for tomorrow night...but I think I can wing a Canadian flag onto it in honour of living in this great country. 

Living in Canada is a privilege. After some "interesting" overseas travel last year I almost kissed the tarmac after landing back on Canadian soil. Happy (Early) Canada Day!

Complete recipe, etc., from here.

kraftcanada.com

what you need

1 pkg. (298 g) prepared pound cake, cut into 12 slices

2 cups boiling water

2 pkg. (85 g each) Jell-O Strawberry Jelly Powder

3 cups ice cubes

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided

2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping

make it

COVER bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake slices; set aside.

ADD boiling water to jelly powders in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice cubes; stir 3 to 5 min. or until ice is melted. Remove any unmelted ice. Stir in 1 cup strawberries; pour over cake. Refrigerate 15 min. Cover with Cool Whip.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until jelly is firm. Arrange remaining berries over dessert to resemble the Canadian flag.

kraft kitchens tips

VARIATION

You can also quick-set the jelly using frozen sliced strawberries. Dissolve the jelly powders in boiling water as directed. Add 1 cup each frozen strawberries and ice cubes; stir 3 to 5 min. or until thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. Continue as directed, decorating with 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries.

HOW TO DECORATE DESSERT

Using a toothpick, trace a maple leaf pattern on top of dessert. Place a strawberry slice on each leaf point, then fill in the leaf with remaining strawberries.

Make your own modern concrete planter

Concrete pavers + concrete paver adhesive + 24 hours + dirt & plants = one nice modern planter.

DIY instructions from this Better Homes and Gardens DIY website. I think these suckers could get heavy...I'd be tempted to make them in place.

Pinata Ideas

Nothing says party link a pinata!

Some of the things you'll possibly need to make your own pinata:

• time
• patience
• a ballon 
• cardbard
• old newspapers
• water
• crepe paper
• other decorations
• an idea (side note: if this is for a kids party be careful - a dora pinata may be super until your little princess starts crying because everyone's trying to crush dora's face with a big stick? just saying...)

How to make a Pinata (from here)

• 2 cups flour
• 3 cups water
• 1 balloon
• Newspaper
• Paint, crayons, or markers
• Colored crepe paper
• String

1. Blow up a large balloon and tie the end
2. Mix the flour and water together until it makes a smooth paste
3. Cut the newspaper into long 1 inch thick strips and dip into the flour/water mixture
4. Carefully place the strips on the balloon until it is covered, leaving a hole at the top
5. Set aside and let the balloon dry
6. Place another layer of newspaper dipped in the mixture over the balloon and let dry
7. Repeat with one more layer, making sure you leave the hole at the top
8. When dry, pop and remove the balloon
9. Paint your pinata with different designs and colors
10. If desired, hang colored crepe paper from the sides and bottom
11. Punch 2 small holes in the top near the opening and string a large piece of string through the two holes
12. Fill your pinata (through the hole you left at the top) with candy, toys, or any other fun surprises. You should also fill with strips of newspaper so the surprises are not all in one location
13. Tie your pinata in the air with the string and have fun!

You can be very creative with this project. You can design your pinata into any shape (animal, flower, etc,) with your imagination. Use thick colored paper filled with scrunched up newspaper and glue or tape to add any details to your basic pinata structure.

Sunshine Mural

Super cute for a playroom or basement corner (?)...or just to look at.

From here.

Curate Your Home

I like this idea: "creating a home that is curated rather than decorated...filling your space with things that you need and things you love." Read more here.

Fun and Messy Birthday Party Ideas

Here are some fun and messy birthday party ideas that may be better for the summer months if you live in a climate like mine - easier to clean up with a hose outside? I think most items could be found at the dollar store. Don't forget to take lots of photos and warn guests not to wear their party bests & to maybe bring a swim suit and towel?

Lots of the ideas were taken from this website. But just in case it goes down one of these days I've listed them below:

Paint Splatter Party
This could be so fun and all you'd have to do is hang up some paper in the garage or taped up to the fence. Canvases could be tossed on a plastic table cloth and onto the grass.

• Acrylic (water soluble but take more work to get off of structures like garage floors) or tempera (washable) paint
• Canvases
• Poster paper
• Brown wrapping paper
• Plastic table clothes
• Apply paint with: squeeze bottles, with toothbrushes, 

Crazy Hair Party
One of my favorite birthday party memories is getting my hair moussed purple in my parents backyard and eating cake afterwards.

• Gel
• Sparkles 
• Ribbons, bows, clips, elastics
• Coloured hair spray (stock up at halloween)

Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles

What child doesn't like chasing bubbles around the backyard?

• Big bottle of bubble solution ($5 at the supermarket - I find it works better than home made, but that's just me)
• Little wedding favours (5 for a buck at the dollar store) for give aways
• You can rent bubble machines at party stores

Painting with Pudding

Messy, tasty and wrong but so right!

• Paper
• Assorted pudding mixes all ready to go
• Also works as body paint
• The garden hose

GOO for Everyone

• Cornstarch + water + a little food colouring will mix up nicely in a bowl but will goo and be ridiculous when you try to pick it up.

Water balloons

Fun for everyone. I have memories of my Uncle hiding out on the roof of my grandparents house waiting with a bucket of water.

No Utensils Birthday Feast!

Let kids dig in with their hands. Imagine the memories 

• A spaghetti & meatball dinner party for kids (Someone even suggested a spaghetti fight was the hit of their party - spaghetti in the lawn? This may be too much even for me - but if it's for you let me know how it turns out!)
• Watermelon eating contest (no hands)
• If this gives you indigestion while reading it I promise that it'll be from laughing so so hard!

Kid Car Wash

This would be fun as a clean up activity or as a party in itself!

• Wash stations - wash, rinse, dry, buff/wax
• Soapy water (kids wading pool filled with bubbles)
• Sponges (good for throwing)
• Shammy cloths cut into strips and hung from a clothes line
• Clean towels
• Powder
• Lotion
• Gift bags could house a bar of soap, a toothbrush and some stickers (?)

Click on images to go to their websites!

Lili Popo

I first saw Lili Popo featured here  and then went to her blog here.

Just some super cuteness to brighten your day.

Chair Gift

I love this idea. A small chair was recovered in plain white canvas and drawn upon with fabric markers as a gift for a child's 1st birthday. From here.

You could take this idea and instead of a chair do up a canvas, blanket, pillowcase, or poster paper (and then have it framed)...The chair is a cool idea but the most labour intensive. Keep in mind that anything that will be used (ie. dirtied) may need to be cleaned...but there's fabric sealers and art supplies for practically anything these days.

Ok...now here's a thought, this would be great gift from a child to a parent. Yes, supervision and help would be required...but I want one in ottoman form for our living room! So, I think I'd have to replace gift with "project" in my case...but that's ok.

Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

I saw this post and immediately thought of a friend of mine who loves Alice in Wonderland.

There are so many cute ideas that could be used for any cheeky party or get together - what fun! From here.

DIY Shoe Shelf

Does anyone really have enough footwear storage? I didn't think so... This DIY could be installed in a closet, in the garage, in laundry room or wherever! We Can Do It - sometimes we just need instructions as to how...from here.

Button Candle Holder

Cute as a button indeed...from here.

DIY Drawer Dividers

Call me strange...but does anyone else dream of being really organized...to the point of custom drawer dividers? Just saying, it would be nice. From here.

  

Before & After: Frame turned Memo Board

Find the DIY here.

Summer Wreath

I like wreaths on the front door. They are fun, colourful, friendly and actually easy to make. Here's one that is not too fussy and is personalized. We (still) have the ugliest door numbers on our house. I was thinking I could replace the initial with our house number. Why not?