DIY 4th of July Pinwheels
Sparklers can cause some pretty nasty burns on little hands, so instead of sparklers this year, make them these pretty 4th of July pinwheels – or just make them for fun and decorations!
What You’ll Need:
- Double-sided patriotic patterned scrapbook paper
- Wooden dowels
- Straight pins
- Beads
- Hot glue gun and hot glue
- Double-sided tape
- Scissors
- Star stickers
- Spray adhesive (if needed)
- (Optional: Plain white scrapbook paper to decorate yourself or by kids)
Directions:
- To create dual-sided pinwheels, gather your double-sided scrapbook papers in patriotic colors, or create your own (better yet, have the kids decorate them and have them involved in the celebration!). Use the spray adhesive to adhere them together.
- Cut paper into square shapes – 8-in and 6-in squares – to create different sized pinwheels.
- Fold squares in half diagonally to create a triangle, then press to crease.
- Open the triangle and fold diagonally the opposite way, then press to crease.
- Open up the triangle and flatten out the square.
- Cut along each diagonal fold three-quarters of the way to the center.
- Pull the tip of every other corner toward the center. Use double-sided tape or white craft glue to adhere the first tip to the center, then each folded-in tip on top of each other. When you finish, you’ll have the pinwheel shape.
- If you want your pinwheel to spin, skip to step 10. If not and will be used for decorations only, hot glue the pinwheel to your wooden dowel. Skip cutting down wooden dowels from the hardware or craft store and use inexpensive flag dowels (removing the flags, of course).
- Finish your pinwheel with a decorative star sticker in the center.
- If you want your pinwheel to spin, you’ll need to push a pin through the center (a straight pin works), then a bead beneath the pinwheel. You’ll drive the pin into your dowel with a hammer.
- If needed, fold over (or cut and then fold over) any part of the pin that sticks through to the back to prevent injuries.
Recipe: Grand Old Flag Cake
I love seeing this cake every year in all the magazines for their patriotic issues (Memorial & Independence Day). This recipe comes from an old issue of All You and you can check for the nutrition on the website. You can also use change the ingredients and flavors around, or boxed/premade/gluten-free/etc. cake and frosting – totally up to you!
Ingredients:
Chocolate cake:
- Cooking spray
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream-cheese frosting:
- 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 pint blueberries
- 1 1/2 pints raspberries
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line length of 13×9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, and leave a 4-inch overhang. Lay another sheet across width of pan and up sides (without the overhang). Spray paper evenly with the cooking spray.
- To make cake: Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat in butter on low speed until mixture is crumbly. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Increase speed to medium and beat, scraping down inside of bowl, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to baking pan.
- Bake cake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Holding overhanging pieces of paper, pull cake from pan and let cool completely on rack. Invert platter on cake and flip over to invert cake. Carefully peel off paper and discard.
- Make frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice. Refrigerate frosting for about 10 minutes if it’s too soft to spread.
- Frost sides and top of cake. Arrange blueberries in a rectangle in upper left-hand corner of cake. Arrange raspberries in 7 rows for stripes. Refrigerate cake until serving. (Cake can be made up to 3 hours ahead.)
Recipe: Teddy Bear Beach Bums “Dirt” Cups
We all loved dirt cake growing up, the one with crushed Oreos and gummy worms, but here is a summertime change to the usual dirt cake that everyone will love!
All you have to do is using clear plastic cups, put use blue pudding or jello on the bottom half of the cup. Top the blue dessert with crushed vanilla cookies or vanilla Oreos ( looks like sand). Add sour tape candy cut into strips (the picture shows Airhead Extremes Sour Belts) with a Teddy Graham lying on top enjoying the sunshine. Add a cocktail umbrella and enjoy!
Easy Homemade 3-Ingredient Vanilla Coconut Body Scrub
This time of the year, our skin is so dry and flaky. Why spend $30 or more on a body scrub from The Body Shop or other retailer when you can make it at home with only 3 ingredients for pennies and in only a couple of minutes. Oh, and it smells like summer. BLISS!
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 cup solid coconut oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
Directions:
- Use your whisk attachment on your mixer and whip 1/2 cup solid coconut oil for about 10 minutes. Be sure to stop to scrape down the sides after 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup white sugar and the seeds from 1 vanilla pod. Mix for another 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer to an air tight container until ready for use.
Smells so good! You’ll love it. Thanks to Wonky Wonderful for the recipe!
Recipe: South of the Border Guacamole
So, Cinco de Mayo is almost over, but guacamole with tortilla chips is something you can eat year round! My family eats it at least biweekly – and avocados are so high potassium and good fats that it makes it seem like we are eating a healthy food, too! Here’s one of the highest rated guacamole recipes on the internet and it’s a copycat of South of the Border Restaurant’s version.
Ingredients:
- 2 large ripe Avocados
- 1 medium Tomato, chopped
- 1 Green Onion, chopped
- 2 Green Chile Peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1/8 tsp. Black Pepper
- 3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Instructions:
- Chop avocados coarsely and mash until smooth.
- Add tomato, onion and chiles and mix gently. Add pepper and lemon juice. Stir.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.