After School Snack:: Chocolate Chip Muffins

I've had some super hungry kids coming home from school this week.  Super hungry.  It surprises them and me how much they grow over the summer.  What they took in K/3rd/5th/6th grade isn't always enough to carry them through 1st/4th/6th/7th grade.  So we've been adjusting the menu options, boosting the nutritional value of what they take and making sure they are packing enough to sustain them.  But my brood still needs a little something when they come home from school to tide them over through homework and me making dinner.  

This muffin recipe is one I haven't used in years, and my kids are so glad I pulled it out this week and made it.  In the time it took everyone to unload backpacks, lunch boxes and put everything away, I had these mixed up and in the oven.  They are quick, simple and make a small enough batch that you're in and out in 30 minutes.  Perfect for an occasional after school snack.  

Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup whole milk (skim -2% also works)
6 tablespoons butter – melted and cooled (I needed to substitute oil here & it worked!)
2 eggs – beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line muffin pan with papers

Sift flour, sugars, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients: add milk, mixture and stir just to combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into muffin cups; bake 15-17 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin to wire rack: cool 5 minutes and remove from tins to finish cooling.

Makes a dozen beautifully full muffins.

If a dozen muffins is more than your family needs as an after school snack, consider making half the batch into mini muffins to include in lunches.  Or bag up the left overs to use for breakfast.  They also freeze well so you can freeze extras to use later in the month.   

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National Sewing Month:: Handmade Quilts

September is National Sewing Month, and with sewing being a favorite medium of EtsyKids Team Members, we want to share a special month long series sponsored by EtsyKids Team Member, Heather of theSewingLoft.  Throughout the month, talented sewers -  quilters, garment makers, fiber artists and crafter's will be stopping by theSewingLoft blog and sharing their favorite sewing tool.  So far,  Amy of The Quilt Alliance, Becky of PatchworkPosses and Janelle of TrashN2Tees have shared their favorite tools along with amazing projects to help us practice using their favorite tool and get a good feel for why they use it all the time.

The EtsyKids Team is filled with hundreds of talented artists and crafters, many of whom are sewers.  We hope to inspire you with their creative talent this month as we periodically showcase the beauty, versatility and quality of the sewn products our members have to offer.  We also hope Heather's special series for National Sewing Month, will inspire you to sew ... for the first time, on a new or forgotten project, or branch out and try something completely new in the world of sewing.

Modern Quilt in Gray and White Flying Geese Pattern by theEarlyGirl

Chocolate, Blue, Beige Log Cabin Quilt, Full Size, Machine Quilted by Ahmelie

Doll Patchwork Quilt and Pillow by snowflakeboutique

Bunting Quilt by Sweetiebugs

Super Size Modern Baby Playmat by PeppermintPinwheels

Modern Baby Quilt by AudraRoseDesigns

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Introducing Knits By Gramma

Today We Introduce You to Susan from Knits By Gramma

Q: what motivated you to start your shop?
I started my shop at the insistence of my daughter. I was always knitting for my grandchildren and they thought that my items would sell.

Q: what is the story behind your shop name?
The story behind my name - Knits By Gramma is quite simple. I am a grandma that likes to knit.

Q: do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?
I cant really name just one shop as a favorite as there are so many.

Q: what surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
I guess my biggest surprise with having my own craft shop was that orders came from all over the world. I have had so many orders from Australia.

Q: what do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
I find getting traffic and sales the most challenging. I use social medias and any other outlet I can find to get my name out there.

Q: what's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
My philosophy behind my shop is to make beautiful products that my clients will enjoy. Also that their children will look great.

Q: how would someone (other then you) describe you?
I think someone who knows me would describe me as a great grandmother and talented knitter.

Q: what music do you have on while you are creating?
don't usually listen to any music when I am creating. Silence works best for me.

Q: what do you do when you aren't working?
I don't work outside the home so I consider my job taking care of my etsy shop.

Q: anything else you'd like to tell us or share?
I would just like to share that I am a proud member of Etsy and really enjoying having my own shop.

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/knitsbygramma
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Knitsbygramma/221695627867457

'Introducing Knits by Gramma' by Lilikin14

an etsykids team treasury

knitsbygramma $37.00	knitsbygramma $34.00	knitsbygramma $37.00	knitsbygramma $40.00
knitsbygramma $55.00	knitsbygramma $38.00	knitsbygramma $38.00	knitsbygramma $40.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

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Endless Summer

I don't know if there really were a 104 days of summer vacation, but it sounds good in the Phineas & Ferb title sequence, so I'm just going to go with it.  My sister and I spent summers free ranging around the 8 acres we grew up on.  There were woods and a crick (That's North Eastern PA for 'small creek').  My dad hitched the camper up to the station wagon, wood paneled, of course and all of us headed out for trips to the beach or historic tourist destinations.

I wanted my daughter to have those loud summer nights plucking lightning bugs from evening breezes.  If her feet didn't get callused and green, then I had failed my responsibilities as a  parent.  

We didn't do a big trip.  We made our home our vacation spot.  Roasting marshmallows, walkie talkie hide and seek and running bare foot across the yard with a pack of kids from the neighborhood were all we needed to declare we were on vacation.

Now it is September and we are in denial.  Just because those yellow school buses are running doesn't mean we can't squeeze in a few more moments of summer.  Summer isn't defined by a calendar.  It is is a state of mind...and flip flops. There is still time for miniature golf after suppers and the ice cream stand doesn't close until October.  

This afternoon when Maizie gets off the bus,  I will be waiting, with my water guns loaded.

'Endless Summer' by FairyGodmother4Hire

Just close your eyes, click your flip flops together and repeat over and over...This is still summer, this is still summer.

prettydreamer $24.00	WallStoriesEts... $149.50	togs4tots $18.00	wildthingsdres... $60.00
TwoLittleWitch... $22.00	SavageSeeds $34.00	OliveAndVince $25.00	ComfyFeely $29.00
pinkmouse $24.00	thecleverkitty $5.00	nickiL156 $29.00	ChewChewsClose... $55.00
ArmadilloDream... $24.00	YoureInspired $42.00	ThePinkSheepBo... $17.99	weandthebean $18.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

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Back to School:: Crayons

It isn't the start of a new school year without a fresh box of crayons.

Preschool-sized backpack with adjustable straps from ChildishThoughts

Crayon Box Applique Shirt w/ Matching Hairbow from jbowsboutique

Crayon Wallet from OddEDesign

Back to School Korker Bow from SweetPriBow

Small Back to School Bows from NeverlandNook

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EtsyKids Design Challenge: We have a Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of our August's EtsyKids Team Design Challenge, Schoolgirl Sewing Pattern PDF - Removable Doll Glasses and shoes included - Plus Glasses will fit your children too by DollsAndDaydreams!

"This is a PDF Sewing Pattern is to make a child friendly 19” (48 cm) Schoolgirl doll from cotton and felt fabrics. She’s a retro kind of girl who loves a good book or too, always does her homework and is never late for class :) 

My versatile pattern allows you to make many different versions of this doll. She comes with removable (and/or appliqued on) glasses, removable Mary Jane shoes, optional hairband & 3D bang/fringe, a cute dress collar and a cute sewn on skirt."

Dolls And Daydreams specializes in fun and easy step by step photo tutorial patterns.  This wonderful dolls and creatures are designed by talented Sarah.  She takes pride in making her patterns easy to follow, so even a beginner sewer will be able to make one of her beautiful softies.  Please make sure to visit Dolls And Daydreams right here.  With so many designs to choose from you'll be sure to find something to reflect your child's unique personality.

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Sensory Activity:: Puffy Paint ABC Cards

Bug is starting to learn her letters. She knows a good amount already and she can write an H {the first letter of her name}. I love having some hands on ways to learn so I came up with this for letter learning. Bug seems to like them and we have been working on one letter at a time each week. I have all the letters she knows in one pile and the ones to learn in another so she can play games with the letters she learned. I am thinking about gluing a photo of the letter sign on the back to help her with signing her letters when I'm not there to show her the sign.


What you will need:
-microwave puffy paint recipe {found here}
-microwave
-writing utensil {I used a Sharpie}
-cardboard {we used an old box}
-food coloring
-scissors/razor blade
-a squeeze bottle or a spoon
-patience


What to do:
-cut 26 small-ish squares out of your cardboard {big enough to write a letter on}
-draw in marker a letter on each square
-make the microwave puffy paint {I doubled the recipe and had a little more than enough}
-using your squeeze bottle {I used a spoon} trace the letter with your puffy paint
-microwave according to instructions below the recipe {I think we did it for about 25 seconds}

Here are some things you can use these for:

Have your children trace along the letters with their fingers.

Do crayon rubbings with the letters. {not sure how well these would work...but it would be worth a shot}

Make words with the letter squares.

Spread them all out, mix 'em up and have a letter search.

Glue a photo of something that begins with that letter or a photo of the ASL sign for that letter.

If you like this post and want to see more toddler activities please visit my blog, Tutus and Tea Parties. You can also follow me on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest.

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