Mason jar candy dispenser

I got this old woodcrafted dispenser from a friend and instantly knew it was going to get a makeover! When I was a little girl, my mom had one of these. I like the dispenser, but I don't like the raw wood. 

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 I happened to have some high gloss white paint on hand from another project, and I like the look. I gave the piece a slight sanding, and simply painted it with a small cut-in paint brush.

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I hot-glued the outer part of a mason jar lid into the top. This keeps the mason jar steady. 

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During a week of having four of our grandchildren with us, our little Miss Bean, and J. Bug were playing with Play-Doh, which is one of Miss Bean's favorite things to do. Miss Bean is just learning to roll the Play-Doh to make little balls. So, I showed J. Bug and Miss Bean what I wanted, and they made my little "gum-balls" for the revamped dispenser. Once the Play-Doh balls were good and dry, I sprayed them with a clear coat sealer. I love the way they look in the dispenser. 

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I had this tiny ceramic mouse and I couldn't resist!

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Until next time!

May your blessings be many and your troubles be few!

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Crayola Giant Fingerpaint Paper Pad 16" x 12" - 25 Sheets - Kids & Teachers - Art Supplies - Poster Board & Paper at JOANN

Home-made no-stick rice. No boxed stuff here!

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup

Butter - 2 Tbsp.

Water - 2 cups

Melt 2 tablespoons butter. 

Before butter gets too hot, pour rice in and stir. We are basically sautéing, or quick frying the rice. 

 On medium/high heat cook rice in butter for approximately two minutes - stirring constantly (don't let it turn brown)

Pour 2 cups hot tap water over rice and let it come to a medium boil.

As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn the heat down to about a number 2 setting (low heat.) Put the lid on. 

Let simmer for approximately 15 minutes. 

I took the lid off and gave it a quick stir after about 10 minutes to show you how it's coming along. It doesn't really need stirred any more than that.

Fifteen minutes of simmering! No need to drain. We like ours al dente and this is perfect!

Mmm. This rice is good enough to eat just like it is...

…but, I'm having my rice this evening with some left over Chicken Mole.

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This rice goes really well with Mel's Blackened Fish too!

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Until next time!

May your blessings be many and your troubles be few!

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Chocolate covered peanut butter rounds

 Ingredients

Ritz or Georgia crackers

Peanut butter

Almond Bark

Supplies

Bowl

Fork

Butter knife

Wax paper

Storage container

Directions

Spread peanut butter onto 
crackers,

add cracker tops, set aside.

  

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Break six of the almond bark squares into a glass bowl. 

Microwave for 1 minute on high. Do not overcook. When you take the bark from the microwave, it may appear to still be chunky, but do not put it back in the microwave. First begin to vigorously stir. The hot bark should finish melting the rest. 

*****It is important not to burn the bark!*****

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Drop each peanut butter cracker sandwich into melted bark.

 Bring out with fork and lightly tap off excess chocolate bark.

  Put on wax paper to set up until chocolate is firm. 

If you have a little bark left, and no more peanut butter crackers to drop in, you can add any nuts you may have on hand for some chocolate covered nuts or clusters. I did some almonds, and a few peanut clusters.

My chocolate was beginning to harden a bit, so I put it back in the microwave for 15 seconds, stirred in the almonds, and quickly dropped them onto the wax paper. 

 Half the package of dark almond bark (6 squares) made what you see below.

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Storing

I layer these in an air tight container using wax paper between each layer so they don't stick to together. Although it doesn't happen at my house, these will keep for about two weeks. In 75 degrees or less, there is no need to refrigerate.

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Until next time!

May your blessings be many and your troubles be few!

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You can check out our chocolate covered pretzels here!

The Rhythm of Woven Dreams by Michelle LaDuke

I should probably know who coined the phrase, "If you have lived then you have a story to tell." I don't; but not to worry myself, I can relish in its profound impact on my very existence. Profound maybe only to me; profound none-the-less.

I have lived. 

I have lived and I have watched others live, which has given me the opportunity to take the photographs held within a little girl's mind, heart, and soul; and draw into the pages of my writing - a panoramic view of her life!

Told in first person narrative, this story interposes and intertwines the realities of a little girl's nightmares with her daydreams and fantasies of hope. Janie wades through the ocean of life's highs and lows searching for her self worth; her place in this world. 

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You can order my book on Amazon.

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Until next time!

May your blessings be many and your troubles be few!

Chocolate covered pretzel Rods

I am blessed to have a couple of my grandbabies visiting for part of their summer, and our little Jaley Bean has her third birthday coming up. She put in a request for chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles. So we had some fun making them for her!

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 Ingredients:

White Almond Bark

Pretzel sticks of choice

Sprinkles - optional

Supplies:

Glass bowl

Fork

Butter knife

Wax paper

Also optional: cute little 3 year old who needs to see and smell every little thing along the way!

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Break almond bark into squares. If using half the package (6 squares) microwave on high for 1 minute. If using all 12 squares, microwave on high for 2 minutes. Some of the bark might still seem hard, but once you begin to stir, it will all melt together.

Stir until creamy.

Pour melted bark into tall glass or jar for dipping the pretzels.

I let my Jaley Bean dip the first one. 

We poured our sprinkles into a glass as well thinking we could dip the pretzel into the sprinkles. This didn't work out so well. 

(we kept it anyway because the kids and hubby don't mind how it looks!)

We tried putting the sprinkles in a plate and rolling the pretzel, but that didn't work either, so we sprinkled the sprinkles onto the pretzels before the bark set up.

So Jaley Bean got her chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles!

Store in airtight container.

 Until next time!

May your blessings be many and your troubles be few!

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