At Crafty Moods, the quirky online site for crafters and the like, Trish somehow manages to find the time to run the blog, think up creative recipes and crafts, and still manages to run her home as the busy mother of two baby boys.  How does this creative mom do it all and still manage to entertain picky eaters?  Trish has managed to find some fun and unique ways to get her family to eat their dinner with style.  Here’s how:

Here's one way to get your kid to eat!

Step One: Cook up some plain pasta to create a nest

A pasta nest for your meatball birds takes no time at all!

Step 2: Cook your meatballs to design your birds

What You'll need: Candy eyeballs

What You'll Need: An orange to make the beak

Step 3: Use a butter knife to cut the hole for the beak and eyes

Step 4: Do add a celery stalk to create a branch for your birds nest

Step 5: Eat and enjoy! So cute your kids will love it!

To see the full-recipe and check out more fun and creative recipes with Trish, visit:  www.craftymoods.com!  She’s amazing!

Blogger Laurali Star can also be found on The Damsel in the Attic and her blog.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

When my daughter comes home from school she’s usually ready for a snack, and in our house, that means either fruits or veggies!  We like to make it a little fun buy using mini cookie cutters, toothpicks, cute dishes and most importantly we make it colorful!  We like to think of fruits and vegetables as being part of an edible rainbow so everyday we aim to eat a variety of fruits and veggies that are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue!  The phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables give them their bright color and each color group provides our bodies with unique health benefits which is why we want to eat all the different colors of the rainbow!

Here is a an example of a Rainbow Fruit Snack!

Red: Grapes     Orange: Oranges     Yellow: Bananas     Green: Kiwi     Blue: Frozen Blueberries

Snack time is the ideal opportunity to get your kids eating fruits and veggies!  Have fun creating healthy rainbow snacks for your kids!

Happy Healthy Eating,
Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!

As a mother, we never really expect our children to buy us a gift for Mother’s Day.  Something made with love however, gets a nod of approval from moms all over the world.  Add a green element to it and were as good as any gold jesus piece chain!  Here are a few easy craft projects that your little one can do to make this Mother’s Day a little brighter.  Hint:  Be sure to have daddy read this first for some fresh ideas!

Handmade Charm Bracelets (Ages 8 and up):

Handmade charm bracelets make a personalized, fun gift for mommy!

How to do this:

First head to your local craft shop for spacers, a 21 gauge wire, needle nose pliers, and beads.  A great place to try would be your local dollar store, Joanne’s Fabrics, and Michael’s.  Set out the beads and spacers in an assortment of bowls on the table or counter, then start designing!  Does mommy like vintage?  Hit your local thrift or vintage shops to see if you can discover a rare piece that can be added to the bracelet.  Mom will be absolutely charmed on her special day.

DIY Terrariums (Ages 3 and Up):

Recycle an old fish bowl to make the terrarium of mom's dreams!

How to do this:

Find an old fish bowl from around the house or purchase a cheap one at your local pet store.  Have the kids fill it with rich soil, plants, rocks, and whatever kind of decor that will turn mom’s head this Mother’s Day.  Fun for the whole family and easy to do!

Cork Board Creativity (Ages 3 and Up!):

Your basic cork board can be converted into a theme for mom with recycled pictures, letters, postcards, and more!

How to do this:

This one is fun and easy for nearly all ages in your family.  Almost every mom has a box of sentimental memories she’s been keeping and meaning to organize.  Pull the box out and pick out old letters, favorite pictures, artwork, pressed flowers, and more to create a themed Mother’s Day Cork Board to show mom just how much she means to you.  Be sure to add your own personal note to the board.

Happy gifting!  Mom is guaranteed to appreciate the effort and love that went into your gifts.

Blogger Laurali Star can also be on The Damsel in the Attic and her blog.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

I must admit that I had no idea how easy it is to make homemade granola!  So when I saw a recipe in The Whole Family Cookbook I was pretty excited to see that it was so easy that my seven year old daughter did most of the work by herself!  I’m a big believer in getting kids in the kitchen, it is such a great way to spend time together and pass on life long skills.

My favorite things about making your own granola:

1. I know all the ingredients that go into the granola
2. My daughter can practically make this by herself
3. We can tweak the recipe to add our choice of optional ingredients (nuts, seeds, dried fruit)
4. It makes the house smell SO good!!!!
5. Let’s be honest it sounds a bit impressive to make your own granola

Head over to my Rainbow Blog to see what my daughter had to say about making homemade granola!

Happy Healthy Eating!
Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!