Crafts with Kids - The Bird Feeder

This is why I love dollar stores.

Something so fun & easy to do for kids, and your main supply needed isn't $10 at a craft store, but $1 at the Dollar Store.

This plain wood beauty was perfect.

The girls got to work.

Note: I know they look like orphans here, it was first thing in the morning, we weren't quite there with hair done, outfits on, general cleanliness. lol

I tried not to do the whole OCD and take over thing because their lines & painting weren't, well, "up to par" but they did SO well! I even let them choose the colors.

I know, I know. I'm the best.

Add in the cherry red.

Again, their colors, but I LOVE what they chose!

We haven't had ONE bird visit yet.

(that we've seen)

it's been a week.

*sigh*

Dish Drying Mats (Sisters of the Wild West review & discount coupon code!)

If you entered the giveaway for one of these, you already know what I'm talking about!

They're a nifty contraption these dish drying mats. 

Handmade by none other than the fabulous Sisters of the Wild West.

One of those things I have a feeling is quickly becoming that new "must have" in your kitchen!

Typically when I'm doing dishes, I have my sink drainer, then a tea towel on the counter for anything that doesn't fit. 

With a family of 5, we almost always have "extras" that don't fit in the drainer (this is not including the dishwasher full). 

So here's what it looks like on any given day:

Now, lets take away the barely absorbent dishtowel, and add in this beauty of a dish drying mat which is UBER absorbent (able to hold 4x its weight in water!).

*sigh*

SO 

MUCH 

BETTER!

And to prove to you that I actually use it and don't just let it sit there pretty....

GAH-ORGEOUS!

oh! and it's reversible...

to yet another cute/gorgeous side! 

 lovely packaging. Perfect for gifts!

Because Sisters of the Wild West are SO awesome, they're offering 

10% off coupon code 

for all purchases from their SHOP for The Birds Papaya readers, 

to redeem use coupon code below at the checkout:

PAPAYA

Their SHOP has tons of colors in the dish mats...

But the Sisters of the Wild West have much more in their shop!

BURP CLOTHS & BIB SETS:

PERSONALIZED FAMILY WALL ART:

CARSEAT TENTS:

RUFFLED PILLOW:

BABY QUILT:

And don't forget! there's a week long giveaway going on right NOW to win your very own dish drying mat!

Best. Sugar. Cookies. Ever.

I love to have at least one batch of baked goods under my dessert dome all the time. 

Whether it be muffins, banana bread, cookies, brownies, squares, pie or...

(You get the point)

I do this mostly because my husband likes the snacks, it's nice to have something homemade when the kids get their one treat of the day after dinner, and it's nice when someone's coming over and you have something prepared. 

That all being said, my favorite cookie ever most definitely goes to the 

sugar cookie.

Here's the recipe (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened - you can sub margerine if needed!
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. The original recipe calls for it to be chilled for an hour. I do not do this! I'm impatient, remember?
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter, in my case, a heart. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. For me, I prefer it around 6 minutes so it's very lightly browned and very soft still. Cool completely before icing.

Icing

1/2 cup shortening

teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (or more depending on your taste) confectioner's sugar

splash of milk - add until you like the consistency of the icing

I love this icing for these cookies, because it's not overwhelmingly sweet. By using just shortening, it stays whiter and is less costly to make. You can always sweeten it up with more icing sugar, or less!

Make these with your family and enjoy :)


be sure to enter the giveaway to pretty up your kitchen counters with a Dish Drying Mat from Sisters of the Wild West!

Sisters of the Wild West GIVEAWAY!!

Have you guys heard of the Sisters of the Wild West?

I'm sure you have with projects like their Pottery Barn knock-off pillows 

(which were a sister vs sister project!)

Or maybe you've seen their Spring Chipboard Tutorial

Or some of their before & after makeovers like this Bookcase Redo:

The Sisters, Amy & Emily are so creative, and that's not all...they have 11 (yah, ELEVEN!) kids between them! Plus, um...they're kinda gorgeous!

Well here's what you may not know about the Sisters, they also have a shop. 

Yep! these girls do it ALL.

They sell many things in their shop, but one of the coolest things I've come across in a while is their Dish Mats!

They're dish drying mats that are super absorbent (so absorbent it can hold 4x it's weight in water!). It replaces having to use old dishtowels on your counter.

Having dishes drying on your counter has never been so stylish!

They're also reversible!

Want to win one?! 

The Sisters sent me one to review (you'll hear about mine in a few days) 

and one to GIVEAWAY to one of you lovelies!!

Here's the one you can win! 

it's so gorg!!

Your countertops are begging for you to enter this giveaway. 

So here's the deets!

**Open to all followers/subscribers of The Birds Papaya!** 

MANDATORY ENTRY! 

Visit Sister of the Wild West SHOP and come back and tell me your favorite item! - one entry

Extra Entries:

1- Follow Sisters of the Wild West BLOG. - one entry

2- Like the Sisters of the Wild West on FACEBOOK - one entry

3- Follow The Birds Papaya on TWITTER - one entry

4- Like The Birds Papaya on FACEBOOK - one entry

5- Purchase something from Sisters of the Wild West SHOP - 5 entries!

That's TEN ways to enter!

Remember to leave a separate comment for EACH entry!

Open to all residents of Canada & USA!

Good luck!

I'll announce the winner next Monday (May 2nd)

More spring decor & free stuff!

So a while ago, my friend Angela messaged me about Freecycle. 

I had heard of the term but really had no idea what it was all about. 

Well, I guess they're different everywhere. Here, it's actually called Freestore. 

When I googled my city & "freecycle" it still came up.

Here's how it works:

1- Someone lists something for free, listings are emailed to you as they come, or in a daily update (I do a daily update bc otherwise I would get emails every 1/2hr!)

2- You email them if you want it and when you can come pick it up.

3- Then if you're chosen (first in line in most cases) you go and PICK IT UP...FOR FREE!

You can also post wanted ads, each group has rules about this.

Recently I went and picked up what I thought was a small Ikea plant pot, but it's actually the nice big kind! 

I was so pleasantly surprised. 

I'm always struggling with how to fill plant pots, vases, hurricanes etc. 

I just have so many of them, I run out of fillers. 

So I turned it upside down and let it be a pedestal for my little birdie.

Can't beat free!

Adding a little Sunshine!

I have big plans for this wall.

I've just been procrastinating.

WHY? because I need to get a screwdriver out of storage to get started, and well...I haven't done that yet.

BUT there are some new things going on.

You see, I've been going with the chocolate brown & blue living room for a while.

I've been ITCHING for more color, more SOMETHING.

I decided on the color YELLOW, because it's SO hot right now (Zoolander...anyone?)

Then a decorating Christmas MIRACLE.

YELLOW ACCESSORIES ON CLEARANCE AT MY GROCERY STORE!

yah, you heard me right. 

Each of the yellow plaid pillows were $3.94. 

I can actually say "I couldn't make them for that much!"

(they actually are all on the bigger sofa, and different ones on this loveseat, buuttt...I couldn't get a good pic and you just can't have bad pics on a blog post!)

I also scored these beautiful fake hydrangeas for $1.94ea (say WHAT?!)

How much does this ceramic floral vase rock?

gift from my bestie.

So then it gets better...

This yellow frame for $3.94 as well (all from the same aisle at the Grocery Store!)

So in total...I spent about uhh, $25 

(still working with that birthday money!)

Ever wonder where people blog?

This little blue chair, would be my blog spot 

(heehee...blogspot,,,like blogger/blogspot, get it? it's not funny if you have to explain it ya know)

So lets hope I get to some real work soon and get those new somethings up!

I'm super excited about them.

Crafty Addictions WINNER!

Before we get to the winner of this lovely...

Just a reminder that Mother's Day is 3 weeks away!! 

Here's some great Mother's Day ideas from Crafty Addictions 

(all under $14.95, might I add!)

Get your order in now :)

Anyways, onto the winner (winner chicken dinner)!

Congrats to #88! ANGIE!!

I'm emailing you now.

Thanks to Crafty Addictions for sponsoring this giveaway!