Rolled Sugar Cookies

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Baking Christmas cookies for the class has become a fun, end of the year tradition. Last year we baked gingerbread and sugar cookies just enough for the class party, which was about 3 dozen cookies. This year we decided to give the cookies in a treat bag to each of the kids in her class. We ended up making 9 dozen sugar cookies with 4 cookies in each treat bag. Once we got the dough ready and refrigerated, we were on a roll!

We used the same recipe that I had from last year.

Home Made PlayDough

Playdough with Jello

I have gone through so much play dough in the last few months that I decided to make some at home. It is one activity that can keep both my kids busy for a pretty good 45 minutes to an hour. Apart from being a fun activity, playing with playdough has some unique benefits too. It is no wonder that playdough stations are so popular at preschools and at the Strongstart centers.The playdough at these centers is all home made. I have seen the teachers make it along with the kids on more than one occasion.

So what are the benefits of playing with this malleable, colorful substance?

Bean Bags

Made this bean bag with my little soon to be 6yr old helper. She just had her sports day at school and had fun playing with these. When I said I can help her make one, she got all excited. She helped me in assembling all the supplies.  Got her little chair and sat beside me through out the whole process. Bean bags are easy to make and can be made in different shapes and sizes. Bean bags can be used to play games like the bean bag toss, as a warm compress when warmed in the microwave for a minute or they can be used as a door stopper too. So, here is what I did to make my very

Finished Bean Bag

Bumble Bee Dress

Bumble Bee Dress

Except for the colors, there is nothing bumble bee'ish about this new dress that I made yesterday for Aaliyah. The yellow, black and white are so often associated with the bee. And just for this fact, I am going to call it a bumble bee dress. I took about 1.5 yard of black cotton fabric with yellow and white dotted print. I cut the skirt part in a regular umbrella cut fashion and for the body, I decided to go without sleeves. With the kind of unpredictable weather here in Richmond, you have to layer dresses with a t-shirt one way or another. So, without the sleeves I had one less step to do for my project. I took another

Jeweled Pencil Holder

Jeweled Pencil Holder

Aaliyah and I made this over the weekend. I always wanted to put the empty cans (left over from tomato paste, soups, diced fruit etc.) into good use. I thought of making a pencil holder for Aaliyah's desk. I did all the paper cutting and Aaliyah did all the gluing. The rainbow was from one of her numerous art works that I found crumpled on the floor under her desk. Its giving the can a colorful touch and she loves rainbows. She plans on taking the pencil holder to school next week for her show and tell. She is very proud of her creation and has transferred all her pencils, scissors, etc. from her Tinker Bell pencil holder to this one. Easy and fun craft with your kids.

Chongay

Chongay

"Chongay" is a dessert that is made during the month of Muharram along with "Doodh ka sharbat" and Khubooli. It is one of Nasir's favorite dessert. His Mom, my Mother-in Law makes the best Chongays ever. She uses pure desi ghee (clarified butter) in her preparation and the end product is

Little Blue Dress

Finally got Aaliyah's dress completed. She had two dresses with the same pattern that barely fit her now. She still tries to wear them though. Whenever she wore those dresses, she was sure to receive compliments. So, here is my take on those dresses.

Little Blue Dress