A Pinteresting Wednesday: Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

Welcome back A Pinteresting Wednesday. It is good to see you after a sporadic Summer.

A few months ago, Hubby excitedly declared that he had just ordered me 32 pounds of strawberries. At the time we ordered all these luscious strawberries, we just planned on making lots and lots of jam.

Before the berries came, I came across a recipe for Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate from Free Time Frolics. 

The heavens opened and angels sang and I knew what some of those 32 pounds of strawberries were going to go towards. 'Cause I love myself some strawberry lemonade. Yes, I do.

Hubby loves it too.

Our Little Men love it.

Well, heck, who doesn't love it?

You might also know that I am kind of addicted to canning.

So the fact that it was not just Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate, but that it was also canned so I can have it whenever my little heart desires pretty much sealed the deal that I would have to make it.

I mean for reals. Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate.

Oh yes, you will be mine.

This was so stinkin' easy to make. SO EASY.

After it is all canned and you decided you want a nice glass of strawberry lemonade, well you just add water, maybe some fresh cut up strawberries, and a slice of lemon to make it fancy (fanciness not required to make it taste yummy, by the way).

Yuuuuuum. YUHHHHMMMM. Summer in a glass.

Summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy and savor every last sip of it. Plus, since I have this canned concentrate all made up, I can have a little reminder of Summer anytime I want...

...well until I run out of concentrate, but I shan't think of that now.

You won't regret giving this a try. Like I said earlier it is easy and the result is delicious.

Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

Each recipe cans 3 quart jars. 

5 cups fresh lemon juice (approximately 30 lemons)
6 cups sugar
6 cups hulled strawberries
wide mouth jars

In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries. In a large pot, mix the sugar and lemon juice. Then stir in the pureed strawberries. Heat the mixture over medium heat. Heat until a candy thermometer reads 190 degrees, stirring frequently.

While the strawberry mixture is heating, clean the jars, heat the lids and rings (I do this by keeping them in a pot of simmering water), and fill the water bath canner with water.

Once the mixture is at the right temperature, funnel the mixture into the clean jars. Wipe off the mouth of the jar and then place the lid and ring tightly on each jar.

Place them in the water bath canner and cover. Bring the water to a boil and let them boil for 15 minutes.

 Remove the jars and set out on a the counter and listen for the sealing "pop".

Store until ready to use.

When ready to make lemonade, add 1 1/2 quarts to 2 quarts of water to 1 quart of concentrate.

Another Pinterest Success.

Thanks for reading! Have a grand day.

A Little Man's Faux Bow Tie (Tutorial)

The fact that I love a good Little Man bow tie is absolutely no secret. You can pretty much guarantee that on any given Sunday at least one of my boys will be quite dapperly (totally a word) be sporting a bow tie.

I just can't get enough of of them. Kind of obsessed. If Hubby would only allow me to put him in one, my bow tie dream world would be complete. Goosh!

For several years my boys sported the Dapper Little Man Bow Tie. That was the first bow tie pattern I made. I love it and I love that it is tied like a grown up man bow tie, but that it ties easier because of a bit of elastic. Plus it made me feel pretty legit to learn how to tie a bow tie.

So if I love it so much...why don't I marry it...

Ehem...sorry my 10 year-old self took over there for a minute...

So if I love it so much, why change it up? Why fix what isn't broken.

Three reasons...

1. a cute, but weasely four-year-old
2. my little mister bean
3. the near impossible feat of tying a bow tie on anyone under the age of 5

Since, like I said earlier I really rather enjoy a gentlemanly bow tie on my Little Men, and that includes the little wiggly ones too, I had to come up with another solution.

Hence the birth of the A Little Man's Faux Bow Tie. 

When I was coming up with this pattern, I really wanted the bow tie part to look like it would if I had tied it by hand. You know get the same look with WAY less tying effort.

I am so happy with the end result. I have actually had this pattern in my arsenal for several months. I most recently made one for Little for our family photo session. Whilst (yes I just got fancy) I was making it I realized I should share with you guys how to make one.

So I whipped up a little tutorial showing you how to make A Little Man's Faux Bow Tie.

What you will need:

1/4 yard fabric
fusible interfacing
velcro
needle and thread
Faux Bow Tie pattern

First cut out all the fabric pieces. You will need to cut out--

1. a knot piece cut according to the pattern
2. 2 main bow tie pieces
3. a neck piece cut according to the pattern
4. 1 piece of interfacing cut just smaller than bow tie piece

Iron the interfacing piece to the wrong side of one of the bow tie pieces.

Pin the bow tie pieces together, right sides facing.

Start at one of the flat edges, sew all the way around the edge with 1/4" seam allowance but leaving the edge where you started open.

Turn out the bow tie and iron.

Iron the raw edge of the open end in. Then hand sew the opening closed.

This is the only tricky part, I promise.

Lay the bow tie out flat. Start at the left side and fold over towards the right so that you make a bow loop on the left side. Then fold the bow tie piece back over to the left making a loop on the right side.

It should start looking like a bow tie without the knot.

Pinch the middle in slightly so it looks gathered. Then secure the bow tie in place by using a zig zag stitch.

Next sew the neck piece by ironing the long strip in half (lengthwise) and then iron the edges into the middle crease. Iron the whole thing in half. Sew all around the perimeter to secure. Cut a 2" piece of velcro and then cut it to fit the newly made neck band.

Lay out the band flat on the table. Sew one velcro piece to the left end that is facing up. Sew the other piece on the opposite end on the side facing down towards the table.

Next, sew the bow tie to the neck piece. Place the bow tie over the neck piece in the middle. Sew the tie to the neck piece.

Now for the knot piece.

Take the knot piece and iron it in half, wrong sides facing. Sew the with a 1/4" seam allowance on the raw edge. Then move that seam to the back and iron the piece flat so that that seam is in the back.

Take the newly ironed neck piece and wrap it around the bow tie now attached to the neck piece. Fold over the edge that will show. Sew the knot piece together and in place by hand.

Now you have a simply dapper Faux Bow Tie. Ready for any little gentleman to wear to what ever fancy function strikes his fancy.

I hope you have as much fun making little bow ties as I do.

I would love for you to pin or share on facebook.

I would also love for you to follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

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Thanks for reading!!

Linking Here:
Not Just a Housewife, Sugar Bee Crafts,
Rae Gun Ramblings,  Sew Much Ado,
Ginger Snap Crafts, 

Dyed Twill Boys' Belt

I have this tendency to get into my head exactly what I want...especially where my Little Men's clothes are concerned.

Last year I posted about wanting a certain belt for Oldest's first day of school outfit and then I shared a tutorial on how to make his Twill Parachute Clip Belt.

We recently just had our family pictures taken (more to share about that coming soon). We do not have that done a lot and because it is such a special occasion, I was super freaking out about what the boys should wear. I mean stressing of epic proportions.

I know that is surprising, because I seem so even keel...

Are you laughing?

So okay, I am a stresser-outer...hence the whole freaking out about not finding the right clothes...and in this exact scenario...

A belt.

Yep, folks this is all about a belt.

I really, really wanted green belts. Our family photos were mostly khaki, blues, white and faded reds. I also really, really really wanted light green accessories.

Don't ask me what goes through my head, because I can absolutely not tell you. Partly because most the time I don't know. Then also, because I can't let all that crazy out or people might judge me.

So on my search for the green belt, I came up vastly disappointed.

So two days before pictures, I ran to JoAnn's and I picked up the necessary supplies to just make my own.

I picked up:

a yard and a half of cotton twill white belting
D-rings (I ended up just using the 1 1/4" ones)
Apple green Rit Dye

on hand I had:
pleather scraps (left over from this lovely project)

First, I dyed the belting per their sink instructions except I used less dye and less water because I was only dyeing the belting and I wanted it to be a lighter green.

After about 35 minutes, I rinsed it out. Then I ran it through the wash all by itself. Yes, yes that was a very inefficient use of my washing machine. Oh well, what's a gal to do?

  Once it was dry I measured my  boys' waists and then added about 6-7 inches.

I then cut my pleather pieces to about 1 1/4" x  2 1/2" for the end of the belt with the rings. Then I cut a 1 1/4" x 1" for the other end.

I put the D rings folded into the larger piece of pleather and then sandwiched one end of the belt between the pleather.

Then I sewed a rectangle with a 3" stitch fastening the leather buckle to the twill belting.

Then on the other end, I folded it in half  and again sandwiched in the other end of the belting. Then I just ran a 3" stitch along the bottom.

 
Bam! Belt done. Easy! So stinking easy.

Plus, it was a perfect edition to these faded blue chinos that Little wore. So very Hamptons if I do say so my self.

I have another little tutorial coming for another accessory I made for him for pictures. So excited to show you!

Have a very peachy day!

Thanks for reading!

Three Sweepstakes to Still Enter...

I currently have THREE...count 'em three 

sweepstake giveaways going on.

There is still time to enter all three!

Stop by the following links and enter if you haven't already.

 Disney's Planes $100 Fandango Gift Card

Winnie the Pooh on Blu-ray Combo Pack and $50 Visa Gift Card

Unlock Your Softer Side with Suave

$100 SpaFinder Gift Card

I have been lucky to have a lot of great

giveaway offers lately.

I know it has been a lot, but don't worry I will

have some projects to share with you soon.

Indoor Picnics, Childhood Memories, and Winnie the Pooh

One of our family's very favorite things to do is to have an indoor picnic.

We lay out a big old blanket, gather our plates, and serve up dinner right there on the family room floor. We have been doing this on occasion since Oldest was small. Sometimes it is a special event, like movie night or a birthday. Other times it is a random Tuesday and I am too tired to set the table.

Whatever the reason, our boys really enjoy dinner served indoor picnic style.

I feel and hope that this will be a happy childhood memory for them. I also kind of hope that their future wives don't hate me when they suddenly spread out a blanket and want to have a picnic indoors with the inevitability of having to vacuum right after.

Recently, thanks to Disney, I was able to create another special childhood memory with my children while sharing one of my childhood memories. Together as a little family we sat down at our indoor picnic to watch the 30th anniversary edition of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

My Little Men had never seen the original version of Winnie the Pooh. I was kind of shocked when I realized that. Especially since I can remember so vividly watching it throughout my childhood.

We decided it was only fitting to invite my Little Mens' closest stuffed animal friends to watch the movie along with us and that the movie viewing be done via indoor picnic.

 

 

Everyone was mesmerized by the movie.

They were so captivated, in fact, that the food seemed to be forgotten. If you knew my boys, you would realize what a huge deal that is.

 

Even Bean was enthralled.

I sat there and watched them watch. I sang along, "I'm just a little black rain cloud, hovering under the honey tree. I'm just a little black rain cloud, pay no attention to little me..."

I was reminded as I watched the movie of just how touching a portrayal the movie is of childhood friendship. As an adult I could visibly recognize the childhood joy and innocence found in that movie. Plus it made me remember being that young...

...yes I can remember being young...

I remember watching and wanting to live in a tree. I remember feeling a little scared and timid like Piglet. I remember being a little frightened of the big storm, just like Pooh. I even remember wanting Rabbit to call Tigger back and tell him he can bounce. After all, isn't that what Tigger's do best?

I even remember one of my very good childhood friends (who is still a good friend today) watching with me and I can still hear her voice repeating, "Tut. Tut. Looks like rain."

This movie is so much about imagination and friendship. Both so important in childhood.

I feel I was lucky to have both in my childhood.

Good friends. Hours of using our imaginations. Grand adventures never-ending.

There were doll houses made and constructed on the piano. We choreographed and executed our very own music videos.

In elementary school, there was a small group of us (all girls) that pretended to be a bunch of grumpy old men, old man names included. We would walk around the playground all hunched over with pretend canes grumbling in a way we imagined old men should sound like.

I miss the days of unabashed imaginative play, but I feel fortunate that many of the friends I had during those carefree days of childhood I can still call friends.

Luckily now I am a momma and I have young kids who remind me daily what it is to imagine. I see them play superhero, ninja, spy, inventors, and Star Wars. They build forts. They throw parties for their stuffed animals.

I get to watch the evolution of teeny tiny friendships.

Of the human variety.

And of the furry variety.

My childhood may now be a set of memories, but now I get to witness my own children create their own memories. Helping them make their own memories might just be better than reflecting on my own.

 

For the first time The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh is being made available as a Blu-ray Combo Pack and HD Digitial on August 27th.  To learn more you can visit their website or Facebook page.

 

Now, to enter for a chance to win a $50 Visa Gift Card and a Winnie The Pooh Blu-ray Combo Pack, share with us the importance of friendship, imagination and adventure in your child's life...

 

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

"b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the 

following unique term in your tweet message: ""#SweepstakesEntry""; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post"

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 8/1/2013 - 9/3/2013

Be sure to visit the Winnie The Pooh brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!