Happy Earth Day!

Here’s a great way to reuse and upcycle something that would normally be trash! I used broken pieces of Ava and Stella’s crayons and melted them in a silicone tray.

We tried flower shapes first then we made alphabet letters to spell out words and our names.

Not only is this Earth Day inspired craft easy to make but the colorful crayon shapes turn out so pretty and unique. They make fun gifts or party favors too.

With the cool spring weather and sunny days, this was the perfect weekend craft for us to do as a family on the patio!

What you need:

50 or more broken and old crayons in a variety of colors

alphabet letter silicone mold (order via Amazon here)

bowl of warm water, optional

Directions:

1. Start by sorting through your containers of old and broken crayons. We counted out about 50 to fill one full alphabet mold. 

2. Now remove the paper wrappers from all the crayons. We like to soak ours in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes so they come off easier. 

3. Once all the paper is removed make sure to completely dry off the crayons. 

4. Now add to the molds, breaking into smaller pieces and combining multiple colors for each letter. 

5. Fill each letter completely will crayon pieces.

6. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

7. Add the filled mold to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the oven.

8. Bake for 15 minutes until crayons are  fully melted and molds are filled.

9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing (or they will crack). We waited at least 30 minutes. 

10. Carefully pop out and remove the letters from the mold onto a lined tray.

11. Repeat with remaining crayons if you want additional letters to spell certain names and words.

We did extra vowels and “L”, “D”, and “M” so we had enough to spell Mom, Dad, and the girls’ names. 

12. Now you can spell names and wrap up as gifts or simply upcycle and reuse for your own at home coloring projects!

Stella started by gathering her broken and old crayons. We separated about 50 to start. 

Make sure you gather a variety of bright colors.

Now remove the paper wrappers from all the crayons.

We like to soak ours in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes so they come off easier. 

Once all the paper is removed make sure to completely dry off the crayons. 

I ordered this silicone alphabet mold off Amazon. It works perfectly and I love the style and size of the letters.

Here is my Amazon link if you would like to order one: https://amzn.to/3xYwkgc .

Now add to the molds, breaking into smaller pieces and combining multiple colors for each letter. 

Fill each letter completely will crayon pieces.

Add the filled mold to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the oven.

Bake at 250 degrees for 15 minutes until crayons are fully melted and molds are filled.

Remove carefully from the oven and let cool completely ( about 30 minutes).

You can also place in the fridge to speed up cooling.

Carefully pop out and remove the letters from the mold onto a lined tray.

Look how colorful and pretty they turned out!

Repeat with remaining crayons if you want additional letters to spell certain names and words.

We did extra vowels and “L”, “D”, and “M” so we had enough to spell Mom, Dad, and the girls’ names. 

Now you can spell names and wrap up as gifts or simply upcycle and reuse for your own at home coloring projects!

I have also made these crayons in flower and heart shapes.

These were smaller and worked well for my toddler at the time. The molds are from IKEA.

Happy Earth Day!

“May we all be inspired by the beauty of our planet and take action to ensure a healthy future for generations to come.” – unknown

The post DIY Melted Name Crayons | Earth Day Upcycle Craft appeared first on For the Love of Food.

My family loves to explore and enjoy nature and all our beautiful surroundings here in Missouri.

Today is Earth day and it’s a favorite of ours because we can get outside and appreciate Mother Nature!

Over the years we have done many different activities together on Earth Day week including nature hikes, recycle and upcycle activities, scavenger hunts, and city wide clean ups.

Today we are going to the Botanical Gardens and enjoying a movie in the park! 

I put together a list below of our favorite family activities for Earth Day to share some fun memories and give you a few fun ideas for your Earth Day week.

Feel free to comment below and tell me some of your favorite Earth Day inspired activities too!

Neighborhood Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt

Fresh air and sunshine every day are so important for kids! We have been enjoying family walks, bike rides, and walking our dog in our neighborhood and walking trails.

To make it more exciting for my kiddos, I created this fun Neighborhood Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt printable.

Download and print one for your family too!

Pretty in Pink Picnic 

Picnics have always been an activity we enjoy, ever since my girls were babies. All you need is a nice day, a blanket, and a cooler with snacks and drinks! 

I share two pink themed, kid friendly snacks in the link above to make for your next picnic. 

DIY Upcycled Bird Feeders

Looking for an activity to use up all your extra toilet paper rolls?
I save our paper rolls for crafts with my kids and now that it is springtime our favorite way to upcycle

instead of throw away the empty toilet paper rolls is make bird feeders!

Springtime Nature Trail Scavenger Hunt | Exploring State Parks with Kids

For Earth Day this week I am sharing this free printable Springtime Nature Trail Scavenger Hunt! Get out and explore with this fun game for kids. 

DIY Flower Pens and Painted Pots

These flower pens make great gifts and are a fun craft to make at home with the kids.

Presented in a DIY painted pot gives them a sweet personal touch that Moms and Grandmas will love!

Also teaching kids how to plant seeds and grow their own plant is a fun Earth Day activity too.

Creepy Crawly Dirt Cups for Earth Day

Dirt Cups are sweet and perfectly messy! A fun afternoon treat for Earth Day!

City Wide or Neighborhood Trash Pickup

One of my favorite childhood memories was participating in beach cleanups with my Dad. As a kid it made me feel good to clean up my hometown and feel like I made a difference. Also any time I spent with my Dad was a good time and as I look back I truly cherish those memories! This is why when our city hosted a trash pickup last year, I signed my whole family up. I wasn’t sure how my girls would react but they surprised me and were not only great helpers but enjoyed themselves too. Check out your city, church, and community calendars to sign up or host your own in your neighborhood!

DIY Painted Rocks 

Get outside and paint and hide rocks for others to find! This post includes some tips and many rock painting ideas.

They also make great gifts and garden decor!

Outdoor Movie Night

You can have an outdoor movie night almost anywhere!

We have done our own backyard and driveway, the local drive in, city park and even in a parking lot in a military hosted event on post. 

Check and see if your area hosts any upcoming movie nights or get a projector and play a movie on your garage door or hang up a sheet as a screen in the backyard.

Most importantly, enjoy the fresh air and cool breeze and don’t forget the popcorn!

Also check out:

20+ Earth Day Crafts and Recipes To Make !

The post Fun Earth Day Activities for Families appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Today for Earth Day this week I am sharing this free printable Springtime Nature Trail Scavenger Hunt!

Get out and explore with this fun game for kids.  

My family and I love exploring together. We are blessed to currently live in Missouri and it is seriously breathtakingly beautiful here!

We love the state parks and scenic trails all over the state and adventure to a new one as often as we can. Be sure to check out your local state parks.

There are so many that are free and open to the public that you probably don’t even know about. Here’s a great website to help you search. 

Last Sunday we explored Mills Springs here on Ft Leonardwood. It was an gorgeous cool day and we brought our pup along for the walk too.

I made it extra fun for the girls, who can get bored easily, with this printable nature walk scavenger hunt.

They loved it and it really helped them pay attention to their surroundings!

Scroll down to see more photos from our beautiful hike.

I’ve included the link at the bottom of the post to download and print the free Nature Hike Scavenger Hunt too!

The walk to the spring is easy and peaceful. There are picnic tables, restrooms, and many areas to fish. 

I love all the springs in Missouri! The color of the water and lush green landscape is perfection. 

This time of the year in the Midwest is a great time to explore nature. The air is cool and there are not too many bugs out.

I would love to go back here and bring a picnic lunch and book to read!

The nature walk after the springs is pretty steep and about 1 mile long. But the view from the top made it worth it!

Elvis loved the view too!

There is beauty everywhere. You just have to look for it. 

Scroll down to print out your own scavenger hunt to take on your next trail outing.

Also check out my printable Neighborhood Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt .

A smile at the top. What a fun Sunday Funday!

Print here!

You can print this fun picture scavenger hunt here for free on Dropbox. 

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”   – Albert Einstein

The post Springtime Nature Trail Scavenger Hunt | Exploring State Parks with Kids appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Happy Earth Day, friends! We made these delicious Creepy Crawly Dirt Cups for Earth Day this week for our Mommy and Me time video.

Check out the recipe and live video below!

I set up a tray with all out goodies and we brought it outside to make our dirt cups in the yard.

They are a messy but good treat and everyone enjoyed creating their own dirt cup!

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Print

Makes individual 4 cups

Ingredients

• 4 oz box Chocolate Fudge instant pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 10 {1 cup} chocolate sandwich cookies {like Oreoes} crushed
• assorted sour gummy worms flowers, spiders, and frogs, for topping
• edible green grass candy or green licorice strings for topping

Instructions

• Prepare pudding with milk according to the package instructions.
• Chill for 5 minutes then scoop pudding into 4 clear cups.
• Add at least two scoops of crushed chocolate cookies to the top of the pudding cups, covering the pudding completely.
• Top with gummy creepy crawlies like worms, spiders, and frogs. You can also add flowers.
• Break your edible grass or licorice into small pieces and stick them into the cookie "dirt".
• Serve with spoons and dig in!

Prepare pudding with milk according to the package instructions. 
Chill for 5 minutes then scoop pudding into 4 clear cups. 

Add at least two scoops of crushed chocolate cookies to the top of the pudding cups, covering the pudding completely. 
Top with gummy creepy crawlies like worms, spiders, and frogs. You can also add flowers.

Break your edible grass or licorice into small pieces and stick them into the cookie “dirt”. 

Serve with spoons and dig in!

Dirt Cups are sweet and perfectly messy! A fun afternoon treat for Earth Day!

The post Creepy Crawly Dirt Cups for Earth Day appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Happy Earth Day!

Today on April 22nd we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. This annual event is celebrated around the world to show our love for Earth and share ways we can protect it.

Every year my family and I try to do something together on this day to help our planet. I participated in beach cleanups with my Dad when I was young

and I try to teach my girls now about cleaning up litter and recycling. We like to plant flowers and seeds in our yard and enjoy exploring nature together. 

Today I am sharing some of our favorite Earth Day inspired crafts, recipes, and activities to do at home with your kids. Teach them about saving our planet and have fun doing it!

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the Earth.” —Henry David Thoreau

Recipes: 

1. Chocolate Pudding Dirt Cups with Strawberry Ladybugs by For the Love of Food

2. Earth Day Fruit Plate by JDaniels 4 Mom

3. Earth Day Party and Blue Raspberry Slushies by For the Love of Food

4. Earth Day Cake Pops by Sugar Spice and Family Life

5. Hummus Flower Power Dip by For the Love of Food

6. Creepy Crawly Dirt Cups by For the Love of Food

7. Easy Earth Day Cupcakes by Mom Does Reviews

8. Earth Day Treat Cups by Simple As That

9. Springtime Chocolate Mousse Terrarium Dessert by For the Love of Food

10. Earth Day Chocolate Bark by More Time 2 Teach

11. The LORAX Truffula Tree Cupcakes by For the Love of Food

Crafts and Activities:

1. Black Glue Earth Day Craft by Messy Little Monster

2. Earth Day Recycled Crayons by Today’s Creative Life

3. DIY Upcycled Princess Crowns by For the Love of Food

4. Paper Mache Earth Day Globes by Housing a Forest

5. Star Stamped Earth Craft by I Heart Crafty Things

6. Earth Art Made with Dirt by Kids Activities Blog

7. DIY Flower Pens and Painted Pots by For the Love of Food

8. Earth Mosaic by Crafts by Amanda

9. Earth Day Milk Jug Wreath by Sparkling Buds

10. Neighborhood Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt by For the Love of Food

11. Recycled Straw Earth Art by I Heart Crafty Things

12. Milk Jug Flowers by Crafty Journal

13. Earth Day Crayons by Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

14. DIY UpCycled Bird Feeder by For the Love of Food

15. Earth Day Salt Dough Ornaments by Practically Functional

16. Springtime Nature Trail Scavenger Hunt by For the Love of Food

17. Earth Day Button Tree Art by Make and Do Crew

18. Coffee Filter Earths by Mess for Less

19. DIY Painted Rocks For Kids By Kids by For the Love of Food

20. Earth Day Handprint & Photo Keepsake by Teach Me Mommy

21.  Upcycled Bottle Vase Craft by Green Kid Crafts 

22. DIY Melted Name Crayons | Earth Day Upcycle Craft by For the Love of Food

Some of our favorite Earth Day memories include this planting flowers party at Chick-fil-A in San Antonio in 2o18. 

Another fun memory was my 2014 Earth Day party.

I hosted this festive gathering when Ava was just a baby and I invited my fellow military spouses for a poolside lunch.

We enjoyed the beautiful day together and everyone went home with recycled goodies including crayons and seeds.

Earth Day 2016 at the park. One of our favorite places to be. 

“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” —John Muir

The post 20+ Earth Day Crafts and Recipes To Make appeared first on For the Love of Food.

 

What you need:

• 10 single multi colored silk flowers 
• 10 ball point pens {choose a brand with removable bottoms}
• 1 roll green floral tape
• Hot glue
• flower pots or jars
• small colored stones/beads
• paint/stickers/glitter, optional 

Directions:

1. Remove the cap and the plastic cap from both ends of the pen.  
2. Save the pen cap, but discard the plastic end piece.  Sometimes you can pry the end cap off or cut it off with a pair of scissors. 
3. Wrap sticky floral tape from the top of the pen all the way down to the writing point of the pen, then replace the pen’s cap.
4. Add a large dot of hot glue to the top of the pen, where the plastic end cap used to be.  
5. Stick the artificial flower, with the long stem removed, into the pen and press to secure. 
6. Add colored stones to a jar or flower pot and place 4-5 flower pens in the jar, flower side up.
7. Optional: you can paint and decorate the terra cotta flower pots for another crafty touch before giving as a gift!

We used acrylic paint and added painters tape and vinyl stickers to make shapes and words.

The post DIY Flower Pens and Painted Pots | Mother’s Day Kids Crafts appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Scroll down for the recipe and a prAna clothing review and giveaway. 

 Exploring a local park on Earth Day 2016.

Cooling down with sno-balls. A Louisiana tradition.

Selfies with my Stella Rose.

 Our Earth Day craft- flower pens!

 I love how soft and comfy the Kara Jeans by prAna are.
 Perfect for relaxing at home with my little ones.

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Print

Chocolate Pudding Dirt Cups with Strawberry Ladybugs

Makes 4-6 individual servings

Ingredients

• 2 oz box instant chocolate pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 12 mini Oreo cookies crushed {or about 4 large Oreos}
• 6 large strawberries tops removed and sliced in half width wise
• 1 1/4 cups mini chocolate chips divided

Instructions

• Prepare pudding in a large bowl, according to package instructions, mixing in milk.
• Scoop pudding into clear cups or shot glasses and chill for at least 5 minutes.
• Top each pudding cup with crushed Oreos.
• To make the strawberry ladybugs: melt 1 cup chocolate until smooth.
• Dip bottom tips of each strawberry half in chocolate to make the ladybug face.
• Lay on parchment paper to dry.
• Next push 6 mini chocolate chips all over each strawberry.
• Top each pudding with one or two ladybugs.
• Serve with a spoon for digging into the dirt!

To make the strawberry ladybugs: add 1 cup of chocolate chips to a bowl.

Microwave until smooth and melted, about 45 seconds- 1 minute.

 She may have been sneaking a bite or two…

Top each pudding cup with a ladybug or two.

Serve with a spoon and dig right in! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 I was sent a free prAna outfit to review from the Moms Meet program (greenmomsmeet.com) and prAna sustainable clothing. 

As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. All opinions are 100% my own.

 

The post Chocolate Pudding Dirt Cups with Strawberry Ladybugs | Earth friendly prAna clothing appeared first on For the Love of Food.

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  Print

  Cucumber Sandwich

  Makes 20 sandwiches

  Ingredients

  • 1 seedless cucumber
  • 20 small Hawaiian Sweet Rolls or 2 loaves white bread
  • 1 pinch salt pepper, sugar per sandwich
  • 4 ounce Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese 1/2 a tub

  Instructions

  • Slice cucumber into thin slices, lay on paper towel lined plate, sprinkle
  • with salt, and cover with another paper towel. This draws out the water
  • so they will not soak your bread.
  • Refrigerate for 20-30 mins.
  • Take cucumbers out of fridge and remove top paper towel.
  • Take rolls, cut open, and spread whipped cream cheese on top and bottom inside pieces of bread and then top with 5-6 cucumber slices.
  • Sprinkle a pinch of each salt, pepper, and sugar on cucumber slices.
  • Close rolls and serve.

Add 4-5 cucumber slices to each roll, then season with a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper.
Simple and delicious!

Print

Egg Salad

Ingredients

• 8 hard boiled eggs chilled, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 tbsp mayo
• 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 tbsp green onions diced
• salt and white pepper to taste
• Sometimes I add 1 tbsp Dijon mustard optional
• Bread or rolls about 18-20, to serve (I like Hawaiian Sweet Rolls)

Instructions

• Fill a medium pot with three to four quarts of water and bring to a boil.
• Add white vinegar.
• Gently place each egg one at a time into the pot with a long-handled slotted spoon, resting them on the bottom of the boiling water. (This will help avoid cracking the eggs.)
• Bring back to a full boil and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let eggs sit in the hot water for 13 minutes.
• Drain all the water and then shake the pot with the eggs still inside to break the shells.
• Under running warm water, peel off shells and set cooked eggs on a paper towel to dry.
• Roughly chop eggs into a medium bowl and add mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stir and taste.
• Add more salt or pepper if needed.
• Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator until egg salad is below 40 degrees.
• Serve with crisp lettuce and your favorite bread.

The post Yogurt Egg Salad and Cream Cheese Cucumber Picnic Finger Sandwiches appeared first on For the Love of Food.

 

Blue Raspberry Slushies 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of cold water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tbsp Raspberry Flavoring Syrup (or use approx 2 tsp Raspberry Extract)
• 4-6 drops of Blue Food Coloring, or other color of your choice

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, combine water and sugar and stir until sugar is
   completely dissolved.
2.  Add in raspberry syrup and stir well. 
3. Follow with 4-6 drops of food coloring to achieve your
   desired color. Stir well. 
4.  Pour into your ice cream maker and turn on and
   run according to ice cream maker package directions. 
5.  Let run for approximately 20 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. 
6.  Scoop into chilled mason jars or cups and serve immediately with a colorful straw!

Earth Day Party Ideas! 

 

The post Earth Day Party and Blue Raspberry Slushies appeared first on For the Love of Food.