Saturday, May 28, 2022

The Ultimate Camping Scavenger Hunt For Kids

Camping is the perfect family vacation especially if you are trying to leave the busyness of life behind and reconnect as a family. One way you can reconnect with your kids while camping is through activities like a family scavenger hunt. Whether you pair up in teams or search for the items on the scavenger hunt individually this activity is perfect to do on your next camping trip. 




This post was written in partnership with Zulily. Make sure to check out the Camping Essentials Checklist For Beginners as well as many other great ideas at The Find By Zulily.


Camping Scavenger Hunt For Kids

Since camping happens in the great outdoors it makes sense that this scavenger hunt should include outdoor treasures as well as camping-specific items too! To keep your job easy I've put together a great family scavenger hunt you can take along with you on your next camping trip. Invite other campers to join in with the fun too. 



Scavenger hunts are fun because they encourage those participating to look more closely at the surrounding area while they hunt for the items on the list. They can also be quite competitive (especially in my family), so consider offering a prize for the first person to complete the scavenger hunt - like an ice cream cone or an extra s'more for dessert. 

Lastly, scavenger hunts are great for any age to participate which is why it is the perfect activity to do while camping with your family or a big group.

Here is the printable link for this cool camping scavenger hunt!




Ultimate Camping Checklist For A New Camper

If you are new to camping it might seem a bit overwhelming to know what to bring when you go on your first camping trip. No need to stress - I've got you covered with this post I wrote The Ultimate Checklist For A New Camper for The Find by Zulily. Click to get the full checklist before you adventure out on your first camping trip.  

What's For Dinner?

Now that you have a great activity planned for the family the next thing to figure out is what to serve for dinner! Don't worry I've provided you with 5 Easy Meals To Make On Your Next Camping Trip so you don't have to stress about dinner while on vacation! 

Friday, May 27, 2022

Healthy Jam-Filled Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Is breakfast starting to get a little boring at your house? Maybe you are tired of eating the same thing every day because you don't have time to find a new recipe or time to make it. Having a few options available that are healthy and that everyone will eat and enjoy is essential for starting your day off on the right foot. 



This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through the link I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. 

My family loves these healthy jam-filled oatmeal bars because they taste so good! I like them because they are easy to make, satisfy my kid's hunger (especially my teenage boy!), and are full of healthy ingredients. I like to serve them with a big glass of cold milk for the kids or a cup of hot tea for myself. 

Jam-Filled Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Oats are the star of the show in this recipe making the base upon which to build. Because I have teens it is important for me to serve them food that is high in fiber and complex carbs to fill them up so they aren't tempted to snack on empty, sugary junk food! Peanut butter adds a little protein which is also an important part of everyone's diet. 

This recipe can be made with either rolled-oats or instant oats. The only difference is if you use rolled oats you will need to put them into the food processor for a few seconds more than the instant oats before you make the recipe. 

What Kind Of Jam Should I Use?

The sweetness of these oat bars comes from the honey and the jam. What I love about these bars is that they are not overly sweet like other bars I"ve tried. The sweetness can be adjusted based on your preference but I think they taste great just the way the recipe is. 

I've tried a variety of different flavors of store-bought jam and natural preserves as well as homemade and they have all tasted delicious. What I found to be the most important aspect of this recipe is to make sure you don't use jam or a filling that is too liquidy or runny. 

The type of fruit-filling you use will determine how sweet your bars taste. Natural, fruit-juice sweetened or honey-sweetened will provide bars that are not super-sweet. However, if all you have on hand is a jar of jelly preserves go ahead and use it but know that the bards will have a higher level of sweetness. 

Food Sensitivities

Fortunately, our family does not struggle with food allergies but if your family does have food sensitivities this recipe is not only delicious but it can be modified to accommodate any allergies you or your children have. It is already egg-free and can be made gluten-free and nut-free too.  

Oat Bars Texture

These bars are soft and chewy not hard and crunchy. Served warm the jam will be soft and gooey and if served cold the jam will be a little more firm. If you are serving them to a toddler make sure to cut the bars into small bite-size pieces so they don't take too big of a bite!  

How To Store These Bars

The bars should be stored in an air-tight container to prevent them from drying out. They can be stored at room temperature or popped into the fridge if you prefer them cold. In a sealed container the bars will keep for 3-5 days. 


Jam-filled Oatmeal Breakfast Bars


Ingredients - 

2 cups instant oats or rolled oats

1/4 cup flour - whole wheat or gluten-free blend

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking powder 

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup all-fruit jam or preserves


Instructions - 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8x8 glass baking dish with non-stick spray or line it with parchment paper.

  • Place rolled oats into a food processor and blend until the consistency of coarse flour

  • Add honey and peanut butter into a large microwavable safe bowl for 30 seconds until warm

  • Mix the remaining ingredients into the warm peanut butter honey mixture EXCEPT for the jam. Stir until the mixture resembles thick cookie dough and holds together in your hands. If it is crumbly add a tablespoon of warm water to the dough. 



  • Set aside and reserve 3/4 cup of the dough mixture. 

  • Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish



  • Spread the jam over the dough 



  • Crumble the remaining dough over the jam lightly pressing to spread it evenly over the jam



  • Bake for 20-24 minutes

  • Cool completely before serving. 

 


These bars can be made in advance so you are ready to serve the most amazing breakfast this week! They also make great snacks for hungry kids (and moms)! Double the recipe then freeze one for later too. Frozen bars can be thawed and popped in the microwave for a minute to reheat.

For more easy recipes make sure to check these out:

Easy To Make Granola Recipe

Chocolate Lovers Triple Chocolate Zucchini Bread

French Toast Breakfast Muffins



What is your family's go-to food for breakfast? 



Thursday, May 12, 2022

How To Make DIY Wall Art With Seashells

Finding the right piece of wall art to hang in your home can be challenging especially if your space isn't a standard size. After a recent update to our living space, I was on the hunt for the perfect wall art for our living room. I had a hard time finding anything pre-made and affordable that would fit the space so I started dreaming up some DIY ideas instead. 





This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of these links I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my disclaimer page. Thanks!

If you have ever found yourself in the same situation don't worry because the project I'm excited to share with you is completely customizable, affordable, and easy to make! But first, let me tell you where I found my supplies to make this cool custom wall art. 

Our family had taken a vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina a few years back and every day we spent a lot of time walking the beach along the ocean collecting shells. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with all of these seashells but I knew I wanted to incorporate them into something that would remind us of this amazing family vacation. Unfortunately, when we got home from our trip we jumped right back into our normal busy life and the bucket of shells got set aside waiting for a day when I would have the right idea and time to make something with them. 

Repainting a room can have an inspiring effect on you and that is exactly what happened after I painted our living room a completely new color. While repainting, I decided to make one of the walls in the living room an accent wall and chose to use the deep blue color, Hale Navy by Behr. With the painting done it was time to add some wall decor. After staring at the narrow, empty space next to a window on the accent wall I had a light bulb moment - the seashells from our trip a few years ago would look amazing in that space! 

I came up with the idea to make a custom DIY seashell wall hanging with the seashells from our trip by mounting them onto a narrow piece of wood and hanging it in that small empty space. I LOVE how it turned out and wanted to share how I made it with you today. 


How To Make Custom DIY Seashell Wall Art 

Making this custom seashell wall art piece was so easy anyone can make it! A variety of different-sized shells makes this piece look more natural too. I even used broken shells since that is what I found on the beach along with a bunch of unbroken shells.



Materials For Seashell Wall Art


Clean Your Shells

Seashells purchased from a craft store have already been cleaned so you can skip this step if using them for this project. 

If you are using shells you picked up on the beach I highly recommend cleaning your shells before using them. Wiping them off with a little soap and water and then soaking them in a solution of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide should clean them up without harming their natural colors. 

I don't recommend bleach unless you want your shells to all turn white.

Set your clean shells out on a clean dishtowel or paper towels until they are completely dry.

Prepare The Wood Base

While you are waiting for the shells to dry you can prepare your wood base. If you are using a pre-cut piece of wood from the hardware store make sure to wipe it down to remove any sawdust. I chose to keep my wood in its natural rough state so it resembled the coarse texture of sand but if you want a smooth surface you can always use some sandpaper and sand it - just make sure to wipe off any sawdust after sanding. 

The wood I used for the base was a narrow piece of maple that I left unstained and in its natural state since the color reminded me of beach sand.  

Arrange The Shells On The Wood Base

This step is very important to do before permanently gluing the shells to the wood base. 



I really wanted the shells to look just like they did on the sandy beach by the ocean so I placed the shells in no particular order on the board making sure some were slightly overlapping other shells, some were upside down and others were right side up. I filled any open gaps with smaller shells or broken pieces of shells and sand dollars allowing some shells to slightly hang off the edge of the board. 

Attach The Shells To The Base

After I had all of the shells laid out on the board I grabbed my bottle of glue and plastic work gloves and started securing the shells to the board one by one. 




I highly recommend the clear Wellbond glue because it securely bonds about anything, has a narrow dispensing tube that makes it easy to get between small spaces like little seashells, doesn't cure immediately, and is non-foaming. 

You do not want to use super glue since it bonds immediately making it impossible to re-arrange the seashells as you attach them to the base. 

Once all of the shells are glued onto the wood base let your wall art sit for a bit until the glue has cured according to the directions on the glue's package.


Attach A Picture Hanging Kit

To hang my seashell wall art I purchased a picture hanging kit to install on the back of the wood base. Depending on how heavy your piece is make sure to get the correct kit so your artwork isn't too heavy for the kit you use. You definitely don't want it to fall off the wall because you used a picture hanging kit that couldn't support the weight of your piece. 

Aside from the time I had to wait for the glue to cure properly this project took less than two hours to complete from start to finish! I love how it turned out and that it didn't cost an arm and a leg to make because I had all of the supplies on hand already. If you don't have any of the supplies readily available the overall cost to purchase them is minimal making this a very budget-friendly DIY project. 

The best part about this project is that every time I look at my finished custom wall art I am reminded of that amazing family vacation!  Good memories!


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More DIY Projects

Be sure to check out these other easy DIY projects you can make in a few hours!






How To Make A Wood Coinhole Game







Tuesday, May 3, 2022

How To Make A Modern Hanging Kitchen Towel

Have you ever been hard at work in the kitchen, your hands caked in flour as you put the finishing touches on your latest concoction only to realize that after you rinse off your hands there is no kitchen towel to be found anywhere to dry off your dripping hands? 

So frustrating, right!? 




I'm pretty sure my kitchen towels are in cahoots with all the single missing socks in my house sneaking off to some mysterious hidden place to party like it's 1994. Well, I haven't figured out how to solve the missing sock problem yet but I did come up with a great way to keep those kitchen towels in line and I'm excited to share it with you today.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!


When you think of hanging kitchen towels you probably remember those country kitchen style crochet towels your grandmother used to have hanging from the handle of her stove. As convenient as those crochet hanging towels are I think they could stand a little makeover. Hanging kitchen towels don't have to look like granny's because I'm giving them a modern update so they fit with your kitchen decor. 

Modern Hanging Kitchen Towel Sewing Tutorial

To make these modern hanging kitchen towels you only need to be able to sew a straight line on a sewing machine making this the perfect beginner sewing project. Gather up the following materials and let's get started upgrading your kitchen towels! 

Bloom-Topia 2020 Charity Quilt

Supplies:


Step-by-Step Sewing Instructions:

Step 1:  Cut the cotton fabric into a 36" x 8" rectangle folding right sides together into a long narrow rectangle and pressing with a hot iron. Along the edge of the fabric opposite side from the fold, measure and put a mark 4" from each of the fabric ends towards the center. Starting at your mark lightly draw a tapered line from the mark to the end of the fabric to create a tapered line. 



Step 2: Sew around the perimeter of the fabric rectangle. Make sure to sew a tapered line at both ends of the rectangle (the picture above only shows one side but make sure to taper both ends! - sorry!!), 

Also, make sure to leave a 2" opening along the straight edge so you can turn the rectangle right side out after sewing. Turn the entire rectangle tube right side out and press. 

Topstitch around the perimeter of the rectangle with a 1/4" seam allowance making sure to stitch the 2" opening closed.

Step 3: Open the kitchen towel up with the right side of the towel laying face down. Fold each long edge on both sides of the towel under to the right side of the towel about 2 - 3 inches (depending on the width of your towel you may need to adjust this a little). 

Now, carefully grab the folded edge you just created and fold it (the folded part) back to the center of the towel on the wrong side. You want the finished edge of the towel to line up with folded section you just created so that it isn't overhanging and visible from the right side of the towel. See the pictures below to help you with this step!

Do this to both long sides of the towel. 



Step 4: Carefully flip the towel over so the right side is facing up. Find the center of the towel by carefully folding it in half, finger pressing it, and opening the towel back up so it is laying flat. 

Now, fold the fabric rectangle tie in half to find the center. Place the fabric tie on top of the towel matching up the center marks of the towel and fabric tie. 

Pin the tie securely to the towel's center line. Starting at the edge of the towel, sew across the width of the towel and over the fabric tie center mark to securely attach the tie to the towel. I recommend repeating this step a few times to make sure the tie is secure. 



To hang your new modern hanging kitchen towel simply tie the fabric sashes around the handle of your oven door or towel bar. These hanging dishtowels make for great Mother's Day, Christmas, and birthday gifts too! 


Easy Sewing Tutorials

If you enjoyed making these modern dishtowels make sure to check out these other easy sewing tutorials too! 

How To Make A Fabric Banner (Easy Sew & No Sew Tutorials)