Cement Spoon Garden Markers

This easy cement spoon garden marker project is perfect for beginners and adds a nice touch to your outdoor area.

I love to make things with cement. From coasters to mushrooms and even a cake stand! I ran across a silicone spoon mold and I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Garden Markers. 

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While working with cement seems like it might be hard, it is surprisingly easy to work with and there are so many possibilities for what you can do with concrete mix. 

I am not much of a gardener. I have tried in the past, but usually bite off more than I can chew and reduce the rate of success for my garden. This year I decided to give it a go and try to grow a small garden that mixed flowers and vegetables. I got some of these little plaques to label my plants, but they were ugly.

These cement spoon markers were just what I needed to add some character to the scene.

Supplies:

Silicone molds
1/2 cup of cement mix; I prefer portland cement.
1/3 cup of water
Chalkboard Paint

Directions:

Mix the cement and water until it is smooth.
Pour the cement into the silicone mold.
Place in the sun and allow to dry for 6 hours.
Remove the spoons from the mold carefully to avoid breaking them.
Paint with chalkboard paint and allow to dry.

I used a chalk paint pen to label the cement spoon garden markers.

You can find all of my DIY projects here

Cement Projects

Sensory Party in a Bag

Sensory play doesn't have to be complicated or messy to be fun! This sensory party in a bag is the perfect way to engage little hands without a mess, or a lot of complicated supplies.

We love sensory play! When Rolfie was a little boy we discovered the world of sensory bins and have never looked back.

I used to think that sensory play had to be complicated to be fun. After about 7 years of making bins and finding way to engage the senses via play, I realized that sometimes less is more.

This sensory party in a bag is a great example. Sometimes when the kids are overwhelmed by their emotions I like to pull out some basic supplies and create an invitation to unwind.  Summer break can be rough, especially if you are stuck with your sibling all day long. After a day of arguing, I surveyed my craft cabinet and pulled out some simple supplies to create this easy sensory bag. It gave both kids a chance to take a break from each other and get their selves together.

Supplies:
Baby oil gel
A zipper seal bag
Dyed rice
Confetti

Directions:

Pour about 2 tablespoons of baby oil gel into a zipper seal bag.

Add a handful of dyed rice to the bag.

Add some confetti.

Seal.

*If your child has "rough hands" you might wish to reinforce the bag with duct tape along all 4 sides to keep it mess free.*

Invite your child to squish the bag and take a few moments to enjoy the cool sensation of the gel in the bag with the texture of the rice, as well as the visual appeal of the sensory party in a bag.

You can find all of my sensory play ideas here.

Reader favorites include:

Birthday Cake Sensory Bin

Sushi Bin

Jalapeno Popper Biscuit

Jalapeno Popper Biscuits are like the best of both worlds! Fluffy bread and creamy jalapeno poppers combined into one awesome starter that you will serve time and time again!

Jalapenos become a big part of my diet in the summer! I visit the farmers market every week, and how can you resist buying a basket of peppers for $1? I am always looking for unique ways to use them up. I had a can of refrigerated biscuits and the idea of cheesy, spicy bread lured me in!

This recipe is so easy. Seriously! So, easy! It has all of the flavor of bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers, with a tasty, flaky crust!

Ingredients

1 can of refrigerated biscuits

5 jalapenos, chopped

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/4 pound of bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Flatten the biscuit dough, with a rolling pin into  4 or 5 inch circles.

In a small mixing bowl combine the peppers, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.

Fill the center of the dough circles with the cheese mixture, use a generous spoonful for each biscuit.

Fold the remaining dough round around the filling. 

Sprinkle the top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or golden brown.

Find more Jalapeno recipes here

Reader favorites include:
Loaded Jalapeno BitesJalapeno Popper Dip

Starry Night Sensory Bag

If you are looking for a fun way to wind down with the kids at bedtime, this easy starry night sensory bag is  perfect! It comes together so easily and is fun to squish!

We love sensory play. Even my almost 9 year old will drop everything and come running if he sees water beads, or rainbow rice. 

Bedtime has kind of sucked lately, so I thought maybe we could make a sensory bag that would help Harp unwind in a new way. We came up with this Starry Night Sensory Bag.

Supplies

Hair gel

Black decorative sand

Ziploc Baggie

Star Confetti

Directions

Add about 1/3 cup of hair gel to a zipper seal bag.

Add about 1/3 cup of black sand to the bag.

Add gold star confetti to the bag.

Allow little hands to squish and squeeze.

Seal the bag!

If you are worried about little hands not being gentle, double up on the baggie!

You can find our other sensory play ideas here

Blueberry Vodka Lime Sorbet

Blueberry Vodka Lime Sorbet cools you off while lighting you up at the same time!

You guys, I celebrated my 40th birthday yesterday. I am pretty excited about it too. 40 is the Holy Grail or so I have heard. And I am eager to find out! It is August and it is blazing hot here. So humid that I am not even ashamed to admit, I daydreamed about winter for a few moments.

I can't do much about the weather, but I can find ways to keep my mind busy and cool off a little.
I whipped up a batch of blueberry vodka lime sorbet and enjoyed a dish poolside. That has to be the next best thing to a winter wonderland on a hot day.

Sorbet seems fancy to me. When I was in highschool, I had a part time job at a really lovely place, Glenlaurel Inn in the Hocking Hills. It was pretty sweet for a teenager. I did dishes, earned enough money to go to dozens of concerts, and sometimes the chef would feed me a gourmet meal that included sorbet and an andes mint at the end. As a kid, living in a very rural area in the 1990s, sorbet, andes mints and a coke machine really wowed me. For over 20 years I have fondly recalled that experience of working there and being exposed to culture every time I have had sorbet.

Sorbet seems fancy, but it is actually so deliciously simple to make. Homemade sorbet is a million times better than anything that comes in a container an adding a great vodka to the mix results in a grown up treat that does double duty. It cools you off and fires you up at the same time!

Ingredients:

2 cups of blueberries

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

One Lime

1/2 cup of vodka

Directions:

Combine water, sugar and blueberries in a saucepan.

Over medium heat bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer or 30 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes.

Pour into a blender and blend for 1 minute.

Add vodka and the juice of one lime.

Blend for 30 seconds.

You can pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer if the seeds from berries bother you. I opted not to do this, as I like a little texture.

Freeze for 4 o 6 hours.

Serve or store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Find more cocktail recipes here

Everyone loves the Bomb Pop Cocktail