aprylstottdesign.com Blog

Before I skip town tomorrow, I just wanted to add one more thing. We made these Cinnamon Roll mixes today at my mom’s group. They are great to give away to teachers/neighbors/oh crap, they’ve brought us a plate of cookies and we have nothing to give them in return/people. They cost about $3 each too, an added bonus. (I bought supplies to make 18 for our group. Did you know you can google “how many cups of flour in a 25 lb bag” and get the answer? I love the internet.)

Here’s the recipe card:

Click here (Cinnamon Roll Recipe Tags copy) for a PDF of the the Ready To Print version. Prints 4 recipe cards per sheet.)
We put the cinnamon & sugar in a little ziploc baggie, the flour & yeast in a gallon sized ziploc baggie, and took the cake mix out of the box. Then we put those three things into big fancy baggies to package them (found from a floral wholesale supplier), but you could just throw the three bags into another ziploc. You could even trim the ziploc part off and tie it with a ribbon if you want to get really fancy.

Here’s what it looked like all packaged up:

Ok, now I’m really REALLY done with Christmas.
xo

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah, my lovelies! I decided not to document Gretchen screaming for this year’s Christmas card. We all look bland, happy, and excited about lights. Not at all a realistic representation. (Artistic liberties & all that…)

I finally finished my gifts for the nieces (I couldn’t leave them out after slaving over the $5 gifts for the nephews. I tend to get carried away with projects. Perhaps you’ve noticed.) Gretchen is modeling her Princess Hat and tulle skirt. And rockin’ the Lawn Gnome look.

Here it is laid out of the floor so you can see what it really looks like. And I could attempt to write down directions, but I’m not exactly sure how I pulled this off. Lets just say it involved my mother-in-laws surger, leftover canvas from college painting class, and a hot glue gun.

Happy Holidays!

When I was a kid, my sister and I loved to “play” paperwork. We used to play library, not so we could read books, but so we could make a check-out log. We’d start new businesses selling rocks (or something equally desirable, like chunks of old drywall left over from construction). And for every business we started we’d make tri-fold brochures, order forms and business cards. I think it might be because my Dad was a graphic designer, but we loved creating beautiful coordinated paperwork.

Now it’s Christmas, and I’ve been brainstorming what I can do for my nephews. They all really really REALLY liked the treasure maps to their pirate pouches last year. I’m making them find their presents again this year (hiding gifts = no wrapping! Woo hoo!). But I’m getting nephews that are 8 years old now. Pirate Pouches aren’t going to cut it much longer. Dude, these kids have DS systems. They don’t need no stinkin’ pirate pouch! (Oh, the pressure!) So my creativity was tested sorely. With the help of my uber-talented sister Adrianne, we made the most awesome gift.

SUPER HERO KITS. With business cards. And incident report forms. Paperwork and Super Heroes. Can it get any funner? I know.

THE PLAN: They’ll get this letter here ( Federal Super Hero Welcome Letter ) that tells them they’ve been inducted into the Federal Bureau of Super Heroes. Then they’ll be directed to find their Secret Super Hero Kit in the cereal cabinet. Their kit is a 10×13″ envelope with an ID badge, business cards, a tri-fold brochure of commonly used “Spy Words” (we couldn’t resist the tri-fold), a clipboard full of Incident Report Forms ( Federal Super Hero Incident Form ), and aviator sunglasses from the $1 store.

ALL I HAD TO BUY: Aviator Sunglasses, 10×13″ manilla envelopes, ID badge holders & aviator sunglasses. Dude, so worth it…

The Incident Report Form (Yes, that does reference a “Yo Gabba Gabba” uprising. It’s coming people, are you ready?):

Badge (mustaches on kids = hilarity):

Another Badge:

BUSINESS CARDS!!!

Here’s a template for the badge if you want to make a kit too. It’s sized to fit into the standard “Name Badge” holders they have at most office supply stores:

Yay for $5 gifts! And kids with cop ’stashes!