Image from www.spoonful.com

Friday is here and I feel like crafting. Since the 4th of July is next week I want to make fun decorations to celebrate. Spoonful.com has some wonderful patriotic ideas that add a touch of Disney fun to your party. You’re not having a party? After you see these great decoration and food ideas you’ll want to have one. Spoonful.com even has printable invitations that you can send out to your friends and family. Because nothing is as American as barbeque and Disney.

My favorite crafts are ones that are useful as well as fun and the hot dog holder fits the bill. Make a bunch of these up and your guests will feel like they are enjoying their dog at the ballpark. For dessert I would recommend the Mad Hatter cupcakes. These look awesome yet are easy to make. The Minnie Mouse Statue of Liberty makes a fun table decoration and I would set out pre-made rosettes and glue and let everyone make their own patriotic crown.

With 22 craft and recipe ideas you’ll be celebrating the 4th of July in style. All you need for a memorable party is good friends, good food, and some fun decorations in red, white, and Disney. Happiness squared.

Goofy Video: If you feel like a watching a movie on the 4th of July how about something patriotic? I recommend Johnny Tremain. This Disney movie tells the story of a boy who gets involved with the Sons of Liberty and helps fight for America’s independence. It is fun to watch and will help explain why we celebrate our Independence on the 4th of July.

I never see movies on opening night, but I bought my tickets early for Iron Man 3. That being said my review will be honest and unbiased and I will keep the gushing to a minimum (unless it truly deserves it.) Okay, on with the review.

Well, I think I am so numb that I won’t be gushing a lot. Maybe after I have thought about it for a month. This movie was…I think I am speechless. I am trying to describe this movie without spoiling it and I find I don’t know what to say.

I guess the first question would be, “Is it worth watching?” Oh yeah. It is a roller coaster of a movie, but well worth seeing in the theater. I am so glad I made the effort to see it opening night. That was cool. Iron Man 3 is a great action film full of twists and turns. Some of the smaller characters have bigger roles which is great and the overall story keeps you on the edge of your seat. I spent a lot of time with my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out in surprise or shock. (I even cried for a moment.)

It would seem I do know what to say. This is a great movie. If I could describe the unease I feel I would say that it lacked that comic book feel. It was one more “fight the terrorist” film. My husband said he loved that part of it. I always feel that superhero action films should be a chance to escape from everyday evil. Give me aliens, bad gods, or mad scientists gone wrong.

Now I know that most people are going to disagree with me. That’s cool. I still think this is an awesome movie and I recommend watching it. I just personally would have liked the bad guy to have had different motivation behind his actions. It left me feeling numb when I would have preferred to leave the theater feeling uplifted. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Disney and other film companies have been doing this for so long that I thought all movie goers knew about it, but a few people still left as soon as the movie ended so I want to let everyone in on the secret. Don’t rush out of the theater at the beginning of the credits. Stay until the very end and you will be rewarded with an extra bit of film. I won’t tell you what happens after the credits in Iron Man 3, all I can say is it is well worth it. Stay calm and watch on.

Image from www.amazon.com

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t just read on the weekend. I read 24/7. I probably read too much, if that is possible. My house is not spotless and I am not as thin as I would like to be because I’m probably reading. But this weekend I plan to read a new book.

“There is more treasure in Books than all the pirates loot on Treasure Island.” Walt Disney

Many of the classic Disney movies we enjoy were adapted from books. I love to read a book after I have seen the movie. Most of the time the book is better, but even when both the book and the movie are good they are rarely the same. Why not pick up a book you’ve never read, that is also a movie? You get to enjoy a great story twice.

5 great Disney movies that are also great books:

1) 101 Dalmatians/101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. There are more than 101 Dalmations in the book, but I love the book and all the movies equally.

2) Treasure Island/Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. The movie is fun, but the book really sucks you in.

3) Holes/Holes by Louis Sachar. I liked the movie better, but I know a lot of kids who loved the book.

4) Johnny Tremain/Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
. This is one of my favorite books and the movie was good, too.

5) Winnie the Pooh/Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne. Everyone knows the bear, but when did you last read the books. They are wonderful when read out loud.

A lot of these books are considered kids books, but they are so good that adults should read them, too. Plus, kids books tend to be shorter than adult books so maybe you’ll have time to read two books this weekend. I know I will. The dishes can wait. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you belong to a book club why not have a book and movie meeting. There are lots of books out there that have been made into movies, both by Disney and others. You can discuss the differences between the book and the movie and which you liked better.

Image from Disney Insider

Spring is here and Easter is on its way. All I can think about are bunnies and eggs. This week I found two great Disney articles about bunnies (okay, actually hares) and eggs and I would like to share them with you.

Touringplans.com shows you where the eggs were hidden during the Limited Time Magic Easter egg hunt. I wish I could have visited the parks last week. I would love to have played this game.

Disney Insider (an e-newletter that you can sign up for here) had a great article on why the March Hare in Alice in Wonderland is mad. I love both Disney Alice movies (although for very different reasons) and found this article wildly entertaining.

If you enjoyed these stories, why not share them with your friends? Spring may be the time for bunnies and eggs, but any time is the right time to share something fun. Happiness squared.

Goofy Trivia: My favorite March Hare factoid is that in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland the March Hare has a name listed in the credits although not mentioned in the movie. And what is his name? Thackery Earwicket the March Hare! That is an awesome name. I’d love to give him his own animated show just so I could say his name over and over. Thackery Earwicket!

For great tips that you can take with you on your tablet or smart phone download the Kindle app and buy a copy of Goofy Tips for a Happy Disney Vacation. For 99 cents you’ll have hundreds of great ideas for visiting the Disney Parks only an app away.

Image from www.spoonful.com

Easter is March 31 this year so I have St. Patrick’s Day and Easter decorations up at the same time. My green decorations are coming down so I am looking for more fun Easter decorations. As always spoonful.com comes to the rescue with their Disney Easter printables.

If you like to decorate eggs than you need to check out these ideas. Some of them are quite elaborate like the Buzz Lightyear egg. I have no talent with decorating Easter eggs so I like the Disney Easter egg stands.

Mickey Mouse is festive year round, but Easter still makes me think of rabbits so my favorite crafts have Thumper on them. Thumper is the cute bunny from Bambi. (“I’m thumpin’. That’s why they call me Thumper.”) I’d love to fill the Thumper basket with plastic eggs filled with pastel m&m’s.

With 48 craft ideas there is something for everyone. My favorite thing to do is invite people over and decorate eggs. By using these ideas you’ll have the best looking eggs on Easter morning. Happiness squared.

Goofy Craft: Would you like to have an Easter party? Spoonful.com has everything you need from invitations and crafts to games and food. Click here to see all the fun ideas. These ideas would also work great for anyone having a birthday party near Easter.

For great tips that you can take with you on your tablet or smart phone download the Kindle app and buy a copy of Goofy Tips for a Happy Disney Vacation. For 99 cents you’ll have hundreds of great ideas for visiting the Disney Parks only an app away.

My favorite doorknobs are in England. They are in the middle of the door which make the whole door look like a face. These doorknobs do not turn. They are just round handles that help you push the door open or pull the door closed. To latch or unlatch the door you have to turn the key. These doorknobs have such personality.

In your house your doorknobs probably all look alike. (Go look at your doorknobs now. I’ll wait.) The one on your front door may be more ornate, but I don’t think people spend a lot of thought on doorknobs. In contrast, the designers of the Disney parks spend lots of time thinking about doorknobs. The next time you are in the parks look at the doorknobs. You’ll probably find that no two are alike because each one adds to the story of the area.

Image from www.spoonful.com

It would be great fun to have different doorknobs throughout your house. But if that is outside of your budget why not just have talking doorknobs? Spoonful.com has fun instructions for making the talking doorknob from Alice in Wonderland . The instructions say to use construction paper, but I think it would be more sturdy to make them out of craft foam. Be careful, your door might complain the next time you turn its knob. And always be careful what you eat and drink. Happiness squared.

Goofy Quote: (As long as my doorknobs are this punny I’ll keep hoping they talk.)

For great tips that you can take with you on your tablet or smart phone download the Kindle app and buy a copy of Goofy Tips for a Happy Disney Vacation. For 99 cents you’ll have hundreds of great ideas for visiting the Disney Parks only an app away.

In case you didn’t notice, the world did not end on December 21. We are now in the 14th Baktun and I think it will be the best Baktun ever. We are also heading int0 2013 and I think it is going to be the best year ever.

You may be suffering from post-Christmas blues, where the gifts need to be returned, the sales need to be shopped, and the decorations are looking a little wilted. The last thing you want to think about is a new year and all the things you need to do in it.

Buck up! I say. The week between Christmas and New Years is one of my favorite times of year. Forget spring cleaning, I love taking the decorations down and putting my house back together. I get out the decorations that I love having around all year long and I dust everything so my house is ready to face a new year. I go through drawers while watching movies with my family and make space of all the new gifts I received. I look around my desk area and see if there are any projects that I can get done in 2012 so I go into 2013 with a clean slate, ready for new projects and new adventures.

And when I am done with all that I am ready to celebrate the start of a new year. I don’t do much because I am a little decorated out from Christmas, but thanks to spoonful.com I can make some cheerful Disney decorations that help get me in the mood to ring in the new year. From hats to banners to a New Year’s Wish List (my favorite) these fun crafts are a great way to spend an afternoon thinking of how wonderful 2013 will be. Why not start planning your resolutions (or as I call them, projects) now so that on January 1 you are ready to jump in with both feet? Happiness Squared.

Goofy Quote: (This quote came from the Disney page on Facebook. I think I’ll post it on my bathroom mirror so I see it every morning.)

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney

Image from www.spoonful.com

I am a crafter. If you have read this blog for a while you probably know that. I like to make things with fabric, paper, crayons, and anything else I find interesting. I am not an artist and readily use templates and other people’s designs. I used to get ideas by going to the library and checking out craft books. Now I get ideas in my inbox and I find myself with crafting overload. This is especially true at Christmas.

I would like to share my overabundance of craft ideas with you by providing you with the links to some wonderfully clever Christmas creations. These ideas come from the delightful Disney minds at spoonful.com where I am sure elves work year round designing crafty projects for all of us.

Crafts are very versatile. You can pick one to do with your child on a rainy afternoon. You can use them as a party activity. You can make them with a whole classroom of children. You can have craft time with your grandchildren. You can even make them yourself and give them as gifts. The possibilities are endless.

I wish you a crafty Christmas and a creative New Year. Happiness squared.

Homemade Christmas Card Ideas. In this world of mass-produced cards nothing says I love you like a homemade Christmas card. It is especially dear if the card is made by a child. This link has instructions for many different types of cards, so there is sure to be one that is just right.

Christmas Stocking Crafts. I love stockings. I love to see them hung up and I love it when they are personalized to each person. Many years ago I made my husband his own stocking and it is fun to see it hanging on the mantle, year after year. This link has ideas for stockings that will match everyone in your family. There is even one for your pet. I like these stockings because you don’t have to be an expert at sewing to make them. They would also make great gifts.

All Crafts Merry and Bright. If your child would like to give a gift to their teacher, or if you have a friend who has everything, but you still want to give them a little something, than these crafts are for you. They are very whimsical and charming, and most of them are temporary, so they don’t have to be dusted. However, they will be very appreciated.

Handmade & Heartfelt: 5 DIY Gift Projects. What I love about these crafty gift ideas is that they can be used for any holiday, not just Christmas. The shirt pillow would be perfect for Father’s Day and the personalized pots would be great for Mother’s Day. Plus, these gifts are useful as well as pretty.

Top 10 Disney Holiday Ornaments. Last, but not least, there are fun Disney ornaments for you to make. These would be great on the outside of a package, either as a decoration or as a name tag. Or give them as party favors at the end of a party. Perhaps during that party you can watch the Disney Christmas special. Add some of the great recipes from Friday’s A Goofy Idea post and your guests will never want to leave.

Goofy Gift: Are you needing a last minute gift for a Disney fan? Today is the last day that you can get Disney gift cards with a personalized picture on them. For more information check out this post at the Disney Parks Blog.

Image from Disney Parks Blog

I love all the blogs and e-newsletters that I get in my inbox every day. The ones I subscribe to are filled with motivational tips, Disney trivia, cool science facts, crafts, and recipes. This time of year the recipes are all extra-mouthwatering. Many of them are either created by Disney chefs or incorporate Disney characters. Below I have provided four of my favorite links. Most of these are from spoonful.com, but my absolute favorite is from the Disney Parks Blog. Just click on the link to go the the recipes. There is something for everyone. Happiness squared.

1) Christmas Cookies Galore! For many years my friends and I would have a cookie exchange and Christmas brunch. I always had the hardest time deciding which cookie to bring. That wasn’t because I had too many choices, it was because I never had creative cookie ideas. With this list I would have brought cookies that everyone would have complemented.

2) Sweet and Tasty Food Gifts. It can be very difficult to buy gifts for friends and business associates. One gift that is always appreciated is food. You are probably giving them something they don’t eat all the time so it is special, and they don’t have to dust or store it forever. Each recipe has a great picture that provides packaging ideas. This is a gift that the whole family can help prepare and give.

3) Top 45 Disney Cupcake Recipes. It’s that time of year when school classrooms everywhere have their winter party. When your child comes home and tells you he needs to bring cupcakes for the party what do you do? Do you panic? Do you wonder, “why me?” Or do you try to come up with fun ways to decorate the cupcakes? To help you make the coolest cupcakes ever spoonful.com has gathered 45 awesome cupcake designs featuring Disney characters from Tow Mater to the Cheshire Cat. You’ll be the most popular parent around, but beware, you’ll probably be asked to make cupcakes even more often.

4) S’mores Bake from the Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue at Disneyland. This s’mores recipe is so amazing that I am giving you the recipe below. It came from the Disney Parks Blog and is being served at Disneyland for just a few months. I would save room for this fun dessert. It has all the best parts of s’mores without the smoky fire, the burnt marshmallows and the sticky mouth and fingers. Enjoy!

S‘mores Bake Serves 8 1 (10.5-ounce) box fudge brownie mix 1 (1-pound) bag large marshmallows 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot fudge sauce, warmed 8 graham crackers

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 cake pan with cooking spray. Prepare brownie batter per package directions and pour into prepared cake pan. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
2. Turn oven to broil.
3. Place marshmallows over brownies. Leaving oven door ajar, place marshmallow-topped brownies under broiler 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown, watching very closely to avoid burning.
4. Drizzle hot fudge sauce over top of toasted marshmallows.
5. Take half of the graham crackers and break them into planks; crush other half of graham crackers into crumbs.
6. Sprinkle crushed graham crackers over top of toasted marshmallows, and place graham cracker planks randomly into toasted marshmallows. Serve immediately.

Goofy Tip: Bring some holiday cheer to your computer. Download this Disney holiday wallpaper and smile every time you turn on your computer.

Image from www.spoonful.com

When I was a kid I was never bored as long as I had paper, crayons, scissors, and tape. I loved to look through craft books from the library, but since those ideas usually needed supplies I didn’t have, I made up my own designs. I can’t tell you the number of “polar bears in a snow storm” pictures I hung on the wall. I thought they were hilarious.

The one craft I remember best was the year I made a life-sized Santa. I taped a bunch of typing paper together to make a big sheet of paper. Then I laid the paper on the tile and laid myself down on it. I drew around myself and then turned my outline into Santa Claus. (I wore my red crayon down to a nub.) It hung by the fireplace until Christmas day so Santa was sure to see it.

I wish spoonful.com had been around when I was a kid. I would have had a blast making all the fun paper crafts they come up with. I guess I am still a kid because I’ve been printing out a lot of these and decorating the house with great Disney Christmas decorations.

The Christmas printables from spoonful.com can be found here. There are crafts ranging from whimsical, to fun, to elegant. These ideas would be a perfect activity for a kid’s Christmas party, or as an antidote to the rainy day boredoms.

Along with crafts there are a selection of recipes. If you are looking for something fun to do with your kids, why not make some of these wonderful treats together in the kitchen? My favorite is the Mickey and Minnie Peppermint Swirl Cookies. They just look so festive and would be a wonderful gift for a teacher or neighbor. Why not make lasting memories with the kids in your life by baking together? I cherish the memories of making fudge with my mom after school.

From fancy decorations, to delicious Christmas cookies, to great gift ideas, you’ll find something special for everyone with these ideas from spoonful.com. Happiness Squared.

Goofy Craft: Need something quick to occupy a child? Click here and print out a fun Christmas coloring page. It has everyone’s favorite Disney characters and a charming snow scene.