Kaylea Hutson's Blog, page 25
July 5, 2012
DIY Flower lollipops
Earlier this spring, I found a post on Catholic Icing, that used Jolly Ranchers to make your own cross (or flower) lollipops. You can see her original post here.
For an Easter treat, a friend and I tried making the cross lollipops. They were such a success, 'I wanted to try making the flowers. Which while they weren't perfect, the kids I gave them to, loved them.
So here's the supply list.
Supplies: (Everything was available for purchase today at Walmart.)
Regular Jolly Rancher CandyThe bag I purchased had green apple, blue raspberry, cheery, watermelon and grape.
Life Savers (Not pictured)I used the "smoothy" kind, but I think the "regular" life savers would be just fine. (The ones I used took a wee bit more time to melt.)
Lollipop SticksWalmart sold them in packs of 25. You can also use wooden kitchen skewers.
Aluminum FoilYou'll use this to line the baking pan.
Cheap Sandwich BagsGet the kind that "fold" close. - No ziplock closings.
RibbonI bought purple, so it would be a "color" of the season.
A Cookie Sheet (or two)The bigger the sheet, the more you can do at once. The sheet we used comfortably made at least four flowers at a time - they need room to spread out.
Instructions:1) Preheat the oven to 225 degrees &
line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Make sure it's "shiny" side up.
2) Sort your Jolly Ranchers by color. You'll need five candies per lollipop for the flower petals. You'll also need one Life Saver for each "center" (not shown.).
3) Unwrap your candies. Put the "middle" of your flower on the cookie sheet. Make sure you space them out enough so that you can build the rest of the flower AND leave room for the stick. Note - since all are melting together at the same time, you can just put everything on the cookie sheet at the same time. However, because my Life Savers were the "smoothy" kind, I put them in the oven for approximately one minute - before attaching the petals. (This gets them "melty and sticky" so the rest of the pieces stick to it in the remaining steps.)
4) Remove your pan from the oven (this is probably not a "kid friendly" step). Arrange the stick around the middle of your flower. Like with the crosses, I kind of "pushed" them into the sticky middle, to make sure everything "blended" well.
Note that the Jolly Ranchers melt in "random" ways, so the petals aren't perfectly symmetrical, but they do make creative shapes. Also: It really works better if you have everything unwrapped BEFORE you start the melting process. You have a bit of time to "squish" them together, but it worked best if I had everything ready for when the middles came out of the oven.
5) Allow the candy to cool. When it's hard, you'll be able to lift it off the foil with ease.
6) Use the sandwich bags to "wrap" the candies. Tie it closed with ribbon. I used purple, because it is a color represented in Lent/Easter.
Enjoy!
Want to see my first post - the DIY Cross Lollipops? You can read that original post here: 
For an Easter treat, a friend and I tried making the cross lollipops. They were such a success, 'I wanted to try making the flowers. Which while they weren't perfect, the kids I gave them to, loved them.
So here's the supply list.
Supplies: (Everything was available for purchase today at Walmart.)
Regular Jolly Rancher CandyThe bag I purchased had green apple, blue raspberry, cheery, watermelon and grape.
Life Savers (Not pictured)I used the "smoothy" kind, but I think the "regular" life savers would be just fine. (The ones I used took a wee bit more time to melt.)
Lollipop SticksWalmart sold them in packs of 25. You can also use wooden kitchen skewers.
Aluminum FoilYou'll use this to line the baking pan.
Cheap Sandwich BagsGet the kind that "fold" close. - No ziplock closings.
RibbonI bought purple, so it would be a "color" of the season.
A Cookie Sheet (or two)The bigger the sheet, the more you can do at once. The sheet we used comfortably made at least four flowers at a time - they need room to spread out.
Instructions:1) Preheat the oven to 225 degrees &
line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Make sure it's "shiny" side up.
2) Sort your Jolly Ranchers by color. You'll need five candies per lollipop for the flower petals. You'll also need one Life Saver for each "center" (not shown.).
3) Unwrap your candies. Put the "middle" of your flower on the cookie sheet. Make sure you space them out enough so that you can build the rest of the flower AND leave room for the stick. Note - since all are melting together at the same time, you can just put everything on the cookie sheet at the same time. However, because my Life Savers were the "smoothy" kind, I put them in the oven for approximately one minute - before attaching the petals. (This gets them "melty and sticky" so the rest of the pieces stick to it in the remaining steps.)
4) Remove your pan from the oven (this is probably not a "kid friendly" step). Arrange the stick around the middle of your flower. Like with the crosses, I kind of "pushed" them into the sticky middle, to make sure everything "blended" well.
Note that the Jolly Ranchers melt in "random" ways, so the petals aren't perfectly symmetrical, but they do make creative shapes. Also: It really works better if you have everything unwrapped BEFORE you start the melting process. You have a bit of time to "squish" them together, but it worked best if I had everything ready for when the middles came out of the oven.5) Allow the candy to cool. When it's hard, you'll be able to lift it off the foil with ease.
6) Use the sandwich bags to "wrap" the candies. Tie it closed with ribbon. I used purple, because it is a color represented in Lent/Easter.
Enjoy!
Want to see my first post - the DIY Cross Lollipops? You can read that original post here:
July 4, 2012
Pinterest strikes again: Fruit Snack
Spending time on Pinterest can be, well, slightly dangerous.
It can also make you want to try new things.
Today's experiment involved making my own fruit snacks.
Note: I LOVE fruit snacks - so this was a chance to be creative AND make a yummy snack.
The Ingredients
1 (3 oz) package gelatin, any flavor2 (.25 oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin1/3 c. water
You also need either small ice cube trays or Jell-O molds.
(I purchased two trays today, so that was my biggest expense)
Pretty simple. In honor of the Fourth, I used Cherry Lemonade and Berry Blue Jell-O to try the treat.
The Directions
Start by sprinkling the gelatin (both flavored and unflavored)into the water, in a small saucepan.
You'll heat it over medium heat and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Pour into molds.
Allow to set at least 20 minutes.
ResultsThey are yummy, but they are a bit chewy and sticky.I wasn't sure if I needed to refrigerate them, so they get a bit "chewier" when cold.
Overall, it's probably not going to replace the use
of regular fruit snacks for kidz ministry events,
but they would definitely provide a fun snack that kidlets can make on a hot day.
I'll probably try them again. I might add a wee bit more water,
to see if that helps with the chewiness.
(I'm also going to look for a
different mold just for fun at the dollar store!)
The Recipe At A Glance
Homemade Jello Fruit Snacks Recipe:Ingredients:1 (3 oz) package gelatin, any flavor2 (.25 oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin1/3 c. water
Directions:Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour into molds and allow to set at least 20 minutes.
You can see the original pin here: Click here.
It can also make you want to try new things.
Today's experiment involved making my own fruit snacks.
Note: I LOVE fruit snacks - so this was a chance to be creative AND make a yummy snack.
The Ingredients
1 (3 oz) package gelatin, any flavor2 (.25 oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin1/3 c. waterYou also need either small ice cube trays or Jell-O molds.
(I purchased two trays today, so that was my biggest expense)
Pretty simple. In honor of the Fourth, I used Cherry Lemonade and Berry Blue Jell-O to try the treat.
The Directions
Start by sprinkling the gelatin (both flavored and unflavored)into the water, in a small saucepan. 
You'll heat it over medium heat and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Pour into molds.
Allow to set at least 20 minutes.
ResultsThey are yummy, but they are a bit chewy and sticky.I wasn't sure if I needed to refrigerate them, so they get a bit "chewier" when cold.Overall, it's probably not going to replace the use
of regular fruit snacks for kidz ministry events,
but they would definitely provide a fun snack that kidlets can make on a hot day.
I'll probably try them again. I might add a wee bit more water,
to see if that helps with the chewiness.
(I'm also going to look for a
different mold just for fun at the dollar store!)
The Recipe At A Glance
Homemade Jello Fruit Snacks Recipe:Ingredients:1 (3 oz) package gelatin, any flavor2 (.25 oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin1/3 c. water
Directions:Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour into molds and allow to set at least 20 minutes.
You can see the original pin here: Click here.
July 3, 2012
June In Review
Scenes from my 365 project from June.
July 2, 2012
Diving into my Project 365
I'm midway through my Project 365 (plus 1) for 2012.
I've used a variety of things to "inspire" me each day - beyond just snapping a single pic out of pure randomness.
Recently, I ran across this list for July thanks to a friend's post on Instagram.
I'm sure my pics will vary this month, \but it's a fresh way to capture a piece of life, one picture at a time.
Here's the pics I've taken for the first couple of days.....
1) Self Portrait
Not the best self portrait I've taken in a while, but it's a snapshot of where I'm at - in need of a haircut, and a wee bit tired. but that's ok - it's just life!
2) Busy
Originally, I planned for this pic to capture a look at my desk - which let's face it, is full of VBS stuff. But as I was walking from my office to the main office suite, I saw two volunteers rapidly making deviled eggs. They were tying to make tray upon tray of the eggs for the Under the Bridge meal.
(If you don't know what UTB is,it's an amazing ministry that provides a good, solid meal for the homeless and near homeless, under the Broadway Bridge in Little Rock. St. James provides the meal twice a month.)
So I put down my stuff, washed my hands and well, helped make eggs. They weren't sure how many people would make it to help serve a holiday-week meal, so I jumped in the last car and headed to the Bridge.
So this is a "good kind of busy" because it meant that I wasn't thinking about myself, but rather, thinking about others.
Which kind of puts things into perspective - in a good way.
So how are you capturing life in 2012?What do you use for your Project 365 prompts?
I've used a variety of things to "inspire" me each day - beyond just snapping a single pic out of pure randomness.
Recently, I ran across this list for July thanks to a friend's post on Instagram.
I'm sure my pics will vary this month, \but it's a fresh way to capture a piece of life, one picture at a time.Here's the pics I've taken for the first couple of days.....
1) Self Portrait
Not the best self portrait I've taken in a while, but it's a snapshot of where I'm at - in need of a haircut, and a wee bit tired. but that's ok - it's just life!2) Busy
Originally, I planned for this pic to capture a look at my desk - which let's face it, is full of VBS stuff. But as I was walking from my office to the main office suite, I saw two volunteers rapidly making deviled eggs. They were tying to make tray upon tray of the eggs for the Under the Bridge meal.(If you don't know what UTB is,it's an amazing ministry that provides a good, solid meal for the homeless and near homeless, under the Broadway Bridge in Little Rock. St. James provides the meal twice a month.)
So I put down my stuff, washed my hands and well, helped make eggs. They weren't sure how many people would make it to help serve a holiday-week meal, so I jumped in the last car and headed to the Bridge.
So this is a "good kind of busy" because it meant that I wasn't thinking about myself, but rather, thinking about others.
Which kind of puts things into perspective - in a good way.
So how are you capturing life in 2012?What do you use for your Project 365 prompts?
July 1, 2012
Blog Tour: Passages (Review)
Let's face it. Life is busy.We run from thing to thing, trying to juggle life, job and family.
What could make a difference?
For Brian Hardin, the different in his life came when he quit reading the Bible in "chunks" but instead, really dived into the words.
Savored them and let them settle into his life, as a "daily" meal, rather than something for a special occasion.
In Passages, Hardin outlines how reading the Bible throughout the year has made a difference in his life. He also shares how his ministry, Daily Audio Bible, came about.
The book also includes three reading plans you can use immediately,
I enjoyed reading this book. It a way, it wasn't anything I didn't already know. I mean, I tell my students about the importance of reading the Bible, and truly letting the words soak into your life.
But this book maybe serves as a simple reminder of what Christians need to remember. I'm also intrigued by his daily podcasts of the Bible passages.
It's also an engaging tale - almost a spiritual memoir - of Hardin's journey of discovery.
Truly, Hardin wants people to experience the Bible in a variety of ways - auditory for the listening learning styles, and by reading it, for the visual learners.
I'm glad I picked up this book. It's definitely a "keeper" for the reference shelf - and maybe even a pass along to people wanting to dive into a daily reading plan.
More About This Book
How Reading the Bible in a Year will Change Everything For You
Many Christians feel guilty when they think of reading the Bible. Though they want to love reading Scripture, they rarely have time for more than a few verses on the run. But the Bible is not meant to be a burden. It is the story of God’s passionate love for His children. It is also not a book of mystical incantations. It is a best friend offering counsel and companionship. And it is not a distant relic, but something very near. Near enough, in fact, to be every reader’s story.
So how do Christians delight in this story rather than see it as a source of failure? The founder of the immensely popular Daily Audio Bible, Brian Hardin shows readers how reading through the Bible in a year will change their life and the lives of others. Passages shows readers how to read the Bible and offers practical ideas for immersing themselves in God’s life-giving words. Here readers will discover that reading the Bible can be a breathtaking adventure.
About The Author
Brian Hardin is a speaker, photographer, record producer and an ordained minister. In 2006, he created the Daily Audio Bible, an online podcast that now delivers 1.5 million downloads a month. He has produced over 150 albums and works with artists and the arts extensively. He is married to Christian musician Jill Parr.
Visit http://dailyaudiobible.com.com for more.
Share on Social Media
Want to help spread the word about this book on a social network?
Tweet This:
Passages by @realbrianhardin is practical, enjoyable & a gift to those battling spiritual boredom! http://ow.ly/bJSrR @Litfuse @zondervan
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Online Resources
Follow the blog tour:
http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13507671/brianhardin
Daily Bible Reading & Devotion!
Passages Book Trailer from Brian Hardin on Vimeo.
As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.
June 30, 2012
Blog Tour: Director's Cut (Review)
In her third book in the Backstage Pass series, Janice Thompson dives back into the cast of colorful characters her readers have come to love.This installment, which revolves around Tia Morales, provides yet another brilliant and humorous look behind the lens at "Stars Collide" - the television creation of Thompson.
Thompson tells the story of Tia, a director used to being in control. She calls the shots in a neat, orderly fashion.
But Tia's life outside the studio - with her crazy, zany family - doesn't flow like her favorite screenplay. Instead, it is colorful, full of life and a wee bit insane.
Through that loving insanity, Tia learns several life lessons - including how to let love enter her life in an unexpected way.
I really like Thompson's writing style. She has a wit that is enjoyable, and a humor that will make you laugh out loud.
At times, I wished Stars Collide would actually appear on tv as a new drama - it is crafted in such away that you can truly see her images jump off the page.
On the scale of one to five, I give it a solid three and a half. If you are looking for a good summer read, I highly recommend anything by Thompson. It's definitely a fun, "beach" style read.
More About The Book
The one thing she can't direct is her heart.
Tia Morales is used to calling the shots. She's the director of the popular sitcom Stars Collide, and her life on the set is calculated and orderly. Well, most of the time. Life outside the studio is another matter. If only she could get other people to behave as well as her stars do! When she starts to have feelings for handsome cameraman Jason Harris--with whom she's been butting heads for months--it's enough to send a girl over the edge. Will she ever learn to let go and take life--and love--as it comes?
Full of the humor and crazy family dynamics Janice Thompson fans have come to love, this colorful story gives you an inside look at Hollywood and a healthy dose of romance.
If you want more of Bella, DJ, Brock Benson, and other favorite characters from Janice Thompson, you'll love the Backstage Pass series.
About The Author
Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series. She lives in Texas.Online Resources
Read an excerpt here.
Buy it at Amazon.com
My Review of Stars, Collide (Book 1)
My Review of Hello, Hollywood (Book 2)
Follow Thompson's blog here
Check out this article about her here!
About Revell, The Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.
Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.
June 29, 2012
Destination: Pine Bluff (A few favorite pics)
I'll have more - trust me, I have tons of pics on my camera card, not yet processed. But here are a few of my favorite Instagram pics, which help capture the flavor of the Mission Trip.
Allison and JackTwo "veterans" on the trip.Both make me laugh, smile and remember to enjoy life(in their own way)It's because of Jack, I now own the Pink Panther theme song.(You never know what I'll buy for a talent show entry)Allison reminds me to take time to do kid things- and go to bed.....
Serving with a smile.The "guys" fix lunch for the girls.Without complaint.
The Table Is Set.One of my favorite parts of the trip includes ourclosing worship communion service.The altar was decorated with transformers because the represented our theme - Be Transformed.
A Partnership.I loved this pic of David Flemming, the pastor of First UMC - Pine Bluff - because he showed ushow this trip could truly be a partnership between a local church and the community.
EmilyAnother face that reminds me to smile and to stop and have fun.(You will Instagram that picture - was her only questionwhen I snapped this shot!)
Choose your own caption A) I'm a wee bit devious orB) Aunt kaylea you have fallen for my evil plan.Kiki on the mission trip.
Watching Sandra flourish as an adult chaperone on this trip.Here she is playing Scrabble Slap with Mary Jett.
The gathering place.It was amazing the natural flow of conversation and even gaming (Apples to Apples rocks)that took place while tweens were waiting for the shower.
With family.They may not be my natural-born nieces, but they are family.I love watching them grow in their faith and seinghow God moves in their lives.
The challenge.Ok, the pic of me going down this slide is still on my camera, but imagine sitting at the top, with a crowd of tweens at the bottom shouting your name.Sometimes being a "fool" means more than the richest gold or silver.I took up the challenge and went down the slide(ok, several times)much to the delight of the tweens.
Allison and JackTwo "veterans" on the trip.Both make me laugh, smile and remember to enjoy life(in their own way)It's because of Jack, I now own the Pink Panther theme song.(You never know what I'll buy for a talent show entry)Allison reminds me to take time to do kid things- and go to bed..... 
Serving with a smile.The "guys" fix lunch for the girls.Without complaint.
The Table Is Set.One of my favorite parts of the trip includes ourclosing worship communion service.The altar was decorated with transformers because the represented our theme - Be Transformed.
A Partnership.I loved this pic of David Flemming, the pastor of First UMC - Pine Bluff - because he showed ushow this trip could truly be a partnership between a local church and the community.
EmilyAnother face that reminds me to smile and to stop and have fun.(You will Instagram that picture - was her only questionwhen I snapped this shot!)
Choose your own caption A) I'm a wee bit devious orB) Aunt kaylea you have fallen for my evil plan.Kiki on the mission trip.
Watching Sandra flourish as an adult chaperone on this trip.Here she is playing Scrabble Slap with Mary Jett.
The gathering place.It was amazing the natural flow of conversation and even gaming (Apples to Apples rocks)that took place while tweens were waiting for the shower.
With family.They may not be my natural-born nieces, but they are family.I love watching them grow in their faith and seinghow God moves in their lives.
The challenge.Ok, the pic of me going down this slide is still on my camera, but imagine sitting at the top, with a crowd of tweens at the bottom shouting your name.Sometimes being a "fool" means more than the richest gold or silver.I took up the challenge and went down the slide(ok, several times)much to the delight of the tweens.
June 28, 2012
Destination: Pine Bluff - The Service Projects
Our projects at Destination: Pine Bluff involved working at Neighbor to Neighbor, a collaborative ministry in Pine Bluff, and the Salvation Army.
At Neighbor To Neighbor, the students had a list of jobs to do - in fact it seemed like a hugely lengthy list.
One of the "tedious" task involved taking cans of food off of the shelf, washing the shelves, and then returning the cans to the same spots.
Everyone - students and adults alike, hung in there. moved cans and did the task without complaint.
Another piece of the job involved sorting hangers. Let's face it - that's a job not many life. But the kids did it, again, without complaint.
In fact, remember that list on the first picture. They completed it all - and did a few other things not listed!
On Friday, our project involved working at the Salvation Army. The students sorted clothing, organized hangers - yes, more hangers, and also re-organized the entire book room (we found some really interesting titles).
All in all, it was a good mission trip. The students' worked hard - and got a lot done.[image error]
At Neighbor To Neighbor, the students had a list of jobs to do - in fact it seemed like a hugely lengthy list.
One of the "tedious" task involved taking cans of food off of the shelf, washing the shelves, and then returning the cans to the same spots.
Everyone - students and adults alike, hung in there. moved cans and did the task without complaint.
Another piece of the job involved sorting hangers. Let's face it - that's a job not many life. But the kids did it, again, without complaint.In fact, remember that list on the first picture. They completed it all - and did a few other things not listed!
On Friday, our project involved working at the Salvation Army. The students sorted clothing, organized hangers - yes, more hangers, and also re-organized the entire book room (we found some really interesting titles).
All in all, it was a good mission trip. The students' worked hard - and got a lot done.[image error]
June 27, 2012
Scenes from Destination:Pine Bluff
Here are a few pics from Destination: Pine Bluff mission trip.
Enjoy
The full team
St. James UMC
Elm Springs UMC
First UMC Bella Vista
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Enjoy
The full team
St. James UMC
Elm Springs UMC
First UMC Bella Vista
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
June 25, 2012
Blog Tour: Angel Eyes (Review)
Imagine a literary blender.In it you combine a heroine with a tragic past, a strange and romantic young man, a remote setting slightly similar to Twilight, a battle of good verses evil, a celestial battle involving demons and angels and a heavy subject - human trafficking.
Mix all of those things together and you have the newest release by Shannon Dittemore - Angel Eyes.
Angel Eyes is definitely interesting. Dittemore creates her novel using a dialogue that switches back and forth between the main characters.
I think Dittemore has created a novel that will be quite attractive to fans of Twilight. Strong characters, good dialogue and more.
I'll be honest, the writing style - having multiple voices driving the dialogue - is NOT my favorite style. I find it confusing to follow the storyline. However, I think this novel will appeal to the "target audience" - teens and young adults.
On the scale of one to five, I give it a three - and pass it along to one of the teens in my world.
More About The Book
(From The Publisher)
Once you've seen, you can't unsee. Everything changes when you've looked at the world through . . .Angel Eyes
Brielle went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She's come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can't seem to shake.
Jake's the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.
Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what's going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.
A realm that only angels and demons-and Brielle- can perceive.
More About The AuthorShannon is a wife and mother. A sister. A daughter. A friend. She was raised in Northern California by her parents-pastors of their local church and constant figures of inspiration.
As a youth, Shannon traveled with an award-winning performing arts team, excelling on stage and in the classroom. As a young adult, she attended Portland Bible College, continued acting, and worked with an outreach team targeting inner-city kids in the Portland-Metropolitan area.
It was in Portland that she met her husband, Matt. They were married in 2002. Soon after, they took the reins of the youth ministry at Living Way Community Church in Roseville, California where they continue to serve in that capacity. In October of 2004, their son Justus was born, followed by their daughter Jazlyn, born in 2008.
Online Resources
Find out more at www.shannondittemore.com.
See What Others Think: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13501700/angeleyes
As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Litfuse Publicity Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.
