Teen Crafts ~ Dye-Free Candy Canes

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I really enjoyed looking at the links and ideas for the previous post but it really, really got me missing those days when my olders (and youngest!) were younger and we did more things like that (sniff, sniff!).

So, after I wallowed in my yearning for a bit (and got lost in some of the links) I decided to search out some "teen crafts" and found some treasures.  Here are some I found.  Enjoy!

[This is me trying to embrace a new era of our family life with older and growing children!]

http://pinterest.com/oregonpublib/teen-crafts/

http://pinterest.com/doris_benter/crafts-for-teens/

http://www.freekidscrafts.com/teen_crafts-t53.html

http://www.oneprettything.com/

http://www.craftjr.com/teen-crafts/

http://www.makingfriends.com/teen_crafts.htm

Of course, there is always image google.  This is the search for teen craft (you can find slightly different ones if you also search teen crafts):
http://tinyurl.com/blscjuk 

Some specific ones I liked:
http://sometimescrafter.blogspot.com/2009/03/tutorial-hot-pads.html

http://www.the36thavenue.com/2012/09/diy-fall-hot-pads-tutorial.html

http://craftsbyamanda.com/2012/10/recycle-craft-cd-coasters.html

http://www.makingfriends.com/gifts/bandana_tote.htm

http://beautyandbedlam.com/crafts-using-old-vintage-jewelry/

What's Cookin'?

[warning: ramble alert!]

Well, it's not cooking but it IS food... Christmas treats to be exact.  Actually, to be more exact, candy canes!  I had looked and looked online and found zilch at amazon or other places online high shipping for a few boxes of candy canes and was resigned to trying to make them or only being able to afford one box for all dc and friends for the whole season (dh eats a lot of candy canes but doesn't 'like' the organic ones so I get him a box of sugared petroleum and fake dye in the shape of a candy cane).  One busy afternoon, youngest dd (who specifically doesn't do red dye although all dc and I avoid it like the plague) and I were browsing the candy aisle of a local grocery store (which we never do!) looking for some kind of natural chocolate treat.... And there they were... at least 3 feet of shelf space (!)... organic candy canes for only $3.99/box!!!  I let out an audible gasp and called her attention to them.  She let out an even bigger audible gasp.  We snatched four boxes.  We put back three and kept one.  We  Dd literally gazed at it and hugged it.

Then I asked a worker nearby if she knew who was responsible for ordering them.  She said her boss and did I want her to go get her?  No (said I)... but please tell her that she has made one family very, very happy and one little girl very happy and thank you so much and she has no idea how hard it is to find these and we'll be back for more and I really, really didn't want to have to try to learn to make them from scratch so they saved me lots of time and frustration and my child is so excited and so am I and thank you!

You may, like the worker, think I am off the deep end with my gratitude about the candy cane find; however, when you are on a tight, tight budget but can't (and won't) eat the petroleum/dye-filled canes that are an integrated part of  Christmas decor and treats (although, of course, not the essence of Christmas) and your children already do without so many "easy" treats all year and you really, really would like them to enjoy some simple candy canes (plus they really like them!).... well... I was thrilled to find them!

Now I need to call the health food store that was willing to order them (at a higher cost) and tell them to not order for my sake; although she said that they do order anyway.  The ones we found locally are TruJoy.  Here is a great fact page explaining them:
http://www.trujoysweets.com/faqs/

Oh, we ended up finding some natural peanut butter cups and sunflower butter cups for our special treat that day - for less than a candy bar at the checkout!