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Loving Lately

So inspired by these adorable snack creations we see on Pinterest, we had to recreate some that we thought possible. We also wanted to see if making healthy food look cute would actually make our kids eat more of a variety of fruits… the short answer is, no. They basically ate their familiar favorites; and were a bit disappointed if they were touching the less desirable items on the plate. That being said, we’re pretty relieved, because some of these beauties are sort of a pain to make if not for a special occasion. We do agree though, that making these little edible works of art would be an awesome addition to a kid’s party- or the centerpiece of a fruit platter. Here are some of our fruitful presentations…

The apple umbrella with blueberry raindrop (pictured above) was so simple and fast, we can see making it again…perhaps for one of those warmer rainy spring days that lie ahead (yes it’s coming…you have to keep the faith!)

If you don’t know what to do with your picky eater’s apple peelings… how about adding them to some strawberry flowers and making them into a tree? Isn’t this panda the cutest!?

Inspired by an Instagram photo from @cutechichai, this may have been the winner with the kids. Maybe it was the whimsical way the girl holds a bouquet of balloons, or maybe it was the marshmallows? (Okay, it was definitely the marshmallows.)

Seriously, the camera loved these guys! With peanut butter, bananas and blueberries on toast, the kids did too. The best part is it was a cinch to assemble, and we could see ourselves putting it together on a weekday school morning. (And, with a an added drizzle of honey, it even became lunch to a hungry Sadie-bear.)

These tropical fruits make up the perfect palm tree basking in the warm sunshine. Great for kids, but maybe it could inspire us adults too? Get bikini ready and enjoy the snack… and just picture yourself under the shady palms.

Moove over palm tree, it’s time to eat like a cow. Blackberries and cream cheese fruit dip make a delicious topping to toast, and the green apple grass is such a cute detail! (Side note: this adorable creation inspired by an instagram pic from @darynakossar took the longest to assemble.)

Hope you enjoyed our kid’s food reproductions. If you have any you’d like to share, tag us on Instagram @sadiesnest. We’d love to see your masterpieces!

Entertaining the Kids: Pumpkin Fun!

It’s pumpkin time! Woohoo! I am not a pumpkin carver. Boo, hiss, say what you will. It is no secret that I’m not a craft lover. Thankfully I have creative people in my life who enhance the creativity in my children. For example my mother, who found this activity on Pinterest. Hurray for grandmas! As it is, I have young children not ready for carving themselves. So this is a perfect option, even for last minute too.

What you need:

plastic/cloth or newspaper

pumpkins

glue stick

crayons

hair dryer

Oh, and that secret ingredient: enthusiasm!

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Place the plastic or cloth on your workspace. This doesn’t have to be fancy. It could be a garbage bag on your kitchen table. Place the pumpkins in go position (on top of your prepared workspace). Tip: Use room temperature pumpkins

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Unwrap and break the crayons in half. My kids liked this part best.

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Use the glue stick around the top of the pumpkin stem to get a sticky surface for the crayons. Place the crayons around in your own artistic color pattern. And hey, if you want to use a pumpkin with a nicer fuller stem than ours, that’s your prerogative.

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When crayons are set, bust out that hairdryer and blow! This could get messy (hence the table cover).

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You’ll naturally find that you need to adjust the hairdryer angle to work the drips, mostly from directly above facing down. We also found that working one section at a time seemed easier than letting the wax harden again as you try to go around.

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Have fun! Then admire your work Picasso!