No-sew Sock Bunnies

Several years ago my boys and I made snowmen out of socks. They were fun to make, and absolutely adorable... so I thought it would be fun to make no-sew sock bunnies for Easter. Seriously... how cute are these bunnies?!?!

To make these adorable bunnies, you'll need:

• a spare sock (I got mine at the dollar store)
• a pink pom pom for the nose and two white pom poms for under the nose
• googly eyes
• ribbon
• rice

Then:

• fill the sock (approx. 3/4 full) with rice and secure with an elastic
• use another elastic to separate the body from the head
• tie a ribbon around the elastic (at the neck)
• use glue to attach pom poms and googly eyes
• cut the top in half to create ears and trim to be the size and shape you want

Here is the one I made using a plain white sock.

And here is the one I made using a sock with a heart-shaped pattern. I also left the ears "long and droopy" for this one. What do you think?

I love that you can get a little creative with this craft. I think I might need to make a whole herd of bunnies.

These no-sew sock bunnies make a perfect Easter craft, but you could make them any time of year. I love that you can change the socks, ears, and ribbon. The sky's the limit. Get creative and have some fun!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more easy and inexpensive Easter crafts, recipes and activities here.

Tips for baking light and fluffy biscuits

I bake a lot, but for years my biscuits were a bust. I tried several recipes, but they always turned out flat. It took me years to figure out what I was doing wrong, but now that I have it figured out, I thought I would share my findings with you. If you want light and fluffy biscuits, here is what you need to know:

1) Make sure your baking powder (not baking soda) is fresh. Baking powder is a leavening agent that loses its effectiveness over time. (It's usually good for 9 to 12 months, so if yours is older than that, throw it out.)

2) Mix the dough COLD. The cold (straight from the fridge) bits of butter are what is going to make the biscuits light and fluffy.

3) Use a pastry blender. Cutting the dough with a pastry blender (and not your warm hands) is key. There are tons of inexpensive options, but this one has positive reviews. You can also use the "two knife" method to cut up the dough... but a pastry blender is MUCH easier.

4) Don't overwork the dough. Just knead the dough until everything is combined. Overworking the dough makes the biscuits flat.

5) Bake the biscuits HOT. Make sure you bake the biscuits in a really hot oven. I cook mine at 450 degrees.

6) Don't roll the dough too thin. I roll my dough about 3/4" thick.

7) Use a tried and true recipe. Here is the one I bake weekly, and I'm never disappointed.

My favourite Light and Fluffy Biscuits

Are you a biscuit pro? Would you add anything to my list? If you struggle with flat biscuits, I hope these ideas help you "up your game". Light, fluffy, and buttery biscuits are the best, don't you think?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple St.Patrick's Day Food Ideas

When it comes to St.Patrick's Day food, many people opt for traditional Irish fare, but a simple way to celebrate is to go with a green and rainbow coloured theme. How fun is this simple St.Patrick's Day buffet featuring green pancakes with rainbow sprinkles?

Green milk in  a wine glass with a rainbow straw (plastic straw covered with Froot Loops) is also fun!

Froot Loops also become "rainbow seeds" when you add the free printable tag you can find here.

And, if you have a Shamrock-shaped cookie cutter, you can easily cook up these adorable Shamrock pancakes. Cute, right?

And finally, extra Froot Loops can be used to make rainbow necklaces for dessert. It's a fun and festive craft for kids of all ages!

What are you serving your family on St.Patrick's Day? I think I'll set up a green buffet. It's an easy and inexpensive way to celebrate March 17th!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Pi Day Treats

Did you know that March 14 is "Pi" day? Get it? π is 3.14 (so the fourteeth day of the third month is Pi Day). And... because I love to celebrate everything... and I am kind of a nerd... I thought I would make some simple Pi Day treats.

The basis of these treats is that π goes on forever. So, when you read these tags, you can replace "π" with "forever".

This one would be fun for a teacher to share with her class.

This one is perfect for parents to give to their kids.

This one is great for kids to share with their friends / classmates.

To download the tags I designed (for free): click on one of the pictures below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Aren't these treats super-cute?

I put together treat bags for my boy's lunches, and it made me smile. I told you I was a nerd! lol

Happy π Day!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

No Bake Chocolate and Coconut Cookies (Haystacks / Cow Plops / Spider Cookies)

Every Spring, my boys and I make bird nest cookies. They are filled with chocolate covered eggs, but the base of the cookies is what makes them so special. In fact, as a stand alone cookie, these "no bake" chocolate oatmeal cookies are a winner any time of year. They go by lots of names, but my family always called them "haystacks", "cow plops" or "spider cookies". Whatever you call them, they are delicious, and I'm sharing the recipe below.

The secret to these cookies is to have the dry ingredients ready, so when the chocolate mixture boils, the two mixtures can be combined and spooned out before the mixture starts to dry out.

To make these no bake chocolate coconut cookies:

1) Mix together the following dry ingredients, and set aside:
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 tsp salt

2) Put the following ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil:
2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3) Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients.

4) Before the mixture starts to dry out, drop the mixture from heaping teaspoons onto wax paper, and allow to cool completely.

These cookies are easy to make, and they are packed a rich chocolate flavour. Have you ever had these yummy no bake chocolate and coconut cookies? What do you call them?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

DIY Hot Chocolate Bar... with free printable "Snow Day Hot Chocolate Bar" sign

Hot chocolate bars are perfect for winter. They are simple to put together, and they are popular with people of all ages. Who doesn't love to wrap their hands around a hot cup on a cold day?

Mason jars (of different sizes) are great for displaying the "hot chocolate bar" ingredients. Consider including: hot chocolate, marshmallows, cookies, whipped cream, sprinkles, and chocolate kisses.

You can also add some simple decorations to your table. I used some dollar store snowflakes, a dollar store tablecloth, and a snowman sign I designed.

To download the sign I designed (for free): click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

You can also decorate white styrofoam glasses with Sharpies. How cute are these snowmen cups my boys made?

Kids (and adults) will love creating their own hot chocolate creations. Clearly my youngest son has an affection for whipped cream and sprinkles! lol

A simple hot chocolate bar is a perfect place to gather together after a fun day playing outdoors.

What would you include in your hot chocolate bar? The possibilities really are endless. Add your favourites, and have some fun!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)