Look what's happening on Hubbard Road!

Things are finally heating up over on Hubbard Road.  I've been having all kinds of crazy fun designing some new printables.  Don't miss out on these new posts!

Double the Fun in London!

Mail Carrier Appreciation

Taco Love

Hello Friends!

How have you been?

It's been a very long time as I am sure that you have noticed.  I had some life events that took me away from this blog of mine for several years.  BUT, I'm back and will start bringing you more of the goodies that you have come to expect.  I am making a few changes...BIG changes.  The biggest is that I am changing my venue.  I will now be blogging at Hubbard Road.  A fresh space and a fresh look will be a welcome change.  Many of the downloads on this blog have become corrupted over the years.  So I will be sprucing up and re-posting some of your favorites on Hubbard Road along with lots of new ideas.  I have also opened an Etsy shop and am offering many of my handmade items for you to purchase there.  Good news, right? I hope that you will stop in to see what I'm up to.  Please follow and like and pin and share your favorites with all of your friends!

See you soon on Hubbard Road!

S'more Grateful

 
So, we've been out of town enjoying our summer together as a family.  And my wonderful neighbor volunteered to take care of our yard for us while we were gone.  This is no task for the faint of heart.  I have a lot of flowers that need to be tended to and watered manually.  It's kind of a pain.  Not to mention the vegetable gardens and the grass.  I wanted to do something nice for her.  Something fun.  Something summery.

What says summer more than...s'mores?

Nothing.  That's what.  So I ran to the store.  All you need is a package of fudge graham crackers and a package of marshmallows.  I love making s'mores this way.  The chocolate is already built in!  Delicious!
Just wrap it up with a tag and a bow and you are good to go!

Thanks neighbor!  You're the best!

Introducing...Sister Minionaries!!

We couldn't have "Elder" minionaries without their sister counterparts, now could we?  The injustice of it all.  Sister Missionaries are wonderful and amazing.  I was actually one of them many many moons ago.  I apologize for neglecting my fellow sisters in the work.  But the wrongs have now been righted and it is time to get busy making some minionaries for all of your favorite sisters serving around the world.  I will admit that these are a little harder to make (mostly because you can't just draw spiky hair and be done).  And they take a little more colored ink (because ladies need color!).  But the process is still the same.  Thanks to my wonderful readers, I was able to find the Great Value version of a twinkie.  And hallelujah there are no words printed on the cellophane wrappers.  I can't vouch for the taste however.  I have yet to eat one.  I found them at my local WalMart.  But they were not in the Hostess aisle.  I found them in the bakery department.  Go figure.

Here's the drill just in case you haven't heard...
1.  Buy some "twinkies" or cloud cakes or the Great Value equivalent.
2.  Open the box.
3.  Print out this handy Sister Minionary Printable.  Cut along the lines.
4.  Tape the minion "clothes" around each Twinkie.  I like to use sticky dots
5.  Punch an "eyeball" or two out of a white address label or something similar.  I used a circular craft punch.  Remove the backing and stick it to the Twinkie.
6.  Use a black sharpie to outline the eyeball and make the goggles.
7.  Use your black sharpie to add a mouth and hair, etc.
8.  Mail these goodies off to the ones you love and miss!

**If you missed this male version of minionaries, click here.

[St Patrick's Day] Lucky No. 7

Is there a number luckier than seven?

How about when you add it to eleven?  I'm not talking eighteen.  I'm talking 7-eleven!  Nothing is luckier than that.  Especially when it involves Slurpees!

And a gift card.

My boy is in California.  He is a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He is riding his bike in the California heat.  All day long.  This just might be the perfect way for him to stay cool this summer.   I'm thinking every high school and college student I know could put this to good use.  Cut two pieces of white card stock to measure 5 3/4 inches square.  Measure in 1 1/4 inches from one of the sides and fold.  Repeat with the other piece.  This little flap will eventually make the pocket for the gift card.  Click here for the "Lucky no. 7" printable.  Cut out the card front and glue it to one of the card stock pieces.  Line up the card stock so the flaps meet in the middle.  Glue carefully around the sides and the back of the flap.  Leave the front open.  That's where the gift card slides in!  I used some green patterned paper to embellish the pocket and the back of the card.  I wanted to leave the inside of my card white so I could write a little letter.  But whatever tickles your fancy.  Go crazy if you want.  Have fun.

Write a sentiment or two.  Send your love.  Then slip the gift card into the pocket.  Slide the card into an envelope and send that fun-mail on it's way!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Root Beer Float Gift Tags

 
It's the month to be lucky!

I was lucky enough to find this idea on Pinterest yesterday by Making Life Whimsical.

Unfortunately the link on Pinterest led to nowhere productive.  That's unlucky.
(If you know where to find the true source, please leave me a comment.)

Luckily I had some time today to alter this very clever idea.

I needed a quick and inexpensive birthday gift for some friends that are lucky to be born in March.


Now you are lucky too!

Just click on the link and you can print your own Root Beer Float Birthday Tags.  Attach the tags and a straw with some ribbon to a bottle of IBC Root Beer.

So Lucky!

Red Velvet Valentine

So I sent my daughter off to school today with a backpack stuffed with Valentines and her hands full of a Perry the Platypus Box that she had made herself out of a shoe box and some construction paper.  And I was thinking...why should the kids have all the fun?

I decided that my Mom friends needed to have a little fun on Valentine's day too.  Most moms will agree that lunch time at home with the little kiddos just isn't that great.  You get a little tired of PBJ and mac and cheese.  Know what I mean?  I knew just the thing to bring a little smile this Valentine's Day.  Dessert.  Nothing major.  Something light.  Something just for them that they could hide in the pantry and eat.  All alone.  You know...just something to bring a little pizzazz to their hotdogs and chips. 

A Red Velvet Valentine.

Here's the scoop:

Whip up a batch of red velvet cupcakes.  While those are baking and cooling you need to do a couple more things.  First up...make some frosting.  I wanted mine to be light and fluffy not super sweet.  I mixed a package of cream cheese with a cup and a half of powdered sugar.  Mix well.  Fold in a container of Cool Whip.  Then spoon it into a frosting bag with a large star tip.  Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.  Now move onto the strawberries.  Rinse them well and give them a rough chop.  That's it.  You're ready to assemble your little jars of heaven.

Cut your cupcake in half.  Place the bottom half in a small half pint mason jar.  Swirl some frosting on top.  Spoon some strawberries on top of that.  Add another smaller swirl of frosting.  Place the rest of the cupcake into the jar.  Add one more swirl of frosting and you are almost done.  At this point you could dress it up with some sprinkles.  But if you really want to be the hero...add a chocolate covered strawberry.

We mustn't forget the presentation.  Valentine's Day is all about the presentation.  The sky is the limit here.  I didn't necessarily need to put a lid on my jars.  But they would be super cute with a red or white or pink topper of some kind.  I decided to just wrap some red baker's twine around the jar a few times and attach a spoon.  I figured, who wants to mess with a lid when they can just dig right in.  Right?

There you have it.  A little jar full of love.  For your Mommy friends. 

 

Valentine Soldier

If you've spent much time poking around this blog, then you know that I LOVE Valentine's Day!  It's my favorite.  Just click on the "Valentine" label in the right sidebar and you'll start to get an idea.  I couldn't let this week pass by without sharing a few of my latest Valentine creations with you. 

You can easily make a whole army of these traditional English soldiers in no time flat.  You will need some full sized Lifesaver rolls.  Mine measured 3.5 inches long.  You will also need a large black pompom.  Print out the soldier's uniform here.  Cut it out and wrap it around the lifesaver roll.  You will want to secure it with glue or tape.  Then glue the pompom on top for his hat.

And just like that...you have a super cute valentine to give to all of your friends.

I attached mine to this here little card.  If you want it to be really glossy and crisp, you could print it out as a photo like I did.  Or you could print it out on cardstock.  There are just so many options!  I  mounted mine on red cardstock.  Punched a couple of holes and tied my little soldier onto the card with some baker's twine.

Happy Valentine's Day!

[Valentine] Peas be Mine

The PEAS are back!! Hip Hip Hooray!  If you missed my first pea post, you'll want to click here for sure.  I think these little green sixlets are just about the cutest things ever.  And don't they look just like peas??

This is what my seven year old daughter is handing out to her classmates this year.  There is a bit of irony going on here.  My daughter hates peas.  But when she discovered they were chocolate.  She was totally on board.  And really, nothing says first grade more than a knock knock joke!  It's all about the jokes here people!  I am loving the fact that it's not too much candy.  Just a little taste and that's enough.  Know what I mean?

I had some cute little plastic pillow boxes that were screaming to be used for this project.  You could just as easily put the peas in a tiny little bag.  Just attach the peas to the card with some sticky tape or a ribbon or BOTH.  And send these off to school.  Done.

Want to print some for yourself?  Click here.

*****
 I bought my green sixlets at Hobby Lobby with a coupon and it only came to like three bucks.  AND  we only used about half the bag.  Happy happy.

To Our Favorite Minionary!

 
I just couldn't resist.  Minionaries!  These make for a great care package.   We are sending ours for Valentine's Day.  But anytime is a good time.  Bring a smile to your missionary's face in just six easy steps.

1.  Buy a package of Twinkies.  Or Cloud Cakes.  If you can find one without any printing on the cellophane packaging you win a prize!  Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know how you did it!
(**One of my readers found some!!  Buy the WalMart generic "twinkies".  They don't have any printing on the packaging :)

2.  Purchase and print out this handy printable on regular old white printer paper.  And relish in the fact that there is very little usage of colored ink!

3.  Cut out the missionary "clothes" and tape to the Twinkie.  I used glue dots.

4.  Punch some "eyeballs" from a white sticker or address label and adhere to the Twinkie.

5.  Using a black sharpie..embellish to your heart's content.  I warn you that this is quite addicting and sooo much fun!

6.  Package them up and mail them off!

I promise that you will be able to hear the squeals of delight from half-way around the globe.


If you are looking for something fun for your Sister Missionary...you can find Sister Minionaries here!

*****

linking up with:

Skip To My Lou 
The Party Bunch 

[Valentine] A Classic Combination

Isn't about time we did a little doorbell ditchin?  Valentine style?  I thought so too.  I found these aluminum pans with cardboard lids at WalMart.  They weren't much more than a dollar for three pans.  They measure about eight inches by six inches.  These are the perfect vehicle for ditchin' some homemade treats.

I went ahead and designed a fun Valentine lid to put on top of the pans.  The cool thing is...you have so many treat options.  Just think of something that combines classic flavors.

Cookies are at the top of my list.  Chocolate chip.  Sugar cookies with buttercream  frosting and sprinkles.  Homemade Oreos.  Snickerdoodles.  Peanut butter dipped in chocolate.  Mmmm.

Or if cookies aren't your thing, you could go with Sweetheart Popcorn.  Or Valentine Chex Mix.  Or Pink Party Mix.  All solid choices.

Bake up those delicious treats and package them into your pan.  Print out the box lid onto heavy card stock.  Crimp down the foil edges and you are ready for business.

I suppose if you weren't in a ninja doorbell ditchin' kind of mood...you could just hand deliver them with a smile.  That would be fun too.

For an alternate box lid...click here.  Just a friendly warning.  These may be ink intensive.  You might want to print them at your local copy shop.

Tag--you're it!

I've been making confections like nobody's business for the past week.  Eight batches of fudge.  Six batches of caramel.  Peppermint Bark.  And Christmas Pretzels.  Lots and lots of pretzels.  Hundreds.  Now it's time to package all of these goodies up.  Candy boxes.  Cellophane bags.  Red and green ribbons.  Check.  Check.  Double Check.  OH yeah...and tags.  Ummm.

No tags.  Well, that just won't do.  So I tried my hand at the ever popular chalkboard tags.  And this is what I came up with.  My beef is that these take so much black ink to print out.  So, I decided to have them printed at Costco.  I fit two tags on an 4x6 photo.  The cost is 6 1/2 cents per tag.  I don't know if that's cheaper in the long run than an ink cartridge.  But I like to think it is.  I hate buying printer ink.  And it never runs out at a convenient time.  Am I right?

Anyway, here is the file if you would like to make some chalkboard tags of your own.  Make sure you check the matte or flat option when you are ordering your prints.  Chalkboard tags are NOT meant to be glossy.  Just a little helpful tip.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours!

There is so much to be grateful for.  We are feeling very blessed this year.

Bundle-Up Buttercup!

Today I am thankful for warmth!

It's freezing outside.  I am so grateful for a warm home to live in.  For hot food right out of the oven.  And for warm blankets to snuggle up in.

I came up with this little gem...to encourage warm hearts and warm hands.

I picked up a mug for pennies at the good will.  For fun, I added a mug cozy.  I'm not super skilled or proficient at crocheting, but in no time at all, I had finished this cutie.  I modified this pattern  just a little.  I liked the look of the scalloped edges, so I didn't edge the cozy with a single crochet stitch.  Give it a try...if I can do it, you can too!  And it was so fun, that I made quite a few.  Just sew on a random button from your stash and wrap it snugly around your mug.

Fill your mug with some (peanut) buttercups!  Add this cute little tag and you're all set for warming up somebody's day.

*****

I'm linking up with:

The Party Bunch
Skip To My Lou

[The Gratitude Project] Dads

Today I am grateful for the men in my life!  Particularly my Dad.  And my husband, who is a magnificent father to my children.  I have been so blessed to have really kind amazing men in my life.  My Dad worked at a university before he retired.  He wore a suit and tie everyday to work.  He always got home from work at the same time everyday...6:00 pm.  And that was when we would gather for dinner.  I remember watching for him out the window and running to give him a big hug as he walked in the door every night.  I am grateful to have been raised in a traditional family with a father and mother that loved me and taught me and provided for my needs.

Times change.  My husband doesn't wear a suit and tie to work.  His preferred dress is shorts and flip-flops.  He doesn't even have a commute.  He works from home and I couldn't be happier about that.  I love having him here!  It's been wonderful for him to greet the children as they come home from school.  He loves to take a break from work now and then to push the kids on the swings or play a quick game of Go Fish.  

In honor of Dads, I made this fun garland.  I think it would be perfect for Father's Day.  Or any day really.  Hang up this garland and "celebrate" Dads.  They're pretty terrific!

Click here to print out your garland.  Cut along the black lines.  Punch some holes and thread onto some string.  

*****

This garland doubles as "missionary" garland if you add a little black tag.  

Click here if you would like the missionary version. 

[The Gratitude Project] Lifesaver Challenge--Updated

I love November.  I love being reminded to slow down and be grateful.  Life is such a blessing.  We have been given so much.  We had a wonderful lesson at church today about gratitude.  Someone told of a challenge they were given as a teenager to pop a lifesaver in their mouth just before they started to pray.  And then offer a prayer of gratitude--thanking God for all their blessings until their lifesaver was gone.

That little nudge was all I needed to come up with these gratitude "matchbook" favors.  I'm calling it "The Lifesaver Challenge".  Maybe you could use it as a little hand out for a lesson at church or family home evening or whatever.  These little matchbooks are very easy to make.  Just print out a sheet of them here.  Then cut along the black lines and fold along the light grey lines.  Staple a lifesaver candy under the tab at the bottom.  Then slide the top under the flap.  Wow.  How easy was that? 

I'm going to participate in the lifesaver challenge today.  These three punks will be at the TOP of my list.  Want to do it with me?  Leave a comment about some of the things you thanked God for.  I can't wait to hear how He has blessed you!

*****

I'm linking up with:
Skip To My Lou 
The Party Bunch

Mummy Conversations

"What did one mummy say to the other mummy?"

This must be the year of the mummies here at Pretty Petunia.  I was sending a Halloween package to my favorite missionary and all of this mummy goodness just kind of rolled out of my brain.

So let's talk about Mummy Pretzels.  I LOVE chocolate covered pretzels.  But not just any chocolate covered pretzels...they must first be dipped in caramel.  Caramel makes everything better.  Most people like to use the long pretzel rods.  But not me.  I much prefer the Rold Gold Wheat and Honey Twists.  They are delicious.  And they provide a much better chocolate caramel to pretzel ratio!  Let's be honest.  The pretzel is merely the vehicle for all that other goodness.  Don't worry--there will still be plenty of pretzel at the bottom for a little "handle".

So go buy a bag of wheat and honey twists.  I'll wait.

Now you will need some caramel.  Obviously.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I prefer the homemade caramel route.  But I do not discriminate.  Whatever is easiest for you.  Make some.  Buy some.  You will find no judgment here.  When your caramel is all warm and melty, dip the pretzel twist.  I like to pour my caramel into a glass cup measure with a handle.  Just hold the pretzel rod by one end and dip the other.  Easy.  Let it firm up on a Silpat mat (or a greased cookie sheet).

After your caramel has cooled onto your pretzel, you are going to dip it into milk chocolate.  I like to use the Guittard milk chocolate discs.  Melt them in a glass cup in the microwave at 30-40 percent power for 30-40 second intervals.  Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Dip your caramel pretzels into the chocolate and tap off the excess.  Place them on the Silpat mat again or on a piece of parchment paper. Let them solidify.  You may want to pop them into the freezer for a minute or two.

Now melt some white chocolate discs in a plastic bag or in a squeeze bottle.  Use the white chocolate to stripe your pretzels.  Just snip the corner off of the plastic bag.  It will work fine!  We are going for a bandaged look here...so stripe away!

After the white chocolate has solidified, you will want to add some eyes.  Use the same technique that we followed here.

Package three or four to a bag.  Otherwise, how will they chat amongst themselves?

Top it all off with this bag topper!

And give them to all your favorite goblins and ghosts...of corpse!

Mummy Pops

 

Whew.  That was a long break.  Far too long.

Let's bring this blog back from the dead...with Mummy Pops!

You'll want to dig way back in the archives for instructions on how to make these delicious twix pops.  Dip them in the milk chocolate and definitely stripe them with white chocolate.  You want the white chocolate to look like mummy bandages.  I tapped the pop a bit while the chocolate was still warm to smooth out the lines a little.  Let the chocolate harden.  Then take some black circle sprinkles and "glue" them on or between the "bandages".  Use a small amount of warm white chocolate as your "glue".  I just dipped a toothpick into the chocolate and dabbed it where I wanted the eyes to be.  Then carefully place the eyes over the dabs and apply a little pressure with the other end of the toothpick to make sure they are really attached well.  I used a Halloween sprinkle mix.  It had green and purple and black circular sprinkles.  I think they ended up to be the perfect size for my little mummies!

Let your mummy pops set up really well before you package them.  I put them in a small plastic bag and twisted the plastic around the lollipop stick.  Then I secured the end with some clear tape.

To "dress" your mummy you will need some gauze.  I found a new roll of gauze in my first aid kit.  You want it to be about an inch wide.  Cut it into 6" strips and wrap each one around the stick.  I liked leaving a little "collar" at the top and some fringe at the end.  Secure it in place with glue.

And that's it!  You're done.  Aren't these the cutest little mummies you've ever seen?

No go...relax and unwind!

*****

I'm linking up with:

Skip To My Lou

Pocket Notes

Have you ever just wished you had a little card on hand for those spur of the moment occasions when you want to leave a little note for someone?  I have found myself in this situation a lot lately.  You just have a few seconds.  You don't need to send flowers.  You don't need to give a batch of your favorite treat.  You just need or want to write a few quick words on something more than the back of a WalMart receipt.  Know what I mean?

Well, I think I've found the solution.  I like to call them "pocket notes".  They fit perfectly in your pocket or more likely your purse.  The are the size of a business card.  These are perfect for sliding under someone's windshield wiper, or slipping into their backpack or purse.  You can slide them inside a door frame or tuck them into a coat pocket.  These would be the perfect accompaniment to acts of random kindness. 

I've made it super easy for you.  Just print them out here.  You can use a sheet of printable business cards (Avery 8371) or just print on a sheet of card stock and cut them out with a paper cutter or scissors.

It's just that simple.  Now go and express yourself!

[New Neighbors] The S'more the Merrier!

Wow, I think it's high time that I came out of retirement, don't you?  We have had week after week of really awesome family stuff that has unfortunately taken me away from this here blog.  But, things are simmering down now, and I'm ready to bring you some fun new ideas.

The economy must be picking up a bit, because after years of stagnation, the homes in our neighborhood are starting to sell.  And lots and lots of people are moving in and out.  It's always sad to say good-bye to long time friends and neighbors.  But the prospect of making new friends is something to look forward to.

I have been wanting to take a little treat around to all of the new folks to officially welcome them into the neighborhood.  This is what I came up with!  There's nothing quite like s'mores in the summertime!

I grabbed some supplies from my local grocery store.  I love to use Keebler chocolate grahams.   Less mess and less fuss.  Peanut Butter grahams and Grasshopper grahams are also delicious. You will also want to buy a bag of marshmallows.  Wrap them up with some burlap and twine and attach this free printable.  You have two options for printing.  I sent this file to Costco and had it printed on photo paper.  Or you can print this page right from your own printer onto card stock and trim as necessary.  I also opted to cut around the edges with a pair of scalloped scissors.  And there you have it...Presto!  A fun neighbor gift for just a couple of bucks.

Now all you have to do is walk next door and say hello!