The PURR-fect Valentine

My 8-year-old daughter loves CATS! Not the broadway musical, (although I’m sure if she knew about it, she would love that too), but the cute, little, cuddly, fuzzy cat images seen on notebooks, calendars, and stickers. Each year we try to come up with a festive, handmade Valentine card to pass out to her classmates. I’ve been tempted (and when pressed for time, caved) to crank out the pre-made, store-bought ones, but making Valentine’s by-hand gives us an opportunity to spend some time together with a rewarding, creative result. This year’s idea is inspired by my daughter’s cat-infatuation and is an easy, trifold assembly of circle and heart shapes made with craft punches and circle cutters. Craft punches provide an excellent chance for kids to build professional-looking projects, while improving fine motor skills and hand strength. I like Martha Stewart’s collection of craft punches the best and used her scalloped, 1” circle punch for the cat’s cheeks.

Supplies

8 1/2" x 11" light pink card stock

white, dark pink and black card stock

3 1/2 " circle cutter

1" scalloped circle punch

1 3/4 " heart punch

1/2 " heart punch

heart shaped hole punch

glue stick

metal ruler

X-acto knife

self healing cutting mat

scalloped scissors

Assembly

1. Using your metal ruler, X-acto knife and self healing cutting mat, trim 1" from the short side of the 8 1/2 " x 11" pink paper so the size becomes 8 1/2" x 10".

2. Fold card stock into itself, creating three, nearly equal sized panels (think business letter fold). Each 8 1/2" x 10" piece of card stock will yield two Valentines.

3. Place 3 1/2" circle cutter at the top of the folded pink card stock, 

holding securely, firmly cut a circle through three layers of card stock. 

Be sure the circle cutter extends beyond the folds to avoid cutting through them. 

4. Punch a 1 3/4" heart from the light pink and white card stock, glue back to back and cut in half. The half hearts will become the ears of the cat to be glued at the top of the inside of the trifold’s center circle.

5. Cut a 3 1/2" circle from the white card stock and glue to the back of the center pink circle on the trifold. Cut a 3 1/2" dark pink circle, trim with scalloped scissors and glue to the inside of the center circle, covering the bottom tabs of the ears. 

6. Using the 1" scalloped circle punch make 4 white circles and 2 light pink circles — these will be used for the cat’s cheeks.

7. Punch 6 dark pink 1/2" hearts for the tongues and noses, 

then 6 black, hole punch hearts for the eyes.

8. Flip card to the outside, paste pieces as shown in the image above.

9. Write message inside across three panels. Ideas include: 

“You’re purr-fect Valentine!”; “Have a purr-fect Valentine’s Day!”; and “Valentine, you’re purr-fect, just the way you are.”

© 2010 tricia barry biagi

Healthy Orange Mambo Muffins

Since my family has been moving away from eating highly processed foods we’ve been making a lot more goodies at home. Here’s a tasty, easy, muffin recipe served warm from the oven at breakfast — or as perfect, healthy, after-school snack for the kids. The “mambo” is inspired by the Enjoy Life Mountain Mambo nut free trail mix which includes hulled pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels, chocolate chips, dried apples, cranberries and raisins. Enjoy Life is a brand of products free of the 8 major food allergens and can be purchased at Whole Foods or your local grocery’s natural food section. Since the muffins are chock full of pumpkin and sunflower seeds (high in magnesium, which may help strengthen bones), ground flax seed (an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids), calcium fortified orange juice (loaded with vitamin C), agave nectar (an all natural, low-glycemic sweetener that’s similar to honey) and organic expeller-pressed canola oil (also containing omega-3 fatty acids that benefit the brain and heart) you can eat these muffins guilt-free! You may also like to top them with an orange glaze to add a little extra sweetness. I like my Orange Mambo Muffins warm and slathered with Earth Balance vegan buttery spread best.

PEANUT, TREE NUT, and DAIRY FREE

makes 12

Preheat oven to 400º
Line muffin tin with muffin cups and set aside*

Ingredients
when possible use organic ingredients
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
3/4 cup orange juice (may use fresh squeezed or calcium fortified)
1 egg (may use Ener-G egg replacer for a vegan version)
1/3 cup light agave nectar
5 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1, 6 0z. packet of Enjoy Life Mountain Mambo Nut Free Trail Mix

ORANGE GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons of orange juice (freshly squeezed is divine)
1/2 teaspoon of orange zest

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. In another mid-sized bowl, combine wet ingredients and zest. Mix dry ingredients with the wet until combined (be careful not to over-mix). Fold in the entire package of Enjoy Life Mountain Mambo nut free trail mix (about 1 1/2 cups).** Using a 1/4 cup, spring handle, ice cream scoop (lightly coated with canola oil for easier removal) fill the muffin cups with the mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown (watch carefully, they cook quickly).

Orange Glaze Mix ingredients in a medium size bowl with a whisk. Adjust powdered sugar and orange juice amounts to thicken or thin glaze according to your preference. Cool muffins before icing.

Notes

* I prefer using unbleached, biodegradable, chlorine-free, toxin-free, compostable, paper muffin cups made by If You Care products (found at Whole Foods).

** If you are unable to find Enjoy Life Mountain Mambo nut free trail mix, you may add 1 cup mixture of your choice (raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, etc.).

The blog begins

My husband of 10 years has encouraged me to begin a blog... if not to alleviate my incessant commentary on life, then to find direction in my near mid-life wanderings. I hope to post musings on parenting,   marriage, food (and food allergies), green ideas, design, paper crafts and MORE. Looking forward to reveal where this new adventure might take me...