An Organic Party, this is the theme of many trendy parties since people have become more aware of the need for a greener and ECO friendly environment.  You would normally think of getting organic meat and vegetables, how ever organic beer and wine are fast becoming more available.   I like the idea of being organic but I can’t really taste the difference between organic and non-organic food products.   The organic beer also seems to be similarly priced as non-organic.  With providing better health and being more environment friendly, buying organic makes a lot of sense.

Certified Organic food must be made with at least 95% organic ingredients to follow standards of the USDA.  Organic food products are grown without using pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics or growth hormones, are free of animal and industrial waste and processed without radiation and food additives.   So this can’t be a bad thing.  If the product is produced locally, this also helps keep your dollars local, another big advantage.  However you should understand a little about what being organic means.

Organic Beer

Organic beer is usually from small regional microbrewers but increasingly national brewers like Anheuser-Busch,  Miller and New Belgium now all provide organic beer products.  The Stone Milol Pale Ale and Wild Hop Lager from Anhewser-Busch labeled by the Green Valley Brewing,  Miller’s Henry Weinhard’s Organic Amber Premium Ale are a few examples from the big brewers.  New Belgium has the Mothership Wit organic wheat beer that is very good.  Two other beers for smaller breweries are Butte Creek pilsner and Bison’s pale ale.  American organic beer totaled 40,000 barrels in 2006 and over 50,000 barrels in 2007, a 25% increase.

Beer has fairly simple basic ingredients; hops, malt, yeast and water.  Water comprises more than 90% of the beer and can come from different sources; rivers, springs, wells.  The malt comes from the barley that can be grown organically.  The hops are from a flowering vine that adds flavor and aroma to balance the malt sweetness.  Yeasts are micro-organisms that convert the sugars into alcohol and by nature are organic.

According to the USDA, non-organic hops can be used in “certified organic products” if the organic version is not “commercially available.   So many of the larger brewers will use non-organic hops and the beer will still be certified organic.  So the best bet to get fully organic beer will be from your local microbrewers where there is a better chance they will be using organic hops.  The larger national brewers may or may not be using organic hops.

Organic Wine

Organic wine is a little more complex since it requires not only organically grown grapes but also different processing methods.  These differences can alter the grapes traditional taste, aroma and color but still be very good wine.  Winemaking techniques are very difficult to make organic since faster processing time, fermentation steps and little or no sulfite additives can be used to control the yeast and protect the wine from oxidation.  Most organic wines will contain low levels of sulfites from natural sources.  Not using the synthetic sulfite compounds also will help reduce the common headache associated with drinking wine. Wine made with lower amounts of additives and modified processing are usually called Natural wines.  Many of the organic wines will be made using organic grapes but with the more traditional processing techniques.

Organic wine will have a different meaning based upon the country of origin.  Different countries have their own certification standards, so what may be considered organic wine from one country, may not be in another country.

A good wine is due to many factors and a good organic wine only adds to the complexity of the process.  Organic wine usually comes from a healthier soil environment and provides a fruitier flavor.

It has been my experience that finding organic wine is harder than finding organic beer.  A couple US organic wines are from the NY Four Chimneys Organic Winery and the CA Paul Dolan Vineyards.   Many more are available by checking with your local wine store.

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Diaper Cake Ideas

There are SO many different ways to make and decorate a diaper cake. My goal is to address most of them and the main pros and cons of each of them, so you can build a diaper cake that works best for you. Be ready to use your imagination and put some of your own touches and ideas into your diaper cake (this is the fun part).

Start by asking yourself: Is there a theme I would like for the diaper cake? Do I want to keep it simple with just ribbons and flowers? Do I want a circle diaper cake? How many tiers should I have on the diaper cake? Do I have a color scheme for the diaper cake? Is the diaper cake for a centerpiece? If so, maybe you would like to make multiple diaper cakes, so each table had a cake centerpiece.

Hopefully these questions are not too overwhelming. If you would rather keep it simple, then do it. If not, let your ideas run wild. I just want to show you that there are plenty of options when making a diaper cake.

Things you will need to Make your Diaper Cake

Diapers
The amount of diapers will depend on the size of the cake you are making. A typical medium 3 tier cake will need around 80 diapers. Avoid using newborn diapers, since babies grow so fast. Size 1 or 2 will make the most useful cake. Some moms may be picky on the type of diaper you buy, while others won’t care. If you are not sure, make your cake with Huggies or Pampers. You will want to avoid using diapers with any designs that cover the whole diaper.

2 Baby Bottles or a Wooden Dowel
The purpose of the baby bottles or dowel is to help keep the cake layers in sync with one another. If you are making a 3 tier diaper cake, 2 bottles will work well or a 12 inch dowel.

Ribbons, Receiving Blankets. Towels, Onesies/Clothes, etc.
Decide what to cover or wrap around each layer of your diaper cake. Most commonly ribbon is used, but you can use a variety of things for your cake.

You can use pjs or a onesie to cover a layer of the cake. Using these are simple, as long as you make the cake layer the right size. You will stick the layer of cake inside the onesie and neatly fold down the arms. If you want more of a smooth look, add a strip of poster board around the diapers before putting on the onesie.

You could also use baby towels or receiving blankets. These can be a little more difficult if they are not the right size to fit your cake.

Rubber Bands, Safety Pins, Hot Glue Gun, Doubled Sided Tape, Etc.
Rubber bands are a must for most diaper cakes. If you are rolling your diapers you will use one for each diaper. You can buy the small clear rubber bands at Wal-Mart (by the hair accessories) for the rolled diapers. These will give the cake a more neat and professional look when the parents are dissembling the diaper cake, but if you don’t care about that, regular rubber will work just fine. Then you will need larger rubber bands to hold the cake layers in place.

You will also need safety pins, a hot glue gun, double sided tape or something similar to hold your cake decorations in place. Be careful not to use tape or glue on the diapers, as it will ruin the diaper. People use different things to help hold their diaper cake decorations in place, just decide what will work best for you and your cake decorations. The hot glue gun works great for ribbons, wood cut outs, flowers, or other things that won’t be used after the diaper cake is disassembled.

Diaper Cake Base
You will need some sort of base for your diaper cake to sit on. You could use a large platter, a piece of cardboard, cake rounds, etc. To make your own cake base, cut out a circle from a cardboard box and cover it with wrapping paper or tin foil. Your cake base will need to be at least an inch bigger then your cake.

Decorations for your Diaper Cake
You may want to just stick with ribbon and flowers to decorate your cake and nothing more. Or you can go crazy and find fun baby toys and other baby necessities to add to the diaper cake. Just be careful not to make your diaper cake overly busy or cheap looking.

Most of your decorations will be on the outside of the cake, but you can also surprise the mom to be with a bunch of fun hidden fillers inside the cake. In place of a diaper you could add a rolled up onesie, baby thermometer or anything else that will fit. This will make dissembling the cake more fun for the parents. This is also a great place to add some of the items that don’t make as good of “decorations”, like Mortin or diaper rash cream. Here are some ideas for decorating your diaper cake:

• Pacifiers
• Infant Motrin
• Booties
• Onesies
• Small Stuffed Animals
• Teething Rings
• Baby Finger Nail Clippers
• Small Toys
• Baby Shampoo
• Baby Wash
• Baby Lotion
• Baby Comb
• Diaper Trash Bags
• Baby Powder
• Diaper Rash Cream
• Baby Thermometer
• Medicine Dropper
• Outfit or PJs
• Baby Dishes
• Baby Towel / Washcloth
• Mini Wood Painted Shapes
• Buttons
• Fake Flowers
• Tulle
• Diaper Pins
• Princess Tiara
• Wooden Blocks (spelling baby’s name)

How to make a 3 Tier Rolled Diaper Cake

A rolled diaper cake is most common. In this cake, all of your diapers are rolled one by one. The pros to this kind of diaper cake is that it holds up better and is easier to assemble, but it takes a little longer to make and it is harder for the parents to disassemble. A spiral diaper cake is a little harder to make, but with one snip of the ribbon, the diapers are free (and don’t need to be unrolled). I will start with the rolled diaper cake and then we can move onto making a spiral diaper cake.

1. Start with rolling the diapers tightly from the top of the diaper down, then add a rubber band to hold the diaper in place.

2. Most diaper cakes are round, but that doesn’t mean that your diaper cake has to be. For example, if you would like to do a rectangle diaper cake, you can use a wet one box (or something similar) to help make your shape.

When making a circle diaper cake, place your rolled diapers around your baby bottle (if you are using one) securing them in place with a rubber band. Making the first layer of the cake with a baby bottle is completely optional. The baby bottle’s main purpose is to help the second layer of the diaper cake attach a little more securely in place. If you choose to use baby bottles inside your cake, you could fill them with heresy kisses or something similar for the new mom.

Instead of using baby bottles in the middle, you can use a wooden dowel to help hold your diaper cake layers together. If you are using a wooden dowel, stick it in after all your cake layers are in place. The wooden dowel works a little better, but it doesn’t really matter a whole lot.

3. Keep adding diapers to your bottom layer of cake until you get your desired size. For a medium cake, you should have around 45 diapers for your first layer of cake.

4. Make your second layer of the diaper cake. The second layer of your cake should be at least two thirds smaller then the first (around 30 diapers for a medium sized diaper cake). If you are using baby bottles for your center, add one more on top of the first one. Then your third layer will circle around the second baby bottle. If you want to add flowers to the top of your diaper cake, take the lid off the second bottle and use it for a vase.

5. Make your third layer of your diaper cake.

6. Now decide how you would like to decorate each of your layers. Some cakes hide the diapers with receiving blankets, baby towels, clothes or something similar, but in most cakes the diapers are exposed and just wrapped with ribbon. If you are using blankets to cover up your diapers, use safety pins to hold everything in place. If you are using ribbon for your cake, a hot glue gun and/or safety pins will be helpful.

7. After your diaper cake is assembled the way you like it, start to decorate your diaper cake with your baby goodies.

How to Make a Spiral Diaper Cake

Spiral diaper cakes a little harder to make, but easier for the parents to disassemble. The diapers are not rolled separately, but lay together in the cake.

1. Place something round in the middle of your cake base (like a can of food). This will be used to help shape the diapers into the right place. Place 3 or 4 diapers on top of each other, leaving a small gap (1/2 inch or so) between each diaper, so the bottom of the diaper shows. Then curl it around your round object. Keep adding more diapers on top of the diapers already in place.

2. You will keep adding diapers to your cake, until the bottom layer is a complete circle around your round object. For a medium sized diaper cake, you should have around 40 diapers in your circle.

3. Put a large rubber band around the diapers, holding them in place. If you don’t have a rubber band large enough for your cake, you can use string or whatever you have on hand.

4. Now roll some diapers together for the center of the cake. For a medium cake you should need around 10 diapers.

5. Take out the center object and replace it with your diapers.

6. Go through your diapers making sure they are in place and even.

7. Make your second and third cake layers the same way you made your first. Each layer should be about two thirds smaller then the one before it.

8. Cover up the rubber band with ribbon. Make sure the ribbon is tight around the diapers, so your cake doesn’t fall apart. Make sure you ribbon is wide enough to help support your diapers (2 inch ribbon would be great). If you want to take the rubber band off, you could, but it is a good back up if your ribbon becomes loose.

9. Stick a wooden dowel down the center of the cake to help stabilize the layers. (Optional)

Wrapping up the Finished Diaper Cake

Depending on what you are going to do with your diaper cake, you may want to wrap it up. You could use cellophane or tulle to cover the cake. This way your wrapping is see through and looks great, but it also helps everything stay in place when it is getting moved around.

Hope this helps. Good luck on your diaper cake!

Ideas on How to Make your Own Gift Baskets

Making your own gift baskets can be the perfect gift for many people for many different occasions. You can make the gift basket customized to
match the person’s lifestyle who will be receiving the gift basket. The items in the gift basket can be small or large, inexpensive or very expensive. The gift basket can contain a few items to many items and each gift item can be matched to the person or occasion. You can make a git basket for any occasion: a birthday, retirement,
anniversary, house warming, baby shower, holiday event or just a personal or business Thank You.

Gift baskets can be found at local businesses, online or can be put together by you. Yes gift baskets are close to the perfect
gift because there is so much flexibility in the design, the gifts inside and the cost.

A theme for a gift basket can be centered on just about anything, which will then drive the gift items
within the basket. Here are a few areas that can be considered when purchasing or making a homemade gift basket.

Snacks Baskets – pistachios, preserves, crackers and chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

Beverages Baskets – wine, liqueurs or bar supplies.

Sports Baskets – any equipment or clothing associated with the specific sport.

Hobbies Baskets – hundreds of possible hobbies and thousands of items to choose from.

Newborns Baskets – diapers and all the other items a new mother and baby will need.

Cooking Baskets – pots, pans, utensils and spices.

Business Baskets – paper-weights (umm do people still use paper-weight?), pin/pencil sets, books or anything to personalize a desk.

Travel Baskets – try any travel store for hundreds of ideas.

Bath Baskets – oil beads, bath tablets, bubble bath, fancy soaps, and skin care products.

Gardening Baskets – gardening equipment, flowers, seeds and gloves.

If you decide to create your gift basket, this can be an opportunity to save 50% to 80% of the cost but
also to be artistic. The basket can be a traditional basket from the local Hobby Lobby or Michaels craft stores. The basket can also be most any container that fits in with the theme; a sand pail for a child, a golf bag for a golfer, a colorful box, a gift bag, or a trash can for a house-warming gift, etc.

One very easy gift basket is one filled with fresh fruit. These gift baskets are very colorful and the fruit can be purchased at a local farmers market or supermarket store.

When creating a gift basket, you can use colored tissue paper but think about using cloth dinner napkins for the gift basket liner. Also use 2” or 3” wide ribbon to help make beautiful bow, lots of curling ribbon for a lasting impression. Dollar bills can also be rolled up and put in-between some of the gift items to make the basket more unique.

If you decide to purchase a gift basket; many local florists, candy or bath shops will put together a gift basket for you. A less personal way would be to use one of the many internet sites that specialize in gift baskets. Most of these sites will also have ways to create a semi-custom a gift basket based upon several options of adding different gift items. One advantage of these internet shops is that they will have access to many gourmet food items that may not be available in your local area. A gourmet gift basket will always be appreciated.

One caution; for items that do not stand the heat, be careful shipping gift baskets where the hot summer days can damage the items. This is especially true of chocolate, fudge, and toffee.

Terra Cotta Pot Angel and Church

Making your own church and angels out of Terra Cotta pots:

1. Collect all your materials:

• 2 Terra Cotta pots for your church (2 different sizes) and a saucer to match your larger pot
• 5 – two inch terra cotta pots (for 4 angels)
• Paint



• Sealer
• Gold bell
• Wood cross
• Mini wood spool (to hold the pole for your bell)
• Wood pole
• 4 Wood balls (angel heads)
• White foam
• Gold glitter
• Fake hair for your angels
• Gold ribbon
• Wire or fake rings for angel’s halo
• Hot glue gun

2. Sand off any rough spots on your Terra Cotta pots.

3. Clean your Terra Cotta pots if necessary. It is important to have a clean surface when you start, so the paint will adhere better. You can wash your Terra Cotta pots with bleach water (10% bleach), soapy water or you can stick them in the dish washer. After your Terra Cotta pots are well rinsed, let them sit out over night to make sure they fully dry. Terra Cotta pots are porous and it is important to make sure that there is no moisture in your pots. If there is any moisture in your pots the paint will eventually bubble up.

4. Next seal all your pots Terra Cotta inside and out. This will help protect any moisture from getting in and it will also help your pot not need as much as paint. There is a sealer that is made especially for Terra Cotta pots that you should be able to find at most larger craft stores with there Terra Cotta pots. I purchased mine at Micheals. You can also use most water based polyurethanes or sealers, just read their label to make sure they are okay to use with paint. Some sealers will smudge your paint job. Don’t use oil based polyurethanes, they will leave a yellow tint to your project.

5. Paint all your pots and wood parts for your angels and church.

6. Cut out your wings and shirt (optional) for you angels. Put your gold glitter on your wings.

7. Start putting together all your Terra Cotta pots and angels heads. Hot glue guns work great.

8. After all your pots and wood parts are in place, touch up any paint jobs that need it and then seal them. It is a good idea to put on a few coats of sealer on.

9. Then add all of your other materials to complete your angels and church.

Good news, you just received a gift box of cookies.  Bad news, the cookies were just a pile of crumbs.  For many people, the holidays mean sending special gift baskets or boxes from the kitchen to friends and family far-away.  If you are going to spend the time and money baking something special, spend some time to make sure it gets to the destination in reasonably good condition and safe to consume.   Here are some tips to help keep the baked items in good condition for its arrival at the destination.

• Some foods are less perishable than others and are more easily shipped.   Typically items like cookies, candy, raw vegetables, fruits, breads, meat jerky, jams, uncooked pasta and unopened canned goods will be reasonable to ship.
• It is recommended to NOT ship perishable foods unless absolutely necessary.  Highly perishable items such as meats, fish, cooked vegetables, dairy products and eggs are perishable foods and should not be above 40 degrees for more than a couple hours.  These perishable foods would need to be packed in dry ice, check with you carrier for special shipping instructions.
• Foods should be wrapped airtight before being gift wrapped.  When sending multiple food items, each one should be wrapped separately to keep it moist but also to keep from mixing the flavors.
• Any glass or breakable containers should be placed within a sealed Ziploc bag just incase the bottle gets broken.
• Keep breads, cakes and other fragile items in rigid containers with little room for movement to help protect their shape.   Disposable foil tins can help save those cookies and cakes during shipment.
• Use a rigid cardboard box as the shipping container.  Use a new box if possible, especially for heavier contents.  The box should be in good condition without holes, tears or damaged areas. There are box manufactures but for people with just a few packages to send, check office supply stores.
• When packing the separate items in the box, use crumpled newspaper or Kraft (brown) paper to keep the items separated by 2-3 inches from each other and from the box sides.  If sending a basket, use a couple layers of bubble wrap around the basket and taped to keep it secure.
• Remove any pre-existing labels and other markings from previous shipments.  Once the top of the box is closed, the contents should not “rattle” when shaken. As with all packages being shipped, clearly print the address on the box and cover with clear packaging tape.

There are a lot of good reasons to host a party; special occasions, gathering of friends and holiday celebrations. However there are also some bad reasons that just make the party “suck” for others.

Revenge – If you want to retaliate against someone, don’t host a party and invite everyone else, friends and co-workers, but not them just in spite. This “tit for tat” attitude just shows a lack of confidence. You may loose more friends and feel even worst.

Ego trip – Don’t let your vanity drive relationships, especially when entertaining for others. Hosting a party may give you the feeling of superiority and control, but this is NOT a good reason to invite friends over for dinner.

Mercy – Providing sympathy may be OK to give your children but it is not a good reason to gather people together for someone else. It seldom makes others feel better when you are showing how sorry you are for them. Misery loves company, a big downer for a gathering.

Quid pro quo – Just because someone threw you a party, doesn’t mean you need to return the favor. Bring people together because you want to, not because you feel you must.

Popularity by association – Don’t bring people together just to be in association with someone famous or prominent in the community. Popularity is seldom gained from a one time association at a party.

Take barbequing to the next level by adding different flavors with different woods. Most people, including myself, tend to grill food to save time, both in the actual cooking time and easier cleanup. However you might want to plan a little more time and treat your guests to something a little different. Why not? A party means good times and good food.

True barbequing will use wood smoke to help flavor the meat and vegetables. The smoky flavors will vary depending upon the wood and the type of grill. There are many different woods you can use; some examples are alder, apple, apricot, birch, cedar, cherry, grape, hickory, lemon, maple, mesquite, nectarine, orange, peach, pear, pecan, plum and white oak. Most woods can be used, except for the treated lumber used in constriction.

Mesquite and hickory are common wood chips and along with oak, are very good general purpose wood chips for barbequing. Any of the hardwoods work well since they will burn slower and fruit woods provide excellent flavors.

Some woods seem to go with different meats better than others. Hickory is good with chicken, applewood for pork and mesquite adds a great flavor to beef and game. Vary the type of wood to change the flavor! Some woods like mesquite and pecan will provide a stronger flavor then most fruit woods. A wood chart, thanks to Sams Smoker, can help with knowing the different wood characteristics for barbequing. It is best to slow cook the meat since it usually takes at least 30 minutes to get a minimal smoky flavor.

Using only wood chips to grill is not recommended since they will burn unevenly and quickly. When using a charcoal grill, soak the wood chips in water and beer for 30 to 60 minutes, drain off liquid and then add wood chips directly to the hot charcoal. The soaking will make the chips smolder and keep them from burning too quickly. If using a gas grill, either use a partially filled metal tray next to the meat, wrap the chips in heavy duty foil with a few holes on top or some grills have a built-in smoker box for wood chips. You may need to heat the gas grill on high until there is plenty of smoke, then turn the grill down and keep the grill lid closed for the best results when cooking.

Should you always clean you grill after or before grilling meat? According to Barbeque Myths, it doesn’t really matter as long as it is cleaned prior to grilling. So try something different for your next backyard barbeque with some smoky flavors.

Here’s a great idea for a 50th wedding anniversary party, make it a family reunion. Not just gathering for a few hours, make it a long weekend. When our parents had their 50th anniversary, we came up with many ideas on how to best celebrate this big event, it’s 50 years people. We considered many different ideas including renting a banquet hall, catering meals, entertainment, decorations; you know, the works. But what was really important to the special couple was not the food, the decorations or any of the normal party stuff; it was family. So what better than to have the grandparents, their kids and all the grand children together, relaxing and having a good time?

The location was chosen based upon two things; first was being within a reasonable distance for most people and second finding a venue large enough accommodate 45 family members, yes a large family and this was just the grandparents and immediate family. We happened to choose the Nebraska State Park at Ft. Robinson, a beautiful location with lots of history. Ft. Robinson has some lodging that was former officer’s quarters that date from 1874 to 1909 that sleep 20 people each. Everyone was accommodated with two of these beautiful old buildings and a few kids on the floor with sleeping bags.

The meals were provided by the family, no catering necessary. Each sibling’s immediate family members were responsible for one meal; the cooking, serving and clean up. The majority of food was serviced buffet style with the actual cooking done a couple days before. Crock pots are great appliances that make serving large numbers of guests very convenient.

If you don’t have a nice state park with lodging facilities, consider some resort condos or local hotels with a banquet room. Where ever the location, listen to the anniversary couple and what they would like to do. Usually the 50th wedding anniversary is more about family then anything else.

The tradition of releasing white doves at weddings and funerals has become increasing popular. You may be surprised to know that white doves are domesticated birds that can not survive in the wild. These Ringneck Doves come in a variety of colors, are easily kept in captivity, have a gentle nature but don’t last long outside the cage. So why would anyone want to release these beautiful white doves knowing that their existence would be short lived.

To the rescue comes the white racing or homing pigeon. White racing pigeons and the white doves look much the same, the difference is mainly in size. Doves are smaller with pointed tails while pigeons are stockier with rounded tails. Most people will not be able to tell the difference.

So the popular white dove releases at special events are said to be “dove releases” but any ethical business will use the white racing pigeons. These racing pigeons will more easily survive after being released. These pigeons have been selectively bred to return home immediately after being released, safe and sound.

If you are planning a special event and want to symbolize the love, devotion, peace and unity of the white dove, always use a White Dove Release Professional and the white racing pigeons.

Baby Shower Game

Age: any

Need:

• Necklaces

Players: 5 +

How to Play:  At the start of the shower everyone is given a necklace, they could be cheap beaded toy necklaces, lays or whatever you can find that is fairly inexpensive. Then everyone is told they are not allowed to say baby. If you are caught saying baby, whoever catches you, gets your necklace.  Whoever has the most necklaces at the end of the game wins.