Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hopefully you're all wearing green today, making green food and doing all things green!  There are so many fun things you can do with St. Patrick's Day.  When I taught second grade we had all the students make leprechaun traps (at home, which the parents loved us for!) and then they set them up on or around their desk on the eve of St. Patty's Day to try and catch one overnight.  The leprechauns always came in the room and knocked over every trap or at least touched it in some way but we never caught one.  They left a fun mess of glitter and gold in the room though which was always fun for them.  I plan to start this with my kids.  Maybe we'll do that next year. :)

Yesterday my daughter's friend came over and we made leprechauns from a paper plate.  I saw the idea here.  All you need is a paper plate, construction paper, scissors, glue and a pencil.  We also used a pink pom pom for the nose.

Shamrock Layered Jell-O

Do you like lime Jell-O?  You should try this!  I saw this in February's Family Fun magazine using red Jello-O with heart shaped cookie cutters.  When racking my brain for something fun to do for St. Patrick's Day I thought of the red Jell-O but instead of red using green with a shamrock cookie cutter.

What you need:
3 3-oz pkgs of lime Jell-O
2 1/4-z pks of unflavored gelatin
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

First, dissolve 1 pkg of of lime Jell-O in 3/4 cup boiling water.  Stir in 3/4 cup cold water.  Pour into 9X13 pan and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Next, combine 1/2 cup boiling water and condensed milk.  In another bowl, dissolve both pkgs of unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water for 1-2 minutes.  Mix in 3/4 cup boiling water thoroughly, then combine with the milk mixture and let cool.  Slowly pour 1/2 of the mixture over the green gelatin using a spatula to slow the process.  Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Then continue alternating layers - gelatin mix, remaining milk, the last gelatin mix - chilling for at least 20-30 minutes between so that it sets.

Use shamrock cookie cutter to make your treats St. Patrick's Day festive!

**I only let mine set for about 20 minutes and that was not long enough.  The second layer of milk made the Jell-O underneath runny so make sure your check the consistency before you pour.

Oreo lollipops

Oreos on a stick and dipped in chocolate.  It doesn't get much better than this!  I saw this idea on How Does She here.  We were having some family over this past weekend and I thought this would be easy and fun to make for the kiddos.  Unfortunately I gave up desserts for Lent so I'm not eating any. :(  I'll be making more after Easter.  These are really easy to make.  You can get pretty creative with them and make them as festive as you'd like.  They'd be cute party favors.  Since we are currently in the St. Patrick's Day spirit we used Cool Mint Oreos and green sprinkles.

Here's what you need: package of double stuff Oreos, lollipop sticks (found at Hobby Lobby or craft store), melting chocolate, bowl, wax paper and sprinkles or whatever decoration you prefer.

Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring between until chocolate is melted.  While chocolate is melting open up all your Oreos and lay out on wax paper.

Dip one end of lollipop stick into the chocolate and then press into the middle of the Oreo.  Close Oreo and let them dry for a few minutes.

Once they have dried dip the Oreos into the chocolate.  Make sure both sides are covered.  Then lay on wax paper to dry.  If you are using sprinkles for decoration use them immediately before the chocolate dries.

Enjoy your treat!!

Shamrock Blessings

Growing up with a last name like O'Rielly you can imagine my family might enjoy St. Patrick's Day.  As soon as Valentines Day was here and gone it was time to go green around here.  Our first craft was a fun shamrock.  My daughter really enjoyed this one!  Here's what you need: green paint (acrylic works best), paint brush, white cardstock or heavy paper, heart shaped cookie cutter, potato and a paring knife.

* I went to grab the 'green' paint and we didn't have any so we improvised and made our own!

Cut your potato in half and then press your heart shaped cookie cutter into the potato.  Use the paring knife to cut around the cookie cutter to cut away the potato.  You now have a heart stamp!

Paint the heart green.

Press the heart onto the paper four times forming a shamrock; reapplying paint each time.  Make sure you press down on all sides.  

We filled in the empty spots later.

After all four clovers are complete don't forget to add the stem.

After the paint dried I wrote an Irish verse around the outside of the shamrock.

"May your blessings out number the shamrocks that grow."