Friday, July 19, 2013

Free Printable Travel Game - Paris Scavenger Hunt

Free Printable Travel Game: Paris Scavenger Hunt by B.Nute productions
The countdown is on for my family's big European summer vacation! First stop... Paris. I just can't wait. To get the kids engaged and ready for exploring, I thought it would be fun to create a scavenger hunt game just for Paris. I listed out some items that are "très typique" of Paris. I hope they can find them all!

If you're off to Paris this summer, or anytime, be sure to print this out and get the kids exploring!

Free Printable Travel Game - Paris Scavenger Hunt
Free Printable Travel Game: Paris Scavenger Hunt by B.Nute productions
Instructions for Printing Your Travel Game
1. Select the links above at the bottom of the image, and print out the scavenger hunt on an 8.5"x11" piece of paper.
2. After printing fold up and put in your suitcase. Once in Paris, begin to hunt!

Printable items are copyright protected, and provided free of charge by B.Nute productions for personal use only. B.Nute's printables can not be sold, altered, or provided for download on any other site. For questions or inquiries, please contact B.Nute productions. Map image of Paris copyright stamen.com from maps.stamen.com.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Summertime is... Simple Strawberry Jam

Red and Ripe Summertime Strawberries
Summertime is all about eating berries! I love all types. I remember a couple outings with my mom and sisters growing up when we went to local farms to pick. We'd spend the morning in the blazing sun and come home ready to make jam. Little did we know, making proper preserves can be a long process. Inevitably we'd get impatient and head outside to the pool for fun, leaving my mom with much of the jam-making process left. Not exactly the summertime activity my mom wanted to do solo!

So, this year, when we put jam-making on our bucket list, the goal was definitely to find a quick and easy recipe, so the kids could experience the fun, but not spend too much time in the details. We decided to go with a recipe from Sure-Jell-- it had few ingredients, and did not involve sterilizing and canning. It was a great choice... within 45 minutes, we had made the jam, and the kids were diving in the pool for fun!

Making Simple Strawberry Jam by B.Nute productions

Here's the recipe: 
and the simple steps we followed:
1. The kids removed the stems and diced up the strawberries.
2. With the strawberries in a bowl, they used a potato masher to crush the strawberries.
3. They mixed the sugar with the strawberries, and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
4. We heated 3/4c water with a Sure-Jell package to a boil.
5. After boiling for 1 minute, we removed the water/jell mixture and stirred it into crushed strawberries and sugar.
6. For "canning", we simple used small reusable containers, and filled them up. 
7. After 24 hours at room temperature, we now have a couple jars in our fridge for use, and the rest in our freezer (for up to a year.) Yum, summertime strawberries all year long!

Strawberry Jam! 
I'd definitely recommend this recipe if you're looking for a little jam making fun this summer- it was simple and didn't take too long, and sure tasted delicious on our toast the next morning!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Have an Outdoor Adventure Party: Camping Invitations

Camp Out, Bear Hunt and Outdoor Adventure Party Invitations by B.Nute productions on Zazzle
There's nothing like a camp out under the stars in your backyard, or a party at a park with hiking and adventure! I love a good camp party-- so much so, that 13 years ago, my wedding weekend was a camping theme. The wooden textures and mountain motifs of the Adirondacks, Lake Tahoe and the Great Lodges of America were definite inspiration for my wedding and these playful camp-themed invitations. A little rustic flannel, some pine cones and a playful bear make the perfect look for adventure!

So, head over to my shop and order up some outdoor fun for your next party, and stay tuned for more camp-themed party ideas to come.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy 4th of July!

Fireworks Over Lake Tahoe, California by B.Nute productions
My family and I are having a wonderful week at Lake Tahoe celebrating the 4th of July. Here's a picture above from the fireworks over the lake... absolutely beautiful!

Have a wonderful fourth of July!