Create a spooky batch of cookies- it takes about three seconds and requires no baking. Awesome for Halloween parties or to snack on while watching scary movies. 

Ingredients:
1 Box of Nutter Butter Cookies
8 ounces White Chocolate Chips 
Miniature Chocolate Chips <or> any candy that is tiny and round

Melt the white chocolate in the stove or microwave- whichever method you use, stir constantly to avoid scalding the chocolate. Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate or spread using a knife. Press two chocolate chips into the chocolate- these are the eyes. Done!

 

The Roosevelt Park Fest 2013 featured all the things that make a festival great. DJS spinning live music, crafts from 555 Gallery & Studios, Firefighter Chili Cookoff!, killer cornhole tournament, a bounce house and beer. Did I forget to mention the most awesome thing ever... Roller Skating!!!! Because WHO doesn't LOVE skating? The Grinch perhaps. 

The festival was held under the stoic watch of Michigan Central Station, our massive treasure that will most likely be restored soon (call it a hunch) Anyway- what better way to spend the first day of fall than at a neighborhood picnic... roller skating! 

Skaters raced around a oval-shaped track. (aka: the street) Some were total pros, performing tricks and stunts that definitely were the result of some hardcore practice, while others were on skates for the first time ever. Groups formed when a bangin' song came on- think Stevie Wonder, Snoop, Hall & Oates and swayed to the beat with moves that cannot be replicated by yours truly, nor will any attempt be made. Ever.  

It was an excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends and family all chillin' at the park. Friends were made & fun was had by all. 

Detroit Design Festival 2013 featured the awesome concept that attendees could create their own path, meandering around town to check out any combination of the 60+ latest designs, innovations and installations from cutting-edge artists and designers. Happenings were conceptualized by a huge range of avant garde artists, including fashion and product designers, gallery and studio owners, cinematographers, interior and graphic designers, performance artists, boutique owners- the list is endless. 

Paths included varied categories such as the Youth Path, Community Path, Exploration Path, Enthusiast Path, Consumer Path and Practitioner Path. Stick with one specific path and attend coordinating events or choose a few from each to make your own way. Exploration promotes learning about new things and this was a excellent way to introduce children to art and design concepts. There was an amazing array of activities and interactive exhibits for all ages to discover.

Children were able to draw and crawl through a cardboard city from Neighborhood Fort, check out a Lego exhibit which depicted some of the city's iconic skyscrapers, create their own mask, and scribble at an artists studio created by coG-studio, an architectural design firm which specializes in creating spaces for youth.

Summer is here! Just kidding- it's almost over... but it feels like a sweltering hot mid-summer day, and that is whats important. So let's make a classic treat everyone loves- Root Beer Floats.*

So simple and a definite childhood throwback. Let them watch as you prepare this frothy beverage.

Ingredients:
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Faygo Root Beer
Straws & Spoons

Throw some heaping scoops of ice cream into a cup, mug, glass- whatever. Pour root beer until it almost peeks over the rim of the glass. It will bubble up like mad- embrace it. 

And- you're done. Easy as pie. [but not really because it's actually waaaay easier]

Today is a bright and clear almost Autumn day- and a great day for an adventure! Take that jar filled to the brim with pennies and head toward your local tracks with the little engineers in tow. You are about to have the most fun that pennies can buy. 

Place some pennies on the tracks and wait for the train. But watch out, you don't want to get blinded by science- the pennies often propel with a velocity unimaginable until you witness it. Not the best way to teach kids about cause & effect... Keep watch from a distance or take cover and then check out the result of a monstrous train running over tiny copper pennies. So cool, the kids will want to try this regularly. 

Sometimes the conductor is driving slowly enough to wave and chat; a really memorable occurrence when it happens.

And no, placing pennies on train tracks does not derail a train.

Warnings: 
Look to see if a train is coming before approaching tracks, & don't walk on them.
Do not be surprised if you do not hear the train- don't walk on the tracks.
Most train accidents are caused by people on tracks- do not go on tracks.
If your kids are wild or do not listen- this isn't the adventure for you.

Take advantage of beautiful summer nights- you know, those balmy nights that are filled with crickets playing their tune- before the chill of Autumn fills the air. 

A fun way to spend time outside in the evening is to make your own ring toss- but not just any ring toss, take it to the next level by creating a Glow Ring Toss! This lawn game is very simple to make and the kids can help. Just grab some glow jewelry, (necklaces work better because they are larger) which can be found in craft stores and online, invite the kids to crack the tubes to get them glowing- and place two sticks (we used metal skewers) about 5 feet apart- that's it! 

Warning: Kids will get sidetracked by the awesome glowing being produced and probably abandon the game and start running around like some Tron character.

Bid farewell to summer in the sweetest of ways- by running to the nearest meadow or unkempt roadside and have some fun picking all the flowers you can handle. A favorite tradition for the end of summer, white Queen Anne's Lace transforms into bouquets of color in a few simple steps.

Take these delicate flowers home and cut them properly with sharp kitchen shears. Find an array of vases- we use the vase pictured above exclusively for this project every summer. Next, put a few drops of food coloring into each vase, then fill with water. Place the flowers into the water, and you will almost instantaneously see the microscopic petal change color.

This fun and educational and can be done with help from almost any age range, just delegate tasks for the appropriate for each age. This activity can be used to teach some basic ideas about science, the different parts of plants and how flowers stay hydrated- kids can actually witness the stems moving the water as it travels upwards- than as it changes the white to a rainbow of colors.

Coming at you live- it's the Rolling Stones and their Rock & Roll Circus! The Stones themselves are created from clothespins, while the big top circus tent [with removable lid] is a project we did last week, and is made from plastic containers covered with papier mache.

To Make the Clothespin Stones:
5 Wooden Clothespins
Acrylic [or similar] Paint
Paintbrushes- All Sizes
Photo Paper + a Pic of the Stones from the Rock & Roll Circus Era

Paint the Circus version of the Stones using a photograph or movie poster for reference. Print out the photograph & cut their heads out. Glue each head onto the corresponding Stone. You are done and ready to recreate your own Rock & Roll Circus.

If you are really into it, add other cast members, such as Jethro Tull, John & Yoko, + Eric Clapton. Don't replicate The Who- unless you are looking to wage a Rock & Roll war- this is the rumored reason that the Rock & Roll Circus film was placed into the vaults until the 80s- Mick thought The Who's performance overshadowed the Stones. And you know the Ringmaster likes to share the spotlight with no one.

To Make the Rock & Roll Circus Big Top Tent:
Follow the Instructions here.

Stay tuned for more musical recreations- you should see what is next!

Now that the Stones are on tour- it's time to resurrect their grand musical extravaganza- The Rolling Stones Rock & Roll Circus! The current tour is only hitting a select group of cities & probably not yours. So let's recreate the past, when Mick was the ringmaster- wearing glam makeup and holding a whip.

Let's start with the big top. Find an old ice cream container- the tub kind with the convenient handle. This is awesome because you- I mean the kids- can store the Stones inside when it's time to put everything away. Grab an old juice jug- the circular kind is preferable, but a rectangular shape will do. Carefully cut it off with a serrated knife. Cut an opening for the entrance into the big top. Place the juice top onto the ice cream lid, keep it in position with tape or hot glue. Now you are ready to begin the papier mache.

Use the recipe for papier mache listed here for the Skrillex Train project. Cover the lid with long strips of paper, keeping in mind that it should resemble a big top. Then cover the main tent. Allow to dry. Paint with acrylic paint. You can add a curtain to the entrance for added ambiance.

Next time we will work on The Stones themselves, well- clothespin versions of the Stones. Maybe a couple special guests will pay them a visit- Clapton, Tull, Lennon, did someone say Yoko- just like in the original Rock & Roll Circus.

Blowout was held in both Hamtramck and Ferndale this year! This weekend it was Ferndale's turn to host the awesome music event. Bands in both cities got down and dirty, but Ferndale managed to hijack the vibe once exclusive to Hamtramck alone.

Ferndale came ready to rumble. The Ferndale Public Library rocked it out. One witness of the Rogue Satellites performance- after Detroit Party Marching Band blasted through- emptied out of the venue exclaiming "that was so badass!" And it was. Ferndale was in your face. People were screaming "Blowout" at the tops of their lungs- from the sunroof while rolling through town, while walking down Woodward, from the mic as they performed on stage at the WAB.

Lively banter hit the streets. An opera singer randomly joined pop-up band St. Zeta for a session, someone dressed up in a Grizzly bear costume, people complained about Jack White. Now that is the Blowout I remember.