Category Archives: DIY

Pencil control improvement – High res printables

Posted on February 25, 2016 | Leave a comment

A fun tracing activity for your 2-4 years toddlers to help them develop pencil control and promote writing readiness. I’ve included 3 sheets, starting with horizontal lines. I will be posting later additional sheets for vertical lines. As your kids show improvement you can move gradually to more complicated shapes as zigzag, curves, circles….

Click on horizontal lines practice sheets, to download the high resolution files. Your kids will love these fun exercises, you will help them improve their pencil control to be ready for writing at a later stage. This exercise also helps in developing your kids concentration and improves their eye hand coordination. Teach them the right way to hold the pencil while having fun. It’s always good to work at home in parallel with the school. It’s a matter of 10-15 mns that will help a lot.

They can first start by tracing the lines, and later on do it without following the dots.

You can laminate the sheets for many times usage. Write with a marker and wipes it off when done and use it again and again!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

Endless ways i love you

Posted on February 10, 2016 | 1 comment

After the success of last year’s wheel of love i found an urge to revisit this activity, to express my endless reasons i love my family especially my family has grown since then.

As said before, telling your children “I love you” more often and expressing it for every occasion develops their secure attachment to you, knowing that they are loved unconditionally. Strong closeness to the family will lead no doubt to positive relationships in adulthood and high self esteem.

I still have faith in celebrating love if done in deep and expressive ways. Lot of you including me, find Valentines day becoming very shallow and commercial. Lets not go this path and teach our children the true meaning of love, the way of Valentinus the patron saint of lovers.

I used an old wood tray; i gave it some festive bright look by painting it with vivid colors.

I prepared our homemade clay dough, and hand it to Nady to cut out heart shapes and color them.

A quick reminder on how to do the dough:

You will need:

1 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to medium heat. Whisk continually until it starts to thicken. It will take couple of minutes to look like mashed potato in consistency, remove it immediately from the heat. Place it in a bowl and cover it with damp cloth until it’s cool. Knead it on a smooth surface by adding cornstarch if it feels a bit sticky. And it’s ready!

Stick the hearts on the tray:

Enjoy writing on the hearts the many and endless reasons why you love your children and husband/wife too 😉 It’s not just for kids! Do it to your significant other and let love flourishes in your hearts and homes!

Hang it on the wall as a frame, and if your children are old enough to write, you can get them involved in the game and stretch it for a longer time. Ask them to write the reasons they love you too and play this mutual love game starting a week ahead, hanging everyday one heart from each, until valentines day when you have filled all the hearts.

My boys are still too small to be able to read, Antoun and I filled all the hearts and read them to Nady. Joud (6months) was enjoying the colors and kisses!

I wasn’t surprised with my Nady who visually memorized them and was telling me each heart is saying what! This is a reason why i love my smart boy.

Don’t forget that love is not only words, it should be followed by actions, and the most important the presence. Be present for your kids, in love, protection and service. Happy love xxx

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Posted in design, DIY, special occasions, way to play

Tagged blog, colors, design, DIY, frame of love, hearts, homemade dough, jaymmy, kids activity, love, marmite et ponpon, reasons i love you, St valentines day, valentines, way to play, wood tray

How to host a Raclette party at home

Posted on December 30, 2015 | 2 comments

Raclette is a type of cow milk cheese, consumed in Switzerland and France. It’s commonly used for melting in small pans known as coupelles that are placed under a specialized grill looking like an electric table-top grill. Then the slices of melted raclette are poured over veggies, pickles, charcuterie and meat. Served with wine to seal the deal!

Throwing a raclette party at home is the most fun thing. Tomorrow is new year, and with kids outing became a bit difficult; We are hosting at home a raclette concept party.

Not going so much traditional, we are not just melting raclette, we got gruyere, mozzarella, gouda and brie. You can use any cheese of your choice that melts. As for the side ingredients with the cheese, you can go as much creative as you want; go for anything that pairs well with your choice of cheese.

My favorite raclette ingredients that i am serving :

Veggies (fingerling potatoes, sliced courgettes, sliced aubergines, sliced mushrooms, asparagus spears, broccoli florets, sliced capsicum, onion rondelles and cherry tomatoes). You can precook them if you want to save time.
Fruits (melon, strawberry and grapes)
Pickles (cornichons, pearl onions, jalapenos and olives) you can add to this list anything pickled that you fancy
Meat (strips of beef, bresaola, salami)
Condiments (salt, pepper, basil, rosemary and oregano)
Nuts (walnut), the crunch of nuts is a tasty contrast to the creaminess of cheese.

You can simply pour the melted cheese over these ingredients or include baguette slices.

If you want to end your dinner with a dessert, melt chocolate and marshmallows to satisfy your sweet tooth. With fruits you can take it to the next level.

Hopefully this post was beneficial to you whether it’s your first time to have a raclette or you are already a connoisseur. Enjoy it, nothing says happiness more than cheese 🙂

With this post and being the 7th most viral blog for 2015 (in lebanon), i wrap up this year, wishing you a beautiful new one ahead full of blessings, joy, good health and new exciting events in your life.

If you wish to see me again among the top Lebanese bloggers in 2016, like my post and give it some shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come. See you in 2016!!

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Posted in appetizers & salads, DIY, special occasions

Tagged bread, cheese, DIY, fruits, homemade, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, meat, nuts, pickles, raclette, veggies, wine

Create memories that will last – Christmas photo booth

Posted on December 24, 2015 | Leave a comment

Beautiful moments deserve beautiful photos. Create memories that will make you smile for long with this cute Christmas photo booth.

Last year we enjoyed the props so much, this i wanted something different with the same enjoyment we had before. A photo booth to unite the whole family in one picture.

It’s a 120x100cm frame printed on foam board to have the necessary thickness. Click on photo booth to download the printable file. It’s a vector one, easy to make changes on it to fit your desire.

Cherish and preserve your memories, a picture is worth a thousand word. Happy holiday to everyone, Jesus is born!

I will upload later our photo booth pictures from the Christmas eve.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

Deck the table with these 5 dazzling hors d’oeuvres

Posted on December 22, 2015 | Leave a comment

Get your Christmas dinner start with these beautiful and easy first course. These relish 5 appetizers takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and bring the wow factor to your Christmas table.

This amuse bouche made with broccoli and cherry tomato is inspired from the Christmas tree. Serve it with cocktail or ranch sauce.

No forks or spoons required for these easy-to-pick-up appetizers; Caprese skewers can replace a salad.

A snowman cheese is an impressive hors d’oeuvre, so cute to be eaten. You can prepare it with any white creamy cheese you like; feta, boursin, rambol, goat cheese….

Go beyond a cheese board with these cute feta thyme appetizer. The tomato hat made all the difference 🙂

Kebbeh is a staple on the Lebanese table, take it to the next level by cutting it into Christmassy shapes like ginger man, tree, star, snowflake, snowman….Kids will love it too.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.