sweet paul jingle sparkle twinkle

The Jingle, Sparkle, & Twinkle Issue

presented by

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What’s up Sweet Paul?

Let it snow

Edible gifts

Sprinkle-licious!

Homemade Christmas

Swedish buns

A good morning hug for the belly

Crafty first aid kit

A taste for history

New kids on the blocks

Norwegian meatballs

Recycled into toys

Photo wrapping paper & tags

Kid approved food

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18

30

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74

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When I was a boy growing up in Norway there were two family activities that I looked forward to most: cooking and crafting. I’m sure most kids would say family vacations,

birthdays, or sporting events, but not me. I

was definitely not a typical kid! I just adored

spending time with my grandmother, my

parents, and my great aunt, baking cakes and

cookies, building furniture, and working on

sewing projects.

I remember Saturday mornings when my

grandmother would fill a big table with felt,

paper, ribbons, beads, and every craft supply

imaginable and we would make whatever

our creative hearts desired! The sky was

the limit! The cooking was just as fun, but I

especially enjoyed the baking. The house would

fill with all these amazing smells of cinnamon,

ginger, clove, and saffron. We would wrap our

baked goods up in small tissue paper-lined

boxes with pretty ribbons and give them away

as gifts to our neighbors.

Week after week, my family and I would

undertake new adventures together. If I wanted

to bake a cake, we’d bake a cake. If I wanted

to sew curtains, we’d sew curtains. I really

was quite lucky to have such a creative and

supportive family. What fun we had!

I hope this special issue will give you and your

family the some of the same inspiration and fun

that I had as a boy with my very special family.

You can enjoy these recipes and projects

year round—bake some cookies, make some

recycled toys, let your creativity run wild! It’s all

about having fun together.

Finally, I’d like to thank my friends at

BAND-AID® Brand and NEOSPORIN® for

making this issue possible. As you spend

time with your family creating these projects,

recipes, and memories, be sure to always have

the proper first aid supplies on-hand, in case

of mishaps.

XO

PHOTOGRAPHY by Goor Studio

What's up Sweet Paul?

16

FOOD+STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

When I was a kid we always had very white

Christmases. I can remember years where

we had snow up to our kitchen window.

There was nothing I loved more than

being inside with my Mormor, baking and

cooking while the snow was falling hard.

I remember one year when it seemed

like we would have a green Christmas.

(You have to remember that this was

the early ‘70s and global warming were

unspoken words.)

Normally, in late December, there was

already tons of snow. But this year? Lots

and lots of rain. I was really upset and

asked my Mormor if there was anything we

could do to make the snow come. She told

me that she had to think about it and that

she would get back to me.

The day before Christmas, she told me

a secret. She had heard that if we baked

coconut cookies it would snow the very

next day. After baking them, we had to

place some outside our door as an offering

to the Snow God.

So what were we waiting for? We spent

the whole day baking amazing coconut

cookies. When night came, we placed a

few outside our door and went to bed. Of

course my Mormor had seen the weather

report and knew that it would snow that

night, the smart woman.

I woke up to a white winter wonderland

the next day, and was so happy that we

had managed to make it snow. Mormor

said that we should keep it a secret—and

we did, until now.

Let It Snow Coconut Cookies

Makes about 20

2 large egg whites 1 tablespoon sugar 2½ cups sweetened shredded coconut 1 teaspoon vanilla pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Beat egg whites and sugar until foamy.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

4. On a baking sheet covered with parchment

paper, place mounds created by 1½

tablespoons of the mixture

5. Bake until golden. This will take around

15–18 minutes.

6. Cool on a wire rack.

The day before Christmas, she told me a secret. She had heard that if we baked coconut cookies it would snow the very next day. After baking them we had to place some outside our door as an offering to the Snow God

Let it snow

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gifts

Sweet Paul gives you some

of his best edible treats. They all

make great gifts for family

and friends!

Edible

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Rosemary & Honey Pecans

These are amazing, and they make such a

great gift

< Oat, Coconut, & Raisin Cookies

21

< S’moresDulce de Leche >

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Chocolate Bark

It’s a lot of chocolate, but it’s a great gift for a family or a

group of friends.

Makes 1 large bark

10 oz good quality chocolate, in pieces ½ cup peppermint candy, crushed ½ cup dried cranberries and orange peel ½ cup nut mix

1. Place the chocolate in a double boiler and melt it slowly

without stirring.

2. Line a small sheet pan with baking paper and pour the

chocolate onto it.

3. Sprinkle the broken candy on 1⁄3, the cranberry and orange

peel on another 1⁄3, and the nut mix on the rest.

4. Let cool.

Give it away with a cute small hammer.

Raspberries with Chocolate

These are so good and so cute. Make them the same day as you

give them away.

2 oz white chocolate 2 oz dark chocolate fresh raspberries

1. Melt the chocolates in 2 separate double boilers.

2. While still warm, pour into piping bags.

3. Pipe either white or dark chocolate into each raspberry.

Hot Chocolate Lollipop

These make for a really cute gift. Just dip them into hot milk, stir,

and you have wonderful hot chocolate with a marshmallow swirl.

Makes 4

4 oz dark chocolate 4 large marshmallows

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

2. Put a wooden stick in each marshmallow and place in a small

paper cup.

3. Pour the chocolate into the cup and let it harden.

Dulce de Leche

Perfect for ice cream, coffee, or other recipes. Or you can eat it

from the jar!

Make several cans at a time

1 jar of sweetened condensed milk


2. Place the milk in a glass canning jar.

3. Seal well with lid.

4. Place in a large pot filled with hot water. The water should be

over the lid of the jar.

5. Place in the oven and let stand for 8 hours.

Cool and enjoy.

Peppermint Cookies

These are great chocolate cookies with just the right amount

of peppermint.

Makes 30

2½ tablespoons salted butter ½ cup sugar 1 large egg ½ teaspoon peppermint extract ½ cup plain flour ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ teaspoon baking powder 1⁄3 cup semisweet chocolate, melted 10 peppermint candies, chopped

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.

2. Add the egg and mix well.

3. Add peppermint extract, flour, cocoa, and baking powder, and

mix well.

4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours

before use.


6. Roll out to 1⁄8-inch thick on a floured surface.

7. Cut out 2-inch rounds using a cookie cutter and transfer to a

parchment paper-covered baking tray.

8. Bake for 10 minutes.


10. Decorate with a little melted chocolate and some crushed

peppermint candy.

Store in an airtight container.

S’mores

Such a cute way to give away s’mores! Put them all in a pretty

box or in a cellophane bag tied with ribbon.

Makes 10

20 graham crackers 10 square pieces of chocolate 10 marshmallows ribbon

Simply place the chocolate and marshmallow between 2 graham

crackers and tie with a ribbon.

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Raspberries with ChocolateThese are so good and so cute

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< Chocolate BarkHot Chocolate Lollipop >

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< Peppermint CookiesStar Sugar Cookies >

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Star Sugar Cookies

Makes about 30

2¾ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 1½ cups sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract chopped clear candy


2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking

powder. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar

until smooth.

4. Beat in egg and vanilla.

5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.

6. Roll out the dough to a thin layer and cut out stars. Place onto

un-greased cookie sheets.

7. Cut out the center of the cookies with a smaller star.

8. Fill each star with ¼ teaspoon of chopped candy.

9. Make a small hole in each cookie for a string.

10. Bake 8–10 minutes in the oven, or until golden.

11. Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes before removing to cool

on wire racks.

12. Thread with string.

Rosemary & Honey Pecans

These are amazing, and they make such a great gift.

2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon Maldon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 2 cups pecans 3 rosemary stems 4 tablespoons honey


2. Melt the butter in a pan and add salt and pepper.

3. Place the nuts in a large bowl, add butter, rosemary, and

honey, and mix well.

4. Bake until golden.

Cool and enjoy.

Oat, Coconut, & Raisin Cookies

Makes 8 large cookies

2 sticks butter, soft ¾ cup light brown sugar ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups rolled oats 1½ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup shredded coconut 2 cups raisins


2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and creamy.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat it well into the mixture.

4. Add oats, flour, baking powder, coconut, and raisins, and mix

until combined.

5. Place mounds of dough the size of 2 tablespoons on a baking

sheet covered with parchment paper. Give them plenty of room,

as they grow while baking.

6. Bake until golden, about 12–14 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Wrapping A fun way to wrap edible gifts: Put your gifts in cellophane bags and

make a topper with card stock. Just glue it in place. I finished mine off with some branches of red berries

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Sprinkle-licious!Make these small baked donuts with your kids. They will especially love decorating them and you will love that they are not deep fried!

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Mini Donuts

Makes 24 mini donuts

Donuts:

1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 cups plain flour 1 cup buttermilk 3 eggs 1 tablespoon honey ½ cup butter, melted

Frosting:

confectioners’ sugar water sprinkles


2. Grease a mini donut

baking pan.

3. Mix all the dry donut

ingredients together in a bowl.

4. Add buttermilk,

eggs, honey, and butter,

and mix well.

5. Spoon mixture into greased

pan.

6. Bake until golden, about

5–6 minutes.

7. Let cool on a wire rack.

8. Beat confectioners’

sugar and a little water into a

smooth frosting.

9. Dip the donuts into

the frosting.

10. Dip the frosted donuts into

the sprinkles.

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Homemade ChristmasYou don’t have to spend tons of money to make cute décor and

ornaments for the holiday. You can make great stuff out of everyday items you have around the house!

CRAFTS by Paul Vitale+Paul Lowe | STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

Jingle Bell Wrapping

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Fuse Bead Ornament

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Twine Snowman

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Peanut Snowmen

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Stockings

I love using old sweaters and turning them

into crafts. Here I took 2 old kid’s sweaters

and made them into stockings.

You will need:

old sweater fabric of your choice scissors sewing machine

1. Go online and find a stocking

template you like. There are hundreds to

choose from.

2. Cut out the stocking in both the sweater

and a backing fabric. It’s smart to use

the end of the sweater as the end of your

stocking, as it will not fray.

3. Sew both sides together, right side to

right side.

4. Turn inside out.

5. Sew a small fabric loop to the stocking

so you can hang it.

Glitter Bulbs

A really fun way to recycle. These make

great ornaments.

You will need:

old light bulbs glitter, mine is from tinseltrading.com craft glue

brush string hot glue gun & hot glue

1. Brush the bulbs with glue and drizzle or

dip in glitter.

2. Once dry, hot glue a piece of string to

the end so that you can hang on the tree.

Light Bulb Snowmen

These are really cute and they make

great gifts!

You will need:

large light bulbs white craft paint black marker orange paper hot glue gun & hot glue felt

1. Paint the bulb white.

2. Once dry, use a marker and make arms,

buttons, mouth, and eyes.

3. Cut a carrot shape of orange paper and

hot glue to the bulb.

4. Cut a felt strip as a scarf and fringe the

edges. Hot glue in place.

Peanut Snowmen

This is a great project for kids. These

ornaments look especially awesome on a

small tree.

You will need:

whole peanuts white craft paint marker wool string hot glue gun & hot glue acorn tops

1. Paint the peanuts white.

2. Once dry, use a marker and make eyes

and a mouth.

3. Hot glue an acorn top to the top of the

peanut, and fasten a piece of wool string

around the neck for a scarf.

Paper Ornaments

I collect decorative paper all year as I

know I will use them come Christmas.

You will need:

decorative papers scissors paper glue string

1. Use cookie cutters or online templates

to create the shapes.

2. Cut them out in 2 sheets of paper, so

you have pretty paper on both sides.

3. Using paper glue, glue the layers

together with a string between them.

Paper Ornaments

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Glitter BulbsA really fun way to recycle. These make great ornaments

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Jingle Bell WreathThis one takes a little time, but once you’re done you have an heirloom wreath for years. It can also be used as a musical instrument

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Glitter Houses

Wool Snowman

Stockings

Dipped Ornaments

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Glitter CrittersIf I had a kid I would never leave their toys alone. I would constantly turn them into some craft project. These looks really cool on a table or a tree

Light Bulb Snowmen

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Snow Globe

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Glitter Critters

If I had a kid I would never leave their toys

alone. I would constantly turn them into

some craft project. These looks really cool

on a table or a tree.

You will need:

plastic animals craft glue brush glitter hot glue gun & hot glue string

1. Paint the parts of the animal you want

to add glitter to with craft glue.

2. Drizzle with glitter.

3. Once dry, hot glue a piece of string

to the back so that you can hang them on

a tree.

Dipped Ornaments

Super easy to make and they look really

cool on the tree.

You will need:

white, glass, or plastic ornaments paint, I used regular interior paint

1. Pour the paint into a bowl.

2. Dip your ornaments and hang to dry.

Wool Snowman

Isn’t he charming?

You will need:

2 felted balls ribbon, for a scarf orange paper silver paper black marker silver glitter craft glue silver ribbon toothpick hot glue gun & hot glue

1. Hot glue the 2 felted balls together.

2. Cut out a round base in white craft

paper and glue the snowman to it.

3. Add the scarf.

4. Cut out eyes and a nose and hot glue

them in place.

5. Use a marker to make pupils and

a mouth.

6. Make a small cone from extra paper

and cover it first with glue and then glitter.

Glue it to the head.

7. Cut out a small star and hot glue

it to a toothpick, glitter it, and glue to

the snowman.

Snow Globe

I just love this winter wonderland diorama.

You will need:

containers sea salt mini trees and deer

Simply fill your container with salt, trees,

and deer to create the winter scene of

your dreams!

Jingle Bell Wrapping

Such a great way to wrap anything. I use

simple baker’s twine.

You will need:

red gift wrap paper baker’s twine jingle bells, most craft stores will have them1. Wrap your gift in red paper.

2. Use baker’s twine as ribbon and tie

bells to the ends.

Jingle Bell Wreath

This one takes a little time, but once

you’re done you have an heirloom

wreath for years. It can also be used as

a musical instrument.

You will need:

metal wire wreath jingle bells, I used around 125 thin silver florist wire cutter

1. Fasten your wire to the wreath.

2. Slide 2 bells on your wire and fasten

to the wreath. Work yourself all the way

around. Make sure the bells are tight next

to each other.

3. Tie with a ribbon and hang.

Twine Snowman

Made of everyday stuff from around

the house.

You will need:

2 spools of kitchen twine hot glue gun & hot glue ribbon

1 straw old buttons thread spool

1. Start by making a round head out of

the twine, then create 2 more balls for

the body.

2. Glue the 3 balls together using a hot

glue gun.

3. Hot glue the buttons to the snowman.

4. Cut the straw in half and cut

slits as fingers. Hot glue the straws to

the snowman.

5. Hot glue the spool of thread to its head

and tie the ribbon around his neck.

Fuse Bead Ornament

I had almost forgotten about these from

my childhood. They can be made into a

bunch of cool shapes.

You will need:

white fuse beads fuse bead board string iron and ironing board

1. Make a snowflake design with the beads

on the board.

2. Cover the design with parchment paper

and press gently with a medium hot iron.

3. Use the iron until all parts are glued to

each other.

4. Remove from board and tie with

a string.

Glitter Houses

A little diorama! Add some fake snow,

small brush trees, and some deer. It will

look awesome.

You will need:

card stock paper craft glue hot glue gun & hot glue glitter page from an old book

1. Find a house template online. There are

loads to choose from.

2. Cut out the template in card stock and

put together using a hot glue gun.

3. Cover the parts you want to glitter with

craft glue and then drizzle with glitter.

4. Cut out windows and doors from a

book page and glue to the house.

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Swedishbuns FOOD+STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

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These buns are a really classic treat in Sweden and I’m sure you’re going to love to have them in your house too. The saffron gives them a subtle

spiced flavor and a beautiful yellow color.

Since they aren’t too sweet, they are

perfect for slathering with salted butter

and your favorite jam!

They’re traditionally made by rolling

bits of dough into long tubes and shaping

them into hearts, spirals or S shapes.

When I was a boy, my grandmother and I

would spend the day preparing the dough

with a rolling pin and cutting out shapes

with cookie cutters. When I make these

buns now, I always do a few of both kinds

for variety.

As a child and now, whenever I’m busy in

the kitchen, I always have the proper first

aid supplies on-hand, in case of mishaps.

NEOSPORIN® + Pain Relief Ointment can

help soothe pain from any minor burn

and BAND-AID® Brand WaterBlock™

Clear Adhesive Bandages or BAND-AID®

Brand First Aid Gauze Pads can lock in the

ointment and cover any burns, cuts or

nicks that may occur while prepping my

ingredients. Being prepared allows you to

quickly address the problem so you can

get back to the important things…like what

jam you’re going to spread on the freshly

baked buns!

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Makes 20 1 cup melted butter ½ teaspoon saffron 1 cup milk ¾ cup sugar 4 teaspoon dry active yeast 6½ cups all purpose flour 2 eggs 1 egg white, beaten sultanas (or golden raisins)1. Stir the saffron into the butter, and let

sit for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the milk and add the butter

and sugar.

3. Pour into a baking bowl and when its

finger warm you stir in the yeast.

4. Leave for 10 minutes.

5. Add flour and eggs and mix

until smooth.

6. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

7. Cut the dough into 20 pieces and roll

each piece into a long sausage.

8. Roll from each side to the middle.

9. Place on a baking sheet covered with

parchment paper.

10. Brush with egg white and decorate

with sultanas.

11. Bake at 375°F until golden, about

15 minutes.


Sweet Paul’s Tips:

• You can make the dough the day before

and store it in the refrigerator overnight.

• You can freeze the baked buns for up to

2 weeks; just allow them to thaw to room

temperature a few hours before you

want to eat them.

• If you prefer a sweeter bun you can

make a simple glaze simple glaze with

confectioner’s sugar, milk, and a little

orange zest.

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Cheese Sticks

51

FOR THE BELLY

A GOOD MORNING


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Nest of Sun

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Kids love these small nests. THEY’RE REALLY EASY TO MAKE AND REALLY TASTY. YOU CAN SERVE THEM HOT OR COLD.

Nest of Sun

Makes 8

butter, for greasing 1 sheet puff pastry 8 egg yolks salt, to taste1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Grease a small muffin tin.

3. Cut the puff pastry into squares and

place in a muffin tin.

4. Place an egg yolk in each cup and

sprinkle with a little salt.

5. Bake until golden and set. This will take

about 10–12 minutes.

Granola Cups

This is a creative way to serve granola.

Kids love to get their own little cup filled

with goodies.

Makes 8

1 cup rolled oats 1⁄3 cup sweetened shredded coconut 3 tablespoons pine nuts 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons melted butter+extra for greasing

For serving:

yogurt fresh berries


2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

3. Press the mixture into a greased muffin

tin. The mixture should take the form of

the muffin tin.

4. Bake until golden. This will take about

10 minutes.

5. Let cool, and remove with a sharp knife.

6. Fill with yogurt and berries.

Gingerbread Pancakes

Not only do they taste good but the smell

alone will put you in a cheery mood.

Serves 4

2 eggs 2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons butter, melted ¼ cup milk 1 cup water 1¼ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ginger ¼ cup light brown sugar butter, for frying

1. In a large bowl mix eggs, maple syrup,

butter, milk, and water.

2. Mix in flour, baking powder, spices,

and sugar.

3. Heat the butter and make pancakes, 1½

tablespoons at a time.

4. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Breakfast Burgers

Okay, not really a burger… but almost.

Makes 4

4 brioche buns 4 tablespoons pesto 1 avocado, sliced watercress 4 fried eggs, I like mine sunny side up

1. Cut the brioche in half and smear pesto

on each side.

2. Layer with avocado, watercress,

and egg.

French Toast Men

These are really cute, especially when

served with fresh fruit.

Serves 4 8 slices of white bread 2 eggs, beaten sugar, for sprinkling butter, for frying

1. Cut out gingerbread men in the bread

using a cookie cutter.

2. Dip them in egg and then sprinkle with a

light layer of sugar.

3. In a buttered pan, fry them until golden

on both sides.

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Granola Cups

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Gingerbread Pancakes

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French Toast Men

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Breakfast Burgers

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Makes 4 portion-sized pizzas

Dough:

1 cup water, lukewarm 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon dry yeast 2½ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons olive oil

Filling:

1 cup cheese, grated 3 scallions, sliced 4 eggs ½ cup crumbled bacon, cooked 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1. In a bowl, mix water, honey, and yeast.

2. Leave it for 5 minutes so that the yeast

starts to work.

4. Add flour, salt, and oil.

5. Work the dough together.

6. Cover with plastic and let it rise for

1 hour.


8. Divide the dough into 4 pieces.

9. Press into 4 oiled pans.

10. Add cheese and half the scallions.

11. Bake for about 5 minutes, take them

out, and crack an egg in the middle of

each pizza.

12. Bake again, until the egg is set. This

will take around 6–7 minutes.

13. Once done, add bacon, the rest of the

scallions, and tomatoes.

Cheese Sticks

These are amazing when served with eggs.

Makes 20 sticks

1 sheet puff pastry (I love to use Dafour) ½ cup cheese, grated

1. Preheat then oven to 375°F.

2. Cut the puff pastry into half-inch strips.

3. Twist them gently and place on a baking

sheet covered with parchment paper.

4. Sprinkle with cheese.

5. Bake until golden. This will take about

10 minutes.

Breakfast Pan Pizza

I love pizza in the mornings.YOU CAN ADD WHATEVER YOU FANCY, BUT THE EGGS ARE A MUST.

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Breakfast Pan Pizza

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Sweet Paul's Crafty First Aid KitCRAFTS+STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

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1. Place your 2 pieces of fabric on top

of each other with the right sides facing

each another.

2. Use pins to keep your fabric in place.

3. Sew the fabric together at a short end.

4. Fold the thin cotton fabric over so that

you have a nice seam connecting your

cotton and your canvas.

5. Pin your elastic in place, down

the middle of the right side of your

cotton fabric. Stitch your elastic to the

cotton on both ends to secure.

6. Stitch down the elastic at 3 more points

along the length of the elastic to make

"compartments" for all your first

aid products.

7. Once your elastic is secured, fold over

your fabrics so that the right sides are

facing out.

8. Fold the end of the rectangle with the

seam over onto itself to create a pocket.

Mine is 4" deep. Secure the edges of your

pocket with pins.

9. Next, sew all the way around your kit,

securing the 2 pieces of fabric together.

10. Remember to leave about a ½" of

space between the edge of your rectangle

and your stitching so that you can cut

your edges in the next step.

11. Use a pair of pinking shears to cut all

the raw edges and give a nice finished look

to all sides of your kit.

12. Fill the compartments with your

first aid products and roll up and tie with

a ribbon.

You're now ready for any first aid issues

that might arise!

This DIY first aid kit is the best way to make sure you are prepared if anything goes amiss while working on your favorite craft projects!

I love to craft, I do it almost every day! I’ve

been known to burn myself on my trusty

old hot glue gun or cut myself with a craft

knife from time to time. To help with the

unexpected accidents that always come

up while crafting, I created this roll-up

first aid kit. It’s modeled on the roll-up

knife holders that chefs use to transport

their blades. My kit is really easy to make

and I always keep it handy wherever I’m

crafting—both at home and on the road.

I keep it in my tool kit with hammers, hot

glue guns, and other craft supplies, so it’s

within reach whenever a problem arises.

You will need:

1 16"x7" piece of canvas or heavy linen fabric 1 16"x7"piece of thin cotton fabric 1 7" thin elastic band thread sewing machine fabric scissors pinking shears 1 20" ribbon

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Pinking shears are a great tool to use for fabrics or

paper. You can cut the edges of a fabric and they will not

fray. Also, choose a thicker cotton canvas or linen for

the outside layer and the inside layer can be a thinner

cotton—mine is a pretty patterned Liberty fabric.

Suggested first aid complement to fill

your k it:

NEOSPORIN® + Pain Relief Cream—this is a MUST!

We didn't have this in Norway and I have loved it since

coming to the US!

BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages—I always try to

have various sizes and sometimes like to get the ones

with fun designs on them!

BENGAY® —In case you lift something too heavy

or find that you have sore muscles from being in a

tense position.

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FOOD+STYLING+TEXT by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

A taste for historyHow my love for history made me discover the delightful cucumber sandwich

I read a lot when I was a kid. I loved books about

historic people.

Madame Curie, Abraham Lincoln, Marie Antoinette…

they all fascinated me. Being a history buff, I loved

having two little old ladies to spend time with who talked

constantly about the good old days. Sometimes I felt I was

living in another time.

When I started school, other kids would show off their

action figures and their pets for show-and-tell. I would

bring in antiques. “This is a 19th century French porcelain

plate from Limoges.”

Let’s put it this way—it wasn’t good for my street cred.

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I would also read about the food historic

people ate. Eventually I started a fixation

about cucumber sandwiches. I must have

picked it up in some book. But having

afternoon tea and eating cucumber

sandwiches? Oh, I thought life was good.

But since I hated tea, I had my sandwiches

with a glass of milk.

Mormor’s cucumber sandwiches were

amazing. She cut the cucumber leaf-

thin and used a little mayo. Her secret

ingredients were black pepper and chives.

She was an older woman and her taste

buds were not like they once were, so she

would put black pepper on everything.

Just like I do today.

Thanks Mormor.

Cucumber Sandwiches

Serves 4

1 cucumber ½ loaf of white bread, sliced ½ cup mayo salt & pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chives, minced

1. Cut the cucumber as thin as possible.

2. Take 2 slices of bread and add a thin

layer of mayo on both slices.

3. Add a layer of cucumber slices to 1

of the sides, and add some salt, pepper,

and chives.

4. Place the slices together and

press gently.

5. Cut off the crust and cut the bread into

2 triangles.

Serve right away.

66

CRAFT+STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

New kids on the blocksTurn your kids and their friends into a very fun toy

67

Photo Blocks

You will need:

wooden blocks (these are from littlesaplingtoys.com) photocopied images of kids (do a photoshoot where they stand against a white wall with their arms straight down) glue1. Cut out the photos so that they fit

onto 3 cubes.

2. Glue them on.

3. Let dry before playing.

68

Norwegian

MeatballsFOOD+STYLING by Paul Lowe

PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

69© Disney

71

I got this recipe directly from the Royal Chef

of Arendelle, I’m sure all fans of Disney’s

FROZEN® will be very happy to help prepare

these meatballs. It’s so much fun to mix the

ingredients and roll them into balls. And of

course, the best part is eating them all up!

Whenever I cook, bake, or craft with children,

I’m always prepared for the unexpected with

proper first aid supplies on-hand. In the case

of this meatball recipe, the perfect idea is to

have a box of BAND-AID® Brand FROZEN®

Adhesive Bandages and a tube of NEOSPORIN®

Ointment handy.

Serves 6 kids, or a family of 4

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, shredded ½ pound ground sirloin ½ pound ground pork 3 tablespoons milk salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a medium-size pan and fry

onion, garlic and carrots until the onion is soft.

2. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Add sirloin, pork, milk, salt, and pepper;

mix well.

4. Using your hands, roll the mixture into

1½" balls.

5. Heat more oil in a large pan and add the

meatballs; turning until brown on all sides,

about 10 minutes.

6. Serve with mashed potatoes and

cooked carrots.


• When you use your hands to mix or prepare

food it’s always important to wash your hands

well both before and after.

• In Norway we eat meatballs with

tyttebærsyltetøy or lingonberry jam. You

can buy this jam at many grocery stores.

• You can freeze them too! Make a big batch

of these meatballs, allow them to cool

completely, package them in freezer bags, and

freeze them for up to 1 month.

74

We love recycling here at Sweet Paul. Everything can be turned into something fun

75

CRAFTS by Paul Vitale+Paul Lowe | STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

Rocket

76

Sock Horse

You will need:

1 thick woolen sock 2 large buttons yarn or floss, in several colors batting 1 wooden rod, 3–4' long

1. Sew buttons on each side of the foot

of the sock.

2. Embroider eyelashes near the

buttons with yarn or floss.

3. Add the mane by sewing and tying

pieces of yarn to the sock.

4. Add batting to the inside of the sock.

5. Place the stuffed sock on a rod, and

fasten by wrapping yarn around the

base until secure.

6. Make the horse’s nose by tying yarn

around the foot of the sock. Leave a bit

of extra yarn for the reigns!

Mr. Robot

I have collected old toy robots for

years. There is something so kind and

safe about them.

You will need:

1 large tomato can, for torso 1 smaller tomato purée can, for head 4 small and long corn cans, for arms and legs 2 flat sardines cans, for feet Superglue spray paint, in beige 1 wooden bead paper crayons craft glue

1. Wash the cans well and let them dry.

2. Use Superglue to glue the cans

together in the shape of a body.

3. Spraypaint the cans beige.

4. Use Superglue to glue the wooden

ball on top of the head.

5. Draw some stripes on the robot with

a crayon.

6. Make eyes, mouth, and machine

parts out of paper and glue to the robot.

7. Take overthe world.

Rocket

You will need:

1 cardboard shipping tube cardboard 1 X-Acto knife glue spray paint colored craft paper white paper crayons

1. Cut the curved rocket legs out

of cardboard. There should be 3 1⁄4-circle pieces.

2. Using an X-Acto knife, make slits on

the bottom of the tube where the legs

will fit in.

3. Glue the legs into place.

4. Spraypaint the whole rocket.

5. Make small cones from craft paper

and glue them to the top of the rocket.

6. Using crayons, draw designs on

white paper. Cut them out and glue

them to the rocket.

7. Houston, we don’t have

any problems.

The Band

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome

The Sweet Pauls to the stage!

Guitar

You will need:

1 box 1 X-Acto knife 1 tube (we used both a toilet paper roll and a paper towel roll) craft paint 1 hot glue gun rope 2 large elastic bands paper straws

1. Trace the circle of a bowl onto the

biggest side of a box.

2. Cut out the circle using X-Acto knife.

3. Paint the box and the tube.

4. Glue the tube to the top of the box.

5. Place the elastics the long way

around the guitar.

6. Cut a straw in half and place under

the elastics on each side of the hole.

7. Get ready to rock out.

77

I remember making these with my grandmother when I was a kid. It’s a great way to reuse all those single socks lying around

Sock Horse

Bottom left: Play Pillow

Bottom right: Dancing Family

78

I have collected old toy robots for years. There is something so kind and safe about them

Mr. Robot

79Pull Toys

80

Microphone

You will need:

1 paper towel roll, cut in half craft paint papier-mache ball (ours is from leesartshop.com) 1 hot glue gun piece of cord

1. Paint the ball and the tube.

2. Hot glue them together.

3. Hot glue the cord to the inside of

the tube.

4. Sing as loud as you can!

Drum

You will need:

1 hatbox (this one is from containerstore.com) 1 piece of white faux leather hot glue gun ribbon with pompoms cord buttons 2 12", thin wooden rods fabric scraps batting rope

1. Cut the leather so that it fits on top

of the box. Hot glue in place.

2. Hot glue the pompom ribbon

around the edge of the faux leather.

3. Hot glue the cord in an “x” pattern

all around the drum and hot glue a

button in the middle of each “x”.

4. Place some batting on the fabric

scraps and roll them into a ball shape

around the wooden rods.

5. Cut off any excess fabric and fasten

the scraps with thin rope.

6. Drum solo, please.

Pull Toys

I asked nolinoli.com to make the base

and wheels for me. You can always

order a set from them.

You will need:

1 wooden board, about 4"x6" 4 wheels 2 small hooks rope old kid’s books (we copied the images and enlarged them on a copier—remember to also make the flip side!) cardboard 1 X-Acto knife glue Superglue

1. Assemble the board and wheels.

2. Screw in the hook to 1 end of the

board and fasten the rope.

3. Glue your image to heavy cardboard

and cut out using an X-Acto knife.

4. Cut out the other side of the image

and glue onto the back of

the cardboard.

5. Superglue the cardboard to

the board.

Play Pillow

Turn your old clothes into pillows that

tell a story. There are hours of fun to

be had here.

You will need:

fabric scraps needle & thread batting fabric glue

1. Cut out a flower, leaf, house, or a

cloud in the fabric—remember to cut

out 2 shapes to make 1 pillow.

2. Sew the 2 pieces together by hand

or machine.

3. Fill pillow with batting and sew up.

4. Glue windows to the house, or

the center circle to the flowers using

fabric glue.

Dancing Family

To get the images for these, have a

little photoshoot where you photo-

graph everyone with their arms and

legs out.

You will need:

photocopies of people paper glue thin cardboard 1 X-Acto knife tacks 1 small hammer string

1. Cut apart the photocopies into the

pieces you’ll need for each doll. Divide

them up into the head and torso, 2

pieces per arm, and 2 pieces per leg.

2. Glue all pieces to cardboard and cut

them out.

3. Put the dolls together with small

tacks. Use a hammer on the back to

bend the tacks.

4. Tie a thin string to each elbow,

shoulder, knee, and hip.

5. Let the strings meet on the

lower half of the torso and tie them

into one piece of string. Let the string

hang down.

6. Put on some cool music, pull the

string, and have a dance party!

81

Ladies & gentlemen, please welcome The Sweet Pauls to the stage!

The Band

82

Photo Wrapping Paper

& Tags

CRAFTS+STYLING by Paul Lowe | PHOTOGRAPHY by Alexandra Grablewski

85

I grew up in Norway and now I live thousands of miles away from my family. I cherish all of the old family photos that I have from my childhood.

When I was a boy I used to love to sit with

my parents or grandmother and look

through our family photo albums and

ask them questions about the people in

the photos.

One of my favorite crafts for gift giving is

to make my own wrapping paper and gift

tags. It’s such an easy addition and your

gift recipient will love it. It’s like getting

two gifts in one! With this project you can

either make your paper at home with a

scanner and home printer, or if you’d like

you can bring the photos to your local

copy center and have the folks there help

you create your paper.

Whenever crafting, I like to be ready—just

in case—there are unexpected bumps

along the way. So I keep a first aid kit

on-hand at all times. NEOSPORIN® +

Pain Relief Ointment can help soothe pain

from any minor cuts and BAND-AID®

Brand WATERBLOCK™ Clear Adhesive

Bandages can help cover and protect

any nicks and cuts that may occur while

working on a project, which helps me get

back to making my gift heartfelt inside

and out!

You will need:

old photos glue stick or double sided tape a piece of 11"x17" paper to use as your base more paper to use for your printouts card-stock for tags a hole punch scissors ribbon transparent tape with which to wrap

1. Start by arranging your photos on your

piece of paper and taping or gluing them

down in an arrangement that looks nice

to you.

2. Next, either scan your composition on

your home scanner or bring them to your

local copy center to make copies.

3. Print out as many pages as you like.

Remember, for a bigger box you may have

to use more than 1 sheet of paper.

4. For the gift tags, print out a copy

of a photo you like and affix it to your

cardstock with tape or glue stick.

5. Next, cut out a rectangle tag the

size you like best and cut off the top

2 corners at an angle so it looks like

a gift tag.

6. Finally, with your hole punch, punch a

hole in the center-top of your tag.

7. Wrap your presents, tie on beautiful

ribbon, attach your tag, and give your

memorable gift!


• You can print your wrapping paper

in both color and black & white for a

nice variety.

• It’s fun to enlarge smaller photos so you

can see details.

• You can also make greeting cards by

pasting your paper onto cardstock.

86


These are tried and true recipes that come from real families. all recipes have the seal of approval from kids

Kidapproved food

87

++

=

5 poTatoes

apricots

chicken thighs

chicken with apricoT mashed potaToes

88

Chicken with Apricot &

Mashed Potatoes

“I like sweets, and this dinner is like

chicken with sweets on it.”—Fia, age 6

Serves 4

Chicken:

4 to 6 chicken thighs 1 cup dried apricots, cut in half 1 onion, chopped salt & pepper, to taste

Potatoes:

3 tablespoons olive oil 5 large potatoes, peeled 3 tablespoons butter 1⁄2 cup warm milk


2. Grease an ovenproof dish with olive oil.

3. Place chicken, apricots, and onion in

greased dish.

4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

+

+

+=

celery

toma

to sau

ce

carrots

onion

5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the meat

on the chicken falls off the bone.

6. Boil the potatoes until tender, then

drain out the water.

7. Mash potatoes with butter and milk.

8. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve chicken and mashed

potatoes hot!

Mini Lasagna

Makes 6

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 1 celery stalk, finely chopped 3 cups tomato sauce 10 lasagna sheets, cooked ½ mozzarella ball, sliced


2. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté onion,

carrot, and celery until onion goes clear

and soft.

3. Add the tomato sauce and let simmer

for a few minutes.

4. Place some sauce in the bottom of a

muffin tin.

5. Layer lasagna, sauce, and cheese

on top.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before removing

from pan.

89

“i’m getting my own liTtle lasagna. it’s so cuTe—i really like cuTe things”—Eve, age 5

mini lasagna

90

+++

=

scra

mble

d ta

cos

chees

e

letTuce

carr

ots

scramble

91

Scramble Tacos

“It’s like breakfast only it’s really dinner.

None of my friends have that ever!”

—Samantha, age 5

Serves 4

3 eggs 1⁄3 cup cream 2 tablespoon chives, chopped salt & pepper, to taste 4 taco shells 1 carrot, peeled and cut into sticks 1 cup mild cheese, grated lettuce, shredded

1. Mix eggs, cream, chives, salt, and

pepper in a bowl.

2. Make light and fluffy

scrambled eggs.

3. Heat the taco shells in the oven for

2 minutes.

4. Fill shells with scrambled eggs, carrot,

cheese, and lettuce.

Fish Tortillas

“ I love fish and this one has a really nice

crust that I always eat first.”—Alexandra,

age 7

Serves 4

1 lb cod, cut into 4 pieces 2½ cups corn flakes 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 4 tortillas, heated lettuce, shredded 1 carrot, peeled and cut into sticks sour cream


2. Rinse the cod in cold water.

3. Crush the cornflakes, and add in salt

and pepper.

4. Dip the wet fish in the mixture, making

sure the fish picks up lots of cornflakes.

5. Place in an ovenproof dish.

torTillas

letT

uce

carrots

sour cream

fish tortillas

6. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until fish

flakes fall apart.

7. Place fish in tortillas with lettuce,

carrots, and sour cream.

92

Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped ½ inch ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon curry ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon ground coriander 1 can chickpeas, drained 1 head cauliflower, cooked tender and cut into pieces 1 cup coconut milk

1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté onion,

garlic, and ginger until the onion goes

clear and soft.

2. Add spices, chickpeas, cauliflower, and

coconut milk.

3. Let curry simmer for 4 minutes.

Serve with rice.

++

+

spices

curry

chickp

eas

93

coconut milK

“i tested ouT curries wiTh my kids. i wanT them to grow up loving spices and not just saying, ‘i don’t like...’”—Eric, dad to Simon & Fred

cauliflower cauliflower & chickpea curry

94

Pot Pie

“This is a great dish for all the family, we all

love it. And it’s so easy to make.”—Linda,

mother to Ada

Serves 4

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 small carrots, peeled and sliced 1 onion, finely chopped 4 cups cooked chicken, in pieces glug of olive oil 1 tablespoon+1 dash plain flour 1 cup stock ½ teaspoon thyme, fried ½ cup frozen peas salt & pepper, to taste 2 sheets of puff pastry, cut in half


2. Sauté potatoes, carrots, onion, and

chicken in a little olive oil until the chicken

changes color.

3. Mix 1 tablespoon of flour into the pan.

4. Pour in stock and stir well. (If it seems

too thick, simply add some more stock.)

chicken • carrots

+

peas • onion • poTatoes

pot p

ie

5. Add thyme and peas and season with

salt and pepper.

6. Roll out the puff pastry in a bit of flour.

7. Fill 4 ramekins with the mixture and top

with puff pastry.

8. Poke a few holes in the pastry.

9. Bake until golden.

Meatballs with Tomato & Pasta

“I love making meatballs with my kids. I

let the kids roll them out. They feel good

knowing they had a part in making

the dinner.” —Laura, mom to Anna

& Thomas

Serves 4

1 lb ground beef 1 carrot, chopped ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 25 cherry tomatoes, cut in half fresh basil, chopped pasta, freshly cooked glug of olive oil

1. Mix ground beef, carrot, salt,

and pepper.

2. Roll into walnut-sized meatballs.

3. Fry them in a little olive oil until

golden-brown. They need about

3–4 minutes.

4. Mix with tomatoes, basil, and pasta.

Serve hot!

95

ground beef

+ =

meaT

ball

s with

tom

aTo &

pasta

meaTballs

pasTa

sweet paul jingle sparkle twinkle

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