Site Meter Discussing Autism » Blog Archive » Friday Freebies: Sock Monkeys, Gingerbread, GFCF Candy

Friday Freebies: Sock Monkeys, Gingerbread, GFCF Candy

by Marcie

So you want to know how to make a sock monkey…and the best places to learn how to make gingerbread? OKAY, OKAY! I will tell you! And, I will throw in the GFCF candies for the gingerbread just for kicks, alright?

Happy now? Just teasing. I love sock monkeys and I LOVE the smell of fresh gingerbread. Just please DO NOT give it to AJ.
train1.jpg

I made that mistake on Saturday and he did not sleep a wink all night. I purchased GFCF gingerbread mix from Miss Robens, the allergy grocer and it was Feingold Stage One safe. I figured that even though he had reactions to cinnamon before we could try it. WRONG. I gave him what was left on the baking spoon to lick and within ten minutes he was glassy eyed, running in circles, scratching the furniture, licking my clothing, jumping off the furniture, tackling the dog, stripping himself of his clothing, and wagging his head while standing on all fours. I don’t even know how else to explain his behavior.

Once he fell asleep (with the help of his clonidine), he only stayed asleep in 20 minute increments. He woke for good about 1:30 and barely fell back asleep all night. He ended up in our bed and drifted in and out, actually having nightmares and screaming himself awake several times. This scared us to death about 3 a.m. when he sat straight up in bed with a blood curdling scream.

Darn Salicylates!

Anyway…here are some great sites on how to make Sock Monkeys:
Craftbits Sock Monkey
Lenny Taylor Red Heel Sock Monkey
The Original Sock Monkey
Clubhouse B
Wiki…with a reminder to not put buttons on Sock Monkeys for children under 3
HGTV...with great pictures!

The Gingerbread Train we made was fabulous!

Family Fun Magazine printed the train information in last month’s edition and it was all AJ could talk about, as he loves making gingerbread (for Christmas and Halloween…I am waiting for them to come out with an Easter version).

Here is a regular dough recipe or you can purchase the GFCF dough at Allergy Grocer. *Note: I needed three bags to make the entire train. This Royal Icing is GFCF (it can also be corn free if you purchase powdered sugar without corn).

Here is a great GFCF recipe for dough from scratch. Check out her GFCF house!

For candy…see my GFCF Candy post for a great list. Things we used? Candycorn, gumdrops, jelly beans, marshmallow santas, reindeer, and snowmen, wreaths (like gumdrops), peppermints, candy canes, chocolate kisses (not touched or eaten my AJ) for the coal car (which my father crashed) and a Nerd Rope for the train tracks.

This site has everything one would ever need to build a gingerbread house…recipes, templates, types of candy!

, , , , , , , , , ,


Leave a Reply


About Discussing Autism

Discussing Autism is a site determined to give readers information and insight into the world of Autism. Journey with a family as they struggle with daily issues.

Discussing Autism Author(s)
    » Marcie

Science & Health Channel Posts

  • 50 Reasons to Get a Headache
    If you tell your doctor you have a problem with headaches and don't give any more information, you're going to get a really distressed look. That's because headaches are a symptom of many hundreds [...]
  • Holiday Workout - Part 1
    Holiday Workout - Part 1 Tis the season to eat with reckless abandon. That means you’ve got to get serious about your workout plan and tighten up the slack (literally and figuratively) in your [...]
  • 'The Kind Diet': Alicia Silverstone Writes Vegan Book
    When the news hit yesterday that Alicia Silverstone is writing a book about veganism called The Kind Diet, I could not have been more excited. I did not think it was possible for me to be [...]
  • Genes Only Slightly Helpful For Predicting Diabetes
    About 11 to 18 genes can help predict a person’s likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, two new studies say. However, those genes don’t add much more to a patient’s diabetes-risk profile [...]
  • Study: Fast-food ad ban may cut obesity in kids
    Experts: Nixing commercials may lower number of heavy kids by 18 percent Banning fast-food advertising on television in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much [...]
  • Five ways to keep Alzheimer's away
    Blanche Danick may be 86 years old, but she's pretty hip. She keeps up with all the latest health news, and a while back, she called her daughter wanting to know whether she should start taking the [...]
  • What To Do When A Friend Tries To Commit Suicide
    Mom got a frantic phone call this afternoon. Her friend of about twenty years was calling from the hospital, after a failed suicide attempt. Her friend had been increasingly isolating herself from [...]
  • Pay Attention to Wyeth V. Levine In Supreme Court
    An anti-nausea drug called Phenergan, made by Big Pharma giant Wyeth, gave singer and guitarist, pianist and reord-label executive Diana Levine gangrene in her right arm, which then had to be [...]
  • America Spends $7000 On Health Care For Each Person
    This is one reason anti-universal healthcare advocates in America point to and say there's no need for universal health care, as the government already spends $7000 per person for health care. [...]
  • Obesity among poor children tied to diet
    Findings show some don’t get enough nutrition for proper cell function and metabolism. A study finds that obese children from poor families often don’t eat enough. Researchers have long [...]

Hot Off The Press

  • Sarah Paulson, coming soon to a screen near you
    For a while there, during the election season, every Google Alert I got for "Sarah Paulson" turned out to be about Sarah Palin and Henry Paulson. But now the actress is getting at least a few [...]
  • Awesome Night
    [caption id="attachment_613" align="aligncenter" width="425" caption="Pushing Daisies "][/caption] It looks like I wasn't the only one who was curious who Jason Alexander would do as a serial [...]
  • Project: StickySorter
    StickySorter is an Office Labs sponsored spare-time project by two Microsoft employees, Julie and Sumit. The idea sprung from the need for project teams all over the world to gather and organize data [...]
  • Arkansas' spirits high
    The Razorbacks' work out on Wednesday was full of high energy as Arkansas prepares for Mississippi State [...]
  • Grand Reopening of the National Museum of American History This Weekend
    Tomorrow, November 21, 2008, the National Museum of American History reopens after being closed for a while for renovations. This always has been my favorite Smithsonian Museum and it is great [...]
  • Public Service Announcements Have some? Send them!
    [caption id="attachment_1138" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="Cherish your freedom"][/caption] Hello readers, If you have a public service announcement that you would like to see posted on [...]
  • Study: Fast-food ad ban may cut obesity in kids
    Experts: Nixing commercials may lower number of heavy kids by 18 percent Banning fast-food advertising on television in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much [...]
  • Thanks for Fruiting Up My XBox, Microsoft
    So I, like many millions of 360 owners, had the opportunity to download the new XBox Live interface yesterday. As I'd feared, I guess I don't mind the new interface, but I really don't like the [...]
  • Auburn’s Bass Sports Club hosting second annual Fall Classic
    AUBURN – Auburn University’s Bass Sports Club will host its second annual Auburn University Fall Classic this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, on Lake Logan-Martin near Pell City. At [...]
  • Seasonal Winter Snowman Lindt Truffles
    The Seasonal Winter Lindt Truffles certainly are not a new flavor this year, as I know for that it was at least out last holiday season when I bought a package of them at Rite Aid. This year I [...]