Category: American Heritage Girls

Cake Decorating Class for AHG – Sour Cream Cake

~ Life of Momma B ~ Leave a comment

Previously I shared with you that I am helping a group of Tenderhearts and Explorers earn their Cake Decorating Merit Badge.

We began by going over color theory. As I explained to the girls, cake decorating is like any other type of art, it needs to be visually appealing.

Next, we made cupcakes (Requirement #1). When I make cake, I used a doctored cake mix to create a Sour Cream Cake. For, we also want it to taste great. This is my favorite white cake. It is extra moist.

Cupcakes made previously. Topped with royal icing letters.
Cupcakes made previously. Topped with royal icing letters.

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Cake Decorating Class for AHG – Color theory

~ Life of Momma B ~ Leave a comment

This summer Lily is working on her P.R.A.Y Award with a group of her friend. She also wanted to work on her Cake Decorating Merit Badge.

Fortunately, I am able to do easy / basic cake decorating. I took my first Wilton cake class 16 years ago when I was a newly wed. Long story short, I am teaching the Cake Decorating Merit Badge to a group of Tenderhearts and Explorers.

A cake I made previously for a Court of Honor
A cake I made previously for a Court of Honor

We began with a little color theory. This was to complete requirement #2. However, I also able to cover Artasic #4. Using a handout I created, and a box of crayons we discussed primary and secondary colors, tints and shades, warm and cool colors, and complementary and triadic colors. After having the girls color the handout we worked on tinting icing.

I am making the handout available for you to download here (color wheel worksheet).

NOTE: Please be sure to read the AHG Girl Handbook to make sure you fully understand the requirements.

Camera Day

~ Life of Momma B ~ Leave a comment

Did you know that today is Camera Day? Many of us use camera everyday, so why not take some time and work on the Photography Merit Badge.

This summer, Lily and her friends worked on this very badge. She has enjoyed learning to use my DSLR, and now prefers to use the manual setting instead of the automatic features. The group went to one of the local parks to practice what they have learned.

My favorite Explorer level requirement is number 9. The girls are to caption one of their photos with a scripture verse. Here is Lily’s picture of the trail.

verse.png

We used Microsoft Publisher to add text to the photo. Then, we saved the image and had it printed at the local photo store.

Lily chose to use Jeremiah 29:11. Psalms is full of wonderful verses that can be used for this requirement. Check out these for inspiration – Psalm 19:1, Psalm 24:1, Psalm 34:8, and Psalm 145:3. If you have another great verse to use, please share it in the comments section below.

If you are working on the Photography merit badge, check out this additional resources:
Requirement #26

NOTE: The text of the requirements have been simplified here. Please be sure to read the full text in the Girl Handbook to make sure you fully understand the requirements.

Dawn of Our Country #12

~ Life of Momma B ~ Leave a comment

Dawn%20of%20Our%20Country%20All-thumbOur Heritage Frontier is my favorite merit badge frontier. As I have gotten older, I have fallen in love with history. As a student (even in college) I hated it. Now as a home school mom, and getting to teach history with good history books, I really enjoy it. I have learned so much teaching the kids history.

Dawn of Our Country is a great merit badge. It looks at the formation of the great county that we live in. Part of that history is the historic symbolism found in everyday objects such as our currency. Optional requirement number twelve looks at the back of a one-dollar and two-dollar bill. If you have an Explorer working on this requirement, the print-out below should help.  It provides images for them to look at along with lines for them to write on so they can easily turn their work in to their unit leader.

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