The Trees Have Eyes

This was one of those crafts that looked really cool in the magazine/blog (I can’t remember where I saw it) and then kind of weak when I attempted it.  Perhaps it would lend itself better to a bush, but you work with what you’ve got.  It was really easy, and the kids love it.  That’s all you can really ask for…

Basically, I just cut styrofoam balls in half, hot glued them to a popsicle stick, glued on some black felt pupils and eyebrows on a couple and twisted hanger wire to hang them on the tree.  I think we had more fun putting them up to our own eyes and pretending we were the Simpsons!  : )
Enjoy!

Tag Sale Treasure- Whoot!

Anyone who knows me knows that Purcellville’s Town Wide Tag Sale is right up there with Christmas as one of my favorite days of the year.  Coincidentally, I get a lot of my Christmas shopping done being that in my immediate family we have a rule that gifts have to be handmade or second hand.
I didn’t score HUGE this past Saturday like I did last year (Little Tikes Cocoa Cafe for $20? Are you kidding me??)  However, I did add some treasures to my to-be-refurbed stash.
Check out this sweet wooden paper tray I got for a BUCK! 

My refurbishing experience is limited to an owl clock and a mirror I made over for my daughters’ rooms, so this one is a challenge.  The metals pieces are attached with brads, not screws.  Any advice on painting it?  Should I just tape up the metal?  Can you tell I’m intimidated?
I got his dog dish ($3) for our 10 week old golden retriever puppy, Sunshine. 

It’s going to get a Virginia Tech Hokie makeover,…and then we’re going to have to figure out where to put it.
These rainbow glasses ($2) caught my eye, but now I realize they don’t nest inside each other, and that’s a lot of cabinet space.

There were Halloween decorations at almost every sale, and I could literally have bought them ALL!  However, I limited myself to just this cool lantern ($1.50).

The picture doesn’t do this HUMUNGOUS bag justice.  It’s from the Company Store ($3) and  like 3 feet in diameter.  It will easily store 2 king comforters (or a child in timeout.)  : )

The piece de resistance for the day was this Barbie dream house ($30) that I considered saving for Christmas.   That would have been a labor of love, and it was more fun to see the expressions on my girls’ faces when they saw it.  The basket of Barbie accessories ($5) was a separate score.

I was gone for several hours, so Rich took the girls to see Dolphin Tale…like this.  Boots…athletic shorts…t-shirt…hair brushed? 

They came home happy and healthy, so I can’t complain.

Halloween Jar Labels

We started a “gem jar” reward system at our house for our girls 3, 6, and 8, about a year ago and it has been wildly successful.  Not only does it give me something to decorate for the seasons, but the girls have ownership and try to earn gems daily.


Friends of ours have similar systems using marbles, and some of them even attach monetary values to the marbles (i.e. each marble = a quarter.)  However, we have two levels.  If my girls fill it halfway, it’s worth a small toy/prize like a trip out for ice cream or a play date, and if they fill it all the way it’s worth more like a friend sleeping over for my oldest or a new Monster High doll.  They set their own goals and work toward them.

We also have two different size gems (we’re talking the kind that come in mesh bags and people use in the bottom of fishbowls.)  They can earn one or several small gems for completing chores, taking care of responsibilities without being reminded, etc. OR a SUPER gem (it’s probably 5-6 times the size of a regular gem) for being extra nice to a sibling, extra chores, etc.  They can also lose gems for poor behavior- right now it’s the 8 year old’s back sass.  She’s on track to having her next sleepover in her dorm room.

I’ve found that there are two keys to making the gem jar system a success.
1.  The girls are responsible for adding and subtracting gems.  I give THEM the gems and THEY physically put it in their jars.  They are also the ones that have to fish out the gems and hand them back.  It just gives it a little more meaning- kind of like when I have to use cash instead of a credit card, makes it a little more real. : )
2.  It’s important to make sure they are able to earn a prize pretty quickly the first time, then regulate it from there.  No kid is going to get excited over a system that takes a month to earn- that’s like a decade in kid years.

So far it hasn’t occurred to them to steal from each other’s jars, but my middle child is so altruistic, she keeps giving her gems to her sisters.  I have to make mental notes to put them back because they didn’t earn them.  Checks and balances, you know.

Lastly, just because I’m weak there have been a few times that I tell my kids something is worth an automatic full jar.  One time it was whoever found my cell phone and another is when they finish a chapter book for the first time by themselves.  There have been others, but the elude me.

Happy Fall-oween!

Lil Fish and Our Family layouts

A couple ladies couldn’t make it to our last club meeting and received the layout kits.  Here are photos of the finished spreads which you can copy or be creative and do your own thing.  Enjoy!  : )

Hawaiian volcano island cake

Has it really been this long since I updated??  Well, there’s nothing like a relaxing two week Hawaiian vacation to get the creative juices flowing again.  We hit the ground running with two of my daughters’ birthday parties the week we returned.  Savannah wanted a Hawaiian pool party and this is her cake.

We forewent the dry ice eruption because the vendor closed Fri. evening and her party was Sunday night.  Oh, well.  We still had a sparkler in the shape of a 6 and 6 candles to blow out.

The island is two round cakes carved to hug the volcano, and the volcano is two chocolate chip bundt cakes, carved again to taper at the top.  The lava is actually orange and red vanilla pudding and the accessories are Play Mobil toys.  It’s not cheating!  It’s creative.  : )  Luckily they went through the dishwasher just fine.

And here’s the birthday girl with a fresh orchid lei she made on the cruise.  Happy 6th birthday, Savannah Banana!

To a “POP”ular “TEA”cher!

 

     Yeah, I know it’s corny, but it’s Teacher Appreciation Week!  As a teacher without a current classroom, I feel it my personal responsibility to do a little sumpthin’ for my kids’ teachers.  So I churned out a couple of these…

     The photography is not great on this one, but it’s basically a paper flower garden based on my friend Michelle Auten’s AWESOME project, and this week’s challenge over at Mojo Monday (see below).

 

     Sometimes you just have to play up the “cheese” factor to make gifts fun.  The background behind the title is a bag of microwave popcorn for the “POP”ular, and two of the flowers are actually hot tea packets for “TEA”cher.  Now I’m thinking that was a lot of work for someone who might possibly hate tea (or popcorn.  But who hates popcorn??)  The paper packet I used is Boomdiada from CTMH.

 

     Some close ups.  Enjoy!  : )

Spring Nest Easter Treats

 

     Every year I google Easter treats and say I’m going to do something different.  But, man!  I just can’t get over the cuteness of little chow mein nests!  AND it gives me an excuse to buy multiple bags of the crunchy awesomeness under the guise of “one bag might not be enough.”

 

 

     So here is this year’s treat from Sherri Haab (recipe is hers, picture is mine).  I have to warn you, it’s not for the weak.  You WILL get messy!  Trying to mold these little suckers is like trying to get gum off the bottom of your shoe.  The marshmallow turns into stringy cob webs that will have you screaming, “Why didn’t this happen to the chick on the internet??”  Have no fear, though.  The cob webs settle into shiny little perfect nests that any Hershey’s chocolate egg/bird would want to take up residence in.

 

RECIPE:

1/4 c. margarine

4 1/2 c. mini marshmallows

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 c. chow mein noodles

Chocolate eggs, peeps or M&Ms  (If using peeps, I would let them cool completely before adding the birds)

 

In a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, melt the butter and marshmallows over medium heat until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter.  Stir in noodles.  Mold into little nests and top with eggs.  Store in an airtight container.

 

Enjoy!  : )