Happy Spooky Halloween

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a BIG THANK YOU to a super cool girl over at Delightfully Noted

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A few months back I got in contact with a blogger named Jennifer, long story short we quickly connected over a quick e-mail exchange about my Gigantic Spin Art machine.  I made her a shirt and she kindly featured me on her blog Delightfully Noted!!  She is a funny girl and always has something fantastic to share. So I wanted to send her a BIG THANKS.  I am such a newbie at this blogging stuff, but it has really been something I look forward to doing everyday!  So click on the link above and give her a visit!

because i FELT like it

The other day I stopped by Land of Nod with Herc and they were installing their holiday displays.  They had felt garland like this above the play kitchen and I thought it was the cutest. I know they sell these little felted balls already made at Micheals but here is a little DIY from a blog named byPetra.  I can't get enough of all the felted wonderfulness!

glow in the dark bath tub

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You will need glow sticks, you can pick up glow sticks anywhere right now, dollar tree, target the grocery store. This is too easy not to do!  Seriously how fun is this? Fill the tub with water, drop in some glow sticks and there you go...pure  AWESOME!

2 witty books I've discovered on play dates

Overview via BARNES & NOBLE

With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark - and follow where it takes us.

Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."

Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw - she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says.

That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds’s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.

Vashti believes that she cannot draw, but her art teacher's encouragement leads her to change her mind. 

Overview via BARNES & NOBLE

Caldecott Honor winner David Shannon applies his wonderful off-beat humor to the story of a duck who decides to try riding a bike--and loves it! Another young, funny book perfect for reading aloud.

One day down on the farm, Duck got a wild idea. "I bet I could ride a bike," he thought. He waddled over to where the boy parked his bike, climbed on and began to ride. At first he rode slowly and he wobbled a lot, but it was fun! Duck rode past Cow and waved to her. "Hello, Cow!" said Duck. "Moo," said Cow. But what she thought was, "A duck on a bike? That's the silliest thing I've ever seen!"
And so Duck rides past sheep, horse, and all the other barnyard animals. Suddenly, a group of kids ride by on their bikes and run into the farmhouse, leaving the bikes outside. Now ALL the animals can ride bikes, just like Duck!

A duck decides to ride a bike and soon influences all the other animals on the farm to ride bikes too.

little treasures DIY

 Little kids love to gather and collect everything.  A simple and fun way to organize and display their treasures are with these plastic little boxes!

You will need little plastic animals, glue and containers.  You can get all three at Micheals.

I used E-6000 adhesive, works great with plastic. Dot glue on bottom of animal feet and place down where you want it.  Hold for a few seconds and let dry overnight! Easy right? 

These would be great to fill with candy or any treats for a gift or goody bag too!

3 things I pinned today that made me smile

                                                      
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mini apple pies

This afternoon my best friend and Herc's God mother came over for a visit.  Such a sweet visit, literally,  we made these little apple pies.

wanna know how?

GO HERE for the recipe than come back here and I'll tell you how we modified it to make these little treats!


***Very important - do half the recipe***

** I also like to use Trader Joes Pie Crust**

1.  Dice the apples nice and small instead of slice.

2. Instead of using a pie dish use a mini cupcake pan.

3. If you don't have a circle cookie cutter use a glass to cut out mini pie crusts.

4.  Combine the caramel and the apples in a bowl before you spoon them into the little cups much easier to handle. (oh and i like to also sprinkle apples with cinnamon, recipe does not call for it but gives it a nice flavor!)

5. I used a star cookie cutter for the tops easy to handle and place on top of mini pies.  Pretty cute too! (sorry no pic)

6.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Check to see if crust is a nice golden brown.

7. Let cool completely, and carefully lift mini pies from pan. (You may need to use a knife to unstick them a bit.)

Tip: Make sure the crust comes over the rim of the pan for easier removal later.

Enjoy with a friend or a cute little person!

pretty stuff

Illustrations by Katie Rodgers of PAPERFASHION.
Her blog is visual bliss, so colorful and soft all at once.
I could look at her stuff all day.

we're going on a pumpkin hunt

Herc is totally getting into Halloween, so tonight after dinner we bundled him up, gave him a flash light, and went hunting for pumpkins in our neighborhood.  Along the way we crunched leaves and made up silly rhymes.  As you've noticed we've been into short stories and rhymes.

This is what we came up with:

Pumpkins, Pumpkins my oh my!  Pumpkins, Pumpkins in a Pie!

"Nooooo!!!!" screamed the Pumpkin.  "Please don't bake me into pies, how about carving me out two eyes!"

Spooky Ghost Story

I saw a ghost.  He saw me too! I said "Hello" and he said....BOO!!!

5 Little Pumpkins Finger Play

This is a very easy rhyme to do with your little one.  You can make little finger puppet pumpkins or just make a fist for a pumpkin.

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, "oh my it's getting late."
The second one said, "there are witches in the air."
The third one said, "but we don't care!"
The fourth one said, "let's run and run and run."
The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"
OOOhh OOOhh went the wind
And out went the lights
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.tle+pumpkins+nurseryyme_20794913.html ]

Have FUN!

Orange you glad you stopped by?

  Really easy and fun toddler activity, great for color recognition too.  All you need is some paper (I had some leftover circle cardboard from a sign I made), paint (washable is always good) and a brush. No rules or lines just let them paint and have fun. Orange is perfect for the season too!  

a bunch of cutie patuties

This weekend was Helen and Andy's wedding, I can not wait to see the official photos!

Until then here are some shots of the adorable kiddies that sprinkled the wedding with their smiles and giggles!

today my bestie is getting married!!!!

i love you Beary much

Little Adorable Bread Rolls.
Theres no link on how to make them, but I am definitely going to do a little experimenting.
How fun would that be for a little birthday party! I have some ideas brewing.
Have a cozy weekend!

quote me on this

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been thinking about it

The idea of a big belly (with a purpose) has popped into my head a lot lately.  Here are some way too expensive maternity cloths from HATCH that are really cute.  Even the name is cute!

We have some catching up to do!

It has been GO, GO, GO!

We made it to Chicago...Yay! We have been settling in and enjoying some much needed family time.  Herc is having a blast with cousins, friends, fall weather and is learning new words everyday.  We have baked pies,  and gone to the Grove to see the turtles and owls and play in the teepee.  I just wanted to say a quick Hi!
 Have an awesome Weekend!! I've missed You:)