Happy Halloween

With hopes that your day was filled with treats and not tricks.

Dipped nutter butter ghosts inspired by Marta.

Follow-up Friday and the witching hour.

We've had a busy morning.

I really need to finish hemming a costume, folding laundry, and washing more piles, but first came preschool.

We made these fun witches, inspired by the witch my older girl made in preschool three years ago.

All you need is some craft paper, a scrap of fabric for the body, red hots, yarn/string, and an egg carton.  Plus a handy glue gun, and scissors. 

I took photos as we went, but I don't have time for a tutorial today.  Here is a quick template if you want to make one.  Just click on the picture, and set up your printing for full page.

Some of you guessed...I made a new cake stand.  My first one was given as a wedding present before we moved.  I made this yummy cake with my grandparents here, and missed having a cake stand.  I'm so happy to have a new one!  Bonus, I actually received an identical set of four little bowls like we found as a wedding gift (still in the box!), so now I have a set; six bowls and a cake stand (all for under $5.)

My baby found good use for the pillowcases.  Maybe someday they'll be more than a sleeping bag.

One last thing to share.  I finally got out of the rock I was living under and discovered Mindy Gledhill.  You need to hear this song if you are a mama.  Love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixbL8PLitpw

Linking to
Tatertots and Jello and Under the Table and Dreaming.

Thrifty Thursday

I'm so lucky my grandparents came up for a quick visit yesterday, and are staying until Saturday.  It was a spur of the moment impulse for them, and I'm tickled to have them here.  I love that my children can know and love their great-grandparents.  It's fun to show off our new home, make Gran and Papa a special meal, and fix their hearing aids.  So often they have hosted our family for visits and do so much for us.  I'm happy to have the opportunity to return the favor.  I can never pay them back for all they've done for me, but I can show them I learned how to be a hostess. 

My Gran and I have been best friends since forever, and one of the things we love to do is shop.  It used to be malls and department stores, but today I showed her how much fun thrift store shopping can be.  We found some great clothes for my little ones, and the items you see.  Aqua divided plates for lunches, my first vintage sheet finds, and the pretty glass pieces.  Can you guess what they'll be?

Linked to:

Wallpaper removal tips

Our boys got the bigger bedroom.  We did this so that they could have separate beds (instead of bunks), and because it had a smaller closet (my girls got the walk-in closet).

The only negative for my older boy was that there was a very juvenile wall paper boarder in place.  Little boy actually liked the border, but mom didn't, so it was time to remove it!

I searched for DIY methods of wall paper removal, and found this page most helpful.  I thought I'd share what I learned, in case you want to remove wall paper for something better in the future.

You'll need a few tools:

For a drop cloth, I used an old vinyl table cloth.  It was perfect.  Plus, you can reuse it.  I mixed up a 50/50 solution of water and fabric softener in the spray  bottle.

Step one.  After placing your drop cloth, lightly spray the wall paper with your solution.  Then, slip your putty knife under the paper and remove the top layer.  

Step two.  After removing the top layer, soak the gluey layer down well.  Wipe up the drips as you go.  Slip your putty knife under the second layer, and carefully remove the paper.  

Step three.  Go back a second time with your knife to make sure all the backing is removed. 

Step four.  Wash the walls with an all-purpose cleaner and microfiber towel to remove any residue.  I use this recipe to make my own cleaner.  Works like a charm.

The results:  
 

Oh, the possibilities!  I'm thinking of doing something like this in the future: 

image via Home and Harmony

What do you think?

Linking to:

AND
Someday Crafts, Tea Rose Home,  House of Hepworths, and Just a Girl.

Why I love the big brown truck

Thank you, Big Brown, for dropping off wonderful brown packages like this on my doorstep.

Care for a peek into the box's contents?

Now you're curious as to what I might be making with this filmy stuff, huh?

I'd love to know your guesses!

From black (or brown) to white

I thought I'd show you how I've changed the look of some items with spray paint and a little distressing.  First, up, these pictures (photo taken at our old house):

I removed the fabric from the frames, and then spray painted each one white with a can of flat white spray paint I'd forgotten I had (Bonus!).  I also mixed up a little brown  glaze to add a little dimension.  This is how the pictures look now:

The rectangle frame had built in mat that I decopauged with some tan cardstock leftover from making my house diorama.  The letters are navy rub-ons I won in a giveaway from Bee in Our Bonnet.  (I love those girls!)  The best part, my baby is learning to recognize letters and commented the other day the picture has two "P"s.  Yes, it does. 

While I was in a painting mood, I also revamped my daughter's pendulum clock.  She got this little thing for Christmas when she was two.  She was completely enamored with grandfather clocks, and that's what she wanted for Christmas.  Here is what it looked like before we moved:

I took everything apart, and painted the main body of the clock white.  I used the little bit of the ORB spray paint to paint the pendulum, and then decoupaged the cute plaid paper to the backing.  

Now it looks like this:

I think it fits in much  better in the new arrangement in my girls' room. (You can see more on the hanging pockets here.)

I finally also painted the floating shelves you saw in our old bathrooms.  They have a new life as white shelves in our master bath.  Pretty blah for now, but I will be making it prettier soon.

Just a friendly reminder of what a cheap and easy update with paint can do.  Hope you enjoyed some peeks into the new home. 

Linking up to:
Blue Cricket Designs, and House of Hepworths.

Paper Plate Skeleton Tutorial

I love this guy.  I'm not big into Halloween, but this skeleton is based on a decoration my mama made when I was a little girl.  I recall hanging the skeleton up and getting excited about trick or treating as a child. When my oldest boy was 2, I called my mom to ask her how she made her skeleton.  She sent me a copy of the magazine photo that inspired her, and the paper plates to make him.  This was all back in our very poor college days! 
Since then, we've had this skeleton.  My kids love him, and were so excited to see him when I pulled out our fall decorations.  I thought he might be a simple and easy decoration you could whip together, with stuff you probably have on hand.  So, I'm sharing my version of this fun activity.  My little boy and I made a smaller version together so we could show you how to do it.  Making this paper skeleton is a fun and easy activity you can do with your kids, and have memories for years to come.

You will need:

• 18 white paper plates, the cheap kind with fluted edges.
• Templates, which you can find HERE
• Pencil, Permanent Marker, and Scissors
• Paper hole punch
• Jute for tying everything together.

Step One.  Trace all your pieces onto the paper plates.  Using your templates, trace 10 bones, and then one of each head, shoulders, ribs, and hips.  For the hands and feet, use your own.  It makes the project a little more personal. 

Step two.  Cut all your pieces out. 

You should have one head, one shoulder/neck piece, one rib piece, one hip, two hands, two feet, and 10 long bones for arms and legs. 

Don't forget your skeleton's face.  This gives him a little personality.  

Step three.  Punch holes for joining. 

Step four.  Cut out approximately 4" pieces of jute, and tie your joints together.  I used a square knot. 

Using this photo as a guide, tie all the pieces together.  You might want to sing along as you go.  "The head bone's connected to the neck bone..."

Keep tying, until he's all put together. 

Now he's ready to hang on a wall and bring a smile to your child's face.

Thank you, Christie, for reminding me how much fun it is to do crafty things together.

Featured on Craft Gossip, Be Different...Act Normal, and One Pretty Thing! 



Linking with Somewhat Simple, A Few of My Favorite Things, Fave Crafts Blog Hop, Creation Corner, and Kojo Designs, and Just a Girl, and Today's Creative Blog.

Taking time to make life sweet

The little ones still at home and I needed to do something fun together, away from the upstairs organizing.  The kitchen was a perfect spot to have some fun, and make a little big mess.  My preschool boy has been begging for a treat, so yesterday we made muddy buddies.  I add about a cup of raisins.  It's healthy, right?

My son's favorite way to help:  

Mmm sugar coated goodness.

And the very  best part?  Licking the bowl.

I'd love to know what snacks you enjoy making with your little ones.  Any faves you'd care to share?

Linking up to Blue Cricket Design, and Someday Crafts.