Halloween Prep

Our pumpkins have carefully been selected...

Costumes are complete and have been tried on multiple times by Miss A just to make sure everything is "alright."

 All the ingredients are bought and ready to make our spooky ghost treats for friends...

Image from The Idea Room

 and the monster dough and parts are all set to go for our play date that has been canceled due to all the other littles being sick :(  Miss A will be making all the monsters on her own.  I'm sure she will still have loads of messy fun all by herself!

Image from The Imagination Tree

These holidays are so much more fun when you see all the excitement in your kiddo's eyes.  Sooo worth all the work and trips to the store.  More Halloween fun to come!

Addicted to Pinterest

Image via The Idea Room

First pinned by Cindy Cloyd via Pinterest

So if you haven't checked out Pinterest yet then go...now!!  

I'll wait...

It is a completely genius site that is creative inspiration to the extreme.  As you are browsing the web and you come across images that are inspiring, beautiful, useful, creative, insightful, etc. you "pin" the image to your board.  The image will link you directly to the site that contains that picture so you can come back to it at any time.  I have become completely addicted and can't wait to start making a lot of the ideas I have pinned.  These are 2 of my Halloween favs using Oreo cookies.  I can't wait for Ava and I to make these for her little friends.  I have a feeling that sharing Pinterest ideas will become a weekly post for me.  As I mentioned, totally addicted!

Happy Easter

Egg dying was a huge success.  She was content just putting each egg in one color and then picking it up every so often to see how dark the dye was making the shell.  I thought for sure she would be dunking each egg in multiple colors and we would have a big mess on our hands.  We had one casualty as she dropped the egg from the lovely wire holder into the cup from about 6 inches too high but other than that she was a pro.  Next year we are upping the difficulty level and making them more colorful.  I'm seeing glitter and permanent marker with colorful dyes somehow.  Who knows...I've got a year to figure it out!

Hope your Easter is filled with happiness and family.  Our hearts are extra full this year as we celebrate with our new little guy.  So much to be grateful for and we are!

Easter Goodies

Source

The ladies over at We Love to Illustrate have done it again.  Super cute printable freebies just in time for Easter.  There are more over on their site to browse but these were some of my favs.  I especially love the middle printable.  This one will be right up Ava's alley.  You get to search for eggs and then color.  These are also great to let little one practice using scissors.  They can completely butcher the paper but you can always print another.  Happy printing :o)

Kids Project for Valentine's Day

The snow is here and we've been stuck in the house for 7 days now between Ava being sick and now the weather.  I've pretty much exhausted my ideas of things to do.  I'm hoping that tomorrow we can venture out into the winter wonderland to expend some of her energy.

Today, I got together a few materials for Ava to make her own Valentine's for her friends.  Here's what you'd need to make these too...

*Some festive scrapbook paper shapes.

*A glue stick:  This was the first time that Ava has used a glue stick and now she's obsessed!  She glued these flowers for almost an hour.

*Crayons or markers if the little artist decides to add a splash of color.

*Some photos of the wee one to make them even more personal.

I let Ava do these all by herself.  She picked out everything from the supplies I gave her and she went to town creating.  It's amazing what a little glue, paper and crayons can do for a budding 2 year old artist.  

For another easy Valentine idea, check out this post from last year.  The fingerprint hearts are super easy for little ones under 2 to make their own art.

Gingerbread Playdough

Ava and I whipped up a couple batches of play-dough to give her friends for Christmas.  She helped with all the measuring, dumping and stirring while I did all the serious mixing on the stove.  These make quick, easy, cheap and fun gifts for all the little people in your life.  Not to mention that they make your house smell yummy while you make the dough.   We made a chocolate play-dough too but I wasn't as happy with the end texture so I'll work on the recipe and then post it.  

Gingerbread Play-Dough

1 1/4 Cup flour
1/2 Cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar

Spices--Cinnamon, Allspice, Ginger, Nutmeg
1 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium pot.  I started with a teaspoon of each of the spices.  I know I ended up adding more cinnamon to the pot though.
2. Add wet ingredients and stir over low heat until a ball starts to form and the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot.  It will take a couple minutes on the stove to get to the dough to start forming.
3. Remove the ball and knead until it is a consistent color and texture.

We "wrapped" the dough in plastic containers with a cookie cutter or two and tied with a pretty bow.  

V-Day Art

Ava loves to color so when thinking about what to make Dada and the grandparents I came up with this little art project.  She loved putting her finger on the ink pad to make a heart with her little fingerprints.  She really got into coloring the inside too.  Hopefully everyone will love their little cards that will be arriving in their mailboxes shortly.  Happy Valentine's Day!