A little R&R

So it´s been awhile since I last posted, but I have good reason...a vacation with my hubby to Mexico for a little rest and relaxation and rejuvenation. I will be back to the blogging world next week sometime to start blogging about the quiet book my mom and I will be making. Also M&M has had a lot of fun making a dollhouse with grandpa this past week. I haven´t seen it yet, but I´m really excited! Be back soon!

The Princess and the Puppy

So Halloween's been over for a few days, but I'm just barely getting this up. I am so proud of myself for making my kid's costumes this year for Halloween. I never thought I would be one of those mom's to do that, but then again I never knew how easy it was!

Bubba was a little puppy dog. Since he's only 10 months old I didn't go all out for his costume (that's what happens when the second kid comes around). I cut "spots" and ears out of light brown felt and stuck them on a brown zip-up jacket using pieces of double stick tape. He was so cute! The best part is he needed a jacket anyway and the spots were removable!

I've seen so many posts done about no-sew tutus and I knew I had to make one for M&M because, well, it was no-sew! I got the tulle spools from the wedding section of Joann's. I used three different colors: light purple, dark purple and light blue. I didn't use any particular tutorial, but I got ideas about how to make it from several websites. I can't link to the tutorials right now because I'm not on my home computer, sorry. I wrapped a satin ribbon around the waistband and tied it in a bow in front for extra cuteness. I found that idea here. I'm sure there's a tutorial around that website for a tutu. M&M liked it. I was trying to get her to say she was a ballerina, but she insisted that she was a princess. Oh well.

I'll be shoe shopping tomorrow.....

I just saw this great coupon offer on another blog and I thought I would pass it on. It's awesome! It's 50% off everything at Payless Shoes. Check it out here to print off a coupon.

Boo sign craft

This is a Halloween craft that I did for myself. I used Mod Podge for the first time ever! I admit that I was a little scared at first because I didn't know what to expect, but now that I've done it, I'm hooked. If was so easy and I loved the result.

I made this Boo sign because it seemed really simple and I already had some of the supplies. I found the idea here. This is as far as I have gotten because I'm a little stuck.


The letters are just sitting on the plaques right now because I don't know how to attach them together. The blog doesn't say exactly how to do it. I'm guessing some sort of glue, but what kind? Wood glue, tacky glue? I also don't know what to put it on to hang it up. Does anyone have any ideas?

Soft Sugar Cookies

Last year I wanted to make sugar cookies for Halloween. When that didn't happen I said Christmas. That didn't happen either, probably because I just had a baby. My last attempt was Valentine's Day. Did it happen then? Um, no. So here we are to Halloween again and I finally made them! They aren't hard to make, just time consuming so I would always tell myself, oh I can't start them now, I don't have time to mix them up, roll and cut them out, bake them all and then frost and decorate them. This year I told myself If you want to do something, Just do it!


M&M and I made these cookies using this recipe: (from my sister-in-law)

Soft Sugar Cookies
1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 (16 oz.) tub sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
8 c. flour (reserve 1 c. to work in as you roll out and knead a few times)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder

Cream shortening and sugar, beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream and add vanilla. Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Roll as thin as you can. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. I didn't count them, but I would say that they make about 4 dozen.

M&M really liked using the spatula to scoop the cut cookies off of the counter.


These cookies are SO soft. They aren't too sugary tasting, but the frosting that you put on them will surely make up for that! I made them Monday and they are still soft.

Halloween sensory/I Spy tub

I saw a few of these Halloween sensory tubs on several blogs and I wanted to try it with M&M. I just used dried black beans, but you could also mix in some orange colored rice like this one. To give it just one more element of fun I threw in some orange, yellow, green and purple odds and ends to make it an I Spy tub as well. I took a picture of all the things I put in so that she could have a reference of what to look for.


I'd like to say that she had so much fun with the I Spy part, but I have to admit that it was like pulling teeth to get her to finish picking everything out. Once everything was out she had fun scooping the beans into the little pumpkins though. It might have to do with the fact that we are all pretty cranky around here from colds getting us down for about 5-6 days. M&M is actually feeling fine, but the rest of us have no energy and we just feel yucky. We have a few more Halloween activities yet to do.

More Halloween crafts

We are having a blast doing Halloween crafts. Here's some really fun and easy things that we have been doing.

Hand/footprint ghosts. Saw the idea here. M&M really liked doing this one because she got to put her hands and feet in the paint.



Torn paper candy corns. This idea came from here. M&M didn't want to do this one alone. I usually have to do the things I plan with her. It'll be nice when Bubba is old enough to do stuff with us because then M&M won't feel so 'alone' when doing stuff like this when mommy needs a few minutes to get other things done.



Aren't these yarn and pipe cleaner spiders so cute? I got the idea for these guys here. M&M liked playing with them after they were done.


Tissue ghosts. Idea from here. We hung them from our light over our kitchen table.



Yarn pumpkin. This one I did on my own, but older kids would have an easy time doing it. I found the idea here. They did apples, but I just used orange yarn instead for a pumpkin.


I don't know if you've noticed a trend with these. They are all fast, easy, and affordable using things you probably have around the house. That's my motto when it comes to kids crafts. Stay tuned for more kid's Halloween crafts and activities.