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Hope you all had a most wonderful Halloween full of spooks, spirits and seriously good loot. We certainly did and let me tell you, we are plum tuckered out.
The boys had very specific ideas for what they wanted to be this year and to my initial chagrin, they did not go together. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do about this (try to convince them to pick something themed? etc.) but in the end I just went with it. I was happy I did as it brought an entirely new level of Halloween happiness to the Littles, and in turn myself.
Li'l O told me very early on, and emphatically, that he wanted to be a "puh'kin". He's a lover of all things authentically Halloween and after some initial apprehension, I couldn't be happier at his choice.
Initially I wasn't sure what to do to make this tried and true Halloween classic interesting for me and something we could call our own. But as we explored ideas, I happily settled on something playful, with a vintage vibe to it.
For the basic pumpkin shape I used the Simplicity 0418 pattern. I chose an orange felt for the exterior of the pumpkin and a simple vintage looking fabric for the lining. I switched up the shape of the stem and chose to go with buttons instead of Velcro to hold the straps together. 
For the green striped "jammies" worn underneath, I took a couple of women's shirts I found at Walmart and refit them to work with Little O's proportions. I took the top in quite a bit at the sides, chopped the length and cut off the cuffs and sewed them back on a little higher. The leggings were a bit more complicated. I made these from a woman's XL shirt, using the arms as the legs. It was all pretty piecemeal and a bit haphazard, but it worked out well enough for us. For the face I used felt to create a vintage, cupie doll looking face which I then hand stitched onto the front.
Little O looked adorable in it and I couldn't be happier with his classic choice.
Little A was also very opinionated about his costume this year. After exploring a variety of ideas, he decidedly settled on Secret Agent Perry...the Platypus...from the ever popular cartoon (or at least in our house), Phineas and Ferb (thank you Netflix online...). I wasn't entirely sure what to do for this but he was dead set on it so it was full steam ahead.
I used Butterick pattern 3238 to create the basic body suit and hood. For the tail I put batting between two pieces of orange felt and machine quilted the diamond pattern and then sewed the platypus tail in place of the the tail used in the pattern. I then sewed simple felt eyes on to the top of the hood. Jon found a great hat for only five dollars at the costume shop and I made a simple beak out of yellow fleece.
For the feet I cut out simple felt shapes and sewed elastic to the backs. To prevent the feet from continually turning around and around his ankle, I punched a couple of holes in the top and pulled his shoe laces through and tied the laces atop. This ended up working out great.
It was fun to see how much he lit up when he put the costume on. He immediately turned into "Secret Agent Perry" and started to make "secret agent" stances. He also told me that he couldn't talk when he wore it because Perry the Platypus doesn't talk. It was pretty much awesome.
Not many adults knew who he was but with his fellow five-year-olds, he was a hit. And that was all that really mattered to him.
This year I really learned the magic of making your kids dreams come true. While it's very fun and magical presenting new and fun things to your kids...things that they couldn't dream about until you made that world possible for them, it's all together an entirely new thing making their dreams come true (both are important I think). It was so great to see little A's face light up with delight when he first saw himself as "Secret Agent Perry". And I have to say, it's one of the most gratifying things as a parent to see what your child's personality brings to world. I can hardly wait to see what the future holds for us!
I have to admit that after I was halfway through with Little O's costume he started listing several other costume ideas that he wanted to entertain. This was new to me as Little A never did this at his age (although he did do it this year). I decided to instill a new "once mom purchases the fabric, no more costume changes" policy. This worked well with Little A (who initially wanted to be a ninja, then Perry, then Bowser...and so on) but did not compute too well with a three year old. In the end, I decided not to worry too much about it and hoped that he would put his pumpkin on if he wanted to get candy. And well...it totally worked. He loved it and was more than happy to gear up and get going on getting candy, candy, candy!
By the end of the night, as with this photo shoot, the boys were tuckered out. We really didn't get very far before Little A just started sitting on the porch after ringing the door bell. The home owners were thoroughly entertained by this and I'm sure got the impression that we'd be trucking up and down the streets for hours. So after only about eight houses we called it quits and ended the night with cousins and grandparents. I was definitely OK with this as I'd been scheming up ways to prepare for the massive amount of sugar intake that was sure to ensue. However, having only gone around for a little bit, their treat bags were just full enough to be fun, yet sparse enough to keep a mother (and dentist?) happy.
It was a great haunting holiday for all of us. Here's hoping that you too had a very Happy Halloween!
This year for Little O's third birthday, being a little obsessed with puppets as of late, we decided to take the the puppet show on the road and visit my sister and her Littles. Being as this was supposed to be Little O's year with the family I felt this fit and we wanted to keep things low key. So the morning of the party I gathered all the black card stock I could find, grabbed an x-acto knife and started cutting out monster parts.
I created a number of heads, bodies, arm and leg sets, some crazy wings and a few tails. I then used a 1/8" hole punch to create eyes and holes for the brads where the creatures appendages would be connected. I only put one hole in the bodies for the heads as I wanted to children to be creative about how they were going to attach the legs, wings and tails themselves. I put an assortment of brads in the middle of the table and then let the children go crazy, mixing and matching, creating spooky creatures and silly monsters.
The younger kids needed a bit of help with the hole punching and attaching the brads but they loved the freedom and creativity of it all. I was delighted to see what sort of creatures they came up with and the adults couldn't help but join in on the fun. The ideas were endless and the creatures created were nothing short of amazing!
We taped paper straws to the back of our puppets and let the puppet show begin!
After hanging a white table cloth, my sister held up a studio light from her husband Trent's art studio. The Littles held their newly assembled creations up to the cloth and we had a grand time creating silly, spooky and spontaneous stories.
The Littles had just as much fun watching as they did puppeteering (and I dare say, so did the adults!).
Little O was due on Halloween but came 10 days earlier and I must say, he is definitely a Halloween kid. He is obsessed with anything and everything Halloweeny, spooky and somewhat scary. These puppets were right up his ally but if your Littles might be a little too spooked by these creatures, I suggest using scissors to create more rounded shapes (x-acto's aren't the best tools for curvy corners) and do away with the jagged teeth.
After a wonderful time of puppet play, we headed to the back yard for a low key party spread of doughnut holes, apple cider, festive store bought cupcakes for the Littles and of course...presents.
Little O loved the festivities and the attention. It was fun to see how he "got it" this year and he relished the fun of it all.
It was great fun for all and it really got us all geared up for a delightfully spooky Halloween!
Happy Birthday my little baby. May your third year of life be full of delight, wonder and happiness.
We've been having a lot of spooky fun over here - attending gigantic pumpkin contests, going on school field trips to Pumpkin Land and most recently making these very fun paper mache Halloween puppets.
They are pretty simple and the boys are in love with them. In fact, little O now asks to play with them every other minute.
1. To get started, all you need is a small balloon, some basic home made paper mache mix (1 part flour to 5 parts water... boil about 3 minutes and let cool) and a few strips of newspaper.
2. Dip newspaper strips into the paper mache mix and place over the balloon.
3. Using no more than four layers, cover the balloon thoroughly. You can add additional shapes such as a pumpkin stem...
4. or fold up some paper for some cat ears. Let dry overnight.
5. Once completely dry, paint on desired face.
6. Clip off the part of the head where the tail end of the balloon is. If this doesn't pop the balloon, pop it and then take the balloon out.
7. Grab a handy sponge brush to use as the perfect puppet stick.
8. Fold up sponge brush and carefully place inside of head.
9. Leave the very tail end of the brush outside of the head to act as a stabilizer.
10. Now that you have your puppet structure assembled, you can choose what type of fabric you would like. I cut 2 sheets of fabric at 10"x 9".
11. Sew sheets of fabric together at the sides (with right sides facing each other). You can either choose to hem the fabric at the top and bottom or leave it as it for a fun, unfussy, spooky look. From there, use a gathering stitch to gather the top of the fabric together.
12. Hot glue the gathered end of the fabric straight onto the base of the puppet's head. Let it dry. Feel free to repeat the process for any number of festively fun puppets! Have lots of fun puppeteering for the rest of the afternoon!
And having fun puppeteering is just what we did! It's always so exciting to see which projects really pull the boys in, and I'm happy to report that this one was a real winner!
They spent hours with the puppets and I spent the rest of the afternoon seeing happy faces and little orange and black heads bobbing up and down.
Little O was particularly taken with them and will still ask me if he can play with them nearly every other minute, promising me that he will be Oh so careful with them. It's so adorable, so I of course let him.
This project is also a great one to pull the Littles in on. I made a few extra pumpkin heads for them (or you can have them get their hands dirty and do the paper mache themselves! They'll love it!). Simply use the tail end of the balloon as the stem, give them some orange and black craft paint and then and let them have at it.
They really got into painting their little Halloween creations. I'm especially fond of the creepy black paint dripping from Little A's pumpkin head. So fitting.
And they make great center pieces which happily remind me on the fun we had. And I must say that it's nice to have a set that is more kid friendly. When the boys threw them around the house and smashed in their sides, I was perfectly OK with it.
The puppets on the other hand...
well those are showcased in a safer place and come down only with some supervision...which merely means I'm supervising...A LOT.
Remember these Easy Breezy End-of-Summer scarves? Well, as temperatures are dropping and fall is at our door step, I've been itching to make a few more of them, but this time for the Littles.
And if you think the first version was easy breezy, you'll be more than happy with how quickly you can whip these mini-little variations out.
In fact...it's so easy you'll probably want to bring your Littles in on the fun. And I can think of no better beginning sewing project than these. It is a perfect "learn how to sew a straight line" kind of endeavor. And depending upon the age and ability of the child you can have them just sew the initial straight seam which connects the two ends of the fabric together and then sew the french seam and hem it for them. Or you can have them do it all, walking them through it step-by-step, offering any needed help along the way.
And as for sizing, I would have fun with it. Choose whether you want it a little larger and billowy (Like Little O's in the above three pics) or if you want to have it fit more snug and slightly bandana-like (such as Little A's in the following two pics). Mix it up. These things are so fun and easy to make you won't want to stop experimenting. In fact, I've got a mind to cut up a few old sweaters for when things get really chilly.
(And can I just insert that I've had to start bribing Little A to pose for pictures? Now that he's a grade school super star, he's too cool for mom and her photo shoots. He still loves the crafts mind you, but posing for the camera is so blasé. So yea, he gets a couple of marsh mellows and then he's off to conquer dragons and pester his brother).
And, with all this cowl fever going on over here, I couldn't let the boys have all the fun.
So I made a variation for myself, using my newly-most-favorite-fabric ever - a gorgeous indigo Indonesian Batik found at the tried and true, JoAnn's.
This fabric came in a 45" bolt so I solved the "too tight to wrap around twice" problem by simply leaving it hanging as one simple loop. And I must say, I completely love it.
And you don't have to twist my arm to pull on a cardigan (my new all time favorite wardrobe staple) and wrap around a scarf to cozy up to a delicious cup of hot cho (especially when served in this little mug that I seriously don't use as much as I should!) in front our first fire of the season in our new fire place.
HELLO FALL.
You are indeed welcome here.
I'm not a big fan of run-of-mill office items, so whenever I would look at this boring wire mesh office bin (which held my wrapping paper rolls) I would cringe a little. I'm not even sure where it came from. My college dorm days? Jon's? I don't know. Wherever or whenever it came from, it needed a face lift. So with a little gold spray paint and minimal effort I was able to transform this drab little bin into a gilded win (I know...where do I come up with these fantastically cheezo titles, right?...).
Now I love it so much that I can't bear to hide it in the back room with all the rest of my craft supplies. So it makes a statement here in the living room/office area.  Oh how I love simple transformations that have a pleasing and strong impact in then end. Total win.
Hi Friends! If you are like me, you are anxious to get your kids costumes in the works in order to leave time for lots of Spooky fun during the month of October. And if you want some great, yet simple, costume ideas, Look no further than CountryLiving.com. Our knight costumes from last year were in the line up as well as several of other clever costumes, including some great ones from a handful of friends such as Brooke, Christy (an old art school friend who is the queen of clever costumes! See more from her here and here) and Gabby. You are sure to be inspired!
And for the knight costumes, if you don't happen to have a vintage art smock pattern lying around, I think the bias trim apron, from Leisel's Oliver + S Little Things to Sew, would do just the trick.
So my question for you is, when do you start making your kids costumes? Do you wait until the last minute or are you scheming up ideas throughout the year? And do you dress up with the kids?
So things are starting to look more like home around here and I can't tell you how much of a relief that is. I don't do well amidst clutter and boxes - let's just say it doesn't bring out the best in me. For better of for worse, I'm highly influenced by my surroundings. So I'm happy to report that I'm feeling calm and happy now that things are more or less in order and I'm ready leap right into fall.
The boys are also really starting to feel more at ease here. Little O is our assertive explorer and has discovered what to do with every nook and cranny in our new home. Such as this creative crayon installation that he initiated.  Little A jumped right in to join in the fun. And I have to say, I'm quite taken with their creative eye. Those clever little artists.
And so my only question is, is it too early to delve into Halloween? When do you start your frightful festivities? Do you wait until October or do some of you sneak into the spooky fun before the harvest month begins? Do Share!
There was a sneaky bit of crispness in the air today which got me all giddy inside in anticipation for the upcoming fall weather. Little A has two week's worth of Kindergarten under his belt (and soaking it all up like a rock star). Things are starting to look a little more livable here in our new place and just in time for the delightful onslaught of fall-to-winter holidays (my kids have already emphatically declared what they are going to be for Halloween. Completely not what I expected - and they don't go together as a theme, so we're trying to see how we can pull it all together. Should be fun!).
But before we get into all the Halloween costume making, we had to suit Little A up with some back-to-school/fall duds. I love to sew as much as I can for the boys but with the move there was not time for this so we had to turn to our trusty shop spots. And we had such a fun time doing so - mixing and matching hi end finds, such as designer looks from Tea, with a clustering of more economical, yet equally fab, staples from places like H&M, Target (my quick go-to source for boys shoes) and more.
So when shopping for kids clothing, there is a lot to consider. Durability (particularly with my boys), comfort (will my kid even wear this super adorable yet somewhat constrictive jacket?) the price tag (what do I want to spend when they grow out of these things so fast?) and finally the fun one - style (which, depending on the age and disposition of the child, they will weigh in on from time to time).
For me, I happen to know that Little O will be wearing these items again in just a few short years which definitely influences my shopping choices. What I try to do is purchase a few really high quality items that will last for the long haul, and be carried on down to Little O in a not so "I'm so worn out its a dead give a way that I'm a hand-me-down" sort of way, and then mix them with an assortment of more affordable staples and kid-appealing graphic items.
For example I felt like a splurge on this stunning kimono robe sweater from Tea was well worth it. Not only for the quality of the piece, but also because of it's versatility (it's almost like a jacket really) and for the fact that it will stay in good shape for Little O (and if we ever have a little girl I will totally hand it on down to her as it's a neutral enough and if taken care of, should last that long). We then paired it with a couple of more affordable pieces from H&M kids, such are these super fun and vibrant red pants and simple striped long sleeve T. As for shoes, I typically find myself at Target as I seem to need them like, yesterday. I'm always rushing my Littles out the door only to find that NONE of their shoes fit anymore! Seriously, how is this possible? So off to Target we go. And thanks to their line up of our favorite All Stars, we always seem to find something to please...and just in the nick of time.
in the above pic:
-striped T from H&M kids
-red pants, H&M kids
-kids black cons, Target
Now another thing I like to stock up on are an assortment of interesting and kid appealing graphic tees. At times I think I'd love to dress my little darlings as fine little French gents, with not a graphic in site. But let's face it, with Sponge Bob and Super Mario Bro's out on the loose you're going to have to find some pretty cool duds to combat the onslaught of licensed characters running around (especially if your child is in public school). This tiger Tee from Tea does just the trick. It's super cool and invites a myriad of inquiries from both your kids friends and their parents. (And if you hurry you can nab one on sale for for only $12.50. Score!). Don't worry, I'm not that controlling of a parent. When it comes to pajamas and underwear, there are no limits. Recently their aunt gifted them a new set of Sponge Bob pajamas when we arrived to our new home, and it was like Christmas for them. The boys LOVE getting ready for bed because of this. So totally a win win, right?.
One item that I wanted to be sure to acquire in our shopping extravaganza was a shirt for Little A's school photos and I think I found just the thing in this Chapultepec Polo from Tea. This shade of blue is a winner for Little A and I like the somewhat sophisticated yet still casual look of it. We also went for some fun denim harem pants from Zara Kids to keep things playful. Little A is still getting used to them but I just can't help but die from cuteness when I see him in these. They might fall in the "not so sure my kid will wear these all that often, but I just had to have them anyway" category which is something all of us moms need to indulge in from time to time, right?
And what fall wardrobe would be complete without a great scarf? We got this H&M plaid scarf for Little A some time back and luckily he loves it and will wear it as the weather cools (which blows me away as he has a myriad of tactile and textile particularities). I also managed to stock up on a slew of items from Forever 21 Kids, such as this pearlized button up denim collared shirt, before they nixed their boy department all together (they apparently are now only carrying kids fashions for girls). And of course, we came back to our tried and true, Target, for these simple slip on canvas shoes.
Whew... So now that back-to-school shopping is out of the way, we can start thinking about those Halloween costumes...maybe...in just a few weeks...or more...now where is that box with my sewing machine at?...
OK, so Fridays are serious business at Little A's school (and consequentially, for Little A as well). They are spirit days and if you wear red or a viking shirt (or both!) you get a treat and earn points for your class. The class that gets the most points wins the "Viking" to keep in their class. At the end of the semester, if your class wins the "Viking" to most number of times, your class wins a class prize. And, more importantly to Little A, you get a treat every Friday if you show up to school sporting your school pride.
At back to school night they had t-shirts to purchase if you so desired. I took a look. They were nice and all...but, if I am my mother's daughter*, I was pretty sure I wanted to make my own version (I mean we're talking about a viking graphic here! Talk about a cool subject matter!).
So we ran out to Target and got the only red blank t-shirt we could find. It was a bit short (Little O will be sporting this pretty soon I'm sure) but it was all we could find as we were up against a clock. I drew a quick image of a viking on freezer paper, cut out the stencil and ironed it on. I've done a number of freezer paper stencils before but never with a white paint on a red cotton fabric. Let me just tell you, you will have to make several applications of the white paint. We were in "pink" territory for sometime and I was really starting to get worried. But persevere, because it does eventually whiten up. (I'm just pretty sure that we'll never be able to wash the thing as it will most likely end up being too small and I'm afraid Monsieur Viking will be pink all over again...). And if you want to get a bit of beard texture, like mine, just take your sponge brush, hold it upright, and stroke the paint back and forth across the stencil until you are satisfied with the results.
So needless to say, when Little A woke up this morning to discover his newly decked out Viking shirt, he was over the moon (and can I just share that he included a plug for spirit Fridays in his Thursday night prayers? So I'm guessing that this is pretty important for the little guy).
And because vikings are just overall totally cool (whether or not they are your school mascot), I've offered the graphic for you to download and use as a stencil as well. Just click on or copy and paste this link into another browser and your download should begin: files.me.com/merrileel/h2j4mz. If you need a freezer paper stencil refresher, you can take a look at this one.
*and if you are wondering about the "I am my mother's daughter" comment, I'll share. While growing up my mother would never purchase the school, dance, drama, you name it, required attire. She would simply look at what they were offering and make her own (typically an exact replica for much less $). It drove us crazy as kids (we wanted store bought over handmade every time) but now that I'm grown, I admire her gumption and skills to be able to do so. And in case you are wondering, my viking is not an exact replica (it's an original design) but I felt that it still fit within the spirit day requirements.
And if you are wondering about Little A's first day of school, it went smashingly well! I was so proud of the little guy. So thanks for all you well wishes!
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