Holiday Banner

This banner is made from odd and fun items: old book pages, tulle, old sew patterns and scrap book paper.
Find a fun holiday style font for your letters and decide on your wording then print on your printer. You can then cut them out with a circle cutter. Glue, staple or better yet use the scrapbook square double sided tapes. This has been crinkled then inked to give it a distressed look. Then attach black crate paper folding it to give it a different look. Then attach to your pre-cut page style paper, cut into triangles, using a fun shaped edge. You may want to ink the edges as well to give it that finished look. Using a hole punch, apply a whole to each side at the top corner of each triangle. String onto a small ribbon and tie with simple knots the tulle and patters at each end.

Items to retrieve:
Old book pages
Scrapbook paper
Printed letters
Crate paper
Thin Ribbon
tulle
old patterns
Circle cutter
shaped scissors
stapler or square tapes
Hole Punch
*Glitter Glue
*Sparkled Ribbon

*Spice it up:
Adding the tulle and patterns do the trick but you could add numerous fun lengths of sparkled ribbon, and add glitter to the letters.

IRON GIANT PAPER MACHE COSTUME

Colby decided to make this costume for Avery since IRON GIANT is an older movie and you can not buy hardly anything for it. Avery is still obsessed with the movie.
This costume is made with cardboard the he just glued together with hot glue to make the foundation of the chest plate.
For the hat we first started with a plastic helmet that you can get at any party store. This was a construction helmet we used for another party earlier that year. We cut off the rum and used the rest so it had some strength being that we know our 3 yr old is going to be very hard on it. Colby then added the other aspects that made it Iron Giant.
Then came the paper Mache. It is a mixture of water and flour you can find a recipe online anywhere. Ripping the newspaper into small strips you lay it into the flour mixture then lay it on the foundation piece. until it is covered well. we did it in two layers drying once both where done. It dried over night and he was able to paint it the next day with just some acrylic paint.
You can if you wish put a layer of machei over it that has been blended up to give it a smoother more solid look, although because of time and what it was fore we decided not to. Later we regretted it and wish we had because it would have made it much stronger. I later had to put duct tape around all the edged because of how hard he was on it and the newspaper stared to peel off. Duct tape was very serendipitous for us since our costume was already silver to begin with!!

He just drew the stripes and bolts on with a sharpie marker. But to make it look better I would suggest painting them on and taking the time to tape it off with painters tape for good hard solid lines.

Avery loves his costume, he is sure to point out every little dectail in the movie, notice the bump on the head and the mohawk hair, he'll say. He wears it every day and will as long as it holds up I suspect, for months if not years to come!

Halloween Decor for Kids

A banner I made for my sons room. He loves pirates and skulls but this hangs above his bed so I didn't want anything to scary.
This is simple cutting but looks best if you use a circle cutter or the eyes.

Halloween Decor for walls

An idea for the inside of your home or on the outside like your front door if your door is out of the weather.
These are made of felt I cut into 4 different sizes of bats. they are all the same pattern just scaled down. I then soaked them in starch and dried them. it does give them a gray tint but if they are up high you really don't notice that part. I had to staple blue painters tape to the back so it would stick both to the walls and stay connected to the felt material.

Holiday Mystery Dinner

My mom gave us a "Mystery Dinner" it was very enjoyable. It was for her my dad me and my boys. IT was a dinner table set for Halloween. Then we were given a menu that said to pick 4 courses. it had items like witches fingers mashed up worms, eyeballs. and these items were an actual food that only my mom new what they were. So after selecting your courses she would bring in your 1st course. It may have been something like this:
Witches fingers+= grilled asparagus
mashed slugs= mustard
Grave digger= spoon
Ghost blood= sprite
eyeballs= grapes
liver spots= watermelon


She had each item on a small plate or in a muffin paper liner.
After each course you are suppose to take away everything from the last course but we decided to keep it since we wanted the boys to have mustard and ketchup for their mummy hot dogs and spoons for their jello. It was a great dinner and she made it relatively healthy . You could really do it for any holiday just nae it differently.


MYSTERY DINNER- key

Witches Finger- Roasted Asparagus with salt and Parmesan Cheese
Swamp Monster-Salad
Blood Clots- Tomatoes
Ghost Blood- Sprite
Smashed Slug- Mustard
Eye balls- Grapes
Liver Spots- Watermelon
Zombie Teeth - Pine Apple
Snake Skin - Chips
Witches Brew- Root Beer
Pumpkin Head- Pumpkin Cookie
Mummy Fingers- Hotdogs in a Blanket
Blood- Ketchup
Vampire Phangs- Roasted Almonds
Adams Apple- Cider
Zombie Eyeballs- Olives
Grave Digger- Spoon
Villager’s pitchfork- Fork
Slice and Dice- Knife
Snakes Tongue- plastic split tooth pick
Bones- Tooth Picks

1st Course 2nd Course

1_____________________ 1 __________________
2_____________________ 2___________________
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4_____________________ 4___________________
5_____________________ 5___________________
6_____________________ 6___________________
7_____________________ 7___________________
8_____________________ 8___________________


3rd Course

1_____________________
2_____________________
3_____________________
4_____________________
5_____________________
6_____________________
7_____________________
8_____________________



MYSTERY DINNER Menu

Witches Finger
Swamp Monster
Blood Clots
Ghost Blood
Smashed Slug
Eye balls
Liver Spots
Zombie Teeth
Snake Skin
Witches Brew
Pumpkin Head
Mummy Fingers
Blood- Ketchup
Vampire Phangs
Adams Apple
Zombie Eyeballs
Grave Digger
Villager’s pitchfork
Slice and Dice
Snakes Tongue
Bones

1st Course 2nd Course

1_____________________ 1 __________________
2_____________________ 2___________________
3_____________________ 3___________________
4_____________________ 4___________________
5_____________________ 5___________________
6_____________________ 6___________________
7_____________________ 7___________________


3rd Course

1_____________________
2_____________________
3_____________________
4_____________________
5_____________________
6_____________________
7_____________________

Put an item in each category on every line. You will be served what you asked for, although you may not know what you actually asked for. At the end of each course your items will be discarded. Choose wisely or you may end up with a wacky meal!!

HALLOWEEN DECOR FANS

These ARE A VERY CUTE LITTLE DECORATION I THOUGH
QUITE SIMPLE TO MAKE TOO.
I have seen thees on the sticks and on a string as well as a banner or garland. I have also seen them decorate a wreath either all the way around or as a small bunch at one side.SO play with it and use them for what ever you want

These were made with scrapbook paper, the large one has a coffee filter and the smaller ones have cupcake liners.

Items to Retrieve:
Scrap book paper
Holiday printed photos cut into circles
Circle cutter
Hot Glue
Skewers
Black Paint
Cup Cake liners
Coffee filters
Tinsel(optional)
Glitter (optional)

-First select some coordinating papers and liners select the size you wish yours to be any where from 8" - 2"
Start to fold the paper like a fan back and forth. The larger circles are made out of three separate fans and hot glued together until you achieve a perfect circle with good crinkle. the smaller ones can get away with 2 fans.
-Once you have glued them together paint and or glue in the wooden skewer with hot glue.
- Attach with glue the coffee filter, cup cake liner or another fanned piece of scrap book paper. You with have 3-4 layers depending on your style. ending with the printed holiday picture.


ADD SOME JAZZ: If you wish to embelish with tinsel or add glitter glue to the picture to add a little pizazz!

These are double sided so they are view all around but that is not necessary if they will not be view that way.

This could be done for any holiday just pick you papers and liners accordingly.
Could be a fun item to use at a party or in a plant r on top a present!
Could also be fun to put a photo of your child or friend as a gift.

ZumbaTomic

ZumbaTomic was an activity that Jack got to got. Cecilia and James held it over a two day period it is Zumba for Kids. They go and learn how to dance then perform an entire dance with all the other kids at the end of the two day workshop. They also got to make t-shirts about why they love zumba and how it makes them feel. Then they ha held a class on healthy eating and regular exercise. Jack had a Blast he got to meet some new kids and of course hang out with his pall Tiago and Tiff.
It was fun to watch and be a part of. I helped CC get it going on the first day and helped the kids with the shirts.
I made her invitations as well. Jack and Avery love to go to Zumba class they like the music and to occasionally dance. Now she has set u a day care for the evening classes so they go there and play all night long while we the parents dance. We also helped het get that together by donating a lot of our toys and helped her pull some things together.

Some adorable pumpkin ideas are out there. Here are a few of my favorites.

This is an indoor faux pumpkin you could get at any craft store paint black or gold polka dots and set atop some reindeer grass or other fun grass in a simple pot or go all out with a fun urn type pot. Add some ribbon and set at your front door chest or a bathroom counter or on top of your kitchen table as a center piece.

This would be great to make n high quantities and give away as gifts to family and friends for a holiday such as Thanksgiving

Thank You!!




Here is another pumpkin in a pot idea that goes a little further, Just use the sprigs from a craft store and it goes relatively fast.
Fasten the pumpkin by sticking 2-3 wooden skewers glued into some foam fastened to the bottom of the pot.

Items to retrieve:
Pumpkin
Pot
Dry floral Foam or spray foam
Wooded dowels or skewers
Holiday floral sprigs
Ribbon
Hot Glue
Acrylic Paint if you desire to paint the original red clay pot

Child Friendly Pumpkins*
A fun Pumpkin carving idea is to use thumb nails to make your designs or fun faces. Great for kids since carving actually turns into the parents job until they are of age like….10 at least.. Great Alternative.

Paining pumpkins with acrylic paint as well or

Making fun Bebd-a-roos and attaching them to the pumpkin is a fin way as well. Drill small holes around the pumpkin in the desired spots so kids can insert then easily and feel like they really did decorate this pumpkin themselves.

Cut out a funny face or use the stencils the stores provide you with for cutting. Parents cut them out, then get a can of spray paint and have the kids spray the faces on through the paper just like a paint stencil and there you have it, a fun and FAST way to decorate your pumpkin. Using dark colors are preferred.
Items t retrieves: Orange or White Pumpkin
Desired Spray paint color
Stencils
Scissors

JASZZ it UP: A glow in the dark paint would be fun for Halloween night. Or use a white pumpkin and use orange black gold or silver spray paint to really


This pumkin is for Mom and Dad. This would be a perfect center piece for a Halloween Party
Carve a smaller white pumpkin into a skull then place it inside a larger orange pumpkin that had a simple face carved init of your choice. Previously split it in half buy cutting it open or hitting it with a hammer.

Canning GIfts from the HEART

This was a gift given to us by My Mom for our Adult Trick or Treat Gift.
This would be a great neighbor hood gift for a holiday or when canning and want to give a gift to friends or visiting teachers or a simple thank you for a kind gesture.

This particular one was a oatmeal mix in that was nutmeg apple spice with white grapes and the lower was a spiced blueberry jam. She topped it with an adorable skull spreading knife. These come out for all holidays so fit it to your occasion and add a coordinating ribbon. Her Jar selection made it adorable as well look close most people don't use these sizes but was great for us

Canning is a big part of our family my mom enjoys doing it all summer long as well as fall. This year she got very creative and tried all sorts of new recipes that were in her favor these two items being some of them.

Thanks for the inspiration and your time in the kitchen Mom We Love You!!

Halloween Decor "Tomb Stones"

These tomb stones could go any where inside or outside. Your creativity could go crazy with the style of stone colors pictures and script.
These are made out the blue foam board that you can get at Lowes Hardware store, then sculpted by hand with a scalpel numerous side rasps, smooth it down with fine grit sandpaper to finish it off. Plaster it with thin set used for setting tile floors for outdoor use or plaster paris for indoor. A thin layer is all that is needed to cover these, don’t make them too heavy but cover them enough to protect them from weather and prevent from seeing the foam.
Let them dry for a couple of days indoor at room temp. If possible
Once dry paint with any desired color, we used an acrylic paint then dry brushed with other colors to give it the distressed effect. We sealed it with a polyurethane coating we brushed on. You could also get a spray paint can filled with outdoor clear coating.

Tutorial coming....

Wall Treatments

This could be a really fun wall treatment. Depending on your colors you could use it in a hall way or entry. It would look great in a dining room. Or if set high out of reach, great for a Child's room. Fill up the whole wall looks best but if you have a small area that needs a little somethin somethin then this would do the trick.

Assembly: Simply select your desired style of paper cut out numerous perfect circles with or without decorative scalloped edges for example. Then assemble onto the pins largest to smallest and display decoratively on the wall by punching the pins into the drywall.

JAZZ IT UP: You could add glitter glue to the design or photos of family members in sepia tone color or black and white.

Items to retrieve.
Circle cutter-Roberts Craft or Hobby Lobby-$26.00
Notebook scrapbook paper or an old tarnished book
Glue
Long pins-Joann's

Ceiling Treatments

Here is an idea a saw that you could make at home and display any where. We were going to use it for our Halloween Party since it was in our garage. It could fill a room or fill a corner of your room. An easy inexpensive way to light up your way.
This could be made out of the super cheap fencing cedar material you get at Lowe's.
Two bike rims per light chandelier, Wire and your desired paint scheme.
I would go with three colors in the same family tones. Such as two tones of Purple Black, or Pinks and a cream. Two Blues and a brown or cream.
Cut Wood to lengths of desired fixture then drill holes to attach the wire to the wood and inner wheel rims. Paint and hang with chains. Use a translucent electrical wire so as to be inconspicuous. Plug in and enjoy. Depending on your wood you may want to attach to a stud in the ceiling. I would hang them at all different heigths close together but spaced inconsistent.

Halloween Fun

What a Fun Holiday this Halloween has been....Busy but Fun. We started it off with fun crafts and holiday decorating. We added a few things from last year. Colby and I tend to get into our crafty personalities in the fall for what ever reason. Here are a few of the items we added to our collection.

Tomb Stones- Colby
Haunted House- Colby
Wooden Pumpkins- Michelle
Banners- Melannie
Wreaths- Melannie
Crinkle Fans- Melannie

We also did some fun activities with the boys.







We threw Three Parties and had the chance to visit Corn belly's corn maze a favorite of ours. We had a blast on Halloween Night with family and friends. We enjoyed a mystery Dinner with my parents hosted by my Mom, which is now going to become a tradition it was so fun. Helped with Cecilias Zumba Halloween Party and had my Birthday party all in One month, needless to say I am drained but loved every minute of it.



We held our annual Halloween Party, this year we made it for adults Only. It was great but a lot of work this year. We decided to hold it at the club house so we could have more space but when looking at the rules they wanted us out and cleaned up y 11pm and no alcohol, so clearly that was out. So back to the house we went. We decided we needed more space so we ventured into the garage. We covered all the walls with black plastic so it was one huge black room. We put up some drapes behind the DJ table and set the garage there for some ambiance seating and set up some chandeliers and lamps. We had Kathy's friend Steve come with all his lights and lit the place up like a night club. James our DJ took care of the dance floor with all his cool lights. It made it look exactly how I wanted it. Loud dance music right when you came through the doors. We ate three types of nachos and had every one else bring a desert.









Corn Bellys is always a fun activity for our family to do. The weather has been so extremely nice it was very enjoyable to go and stay for hours. They added many new activities the year and made it well worth the money. I can tell you how many times we lost one of the boys, they ran from spot to spot. and then lost ourselves in the corn maze. I don't t=know that we have ever found our way threw one of those with out cutting threw after frustration sets in. This ear we did it though. Colby and I had fun with the corn cobs with each other. "inside joke"







The kids party was full of kids and loud fun. we played Halloween Bingo, Build the Skeleton relay, Eyeball pass, witch hat and spider toss, we made masquerade masks, color scratch and danced. We had chips cookies cupcakes and sodas. It was relatively simple, I guess compared to the adult party it was. We left the garage set up and held half of it out there. IT was a good thing too because boy did those little monsters make a mess. All in good fun.




My birthday didn't turn out quite the way we had hopes so its definitely going to need a do over.
We had planned to go eat at Wasatch Brewery in Park city, we love the Nachos and Macaroni and cheese thay are to die for.mmmmm We were then going to hit HArrios down the street. We soon found out the day before that Harrios was closed down. So no use in driving all the way for food. So we ate at Olive Garden then decided were too tired to go dancing and wet to see a movie. Well....the movie theaters in Utah Close around 10: 30 apparently the door were locked at the new Draper location so we headed up to Jordan Commons. No movies were playing after 10:30 as well. We did get to meet the ghost Busters. That was funny.
We decided to try a club so we drove all the way to SLC at a place called Habits, we waited in what looked like a short line for about 45 minutes and decided to call it quits since it was a bit too cold to hold out any longer. We were mad at that point. So we drove around stopped at the Tropicanna where Cecila and James met and fell in love. So we went down memory lane with the then hit McDonalds at that point were were all delirious and goofy. We pissed off the teller at McyD's and laughed our asses off all night. Colby was on for wure. Give him a laugh and he'll go all night!! It was fun even though it was way off base of where we wanted to be. Next time I'll go practically naked, I guess that what you have to look like to get into clubs these days oh and single.


I was also able to help Jack at his school with the class party. it was quick because the costume parade for the parents ran over by 45 minutes and it was early out day. there we made a foam bat project and eyeball suckers. hey were given popcorn bags with candy corn in them and that was it.








The Zumba Party was fun. I made this invite for CC. It was a normal class with all the usual music except we did thriller for the warm up and ghost busters for the cool down. IT was great James and Colby set up James light and we darkened the court and had a fun dance party. CC looked adorable in her Bat Girl Out fit. There were over 100 people there so it made it well worth all their hard work. I went and got her some balloons to flank the stage and desk. I also got here a gift since we were actually celebrating her 1 year anniversary open at the Futsal area!! Shes an inspiration to me with her dancing and hope to get certified next month.
They had a costume contest and gave three gift cards away. We helped them clean up and got home quite late so Jack skipped school the next day for exhaustion and for another issue he was having.










My mom gave us a "Mystery Dinner" it was very enjoyable. It was for her my dad me and my boys. IT was a dinner table set for Halloween. Then we were given a menu that said to pick 4 courses. it had items like witches fingers mashed up worms, eyeballs. and these items were an actual food that only my mom new what they were. So after selecting your courses she would bring in your 1st course. It may have been something like this:
Witches fingers+= grilled asparagus
mashed slugs= mustard
Grave digger= spoon
Ghost blood= sprite
eyeballs= grapes
liver spots= watermelon


She had each item on a small plate or in a muffin paper liner.
After each course you are suppose to take away everything from the last course but we decided to keep it since we wanted the boys to have mustard and ketchup for their mummy hot dogs and spoons for their jello. It was a great dinner and she made it relatively healthy . You could really do it for any holiday just nae it differently.

Halloween night is always fun filled with traditions. We shared this night with family and friends this time like usual. This was Jacks first time trick or treating with friends so I think it was extra special and fun for him plus we had two neighbors that went all out for the night.
We invited Colby's Parents over and Granny came along too sharing her special home made fudge that we all devoured. KeriAnn and Nick came as well and brought their little froggy Miles. It was so fun to see him dressed up and asking "Trick or Treat" at every house.






We also had the pleasure of our friends James, Cecila, Tiago and Tiffany with us.



We started off the night with Pizza and bread-sticks from Papa Murphys and enjoyed wassel to warm us all up before heading out. All the kids had fun answering the door while the adult visit and ate.
We went around the neighborhood and gathered sugar for the year. One neighbor was "Fondouing it" with Carmel marshmallows apples and other delightful treats. It was adorable and highly popular. Another neighbor set up their back yard as in The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. It was adorable... fog, music and skeletons. they gave out gold chocolate coins and you got to meet live pirate of course Jack Sparrow Calypso and others.


We finished the night by going back home having more wassel and donuts then headed out to Peg Legs house. It got bigger this year. We watched a new Halloween movie of Micheal Jackson and watched Thriller as well. Avery was afraid of his house this year but loved watching the movies there. It was great weather so it was nice enough to sit there and enjoy it. Colby enjoyed himself by freaking people out all night with his Pumpkin head costume he made out of paper mache last year. e would walk up to people and get in their space and say nothing. He would sneak up behind teenagers and wait for them to notice him but of course once they did he would scare them. Also while trick or treating he would freak out the moms and go and steal their buckets of candy and run. they would always ask if it was my husband but I would deni it and walk away like I was a little freaked out by it. Julie Burton was the funnest to freak out Jamie Benich too. We had a good laugh.