Spooky Halloween Games

October 19, 2012

Post by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com

With class parties, costume parties and family Halloween parties around the corner, we thought we’d share our favorite Halloween games and activities from Harrison’s recent Country Ghost third birthday party. After pictures and dinner we rounded up all our spooky guests for a few fun games and activities.

GHOST BOWLING
To make: Bettijo and I put this game together in just minutes. We grabbed 6 rolls of toilet paper then hot glued onto them black oval eyes cut from construction paper. (I know toilet paper sounds tacky, yet it was perfect! Nobody got hurt, and the rolls are light enough for even our youngest ghosts to re-stack!) To make it extra fun and festive, we used a small plastic pumpkin as the ball.

To play: The basic bowling rules applied—stand behind a designated line and roll the pumpkin (or ball) to knock over as many ghosts as possible. After two tries, re-stack the ghosts for the next player.

FLYING GHOSTS
To make: Once again, we made this game with supplies on hand. We drew simple ghosts on white felt scraps then used a black sharpie to draw ghost eyes. Using hot glue, adhere the ghosts onto clothespins for weight.

To play: Guests were given a few clothespin ghosts to fly (rather, throw) into the buckets. The player with the most ghosts flying into the bucket, wins.

PINATA
Well, I totally cheated on this. I had intentions of making a piñata, yet when my friend texted me a picture of this piñata from Target, I fell in love. This ghost is so cute. All we did was tape (yes, used normal scotch tape from the ~~junk drawer~~ adhesives bucket in my studio) white party streamers onto the bottom. The added streamers made it look custom and spooky!

Supermom Secret: Don’t have a strong tree branch or gazebo rafter to hang a heavy piñata in your backyard? We used a wrought iron basket hanger from our garden. This hanger is a stake at the bottom that provides easy installation into any soft ground. (And by installation I mean, poke it into ground then jump on it to secure.)

I stuffed the ghost piñata with single-serve cereal boxes, glow in the dark bracelets and party blowers. I’m not a fan of giving kids a lot of candy, so when Harrison suggested cereal for the prizes, I thought it was perfect. (Neither my kids nor their friends get sugar cereal on a regular basis, so they were all pretty stoked to see mini boxes of Fruit Loops flying out!)

S’MORES
Nothing says spooky like sharing ghost stories around a camp fire! But since our guests are pretty little and we have a gas firepit in our backyard, why build a fire or tell spooky stories when we can simply make s’mores? Harrison’s favorite s’mores use Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups instead of milk chocolate bars. I noticed most grow-ups liked this kind more, too!

Reposted with permission by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com. Photography by Jenn V

DIY Paper Mache Moon

October 18, 2012

Whattya need?

Newspaper
Glue
Paintbrush
Paint
Chicken wire or similar wire mesh
Wire cutters
String
Paint tray

How do I make a Paper Mache Moon?

Step 1: Start by slightly bending your piece of chicken wire into a curved side on one end and an “open,” unbent side at the other.

Step 2: Crease the individual wires at the bottom of the curved side towards the middle so the curve is narrow at the bottom and wide in the middle.

Step 3: Grownups only. Cut the piece of wire at the middle along the width. Start from the open side and stop a few inches before reaching the curved side. Don’t cut all the way across.

Step 4: Pull the two halves apart slightly to separate all of the cut ends. Leave connected at the bottom.

Step 5: Bend and fold the two halves of the wire into a crescent shape, with narrow ends and a wide middle.

Step 6: Grownups only. Cut off any excess pieces of wire.

Step 7: Tie a piece of string tightly around an individual wire near the top of the crescent. This string will be used for hanging, so make sure it’s never obstructed and isn’t too long or too short.

Step 8: Tear up the newspaper into long, thin strips. Pour a generous amount of glue into the paint tray and dip the strips into the glue.

Step 9: Adhere the strips onto the wire crescent until it is covered completely. You may want to cover it with more than one layer.

Step 10: Wait for the glue to dry completely, preferably overnight. Then, paint, decorate and hang however and wherever you’d like.

Things to Make – Toddler Art – Googly-Eyed Monsters

October 17, 2012

On our last trip to DC's Playseum the art instructor taught us a cool trick – let your toddler paint and paint and paint. Once his/her artwork dries bring out some googly eyes (like these) and let your toddler attach them onto his/her artwork. All of a sudden a big blob looks like a creature worthy of framing. Plus, it's a super easy way to have younger children help decorate for Halloween. Monsters everywhere = scary awesomeness.

Post by Darcy : bedtimemonsters.blogspot.com

Breakfast Pop Overs

October 16, 2012

Surprise your kids with a before-school breakfast that is way more exciting than cold cereal! This recipe is easy enough to whip up on a busy morning – using only a few ingredients and dishes. Even better, while it’s in the oven you have more than enough time to clean up, pack the lunches, and even enjoy a cup of coffee. What could be better?

Melt butter in the pie plate while preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the rest of your ingredients – seriously, these are all the ingredients, easy peasy – beginning with the eggs. Do *not* over mix or it will not pop!

Once the butter is melted, remove the pie plate from the oven and brush the sides with the melted butter. Pour in the batter and pop it back in the oven.

When it’s done it should be popped up the sides, leaving a fantastic middle to fill with berries of your choosing. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and prepare for your children to be amazed!

Ingredients:

2 T. butter

2 eggs

½ c. flour

½ c. milk

¼ t. salt

Melt butter in pie plate as you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once melted, brush butter over sides of dish.
Whisk eggs, then mix in flour, milk, and salt. Do not over mix or it will not ‘pop’.
Pour batter into prepared dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until puffed and golden.
Fill with berries and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately as it will begin to fall as it cools.

Need more tasty recipes and delicious bites? Check out our Let’s Eat Pinterest Board.

Post by Jen Wise : Mom Colored Glasses

Happy Kiddos: Big Boy Space

October 12, 2012

This is not a sponsored post. This is a story of Twitter.

Well, really, this is a story of fabulous design that just so happened because of the ingenious means of communication known as Twitter (did you ever read about Paige's amazing job she secured through Twitter?). I love having the ability to talk right to my favorite people and brands in a simple, concise manner.

I've been following the witty posts of the Land of Nod for a while. Their blog Honest to Nod is always filled with cute ideas and beautiful designs that make me want to relive my childhood again and again. I am smitten with Land of Nod's combination of well crafted furnishings with quirky, life-loving designs.

So when @thelandofnod asked if anyone had a design dilemma, I tweeted right back. And EEK! Danielle Kurtz (hello, Creative Director) asked me to send her an email to hear more.

And what followed were numerous exchanges back and forth where I had the opportunity to tell Danielle all about my dreams for my son's new big boy room and where she authentically wanted to know more about my style, my son's personality, and see the space for future planning purposes.

I'm so over-the-top excited with what she put together. You can check out the entire project on the Land of Nod's Pinterest page under L's Big Boy Room. Beautiful Danielle even linked up DIY projects that would fit well with my goals for the space (I hope to share these with you in the weeks ahead).

Here's my initial explanation of our needs:

We decided to purchase the Simple Twin bed and wide dresser for my son. He's turning 3 in a month, and we wanted some Land of Nod pieces to get him started in a new big boy room. He's a bundle of energy. He loves cars & trains (right now). His favorite colors are orange and blue. We have purchased a madras plaid quilt with navy, green, and oranges in it. He loves stripes. He also wants a place where he can hang his artwork.

And here's Danielle's lovely interpretation from the Land of Nod:

And the whole thing makes me happy, from ear to ear. This is all so perfect for my son. My faves? That simple car print, that adorable orange chair, and the gummy bear nightlight…but I kinda like every single piece. And the color from Benjamin Moore, Palladian Blue has been in my sketchbook for a while now just waiting to fill one of our rooms. Yay!

Since our money tree is not blooming this season, we'll make some great selections from the inspiration board and DIY/thrift/budget store the remainder.

Have you ever had professional consultation on an interior space? Or has Twitter gifted you with something unexpected and wonderful?

Can't wait to share more!!

XO, MJ

M.J. is a graphic designer/communications specialist and momma to three big personalities under the age of seven. She and her husband adore the Midwest and all the fun that comes from small town living within a quick commute to Chicago. To keep her creating, amidst the sink full of dishes and the laundry that never ends up in drawers, M.J. started blogging over at Pars Caeli (latin for a piece of Heaven) where she shares projects, ideas, and inspiration for happy kiddos and grown-up goodness. Hop on over and stay for a while!

Dip Dyed Chairs

October 11, 2012

I love the dip dye paint trend and even used this technique to create some kitchen accessories for my daughter's play kitchen earlier this year. When Land of Nod asked if I would be interested in dip dye painting a few of their chairs, I couldn't say 'Yes' fast enough.

My first step was to pick out the chairs. They have a great collection, so it was hard to choose a favorite, but I eventually I decided on the Storage Chairs because of the timeless design and, of course, the extra storage underneath.

The Before

Here are the original chairs. They were pretty cute as-is, and I was a little intimidated to start painting them.

Step 1: Selecting the Paint

I started by selecting the paints. I read a couple of online dip dye tutorials that recommended using spray paint for this look, but I have never been very successful with spray paint, and I wanted to work inside. Instead, I opted for acrylics from the Martha Stewart craft collection, applied with a sponge brush. For the pink, I mixed Amaranth and Camellia to achieve the desired shade, and the gold is Metallic Yellow Gold. Since I knew I wouldn't complete all 4 chairs within the same day, I placed the paints in plastic containers with lids.

Step 2: Tape the Chairs

I taped off the areas that I did not want to paint using basic masking tape. I used the bottom storage area as a guide to make sure my tape lines were even, but other chair designs might require measuring to ensure a straight 'dipped' line.

Step 3: Paint

I briefly considered sanding the chairs, but decided to start and see how well the paint adhered first. The pink paint went on fairly well so I ended up not sanding. The image above shows how the pink chairs looked after the first coat of paint, and I ended up painting 3 coats on these to achieve a consistent coverage. The gold was a slightly different story, and, in the end, I think sanding may have helped. The metallic paint was slightly sheer and I ended up applying 6 coats to get the gilded effect I was hoping for.

Step 4: Add Polka Dots

What's better than dip dyed chairs? Polka dot dip dyed chairs! I decided to add a polka dot pattern to one of the chairs. This one is definitely my favorite, and it was much easier to do than I expected, largely due to the dauber brush shown in the picture above. It makes very perfect circles. I planned on using a ruler to mark where I wanted to paint the dots so that they would be at even intervals, but I quickly scrapped this idea and just started painting.

The After

Once everything was completely dry I took the chairs outside and sprayed a satin finish sealant on them to help protect the paint (from my children who any day now will be using them in an obstacle course, to build a castle or to tip over and race cars down the legs).

And Finally …

After days of not letting my kids go anywhere near the chairs, it was finally time to enjoy our new chairs and we celebrated with a little tea party!

Thank you, Land of Nod. We love our new chairs.

Post by Julee : Warm Hot Chocolate

The Most Amazing Baked Bars

October 10, 2012

It may sound silly to say “this cookbook changed my life”, but, seriously, THIS COOKBOOK CHANGED MY LIFE! My husband had seen a salted caramel brownie featured on a food network show and then, proceeded to talk about said brownie for a week. It was close to Valentine’s Day and I attempted to order some for him. While doing so, I was delighted to find that they also had a cookbook. I promptly placed an Amazon order! It just so happened that there was a snow storm that weekend and the brownies were trapped in Cleveland and would not arrive in time for the 14th. However, the cookbook came ever so swiftly and, by combining two recipes (the Baked Brownie and caramel from their Salted Caramel Cake), I made some of the tastiest brownies I have ever consumed. That began a journey into many weeks of baking! The book is decadent. Every recipe is beyond incredible and never disappoints. Since then I have also ordered their second cookbook and just today(!) their most recent title arrived. I now know what I will be doing in my free time for the next couple of months!

Here is their recipe for Baked Bars, a high octane version of the seven layer cookie.

To begin:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking pan with parchment and spread the coconut on top. Bake for 7-10 minutes, stir, and return to oven for an additional three minutes.

Meanwhile, make 2 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers). You can do this in a food processor or place the crackers in a large zip top bag and go at it with a rolling pin.

Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter and mix with the crumbs and coconut. Spread into a greased 9×13 pan and pressed the crust down and slightly up the sides. You can use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to create an even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and then bake for 10. Allow crust to cool on wire rack. Increase oven temp to 325.

Toast walnuts over medium heat in a pan. Chop and let cool slightly. Then, spread evenly on the cooled crust. Follow with the semi sweet chips, white chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over top and shake slightly to distribute. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe:

Crust:

2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
2 1/2 c. finely ground graham cracker crumbs (approx. 20 crackers)
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 1/2 c. walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. white chocolate, coarsely chopped (or white chocolate chips)
3/4 c. butterscotch chips
3 1/4 c. (26 oz) sweetened condensed milk

To make the crust:

Preheat oven to 300

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread coconut on top. Bake for 7-10 minutes, stir, and bake for another three minutes.

2. Put graham crackers crumbs and coconut in a large bowl and mix to incorporate. Add butter and combine. Spread into greased 9 x 13 and press evenly into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and then bake crust for 10 minutes or until golden. Allow crust to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the filling:

Increase oven temperature to 325

1. Spread toasted nuts evenly over cooled crust.

2. Spread semi sweet chocolate chips evenly over top of the nuts. Follow with the white chocolate and then butterscotch.

3. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over top and shake or tap pan gently to evenly distribute.

4. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Makes 24 squares

Need more tasty recipes and delicious bites? Check out our Let’s Eat Pinterest Board.

Post by Meredith Falconer : Mom Colored Glasses

DIY Halloween Hair Clips

October 9, 2012

Post by Christina Williams of justcallmechris.blogspot.com

This project came directly out of nowhere. I had every intention of making normal, everyday hair clips for Sister. The day I started the DIY Halloween hair clip project was the same day we’d pulled the Halloween box out of storage, and somehow those pesky spiders snuck their way into my project.

For this project you’ll need to grab some hot glue (not with your bare hands…ouch), ribbon, plastic spider or bat rings and a gaggle of naked alligator clips. Using the hot glue, cover the clips with ribbon. Then cut the critters off the plastic rings and glue ’em onto the clips. And you’re done. Making them is actually easier than convincing your preschooler to wear them.

Doesn’t she look overjoyed about wearing her new hair accessory? Good thing I didn’t even attempt to comb her hair, or her happiness would be unbearable. 😉

Happy Crafting!

Post by Christina Williams of justcallmechris.blogspot.com

Mummy Parade Door Garland

October 8, 2012

Post by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com

My oldest daughter Attalie actually came up with the idea for this craft based on Aimee’s adorable Mummy t-shirts from last year. Your little goblins will enjoy creating an eerie Mummy Parade door garland to greet trick or treaters. The treat for you is it uses only supplies that are probably already in the cupboard!

Items Needed:

:: 3 white paper plates
:: 1 roll of first aid gauze (ours was 4 inches x 4 yards)
:: black paper
:: scissors
:: school glue
:: Optional: Circle paper punches (we used 1.25-inch and 1.5-inch)

Instructions:
Tear the black paper into 1/2-inch strips (it’s perfectly OK to approximate here). Cut or punch out circles for the eyes. Glue the strips to the back side of the plates to make a mummy face. It might help to show your children the picture of our finished mummies to get their imaginations going.

Once the mummy faces are complete, cut slits about three-quarters of an inch away from the top and bottom of each plate. Unroll the gauze. Make a knot for hanging about two-thirds of the way down so you have two uneven tails. Thread the gauze through the plates — put two plates on the shorter tail and one on the longer tail, centered in between the other plates. It is OK if the gauze snags on the plates — this adds to the eerie look.

Reposted with permission by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com

Spooky GHOST Party Invites

October 5, 2012

Post by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com We recently celebrated Harrison’s third Birthday with a party. As you might guess, parties cause quite the commotion around our home, and my boys like to brainstorm party themes. Of course, since my kids are… well… kids, they change their minds frequently. Last Halloween Harrison fell in love with ghosts, and he has been talking about a ghost Birthday party for almost an entire year. I didn’t bother brainstorming ghost party ideas until just a few weeks ago — I thought for sure Harrison would change his mind to a more typical three-year-old birthday theme. I mean, seriously, what three year old picks a GHOST party? Mine! From a blogging perspective, it was actually quite convenient of Harrison to request a ghost party in September so that we could have all these fun Halloween ideas ready to share with you! Check out a quick sneak peek and a fun party photo prop tutorial from Harrison’s ghost party over at JennV Photography. Jenn took all the pictures at Harrison’s party — we are so excited to work with her! First up: invitations. No ghost party would be complete without ghosts, right?

The invitation came with just enough instructions to get the party guest’s imagination flowing… “You have here the beginnings of a real, LIVE GHOST!”

I love the raffia… it’s been a while since I’ve broken my raffia ball out of the cupboard, but it was just right for our Country Ghost theme. The rustic touches added a bit of whimsy while still feeling masculine enough for a boyish celebration, and there was just enough spooky for a three year old!

To make these invitations you need:

Clear 4x4x4 Plastic Boxes
Twin Flat Sheets (you’ll get 2 invitations per sheet)
Printable “Live Ghost” Instructions Template
Raffia
Scissors

Cut enough sheets in half the short-ways to create 66×48-inch fabric pieces for all your little guests. Fold each cut sheet in half several times until you have a long piece that is about 4-inch wide (the correct width to fit in the clear box). Now fold in half once in the opposite direction, and then starting from the unfolded end, tightly roll the sheet up and place inside the box. Print the Live Ghost instructions template and cut down to size. Slide into the box covering the top and back sides. Position the rolled sheet so that the messy end is facing the back of the box and covered by the paper. Close the box and tie on a generous amount of raffia using a simple knot. We finished the invitation off by adding a simple gray label that included all the who/what/where/when party details and the recipient’s name. Reposted with permission by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com

DIY Removable “Peter-Pan” Collar

October 4, 2012

Decorative, removable “Peter Pan” collars are a pretty big deal right now. And with places like J.Crew selling them for kids….upwards of $40.I thought I should probably try my hand at making one and spending…$0 instead. Like all things that you make for kids it’s easier to make a Peter Pan collar for them, than for yourself. You can make them more whimsical, cutesy, and themed than you’d probably want for yourself. However, you could absolutely apply this same idea to an adult sized Peter Pan collar; you’ll just want to make it more finished–nicer fabric, embellishments, and finishes.

But for the kiddos…here’s all you need:

I used plastic cabochon’s in tear drop shapes and a random cupcake one that I’d ordered from Etsy a while back for pennies. Why did I order them from Etsy? Who knows? I have an Etsy addiction and they were cute. And now I’m glad I have them! But beads, flat backed jewel pieces, rhinestones from old jewelry, feathers, or even different colored pieces of fabric would work to make your collars look amazing!

Post by Maggie Terryn : Mom Colored Glasses

Soft & Quiet: Blue

October 3, 2012

When thinking of soft and pretty colors, people often go straight for pink or lavender. But I think blue can also be very soft and feminine, too. In fact, did you know that until the 1940’s, pink was considered a boy color and blue was for girls?

Here’s some inspiration on how to use blue for a girl’s room:

Clockwise: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Try it yourself:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

And for the really adventurous, try a deeper shade like navy or peacock blue. These colors aren’t just for boys!

Clockwise: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Try it on your own:

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

By Anna Passadori

Anna develops and designs exclusive product for The Land of Nod. She hails from the west coast and has traveled the world to source product. She loves anything Marc Jacobs, Sofia Coppola or stripes! (So, if anyone can get a photo of Sofia Coppola wearing a striped outfit by Marc Jacobs, please send it along.)

Two Years Later: Use Pregnancy & Motherhood as a Reason to Bump Up Your Social Circle

October 2, 2012

Just over two years ago, when I was seven months pregnant, and Bump Club and Beyond was only a few months old, I guest blogged for our friends at Graco on the importance of having a supportive network during your pregnancy. Two years later, I bring this up again as I find it equally as important to carry and expand that network into motherhood.

My feelings from when I wrote this blog two years ago haven’t changed, but like my family, they have grown. Since becoming pregnant in January 2010, I have immersed myself in the culture of being an expecting mom/new mom/mom to a toddler. I have seen firsthand how having the support of a community of women in the same life stage is imperative for all of us.

This was the sole reason I started Bump Club Chicago and the motivation for turning it into Bump Club and Beyond after only nine months. Moms and Moms-to-Be in Chicago needed a place where it was easy to connect with one another, learn from one another (and the best experts in town), and grow with one another. There will always be a fondness in my heart for the 50 or so BCB “regulars” who I shared my pregnancy with, many of who now make up my core group of mom friends. Witnessing these relationships from my perspective, and those from the growing number of moms and moms-to-be who have followed, is something so amazing it’s hard to even describe.

On Friday, I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo for the Mr. Singer concert with Toddler J. I was almost dumbfounded by a few things: 1) the number of Bump Club moms that were there 2) the number of Bump Club moms with 2nd time bellies that were there 3) the number of Bump Club moms that were there TOGETHER.

Bump Club has grown significantly since my Graco blog post, but I am proud of the fact that the fundamentals have stayed the same. When I first wrote this blog two years ago we were hosting 3-4 events per month. Even though we now host over a dozen every month, our moms are coming together, staying together and hanging out more than ever before—both at BCB events, and on their own time. I exchanged numbers and emails with three moms on Friday, all for different reasons. I see the women at our events doing this all the time, and it thrills me…but actually seeing them out with one another (outside of BCB events) is beyond rewarding. I know that giveaways and gift bags are fun, but at the end of the day I can see that these things are the icing on the Bump Club cake. It’s the friendships and support that are most important and truly matter to so many of you.

I went to a baby naming of a friend a couple weeks ago. Her entire 15 mom playgroup was there with their babies AND their significant others. My friend’s family couldn’t believe how many friends this new mom had…and I kept hearing over and over that all of these women connected and re-connected at Bump Club. They now all have babies under six months old and meet on a regular basis. Together, they all attended their first BCB New Moms brunch a few weeks ago. To have played a role in this form of “mom match-making” brings a permanent smile to my face.

While I blogged two years ago about the importance of bumping up your social circle as a mom-to-be, I can’t reiterate more how valuable it is to carry this bit of advice into your life as a mom. I am thrilled that Bump Club is now in Austin, TX, providing the moms and moms-to-be of my favorite southern city the opportunity to connect with one another, BCB, our partners and our programming.

Even if you aren’t in Chicago or Austin to experience Bump Club, there are so many ways to meet other mom friends. Similar to when you were sporting a belly bump, it is just as easy, if not easier, to talk to another mom at the park, Starbucks, a store, the zoo…really anywhere you go. Don’t be shy, and don’t hesitate to ask for her email or number. You’d likely be surprised at how relieved she is that you asked. And don’t forget, you have something in common that will lend itself to endless conversations about infinite topics: you’re moms.

Post by: Lindsay Pinchuk, founder of Bump Club and Beyond

Country Ghost Party: Decor + Food + Table Decorations

October 1, 2012

Post by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com

Wow. I just went through all the pictures from Harrison’s Spooky Country Ghost third birthday party! There’s a lot to share, so I’m dividing everything up into a couple posts. Today we’ll talk about the Decor + Food Table, in a few days we’ll cover the invitations!

Per Harrison’s request, rather than decorating with a lot of ghosts, we decided to have each little guest come as a spooky spirit. The invitation provided a white bed sheet with basic instructions for each guest to come appropriately disguised. The little ghosts did not disappoint!

My friend Jenn from JennV Photography was on hand to capture the ghosts and all the party details. For a complete round-up of the photobooth pictures, check out Jenn’s site. I especially loved these ghosts!

Isn’t that mustache sticker fun? Liam, our mustache-wearing ghost was a little wild, so we reinforced the sticker to the sheet with a glue gun for some extra staying power, and it worked great.

My favorite part of the entire party is Harrison’s outfit. I love his striped socks with his black Converse and white ghost costume. It’s so three! And I love that he INSISTED that he and Liam wear their skeleton pajama tops under their ghost costume… because under “real” ghosts are skeleton bones, right? I just love his logic.

As guests came to the door they were greeted with a ghostly banner, floating bubbles (from our bubble machine) and a spooky ghost peeping through the window. (Yes, we use the word spooky quite loosely here — keep in mind Harrison turned three!)

The peeping window ghosts were made from a roll of kraft paper. Bettijo drew the ghost free-hand, cut it out then drew eyes and a mouth onto both sides of the paper with a black marker. We taped the ghosts to our front window and the back door.

Since our front room is still piano-less, we had plenty of space to set up a quick photobooth. I covered our bookshelves with a kraft paper roll. I simply used painters’ tape to attach the paper to the top of the shelves and secured it with more tape along the bottom. Next, we covered our carpet with a tarp from our painting bin. The straw bales were purchased at a local feed store to give our spooky ghosts something to stand or sit on. Then we grabbed a few things from my fall décor stash—extra pumpkins, leaves and a wire basket.

The chalkboard is leftover scrap wood that Bettijo had in her barn. She painted it with chalkboard paint and brought it over as a last-minute addition. She even had the pitch fork in her barn, too. (Her barn is full of all sorts of inspiring things… but that’s a different post for a different day!)

My favorite booth detail is this awesome crate! I spotted a wood crate tutorial on one of my favorite DIY blogs, and I knew immediately that the photobooth needed it to complete the country feel. Bettijo’s husband Heath was working on a few other wood projects, so he kindly added this to his list! To fit our needs, he make the crate a bit taller and slightly smaller. (Our finished size is roughly 12″x24″.) Can you believe it? Thank you, Heath! (And thank you The House of Smiths for the awesome tutorial!)

After a quick picture, our little ghostly guests made their way into the kitchen for dinner. To keep in line with the country ghost theme, I planned for the food to be essentially colorless. Our menu included Debbie’s Ghostly White Bean Chili with toppings, white cheddar mac+cheese, cantaloupe and boo biscuits with a butter bar. I made country food labels attached with clothespins.

The food table was made more rustic with my (and Bettijo’s) new obsession: wood slabs from Save on Crafts. Not only did the slabs add height where needed, they also served as hot pads under the chili and mac+cheese. Plus, they were the perfect country touch! The smaller wood slabs were used to present the chili garnishes as well as the paper goods and utensils. Aren’t they fabulous?!

The ghosts hovering in the corner over the food were also simple to make. (At least it looked simple as I watched Bettijo finish assembling them while I wrapped up the last-minute food preparartions. Thank goodness for friends when it comes to hosting parties, right?) To make the hanging ghosts, inflate and knot a white balloon. Tie a piece of string around the knot. Using a wide-eyed sewing needle, poke the string through the center of a piece of light-weight fabric. Hang. If desired glue oval construction-paper eyes onto the fabric.

Reposted with permission by Aimée Lowry & Bettijo B. Hirschi from PagingSupermom.com

Things to Make – Cola Explosions/Bombs/Fountains

September 27, 2012

bomb One 2L bottle of soda + 5 mentos (drop them in FAST) = Awesomeness = The perfect activity for the beginning of fall.

Post by Darcy : bedtimemonsters.blogspot.com

Shared Spaces: Oh, Brother

September 26, 2012

The best part about this shared space is that it works equally well for a 3 year old or a 13 year old. When creating any room, it’s important to think about how your needs and tastes might change as your children grow. That way you can invest in pieces that will transition from preschool to high school.

In this example, the simple pattern on the bedding is a great transitional element. It can be mixed with a variety of blankets and each child can personalize their bed with throw pillows or stuffed animals. It also has a lot of nice colors in it, which you can draw from to decorate the rest of the space.

And, let’s not ignore the obvious shared space solution, a bunk bed. This is a great space saver, and what kid doesn’t dream of having a bunk bed! Just remember that for safety reasons the top bunk needs to be reserved for kiddos that are 6 or older. The option shown here is a twin-over-full configuration. This would be great if you had two children of different ages. Your pre-teen can stretch out on the full size bottom bunk, while your elementary school kiddo can take the top bunk.

The use of a bunk saves floor space, which will allow for bookcases, desks and dressers that you need for the kids. You can also add a storage trundle under the bottom bunk for even more clothes and toy storage. After all, have you ever met a parent that didn’t want more storage space?

By Danielle Kurtz

Danielle is the Creative Director at Nod and an over-protective mother of two. She’s also completely obsessed with Pinterest, Twitter and her Kindle, but not necessarily in that order. Danielle loves to craft, sew and crochet, but all her supplies have a layer of dust on them about 5-years-thick, wonder if it's just a coincidence that her oldest kiddo is 5 years old?

DIY Sparkle Rainbow Animals

September 25, 2012

How do I make Sparkle Rainbow Animals?

Step 1: Spray paint each animal entirely. Wait for paint to dry.

Step 2: Once spray paint dries, dip different sections into different colored paint.

Step 3: Or, use the paintbrush to create a variety of paint effects like dribbling, dotting and more.

Step 4: Or, gently blend two colors and dip animals in for a swirl effect.

The Girls’ Room

September 24, 2012

Back in June Courtney of the chirpingmoms.com posted about putting together a shared bedroom for her daughters. She was swooning over our painted Jenny Lind Beds, but wasn’t sure how she’d pull the whole room together. So, last month she reached out to me and asked for some help. After gaining a little insight into her style, her girls’ personalities and the room she was working with, I put together a design for their room.

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For the room, I suggested doing two of the Jenny Lind Beds in Raspberry paired with our Please Plie Bedding. It’s a really punched up color palette with lots of options for mixing in vibrant pinks, yellows and blues. (Did I mention that Courtney loves yellow?)

I added in a lot of accent pieces, keeping many of the items in white since the furniture and bedding are so loud. Also, I paired the beds with the Monarch Nightstands rather than the Jenny Lind Nightstand. With two of these beds, it’s an awful lot of spindles for one room, so I thought a more streamlined piece for the nightstand would be a better option.

For the walls, I suggested a soothing icy blue. The furniture will pop next to this and it pairs nicely with the original wood floors in the space. I also proposed the idea of a book corner, using our book ledges to create a wall of storage/display. The girls can house a mix of books and art here and keep an ever-evolving installation of their current tastes.

In addition, I mixed in some a lot of throw pillows and our Krafty Kraft Letters. This will allow each of the girls to personalize her own space within the room. In any shared space, it’s important to carve out areas for each child to express herself.

To see more details on the room design, visit the Pinterest page I created for Courtney. http://pinterest.com/bynodforyou/the-girls-room-v2/

(As an aside, if you’re designing a room and aren’t already on Pinterest, I strongly urge you to join. It’s a really great way to gather and curate yours ideas for a space. It allows you to see all the items together and pull inspiration from all over the web, as well as draw on ideas from other pinners.)

By Danielle Kurtz

DIY Wintery Woods Terrarium

Post by Eye Candy

Whattya need?

Bleach
Metal bowl
Jar
Mini trees
Hot glue gun
Hot glue
Fake snow

How do I make a Wintery Woods Terrarium?

Step 1: Grownups only. In a well-ventilated area, pour bleach into metal bowl. Make sure to keep kids and pets at a safe distance.

Step 2: Dip each tree into bleach to give it a pale, vintage look. Leave trees in longer to achieve a paler shade or a pure white effect.

Step 3: Remove the trees from bleach and let them dry. Then, use the hot glue gun to adhere each tree to the inside of the jar lid.

Step 4: Once the glue dries, fill the jar with fake snow, screw the lid on and turn the jar upside down.

For this and more arts & crafts, check out Eye Candy – our exclusive holiday decor online catalog.

DIY Magazine Forest Decor

September 23, 2012

Whattya need?

Magazines
Glue
Glitter
Box cutter
Tape

How do I make a Magazine Forest Décor?

Step 1: Carefully remove magazine’s cover.

Step 2: Draw three, dashed rectangles of different sizes on the magazine. Then, draw a solid diagonal line through each rectangle.

Step 3: Grownups only. Using the box cutter, cut along the dashed lines through the entire magazine.

Step 4: Fold each page along the solid diagonal line until every page is folded.

Step 5: Fan out the corners to create a tree-like effect. Decorate using glue and glitter.

For this and more arts & crafts, check out Eye Candy – our exclusive holiday decor online catalog.