Piano Pumpkins

(This photo used to go the other direction...who knows why it's on it's head now! Sorry!)

I think it's fabulous that a piano is so naturally dressed up for Halloween: black and white. Just add a little orange with these mini pumpkins, tie a ribbon around the top and secure one around the middle (with a flat tack or tape) to dress it up a little more.

Now the piano is really dressed up. But of course, you could put them anywhere :)

I love easy Little Projects!

Halloween Treats-YUM!

Tis the season for fun treats! Here are some ideas we've tried so far...

Chocolate foil-covered "eye balls" add a fun element to decorating cupcakes. We used the foil "hearts" bent flat at the bottom to turn them into "pumpkins." Candy corn noses and sixlets topped them off.

I can't turn this picture, but candy corn rice krispie treats are a fun mix on the traditional. Just add red and yellow food coloring after you've combined the marshmallows, butter, and rice cereal together. The combination comes out with some white marshmallow, with orange and yellow rice cereal. "YUMilicious!" as Jay says!

These Ghost peeps are an easy addition to any cake or cupcake. They are going to be devoured by my piano students tonight :)
Happy treat-making Projects!

Halloween Sensory Activity

I know that some of you may have made these before, but it is a new Little Project for us :)

Today we made a Rice Sensory box. It's fun to hide things in the rice and then search for them and the kids LOVE using the scoops to put the rice into containers and plastic pumpkins that they got this weekend. It's kind of like a sandbox for the cold months. We made some other colors too so we can switch it for the season-easy and FUN!

To make yours you need: zipper lock plastic bags, food coloring, rice, aluminum foil, (oven optional)

Just put in some food coloring and shake the rice around to color it. {Little Project Tip:} The zipper lock CAN come undone, so if you have helpers beware :)

It took more food coloring than I thought, but we finally got a nice autumn color mix.

Then you can either wait for it to dry for a day. Or you can put it in the oven at 200 degrees for at least 15 minutes to help it dry. Check it to see if it is done by touching it. If the food coloring comes off, it's not dry :)

Then put it in a bin and play!

We added black beans for some extra color :)
Note: if the color isn't holding, add a teaspoon or 2 of rubbing alcohol to the mixture
Thanks to all the other moms who have blogged about and recommended this great activity. It's a fun Little Project!

Friday Favorites and Freebies-Halloween Edition

There are so many great ideas to celebrate right now. I'm not big into Halloween but I love the leaves, the colors, and the treats that come along with this time of year. Have a Fantastic Friday!

These "Monster Gift" Treats are so cute-a great neighbor gift!

A great recycling craft for the season to do with the kids that looks GREAT!

So many great Halloween ideas to be found from this great set of sisters. Go check them out-decor, eats, games, crafts for the kids, etc.

Lots of great fun with faces for little ones who might not be ready for a pumpkin carving knife here!

So many yummy treats to make and share-I can't decide which to first-This one or That one? Both would be better!

Grab an "I've been featured" button if you made the Favorites today!

Leaf People for Little People

We spent the day yesterday and today raking leaves...we have a ton more to go still! Can you find Jay in this photo? All these leaves led to a little leaf activity fun!

First we collected and then sorted the leaves by size.

The kids chose one bigger leaf and 4 smaller leaves. These make the head, hands, and feet.

We also picked up small sticks from branches on the ground to use for the body and limbs.

Some glue and paper turned these into leaf people! Here is Jay:

And here is Kay:
It's funny how much personality came out in the leaves and sticks they chose. Kay dances everywhere and she HAD to have a pink leaf for her "head."

I think we may finish up with a family portrait of leave people for fun :) Enjoy This Little Leaf People Project!

Birthday Girl's Dress-Up

I'm so lucky to have my sister in town right now! Mine and my husband's family lives about 2 day's drive away so it is such a treat to have family around. I don't write much for you though....for instance, Kay's party happened back at least a week ago and I have yet to tell you about all the fun we had! You may remember that she is in LOVE with PIGS right now....

So for starters, since I'm off in a minute to go hang out and eat ice cream with my sister, here is a some fun I had with her little birthday outfit. The really fun part for me is that the skirt is made entirely out of my old clothes!! My "new" favorite trick is to use "old" to make "new!" I love the challenge that it brings as well as the benefit! Here is the BEFORE photo

Those are the polka dot capris I had in high school...can you believe I wore those!? Let me tell you-they were AWESOME to go disco skating in the black light with! My sister had the same ones, only with blue dots-we looked great (back then). But they have been sitting in my dresser for years and when I went through my closet because I was too pregnant to wear any of my old stuff I decided that I couldn't think of a reason to keep them :( I also pulled out a ton of old T-shirts and was about to put them in a sack to take to the thrift store when I realized that THEY WERE ALL PINK!!! and WHO LOVES PINK? My little KAY!

So they stayed home afterall and look at them now! The ruffle is from a pink T-shirt and those capris made a cute little 2 and skirt :)

Since we already had the shirt, her new birthday outfit cost absolutely ZILCH! Happy Birthday to the Budget :)

Oh, and these are the little Piggies I made to go in her Piggy Tail hair...
I made one to go on her shirt too-but with velcro so I can take it off to wash it. (She takes if off too to give it hugs!) I'll put a few in the store for you ;)
And I had a great time making everything...it doesn't hurt that I get to relive memories when she wears her outfit either :) There is just something so fun about getting to dress up your little girl, don't ya think!