A Birdhouse for Grandma

 What do you do with your toddler when it snows?  First play in the snow like crazy. Then, paint rocks, make a paint chip wreath, have dance parties and paint a bird house for Grandma.  Although we had approximately 10" of snow last night, the kiddo and I made this birdhouse in a previous mere 4" snowfall.  

We took a trip to the local Joann and I gave the kiddo free reign to pick out one $1 wooden "figure" to paint and decoupage for Grandma.  He picked the heart birdhouse...little does he know that Grandma does not like birds.  

We took it home and mixed some red and pearlized white paint to make a nice deep fuchsia.  Then, my little guy got right to town painting his bird house.  Honestly, I only pitched in to cover the "missed spots", but he tried to be very thorough.  After it dried, he picked out the striped paper for the roof and we used a little Mod Podge.  Then, he helped me trace the stencils for the XOXO (notice the pencil lines).  I ended up painting the letters; since, we have quite reached the ability to "stay inside the lines". 

  I'm so proud of my little crafter and his thoughtfulness. 

What do you do with the kiddos when the weather is less than stellar?

Basic French Online

I recently discovered this little shop that I'm so completely enamored with I keep going back for more. If visiting France is not on your agenda at the moment, you can bring a bit of France to you from Basic French. 

For your home...

Beautiful Pitcher...I'd love to be pouring flavored water from here everyday.

Antiqued Silver Glass...aren't these cute?

Make your home, linens and clothes smell like the French countryside with this linen water.

For the kiddos...

Oh how my little guy needs to carry these Babar Suitcases.

 

while wearing this shirt.

and these Little Brown Bear books to help us improve our French.

For you...

I definitely need this dress and, of course, the kiddo and I will wear our Mariniere stripes together.

I would wear these Bensimons in forest with my dress...

while carrying this lovely toile de jouy umbrella.

Julbo USA

You may recall this recent post where I discussed my kiddo's need for a pair of sunglasses (that were not his mother's).

After a bit of searching, I finally found the pair for him by Julbo USA, Looping 3.  They're virtually indestructible, which is a MUST. They are protective and reversible. They look good. Finally, they are in a unisex color scheme, which means they will be perfect for any future kiddos we may have.  All of these positives for $32 makes these sunnies a seriously good deal, especially considering the inexpensive broken-the-first-time-he-wears-them plastic pairs I've purchased are at least $10.

Gone are the days of crying over "sunny days". 

I purchased my pair at Backwoods, an outdoor gear store in my area, but you can also pick up a pair here and here. 

Last Minute Gifts Worth Giving: B. Toys

Have you heard of B.?

I first saw a few B. Toys at Target this past spring.

here

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here

Immediately, my eye was drawn to the unique color schemes and well-designed packaging.  It was basically love at first sight, but, alas, the kiddo did not need a new toy at that moment.  

Not long after, I read this post on Design Mom and realized that the few toys I saw were actually part of a large, cool collection and behind them was a purpose. 

The genius and illustrious folks started B. toys to create earth-friendly, presentable, inspired toys that meet the needs of play-focused kiddos with their unique form and superb function.

1. Earth-friendly: Packaging is made from recycled materials and/or is recyclable.  No unnecessary packaging.  Packaging is re-purposable. 

2. Presentable: The packaging doubles as gift wrapping (How cool is that?) and it simply looks good.  Well-chosen unisex color scheme that blends into your home and actually can hold a place outside of the toy box.  Actually, I have three of those little boxes in my craft room that I use to store odds n' ends.

3. Inspired: The design, color and functionality of B. toys offer a lasting toys that will inspire hours of play in your kiddos. 

Recently, B. toys sent my son the B. Okideoke toy microphone. 

It's the fourth B. toy to add to our little collection and it is definitely a great addition!  He's been having loads of fun amplifying his voice and playing the tunes to "hum" along to.  It's a great twist on an old favorite and I'm sure he'll be playing with it for years to come.

If you're looking for last minute gift options for the kiddos on your list, visit B. toys and head out to Target to pick up a few.  Here are the last minute gift ideas (click here for his gift list)  I've had in mind for my son...he needs just one more present, right?

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Give and Get is Here: Take a look at my picks for the little man and grab your discount!

I purchase a lot of my son's staple clothing from Gap and Old Navy.  Compared to other popular boy's brands and stores, I seem to have great luck with sizing (the pants fit!) and style.  Plus, it is seemingly impossible to not find cute items on sale at any given time.  This season's Give and Get sale is a great opportunity to stock up on staples and holiday wears at 30% off!  The sale runs from today through the 14th; the above link will provide you with a printable coupon and online code!  Plus, if you use my link, your 5% donation will go to Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger non-profit in the country. 

Here are my picks from Old Navy.  Mr. Man is going to look good and stay warm.

Look 1: All Dressed Up

 1. Sweater

2. Polo

3. Cords

4. Shoes

 

Look 2: Night-Night 

1. PJs

2. Slippers

 Look 3: Snow Day

1. Coat

2. Snow Pants

3. Hat and Gloves

4. Boots

Look 4: Playdate

1. Sweater

2. T-shirt

3. Oxford

4. Jeans

5. Shoes

How about you?  Do you have any picks for the Give and Get sale?  I may have a few picks for myself, like these, this and, this.

Kids in the Kitchen

Kitchen Playdates by Lauren Bank Deen from Chronicle Books

The impending long and dark winter has had me thinking about ways to reinvent some of the daily routine with my kiddo.  Cooking up a storm in the kitchen sounds like fun for both of us; plus, it's just so practical--we've got to eat!  So far, he really is a great help in the kitchen, especially when he's excited about what were making or if he gets to use neat "tools" like whisks and cookie cutters. 

I think this book, Kitchen Playdates by Lauren Bank Deen, could add to my repertoire of kids-in-the-kitchen recipes and give me some good ideas for keeping my little guy occupied in the kitchen.  It's currently out of stock at Chronicle Books, but is available at Amazon for $8.99. 

Another kids-in-the-kitchen cookbook that has caught my eye is Kids in the Holiday Kitchen by Jessica Strand and Tammy Massman-Johnson.  The concept behind this book is great--kids cooking combined with holiday giving and togetherness!  Great for the upcoming holiday season!

Cook It in a Cup! by Julia Myall looks like a ton of fun as well!  I love the idea of making "mini-meals" in cups and I think my kiddo would definitely enjoy making an individual meal and/or treat that is just for him.

Also, here are a few recipes that I would like to make soon with and for my kiddo.

Mmmm. Making Gnocchi with Kids from Momtastic.

This is a great pictorial and a fun recipe to try with kids.  I can't wait to make some gnocchi.

Almost certain my picky kiddo will try these Tofu Fries from Momtastic!

These are sure to be hit in my house!

These look cool for kids and tasty for all ages! -Easy Baked Apples from Babble

I've never made these, but have always enjoyed my mother-in-law's baked apples.  I these would be a great week-night dessert!

Halloween Felt Play Mat

Happy Monday, everyone!  This weekend I made a little felt play mat for my kiddo, Halloween-style.  I enjoyed the process so much that I'm now making a transportation themed one as well.  These mats are small (about 18"x12") with the thought that they are fold-able, portable, and stor-able.   

Basically, I cut a piece of white felt (just shorter than the wooden dowel); then, folded the ends in about one inch and stitched down each side to create a hole for one wooden dowel on each end. 

Then, I wrapped jute around each end of the two dowels and hot glued it in place.  Now, the dowels are permanent fixtures...otherwise, they would have ended up as tools of destruction. 

To cut out each piece, I first created a stencil out of card stock and then traced it onto the felt with disappearing ink.  I attached the pumpkin and ghost faces with Fabric-Tac, but everything else can be moved and arranged however he pleases.  So far, this has been a big hit, particularly, hiding the pumpkins in the house and knocking on the door and asking "Who's there?"

When were finished playing, we can just stack everything up, fold it in half, and carry it off!

Stay-tuned for the transportation-themed felt play mat later this week!  Have a wonderful fall day!

Sharing with...

Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative
Made by You Mondays at Skip to My Lou
Making the World Cuter Mondays at Making the World Cuter

Back to cool.

For Mommy

(here)

For Kiddo

(here)

For Mommy

(here)

For Kiddo

(here)

What are you carrying back to school?