A Christmas/Holiday Mantel and Link

I'm pretty new to this decorating-the-mantel thing.  For the first seven years of living in this house, we had an antique, rectangular mirror hanging over the fireplace, a topiary on either side, and some photos scattered here and there on the mantel.  That's it.  It didn't change much, even around holiday time.

In the spirit of trying to flex my creative muscles, I decided to try a holiday mantel this year.  I covered the whole thing with lights, pine boughs (fake) and poinsettias (fake) and lived with it for a couple of days.  And every day I hated it more.  Maybe it's because Gavin kept trying to climb the pine boughs, or maybe it's because Nathan thought he could eat them.  Either way, I really just wanted something simple this year.


I found some wrapping paper that I liked at Target, so I started there.  I bought a piece of foam board at The Dollar Tree and covered it with the paper:

I also wanted to include these vintage ornaments.  They were my mom's when she was first married, and I think they're charming.

And I didn't want much else.  Here's what I ended up with:

I attached the foam board to the wall with sticky-tack, and hung my branchy (yes, I just used the word branchy!) wreath from a removable hook.  I also filled my hurricanes with fake snow and some pinecones from Michaels.

I also used these vintage candlesticks.  They were a flea-market find.

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And I had some leftover Scrabble pieces from a project I'm working on in Gavin's room (which is almost done), so I figured I would add those to the mantel too!

So there you have it! A simple, easy, no-fuss holiday mantel, which I find much more refreshing than the overly-ornate ones, at least this year.

I'm linking up to Layla's Mantle Party!  Follow this link to see some truly inspiring mantels!

kayce's blog: saturday's giveaway

My favorite dress of all-time is by designer Kayce Hughes. I love it, and every time I wear it I get tons of compliments. She's giving away a dress on her blog today. Go enter to win!

www.kaycehughes.blogspot.com

Harry Potter 7 Movie Premiere Party

I have been a Harry Potter fan forever; since the first book was published.  I've never gone as far as waiting in a long line in a Hagrid costume at Barnes and Noble at midnight, but I will admit to trying out a few spells in the privacy of my living room just to see if I might be a witch.  (I was SO hoping I was, so I could go teach at Hogwarts.  No luck.)  I could've totally used the Alohomora spell when Charlotte locked me into Gavin's bedroom.

Lucky for me, I have two students in my class who love HP and a good craft as much as I do.  This week, we held secret lunch meetings and planned a surprise "Harry Potter premiere party" for the rest of the class.  The good news:  the other kids were surprised and delighted.  The bad news:  I totally forgot my camera.  These iPhone shots will have to do.

We used small garden stakes (cut in half, with the point cut off) and paper bags to make little broom pins.  We cut the paper bags into thirds, and then cut a fringe and rolled it up.  Then, we tied black yarn around the paper bag for effect.  I added a dab of hot glue to the stake before putting it into the paper bag, and affixed a pin to the back with hot glue too.

Pretzel rods made great-looking wands.  I actually bought white chocolate morsels to melt and dip the end of the pretzel rod in (I thought it would look more wand-like) but I was too tired last night to follow through.  Sorry, kids!

Jelly Bellies fit the bill for Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.  Alas, no earwax flavor.

And what's a party without some Butter Beer?

I'm going to admit, I had a teensy bit of trouble letting the kids make the brooms and do the design work with little help from me.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist in that area, but was super-proud of myself that I was able to step back and let the kids create.  And they did a fantastic job, right?  :)

Hope you Muggles are able to get out there and see the movie!  

Nathan's Fire Truck Party

Even though it's going to be a small gathering, we still decided to have a "theme" for Nathan's second birthday.  Since he's starting to get into trucks, particularly fire trucks, we decided that would be easy enough.

I designed the invitation using a fire truck graphic from  JW Illustrations. Jessica does terrific clip art. It only cost $1.00 to download, bringing the total cost of the invitation to a whopping: $1.00.

More details are coming!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids

Need some holiday gift ideas?  With three kids and lots of nieces and nephews, I spend a fair amount of time searching for the perfect gift.  I hope these suggestions make your holiday shopping a bit easier!

BEST FOR BIRTH-24 MONTHS

1.  A "lovey" blanket

All three of my own kids and many of my nieces and nephews own loveys.  They have been a lifesaver at bedtime and naptime.  I like this one from BoCoBaby.  It's available in their Etsy shop.

2.  Music To Get Your Groove On

We like to pop in music while we're getting ready for dinner, in the car, and on lazy weekends. Not only is music great for cognitive development, but these CDs include songs that parents can sing along to as well.  

Hat Parade by Meg Russell

Our favorite song on this one is "Smile and Say Hello."  You can listen to some samples and purchase this CD here.

We are also big fans of The Laurie Berkner Band.  Caution:  the song "Family" will be stuck in your head constantly because it's so catchy.

3. B. Parum Pum Pum Drum

Adorable, adorable, adorable in every way.

4.  Playskool Busy Ball Popper

Okay, so this one plays a song that's a teensy bit annoying.  But the kids love this toy so much, I deal with it.

5.  B. Wheeeee-ls

These are made of squishy plastic, and they go pretty fast when you pull back on them.  All of the kids play with them constantly.  Plus, they are super cute!

BEST FOR 2-3 YEARS

1.  B. Critter Clinic

Can you tell that we love B Toys around here? The twins received this as a gift for their 2nd birthday, and they haven't stopped playing with it since!

2.  Little Tikes Sizzle and Serve Kitchen

Our cousin Reese has this kitchen, and every time we are at his house, Nathan "cooks" for hours.  

3.  EverEarth Ramp Racer

Not only is this made of solid wood from sustainable forests, but it doesn't require batteries!

4.  Radio Flyer My First Scooter

This was so easy to assemble, and the base is wide so no one topples over.  (Wear a helmet anyway!)

5.  Green Toys Tea Set

On most days, I get my coffee delivered in a little blue cup.  :)  It's BPA-free and packaged in the cutest box ever.

6.  Wee Ride Learn2Ride Balance Bike

Apparently, balance bikes are all the rage in Europe.  :)  Kids learn to push off with their feet and coast, and they learn how to balance their weight (as opposed to training wheels, where they just shift their weight from right to left).  The idea is that, since the kids learn to balance, they can progress right to a 2-wheeler.  (Don't tell Nathan -- he's getting this one for Christmas!)

7.  Leapfrog Fridge Phonics

Every kid in America should have this set.  It's never too early!

BEST FOR 4-5 YEARS

1.  VTech KidiJamz Studio

I'm not sure who plays with this more -- Gavin, or me.  There are literally hundreds of song combinations that kids can create.  My favorite style is the "hip hop" feature.  Your mini Pauly D. can scratch on the records and record their songs on the MP3 player.

2.  VTech KidiZoom Digital Camera

It's easy for kids to point and shoot with this camera.  The picture quality is good, and the kids can even edit the photos.  It comes with a USB cord to upload to your computer.  There is also an editing and games feature.

3.  MobiGo Touch Learning System

I've shopped around, and this one gets great reviews.  These will be under the tree for the twins this year.

4.  Superhero Sneaker Wings

For your little superheroes.  LOVE.  You can find them at the Small Fly shop on Etsy.

5.  The Shuttle Imagination

This cardboard, decorate-yourself playhouse is made of 100% cardboard recycled material.  Perfection.

BEST FOR 6 AND UP

1. Diggin Squap

Get it quick!  This is one of the hot toys this year.  It's like an advanced game of catch.  You quickly open your mitt to release the ball, and your opponent snaps their mitt shut to catch.  

  

2.  Bananagrams

A fast, fun, and addictive word game.

3.  Little Librarian Set

I CANNOT WAIT until my children are old enough to appreciate this.  It even comes with little library cards and overdue notices.  Can you even stand it??!?!?

4.  Refractor Telescope

Some of my fondest childhood memories are looking at the night sky with my dad.  I think every kid needs a telescope to fuel their imagination.

5.  Super Art Box Kit

For your little Picasso: "This wooden Super Art Box Kit features 2 wooden storage drawers, 2 wooden fold-out trays, and a pop-up easel in the top, so that when inspiration knocks, kids will be ready to answer. The 108-piece Super Art Box Kit includes 32 markers, 28 colored pencils, 24 oil pastels, 12 watercolors with palette, a paintbrush, a water bottle, 2 pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a ruler, and 2 easel clips, making this the all-in-one set for the varied artist! The amazing Super Art Box Kit from Alex Toys, and all the included supplies, will turn any child into a well-equipped artist!"

Now it's your turn!  Leave a comment below and tell us your favorite toy or gift!  

Things I'm Loving This Month - November Edition

Here's a look at a few of the things that I'm obsessing over this month, when I should be doing more productive things....like cleaning, and writing my thesis.

1.  Pottery Barn's Mercury Glass Table Lamp with Burlap Shade

I love the shape of the lamp and the look of the burlap shade with the mercury glass.  With a different lampshade, perhaps a cream-colored one, this lamp could look formal; but the burlap shade makes it more casual and I would love a pair of them for my bedroom.  What I don't love is the $259 price tag.  I'm trying to find an easy way to recreate this look without paying that amount.  Kate at Centsational Girl applied silver leaf to an old lamp, and it turned out beautifully:

She swears it was pretty easy.  Now, if I could just find two matching lamps at Home Goods, maybe I could give it a whirl!

2.  GLEE

Call it cheesy, a guilty pleasure, whatever. I am proud to say that I am a total Gleek.  I can't get enough of it.  Last week's episode -- The Rocky Horror episode -- was PERFECTION.  I downloaded the cast's version of The Time Warp on my iPod, and I have listened to it approximately 53 times so far.  Gavin practically has the lyrics memorized, and wants to watch "his song" on DVR constantly.

If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and just check out The Time Warp on You Tube.  You'll be glad you did.  SO catchy.

3.  And speaking of Glee, I love every single outfit that Emma Pillsbury (played by Jayma Mays) wears.  Particularly her accessories.  See her little telephone pin in the last photo?  I actually bid on it on eBay.  I lost. :(

4.  Purple-Gray Nail Polish

This color by Zoya is called "Kelly."  Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to keep it on my nails for more than two days without chipping.

5.  Harry by the Sea by Gene Zion

Charlotte and Gavin want to hear me read this book every. single. night.  I have it memorized.  They think it's especially funny when Harry is mistaken for a Bushy-Backed Sea Slug.  Gavin always squeals, "That's not a Sea Slug!!!  That's Harry!!!"  So cute.

6.  Honey Goat Cheese Pizza

Image from This Week For Dinner

This is so unbelievably delicious, I've made it twice in the past two weeks.  Even my husband, who is not a "gourmet pizza" fan, loved it.  When I made it, I added edamame beans to it.  Pure heaven.  You can find the recipe here.