The Turkey is a Funny Bird

 Noah and I have been working on some Thanksgiving crafts for our Thanksgiving table.  Everyone has seen the handprint turkey so really it is pretty much explains itself.  We mounted the cardstock on colorful construction paper to make placemats for our family and guests.  Quick and easy for little hands.

Paper Bag Pumpkins

Easy afternoon craft for kids.

Materials:

brown lunch sack

newspaper

orange paint

paint brush

green curling ribbon or green pipe stem cleaners

Optional:

black paint or black construction paper

Have the kids ball up the newspaper and stuff the bag (1/2 to 3/4 full) tape up the top to make your pumpkin stem.  Let the kids paint.  When the paint dries tie your ribbon or wrap the pipe stem cleaner around the stem to make a vine.  Easy.  If you want to go a step further cut black shapes out of construction paper or what for the paint to dry and give the kids black paint to make their pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. 

Halloween Costume: Firefighter

Materials:

Plastic Firefighter Hat (Dollar Tree)  $1

Black Shirt (Old Navy - and bought it two sizes larger than what Noah normally wear in case we need to layer up due to weather)  $6

Black Cargo Pant (Wal-Mart)  $7

Yellow Duck Tape (Wal-Mart)  $3.96

Reflective Silver Duck Tape (Wal-Mart)  $3.96

Iron-On American Flag Applique  (Wal-Mart)  I think it was $1.99

Iron On Yellow Letters (Micheals)  I think $4.99

Firefighter Rian Boots (not shown and borrowed from a friend, otherwise we were just going to use his snow boots)

Total Costume: approx. $30.00

 After some online searching of firefighter costumes, etc.  I decided on one stripe around the legs, two stripes around torso and 2 around the arms.  I had to remove one of the arm strips on one arm to fit the American flag applique onto the shoulder.  It was a fairly simple process.  All I had to do was cut the duck tape to the size of the garment and rap it around.  The silver duck tape I ripped in half the long ways to go down the center of the yellow.  One tip learned:
Do the iron ons BEFORE doing the duck tape on the arms because you have to turn the shirt inside out.

Pipe Stem Cleaners

So probably not a new thing to many of you but in the middle of the summer ideas are hard to think of when children are at your feet wanting something to do even though there is a play room, bedroom and let's face it every part of your house littered with toys.

Pipe stem cleaners, comes in tons of colors, and you can make just about anything with them.  Noah is sporting some fabulous bunny ears made by momma!  I also made him some glasses (just like mom and dad wear) but he didn't want to wear them.  Figures, I don't want to wear mine either.  So anyway: fun, easy, inexpensive.  Make a:

chain

string beads or cereal (great hand/eye, small motor dev. and the pipe cleaner stays in place unlike yarn or string for those little ones that are just getting the hang of it)

twist them together make bracelets and necklaces

let the creative juices flow

This is also a staple in our 'esturant bag.

Upside Down Berry Cornmeal Cake

This is super yummy and great with fresh basil and fruit!!

2 - 2 1/2 cups fresh berries (blueberries and red raspberries are our top choice)
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 T. basil
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Grease 8" round pan and arrange 1 1/2 cups berries. Combine these dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil

In a second bowl whisk these ingredients.  Add to flour mixture.
Pour mixture over berries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Cool.  Loosen sides, put serving plater on top of pan and flip.  Top with remaining berries and whipped topping!

It is a summer favorite in our house, enjoy! (Ignore the spot that didn't get berries)

Applesauce

Another first for me.  David and I made applesauce last weekend and froze 4 - 32 oz. containers.  It is very yummy and very tasty.  It was super easy - mainly because my MIL has an grinder/peeler/applesauce maker (I am really not sure the technical term).  Apples are not in season just yet but we were given a half a box of red delicious apples that were leftover from a middle school church lock in.

We had about 30-40 apples (I kept forgetting to count) and froze 4 - 32 oz. containers.

First wash and quarter the apples (don't forget to remove any stickers, if you purchased them from the store)

Put about 2 inches of apple juice into your stock pot.

Put in quartered apples (if you have a grinder/peeler/whatnot you don't have to remove seeds or peel)

Cover and turn stove to hight until apples are very soft 20-30 minutes (stir occasionally to get the apples on the top to the bottom)

Once soft pour apples into the grinder and start cranking.

We did add a couple cinnamon sticks to our apple juice.

I am so excited about the yummy things that are filling up our freezer:

1 gallon bag of carrots

5 - 3 cup bags of sweet corn

1 gallon bag of green beans

7 - 2 cup bags of zuchinni

4 - 32 oz. of applesauce

Master Bedroom: Remodel

It really isn't that impressive but I (we) did it!  And I love it.  I still have some touches to do:  a couple pillows, pictures and/or shelving on the walls.  And eventually we will take care of the bigger projects: sconces, and closet.
Check out what it looked like before: Master Bedroom

Walls painted, curtains done, purchased bedskirt (it looks a little wrinkly, ignore that), purchased new bedside table, lamp and lamp shade for myself

Here is the curtain fabric up close, I am by far a top seamstress, but it will do and I am proud of my accomplishments.

My jewelery organizer and the curtains are the only thing on the walls right now.  I did end up repainted the frame of the jewelery organizer to black - the blue was just too much.  Like I said I hope to get pictures on the wall soon, I will probably share some more pictures.

Oh! and I am not a photographer by far and the lighting is pretty bad in these pics, sorry!