pumpkin time has arrived

Tis the season for the baking to begin! We have already started trying out some new recipes for all of the upcoming holiday events. It is amazing what you can do with a basic can of pumpkin. I enjoy baking and my mini-me enjoys trying everything I bake. Let the baking showdown start.

We attempted a pumpkin roll, but I overfilled it. It ended up goozing cream cheese frosting everywhere. Despite this, it was gone in 3 days. Next time, less cream cheese. Lucky for me, no one I live with cares how nice the pumpkin roll looks!

Next up was pumpkin bars. These were perfectly perfect in every way. My favorite part is garnishing powdered sugar on the top like a gentle snowfall. It tastes good AND looks good. These are quick and easy for everyone and can hold walnuts or coconut if you like the extra.

Dog treats with pure pumpkin are an easy way to share treats with dogs. That is an easy crafternoon for a kid. If you buy a dog bone cookie cutter, then the dog treats are the cutest gifts ever. We got our cookie cutter at a Hallmark store. Just keep them stored like a normal baked good and you are good to go.

Add pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin bread to the list. Then you have a complete list of pumpkin baked goods for a fun holiday season. It is our favorite time of year- Baking time!

wait, you DON'T sew?!

Remember that time we scoured for JUST the right Halloween costume? It had to be a Cookie Monster onsie. And it had to be JUST the right onsie. We needed one in just the right size and fit to match the Elmo onsie the BFF will be wearing. Amazon for the win!

HOWEVER... those dag nab eyeballs. It was all good until we washed it. I mean, it came shrink wrapped in plastic, but it still felt like it needed a wash. You just never know. And even though it never saw the dryer, those eyeballs came right off in the wash.

It took a slight minute, but I found matching thread and like a good mama, I sewed those eyeballs right back on. I have always been able to sew. It's not perfect by any means, but I am good at fixing things. I am in the process of teaching my daughter the basics of sewing so we never have eyeball emergencies again 😂

Learn to sew. It's not hard. It's an important skill when you have a kid. If you have a kid who is a scout, think of ALL those patches and ALL those vests! You also have wardrobe adjustments, broken straps, hemmed pants or skirts, stuffed animals that have been nibbled by the dog, you know. The usual! The costume emergency has been fixed and we are now ready to trick-or-treat.

cold weather means craft time!

We have been keeping busy with all sorts of fun things these days! My goal is to pull out 2 or 3 random items each week for us to do together. This will ensure some fun mama-daughter time, make sure we're using all the new gifts from Christmas/birthday and beat the cold weather blues. Last week we played slime, kinetic sand, and read under a huge comforter with hot chocolate. All sounds like a win-win to me! 

This craft project was nice and easy with some gooey mess along the way. Step one- blow up the heart shaped balloon and douse yarn in a gooey glue. Then wrap the balloon in the yarn thoroughly. Step 2- let it dry 3 days and then pop the balloon. Step 3- wrap the lights inside the heart and add batteries, plus tassels. The kit came with everything and each step took no more than 20 minutes so it was easy to do in steps.

I miss toddler days. Yep, I said it. The scratchy little voice, nap times and snuggles... sigh! HOWEVER, now we are 11. This means we can watch the good movies, play the good games, stay up late, and still occasionally snuggle :) Crafts, books, music, outings are so much more enjoyable. Even the crafts and play dates are more fun. 

It won't be like this forever (again, sigh...). She will soon walk past our mother-daughter days, spa days, and craft days for phone time, mall time and who knows what. For now, making slime is my favorite past time. Kidz Bop is my jam. Painting and coloring are the best. Pink and purple heart shaped projects keep her coming back for more and I will always be ready with big hugs and big smiles. 

The best part of cold weather is inside fun with my favorite little girl.

staying rad for the bus!

Dotzies are truly the best. We were finishing up all of our summer projects and this little beauty is finally done! It took forEVER to finish, but it looks so cute! If you're unfamiliar, they are teeny, tiny crystals that you use a teeny, tiny tool to pick up and place on an extremely sticky surface with a pattern/picture. The crystals sit in little trays that you fill with each particular color as you need it.

Imagine sneezing, jerking your hand, or sitting next to a 10 year old... They fly everywhere! It takes a bit to get these things done. We love them, though! It is so relaxing to just sit quietly and focus on the specific task or color at hand.

My kid may be one of the few that packs notebooks and pens to write and draw on the bus each morning. Her best friend takes a different bus this year, so she has been bummed. BUT now she has a fancy new notebook to doodle on the bus with. And it's all her. She chose the colors and we put every stinking crystal on. 

Here we are, crafting fools just staying crafty, staying positive, and staying together to get the fun done. Google Dotzies. You'll thank me. (There are different types. These are just one brand.)