Clothespin Christmas Doll

 Ahhh....it's that time of year again and the magical feeling of this time never does get old. We have our tree, our lights and our eggnog. And now I am ready for the Christmas crafting to begin. Our first craft of the season is a "Ballerina Christmas Doll" per the request of Emma. Join us over at The Studio, by Kiwi Crate to see how we kept her cupcake liner tutu on!

What I am Thankful for and Thanksgiving Day Prep

As I head to my kitchen (where I will very happily spend the next 24 hours) I will leave you with my last few details for Thanksgiving.

 A simple place card stamped with a wine cork to create a turkey. Fun. For. All. I tell ya! And I tell you this with my ink stained hands!

My kids table is set! It's pretty much the same each year. The art options just grow with the kids! We have our popcorn turkey, pumpkin pie play dough and markers galore. I cover the table with packing paper and make it inviting for all to color, draw or write a little note.

Gobble gobble! We made a turkey waddle tonight with some pipe cleaner and yarn. Cute, right? Confession: I always thought that red blob was called a gobbler....until my five year old corrected me tonight. So make a waddle and take some photos of your guests wearing their waddle!

 And lastly, my baby...my tablescape. Oh how I love a good tablescape, especially when my day to day life is filled with play dough, crayons and gluing q-tips to construction paper. Oh yes, I love the one day I get to have my grown-up table.
By using things around the house (and found in the yard) this beauty came together. Tip: just throw anything on there and see what happens!

This year I am so very thankful for faith, our new home, new town, new friends and having family here that welcomed us with open arms. Spending more time with them has been a blessing. I am thankful for my best-friend who makes me laugh and smile on a daily basis and I am so very thankful I get to call him my husband. I am thankful for my other best-friend who really does complete me, my sister. She knows how I feel before I do and for that I am grateful. I am thankful that my mom still worries about me when I am sick (and that I still call her when I'm sick) and that she gave my husband her manicotti recipe (with measurements) that I thought was only in her head! I am thankful for all of my family in CA that truly make me feel closer than I am. Which leads me to skype...oh how I am thankful for you.

 Oh so much to be thankful for (my brothers, in-laws, nieces, nephews...oh and my art cabinet!) But, of course my sweet babies--that bicker from sunrise to sunset, refuse to poo on the potty (the two-year old that is,) dirty more clothes than I own and make my heart feel more love than I ever imagined. For those two, thankful is no way close to how blessed I feel by them.

Happy Thanksgiving
xo
green owl mama

Popcorn Turkey

 Over the past couple of years we have started a new tradition to have a popcorn turkey that the children carve on Thanksgiving day. They love it and...I love that they love it! It's special and fun and something I have a feeling they will one day have their children do. When it's time to carve (usually as soon as family arrives because they just can't wait any longer) everyone gathers around the children and watches as they carve their turkey. Those proud smiles get me every time!

To see how you can join us in this fun tradition and make your own popcorn turkey, head on over to The Studio, by Kiwi Crate  where I show you step-by-step instructions.

Letter Block Holiday Decor

Join me over at The Family Sponge today and see how I toned down some letter blocks to make them a beautiful (and easily changeable) holiday block set. Great to involve kids in a literacy fun activity that you can celebrates all holidays with or just leave each other fun messages on any day!

Corn Husk Doll

 I think I always felt a little intimidated to make a corn husk doll--until I actually made one! Then I couldn't stop myself. They are really simple once you get the basic formula down and the kids love decorating and naming these festive friends! For my very simple instructions head over to The Studio, by Kiwi Crate.

Cornucopia of Art

Last year we started a tradition on Thanksgiving to cover the children's table with crafts and art supplies to entertain our little ones on Thanksgiving. I took this a step further while preparing this year and made a Cornucopia of ART!
To see how we built our cornucopia to fill with colorful fun check me out over at The Studio, by Kiwi Crate where I am giving step by step instructions!

I am so thankful for art.
xo
green owl mama

Cranberry Tie-Dyed Napkins for Thanksgiving

We made some beautiful tea towels and napkins for Thanksgiving this year. No toxic dye needed when you can make your own with cranberries! Head over to The Studio, by Kiwi Crate for my full tutorial.

Every step of this process was an overload of sensory fun for my children. We crushed cranberries with our hands and smelled the amazing aroma as they warmed. It was wonderful, pure joy!

They came out beautiful. Hope you will try cranberry dying this year! Cranberry Napkin Tutorial