Easy DIY Halloween Pumpkins

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to round up some last-minute DIY pumpkin ideas for kids to help with.



You know, projects that are quick, easy and won't stress anyone out! We love these because you don't have to sacrifice style for speed - they're easy and cute! For most of them, all that's needed is paint,, hot glue, felt and paper... things you may already have on hand.

Here are a few of our favorite picks; click on the images or the description above each, to see the full tutorials.

Bat Pumpkin from It All Started With Paint

Halloween Pumpkin House from Happy Clippings

Fanged Pumpkins from Martha Stewart

Glitter Pumpkins from Fab Frugal Mama

Monster Pumpkins from Cheryl Style / Everyday Dishes & DIY

Chalkboard Pumpkins from My House Talks

While you're planning for a fun, spooky night, don't forget to go over the night's rules so everyone stays safe. Click on the image below to view/print a Halloween safety checklist.

Multi-testing Mommy's Halloween Safety Printable

Have a safe and happy Halloween everyone!

Happy Howl-oween...

Halloween is such a fun time of year - a time for everyone to act silly, scary or a mixture of the two!
If you love Halloween as much as we do, you'll want to check out these fun recipes, crafts and activities we've rounded up for you and your kids to enjoy.

1. We love these Vampire Cake Pops from Moms & Munchkins (designer: Deanna from Dee's-licious Desserts)
   
   
   


2. Easy-to-make Toilet Paper Roll Bats from MollyMoo
   
   
   


3. Fun Pumpkin Picture Holders from The Canadian Mother Resource (designer: Chantelle from DolledUp Design)
   
   
   


4. Adorable Halloween Treat Cups from eighteen25 (designer: Rebecca from Simple As That)
   
   
   
   
   
5. Chic Pumpkin Black Cats from Sunset.com
   
   
   
   
6. Easy Pumpkin Pretzels from Inspired Dreamer
   
   


7. For a fun, reusable decor idea check out our line of Halloween (and fall-themed) Wall Decals... kids can even put them up!
   
   
   

   
   
   

   
   
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   We would love to hear about your favorite Halloween activities and recipes, so share them with us below, or on our social media pages.
   
   Wishing you and your family a safe, fun Halloween!
   
   

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Oooh, it's (almost) Halloween night...

We love Halloween because it is the only holiday where outlandish outfits, mountains of sugar and silliness prevail! It's the one night of the year when adults and children alike indulge in ghoulish fun with abandon.

The best part, though, is the lead-up to the big day. Decorating the house with spider webs, witches, ghosts and goblins is so much fun... all to make a spooky impression for those pint-sized revelers that will knock on the door!

With that in mind, we've rounded up a bunch of our favorite Halloween crafts and activities to do with your kids. From spooky-themed food to fun decorations and class treats, there's something for every age group and ability here.

And now, our favorite Halloween ideas from Pinterest...

1. Paper Coterie's FREE printables (the Bingo game is *the cutest*!) - Halloween treat bags and bingo game

Image: Paper Coterie blog

2. Cute (and FREE!) treat bag printables from Smitten on Paper - perfect for class treats!

Image: Smitten on Paper blog

3. Fun activity for the preschool set from TeachPreschool.org - get wrapped up like a mummy

4. Spooky classroom snacks from AllTheCooks.com - banana ghosts and orange pumpkins

Image: fenway / allthecooks.com

5. Halloween luminaries (we especially like the glass jar ones!)

And...

If you've got little ones going out trick-or-treating, don't forget their spoooooky Safety Wristbands... added peace of mind in case they get separated from the group. For kids of all ages, make sure their loot bag is labelled or tagged so they can easily spot which one is theirs.

Check out these designs perfect for Halloween!

Crossbones   |   Girly Crossbones   |   Zombies   |   Grafitti Monsters

We hope you have fun this month!! 

Stay tuned for more fun Halloween ideas on our social media pages...

           

Halloween Fun on the Cheap

Halloween is such a fun night of the year… adults get to act like kids, kids get to eat a ton of candy and there’s a silly, jovial atmosphere that can’t be beat!

 Halloween is especially fun because of the opportunity to make amazing crafts with your kids. Instead of dropping a bucketful of cash on store-bought decorations and Halloween-themed food, why not get creative, save a bit of cash, and make your own? There are so many amazing ideas to try – especially the creative jack o’lantern stencils to carve the BEST pumpkin on the block!! Check out some awesome ideas listed for you below…

1. Shrunken heads - http://www.marthastewart.com/268080/shrunken-apple-heads

 2. Pickled brains - http://www.marthastewart.com/318853/pickled-brains

3. Creepy old fingers, bones and more - http://inspiringpretty.com/2012/09/20/cute-and-spooky-halloween-foods-for-kids/ 

4. Ghosts, candy corn banner, jack o’lantern masks and more - http://www.bhg.com/halloween/indoor-decorating/easy-halloween-decorations/ 

5. Roasted pumpkin seeds - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-pumpkin-seeds/

6. Jack o’lantern carving stencils
 - http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/mpatterns.htm
 - http://www.marthastewart.com/357874/easy-pumpkin-templates
 - http://www.nickjr.com/printables/nickjr-pumpkin-stencils.jhtml?path=/printables/all-shows/seasonal_halloween/all-ages/index.jhtml 
- http://www.celebrating-halloween.com/pumpkincarving/index.shtml

Remember to put safety first - try to wear light colors, or ensure there's reflective tape on dark-colored costumes. And, if you're taking little ones out for the big night, consider using our Safety Wristbands for a little extra peace of mind.

Enjoy your Halloween! And, keep your eyes peeled for a fantastic Halloween promotion starting next week!!

The Countdown Begins...

So, you survived the candy-fest! Well, there’s no rest for the weary because now the holiday countdown is on!  :)

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Eid-al-Adha, it’s a busy time of year. From parties and winter outings to shopping and gift-wrapping, there’s never a dull moment!

And, while this time of year is a lot of fun – buying gifts, dining out, splurging on the kids - it’s so easy to get caught up in all the craziness. It used to be that I was consumed with making sure there was a ton of gifts piled high around the tree… I love to shop and what better time of year to shop than now? But as the years go by, I realize more that it’s not what’s under the tree that makes for a great holiday, but the memories I make with my family. And, I don’t know about you, but I could really use more lazy Sundays (if there really are such things!), and less stress-ridden trips to the mall.

That’s why my goal this holiday season is to reduce the activities that drain my bank account and instead try to focus on those that replenish my soul.  I’m committing to spending time with family & friends, not spending money; making Christmas gifts with the kids, not making myself crazy.

Over the next two months, I’ll be sharing holiday tips on our Facebook page, on Twitter, and here on our blog – easy gifts kids can make, home décor that won’t break the bank, and of course, amazing recipes that the whole family will enjoy. 

If you’ve got any ideas, please share them with us by commenting below, on Twitter or our Facebook page  – we love hearing from you!

Halloween Tips & Tricks

Halloween is still a month away and my 4-year-old is already asking to make decorations to scare the neighbours! ("But not really scary ghosties, mama... friendly-looking ones!") Other than Christmas, Halloween has got to be her favourite holiday. I mean, the opportunity for decorating is immense (she decorates everything), so this is just another chance to dive in and have fun!

To put it mildly, decorations and other Halloween-related items (costume, candy to hand out, giveaways for classmates at school, etc) can really add up. And, in this economic climate, who has money to burn? So, I thought I'd share with you some great tips (courtesy of our amazing Facebook and Twitter fans) for having a blow-out Halloween without blowing your budget.

• Do a costume exchange
• Get a costume that your child(ren) can spend the next year playing dress up in; the cost won't seem so bad then.
• Never buy a NEW costume; source them at thrift sales, consignment stores, etc.
• Find a theme the whole family can do! The kids love when you get dressed up with them!
• We always make a trip to the farm in late September for hay and corn stalks to decorate the front of our house. It gets the kids in the fall mood and they start looking forward to Halloween.
• For classmates, make gift bags without candy for once - foam stickers and craft halloween paper from the dollar store did the trick! Parents and kids alike loved the idea.
• With leftover pumpkins, my toddler loves hammering golf tees into them - a great way to practice his fine and gross motor skills.
• Buy your costume at Old Navy the day before Halloween - all costumes are $2!

And, on that note... happy money-saving to you all! :)