Halloween 2011

We had a fun October filled with fun Halloween activities here are a few of them.

This ghost family is made out of glue we squeezed glue onto wax paper and added black paper eyes and orange bows for the girls and a tie for the daddy ghost. I wish I had gotten a picture after we peeled them off the wax paper and hung them up but I didn't. I fond this idea on Pinterest  then on this blog post. They used googly eyes which would have been way cute too!

I also got this idea from Pinterest which linked to this blog post. I used tissue paper I ripped into strips and wrapped around fun size kit-kats. These went to school with Katie for all her classmates.

Yet another Pinterest item. Candy corn cookies, Katie decieded she loves candy corn so I thought these would be fun. This idea is found here. I used Alton browns sugar cookie recipe for the dough.

I made ghost pancakes for breakfast one day using chocolate chips for the eyes.

Here's our jack-o-lanterns this year, mine is on the left and John's is on the left.

This is the best picture we could get with the girls and pumpkins.

Halloween Day!!!

The girls were Pirates, Abi insisted they were pirate princesses. I  made their skirts and swords using this tutorial. They are made by Lindsey Bordman of Filth Wizardry, she has great projects to do with little ones. The shirts I used this freezer stencil tutorial from Dana at the MADE blog, I just found a skull and cross bones I liked and then followed her tutorial. I used glow in the dark fabric paint and they turned out awesome, after Halloween I put the shirts in with their regular clothes because they are so cute.

Abi had a good nap.

Abi swinging

Katie playing

Dueling Pirates

Katie in purple as a pirate princess

Abi in Pink as a pirate princess

More dueling

Katie

At the trunk or treat

We had little skull and cross bones temporary tattoos 

Pants for Katie October 2011

Katie was in desperate need of pants, she was in between pant sizes it seemed everything was either too short or too long. I had some fabric my mother in law had given me and used it to make these cute pants using this tutorial and pattern from MADE. I made the flat front version for this pair. I love the knee pads I think they are so cute

She was also in need of pajama pants as well. I used the same pattern and tutorial (not flat front though) to make these 2 pairs. This first pair of ducky pj's is made from an old pair of my pj's I had made years ago but didn't wear anymore.

These pj's I made from fabric I had bought a couple years ago but had never used. I added the butterfly knee pads for fun but I think I will stick to simpler knee pad shapes from here on.

Random September Pictures

Watching a show, I don't know why they are under the cushions.
 Well... yes I do... it's cuz they are silly!

Chocolate!!!

Abi and her silly faces.

Katie sneaking some of John's soda.

She know she's been caught!

Aunt Mary and Uncle Mitch gave Katie a pencil for school it's made of recycled
 news papers and smells like peppermint. She loves it.

Cute Katie!

My cousin Kevin Olson was in town and came by for dinner.

Abi in one of Papa's hats

Katie in one of Papa's hats

Abi being cute!

Katie all dressed up for her first tea party.

John and the girls having a Sunday afternoon nap.

Abi fell asleep on the floor one day.

She was tuckered out!

Crafting for Birthday presents September 23, 2011

My girls had a birthday party to go to for 3 kids from the same family. I decided to make their gifts.

 For the little boy Abi's age I made a car caddy. I actually made two because there is another little boy in our ward obsessed with cars and his little fists are always full of them so I decided he needed one too. I found this tutorial on the Homemade by Jill blog. It is so cute I'm planning to make more for other two year old boy's in our lives. 

For the twin girls I made ribbon bow hangers and head bands. I think they turned out so cute! The head bands I saw here and had to make them. Then I used this tutorial for the orange clips at the bottom of the ribbon bow hangers. We have one bow holder but need another and I want to make head bands like these for my girls if I find some time somewhere! 

All gifts were well received! I want to do more homemade gifts for my girls and their friends, it's fun for me and they are always original gifts.

Grandma Arlene's Frosting September 19, 2011

For my birthday I wanted to make my own cake mainly for this frosting! My grandma makes the most amazing frosting. Not many have conquered the technique but I'm happy to say that I do a pretty good job of making it. You can make chocolate like I did this time, or caramel. There is also Grandma Katie Icing that is similar but vanilla flavored with nuts.

Here's the recipe and how to.

Grandma Arlene Chocolate Frosting

2 cups sugar

1 cup cream

2 Tbsp coco powder

1 tsp vanilla

extra cream if needed

Mix sugar, cream, and coco powder in a sauce pan

With the lid on cook over medium heat until sugar is melted. I know this is done when is starts to bubble out of the lid. This is important because if sugar grains fall in it will crystallize.

Let it cook to soft ball candy stage

Take it off the heat and let it cool down. I'm impatient so I put it in an ice bath.

Start stirring, this is always my grandpa's job and now it's John's job too!

Keep stirring and add vanilla until it looks like this, slightly runny but spreadable. If it hardens up add some drops of cream to loosen it

Frost your cake and enjoy!

It's the best frosting ever!!!

Rainbow September 16 ,2011

John took these pictures from his window at work, with his cell phone.