Spook Book

Just in time for Halloween. I've created and completed my own Frankenstein monster, from bits and scraps, and a little madness! Levi's new Spook Book might be a little advanced for him this year, but I hope it will become a family treasure in the future. The hardest part of any Quiet Book, for me, is deciding what I want to create a book about. In my research I came across a few funny children's songs so I came up with one of my own! It's sung to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell." I'll put the words up at the end for you, so you can read them a little easier then in the pics.

The cover - Duh!

Left Page: Three removable tombstones with three interchangeable ghosts. The idea here is that one of the ghosts has a smiley face and you can play a "guess where the happy ghost is" game.
Right Page: A vampire that has a mirror instead of a face. The kids can look in the mirror then move the arm to reveal their face.

Left Page: A dry-erase witch. I transferred a witch I drew to fabric, then I sewed a piece of plastic over it. I added a dry-erase marker so the kids can make the witch as hideous as they want!
Right Page: A pumpkin "puzzle." It's a blank pumpkin that I made interchangeable pieces of eyes, noses, and mouths

Left Page: A Tic-Tac-Toe spider web.
Right Page: Frankenstein with a zipper mouth. He holds the Tic-Tac-Toe pieces inside.

Left Page: A movable Skeleton with chains.
Right Page: Two Owl finger puppets with movable wings.

And now, as promised, the words to my song!

The Ghosts Haunt The House 

The Ghosts Haunt The House 

They’re Moaning Boooo As They Pass 

The Ghosts Haunt The House 

The Vampires Dress In Black 

The Vampires Dress In Black 

They Love Castles, And Blood, And Bats 

The Vampires Dress In Black 

The Witches Ride On Brooms 

The Witches Ride On Brooms 

With A Black Cat Upon On The Back 

The Witches Ride On Brooms 

The Pumpkin’s Orange And Round 

The Pumpkin’s Orange And Round 

We’ll Carve A Face And Light It Up 

The Pumpkin’s Orange And Round 

The Spider Spins Her Web 

The Spider Spins Her Web 

She Has Eight Legs To Creep About 

The Spider Spins Her Web 

Frankenstein’s Big And Green 

Frankenstein’s Big And Green 

He Shuffles, Clomps, And Stomps About 

Frankenstein’s Big And Green 

The Skeleton Dances Around 

The Skeleton Dances Around 

Twirling In The Cemetery 

The Skeleton Dances Around 

The Owls Perch In Trees 

The Owls Perch In Trees 

Their Eyes Gleam Yellow In The Night 

The Owls Perch In Trees

Latt Hack: An Ikea Table Makeover

 

 
 My first Ikea Hack. Ikea Hack, I actually learned this phrase while doing this project. I means to take something cheap from Ikea and improve or modify it. I did BOTH! I included a photo of the original, it's just wood and white. So, stealing ideas off of Pinterest, I painted mine (or is it Levi's?) grey, sewed up some cushions, and made Kevin cut me a plexiglass top. I liked the plexiglass idea because it would (hopefully) make cleaning up food easy, and I could stick cute printables like ABC's or a color wheel underneath as little teaching tools. I also painted half of the tabletop with chalkboard paint, and on the other half I installed a roll of white paper underneath that can be pulled across the top for endless coloring (I also adding a small strip of wood to thread the paper under and help to hold it). Levi seems to like it, he's only fallen off the chair twice! The only thing I have left to do is figure out how to keep Levi from coloring on the very tempting and easily accessible white wall!

The Tent

I just can't help it, I love to make things for Levi! Even giant things that I have no idea what to do with. I originally saw the plans for one of these tents on Pinterest (link HERE). The process was fairly simple, and only required a bit of time. I say a bit of time, but I did the whole thing in a day, between naps and Kevin helping to watch Levi. 

I personally found constructing the tent to be empowering. I am woman, here me ROAR... and yelp, and screech. Hey! Chop saws and staple guns are intimidating. I even went to Home Depot in the morning without Kevin and bought lumber (don't you think that lumber sound more impressive than wood?).

So...sew,sew,sew,chop,chop,chop,staple,staple,staple..done! Just like that.

After I had it all put together I did just a little decorating. I put the GINORMOUS stuffed bear inside, I'm so glad it has a home now that is not my living room couch. I wrapped some embroidery floss at the top to make an interesting stripped effect, and I painted a sign so that Levi would know that it is his tent.. well, one of these days he'll realize that it has his name on it, anyway.

A Quiet Book: Camping!

I've been jonesing to blog for a little while now, and while I have a million things I could write about I'm going to tell you about something that has been on my mind... QUIET BOOKS! Oh my gosh, I think I have a quiet-booking addiction. It's been a few months since I finished up the last one I did. A sweet little camping themed one for little D, my niece. Let me share, I hope her mom doesn't mind :)!

Left Page: A Tent that buttons closed with a no-break mirror under the flap
Right Page: Four Woodland Animal finger puppets that velcro under burlap flaps

Left Page: A fire that "crackles" when you touch it (crackley plastic is stuffed inside of it)
Right Page: Fireflies (made of shrinkable plastic) and beads that you can shake inside of the jar (clear plastic)

Left Page: Felt leaves in a net for collecting or counting
Right Page: A fuzzy Bear and pairs of flowers connected by embroidery floss to pull back and forth

Left Page: A compass with a spinning needle
Right Page: A felt camera with a hole to look through that goes in the pocket

I feel I should mention that I made the pages of this book out of a recycled pair of my Jeans to add an awesome rustic quality. I love how it worked out with the pocket and frayed edges!!! I still have a few more Quiet books to share, but not today as Levi will be up from his nap ANY SECOND! Stay tuned to see if I get a Halloween Book made like I really want to do, Levi permitting :)

Pip, Pip, Cherry-O

Saturday afternoon! After a night of torrential rain, ear-splitting thunder, and lightning the like of which I've never seen, it was good to have a sunny (albeit humid) day and go spend sometime outside! Kevin had been invited by one of his co-workers to drive out to Burbank sometime during the weekend and pick Cherries at a nearby orchard. I can't say I've not dreamed of this moment. The chance to go hang out in this Eastern Washington forest. I was so excited I took my camera. The good one. Not the one on my phone!

 Levi started the outing in the stroller, but that quickly changed.

We're not sure if he loves cherries yet.

Our gracious host trying to convince Levi to give the cherries a second taste!

Levi's Swinging Ride

My baby and a new swing. Both make my heart happy! While Levi's maiden voyage in his new swing was less than I'd hoped (think stone faced with an occasional grimace), each successive trip out to our tree has been more and more successful. We even experienced squeals of laughter the last time! Both Kevin and his Mom talk about when he was little, and how he would go outside every morning and swing, and swing, until he fell asleep. With this kind of passion embedded in Levi's DNA I knew it was only a matter of time before he found his love.  

Here is the proof!

I actually made this swing MYSELF! I'm pretty proud of it. I followed this lady's instructions right HERE. I just bought the manliest outdoor canvas I could find at Joanns, took a quick trip to Lows, and only spent $22 for EVERYTHING! Here is the photo-bomb (and video) of my baby enjoying his new ride :)

(Ignore the long rope tenticles, I've since trimmed them up)

Cool Pool

I bought myself a pool! I let Levi use it sometimes. Oh, man! This 90 degree weather is..... AWESOME! I can't even express the joy in my heart at the weather finally warming. We do so much more now! We go on looooong walks around the neighborhood, we water our garden, have picnics, go the park, blah-blah-blah, it's amazing! 

To top off our Summertime fantasy I went and bought a pool. An easy little pool for my wild little guy. Did you know the best part of the pool is climbing in and out (and in and out)? Did you know the worst was deciding to blow it up myself? What am I, a barbarian? It's air compressors from now on, thank you! Levi even let me put my feet in. I may buy myself a bigger pool soon, because that was inspirational!