Halloween came a few days early...

Howdy Y'all!

We gathered up the Toy Story gang and headed out to Disney for some "Not so Scary" fun.

I have to say dressing up for Halloween is super fun, but doing it as a group takes it to the next level.

The kids got such a kick out of people referring to us as "the Toy Story Family" {and maybe Momma got a little kick out of it too}.

The best part was walking over and seeing that the new Fantasyland was open for a dress rehearsal, this is HUGE people.  I mean to walk on a ride that when it opens will have no doubt an 1hr+ wait and it took us 5 mins to wait, WAS AWESOME!  Sorry I am still a little geeked out by this...

Needless to say for anyone thinking if it worth the extra money for a "special" event at Disney, I vote YES! 

 XOXO

BOOing, snail mail style.

We are HUGE fans in this house of Booing our neighbors.

Its turned into such a fun tradition, that we are have been the family to start it each year.

The other day I was making some fun tissue tassels, and thought I knew a few friends that would find them a fun little halloween treat.  So why not BOO! through snail mail?!  

I put together this little card to include in my package...

For the tassels I used this tutorial, I bought tissue paper at Party City for .99 a package, and with only using a sheet per tassel it was a SUPER cost effect project.  Then I wrapped it up with enough yarn for them to be hung and included some stars for added bling.

Here is what I did with mine...

I excited to see the snail mail BOOing take off and other join in the fun.  Please share if you do send something off, I would love to see it!

Happy Halloween Month.

Zucchini & Sauce {fast and healthy!}

Ready for a super easy, super yummy, and very healthy recipe?

Hip Hip Hooray!

Here is what you will need:

- Zucchini {for my fam bam of four I used 4 large zucs}

- a jar of a low sodium pasta sauce {I buy Gia Russa brand, its no salt add and is 20mg per serving which is 1/2 a cup}

- organic Italian chicken sausage or ground turkey

First brown your meat.  While thats browning, cut your zucchini ends off and slice down the middle.  Then take a peeler or if you are fancy shamancy a mandolin and make thin ribbon slices.  Once your meat is browned add sauce and let simmer.

While the sauce is simmering add zucchini to a medium size sauce pan with a large dash of olive oil and pinch of salt. Cook while gently stirring for around 5 mins over medium/low heat.  

Add to a bowl with a serving of sauce.

DELISH! 

PS: adapted from my StepMomma's recipe.

<---------------------------<<

In other food news, there are a few "we play with our food" plates I have done for Bean over the past couple of weeks...

 

Making food fun can lead to kids trying all new foods.

DIY Fall Hanging Art

So, its officially Fall.

And the only reason I know this to be true is Starbucks released PSL 

{for those not in the know thats a Pumpkin Spice Latte}.

And since I base all change of seasons off Starbucks drink rotations, I decided some fall decorations were in order.

WAAAAY back in the blogging day, Eighteen 25 Girls had blogged this really fun technique for painting with corn syrup.

I had always wanted to try it, so I thought this was a perfect time.

I teamed up with my buddy Kori from Paper & Pigtails to help come up with some

cute fall images to use for this project, they can be downloaded here 

{Feel free to use these for other fall projects, just remember they are for personal use only}

So what you will need:

- Corn syrup

- food coloring

- freezer paper

- printed sheet of images

- black crayon

- paint brushes

- small bowls at least 5

- tape

- scissors

- fishing line or something similar

- a branch

First thing will be to lay your printed images under some freezer paper {shiny wax side down} and tape it in place.  Then with a black crayon trace them out.

Once you have traced as many images as you want, take a tbsp of corn syrup and mix in a few drops of food coloring, I made orange, red, yellow, green, and brown. And start painting.  You want it to be a little thick in the application.  And the cool thing with the crayon is if you get some corn syrup on it, the wax propels it and it will disappears off it.

                            

These will take at least 24 hrs to dry.  

Once they are dry cut them out. Then I took a tiny hole punch to each one and strung up a branch above our table {I have a little hook up there all the time for hanging things} And then started hanging the pieces.  The owls I decided to add to the branch as though they are perched...

I love how it turned out!  

Another option would to be make a garland to hang around the windows to still get the stained glass affect they give.

ENJOY!

Chicken and Fried Quinoa

You may or may not know my feelings about quinoa.

But lets just say, I love it.

Which basically makes me think about different ways of using it during the week,

This week I made a Chicken and Fried Quinoa dish.

And the best part of this dish, the chicken can easily be replaced with tofu for a veggie dish.

Here is what you need:

- 1 cup uncooked quinoa

- 1lb to 1 1/2lbs of fresh chicken tenders - chopped

- 1/2 cup chopped onion

- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

- 2 eggs

- 1/3 low sodium soy sauce

- 2 cloves chopped garlic

- 1 teaspoon grated ginger

- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

- canola oil

Cook the quinoa per bag instructions.

Once quinoa is cooked, heat a tsp of canola oil in large skillet over medium high heat.

Add garlic and ginger a cook until garlic starts to turn brown, then add chicken with sesame oil.

Cook chicken through about 5 mins.

Add eggs and scramble.

Remove from pan.

Heat some more oil and add onion, carrots, and peas, cook for 5 more mins.

Then add quinoa  and soy stirring, for another 5 mins.

Lastly add back chicken and eggs {with any juices}.

Serve right away with a little chopped scallion and sriracha. 

ENJOY!

DIY Reusable Produce Bags

A few Christmases ago my girlfriend gave me a bunch of reusable produce bags.

Well fast forward to this past weekend and I found myself down to two bags.

And when 90% of your shopping happens in the produce section they come in real handy.

So when I got home I gathered up a few things I had around to make some more.

What you will need:

- tulle fabric, stiffer the better {thats what she said} sections cut in 9 1/2in x 13in two for each bag, I folded mine so my two pieces were already attached at the bottom

- twine or thin ribbon

- sewing machine

- scissors

I sewed up both sides of the bag 1/4 inch in.

Then laying the twine down and then turn the top over.

Then cut a small hole on the each side of the seam on one side to pull the twine through.

So the cord ends inside the bag. Then sew the fold over down all the way around.  

Turn inside right, tie the ends of the twine together and BAM you have reusable produce bags.

Now run off to Wholefoods or the farmers market and dazzle all crunchers people around you when they ask where you got your bags, and say, "Oh these? Just a little something I whipped up."

PS: would make a great housewarming gift, filled with fun little household items.

Enjoy!

DIY Skull Tees {and guest post}

Today I have the honor of guest hosting on the eighteen 25 girls blog!

They have a spooktacular September, and everyday posting great Halloween projects and giveaways.

After making my project for them, my mind started turning and thought it would be cool to make some tees.

But instead of using freezer paper, cause the thought of recutting the stencil over and over made my head hurt.  So I came up with another approach.

I took a plastic divider and cut a reusable stencil out of it.

For my details on cutting out the stencils check out my guest post.

Then to stick it on I used a little double sided tape. Just cutting around the stencil so it fit the back.

And for this project I made two different versions, a bleached one {which again check out my guest post for details} and a black dye version. Which is pretty straight up, stick the stencil down and spray.

I cut the neck off mine and the bottom 3 inches off.  And then took some gold paint and gave mine a gold chompers.  

                            

{photo credit to my sweet husband who walked away from the TV on the first football Sunday of the season to take these for me}

They rock the casbah!

Again to see how this skull madness started head over to eighteen 25 to see how this "cool guy" was made... 

Here are a few projects of Halloween past:

Yarn Ball Bats

Yarn Wreath

Witch Painting

Fabric Garland 

http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2012/09/please-welcome-amy-from-buggie-and.html