Curly Birds

Halloween Makings

Do you decorate for Halloween? It is not something I ever thought I would choose to do, but Nola and Kira love the idea of skeletons in the garden and ghosts surprising visitors. For the last two years they have been in charge of all things spooky. 

This year I’m starting to add my own makings to our collection and I’ve written about it on Spoonful. Apparently, our trip to Disney World is still on my mind…

 

5 Chic Pumpkins  

My take on Disney classics, including a little hint of Tinker Bell (pictured above.)

 

A Not So Scary Halloween 

I'm excited about this post as it is all about our trip to Disney World last week. I created the post using the updated Story app, which includes new themes, music and animations. 

 

So, tell me friends, how into Halloween are you? Do kids dress-up and go trick or treating where you live? 

Crafts for Back-to-School

I’m feeling a little emotional today as the thought of the girls going off to school all day becomes real.

You see, last year Nola and Kira were in a half-day kindergarten class. We have spent the afternoon together playing, making, reading, swinging, being... And now my sweet Curly Birds will be at school until 3.

While I convince myself that I’m looking forward to more ‘me’ time. Here are a few back-to-school crafts my Curly Birds love:

1. Pencil Holders | 2. Hand-Stitched Mummy Hugs | 3. Pocket Hearts | 4. Felt Holder | 5. Lunch Fun | 6. Art Tube | 7. Pocket Hearts for Mum and Dad

For my Mother

This post is sponsored by Disney Story. To find out more about this brand-new story-creation app - and how it puts the power of storytelling in your hands - click here.

 

This Mother's Day, I wanted to do something special and meaningful for my mum. I wanted to find a gift that she would really love and enjoy.

My mum is not very materialistic and she does not like a lot of clutter, so finding something I think she'll like can be tough. Plus, we live several hundred miles away and I am limited in what I can send.

This year, I am proud of my gift. It is thoughtful, meaningful, and will last forever. 

For Mother's Day, I made my mum a story of our lives... as mother and daughter. It is a story that reminds her of the many ways she has selflessly been there for me. It shows her how grateful I am for having such a close relationship with her and celebrates our everyday life together.

I made the story using Disney's new Story app. I created the story on my iPhone and on Sunday I will e-mail it to her. 

 

 

(Thank you very much to Julia, Hannah, and Julie for sharing our family's pictures.)

While this story is all about the two of us, the thing I'm most excited about is that with this app, I can create stories for her on a regular basis. The app is so easy to use that while my girls are playing, I can tell a story of their game and my mum can see and experience their play almost immediately. How cool is that? And perfect for my story-loving, sentimental mum.

If you want, the app will automatically take your pictures and create a story. This makes the whole process super-quick and super-easy. But me, I love to curate life and make my stories just so. I have used the built-in editor to crop out the laundry piles and include some text.

I always have my phone with me and take an obscene amount of pictures with it. My pictures tend to be forgotten and are almost lost on my filled-up phone. With the Story app, I can immediately tell a sweet story and share it - very fun!

Here is another story I made of the girls building a fort for their tea party. This is what my mum is going to love the most... simple stories that will keep her a part of my girls' everyday life. 

 

 

Download the Disney Story app from iTunes  – for FREE – right here!

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Welcome Spring

Image: Jennifer McCord

Quick Craft: DIY Breakfast in Bed Tray Cloth for Mother's Day

When I was a kid, Mother’s Day meant breakfast in bed.

My sister spent a good part of our childhood planning and concocting breakfasts that included her favourite food - pineapple chunks. And my Dad would get up at the crack of dawn with us, pretending not to know what we were doing, to make sure we didn’t burn the house down.

It takes a very special mum to accept years of cold, stogy homemade breakfasts with pure delight and surprise. But my Mum did it every year.

Now, it is my turn to ‘sleep’ in while hearing crashes and giggles all in the name of breakfast in bed. It is my very favourite day of the year! 

 

The girls (and I) made this tray cloth last year to use on Mother's Day. It is simple to make, yet will last forever and always be meaningful.

Lemonade?

 

Just like Christmas or Easter, the girls’ lemonade stand has become an ‘event’ at our house. 

Gift Wrap Perfect for Ripping Open

Image: Spencer Combs Photography

Would you rip these pretty packages open? 

A Quick Craft #5: How To Make A Pretty Place Card Holder

Every kid LOVES seeing their now name! These pretty place card holders make the table look festive and each little girl feel loved. 

Preparing for Tea - An Artsy Heartsy Party

Last Friday the girls had a special 'Artsy Heartsy Party' for two of their friends. It was so twee!

We made the invitation out of a painted heart and hand-delivered it the day before the party.

Simple painted hearts created a pretty scene and after a tea party, the girls all painted their own hearts.

Give a Little Love

Encoraging children to give: Fill a little jar with love, attach a cord to wear on Valentines. All day long your child can give love to everyone they meet.