It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away. We have an entire table dedicated to all things Thanksgiving but we are loving one particular item: Paper Source's Thanksgiving Photo Prop Kit!
This kit is the perfect activity for kids and adults alike. We took this home to give it a try and found that if you can use scissors and glue, you can make these adorable props!
The fun doesn't stop after you have capped your glue. Once your props have dried, taking the typical family photo becomes much more amusing! Let's face it, sneaking bunny ears behind grandma is way too played out. How about giving her a pilgrim hat?
It's raining, the kids are home from school, and cabin fever is inevitable. The easiest thing to do might be to turn on the TV but we wanted to give you some fun and interactive activities to do at home with the little ones.
Piggy Paint Home Manicure Party
Create a relaxing atmosphere by putting on a new age music station from Pandora. Have your kids soak their hands in a mixing bowl with warm water and any type of soap. Let them pick out their favorite color polish and start painting. Kids sometime have a hard time keeping their fingers separated, so if you have a foam toe separator, it will work perfectly!
Our favorite polish for the kids is from Piggy Paint. Piggy Paint is a natural, eco-friendly nail polish designed for kids! Its non-toxic, hypoallergenic formula makes it safe to use on all little ones. We sell individual bottles, kits, and packs.
Home-Made Playdough
It's easy, requires only household ingredients, and takes just 10 minutes. Gather flour, water, cream of tartar, salt, vegetable oil, and food coloring, and in just a few minutes, you'll have long-lasting, nontoxic, homemade playdough! Here’s what you need:
Materials
1 cup water 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup salt 1 tablespoon cream of tartar Food coloring Saucepan 1 cup flour
Directions
Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm.
Remove from heat and add flour.
Stir, then knead until smooth. The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so resist the temptation to omit this ingredient if you don't have it on hand.
Store this dough in an airtight container or a Ziploc freezer bag.
Crayon Canvas Art
This artwork might look complicated, but it really just involves a canvas, some hot-glued crayons, and a hair dryer. Trust us, it's easy, quick, and pretty mess-free — though we'd avoid carpeted rooms. The kids will have a blast sorting out the crayons and arranging them but will need help with the hot glue.
Get your supplies. You will need a canvas (your choice of size), crayons (your choice depending on the size of the canvas), a hot glue gun, and a hair/blow dryer. You'll probably want to lay newspaper or an old t-shirt or blanket under the canvas in case the wax splatters, too. Whatever area you think will get messy, cover up a bit more on each side. Don't forget to cover up yourself too! Hot colored wax on your skin and nice clothes shouldn't be part of this project.
Sort the crayons out. Sort depending on what you want. A rainbow is a popular design, so if you choose it, place the crayons in the order of the rainbow. Some people order their crayons lightest to darkest, others use different shades of the same color. The arrangement is totally up to you. Just make sure you have enough to cover the entire top of the canvas. Repeating colors is just as beautiful.
Hot glue each crayon in order on the top of your canvas. Some people keep the wrappers on and some take them off, but either way works. You can opt to unwrap the crayons and cut them in half. This makes it look more natural and keeps the top three inches of your canvas from being obviously lined with crayons.
Slant the canvas so that the wax will drip.A common idea is to lean it against a wall. If you do lean it against a wall, tape newspaper onto the wall to avoid any accidents.
Use your blow dryer and blow the crayons. It's best to point the blow dryer downwards so that the wax will drip. Take note that this will get messy! However, it doesn't really matter how messy it gets, as long as your newspapers are laid out correctly.
If you end up doing any of these activities, we would LOVE for you to send in some photos! Stay dry!
Preparing your home for the change in seasons, winter solstice, and the upcoming holidays doesn't stop at decorations. We believe there is something special in filling your space with scents that evoke nostalgia and comfort.
Thymes has been an absolute favorite when it comes to heartfelt holiday scents. They offer two wonderful scents - Frasier Fir and Gingerbread!
Frasier Fir is a customer and staff favorite, so we always stock right up!!! Their candles, soaps, mists, and reed diffusers fill your home with the smells of crisp Siberian fir needles, cedarwood, and sandalwood. Whether you are complimenting your own decorative fir tree, or enjoying the sensation on it's own, there is no denying that the gentle presence of Frasier Fir will get everyone in your home ready to say goodbye to summer and greet fall and winter with open arms! You can purchase many of the Frasier Fir products right here on our website!
But, we don't think you should stop there! Thymes's Gingerbread candles are PERFECT for your kitchen and dining room. They fill the air with the scents of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. The only warning we give: you may find yourself suddenly inspired to bake a fresh batch of gingerbread! We've included a recipe for inspiration.
Rainy Day Gingerbread Crisps
These delicious play on traditional gingerbread bake into delicious crisps! A wonderful project to involve little ones in - it can be extra fun to ice them after they have cooled.
Ingredients
1/2 pound butter at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons ginger
3 teaspoons cloves
3 to 3½ cups flour, divided
Whisk together 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the soda and the spices. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer or vigorously by hand. Add molasses. Mix until incorporated. Add egg and mix until wet ingredients are combined.
Add the flour mix in 1/2 cup increments until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
By hand, form into two thin disks. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled and the dough is manageable.
Preheat your oven to 325° F. Remove one disk from the refrigerator. Cut it into quarters. Roll each quarter out to 1/8 – 1/4" thickness. Use flour liberally as you roll out your dough to hinder sticking. Cut with favorite cookie cutters. Transfer shapes to cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining three quartered sections of dough. When dough becomes sticky and too warm to work with, return it to the refrigerator for another 20-30 minutes. Prepare the second disk immediately after the first, or save it for up to one week for future cookie baking!
