Saturday, October 31, 2015

13+ Great Costume Ideas for Halloween

I was just bursting with costume ideas this year.  Then we had another round of torrential downpours and a lot of plans got cancelled.  That's okay, we still got dressed up at home and had fun watching lots of movies and Elmo.

The kids aren't supposed to dress up at school (this basically happened at our preschool a few years ago, only in a more dramatic fashion) , but my friend and I decided to let the girls Disney Bound all week.



We even made them buttons with fun hipster sayings and everything.  Turns out, they all HATED the princesses wearing glasses.   We are raising some first class feminists indeed.





Glass slippers are so before midnight. 

I don't know why she didn't like them.  I found it funny.  She was pretty happy that I finally let her wear her glass slippers to school though.

We dressed up as Annie, Miss Hannigan, Daddy Warbucks and Punjab for the school party that got cancelled.  Really because I didn't leave the house all day, so the robe was more than appropriate.  I also was dying to dress Lakshman up as Punjab.  I mean, we might as well own the absurd depictions of Indians in popular culture - especially given how few we have to choose from.  Plus, Nandini totally has the hair for Annie.

I'm the Before to Nandini's After Holly Golightly.  One can't go to Sing Sing with a green face after all. 

 Lakshman is Fred of course and Avinash is Sally Tomato(?).  It's possible he refused to change from the day before.


His real Halloween outfit was Harry Potter.  I love this picture because when Lakshman saw what we were doing, he got himself up the stairs and started jumping too.  Only, not quite as high.

Speaking of Harry Potter, I am on SheKnows/BlogHer today with an article all about butterbeer recipes!!  So delicious.  Click over and let me know what you think.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Around Here, Fall 2015

Turning seven, complete with a pink and green Hagrid cake.  



Attending some weird but oddly fun bubble palooza at Laguna Gloria Art Gallery.

Every once in a while modern art comes through with a win.  Even though we were in a crowd I loved the sensory deprivation of being completely covered in bubbles.


Sorting shapes and stacking blocks.

He also counted to three the other day, but he's like the signing frog and won't do it again for an audience.  I'm not crazy, I swear!

Antiquing at Round Top.  Funny story.  We got there a day late.  Which wasn't so funny at the time, especially after we had made the long drive out there.  Because planning is just not our thing.  We ended up driving a few miles down the one road and found a few places still open.  Nothing major bought, but it is still fun to look.  

Of course when we tried to get pie, the pie shop was closed.  Naturally we drove all the way back to Austin and kept going further north to the other branch of the pie shop for pie.  

I even called ahead and made them reserve a slice of apple for me.  

You can't fool me twice. 

Making dozens and dozens of Harry Potter invitations and crafts.  This is one of my favorite party themes to date.  Avinash is reading the first book to himself now, so I had to buy him the new Illustrated Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone edition.  It looks so fantastic I can't wait to see it in person.





Chilling at ACL.  

We were all about the swag, in that the kids ate at least ten free Kefir ice pops each - even Lakshman!  We also did every craft project, every photobooth, and every karaoke or kiddie DJing experience.  Of course they made me leave before I got to see Billy Idol - who was playing at four in the afternoon!  These kids have no appreciation for classics.  

Getting his first official school photos taken.  He's so unbelievably sweet.

Blowing "bubbles" from our milkweed and watching the Monarchs as they trickle in. 

Going to Fancy Milkshake Parties


And pumpkin picking of course.  I'm so glad things have sort of calmed down and found their rhythm after the stress of the new school year starting. How is your fall going?

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Pumpkin Painting Ideas

After our little pumpkin harvest at the farm, I feel like I better start decorating them soon.  Nandini especially is anxious to get the house decorated for Halloween and the party.  Anything Avinash doesn't like she tells him is not for his birthday, just Halloween.  I can't seem to make things scary enough for her.  She even made me buy her a pack of skeleton hands the other day *shudder*.

Last year we painted pumpkins and we might do the same this year to avoid the mess and sharp objects involved in carving pumpkins.  It's not really a great toddler activity.  Or even six year old activity. 

I love how Nandini's pumpkin turned out.  A little bit of creative direction in color selection can go a long way.  

I painted a white design on a ghost pumpkin.  

It's my favorite along with that little spider web pumpkin.  I think I need another one of those this year for sure. 


I even tried silkscreening a pumpkin.  It didn't turn out half bad. 

Glitter pumpkins are always a favorite around here too.  

I did get my teal pumpkin from whole foods this year and I definitely want to put yellow stars on it. We also got a few jacks, a 'golden' pumpkin (it's really yellow but man did it stand out in the sea of orange) and a bunch of minis.  The teal one is a cinderella pumpkin I think.  I still think it's so cute that those exist.  Yay botany.  And fairies ;)

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Pumpkin pickin' at Sweet Berry Farms, then & now

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  I can't help but get so excited about fall and the start of pumpkin season.  Maybe it's because Halloween is coming up and I basically treat it as an excuse to dress my kids up every day of the month

We went back to the same pumpkin patch that we visited last year and I thought it was fun to look back at the old pictures too. 

Then ...




And, now ....

Same pumpkin patch, same kids, same wardrobe mostly.  But oh my, what a difference a year makes.  My tiny baby looks so grown up now!  And he certainly acts it.  Charging around the place like he has a lot of plans to get to.  Though his baby face belies some deep thoughts behind those two little teeth. 


The light was a lot harsher than last year but I do like being able to see blue sky in the photos.


This truck bed was a fun photo spot.  They were all quite happy to perch up there and get photographed.   Even Lakshman, though he doesn't wear his hat anymore like he used to.




They are doing their best cowboy and cowgirl impressions here.  Heehee.

And, the closest thing to a group shot we are going to get.  At least Nandini looks good. 
We went back to the farm in November last year when the weather (and lighting!) is a lot milder and I'm thinking we have to do the same thing again this year. 





The best was still when he picked up a baby pumpkin, tried to take a bite out of it and said "Apple??"


I still remember Avinash's first "pumpkin patch" experience.  He was a chubby little one year old and we were completely smitten with him.  Of course we had no clue about going to real pumpkin patches or anything yet, but it the obsession was starting.  And, yes, it is the same hat.  See? I'm nothing if not economical. 

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Week in the Life | Tuesday and Wednesday pages

I'm still only 80% done with my album and I figure that posting here is the only thing that's going to keep me accountable.  I also really want to clean off the tray holding all my week in the life stuff and set up my December Daily stuff!  I know, it's even Halloween yet, but I'm excited.  

 Tuesday | Used a printed vellum paper as a day divider.  I love the gauzy dreamy quality it adds.


Printing 3x8 photos is so fun.  I basically set up a canvas in photoshop and print out multiple photos on a 8.5 x 11 piece of photo paper.

I used the Ali Edwards daily brushes on most opening photos.

Blurry and I love it.  I was really drawn to this black and white print.  Simple and graphic.

I used a story kit digital brush on this photo.  

 And, I had the Madonna song in my head all day after this. Heehee.



 Still adding little word strips or stickers along with the printed text on photos.

Kraft + colorful cards.  I  love how it plays off the colorful butterfly poster picture.

 I added a 4x6 insert to the top of this spread.  I repeated the photo of Nandini and Lakshman from the beginning of the day but turned it black and white and added text over top.  I desaturated a photo of Avinash for some continuity.

 Including a few plus signs, as well as stars throughout.

My blue apron haul.  Oh how it has changed our lives.  I can't even believe it.



 Included these cards and chipboard numbers from last year's kit each day.
Wednesday | I used this gorgeous patterned paper from Studio Calico.  I layered a bit with some printed transparency as well. 

 A little day of the week cork piece from Cocoa Daisy.  Been hoarding those for this project for a while.


Another set of 3x8 photos.  Most of my opening pictures are taken in the dark before I'm fully awake.

A little stamping above text journaling.


 I played around with the coloring of the daily brush here.


A bit of hand journaling on wavy lines. 




A little pop dot under this label for added dimension.  I have really been liking putting things outside of the page protector these days. 

 A loose scattering of wooden sequins.  I really should seal this pocket shut but the chipboard is doing a pretty good job.


More journaling and another little clipped label.

Thanks for checking out my pages!  I will be posting more later this week.  You can see all previous week in the life posts here.
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