Books about Pets

Don't forget to sign up for our US state postcard exchange!!

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books free of charge to review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Do you own a pet? Does your child want a pet? What kind? Today I am going to share some books about three of the more typical pets: dogs, cats, and fish. Each has a fun story and a bit of a lesson in its own. We will start with Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper. 

Advent, Christmas and a Tea Party Crafts & More! -- a Crafty Weekend Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent these items to review free of charge from Oriental Trading. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. I am including links to each item for your convenience but do not receive anything if you purchase them.

We are getting ready for our busy December which includes Advent (which starts next Sunday), Christmas and Hazel's birthday. Hazel decided she wants a fairy tea party this year for her birthday party. We recently received a few products from Oriental Trading to help get ready for all three things. We will go in order starting with Advent.

Sharing Saturday 16-45

Wow, it is already November!! This fall is flying by. It is time for Sharing Saturday!! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop. 

Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week! I always love seeing what everyone has been up to and your creative ideas!! Our features are just a sampling of them so if you haven't checked them all out, you should! This week we have two groups of features: Pumpkin Recipes and Lessons & Party Features.

DIY Box Creations -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent this book to review free of charge from Quarto Books USA. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. I am including links to each item for your convenience but do not receive anything if you purchase them.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week and is ready for Halloween. We finally had our It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown party today. Here are some pictures from our set up. We had a table set for crafts and Bingo. The girls played smash the pumpkins at our balloon pumpkin patch as well as Bingo and relay races. Then there was a popcorn bar to have some popcorn while watching the DVD of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. They had a blast and it was such an easy party to set up and clean up. I gave each girl a brown lunch bag a little more than half filled with popcorn with butter on it.

Pumpkins and Potters Wheel -- Crafty Weekends Crafts & Link Party

This has been a bit of a crazy week and weekend. Last weekend we met my sister at Old Sturbridge Village and discovered our admission fee got us a second trip within ten days, so we went back today. Hazel was very excited when we discovered that one of the hands-on crafts that you could pay to do was making a bowl on a potters wheel. She always wanted to use a potters wheel, so we splurged and let her make a bowl today. I had wanted to have her use a potters wheel back when we looked at Juan Quezada, but didn't find a good option. You can see some of the photos above of her dish and her making it.

Here's a Brilliant Idea and Picture Perfect Social Media -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent these products free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As always I am providing links to the book for your convenience.

This weekend I am sharing two books with you. They each are for parts of crafting and sharing crafts, but not craft books per say. The first is Here's a Brilliant Idea by The Brothers McLeod. This book is being released this week!!

Sharing Saturday 16-42

It is time for Sharing Saturday!! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts, crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop (a new one starts Sunday morning). 

Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week! It was a small party, but I always love seeing what everyone has been up to and your creative ideas!! Our features are just a sampling of them so if you haven't checked them all out, you should! This week we have two groups of features: Fall and Parenting!

Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial -- Crafty Weekends Tutorial & Link Party

Hazel and I have been enjoying a long weekend at my parents' house on Cape Cod. Steve joined us for a night as well, but has already returned home. After a very busy week it was good to get away and be able to relax and visit with my parents. We have some stores that we always visit when we are here. (Hazel considers my parents' house her second home.) I noticed some beautiful but expensive velveteen orange pumpkins at one of the stores. I looked at it with Hazel and thought that would be easy to make. When we woke up this morning the rain was falling. The remains of Hurricane Matthew hit Massachusetts today. It has been raining all day, so my mother, Hazel and I decided to spend the rainy day sewing. I thought it would be a great time to try to make the fabric pumpkins. We headed off to Joann Fabrics to discover they did not have orange velveteen or orange velvet. Instead I bought some orange fleece which is on sale for the holiday weekend for $2.99 a yard. My pumpkins won't be as fancy as the velveteen ones, but they are cute or at least will be once I finish all of them. My mother does not have the stuffing to stuff them completely.

Non-Scary Halloween Part 2 -- Non-Scary Costumes

Disclosure: I was sent these items to review free of charge from Oriental Trading. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.

Yesterday I shared some great products from Oriental Trading for a Peanuts themed Halloween party, non-food treats and a few dress-up accessories. Today I get to share Hazel's costume and some other great costume ideas and fun. Now Hazel spent quite a bit of time going through the available costumes at Oriental Trading. Being the sensitive child she is she does not want anything remotely scary. She got it down between two options the Mystical Genie Girls Halloween Costume and the Southern Belle Girls Halloween Costume. She finally decided on the Mystical Genie Costume. We had just seen Aladdin live at the theatre and the version had a female genie who was dressed pretty similarly. (She did ask for the Southern Belle Costume for Christmas from my mother-in-law and I ordered it for her.)

Non-Scary Halloween Part 1 -- Peanuts Party, Teal Pumpkin & More

Disclosure: I was sent these items to review free of charge from Oriental Trading. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.

It is October and this is Hazel's least favorite month. Many of the Halloween decorations and costumes scare her. In fact there are only a few stores she will go into with me this time of year. Yes, just seeing the Halloween displays can give her nightmares. But she does love to dress-up and loves to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood, so I always try to find a friendly way to celebrate Halloween. Last year we did a Christian Halloween party. This year Hazel discovered Snoopy and the Peanuts gang so thanks to Oriental Trading we are hosting a Peanuts themed Halloween party. 

Crafty Weekends Link Party

This has been one busy week with a sick child and husband and now I'm fighting it. Ugh! Since the only somewhat crafty things I have done have been coloring or at work, I will not be reviewing a product today. However we will still have the party!! Thank you to everyone who shared with us at last party!! It was another great party filled with amazing creations! Below are some features from the party, but this is just a small sample of great ideas shared! This week the features are in two groups: Front Door Decor and Costumes and Decor. 

Life Creative -- A Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

 Disclosure: Kregel Publications sent me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Ok, the book I'm sharing tonight is not a typcial Crafty Weekends item. It is not a craft book per say. However it is meant to inspire and help all those creative moms out there that at times feel imprisoned and not having time to create or live out her dreams.  The book is Life Creative: Inspirations for Today's Renaissance Mom by Wendy Speake and Kelli Stuart. 

Sharing Saturday 16-38

Reminder: This link party is for child-oriented crafts and activities and parenting/teaching posts!! 

It is time for Sharing Saturday!! This is a link party to share all of your child-oriented crafts,crafts made for kids, activities and lessons as well as your parenting and/or teaching posts. On Sunday night we also host Crafty Weekends for all your crafts (done by any age), patterns, and craft product reviews! It is the perfect place to share your creative side!! And for all of your cultural posts come share them at the monthly Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop. 

Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week! I always love seeing what everyone has been up to and your creative ideas!! Our features are just a sampling of them so if you haven't checked them all out, you should! This week we have three groupings of features: Autumn, Books and Other Great Ideas.

1880 Mary and Laura Doll Dress -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Hazel and I discovered the Little House on the Prairie re-runs on Hallmark Channel awhile back (and unfortunately they are not on anymore). She fell in love. We also started reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. She loves them!! She also wants a dress and bonnet like Laura's for herself and her dolls. Well in August Pixie Faire's Friday Freebie happened to be Thimbles and Acorns 1880 Mary and Laura 16" and 18" Doll Clothes pattern. Since September is National Sewing Month I figured it was time to do some sewing and decided to make this dress. I found some green fabric with a small print on it that would work in my collection. Hazel is determined that Laura always wears green though I keep pointing out that she isn't wearing green on the show.

Asian Gift Wrapping Papers Crafts -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing sent me these wrapping papers. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation. 

Tonight I am sharing these beautiful wrapping papers and some crafts to do with them!! The paper comes as a book with the sheets folded and perforated for ease to remove them. Each book comes with twelve 18-inch by 24-inch sheets.

Back of Books with Pictures of all Papers!

Fun with Stitchables -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent this book to review free of charge from Quarto Books USA. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. I am including links to each item for your convenience but do not receive anything if you purchase them.

This week I am sharing another kid's craft book, however before I begin I thought I would share what craft I have been working on. I picked up a project that I started ages ago and haven't worked on in quite awhile. It is a prayer shawl that I am making for myself.

Learn to Draw Calligraphy Nature -- Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: I was sent this book to review free of charge from Quarto Books USA. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. I am including links to each item for your convenience but do not receive anything if you purchase them.

Today I am sharing a book that shows how to use a calligraphy pen to make nature pictures. The book is Learn to Draw Calligraphy Nature by Andrew Fox. 

Three New Dog Books for National Pet Month

Disclosure: Penguin Kids and Penguin Random House gave me a copy of these books free of charge for this review in return for an honest review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

Did you know there is a National Pet Month? In the UK it is April in and in the US it is May.The first week in May is the AVMA National Pet Week as well. On April 11th you may have had many pet pictures in your Facebook feed since it was National Pet Day. I remember seeing many of them in mine. These are to honor the pets and the love they bring to our lives. In honor of National Pet Month/National Pet Week I thought I would share three new books with dogs as the main characters/topics. Before I share the books though I thought I would share a picture of one of our two cats. This is Pumpkin. Earlier today I found her sleeping on Hazel's Pillow Pet and I thought she looked adorable!!

Sharing Saturday 15-44

Thank you to everyone who shared last week!! It was another great week of sharing!  Remember the features are just a sampling of the things shared so if you did not get a chance to check them all out, go back and be inspired! This week's features' themes are Pumpkins, Thanksgiving & Diwali, and Educational & Fun. Also a side note  I host another link party on Saturday night for crafts for any age person called Crafty Weekends. If you are sharing a craft (especially a non-child craft) this is the best place to do it with some fun features from the previous week!! Our third party will be tomorrow night. Stop by to share your crafts, patterns, reviews of craft books, etc.

Crafty Weekend: Thanksgiving Activity Book

Disclosure: Penguin Kids gave me a copy of this book free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation.  As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.

It is Halloween tonight, yet I am sharing a Thanksgiving book. I guess I am rushing into my holiday season. Sorry for the late start but we had an exciting night of trick-or-treating here. I hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween. Today we are sharing a book that is perfect to help kids learn about Thanksgiving and keep them busy whether traveling or during a Thanksgiving celebration. The book is Thanksgiving Activity Book by Karl Jones and illustrated by Joey Chou.