Decorations and Gift Crafts & More from Oriental Trading -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these items in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own. 

Are you getting ready for Thanksgiving this week? Have you started to look towards Christmas? We have gone a bit Christmas crazy here and have been loving it. Today we are going to share some crafts and other things that are great for gifts and Christmas decor. All of it came from Oriental Trading and their amazing Christmas items. Earlier this month we shared crafts and items that focus on the nativity. Today's are more non-secular. Hazel LOVES Peanuts right now so several of them will be Peanuts themed including this fun Peanuts® Christmas Wreath Craft Kit. 

Fun Facts about Pie with Pie Recipes & Crafts Round-Up

What are you serving or having for Thanksgiving? Some of the traditional things are turkey (although there probably was not turkey at the "first" Thanksgiving) and pie. Since we have shared fun facts about turkeys and apples I thought we would share today a bit about pies. What is your favorite pie? I love blueberry!! Steve and Hazel love apple. 

Gift Boxes to Decorate and Make: Christmas -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Candlewick Press sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Looking for a fun way to present gifts instead of the usual wrapping paper or gift bags? Check out this amazing book--Gift Boxes to Decorate and Make: Christmas illustrated by Sarah Walsh. This book has 24 pages that turn into a gift box and sticker tags to seal them.

Christmas Crafts - Focus on the Nativity with Oriental Trading - a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

So yesterday we had a Holiday Preview Party at work. We had to be festive even though it is only the beginning of November. I still have holiday nail stickers on. Yes, Santa is on my thumbs. It was fun though and it got me into the mood. Of course it also helps that Hazel has been pulling out holiday DVDs to watch for a couple of months now. Well I always like to find a way to bring the religious side into our holiday and am going to share some crafts and products that do just that. Now Oriental Trading has an amazing collection of religious Christmas products. Hazel and I looked through and choose a few fun things which mostly were crafts. I fell in love with the DIY Unfinished Wooden Nativity & Stable Set, which is no longer available. See their religious Christmas crafts for other ideas. 

Origami Kits -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing sent me these kits in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow, where did this week go? It has been very crazy here. What about with you? Tonight we are sharing three fun origami kits. With dragons, animals, and a city, there is a little something for everyone. We will start with Flying Dragons Paper Airplane Kit by Sam Ita and Paul Frasco.

10 Fun Facts About Jack-O'-Lanterns

Have you checked out our first Fun Facts post yet? There will be a total of three fun facts related to Halloween and then I will do more for Thanksgiving. I hope you will check them all out. I know I am having fun doing them and learning about so many different things. Today we are talking about jack-o'-lanterns. Have you carved yours yet?

Sharing Saturday 17-43

It is time again 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. So glad you joined us!!

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.

10 Interesting Facts about the Salem Witch Trials & Salem, Massachusetts

So Multicultural Kid Blogs has a new series 10 Fun Facts About.... I wrote one the other night for Native American Heritage Month (it goes live on November 6th). It got me thinking about different subjects that would be fun to do. I decided with Halloween next week, I would do one on the Salem Witch Trials. Salem, Massachusetts is crazy for the entire month of October. On weekends it is impossible to get in or out of Salem. People are there all month long in costumes. They have a Witch Museum; a street called Witch Way; an elementary school called Witchcraft Heights Elementary School; and the high school mascot is Salem Witches. After all Salem calls itself The Witch City. Even the police cars have a witch on them.  You can read about one of our visits to Witch City.

Sharing Saturday 17-42

It is time again 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. So glad you joined us!!

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.

Multicultural Books for Different Ages

Disclosure: I was sent these books in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It has been awhile since I did a Multicultural Monday review, but here it is. Today I am going to share with you book for different ages from all over the world and with diverse characters. Hazel loves learning about other countries and cultures. Today I am sharing books that tell tales from other cultures, share about other countries and a multicultural young adult book set in Boston. We will start with All About Thailand by Elaine Russell and illustrated by Patcharee Meesukhon and Vinit Yeesman. 

Oriental Trading's Fun365 --a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these items in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Have you discovered Oriental Trading's Fun365?  It is a site that has different craft projects and articles. There are choices of Party Ideas, Craft Ideas, Wedding Ideas, and Classroom Ideas. I was inspired by ideas from the Craft Ideas and Party Ideas. I had so much fun exploring the many ideas there. I let Hazel look and help me pick what we would try. In the Party Ideas section there is a Rainbow Party and one of the crafts is a DIY Rainbow Coin Purse. Instead of doing the coin purse we used DIY Totes. (See current available totes here.)I asked Hazel to paint a rainbow on one for me. She wanted to use the Pearlized Acrylic Paint (available paint). Then she wanted to do a heart rainbow, but hers turned out more like a circle. She also did a square but wanted to use the pink on it.  I did a heart one for her as well as a star and an H. 

Sharing Saturday 17-40

It is time again 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. So glad you joined us!!

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.

Halloween Candy

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these candies in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own (and my family's). 

Can you believe it is October already? October is always a bit of a crazy month. Hazel HATES the scary part of Halloween and does not do well in stores that sell Halloween decorations and costumes (which is just about every store). Fall is in the year so there is always some fun getting outside and enjoying God's beautiful fall colors. And there is getting ready for the trick-or-treaters. Our neighborhood tends to get many trick-or-treaters which is a bit funny considering it doesn't have a whole lot of kids in it. One year I remember giving out some of Hazel's treats after we went through six or seven bags of candy. Now we turn out the light when we run out. Needing so much candy however makes me look for good deals on it. Oriental Trading has great prices and quite a variety of candy!! I already bought some candy for trick-or-treats when I saw it at a decent price. I also got some Halloween toys for allergy free treats earlier this year from Oriental Trading. Oriental Trading makes it a one stop shopping for all Halloween treats!! 

Baby Chomper's Bath Time -- Making the best of any situation

Disclsoure: The Children's Book Review and Jeff Minich sent me this book are paying me a small stipend for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Does your child fight you about taking a bath? My nephew was terrified of getting in water when he was young (from birth). It can be such a struggle when a child fears a bath. I honestly remember trying to get my nephew to swim with us in a lake on an extremely hot day, but he would not get into the water. He would go right up to the edge of the water but never quite in it even with his mother already in it. A book that may have helped is the sixth book in the Nuggies Books. It is Baby Chomper's Bath Time by Jeff Minich. This book comes out November 7th! 

Crafty Weekends Link Party

This week I only crafted at work so I am going directly to the link party. I can't wait to see what you have made this week. 

Thank you to everyone who shared with us at our last party!! It was a bit small with the holiday weekend, but it was full of amazing crafts!   Below are some features from the party, but this is just a small sample of great ideas shared! This week we have one group of features. Also remember for your child-oriented crafts, activities, lessons, etc. Sharing Saturday is going on!! For any cultural related posts (diversity and/or multicultural as well) be sure to share at the month long Creative Kids Creative Blog Hop.

It's a Small World Felted Friends -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Have you entered my giveaway for a 16 x 20 canvas print?

Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing sent me this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Tonight I am sharing a fun needle felting book. It gives instructions to make miniature needle felted animals, buildings, and other things that make you think of certain countries. It even includes a mini flag garland. The book is It's a Small World Felted Friends by Sachiko Susa. 

Christian products

Disclosure: I was sent these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow, I cannot believe it is already Thursday!! This week is flying by. We have spent it getting ready for school and having Hazel's first (and now second) day of school. Guess what? She LOVES her new school!! I am so relieved and happy for her. All week I have been thinking about writing this post but my attention has been drawn in too many directions to write these great products the proper review, so I am going to do it now. I will start with these great Halloween Tract from Let the Children Come. 

Crafty Weekends Labor Day Weekend

Since it is Labor Day Weekend here in the United States I am not reviewing anything today and unfortunately between my work schedule and getting Hazel ready for the school year which starts this week, I have not been doing much crafting. So we are going straight to the party. 

Thank you to everyone who shared with us at our last party!! It was full of amazing crafts! Below are some features from the party, but this is just a small sample of great ideas shared! This week we have one group of features. 

Sharing Saturday 17-35

Can you believe it is Labor Day weekend already? Where did this summer go? Well before you go off to the beach or barbeque be sure to share with us and check out this week's features!

It is time again 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. So glad you joined us!!

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.

Autumn Pumpkin Crafts & More -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Can you believe August is almost over and schools are starting up? Where did the summer go? To kick into the fall season, we are sharing some pumpkin themed crafts and products. And just in case you want to really skip ahead be sure to check out our Christmas card post yesterday! I know crafters will understand the need to start those crafts early!! We decided to focus our posts around pumpkins since they work for fall as well as Halloween and Thanksgiving. We have had a lot of fun with pumpkin crafts and with pumpkins. Last year I shared a tutorial to make a fabric pumpkin. I used this pumpkin in several of my pictures. We will start with our DIY Door Pumpkin.