Crafty Moms Share

Halloween Glow

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

With the dark and spooky aspects of Halloween it is the perfect time to check out glow products. Kids love things that glow-in-the-dark or light up. And it is great for them to have something when they are out in the dark trick-or-treating. Oriental Trading has some great glow products for reasonable prices!! This summer we reviewed Premium Glow Necklaces for some of our family nighttime fun. All of the kids and many of the adults loved having them at our events. Plus we loved putting them on the kids and knowing where they were playing in the dark.

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.

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!

Disclosure: The Children's Book Review and Carole P. Roman sent me a copy of this book and is paying me a small stipend for this review. All opinions are my own.

What is your child afraid of? Is he or she like Hazel with many fears? The second book in Carole P. Roman's Oh Susannah series is perfect for new readers who have fears. We shared the first book in the series here. The second book is Oh Susannah: Things that Go Bump by Carole P. Roman and illustrated by Mateya Arkova.

Disclosure: Oriental Trading sent me these items in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. All printables are free but for personal use only. If you would like to share them, please use a link back to this post.

I have not done a cheap doll find post in awhile, but I decided it was time. One of my favorite places to look is Oriental Trading. They have so much for parties and crafts and if you are creative you can find some great items that work for dolls. I always start by searching "miniature" or "mini". I will admit Hazel and I have been checking things out for awhile since she is planning on having an American Girl themed birthday party this year. It was going to be a Beforever themed party until she got Saige as a hand-me-down. For the birthday party we knew we wanted to get the Mini Neon Tote Bags, so we will start with these. Hazel set up the scene as her dolls having a slumber party. The tote bags work for the girls to bring her things for the night. At Hazel's party they will be for the dolls to bring home their favors (and we are planning on getting the matching Neon Tote Bags for the girls).

Happy Autumn (or Spring for those in the Southern Hemisphere)!!

Be sure to check out the autumn lunchbox notes I shared the other day!! There are some religious ones and some non-religious ones. They are free to download!!

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

This week's Relaxing Friday is a coloring book more aimed at kids. It is Color, Snap, App! by Claire Fay.

Disclosure: Candlewick Press sent me these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Last week we explored the history of our home state, Massachusetts. This week we are sharing a bit about New York with some books and a couple of visits. We are lucky enough to have my best friend living in Westchester County. The past six months Hazel and I have visited her twice. Both times she was kind enough to take us into New York City for some sightseeing. To go with our visits we are sharing two books today. The first book is Lady Liberty A Biography by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Matt Tavares.

Can you believe autumn starts tomorrow? I always like to include a note in Hazel's lunchbox (and one in her snack bag), so I made some with autumn themes. I also made some religious (Christian) and some non-religious so you can pick and choose.

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

Today I am sharing some books for our beginning chapter book readers. The suggested ages for these books are grades 1 through 3. I will introduce the books in order of easiest to read to hardest. The first book is Joe and Sparky, Party Animals! by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz.

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.

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

This year and last year Hazel's social studies unit is on the history of Massachusetts. As a result I have been gathering all the books I can find with a connection to our home state. (The truth be told I'm gathering books about all the states so I can expand our knowledge on each of them, but more on that below.) We also spent time doing some of the historical things in our area and looking at some of our past adventures. So today I am going to share two books about famous Massachusetts residents and share some of our adventures. The first book is Imagine That! by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.

Picture Books that Make You Feel Good

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

Disclosure: I was sent these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Today I am going to share with you five new picture books that make you feel good when you read them or have the overall theme of making the world better. Don't we all need that in our world. We will start with How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham

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.

Disclosure: Canvas Factory sent me this canvas of my photograph free of charge and is providing the giveaway prize in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Some links in this post are affiliate links where I will receive a small payment for your purchase at no cost to you.

I know summer is over. Hazel is back to school, and she loves it. However I am still trying to capture the summer memories. We went on a family vacation in July to North Conway, New Hampshire. This year we went up to the summit of Mount Washington. It was our first time going. We took the guided van tour offered by the Mt. Washington Auto Road. It had been suggested to us as the best way to get up by an employee at the Mount Washington Weather Discovery Center and Gift Shop. We loved it and would definitely recommend it. So I wanted to use one of our photos from our trip for our canvas print. My first idea was to use a family photograph from the summit. However we needed to crop it and the quality was not good enough. When it was cropped it was perfect for a portrait canvas.

This week our main focus was the start of Hazel's third grade at a new school and she loves it!! It feels so amazing to hear her talk about how much she is enjoying school and likes the kids in her class. She posed in many different ways for her first day pictures and never would have done this in the past.

First Day of Third Grade

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.

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.

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.

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

Do you know that the most important skill for future jobs is coding? More than half the jobs in the upper income quartile ($57,000 or more) require it currently and that number is increasing. (Source) The numbers of women in computer science majors has dropped. In 1984 37% of computer science majors were females and in 2014 the number dropped to 18%. (Source) Once again there is a gender gap and this is going to matter when our girls grow up. I remember the push in high school to get girls interested in math and science and that push is still there and it also needs to focus on coding and computers. However it needs to start even earlier. Enter Reshma Saujani. Besides being the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress (she didn't win), in 2012 she founded Girls Who Code. Girls Who Code is a non-profit organization that are helping encourage and teach girls to code. Reshma Saujani is also the author of one of the books I will be sharing with you today and the author of the forward of the other book. We will start with the first novel in the Girls Who Code Series. It is The Friendship Code by Stacis Deutsch.

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

Can you believe fall is already coming? Schools are back in session and the weather is already turning here. I know Halloween always sneaks up on us once school starts. I am always thankful to Oriental Trading for getting our minds focused on what costume Hazel wants. This year she has been into her American Girl dolls and in particular in the Beforever dolls. She loves Maryellen's poodle skirt. She saved her money and bought the doll outfit and crinoline. She does not have Maryellen, but dressed one of her favorite dolls, Chrysanthemum, in it.

Do you use a camera? Do you know how we see? Perhaps you use or have used the scientific method? The man behind discovering ideas behind these things and more is Ibn al-Haytham or Alhazen (his name in Latin). He was born in Basra, Iraq in the 10th century. He was a scientist, mathematician, and engineer. He lived during the Golden Age of Islam and benefited because of the knowledge being studied and shared.

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.

Disclosure: Storey Publishing sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Ok, I know it is way too early to talk Christmas, however if you are a crafter you probably are already thinking about it. So today's review is a coloring book to make your own Christmas cards. And if you want to make them all to send out, you need to get started soon. Now I should mention that the past couple of years we have had a bit of Christmas in July since we have visited Santa's Village each July. Here is a picture I think might go on our photo card this year. What do you think?

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

Do you like fairy tales? They are a favorite in my house. Hazel LOVES them. Today I am going to share some new versions that have come out this past year, and one even includes some math lessons!! We will start with two Hello Kitty books. The first is Hello Kitty Presents the Storybook Collection Thumbelina.

Disclosure: I was sent these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Are you getting ready for school? Perhaps your child like mine is going to a new school this year. This is always added stress for the child and with two and half weeks of summer vacation left the stress is showing here. What if the kids are mean like at my old school? What if the teacher is mean? There are so many worries there. The first book I am sharing is a perfect book for this situation. It is Origami Peace Cranes: Friendships Take Flight by Sue DiCicco.

Are you ready for the solar eclipse tomorrow? We are getting ready for it. Steve showed us how to set up his telescope to see the eclipse indirectly so we do not need the glasses (which he does not trust). Then we did a few crafts and made a few snacks. The idea for our craft came from NASA Eclipse Activity Guide. (This guide has many activities including information about the eclipse and lessons on it.) The craft is very easy. You need dark paper, chalk and a roll of masking tape or some other circle template.

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

Last month I got to share with you the wonderful journaling Bible I have. Hazel was very jealous of this fun way to read God's word. However Wee Believers has saved me from sharing or purchasing another one. They have an amazing new line called Let Your Light Shine that is perfect for 8+ year old girls. I showed Hazel their collection and let her pick which items she liked best. She chose the Joy Devotional Journal and matching Joy Medium Accessory Case.

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

Are your kids back at school yet? My Facebook feed is filled with first day pictures and it isn't quite time for the Northeast where the majority of my Facebook friends live. Hazel does not start until after Labor Day, but I know plenty who start earlier. To help those who are starting or who homeschool I thought I would use my teaching skills and review some mathematics resources for you today. Did you know that Oriental Trading has a whole curriculum section? Yes, Oriental Trading, my go-to for party and craft supplies has school curriculum! I figured I might as well use my math teaching experience to check some of this out. I focused on three areas--geometry, fractions and multiplication. Hazel is just learning her multiplication facts so I figured something to help her with that would be good. I found Learning Resources tri-FACT-a Multiplication and Division Game. (There is an addition and subtraction version as well.)

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

Are your kids getting ready for back to school? Or perhaps you are looking for some resources for your homeschool? Today's products are just for you. Hazel loves National Geographic Kids and is so excited whenever one of their books arrives, so I always jump at the chance to review them. Today I get to share four amazing books with you. Three are about United States history and geography and the fourth is a planner for kids!! I have to say Hazel LOVES these books. She is constantly reading them. The first book is National Geographic Kids Weird But True Daily Planner.

Disclosure: Carole P. Roman sent me these books for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you like to read books about different cultures? Since we don't travel very often, I love to teach Hazel about different cultures and I have found books to be a wonderful way to do this. Today I get to share three books from a wonderful series by Carole P. Roman. The series is If You Were Me and Lived In...A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World. Unlike the books in the Ancient Culture series I shared last week, these books focus on current cultures in the countries. The series of books that include a map of the country as well as a picture of a globe showing where the country is and a pronunciation guide with meanings as well. We will go in alphabetical order with our three countries and start with If You Were Me and Lived in...Australia.

Disclosure: Quarto Knows sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I will admit this is not a total craft this week, but it does have some creativity and with the week I have had, this is the best I could do. Hazel loves having her dolls hair look nice. However she has not really mastered braids or doing hair yet. I got her (and me) this book to get some ideas and learn new tricks to do. It is Twists, Braids, & Ponytails by Joel Benjamin.

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

Hazel LOVES Peanuts®!! She cannot get enough books out of the library to read the old comic strips and we take out all the DVDs as well. She also watches whatever she can On Demand. Therefore it is no surprise she wanted to have a Peanuts® or Snoopy Play Date. (She wanted a Snoopy birthday party, but didn't want to wait that long!) I showed her the many Peanut products at Oriental Trading and she got so excited!! Her absolute favorite thing is the Color Your Own Peanuts® Snoopy Playhouse.

Disclosure: Carole P. Roman sent me these books for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I am going to share three of the books in Carole P. Roman's If You Were Me and Lived in ...Ancient Times Series. This series looks at ancient and historical cultures from all over the world and through many centuries. Today we are going to travel to Viking Europe, Renaissance Italy and Colonial America. We will start with If You Were Me and Lived in Viking Europe. It is illustrated by Mateya Arkova.

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

Want to learn origami? Or have your kids learn it? I have some great kits and books for you today for different levels of origami makers from beginner to master. Look at some of the fun things I made with these products.

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

Who invented the light bulb? I am guessing you answered Thomas Edison. Do you know who came up with the alternate current light bulbs that got used in every house? It was not Thomas Edison. He actually laughed at the idea when Nikola Tesla brought it to him. Today I get to share with you the biography of Nikola Tesla called Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World by Elizabeth Rusch and illustrated by Oliver Dominguez. This version is for 8 to 12 year olds. There is a picture book version for suggested for ages 7 to 10.

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

Tonight I get to share with you the second book in the Red Death Series by Jeff Altabef. Now I loved the first book: Red Death. The second book is The Ghost King. This book did not disappoint!! It is another page turner.

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