Creepy Eye Sorting Bag

This creepy eye sensory bag is perfect for squishy Halloween color sorting.

Keeping the kids entertained, engaged, and learning is my goal these days. It can be a challenge; the kids are tired of being at home, playing with the same toys, and hearing me ask if anyone wants  to read a book together every couple of moments.

Last week, I was standing around looking at my craft supplies, feeling totally uninspired. I really wanted to give the kids some busy work, but didn't want to make myself too busy putting it together. A simple sorting sensory bag was exactly what they needed. And this one is perfect for fall, or anytime of the year.

Supplies:

Hair Gel; clear

Googly Eyes in assorted colors

Permanent Markers

Large Zipper Seal Bag

Directions:

Draw circles with permanent markers that match the colors of eyes you will be using.

Add 2 tablespoons, or 2 generous squeezes of clear hair gel to a zipper seal bag.

Add googly eyes.

Seal the bag.

Offer the bag to your child.

Encourage your child to move to eyes to their coordinating circle.

This is a great combination of sensory and color matching.

If you want to add an additional challenge to this activity, you could draw more circles in assorted sizes and encourage the kids to coordinate the googly eyes by size.

If you had fun with this creepy eye sorting sensory bag you won't want to miss these sensory play ideas.

Reader favorites include:

Sensory Party in a Bag

Birthday Cake Sensory Bin

Rainbow Disc Sensory Bag

Christmas in July Gift Ideas

Last week, when I made a rare visit to the retail world, I found myself buying school supplies, Halloween decorations, and a few Christmas gifts, along with our groceries and supplies. My family thought that was a little crazy, but what hasn't been just a little crazy this year? With that in mind, I have latched onto Christmas in July. It is my newest obsession!I can't wait to share a few of these fun gift ideas that I think you might want to buy now, to take the stress out of the winter holidays. 

Affiliate links and samples were provided for consideration.

If you want to give a good clean gift for the holidays, check out these super effective cleaning products from Good Green Cleaner. These are so good! You fill with water, attach the cleaner pod, give it a shake, and add a nozzle. Adding the water at home, makes these easy to store, helps reduce plastic usage with the refill pods and they really smell good. Order online for about $13 a package.

Pink MahogHany Fragrances makes a really fantastic hand sanitizer for the males in your life who don't want to smell like a flower or fruit.  This hand sanitizer is called The Wood, and it has hints of vanilla, cedar and more for a fragrant way to keep clean  on the go.

Give the gift of smooth, beautiful skin with minimal additives this year. I love Stone & Tumble Smoothing Serum. This is packed with ingredients that promote healing of the skin, like sweet almond and sunflower seed oil. Order it online for all skin types at $42 a bottle.

Girls with long hair will love showering like a girl with short hair thanks to Pony Dry. This little wrap keeps the ponytail dry for an easy shower but lets you wash your roots for cleaner hair with less dry time. Order online for about $30.

If you are expecting a new addition to your family or circle this year around the holidays, get these Sleep sacks now. Swaddle Sack and Zip Me Sack by Swaddle Designs make wonderful ways to keep baby comfy and safe when it is time to sleep. Order these online, where prices start around $22.

Give the gift of great dental hygiene with Burst oral care. This electric tooth brush has been proven to remove ten times more plaque than manual brushing. Order for under $70, and take advantage of the brush replacement subscription while you are there.

If you need a gift for an athlete, someone who loves the beach, or anyone who might need a hiding spot that they can take with them, the Bindle Bottle makes a great and super useful gift. You can unscrew the bottom of the bottle to reveal a hiding place for cash, debit cards, or even your keys. Order online for about $39 for a 20 ounce slim bottle.

While most of our lives have gone digital, there is something classy about a manual watch. This year, polish a special ladies look with a understated watch from Eila Cherie. These are fantastic because they are great quality at a modest price. For about $48 you can get the Melinda in several colors to match her style. Order online.

Anyone who has a tablet or smartphone wants to keep it safe from the unexpected, but that doesn't always happen. With the temps getting higher, more people seek out the water, and that leads to the risk of getting a pricey phone wet. Absorb-Its are these handy little pouches that can dry out your phone or tablet should the worst happen. Get these starting at about $13 online to rescue your valuables if they ever get soaked.

If you need to find a useful gift for an active person, let me recommend the Nomader bottle. I dig these because you fill it with water, then you can collapse the bottle for easy carrying when empty.  They are leak-proof and stylish. Order them online for about $25.

Give the gift of a well protected and clean cell phone with Gadget Guard. The Black Ice Screen Protectors are incredibly durable and keep your phone scratch free. The Techtonic Cleaner they offer is a must have in this climate of cleanliness. Order screen protectors, cases and cleaners online. Prices start at about $25.

Give the gift of good dental health with some vitamin enriched toothpaste. Vitamin Paste has a formula for both kids and adults and makes a great addition to your daily routine. Order online for about $5 a tube and add up to 50% more vitamins to your day.

Which of these items do you feel like would make a great gift for someone in your life?

Night King Cocktail Inspired by Game of Thrones

This eye catching cocktail is perfect for sipping while you binge watch reruns of Game of Thrones. Made with heavy cream, vodka and blue curacao, it has a delicious bite that leaves you wanting more.

My husband is a serious Game of Thrones fan. He loved the books, was enthralled by the series and has managed to develop quite the collection of merchandise from the show. He loves it so much that I have felt guilty for some time about not watching with him. It would have been nice to have someone to talk to about the show I suppose. 

So that was a wife fail. To make up for my lack of enthusiasm, the last time he was tuned in, wishing for different outcomes and additional episodes, I made my way into the kitchen and made him a cocktail. I wanted it to feel fitting for a serious fan, and I had limited info to go off of. 

I had seen the Night King a time or two, and I was inspired by the blue curacao in my home bar. A quick survey of the fridge told me I had ample heavy cream and with that, this cocktail was born.

• Ingredients:
• 4 ounces of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 ounce of vodka
• Blue curacao

• Directions:
• Whip sugar, and heavy cream until you have a nice thick whipped cream .
• Fold in the vodka.
• Transfer to a glass, carefully drizzling as much blue curacao on as you like. I kept it light for the swirling effect.
• Serve ice cold. 
• A spoon or straw is helpful for consumption.

Find more recipes here
Reader favorites include:
Sour Apple Margaritas
Haunting Halloween Cocktails

Reclaimed Farmhouse Joy Sign

This farmhouse joy sign was made entirely from reclaimed materials to add a festive touch to your home.

I have been making a ton of things with pallets. From creepy Halloween signs, wooden black cats and even some fun pallet Christmas trees that I am going to share with you soon. I knew exactly what I wanted to make the last time I tore apart some pallets. Rustic and charming farmhouse holiday signs.

These reclaimed farmhouse joy signs are so easy to make.  They add a festive touch to your space or are perfect for gifting. Plus, they are so budget friendly you can make dozens for a dollar!

This is a really easy project. Gather some supplies, finding inspiration in trash.

Supplies for one sign

One pallet board section

One pop tab

One screw

One penny nail

Glue

One Christmas Bauble

Paint

Paint Brush

Screwdriver

Hammer

I cut one pallet board into 4 smaller boards, just big enough to proclaim my message, Joy.

I pulled tabs off of empty soda cans for my method of hanging.

Line up the soda tab so that it is even with the board. 

Place the screw in the small hole and tighten.

In the center of the other side of the board, place the penny nail. Drive it in half way.

Paint the board in the color of your choice. 

After the board is dry, place a Christmas bauble over the nail. Add a bead of glue to secure and allow to dry.

Use stencils, or with another color of paint, freehand  your letters J and Y. Allow to dry.

Now you can display your Joy sign, or share it with a friend this holiday season.

In the mood for more creative projects?
Check out some of my favorites here:
Ribbon Tree OrnamentsBarbie Serving TrayButton Tree Ornaments

Gifts for Boys

I consider myself an expert in toys. I have spent a million hours cleaning them up and organizing them, and I know what kids want to play with. If you need an epic gift for a boy on your holiday shopping list, keep reading, cause I got you covered on the best gifts for boys this year.

Product samples have been provided for photography. Affiliate links may be used.

Give your kids a gift of security with this HD Wifi Camera with Night Vision. Keep an eye on them while they sleep, or let the kids make some epic home video while adding some character to his space with the help of Chase from Paw Patrol. Find this at retailers like Walmart, Amazon or Best Buy for about $30.

Boys appreciate farts like no one else. Get a few of these Fart Ninjas for a silent butt deadly holiday surprise that will keep boys giggling for hours. Find these for about $8 at Target, Amazon, or Walmart.

Challenge boys this holiday season with a logic game that stretches the mind. Paired with the included Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty this game is sure to be a big hit with kids this year. Finding the Thinking Putty Puzzle online or at retailers like Walmart for about $30.

Animal Planet brings the animal kingdom to life every day. Now you can interact with the mighty T-Rex and control his movements. Includes 6 different sounds activated by motion or touch. Find this interactive dino from Wicked Cool Toys $35.

Sticks n Stones n Dinosaur Bones is a lively and witty book of rhymes plus wonderfully demented illustrations reveal how a paleontologists’ infamous rivalry began, and how—despite making genuine and lasting contributions to the field—their mutual obsession with outdoing one another spun out of control. Give it to a book loving boy this holiday. Find it from Amazon, or from Schiffer Publishing for about $17 this holiday season.

Magformers are perfect for boys who love to pair dramatic play and building. Get this 50 peice set Amazing Rescue STEM kit online to give the gift of dramatic rescue anytime boys car to build the vehicles for about $60.

Hoping for a pet at Christmas is a rite of passage for loads of kids. This year give them a pet hedgehog that they can construct with the Tumbling Hedgehog kit from Thames & Kosmos. This is a great STEM kit that will engage and delight kids with an introduction to robotics. This is great for ages 7 to 12. Buy it online or from retailers like Walmart and Target for under $40.

Give kids the gift of a safe internet experience, all of their favorite PBS characters and apps and a portable dvd player in one device with this 7" HD Tablet DVD combo from PBS Kids. This is a durable option for eager little ones. It is easy to use, and can with stand eager hands. Find it at retailers like Walmart, or from Amazon for about $100.

Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty is a gift for the senses and the thought process. This fun to touch and work with the hands putty comes in an assortment of varieties and sizes. Thinking putty never dries out, making it a favorite among parents. Get a large tin for at home, and a small travel tin for the backpack to give the gift of sensory delight. Find it at a variety of stores like Target,  Walmart and Hallmark, or buy online. Prices start around $4 for a mini thinking putty.

On the coldest days of winter, it is easy for boys to grow restless with the extra indoor time. This year gift them an assortment of games from Amigo Games to give an invitation for family game night and a break from cabin fever.  Ring a Ding Ding, No Thanks and Clack are great for multi-player games and are sure to have everyone ready to play another game. Buy them online from Amazon or from retailers like Michael's.

Disney fans are going to love the challenge this Villainous Wicked to the Core board game presents. This game is strategy for Disney fans and can be combined with the other Villainous game from Ravensburger to let more friends or family join in the fun. Get it online or from retailers like Target or Barnes and Noble for under $25.

Bath time can be fun and spooky too with these awesome options from Not Another Rubber Ducky. Available in 4 designs that cover all of your favorite classic horror movie monsters. These make a great gift idea for kids who love Halloween, or maybe just need to add a little fun to their bath. Get them online for $15 each.

Give the gift of science with this Ooze Labs Chemistry Station. This kit oozes a good time and a healthy dose chemistry in a kid safe manner. The kit includes these irresistible chunky test tubes and an assortment of materials to experiment with. Get this Thames and Kosmos kit for about $30 from retailers like Target, Kohl's or Walmart, or order online.

A furry friend is always a good choice for gifts for boys. This EcoKins 12" Snow Leopard is a gift kids will love to cuddle and everyone can feel good about. These toys are made with 16 water bottles. Talk about from trash to treasure! Order these cute plushies online from the Ecokins store. a 12" animal will cost about $18 but they have other sizes at prices around $6.

Got a kid to buy for that loves to create his own stories and characters? This Character Creator action figure set from Wicked Uncle Gifts makes for a great gift for boys of all ages. They will love the endless possibilities that await them and their blank action figure. Boys will love customizing it. Order from Wicked Uncle Gifts for $20.

Give the gift of kid safe entertainment this year with a made just for kids and loaded full of fun. Plug & Play by PBS Kids is like roku for kids that is loaded with videos, games and more. No subscription is needed to enjoy the hours upon hours of content that is loaded. Order from the PBS Kids shop for under $60. This will be handy this winter during snow days. Parents will love that everything on the Plug & Play is kid friendly, parent approved.

Leap Start Go by Leapfrog makes for a fun way to play and learn for kids this holiday season.  Bring books to life with audio and video for an immersive learning experience that is a lot of fun for kids.  Add new books to keep kids learning or let them enjoy the over 750+ activities that can be completed time and time again. Find this online from Leapfrog or at retailers like Walmart for under $40.

When I asked my 9 year old what he wanted for Christmas he looked at me with dreamiest look in his eyes. He said "All the Nerf things mom..." and he proceeded to go back to his video games. I found something better than Nerf. The Adventure Force Max Morpher foam dart gun blows Nerf out of the water with the long distance firing power this impressively sized gun has. Give him the ability to shoot his targets from 100 feet away with accuracy, in a safe for kids way. Best of all, you can find this gun in shops like Walmart, for about $17. These are economical and are going to be one of the most loved toys for boys this year. Check out all of the options including Walking Dead Foam dart guns from Buzzbee Toys.

Boys love to shoot foam darts at any and everything, so take his breath away this year with the biggest foam dart gun I have ever seen. The Mutator from Air Warriors is incredible. This is so much gun for any nerf loving kid. This gun is huge. It can go the distance or offer precision accuracy. Looking at this gun you probably are thinking how much is it? I couldn't believe these are under $100. The look on any boys face when he opens this is worth more than that! Get it from Buzzbee Toys or from retailers like Walmart or Target. (It is like $27 at Target right now which is a STEAL, and under $75 at Walmart.)

If you have a boy to buy for that loves to ride his scooter and is ready for a little more responsibility, the One K E-Motion electric scooter from Globber is perfect for a beginner. The scooter goes about 12 mph and can hold about 110 pounds making it great for kids 8 to tween. These are easy to ride, easy to stop and tons of fun. But, parents, they do require supervision, so be prepared to get the adult version for yourself!

Board games are the bomb for Christmas. Give boys on your shopping list a really fun opportunity to bring back family game night with Let It Fly by Maya Toys. Who will splat the fly first in this active and zany game for kids 8 and older. Get it online for about $20.

The long days of winter are upon us, so that means the boys are stuck indoors more than ever. Offer a little variety to their daily play with this fun and easy shooting game. Glowstriker naturally glows in the dark to make it more of a challenge, or shoot at the levitating targets with the lights on for practice. Get this from Wicked Uncle Gifts for under $35.

Give kids a chance to plug, link and count with this Stem Challenge. The Plugo link and count works with your ipad to bring puzzles to life. This is a great tool for at home learning via hands on play. Find it at Amazon for about $50 this holiday season.

Give the gift of hands on play with this Thames and Kosmos Engineering Makers Off Road Rovers kit. Build ten wild off-road vehicles and other machines while learning about belt drives, wheels, and tank tread and STEM. Get it from Walmart, Target and other nationwide retailers, or order online for under $30.

Brik Buster is a fun game for kids of all ages that are into brick building. Brik Buster lets you build a tower and then try to bust it up! Kids love this game and adults might get a kick out of it too. Find it online from Strictly Briks. Order it from Amazon for under $30 and keep boys building and busting down brick creations all winter long.

If you need a gift for a boy who digs slime and dinosaurs, the Discovery Prehistoric Slimy Goop Dig kit by Horizon is perfect for gifting this holiday season. Boys can get their hands into some slimy goop to uncover some epic dinosaur finds. Get this from Walmart, Michael's or from Amazon for about $13.

Give the gift of music is a friendly portable manner with Wicked Uncle Gifts. This real Hawaiian Ukulele looks awesome and gives boys an affordable introduction to stringed instruments. Boys will love strumming away on this ukulele while parents are grateful it doesn't require an amp. Find it and so many more excellent gift options from the Wicked Uncle Gifts site for under $40.

This 4 pack of insects in resin makes a gift curious boys will go creepy crawly for. The set includes identifying info, a magnifying glass to inspire future bug hunts and 4 awesome insects to check out and collect. Get it on Amazon for about $15.

This is an awesome and unique gift for boys who haven't lost their baby teeth just yet. This The Toothless Monster box includes a book, a friend and some teeth that parents can attach later. It is incredibly creative and adds a lot to the typical tooth fairy routine. Get it online for under $40.