Halloween Photo Memory Tree

Ever since I was a kid, my mom puts up this cute white branch Halloween tree.  She hangs white light on it and places it near a black caldron with cob webs coming out.  It is very festive.  I always liked it. Since I have had kids, I have looked to buy something similar.  This year I found a tree, a bit larger than I had in mind, at Micheaes.  It is black with purple LED lights.  It can be used outside or inside. I was excited because I got it for 50% off -- which is always nice.  The best part is how I decorated it. I took a picture from kids' past Halloweens, at this point that isn't a lot of pictures, and glued each picture on some felt.  Leaving enough felt along the edges to write in marker the year the picture was taken and put a hole punch on the top.  Through the hole, I put ribbon -- cute Halloween ornaments right?  I even put a few pictures up of my husband and I from Hallos past.  The tree turned out cute, and I look forward to watching the ornament collection grow throughout the years.  I have to say that the kids love stopping and looking at themselves and showing guests when they arrive.

Happy Halloween 2012.

Candy Airplanes Big Hit as Treat for Goody Bag

These candy airplane were a big success as a treat in my son's Valentine's Day gift bags.  But they could be used for treat bags for any occasion.  I originally got the idea from Disney's Family Fun magazine; someone put it on pinterest. The original plane's wings were made from a stick of gum, and the wheels were hard Lifesavers.  I modified it to be a bit more 3 year old friendly.  I don't know about your little ones, but my little ones don't chew gum yet. So with a few changes it is now ready for a tots goody bag.

Items needed to assemble plane:

Small Hersey chocolate bars (instead of gum)
Gummy Lifesavers (instead of hard mint Lifesavers)
Smarties
Small rubber bands   

Step One:

Place rubber band between two gummy Lifesavers and keep your fingers in the rubber bands during the next steps. It makes it easier to put the plane together.

Step Two:

Fit the Smartie between the two Lifesavers "wheels."

 Step Three:

Then loop one side of the rubber band over the Hersey bar (keep your one finger/thumb in the other side of the rubber band so to hold it in place). Then loop the other side around the chocolate bar.

This is what it looks like from the underneath side of the plane.



They are easy to make with the kids, and they are a big hit when the goody bags are opened.  The best part is it is not another throw away item tossed into the goody bag. The kids actually eat them.