found: free printables

optical illusion lunch box notes

 Hello Friend Tags

after school snack label

Monster Pencil Toppers

mom rant: auditions and letting go

My daughter loves to dance. And act. She's good. I know every mother says that about her kid but I'm a pretty honest mom. When my girls don't excel at something I tell them. Maybe not so hastily but I gently lead them in a another direction.  She recently tried out for the lead acting role for a Christmas recital at her dance school. You could try out for four characters but she wanted ONE part - the LEAD. Well, she didn't get it but was offered a smaller, still important roll. She wouldn't take it- she just wanted the lead. Of course I was enraged because I felt with all my heart that she needed to be a good sport and accept it. I wanted to convince (make) her just take it. I wanted to give her a speech along the lines of "There are no small roles, only small actors".  I wanted to dial up her dance teacher and have her talk her into taking the role - but I didn't. Even though it looked bad on her part to dismiss the role I needed to let her make her own (wrong) decision.

Let's face it. We as parents have been around longer than our kids and we have had an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Isn't it our job to then pass this knowledge along so our kids can avoid these pitfalls? I'm thinking if it's not going to harm them in an awful way we need to let them make decisions we know they will regret. But that's the key word. Regret. It's so important for kids to feel that emotion and to not make the same mistake twice.

Fast forward to 3 weeks later. She auditioned for another lead role and didn't get it. She again was offered a smaller role and guess what? She took it!

local love: splendid fishbones

I know your thinking how cool that feather headband is from our October feature (below), right? Well, it's handmade by Rachel, Shayla and Jane - a collaborative project of Denton based moms called Splendid Fishbones. There's a void of well designed, good quality dress-ups crafted in good taste that doesn't have the latest Disney character adorned on it. I love the gold painted on leather and dainty vintage jewels and feather details. Check out their newly opened Etsy shop.

Splendid Fishbones

it goes on the menu: slow-cooker meat ragu with pasta

My go to Sunday meal when the fall weather approaches is meat in the slow cooker over pasta with Parmesan cheese. It's an easy meal to deconstruct for the little's and is perfect when paired with a salad. Here's the recipe:

slow-cooker meat ragu

4 lbs of pork shoulder, boneless short ribs or beef chuck roast (any of these are great!)

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

red wine (to cook with and sip while in the kitchen)

1 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes

oregano

salt and pepper 

Brown the meat on all sides in a pan and then place in the slow cooker. Saute the onions and carrots in the same pan adding a little olive oil. Cook those for a few minutes then add a splash or two of red wine. When that cooks down a bit add the tomatoes breaking them up. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Pour all this in the slow cooker over the meat and set on high for about 6 hours. Take out the meat and shred it, then add it back in the slow cooker.
Serve over any pasta.

ideas: halloween costumes

I spent the weekend in and out of stores running errands and was completely inundated by Halloween stuff. So the pressure is on. What are your kids going to be for Halloween? Are you dressing up? Here are a few good costumes I found online:

P.S. those are my kiddos in the pic above. And yes, my 9 year old is dressing up like a hot dog.

Snail Costume via Oh Happy Day

Modern Rocket via 100 Layer Cakelet

Super Hero's via Small Magazine

Pirate Dress Up by Wovenplay

found: Little Low Studio, Austin Texas

I'm a sucker for stationary. The other day in Paper Source I seriously debated between two wedding cards for over 20 minutes...then moved on the the felt tip pens...another 10 minutes...until the hubby left me in the store. I have a craft closet full of thank you cards, colorful paper and envelopes. I'll have to add these cards by Little Low Studio to my collection.

styled for moms: waiting for cool weather...

As October rolls around we are dying for cool weather. Not so much for the break from the heat but an excuse to wear black leather pants, chunky cable knit sweaters and coats. Here's some sartorial inspiration for you found on Pinterest as you patiently wait for this crisp Autumn days...

  

Photo credits and links:
1. Madewell
2. WWD
3. Collage Vintage
4. Metro Mode
5. Style is Eternal

Follow our Styled for Moms board on Pinterest.

crafty: felt bird wings

 

For our October issues we made felt accessories for each cover. Here's a tutorial for the bird wings photographed for our Dallas edition that would be perfect for a Halloween costume. You could do blue feathers and pair it with a blue bodysuit and be a Bluebird! Or black and be a Blackbird! It's a great project to do with kids. Here is a step by step guide:

 Supplies: 

felt

stitch witchery 

1/2 yard fabric (I used a soft corduroy so it's a bit more sturdier than cotton fabric)

3 yards ribbon

pins

scissors

iron

paper bag

1. Make a pattern by drawing the wing shape pictured on a paper bag. You can do any size - measure whoever you are making them for.
2. Fold fabric in half and place the pattern. Cut around making sure you have two separate wing pieces.
3. Draw a 3 inch shape pictured above on the paper bag and cut out. This will be your feather pattern.
4. Place on a few layers felt and trace around.
5. Make sure placement is close. Then cut out.
6. Cut 2 inch pieces of your stitch witchery and place along the edge of your bird wing fabric.
7. Overlap and alternate your colored feathers about 1/4 inch and place the top edge to the stitch witchery. Then place fabric over before you press with a hot iron.
8. Continue with the 2 inch pieces of stitch witchery all the way up the wing.
9. When complete place both wings side by side.
10. Cut a piece of stitch witchery on the tops of the wings. Pin your ribbon over that to your desired length.
11. Leave space for it to be around the neck. Then iron the ribbon on.

tuesday inspiration: Segundas Pieles by Miguel Vallinas

Segundas Pieles (second skins) by Miguel Vallinas