So this year we had FIVE homemade costumes… I don’t think we have ever had so many to make! Ken and I each had some part in an aspect of each costume. Be it crochet or sewing. I think they turned out rather well and all were done the day BEFORE Halloween!!!

We did a costume try on on Friday in the backyard with out amazing leaves. I was so pleased to see that everything fit well and that the kids were all happy with their costumes.

We have a tiny witch…

Rapunzel…

A triceratops…

An ice wizard…

And a fire wizard…

Ken even made the staffs from the limbs of trees Baba cut down last month.

The hats were all made from the witch’s pattern on crochetspot.com. I have a toddler version up for sale on my Etsy store if anyone is interested HERE.

I used another crochetspot.com pattern for Trinity’s flowers. We sewed those to a fabric headband and then tied ribbons to the back which were braided into her hair.

Ken was 100% in charge of the cloaks! Didn’t he do a great job?

For our resident dinosaur I found a great pattern for a Triceratops hat thanks to Ida Rott HERE. And then Ken made the tail and the gloves with claws. (his overalls outfit thing and Trinity’s dress were lucky Goodwill finds as was Echo’s broom)

I, myself even gave dressing up a go and went as a gamer girl… Ken had to have a photograph… the shirt said Do Not Disturb I am Playing Video Games… I think he just wanted a visual record of the fact I was actually wearing jeans and socks. Men.

We did our yearly traditional trick or treat with the Novaks and then hang out after. This year we came early and had pizza. The kids had a blast and we came home with WAY TOO MUCH candy!

Jacob and Echo

We did not do a full on Halloween unit this year… what with the printer being mean and refusing to allow the ink to last (we think there may be a leak… devastating for a homeschool family…) and the busy busy life we have had I simply did not have the time. However, we did do some great print outs from Activity Village HERE, and read some amazing books… oh and watched a couple films! So I will share that info below!

Free hot chocolate!

Movies:

• The Nightmare Before Christmas
• The Haunted History of Halloween (The History Channel) I have also included a link that has information all about Halloween thanks to the History Channel HERE

Books:

• Halloween by Natalie M. Rosinsky HERE
• Halloween by Mari C. Schuh HERE
• Halloween and the Day of the Dead Traditions Around the World by Joan Axelrod-Contrada HERE
• The Story of Halloween by Carol Greene HERE
• John Pig’s Halloween by Jan L. Waldron HERE
• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson HERE
• Trick or Treat, It’s Halloween by Linda Lowery and Richard Keep HERE
• H is for Haunted House by Tanya Lee Stone HERE
• Skeleton Shake by Liz Conrad HERE
• Halloween Is… by Gail Gibbons HERE

Gavin chose to do a quick fact list on Mummies so he used to following two books for that:

• Ancient Egyptian People by Sarah McNeill HERE
• Mummies & Their Mysteries by Charlotte Wilcox HERE

Echo and Zombie Alex

Kids with their Halloween treats from Gammie and their popsicle stick and yarn spider webs

Pizza!

A little slow on the post but with Renee’s support (and ride to drop the items off) Emanuel and I entered our very first County Fair (well American one, I remember entering a fair way back in 4H as a child…). The Anoka County Fair. Very exciting. I entered 7 pieces and Emanuel one. There was no fee for entry (just if you wanted to come and see your entries while the fair was going on… we didn’t) and small cash prizes for placing. 

We didn’t expect much and were over the moon when Renee reported back that it looked like we had received some ribbons! In fact, what we thought was a participation ribbon for Emanuel’s was in reality THIRD PLACE !!! He did a unique creation… a Lego version of the Minecraft zombie villager. So very proud!!!

Yours truly entered (as I mentioned) 7 items, out of the 7 SIX placed either first or second in their categories! The only piece that didn’t place was my baby hat with beard and I threw that one in more because it was in my store and on hand than anything else! 

Now for the pieces that DID place! I have to give design credit for TWO of my first place ribbons – Rapunzel and the zebra were both designed by Kristen’s Kords. I love her designs and have had the great privilege to test many of her pieces. You HAVE TO check out her Etsy store… she also sells the amigurumi she makes herself there HERE.

My other two first place items are both up for sale CURRENTLY in my Etsy store! I was rather surprised that my baby sweater DID get such a high ranking, it is a relatively simple pattern. Ken says it was the adorable buttons… and the comments on the back of the card DID state that they WERE adorable! (Of course HE chose the buttons) The other is my lamb bag that I made a few months back as part of my stash buster attempt (successful I might add). I have multiple bags up for sale with differing flower colours. It was fun to make and I actually really love the final look! You can find the items for sale HERE and HERE. 

And now for my two second place pieces! First off my Blue, White and Red Granny Square. This was a bit of a surprise to me, a very simple single granny with colour changes. Though there was a suggestion to switch to a smaller hook size midway to keep the square shape more square that I need to research further (I actually like the pulled look. It looks almost 3D when stretched out). The other was a surprise to me as well – my dragon scarf… I have one up for sale in my store as well HERE and have made multiple versions of this. This particular scarf was Ken’s Christmas present last year! With how many scarves entered coming in second was certainly a bit of a surprise! Anyway those are my placers… next year I plan to enter more things!! Just… gotta think of them first…

Hot on the heels of Fairy Tale Flirts is the sequel by Lisa Scott – Fairy Tale Flirts 2. 5 fun, contemporary romance short stories all based on aspects of different traditional fairy tales. This series uses Hansel and Gretal, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid and Rumplestiltskin as the beginning point of these sweet bites sized romances all based at the Neverland Island midway. A second common theme is the mention of an obscure figure known as the Woodsman who has terrorized multiple characters at the midway who all came from the adorably named Goose Valley.

A midway is the perfect location for interesting and varied romances and comedic interludes… be it the sexy chocolate shop (adults only), the mermaid water show or the girl with the longest hair viewing. Everyone seems to be in need of a little romance and has personal mysteries to clear up. All of these short stories could be read alone but read best in order (and honestly soon after reading the first installment).

My favourite of the 5 stories has to be the Rapunzel story. A girl so in need of love and freedom finds her prince. What more can we ask for? The reasoning behind her being captive and her history was rather creative and I loved her knight in shining armour.

Once again there is a series of stories all connected by a common thread. There is romance, humour and a touch of fairy tale glamour to enjoy. I have reviewed and would suggest many of Lisa Scott’s books… you can find my reviews if you look for Lisa Scott book review in my search engine to the right. I truly enjoyed Fairy Tale Flirts 2. Again bite sized romance you can take in parts or a whole. Perfect!