Homemade Halloween Costumes

I'm not much of a sewer and we don't really get into Halloween, but here are some ideas (via Parenting.com's weekly newsletter).

Thought I'd do a quick search to find some more costumes.
I was hoping for a little inspiration, however, the search "Homemade Halloween Costumes" yields a really high proportion of rubbish websites, rubbish ideas and rubbish costume efforts.

Here's the "best" of what I found... before I lost hope!

This website boasts "over 118" costume ideas... 1Halloween.net

ehow.com have a huge list of ideas and instructions. The only drawback is you'll have to use your imagination because there are no pictures on the site.

The Disney Family Fun website has some cute ideas. Including the witty Black Eyed Peas costume (right). That's a seriously last minute, Mummy only has some eyeliner in her handbag for a prop kind of last minute. I should stop mocking and remember this idea as it may well come in handy!


And if you're really creative and just looking for ideas, why not search Flickr (the online photo sharing site) for inspiration?

Good Luck!

xo S

The ultimate cubby house?

I didn't have a cubby house growing up... probably because we moved around so much. 

Or possibly because I have always had a short attention span so best my parents didn't buy something I'd play with for five minutes.  I guess it's a good thing then that we weren't (and aren't) uber-rich and able to buy the $52,000 pirate ship cubby from Posh Tots (left).

I had seen this a long time ago, and remember looking longingly at some of the other beautiful, yet sublimely ridiculous cubby houses on the site. The Babble blog reminded me today.

And oh, aren't there some amazing things on Posh Tots? 

The playhouses range in price from $2449 to the $52,000 Pirate Ship.  Of course there's also an option to buy a $122,730 outdoor kids play gym/ centre (right). Not for me thanks! If Little O wants to play on that kind of equipment I'll take her to the park!

The other expensive but rather cool looking cubby house is the Crooked House (yes as seen on John and Kate Plus 8).   They start at $1449.00 from the Crooked House website - and are available through other retailers, as listed on the site.  You can even have one customised.  

Poor little O may never have a cubby house, as her Dad and I aren't really live in the suburbs with a big yard kind of people. We're more like live in Sydney with a courtyard kind of people.

She does have this Haba Room tent (left)... which I got from Moolka.com.  It wasn't super cheap at $206, but it sure is cheaper than the options above!

It's beautifully made and she and the little friends who visit love to sit in it, play in it, lie in it, read in it... I see many years of use for the indoor always available never full of dirt or bugs option we've chosen.

There is a smaller play tent which is pretty darn cute too.  Oh, and they make a boys version...

Land of Nod have a cheaper option again - along the same lines as the Haba Tent. At just $99 it's a bargain! Though I will note it's an extra $49 for the pillow at the bottom of the tent...

There are loads of other options available these were just a few of my favourites!

Happy playing
xo S

Mute button.

Oh-so-true!

via babble: This funny pacifier clip says out loud what you are thinking in your head. This would make an amusing little gift for the parents-to-be who have no idea what they just signed up for. Get it right here for $10.

Why don't we call them that anyway?

xo Sam

Planes, Trains & Automobiles... Stuff for Boys!

Mamista recently featured My First Autobahn from Donkey Products (available through Sleek Identity). It's tape that you can put where ever you like to create a roadway... Then you can rip it up to start all over or return your living room to something resembling an adult space once the kids have gone to bed.

People are forever saying that boys clothes aren't as cute/fun to shop for or something along those lines... I think that's where shopping for boys toys becomes so much fun! Like the My First Autobahn there are some seriously cool toys and stuff for boys - and girls - when it comes to transportation toys.

Here is some of what I've found that I just love.

Brio. My First Railway as I previously wrote about.  There's also the my first battery operated railway - left. Oh, and let's not leave out the seriously cool Brio cars - right.

Melissa & Doug have an awesome railway set. Oh and there is the obvious Thomas the Tank Engine sets too.  I'm pretty sure that the Thomas the Tank Engine pieces fit onto the Melissa & Doug Wooden Railway too. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

There is also a very cool few items from Munipals that look like the New York Subway, MTA and Chicago trains. You can get them while in either city (we have the Chicago train as Little O was crazy for the trains) or you can buy online from Amazon.  The Munipals are compatible with other wooden railways. 

Then there's playsam...  Just take a look at the range on the Kids Scandinavian shop . Cool. Moolka.com also stock the cool brand.  The cars and yoyo's would have to be my favourite from the ultra sleek and shiny line.

For little boys there's the Viking Toys Chubbies... the ones with the uber cool white wheels that don't mark surfaces.  Amazon or Kids Scandinavian Shop.  I'd also like to mention that these cute classics are fairly inexpensive... the bucket pictured left has 15 pieces and is just $16 on Amazon.


Obviously there's Lego. Enough said? Lego for all ages, and Lego for all likes - from Star Wars to Toy Story it's all there. Lego.com or Amazon. There's also Lego games...

Remote controlled cars are also a great idea... you can find everything from a Ferarri to RC the car in Toy Story.


Finally I think I'll add the time honored Hobby Horse. Doesn't get much cooler than that!  Well, I know at least Miss O, Little L and friends would probably love to prance around on these!

You'll find that many online toy stores allow you to separate their catalogs buy age, gender and interest. Which is helpful when searching for a gift...

I could probably search forever and find more stuff for boys! 

Happy Shopping!

xo S

Images from: mamista, tesora.com.au, kids-scandinavian-shop.com, amazon

When I was little...

... the only way my Mum could get me to eat an apple was if I could put my thumb through the middle. So she (and my Grandmother if I recall correctly) would lovingly core every apple I ate.

I found an apple corer for my little munchkin this week and it's fantastic. It is far easier than the one mum had all those years ago. It even splits open so you can get the core out of the contraption easily.

I found it at a local store - Home Rule on 14th Street here in Washington for just $9.99.  You could buy online from Home Rule, or Amazon have it too for $15.21

Now... to see if Little O will eat her apples with a hole in them?

J Crew Sale & Wiggles

J Crew has 20% off Sweaters today only...

AND!

The Wiggles  are coming for one show only at the Patriot Center in Fairfax on Sunday, November 7th at 2pm. Tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster on September 24th at 10am.

BIG... by Fiona Scanlan

Super excited that Aussie label BIG by Fiona Scanlan made it into Stroller Traffic's "That's Classic" email today.

The article lists a few must have pieces from super kid's stylist - Sarah Clary and includes the double breasted pea coat from the Aussie label. You can get yours for (onsale $104) from Little Styles.

While you're there check out some of the other adorable items and labels that Little Styles stock - my favourites are Bonds, Aden and Anais, Alimrose, Baby Bloch, SoSooki... and the list goes on!

Gosh I love the Little Styles Store (note this is an unpaid gush!)
We've even ordered a thing or two off the site and have been really happy with the items and the service!

Happy Shopping!

xo S

Culinary Brilliance... Cookbook/Restaurant Review

At my house there are moments of culinary brilliance, usually followed the next evening with a fairly average curry. While on our holiday in the UK we found 'Ottolenghi' possibly the greatest cafe ever. Big call I know, but with it's crisp white interiors and designer chairs - complete with designer high chairs its exactly what we've been craving and exactly what America is missing - a great cafe. And that was before we tasted the food.

The food was fresh and delicious and I've never had french toast that tasted so good. Oh, and the coffee! It had been 2 years since our last flat white and it was delightful.

The place was so good we ate there twice - in under a week.  Oh, how I wish we could go back for breakfast... maybe tomorrow?

More excitingly they have a cookbook which we purchased and read as though it is the holy grail of cookbooks. You can - and should - get one from www.amazon.com

Happy Cooking!

xo S

Images from: Amazon.com and www.ottolenghi.co.uk

Today's DC Groupon...

It's today only - so hurry!

Go to the groupon site to buy and read the fine print.

Happy Printing
xo Sam

Image from Groupon.com

White House Fuit & Oat Bars!

Daily babble sent this great recipe today - looks YUM!
** Via Babble **

White House Fruit and Oat Bars
Adapted from Bill Yosses, White House pastry chef, via the New York Times, May 11, 2010

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, flax and sesame
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup honey 
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• Pinch salt 
• 1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, cherries, apricots, blueberries, pears, figs and cranberries (use a few kinds, and chop them up if they’re big) 
• a shake of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9×9″ baking pan with parchment paper or foil, letting a few inches hang over side of pan. Spray with nonstick spray.

Spread oats and seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven just until golden and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes, shaking pan once.

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey, maple syrup and salt over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until smooth and starting to bubble. Transfer the toasted oats and seeds to a mixing bowl. add the dried fruit and cinnamon and pour the hot sugar mixture overtop. Stir well with a heat-proof spatula, then spread into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Using the overhanging foil or paper, lift out of pan and place on a cutting board; cut into squares or bars.

Makes about 2 dozen bars.

Check out the Family kitchen section of the babble blog for more great - healthy - ideas!

Happy Baking! 

xo S

Recipe and images from Babble

Um really?

Ok so I often find very random products and have a giggle... but this website is full of giggles.

I am a little bit sad that we wont be in the US for the husbands next birthday becaause I always imagined that he's make a great Ukulele player - and now he could learn how with the "Learn to play the ukulele kit" - $149.95 and includes the Ukulele.

Maybe the roll up drum kit would be better? There's also a learn to play the Banjo Kit, as well as a Marble Glockenspiel and a Maui Pocket Xaphoon to name but a few of the items in the music section.

Who knows you might be the next best Banjo player!

Visit the quirky store for a HUGE range of useful and interesting items...

Happy Shopping

xo S
Images from Hammacher Schlemmer

Mummy Bargains...

So in the US it's not really on sale unless the discount is great than 50%... any less than that and you can probably do better!

I thought I'd put together a bit of a bargain list... so there's Bargains for Mommys all over the place, more often than not these sites sell babies and kids things, however there are coupon crazy bloggers out there too...

Remember this list is just a few that I've found... add your favorites in the comments if you like!
...Here goes!

The Daily Deal Stores

Babysteals.com and Kidsteals.com (and even www.scrapbooksteals.com if you like to scrapbook) all have a deal-a-day... beware popular items sell out fast!

Mamabargains.com - how does it work? Well the short story for this one is that it is or can be more than one deal per day day, at between 40% and 80% off retail,. The catch?! There are no specific sale start/end times, or any clues as to what is coming up...  Essentially if you're there and you want that item then lucky you! Right now they have diaper bags... but by the time you read this who knows?!  They advertise the "new" sales on their Facebook Fan page as well as the website...


The Mommy Bargain Blogs...
These Mommy's spend their time showing us where the deals are... Thrifty North West Mom, Original Steals and Deals - and these I pulled from the Top Mommy Blogs Site: Deal Wise Mommy, Crazy Coupon Mommy, Savvy Coupon Clippers, Gimme Freebies and there's a ton more...


The "invite only" stores... 
These all work in much the same way - they have multiple sales running over multiple days but a relatively limited stock of each item. You have to be referred or 'invited' by someone, or request an invitation from the store. It's not exclusive, just an extra step in my opinion! On the upside, like diapers.com when you refer someone you get a store credit if someone you refer buys something.  
Here are some of the ones I know about and look at from time to time, as well as invitation links for those that allow invites that way (others you have to enter an email address to send the invite - which I can do if you want me to just email me at weeklyolive@gmail.com) ...

bTrendie... right now they have Carseats and strollers... lots of them.

Totsy.com... right now they have rebelle bags, and bposh clothing with FourPeas, Sage Creek, The Deglingos, Our Childrens Gorilla, Funkoos and Zoobie products coming up (to name just a few). 

Zulily.com... right now they have Kidkraft (last day), Mini Muffin, Oomfy, Pedoodles

The Mini Social... right now they have nursery works bedding and furniture, frenchy baby organics clothes as well as a few other sales...
 
Happy Shopping - and remember, its not really a bargain unless you NEED and or WILL USE IT!!

xo S
Images/logos from The Mini Social, Zulily, Totsy, bTrendie, TopMommyBlogs, MamaBargains, BabySteals

Free photo canvas!

I was looking around for a good fathers day present and I found this deal -$55 off any size canvas, or a free 8x10 canvas. You will have to pay shipping...

I think it might be a good gift!

Happy printing!

xo S

ps. image from canvaspeople.com

Lego Watch

This is a post especially for my friends D & C...

It came via a Babble post and I think they, or rather D will love it.

From the Watchismo site:
"JCDC POP HOURS LEGO DIGITAL

Fashion designer JC de Castelbajac, the self-styled King of Cartoon, was inspired by his childhood love of Lego to create the JC/DC Pop Hours watch. Each link in the chunky strap looks like a brick from that classic toy. It has cool invisible buttons that are touch-sensitive and the oversized LED display can be set to scroll the date, time and a message... and it comes in a fantastic box like a Rubik’s cube..."

It can be yours too for $143 plus shipping! 

Happy Shopping Lego lovers! 

xo S

Images from Watchismo.com

Rail Sets...

I was looking around for a gift for my three year old nephew and came across these Brio train sets.  This one is the Brio my first railway -

 Amazon sells it for $59.99

And... It's fully compatible with other neat Brio bits...  Like the Classic Engine ($5.95), Red Engine ($6.99), BRIO Mighty Red Locomotive ($36.99) Car transporter ($17.99), Zebra Wagon ($15.99)... the list goes on!  Check out Amazon.com for more

Too cool - I wonder if Little O will get into trains?


Some stockists for the Aussies -
Yogee Toys, Toot Toot Toys, Always on sale (currently has one set), Toy Barn, Entropy I'm sure there are some others - Let me know in the comments field if you've found some others...


Happy Shopping
xo S

PS. All images from Amazon.com

Guest writers...

I've had a marvelous idea that others could contribute to this little blog too.

If you'd like to write about something you've found, you love or you just have to share email me at weeklyolive-at-gmail.com

Just write as much or as little as you like, email it and I'll post it on the site.

This could be exciting!

xo S

image from simplyzesty.com

Play on design

A lover of modern design I had to share this slideshow from glo.
Full of cool designer toys for kids ranging from these Eames blocks ($175 from House Industries). Granted, these sit a little outside of the magic number I'd be prepared to play for blocks but they are beautiful and educational, no?



Then there is this stunning dolls house by Brinca Dada... graded for kids aged 13+ the Emerson house is described as "...perfect home for the modern family." I wish!

This large open plan dolls house has has a living room, kitchen, library/office, master bedroom, bathroom and child's bedroom.

Oh, and the dolls house with floor-to-ceiling windows and extras "including mitered-glass corners, two fireplaces, sliding glass doors, solar panels, and recessed LED lights. Finally, the house is easy on the environment with only non-toxic and lead-free wood stains and paints."

Um, does it come with a view of Sydney Harbour? Please?

Also included are the Muji "City in a Bag" blocks. Which we have, and love. Little O is too small to play with them just yet but our New York, Paris and London cities look gorgeous on her bookshelf.

I originally saw them in an LMNOP magazine - where they featured the "World in a bag"pictured left.

At just $14 a bag they're more than accessible.

Finally, I love the "Chalk it to me" piggy bank (right). $60 from Ladies and Gentlemen

Cool slideshow I thought.

Happy shopping!
xo S

PS. Images from - Glo Play on Design, House Industries, Muji, LMNOP, and Brinca Dada