Wardrobe Cycle

A Three Part Story

Part 1: Deep clean

We have one (ONE!) very small, very narrow closet in our new house. While I love our house, space is hard to come by. All coats, clothing, shoes, linens, bath towels, pool towels need to be able to fit, so out with the clothing I haven't worn in a year, two years, five years.... Out with items that don't fit. Out with the city girl wardrobe. I'm talking 40% of my clothes and accessories.  I was ruthless. Afterward, I took a large box over to a thrift store, made a pretty penny, and was on my way. No store credit, thank you. Cash only, please. All proceeds donated to making LBD's room look less like a dungeon and more like a little girl's room.

Part 2: Fall cycle

Then there was this one day.... The air was fall, the trees were fall, my tea was fall, everyone I passed on the street was fall. Every corner turned was fall, fall, fall. So, I did a thing that only fall can do to me, I stopped inside the same place I sold my box of gently used items to a little over a month ago (Part 1). I slowly perused the wool skirts, admired patterned sweaters, and rustled my way through jewel tone scarves. Ahhh, fall clothes. They remind me of the days long ago when I would go to the department store with my mom for back to school clothes. I loved the anticipation of going back to school. The smell of cedar pencil shavings, the chalk dust, the swish of new corduroy pants walking to school on the first day.

Those memories are great and all, but with a husband in school full-time and a one year-old there's absolutely no room for a fashion budget. But the beauty of buying vintage or thrift is selling for trade or store credit.

So, this is what I did.

Once the baby went down for her afternoon nap, I went through the items I was on the fence about with the previous massive closet clean.

This is what I took in for trade...

One MOMA-esque black and white skirt...

One canary yellow jacket with glittery buttons...

And two barely worn light-weight scarves.

Out of those four items I took in, this is what I got for trade along with a couple bucks for coffee and a scone...

Part 3: Old and New....ish

I also recently attended a clothing swap party with the leftover goods that didn't sell from earlier and a few additional items that were weeded. Before I showed up, I had every intention of going strictly for the company and not taking anything home, but I caved and ended up with a few items I've been making great use of.

No matter how hard I attempt to stay away, I will always be draw to fashion. One of my guilty pleasures is following a small handful of fashion blogs and while I admire their ability to always seize the latest trend, I feel a bit removed from it. Long gone are the days with a disposable income. I've learned the value of need verses want. Not spending, not obtaining more than needed. Utilizing what I have and not taking in more than needed.

New is nice, but old is way more fun.

Skirt: trade (above), All other clothing and accessories: 4+ years old

70's Plaid Shirt: trade (above), Sweater: 7+ years old, Vintage Levi Jeans: swap, Boots: swap

I'm much more comfortable behind a camera than in front of one, but every once in awhile (when I actually let him take my picture) my husband seems to capture a gem of a shot.

Halloween Storytime

Happy Halloween! Have you dipped into the candy stash yet? I have. No shame.

Here's what we sang, read, and made for yesterday's storytime...

The Halloween Storytime Line-Up:

Happy Halloween Song

(To the tune: "Mary Had A Little Lamb", Adapted from Perpetual Preschool)

Here we come to trick or treat, trick or treat, trick or treat.

Here we come to trick or treat, knocking on your door.

Please give us some candy sweet, candy sweet, candy sweet.

Please give us some candy sweet, and we will say Thank You!

We wish you a Happy Halloween, Happy Halloween, Happy Halloween!

We wish you a Happy Halloween! Now we will scare you......BOO!

Little Goblins Ten by Pamela Jane, Illustrated by Jane Manning (New book!)

Brown Owl, Brown Owl, What do you see?

(Story adapted from: Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do you See? by Bill Martin Jr.)

Brown Owl Brown Owl, What do you see?

I see a White Ghost looking at me.

White Ghost, White Ghost, What do you see?

I see a Purple Bat looking at me.

Purple Bat, Purple Bat, What do you see?

I see a Green Witch looking at me.

Green Witch, Green Witch What do you see?

I see a Black Cat looking at me.

Black Cat, Black Cat, What do you see?

I see a Orange Pumpkin looking at me.

Orange Pumpkin, Orange Pumpkin what do you see?

I see a Jack O' Lantern looking at me.

(I made these festive characters to go along with the rhyme...)

Halloween Night by Elizabeth Hatch, Illustrated by Jimmy Pickering

"Halloween Leftovers" poem from Holiday Stew by Jenny Whitehead

You’ve sifted and sorted,

You’ve gobbled and hoarded,

The best of your Halloween treats.

What’s left, I’m afraid,

You can’t even trade

With your sister who likes to eat beets.

But throw it away?

It’s still candy—no way!

So what do you do with the stash?

Toss it in a pan,

With corn from a can,

And make leftover Halloween Hash!

Or use candy-corn mix,

And make pot pie for six

In a crust of old 3 Musketeers.

No need to explain,

Your mom can’t complain—

She does it with turkey each year!

Winnie The Witch by Valerie Thomas, Illustrated by Korky Paul

This was one of my favorite picture books when I was a little girl. I thought it was out of print, but it looks like it was re-issued with a different cover recently. You can visit Winnie's cyber home here.

One Spooky Night: A Halloween Adventure by Kate Stone (New book!)

This was the perfect book leading into the craft for the day. You can take a peak at the cut-art illustrations here.

The Craft:

When I first saw these not-so-spooky-pop-up-houses craft on Let's Play, I knew it would be great for Sunday's storytime.... and it was. The kids loved it. And I have to admit, I enjoyed it making them.

Pre-storytime, I pre-cut and outlined the houses out of using old file folders. It's always a gamble what age groups I'm going to have, so I try and make it as simple as possible for the toddlers.

I also pre-cut little black roofs for the older kids to clue on the top of their houses. Last week, I had quite a few of older kids, so I planned on having water colors along with crayons and stickers, but there was only one or two this time so opted out of the watercolors. The full instructions can be found here.

Have a safe, sugar-filled day!

Image Sources: vintage postcard, Little Goblins Ten, Halloween Night, Winnie the Witch, One Spooky Night: A Halloween Adventure

Orange is a Warm Color

This October, the warm days have far outweighed the cold. My mom was in town last weekend, so we all went out to enjoy the sunshine at the pumpkin patch. Even though I've been preparing LBD's Halloween costume, as well as Halloween storytime at the library on Sunday, I keep forgetting that Halloween is right around the corner. On Monday? And then it's November?

Do you have any exciting plans for this weekend? Carving pumpkins? Gorging yourself on treats? Reading any good books?

Tonight, I'm looking forward to attending a friend's gallery opening and then tomorrow will be the first Saturday in a very long time that we have absolutely nothing planned. I see at least one nap in the very near future...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cluck, Cluck, Who's There?

Our chicken friend has made a few return appearances since the first encounter. She also has the three of us wishing for one (...or two, or three) chickens of our very own. But since we're renting our house, having chickens is not in the immediate future. Regardless, Will and I have already been doing our research and these titles have us on our second round of renewals at the library-- thought I'd share:

Homemade Living: Keeping Chickens With Ashley English: All You Need To Know to Care for a Happy, Healthy Flock by Ashley English is inspiring. We're already set on what coop we'd like to build, plans provided in the pages. I first became acquainted with this author through her blog, Small Measure, which coincidentally did a recent giveaway of the next title I'm with in love with...

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life by Julia Rothman (who also has a blog home at Book By It's Cover) makes me want to go buy property in the outskirts of Lawrence and start a farm. Tomorrow. Get up and leave city life all together. An expansive garden... no... a crop! And chickens, and cows, and bees, and freshly laundered sheets blowing in the wind, and open rolling hills, and bright starry nights.

But I enjoy being able to walk into town every day. Going to the park, the library, being around people.  Living on a farm doesn't make these places off limits, but they aren't as accessible as they are where we live today. The country farm picture is pretty one, and within reach, but would I be able to forgo my city life comforts?

We're going to start small. Beginning with chickens.

Pumpkin Storytime

Yesterday's pumpkin-themed storytime turned out a good crowd! My mom was in town this weekend, so she was able to attend too. The picture above is one of the many documenting a trip to Schaake's Pumpkin Patch that also occurred over the weekend during her visit. These mini pumpkins were my craft inspiration, which ended up being the main attraction.

Pumpkin Storytime Line-Up:

Five Little Pumpkins Song

One little pumpkin smiling, smiling.
One little pumpkin smiling, smiling.
One little pumpkin smiling, smiling.
One little pumpkin is happy.

Two little pumpkins pouting, pouting.
Two little pumpkins pouting, pouting.
Two little pumpkins pouting, pouting.
Two little pumpkins are grumpy.

Three little pumpkins yawning, yawning.
Three little pumpkins yawning, yawning.
Three little pumpkins yawning, yawning.
Three little pumpkins are sleepy.

Four little pumpkins crying, crying.
Four little pumpkins crying, crying.
Four little pumpkins crying, crying.
Four little pumpkins are sad.

Five little pumpkins laughing, laughing.
Five little pumpkins laughing, laughing.
Five little pumpkins laughing, laughing.
Five little pumpkins are playing.

(Song adapted from Super Simple Songs)

Pumpkin Cat by Anne Mortimer (New book!)

Pumpkin Trouble by Jan Thomas (Another new book!)

"Jack-o-Lantern" Poem from Hand Rhymes by Marc Brown

I am a pumpkin, big and round. (Make a circle with arms over your head)

Once upon a time, I grew on the ground. (Point to the ground)

Now I have a mouth, two eyes, and a nose. (Point to mouth, eyes, and nose)

What are they for, do you suppose? (Curiously scratch head)

With a candle inside, shining bright. (Hold pointer finger out like a candle)

I’ll be a jack-o’-lantern on Halloween night. (Wave hands excitedly.. "jazz hands"!)

Pumpkin Heads! by Wendell Minor

Mystery Vine: A Pumpkin Surprise by Cathryn Falwell (While reading I used a "mystery vine" prop which "grew" as I read the story. A few co-workers created the vine prop a couple years ago using this guide.

The Craft:

Originally, I was going to do this great paper pumpkin mask craft suggested by a co-worker. It was all prepped and ready to go, but on Friday we went to the pumpkin patch (more on that later) and found a great assortment of mini pumpkins, so I went ahead and splurged on them for storytime.

Using this sequin pumpkin idea from The Swell Life, the kids had a blast gluing sequins on their mini pumpkins. And for the younger kiddoes, I bought sparkly Halloween stickers for easier (and less messy) decorating.

I made this one today with the few left over stickers, so you could see an example. I wish I had pictures of the kid's decorated pumpkins. They did such a phenomenal job.

Image Sources: Pumpkin Cat, Pumpkin Trouble, Pumpkin Heads, Mystery Vine

Falling Leaves Storytime

"Falling Leaves" was the theme for Sunday's Storytime. I believe I've mentioned before that this is my favorite time of the year, so I will do every fall-time theme imaginable before the kids start to tire of it. "Squirrels", "Apple Pie", "Falling Leaves", and this coming Sunday I'm 98% certain I'll be reading about "Pumpkins". Mmmm... I think I see a pumpkin treat in this storytime's future. Oh the fun to be had!

The line-up included:

Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson and Illustrated by Bucket Erdogan

Song: "The Leaves on the Trees Are Falling Down"by Irmagard Guertges

(To the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus")

The leaves of the trees turn orange and red

orange and red, orange and red.

The leaves of the trees turn orange and red

All through the town.

The leaves of the trees come tumbling down,

tumbling down, tumbling down.

The leaves of the trees come tumbling down,

All through the town.

The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish

The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish

All through the town.

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Poem: "All The Bright Colors" from the book Under the Sun and the Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Leaves by David Ezra Stein

By the Light of the Harvest Moon by Harriet Ziefert and Illustrated by Mark Jones

The craft:

The autumn tree craft for Sunday's Storytime was inspired by Full Circle, with one alteration; I didn't use ink simply because we didn't have any, AND it has the potential to make a huge mess in the library.

Instead, pre-storytime I painted a tree with washable black paint and photocopied it into multiple copies once dry.

Once I had a nice tree silhouette for the kiddos to work with,  I crinkled leaves I had found outside into smallish pieces and placed the "miniature leaves" into bowls.

Then when storytime came around, I set out the tree silhouettes, crumpled leaves, and liquid school glue. I instructed the kids to dab glue where they would like leaves to be on their tree, sprinkle the crumbled leaves as if you would sprinkle glitter over glue, and then press the leaves down. After a minute, we would give our trees a light shake and the leaves that were not attached by glue would fall from the tree, while the attached would remain.

Image Sources: Mouse's First Fall, Leaf Man, Leaves, Harvest Moon