Simple & Quick Halloween Decorations

There's only a week left until Halloween!  Do you need do decorate your home or office quickly and on a budget?

Here are some ideas that I've tried that maximizes the effect in a short amount of time:

: : : idea one : : :
MUMMY DOOR
Original idea: http://www.myclassroomideas.com/mummy-classroom-door-decoration-idea/
TIME:  30 minutes
MATERIALS:  toilet paper, black trash bag, yellow construction paper, marker, tape, scissors
COST:  FREE (I used whatever was available on hand)
DIRECTIONS:
(1) tape black trash bag on door
(2) cut yellow construction paper into 2 circles and color in a smaller circle in each to create eyes
(3) tape eyes onto the black trash bag
(4) tape toilet paper in slants and sometimes weaving through other ones

: : : idea two: : :
SPIDER WEBS
TIME:  30-60 minutes
MATERIALS:  fake stretchable spider webs (fake spiders were included in the bags I used.
COST:  $1/bag at Target - I used 2 bags for about 1,000 sq ft of space, so total cost was $2!
DIRECTIONS:
(1) decorate your house using the spiderwebs - looks especially awesome in corner spaces and windows.

: : : idea three: : :
3D BATS
TIME:  30 minutes
MATERIALS:  printer, scissors, tape
COST:  FREE
DIRECTIONS:
(1) find a cool (or easy to cut) bat silhouette online.
(2) print them in black
(3) cut out the shape and tape them to the walls
(4) tape the middle section first, then tape the wings so that they are not flat on the walls but slightly closer to the body of the bats (middle section). This creates an illusion of flying bats!

Happy decorating!

: : : Caeli & Co : : :

A Notebook Facelift

My new notebook that I was using at work seemed a bit boring:  A big logo of a freight forwarder, and "2014" in the most common and overused font.  I started thinking, "how can I give this notebook a facelift?"

I tried googling different designs, and there were so many cool and beautiful notebook covers, but none that would match the color of my notebook, or with my resources - paper, glue, printer.

Sometimes simple is best!  I found the highest resolution image of an iPad and cropped out frame, printed and glued the paper onto my notebook, and voila!  A notebook I can enjoy using.  What do you think of my notePad?

Hanging Bookshelves

We have a lot of wonderful books for the children at home, of which only some are really read and loved.  What about the other amazing books that my little ones can benefit from?  I decided that this was a case of "out of sight, out of mind."

I started searching online for children's bookshelves, the ones that showcases the cover of the books, and found that either they were too expensive or takes up too much room.  Then I started finding some wonderful DIY shelves made from fabric and curtain rods.  These were perfect.  I decided to make my own special version for my children.

For my version, I wanted a material that was clear, and hang as close to the wall as possible.  Here is the outcome:

I used vinyl for the shelf "pockets" so that books can be seen and lined the dowel pocket and back half with fabric for extra accent.  I made a hanging strip with fabric so that it lays flat against my closet door - we have very limited space! - and used 3M Command Strips for hooks.

Here is a brief summary of how everything was put together in pictures:

The whole project took me about six hours complete, and it was completely worth it.  My children are reaching for different books, they are asking us to read to them much more often, and the clutter on my their table is gone!

Such a mom win.  Feel free to share what creative win's were had, like this little monkey engaging in his book.

 

: : : Caeli & Co : : :

Magnetic Reward Board

Have you ever tried to use a reward system to motivate a child toward certain behaviors?  Getting my munchkin up in the morning and getting her to wash up was becoming more and more challenging and I thought using a reward system might be worth a try.

What I wanted to achieve was to create something that can be used over and over, and also something that my child can have fun with when getting a reward.  And I thought to myself, "What child doesn't love to play with magnets?" and so that's what I decided to make:  a magnetic reward board.

Materials used: dry-erase magnetic board, magnets (I found mine at the craft section at Walmart), Mod Podge, brush, scrapbook papers, 1" circle punch, decorative letter stickers, foam flower stickers

Coat the dry-erase board with Mod Podge, then place the scrapbook paper (design side out) over the board and smooth out.

Mod Podge the sides and adhere one side at a time to create clean corners.

Punch out the circles to be used as a "chart" and Mod Podge them onto the board.  Use decorative letter stickers (or even your beautiful handwriting) to label or personalize the board and Mod Podge any other decoration onto the it.

Coat the entire board with Mod Podge for protective finish.

 

Put the foam stickers onto the magnets for decoration and easy grabbing for little fingers.  Make sure to create more magnets than there are spaces on the chart, as small objects tend to disappear quickly in children's rooms.

Here is the finished product!

My Elsa Princess munchkin proudly showing off her completed reward board.  That means she gets to go shopping for a toy... $5 or less! =)

: : : Caeli & Co : : :