PaperToy Monsters Book Review and GIVEAWAY

PAPERTOY MONSTERS
Make Your Very Own Amazing Papertoys!
By Brian Castleforte
Paperback , 124 pages
ISBN: 9780761158820 (0761158820)
Published by Workman Publishing


My Review (Video by 7yr old Max & his Daddy):

From the Publisher:
A breakthrough paper-folding book for kids—paper airplanes meet Origami meets Pokemon. Papertoys, the Internet phenomenon that’s hot among graphic designers and illustrators around the world, now comes to kids in the coolest new book. Created and curated by Brian Castleforte, a graphic designer and papertoy pioneer who rounded up 25 of the hottest papertoy designers from around the world (Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Italy, Croatia, Chile, even Jackson, Tennessee), Papertoy Monsters offers 50 fiendishly original die-cut designs that are ready to pop out, fold, and glue. The book interleaves card stock with paper stock for a unique craft package; the graphics are colorful and hip, combining the edginess of anime with the goofy fun of Uglydolls and other collectibles. Plus each character comes with its own back-story.

And the results are delicious: meet Pharaoh Thoth Amon, who once ruled Egypt but is now a mummy who practices dark magic in his sarcophagus. Or Zumbie the Zombie, who loves nothing more than a nice plate of brains and yams. NotSoScary, a little monster so useless at frightening people that he has to wear a scary mask. Yucky Chuck, the lunchbox creature born in the deepest depths of your school bag. Plus Zeke, the monster under your bed, Nom Nom, eater of cities, and Grumpy Gramps, the hairy grandpa monster with his very own moustache collection.

GIVEAWAY

1. US & Canada residents only, no PO Boxes.
2. Leave me a comment with your email address.
3. PaperToy Monsters provided by Workman Publishing, Shipping provided by Beachbrights.
4. It's that easy to enter! Contest ends Sunday, July, 17th @ Midnight.

Resource Links:
PaperToy Monsters on YouTube
Brian Castleforte

Bunk Beds for a Small Room with Storage Options - GP

I've had several people ask where I bought Max's bunkbeds.  I bought them from Ikea and the last time I checked, they had sold out and were not offering them.  During my search, I had a pretty strict size requirement. They could not be too tall and I did not want a ladder that protruded into the room.  This lead me to several internet searches, one of them being at www.morebunkbeds.com.  If you are in the market for bunkbeds, they are worth a look.  I contacted MoreBunkBeds and asked them to guest post about their products.  I am not receiving anything in return for this guest post, nor am I affiliated with them in anyway (in fact, I have never ordered from them). Nada.  So feel free to explore their site and leave me a comment and a big THANK YOU to MoreBunkBeds for the guest post & information!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Create a Fun & Functional Kids’ Room with Bunk Beds

You want to create a room for your kids that feels fun, but still meets all your storage and functional needs. Especially if two children are sharing a room! Bunk beds can be the express route to meeting both goals. Many of today’s bunk beds feature inspired designs that are clever and artful, combining surprising features with sensible layout choices.

Storage Everywhere

Berg Furniture is a brand we love for its inventive use of flat panels and rounded edges, with storage shelving and drawers tucked in wherever possible.

Berg’s Utica design features extra shelving in both the twin-over-full bunk bed and extra drawers in the loft twin-over-desk model. Both versions use stairs instead of a ladder; a choice that’s great for safety, but also provides even more storage in the form of a drawer built into each step.

Look carefully at the variations in the contemporary wood bunk bed design below from Atlantic Furniture. You’ll note that the white model uses twin-over-full frames, but includes additional storage drawers in the bottom bunk. The mahogany full-over-full frame on the other hand, has a larger single drawer on the bottom. It’s not for storage, but rather an additional trundle bed. How much more efficient can you get?

Versatile Styles & Features

Now that you’ve seen the extra storage and design creativity that’s possible with contemporary bunk beds, let’s take a closer look at beds that can really multi task.

Like the beds above, South Shore's Imagine loft bunk bed has extra drawers and shelving added wherever possible to the frame. One side features a 3-drawer dresser and the other has a cabinet and bookshelf built in.

What makes this particular bunk bed special is the design of the central open space. Choose one or more of 3 configurations:

Use the frame as-is for a cozy play area below the bed
Add on the 2-drawer Media Chest for more dresser storage
Add on the roll-in Student Desk for homework space

Like many other modern bunks, the Imagine bunk bed can coordinate with even more furniture from the same manufacturer. Also from the Imagine collection, South Shore makes a unique partial armoire that pairs nicely with the bunk frame. Or for more flexibility, simply look for other South Shore products with the Morgan Cherry finish and still achieve a coordinated look.

However you decide to incorporate a bunk bed into your child’s bedroom, do a bit of research up front and you’ll have a stylish frame that does the work of several pieces of furniture. Not only will you be kick-starting a fun new look, but you’ll take one more step towards the elusive tidy bedroom.


Thank you MoreBunkBeds!
-XOXO

NO GIRLS ALLOWED and a FORT!!

why do 7 year olds always have to pose?

It started with these hand written notes, you know the ones with backwards letters and misspelled words. Yes, I started to find those kinds of notes taped to the outside of Max's door. It seemed everyday he needed to announce something; Open, Closed, No Mommy, No Dogs, etc., etc.

So this weekend, while he was out of town, I painted his door with a couple coats of chalkboard paint.  I just taped off 4-inches around the border, lightly sanded with a sanding sponge and rolled on 4 coats.  I love that every morning after he has left for school, I will pass by his room and he has left some kind of sweet note for me.  I also love the fact that he is spelling on his own, writing and communicating. This is what us mothers call a win-win.

I decided to keep going with the "boys only" theme.  I bought this wire curtain rod from Ikea and these painters drop clothes from Home Depot. I did not even hem them. I just folded them over and clipped.  I am just lazy like that...

Yes, they need to be ironed. Yes, I tried but drop clothes are near impossible to iron. So it is, what I like to call, "good enough".

This is what his room looked like tonight before bed...

He told me that Mommy's would "Always be Allowed".

XOXO

*I recommend using light-weight fabrics for this wire rod.  My drop clothes are almost too heavy.

Crabby Patty Cupcakes

I can't bake. Really I can't.  However, little man has been begging for these Crabby Patty cupcakes and today is big man's birthday.  Unfortunately, big man is in Dubai on business, so we celebrated with him in spirit ;)  Any excuse to eat a cupcake, right?

I will say that these can be made to look a lot prettier. I just don't have the skills or patience.

Here's the 411:

Ahoy Matey-

XOXO

The Pig and That Very Angry Bird

Well, I did it. I made The Pig. More importantly the little dude made a movie. Making this Pig was so frustrating, watching him play with it, was so worth it.

~XOXO~

My Angry Bird Post HERE

Ye of Little Faith...a Lesson from a 7 Year Old

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26

It doesn't look good for our Daisy dog.  Monday, Max and I took her to the Vet. She has been constantly twitching on one side of her body, lifeless and in pain.  We stayed at the Vet office for almost two hours while they x-rayed, took blood and called another Vet in for a consult.  Their diagnosis, "A lesion on the brain or some kind of Neurological disease."  The Vet wants to send some of her blood off to a special lab and check for a Tick illness that can sometimes cause these symptoms but Daisy has been on Tick/Flea preventive her entire life so this is really a shot in the dark.  The test results will be back in a week. In the meantime the Vet is cautious that we don't get our hopes up. He believes that we should euthanize Daisy by the end of the week and I agree.  Max is hanging on the Vet's every word.

On the way home I ask Max how he is feeling.  He looks directly at me and says, "God will heal her, Daisy will be fine."  My heart sinks.  I am sad.  I think to myself, "not only am I going to have to explain Max's first lesson of death but now I am going to have to explain why God did not heal his dog. Great, a double whammy. My son's first lesson on faith and disappointment.  Growing up sucks."

For two days I have carried this whimpering dog around in a blanket. She can't jump or climb. Her tail remains tucked. She is trembling constantly. She cries out in pain. For two days I have talked sweetly to her, knowing her days are numbered. I keep telling her what a good dog she has been.  I say, "good dog", over and over again. I cry.

Today, Daisy is a different dog. She jumped on the bed, she jumped off the bed. The trembling is barely noticeable and non-existent at times. I caught her rolling on her back in the sunshine.  Is she cured? Is this temporary?  Are the medicines working? We still do not have the blood work results but the doctor is treating her as if she was positive. He said, "At this point we have nothing to lose." I am cautiously optimistic.

This afternoon, Max comes in from school. The first thing he does is ask about Daisy and go straight to her.  I tell him that she is having an amazing day and appears to be well.  Max looks directly at me and says, "I told you so."

Wow, faith.  Pure untainted faith.  What do you think God has been saying to me?

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20



XOXO-

A Bed in the Leaves by Marian Kennedy

My yard is full of leaves today

Brown and yellow and gold

I think I'll rake them in a pile

Higher than my head

Then I'll pretend it is my bed

I'll jump in very quick

And pile their leaves up over me

For covers soft and thick

I'll just lie there so nice and warm

And look up in the sky

And watch more leaves float down for me

To rake up bye and bye

~XOXO~

Katherine Marie

The blog community is an amazing place.  I have met some of the most creative, awe inspiring women and the world feels a little smaller since I have been blogging.  This week, one of my favorite blog friends sent Max a little *Happy* for Christmas.

This girl is so talented.  I am honored to call her my friend.

Thank you Katherine Marie for the wonderful snowball "recovery" kit! He was thrilled to open it (& eat it). Now if we can just get some snow :)

~Hugs & Kisses to You and Your Family this Holiday Season~

XOXO

A Big DARK SIDE Thank You

Presents in the mail are the best! Especially when they come from far away neighbors, friends & bloggers.  Thank you YogaGal & BigKid for sending Max his special Darth Vader lunch box.  Max is going to ROCK 1st grade in style :)

Lots of layers to unwrap and then the cutest wrapped box appeared!

The suspense was killing him...

POPCORN!!?? He actually thought it was popcorn and was excited. Then I told him to look inside...

Now this is cool!  Thank you BIG KID!!

~XOXO~

MAX

*Pictures taken with my Blackberry*

Shot!

Look who got shot by E. Holder Photography!!!

Thanks Elizabeth!

~XOXO~

Silly Bandz Holder

If you have seen these...

then buy one of these...

Book rings (larger the better) make great Silly Bandz holders.

~XOXO~

Organizing Kid's Clothes - Making Mornings Easy

I heart this Site.

She makes my life easier. Easy is good.

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I always lay out Max's clothes for school the night before. This serves to make mornings easier and to give Max a visual clue on what is expected of him. You can read about making mornings easy with your kids here.

So in order to make my life easier. I have started to pick out all his clothes for the week. This causes me to do two things every weekend 1) Laundry 2) Check out the Weather Channel.  I love this system from Living Lucurto and so far it has been working for 2 weeks now.

1. Go to Living Lucurto and Print these cards.

2. Print them on heavy stock. I used two pieces, spray glued together and cut them out.

3. Pick out outfits and hang in closet. 

4. Easier mornings for you. Priceless!

~XOXO~

This is Gabriel, Making Sense of School: A Book about Sensory Processing Disorder

If you are a daily follower of my blog, then you know about Max.  I don't divulge a lot of personal information on my blog, I mainly stick to decorating & creating. However, every once in a while, my heart becomes full and I am moved to write about something personal.

Did you know that I don't believe in coincidences? I believe that everything happens for a reason and what sometimes feels like luck (or a coincidence) is really God's whisper.

As some of you know, my son Max was adopted from Russia. You also know by now that we have struggled with his development.  I have posted about Sensory Processing Disorder and how as a family we have battled this with Max.  My last post about SDP was written at 2 am. That night I went to bed with a heavy heart and could not sleep. I just had to get some of Max's struggles written down in a post. In fact, my last sentences of the post reads like this, "This post has been heavy on my heart, which probably means there is someone out there who needs to read this. I hope it helps....". It was not 5 minutes later that I received an email from someone who needed my words. That is what I call a whisper from God and not a coincidence. God new that I could help someone and he put the sequence of events into motion.

This is how I found the book "This is Gabriel".  God knew that I needed this book. He knew that Max would benefit from this book and now so will his school and special education teachers. Because I will be buying several copies of this book to give to others. I am doing this not because I am this nice generous person but because someone else out there needs me to. I am listening to God's whisper.

Now, with all this being said, here is my review of This is Gabriel: Making Sense of School.

by Hartley Steiner

Illustrations by Brandon Fall

Trafford

ISBN: 978-1-4269-2777-5

Five years ago I had never heard of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Now that I have been entrenched with its meaning, I still find it hard to describe to others what SPD is and what effects it can have on children/families.  This book helps to make it clear. So, even though this is a children's book about Sensory Processing Disorder, adults will also gain invaluable knowledge.

I love the bright illustrations and the simplistic definitions of SPD that are described throughout the book. The book does a fantastic job discussing the main parts of SPD: Sight, Hearing, Touch, Taste, Smell, Vestibular and Proprioception.

The author takes you on a journey of Gabriel's life and helps you to understand what happens when sensory input is misinterpreted. The authors writing style is easy to follow and even left me with "ahh-haa" moments.  

(This picture made me laugh because one of Max's biggest struggles is with smell)

Byron read this book to Max (age 6) and then tried to engage him in discussion. I will be honest, Max really did not care nor did he really have anything to say about Gabriel. I was hoping that Max would understand he was not alone with some of his feelings. But he was more interested in his Star Wars action figures than discussing SPD. So in all fairness, he is probably a little young for this book and discussion. As a mother, I am just glad this book was written. Because one day soon, Max will be ready to read and discuss SPD and I am so thankful to have this book.

I plan on buying Max's elementary school several copies and also the preschool he attended.  I will even make sure the special education department has their own copies. This book needs to be made available to anyone who works with children.

Hartley, I am so thankful you listened to your whisper and wrote this book. I needed it and now others will get a copy too.

From the Publisher: This is Gabriel Making Sense of School provides a look into the challenges children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) face in the classroom. This easy to read and beautifully illustrated picture book gives teachers, parents and students a better understanding of all seven senses, how they are each affected at school and what kinds of accommodations are necessary to help children with SPD become learning sensations!

Author:
Hartley Steiner can be found on her site: www.hartleysboys.com and Twitter: @ParentingSPD

~GIVEAWAY~

CLOSED

Due to Hartley's generous nature, she is giving away 1 copy of This is Gabriel to one lucky commenter. Please leave me a comment with your email address (so I can contact you if you win) and if you feel it in your heart, please let me know if/how SPD has touched your life. If you have been lucky enough to never have heard of SPD then please consider entering so you can donate this great book to your local elementary school.

*Open to All, No PO Boxes.
*Contest ends Friday, April 23rd.

~XOXO~

Mario Fat Pants

I can't remember how the name of these pants came about. I know that these really ugly pants were a gift from Max to his Daddy.  You see, Max and Byron are engaged in playing Super Mario Bros. on the Wii every night.  Hence, the really ugly pants with Mario all over them. Unfortunately, Walmart does not carry these pants for Max, only adult sizes. So, I bought a pair and used them as material to make Max his very own pair of Mario Fat Pants. Please don't tell anyone my Men dress like this.

This is how I made these pants for Max:

1. Go to this site MADE for a complete tutorial.
2. I used a pair of PJ bottoms that fit Max really good to trace for my pattern.

3. I then cut out my patterns and put them on top of the Men's large pants. I then cut out the pieces. Max wanted pockets, so I cut some of them out too.

4. Ask your 6 year old to be still for a photo. This is what you get...

Happy Fat Pant Wearing-

XOXO

Leaving...

on a jet plane...


~XOXO~

**My baby's first flight, by himself**

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