Handmade for the Holidays ~ Gina St.Aubin Designs

One of the things I love most about Holiday shopping is finding that perfect gift for someone in my family. It's getting harder and harder to shop for the monsters now, as #1 is a Senior in high school and has very strict rules about what she will and will not wear, etc. It's become almost a game for me.. "Win or Fail ~ What will #1 think of this?". I know, I know. I could become rich if I turned it into a game show. I could rule the world. And stuff.

One of the things that #1 and I DO happen to agree on is jewelry by Gina St. Aubin designs. We both love it! Gina has something for everyone, whether it be a bracelet with swarovski crystals, a necklace with Balinese silver, or a pair of wood and turquoise earrings.

Her designs are detailed and well planned, and come in every possible combination of colors. But, don't take my word for it! Here's Gina to tell you a little about herself and her jewelry:


                I find peace through creativity.   

One day after looking at overpriced jewelry in a store similar to...well...it doesn’t matter...just overpriced, but well tailored jewelry, I thought, “I’m not paying THAT!  I’ll make my own.”  And I started a jewelry business.

While I no longer do this for a living, I still stand behind my products.  I invite all to peruse my designs, additional colors are available.  Prices range from $8 to $200 depending on the design and materials involved.  I use sterling silver and silvers handcrafted from Thailand and Bali. I also use genuine semi-precious stones and (only) Swarovski Crystals.

And here comes the really amazing part! Here's Gina to tell you all about it:

Since this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I'm giving away one of my FAVORITE and MOST POPULAR items fashioned from swarovski crystal and sterling silver handcrafted from Bali.

...a former Victim's Advocate turned advocate for those with intellectual and physical challenges. Gina St. Aubin is the author and owner of Special Happens, a combination special needs community resource and personal blog focusing on Autism, Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder and Developmental Delays.  She regularly contributes to a number of media sites including 5 Minutes for Special Needs.  Gina is a mother, wife, writer, special needs advocate, and coffee addict.




Buy:
Don't want to wait to see if you've won? Worried about getting the perfect gift in time for Christmas? Have your eye on a specific piece that's OOAK (One Of A Kind) and want to get it before anyone else does? Gina's got you covered! Contact Gina through facebook or email her directly concerning the piece you're interested in! Keep in mind that the bracelet pictured above is ONLY available through giveaway below. Cut off date for Christmas orders for US and Canada is December 10.

Win:
Enter the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway open to US/Canada through midnight 11/14 EST.

Images,Gina St.Aubin Designs, and references to same belong to Gina St.Aubin and are used here with permission for purposes of this giveaway and feature ONLY.

Light up your Halloween with Zippo Flex Neck!

Halloween is here, and we're all kinds of excited, getting ready to carve our pumpkins and finish getting the costumes ready so the monsters can go out and beg candy from the neighbors.

One of the things that I dislike about pumpkin carving, though, is the thought of the smaller monsters around an open flame. I just hate knowing that they will want to light the candles in their pumpkins, and I cringe.. even though we are standing right with them, supervising and guiding their hands.

Zippo has come to the rescue this Halloween, with their Flex Neck Utility Lighter! The elongated flexible neck of this lighter makes it possible to light pumpkins through the carving in front, eliminating the possibility of burns by reaching in through the top with a standard lighter or fireplace match.

The monsters were absolutely thrilled that they were allowed to light their own jack o'lanterns this year! And I was breathing sighs of relief that their little hands were nowhere near that flame, and no one was reaching in through the top, being burned from the hot air and steam rising up.

That's not all Zippo was available to help with, though! They've put together some pumpkin carving tips that are sure to help you succeed with carving the design you're imagining:

Things You'll Need:

• Pumpkin (keep in mind the smaller the pumpkin, the smaller your design needs to be)
• Newspaper (keeps the clean-up to a minimum!)
• Marker
• Stencils (if you really want to get creative, search online for some cool stencils)
• Sharp knife/ spoon (tools of the pumpkin carving trade)
• Small tea-light candle (light up your design so your neighbors can see your creation!)
• Zippo Flex Neck -- with a flexible nozzle, you don’t have to worry about burning your fingers when you bring your carving to life!

Instructions:

1. Place a pumpkin flat on its bottom, on a flat surface (so the stem is at the top)
2. Draw a circle around the stem with a marker – make sure the circle is large enough so that you can fit your hand through it!
3. Cut around the outline with a long, sharp knife
4. Lift the newly made lid and remove the flesh of the pumpkin with a spoon – if you’re a fan of pumpkin seeds, you can roast them later on for a healthy snack!
5. Rinse the interior, clearing out the remaining flesh, and tip away the waste
6. Draw your design on the front of the pumpkin with a marker or draw around an already-made stencil – have your kids sketch out their designs on a scrap piece of paper and ensure they’re happy with it before they transpose it on the pumpkin!
7. Insert the tip of your knife into the lines drawn and begin carving your design
8. Once your masterpiece is complete, place the small tea-light candle inside the pumpkin
9. Save your fingers from any unnecessary burns by lighting it with a Zippo Fleck Neck. The long, slim, adjustable nozzle will fit right in between the carvings so that you don’t have to remove the candle to light it. Your fingers will thank you, trust us!

I do have one other suggestion for carving and lighting your creation. Instead of cutting the top and making a "lid" for your jack o'lantern, we cut off the bottom, eliminating the need for a lid, as well as making the pumpkin stable for carving and sitting. Then, once the carving is complete, you just put the entire pumpkin on top of your candle rather than having to set a candle inside.

The Monster House wishes you a very happy and safe Halloween! Hope you and your monsters have a wonderful time carving pumpkins, getting dressed up, and trick or treating!

Zippo, Flex Neck, Flex Neck image, and reference to same belong to Zippo and are used here only for purposes of this post. Pumpkin images belong to the blogger. I was sent one Zippo Flex Neck to review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

Bartha Boss

 

During the last few weeks, life has been a little nuts, and I've spent the majority of my time offline taking care of  things at home. However, I'm a high maintenance kind of a woman. I need something to keep me out of trouble. I really thought that having 7 monsters and a Mighty M with the flu while the Daddy was out of town for a week on business would  have been enough to keep myself behaving. And that's when it happened. I morphed into Bartha Boss.

Now. It all sounded innocent enough at the beginning. I was running back and forth, checking temperatures, cleaning up various unpleasant body fluids that spewed without warning from every possible orifice onto carpet, sofas, and assorted laundry. I was hydrating the monsters and Mighty M with Propel Zero and chicken broth, offering saltines and warm ginger ale. I was doing laundry non-stop.  Then somehow, everyone took a nap, and I actually had more than 12 seconds to myself. This is never a good thing.

By the time 4.6 peaceful seconds had gone by, I was headed for trouble. The house was quiet, save for occasional sleepy whimpers. I tried to behave. I attempted to save myself. But it was too late. The urge to bake was too strong. As if in a daze, I walked in stealth mode to my poor neglected computer, silently turned it on, and logged on to the Hershey's website. Heaven! I saw lots and lots of  glutenous, egg filled, dairy rich chocolate in every possible baked form. They aren't lying when they say they are the chocolate dessert experts. And I had a serious, not to be ignored, NEED for deep dark chocolate cake. It consumed me. There was nothing I could do. It wasn't my fault! "They" made me do it! Y'all believe me... right? I tried to stop myself.  I went on the facebook and warned people. But nobody listened, and like magic, this gorgeous specimen of everything Logan is allergic to appeared on my counter. The house smelled like it had been taken over by Cake Boss... not necessarily a bad thing, you know. I have a deep respect for Cake Boss. Note Cake's last name. This was the first step of the morphing. And it wasn't all that painful. I rather enjoyed it, actually. And it kept me out of trouble for a few days.

But, the flu lingered on. And before long... everyone took a nap at the same time AGAIN. Don't these people know me by now?? Once again, at about the 4.6 second mark, I was in trouble. I realized Halloween was coming SOON. Goodness! A holiday is coming and I haven't....... decorated? Horrors! I was well into the second stages of morphing. Hasn't medical science advanced enough to make a vaccine for this type of nonsense??? I needed ghosts! I needed bats! I needed artful arrangements of dead cornstalks and pretty orange pumpkins by the front door! By the time everyone was coherent again, I had them all. 50 kleenex ghosts to be precise, ready to hang by threads in the windows for that lovely flying effect. Dead cornstalks yanked out of the dead garden, tied artfully with orange and black paper twist, and surrounded by heaps of pumpkins on either side of the front step. I was full of satisfaction in knowing that I had dead vegetation tied in pretty bows next to the front door, and the ghosts of Christmas past made out of snot rags and cotton balls fluttering proudly in my windows. Yes addicts, the second stage of morph was the Martha Stewart  stage.

By this time, the fam was starting to look like the walking dead, with the moaning and the groaning and the wandering around in feverish stupors. They were all achy and full of the belly cramps and demanding warm packs. And we only had ONE rice bag. In case you don't know what a rice bag is, let me enlighten you. A rice bag is like a bean bag, only filled with ~you guessed it~ rice. Also, it's a bag full of rice with elephantitis. It's big enough to use for back pain, etc. You just throw the thing in the microwave for 1-3 minutes, and you get an hour of warm pain free-ness. Since I was now two- thirds morphed, I didn't need anyone to nap to get into trouble this time. I just needed provocation. And I got it. One rice bag would never do! Everyone needed their own! Morphing stage three.... Betsy Ross.

I went out and got fabric that matched everyone's likes. I cut and stitched and filled 9 bags with rice. 40 pounds of rice, to be exact. But I couldn't stop there! Oh, no. Since I had completed my third stage of morphing, there was just no stopping me. I decided that everyone ALSO needed hand warmers that matched their personal rice bags. Because let's face it... winters are cold here in Utah. Wouldn't life be grand with hand warmers in your coat pockets? The monsters and Mighty M had recovered by this time and were enjoying the show. They shamelessly encouraged me. They oohed and aahed and were all sorts of appreciative every time a rice bag or hand warmer was finished. This is not my fault. I was provoked. But you know what? It's been kinda fun going through the morphing. I like to bake. Occasionally, I like to decorate for holidays. And even though I will tell anyone that asks that I don't sew because fabric has a higher IQ than I do, I DO know how. Sometimes my IQ wins. It's been a busy week and a half. Yes, I morphed in ten days. What can I say? I'm impressionable.

But the best thing about all this? The monsters think this is the greatest thing they've ever seen! We have plans. BIG plans. We're going to cover the front of the house in humongous spiderwebs today, and make enormous spiders to sit in them.  How is this bad? We have all the stuff to make cardboard gravestones to line the walkway. Okay. I admit. It's Halloween, and if I had my preference I would go all out with the decorating for Christmas. BUT... this is family time, people. It's precious, and willingness from the monsters doesn't last long. So, if it takes a morphing to achieve this, I'm fine with that.

Mother tending child & Betsy Ross images from the Google. All the rest are real documentation of Monster House Morph.

Handmade for the Holidays ~ I Am The Mandy

Upcycled Magazine Earrings
Made from unwanted magazines,
these rolled, twisted, folded and
contorted earrings are very friendly
to the environment. Each earring set
is accented with multiple colored
beads and sealed with a water resistant
laquer to ensure it's longevity. Available
in circle, square, and oval shapes

Happy Monday, everyone! This week's featured crafter is special because... she didn't actually ask me to feature her. One of her fans recommended her! Now how's that for buckets of awesome???  Mandy Stos, of iamthemandy.com, is here for a little visit to tell you all about herself. Check this out:

Mandy Renee Stos, crafter and upcycling diva behind iamthemandy.com is not only an artist and entrepreneur, but an inventive environmentalist as well. She combines craft with recycling, producing items that are unique, functional, and the ultimate in eco-chic.

Mandy believes that upcycling a single item can help reduce waste and create a more environmentally friendly life style. Upcycling is defined as: the process of converting unwanted materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or higher environmental value. Her product line is designed entirely of 85-90% reused or repurposed materials. They can be found locally, online at iamthemandy.com and in numerous handmade stores across the country. She strives to help promote and encourage other citizens to upcycle or simply donate any unwanted items to local organizations. Doing so keeps landfills down, promotes green efficiency, and makes you feel all giddy inside.

Furthermore, Mandy has been nominated for Kansas City Connections class of 2011 Kansas City's Top 40 Professionals under 40! If she wins, all proceeds (it costs $5 to cast one vote, the proceeds of which will be put in the charity pool. The amount may be changed if you'd like to vote more than once. Click on the picture of the flyer, above, to be taken to the voting site) will be donated to her charity, the Parisole Arts Foundation of Kansas City. Voting is open until November 2, 2011. How impressive is that?

Upcycled Crocheted Area T-Shirt Rug
redecorate: Your house or apartment with an area rug. Perfect for
your kitchen,bathroom, bedroom, or front door. This is a crocheted
one of a kind (OOAK) rugmade with salvaged t-shirts cut into
strips and stitched to perfection. The rug is super durable but soft
to the touch. It's made from t-shirts! Have we said that yet?

Measures 25.5" in diameter, perfect for bathroom, kitchen,
office, living room,bedroom, playroom, nursery, dorm room, or
any other room that needs a nice rug or mat. Not the colors
you were looking for? Contact us for custom rug orders!

From jewelry to household items to totes, Mandy does it all. Pricing for her upcycled creations range from $8 to $46, not including shipping. You'll find Mandy hanging around in lots of places online, including
facebook,
twitter,
foursquare,
YouTube,
LinkedIn,
Etsy,
Pinterest,
Digg,
HowGreen .
And when you're looking through your Christmas list,  getting ready to order great things from Mandy for friends and family, remember that the cut off date for Christmas orders of existing stock is December 12 for both US and Canada.  If you're too much of a traditionalist to order anything online, you can also reach iamthemandy.com by PHONE. Just dial 785.274.9516! 


Mandy welcomes custom orders for all her products. Please keep in mind when considering a custom order that there will be a two week turn around. If you have fabric, buttons, shirts for a rug, etc. that you would like used in a product, the custom option is available. Turn around time in that case will vary, depending on the delivery time of your item to the studio. Cut off date for custom Christmas orders for the US and Canada is December 1st. 

This woman has all the talent I wish I had been born with *sniffle*. If you've been following Handmade for the Holidays, you know that each week as I feature a crafter and their wares, the crafter also offers a giveaway exclusive to Living with Logan readers! This week is no different, and you're going to LOVE this one! Check out this stacked vintage button ring:

Upcycled Vintage Button Ring
A handcrafted ring with 3/4" stacked buttons, wire wrapped with
Silver Tarnish Proof Wire. It's a one of a kind (OOAK) item, and
it's ALSO Mandy's favorite!!

And now, all the responsible stuff before the fun giveaway part: iamthemandy, product pictures, and all references to same belong to Mandy Stos and are used here with permission for purposes of this feature and giveaway only.

Celebrate the Simple Things

The Monster House has a tradition of Sacred Family Saturday. Each week, we use this day to do things as a family, and reconnect with one another. The Daddy and I feel it's crucial to do this, so that we are not completely saturated in all things text, web, cell phone, and satellite while at the same time, being oblivious to those around us. While we don't necessarily completely unplug every week (because the Daddy really likes being employed), we make every effort to keep calls, emails, texts, and computer time to a bare minimum. I don't email, blog, tweet, or post to facebook, the monsters don't play online,  and the Daddy only uses his phone and computer for necessary work related things.

Hallmark thinks family time is important too, and is sharing a BlogOut challenge with bloggers as part of Life Is A Special Occasion. The challenge is to completely unplug for a day to celebrate the simple things by spending quality time with your families.

We at the Monster House know how fast little monsters grow up, and how easy it is to get caught up in the stresses life has to offer, rather than the celebration. So.. I'm passing on the challenge to y'all. Participate in the BlogOut. The Holidays are coming quickly. Take one day to step away and visit a pumpkin patch with little ones, bake cookies, play in bubbles in the kitchen sink, jump into piles of Fall leaves on the lawn, fingerpaint, or read a story together. Take a minute to reconnect as a family before the hustle and bustle that the Holidays bring.  For more great ideas and tips for things to do on your own Technology Time Out,  visit Hallmark's website. 

Handmade for the Holidays ~ Have Your Cake and Icing Too!

This week's featured crafter creates heaven with chocolate, cake, marshmallows, icing, cookies..... you know~ all those yummy things none of us can get enough of! Bobbie, of Have Your Cake and Icing Too! , can do most anything you can think of, from cakes and cookies to chocolate dipped marshmallows, cake pops and marshmallow buddies (pictured left). Everything Bobbie makes can be custom decorated to fit with a specific theme. My mouth is watering just looking at the photos!

BUT, it doesn't end there! Bobbie also makes the most darling cakes! If you are looking for beautifully crafted treats for a baby shower, birthday, anniversary, or office party, Bobbie will be able to get it done! Need 50 cake pops for the Sunday School carnival? Give Bobbie a call!   For custom orders, and to check out all her fun pictures, visit Have Your Cake and Icing Too! facebook page, email HYCAIT@gmail.com or tweet @HYCAIT. Already know exactly what you want? Phone orders are welcome as well  (714) 610-3215.  Cake orders are limited to Orange County, California. Sad but true, cake just doesn't like to travel. Something about claustrophobia, and fear of flying..

                   Cut off date for all US Thanksgiving orders is 

November 11, 2011. 

                               

For Christmas orders, order cut off dates are as follows:

                         November 25 - Canada  /  December 9- US

Are you ready for the exciting part? HYCAIT is offering a most delicious giveaway exclusive to Living with Logan readers in the US and Canada! For this week only, enter to win your choice of:

$25 gift certificate toward item of your choice, not including shipping (some exclusions may apply)

-or your choice of one of the following-

1 dozen small marshmallow buddies plus free shipping

1dozen cake pops plus free shipping

1 dozen chocolate covered marshmallows plus free shipping

2 dozen cookies plus free shipping

Can you stand it? This is one giveaway you're not going to want to miss out on, so hurry and enter, and then tell all your friends!

I was not compensated in any way for this feature. Have Your Cake and Icing Too! and HYCAIT, and any references to same are property of B.Aguilera and are used here with permission.

Wasps cause stress

Two days ago, Logan was bitten by a wasp in the gym of the elementary school. This cranky little insect apparently traveled in style on the lining of Logan's teeny little sneaker next to his ankle, and became upset when the sun disappeared and my child started running around on the shiny wooden floor. This obviously was cause for retaliation on the part of the wasp, and Logan got a lovely bite just under his ankle bone on the outside of his right foot.

But, I should start at the beginning. At the time, #1, #3 and #4 were with the twinnie monsterlettes, walking with them while they took the town by storm on their tricycles. I was home,trying to hurry and get caught up on the dishes ( We live across the street and three doors down from the school). You can imagine my shock, followed by extreme amounts of adrenaline coursing through my veins and heart palpitations when #1 ran in the door with a screaming Logan. "He's bit! He's bit!" she screamed, while running to the kitchen  and setting Logan on the counter for my viewing pleasure.  At this point, I have no idea what bit him; so I'm looking for blood and puncture wounds. And then, the words I have dreaded hearing for Logan's entire life: "It was a bee! A bee got him! We saw a black and yellow thing fly out of his shoe after he started screaming! I ran right home with him, I promise!"

Now. We have to pause here and remember that #1 is 17. She's got a flare for the drama in times of crisis, and I have to tell you that in this case, it wasn't helping matters. She was standing right in front of Logan at this point, and gesturing to his foot. I admit to being a bad mother and shoving her over so I could look. It wasn't a bee. There was no puncture where a stinger would have been, and no one took a stinger out. However, there WAS an ugly little pinch mark rapidly welting up with redness and swelling radiating from it. I went into Mommy Overdrive.

I'm snapping orders like a soap opera surgeon. "Get me the Hershey's nuggets. NOW!" "Grab a bag of frozen veggies out of the freezer! Move yer butt!"  "Bring me the Benadryl and children's Tylenol! No,wait! NOT Benadryl, the PediaCare allergy stuff!"

 That last order I screamed? Yeah. I had realized an epic mommy fail a couple of days prior. Benadryl has corn syrup in it. This is bad. Very very bad. Logan is allergic to corn (thank you, allergist that recommended benadryl daily, five seconds after telling me that he's allergic to corn and all corn by-products) and I glanced at the box one day last week and nearly had heart failure. That provoked a freaked out phone call wherein I made the Daddy go and talk to the pharmacist at our local Super Wally Mart and beg for something comparable. Turns out? Benadryl has corn syrup. BUT Pedia Care Children's Allergy is the exact same medication... made wth sugar instead. Who knew? Because seriously... I never thought of checking the ingredients in benadryl. But, I digress.

Fast forward an hour. Logan's ankle is swollen to the point of bruising, looking like he sprained his ankle. But now he's calm, elevating his foot, and covered in chocolate. Covered in chocolate?! Yes. Covered in chocolate. He hates extreme cold. We had to bribe him to let us put frozen veggies on his foot. He got the Momma's stash of Hershey's nuggets for being tolerant and letting us pack his miniature ankle in bagged frozen produce. I mean, for crying out loud. The child had been drugged with PediaCare Allergy. Chocolate wasn't going to be an issue.

Three hours later, the swelling is minimal, the welt is gone, and Logan is playing around like nothing happened. However. The Momma, Mighty M, the monsters, and the Daddy all feel like we've run marathons. The moral of the story? Wasps cause stress. And three year olds handle it better than all the adults in the Monster House.

Wasp, Benadryl, and PediaCare images by Google images

Costume Supercenter ~ a review

Halloween is approaching fast, and with it comes kids begging to go costume shopping. I hate costume shopping; the tacky, overpriced, cheaply made costumes that are getting less and less age-appropriate by the year.

So, when I was approached by Costume Supercenter to do a review, I was skeptical. It was #4's turn to choose a costume, and I had rules. Nothing too short. Nothing gruesome. Nothing that showed more skin than shorts and a t-shirt ( I won BIG points with that one, let me tell you). After all, she IS only 11.

We browsed through tween costumes and rarely ever agreed on anything. I suggested cute things like Hannah Montana and VicTORIous characters. She suggested things that should have been worn by a 21 year old with a rack, at a photo shoot for Victoria's Secret. Until I realized she wasn't even on the right site (whew!).  And then... one night during a sleepover, where positive peer pressure was at it's finest, she found it. The Tween Twilight Trickster. Angels were singing the hallelujah chorus, the stars were all in alignment, and happiness reigned once again in the Monster House. The costume comes with leggings, frilly tutu, dress, and wings.  I was impressed with the amount of accessories included, given that the price of the costume was not exorbitant,

Whatever look your tween is going for this Halloween, you're sure to find it at Costume Supercenter, for a reasonable price. The quality of the product you'll receive is surprisingly good, shipment time is relatively quick, and you'll be the "cool mom" because your child got what they wanted~ never a bad thing.

The verdict is clear: Costume Supercenter is tops in our book. We'll be shopping there again for costumes for the rest of the monsters, from the three year old twinnies to our senior in high school, there's something there everyone will be happy with.

Now, there's only one more hurdle left for Halloween... how to get through the masses of monsters on a sugar high without losing my mind....

Handmade for the Holidays ~ BooMonkey Creations

Happy Monday, everyone! This week we're pleased to feature Stephanie from BooMonkey Creations, where your wildest dreams can come true in the form of repurposed window glass art! Stephanie uses sheets of old window glass, cuts them down to the desired size, traces your picture on it in sharpie marker, then hand paints the color in, and frames the finished product. She has done some amazing seasonal art as well as custom pieces that are absolutely stunning.

Prices start at $5 and go up from there, all dependent on size & detail.  Shipping prices start at:


$5 for small pieces 
$15 for 7x7-11x13 pieces 
Larger pieces start at $30 for shipping and will be shipped via UPS


Pieces smaller than 11x13 are shipped in Priority Flat Rate boxes, stuffed full of packing materials to ensure safe traveling.  Christmas orders must be submitted prior to November 15 to ensure delivery by Christmas.  Orders placed after November 15 for Christmas delivery are subject to approval. 


Payment is non-refundable after the piece has shipped out, and for specific custom pieces (pieces with names, dates or other specific personalization fall in this category).  If pieces break during shipping BooMonkey  offers 100% free replacement with photo proof of the piece being broken during shipment, within 48 hours of receipt of the piece.  All glass pieces are shipped with delivery confirmation.


ALL items are customizable within reason.  Stephanie works with her clients during all stages of creation to ensure pieces are up to photo expectations.  Pictures are taken with a Nikon COOLPIX S8100 12.1MB camera, in natural lighting, to ensure the pieces are true to how they will look in person.  Glass pieces are shown both hanging on a white wall or laying on a white background as well as with natural sunlight showing through them for hanging in a window.  

And now, the fun part! Stephanie is having a month long giveaway exclusive to Handmade for the Holidays! One lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada will win their choice of a 7x7 piece of BooMonkey glass art including free shipping -OR- a $25 gift certificate toward a larger piece of their choice.  Shipping is NOT included with the gift certificate option. 


Additionally, all orders placed between now and November 7, 2011 will receive a 10% discount if you mention that you learned about BooMonkey here on Living with Logan's Handmade for the Holidays. Those interested in custom orders may contact Stephanie through the "Contact" feature on facebook under her BooMonkey Creations profile picture, or may email her directly at bonds_stephanie@yahoo.com with BooMonkey Creations in the subject line for pricing and availability.

Stephanie, also known as Stephi on the interwebs, is the Mama of 2 children.  The Monkey is Mikeal, her 9 year old son and big brother to The Boo, a precocious 3 year old girl named Mikaila.  Halloween marks the fourth anniversary since she married her awesome, but often annoying husband, Brian.  Stephanie is currently working on a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Psychology which she plans on using to assist persons in learning how to live full and enriching lives despite any handicaps society feels they have.  Her psychiatrist thinks it's a great career choice as she pulls out the prescription pad, yet again.  Based in the outer reaches ofWest Nashville she enjoys a quiet life in the country amid the chaos, can often be found on Twitter (@gypsy_momma) when life allows.

Images, BooMonkey Creations, and references to both belong to Stephanie Bonds and are used here with permission.

Seeing Ezra~ a book review

I had the opportunity to review Seeing Ezra: A Mother's story of Autism, Unconditional Love, and The Meaning of Normal by Kerry Cohen. I was so impressed with this book; a real, honest glimpse into the process of one parent's journey in finding out her child is on the autism spectrum, and all the therapies, meetings, and emotions that came with it in the years following.

I had the pleasure of a Q&A session with the author after reading the book. She's funny, she's understanding, and she's smart. I emailed questions to her through her publisher, after a couple of nights of little to no sleep (love that no-sleep cycle, Logan!), and she was wonderful about it, even though a couple of the questions weren't real clear. Okay... they were absolutely nonsensical, but she answered them beautifully. You can read the Q&A below:

Why did you feel the need to write about Ezra?


As a memoir writer, this is how I get through the hard stuff, and while Ezra himself is not "hard," the emotions that came along with having an autistic child have been. Partly, writing helps me understand what I feel, helps me figure out the truth about things. More so, though, writing about my life gives meaning to it. Other people have religion to make sense of why things happen to them. I don't subscribe to any institutional religion. I do, however, believe in narrative. I believe in form. If I can create design with my life, give it a shape, then I can feel some meaning inside it. It saves me. 


I love how you state at the beginning of your book that you use "autistic" as an adjective for Ezra, much as you would use "boy" or "blond", rather than letting autistic define "Ezra". How do you inform people that Ezra has autism, autism doesn't have Ezra?


I just tell them outright. I use the word "autistic," and I've explained it to his sibling and future step-siblings that it's not a disease, and so he doesn't have it. It's a part of who he is - neither great nor terrible.


What would your advice to educators/therapists/doctors/early intervention workers who work with children with autism be, based on your experiences with Ezra and finding his services lacking?


I would encourage anyone working with special needs kids to recognize first and foremost that these are just children - like you said in your review, they need to be loved and respected and admired for who they are, perhaps more than they need the therapies. Also, I'd encourage them to stay removed from their training, to some extent. Don't believe in it wholeheartedly. Stay skeptical of the therapies, but not the kids. Finally, trust the parents to know better than you who their children are. And don't believe in this idea that parents get into "denial." That's crap. They have their own processes, and they deserve respect for those journeys - it's not denial. It's being human.


"The Spectrum" of autism disorders is wide. There are those who have expressed concern that spectrum disorders are over diagnosed when a child has developmental delays, and that these diagnosis are inappropriate. Do you agree? Do you think that autism is becoming a diagnosis du jour as ADHD once was?


Oh yes, I think it was for a while. I think we've moved on to bipolar now...next will be something else. I think the issue is less about overdiagnosing and more about the fact that we know so little about autism. It's not a "thing," not something you can examine in a brain, like Alzheimer's or schizophrenia. It's a constellation of symptoms. That's all we know. So, its origins could be from multiple things for multiple people. And what will happen with how those constellations will change, or not, is individual to each person. I'm okay with the diagnosis of PDD-NOS or autism spectrum because it's all we have at the moment, but I do think our treatment of how it's portrayed to the public needs to change. Autism Speaks, for instance, has this notion set up through their organization that autism is a terrible tragedy. Meanwhile, we don't even know what autism is! And, for many people it is most certainly NOT a tragedy. The only tragedy, many autistic adults have told me, is being called a tragedy. 


How do you deal with people who insist on a ""cause" for autism, whether it be vaccines, a need for chelation, diet, or genetic? Do you think it's counter productive to focus on cause/cure rather than the specific needs of each individual child?


Yes, I do think it's counterproductive. I get it - like all disabilities, people want to know what causes it so they can prevent it (although "preventing" it may be a pointless endeavor if it's caused by some combo of genetics and environment...we're not going to be able to reverse the effects of pollution or whatnot.) But all the hoopla that the anti-vaccine/autism-is-caused-by-vaccinations proponents put forth is truly dangerous. We don't know what causes autism. We hardly know what it "is," so it's terribly irresponsible for these people to do what they do (I'm looking at you, Jenny McCarthy). When people tell ME about some woo woo thing I should do to "help" my son, I tell them I don't buy that shit and that he's getting great, evidence-based support at his school. Whatevs with them, you know? I don't let them bother me anymore.


There was a lot of frustration in your book with those who offered unsolicited advice. In your opinion, what would be more beneficial to a parent who has discovered their child has autism? (i.e. support groups, taking cues from the parent of the child. etc)


Ha! This is a great question. God forbid I actually offer solutions in my book rather than complain all the time :) I'm a Jew - it's my birthright. I guess it would be way more beneficial to offer to support parents in what they want at that time. Or, offer to babysit! That always helps.


When I started researching for autism for my son Logan, I would stay up until 3am every night, looking for answers, diets, therapies, anything that would help him learn to walk and talk. The amount of information online is overwhelming, and I found I would have to take breaks from research. Sometimes it was an hour, sometimes it was two weeks. I didn't want to lose my child in the face of my research. Have you ever reached your saturation point and had to stop for a while?


I can certainly say I haven't looked up anything autism-related online in ages. It's such a relief when you reach that point where you feel like he's getting what he needs for now. I don't have to struggle anymore in the ways I described in the book concerning whether I thought I was doing enough or too much for Ezra. A great example -- my good friend Julie (the one I write about in the book) was over yesterday with her kids. She said her autistic one has been much more obsessive lately, and we agreed that they go through phases where they get more obsessive, how ages ago we would freak out and try to figure out why and what we needed to do to omg-stop-his-regression-into-autism! So ridiculous. I said, "Yeah, because it's not like anything is going to actually affect whatever phase they're in." And she said, "And who cares if it doesn't anyway?" I love that we have reached this point in our lives with our sons. We accept them, yes, but also we accept the ways in which autism is out of our control. It's a beautiful thing.


Seeing Ezra: A Mother's Story of Autism, Unconditional Love, and the Meaning of Normal is available through Seal Press for $25.00

Seeing Ezra image is the property of  Seal Press and is used here for purposes of this review ONLY.

Tie Dyed Bubbles For Rainy Day Play!

Today is a miserable day. It's cold, it's wet, it's very not fun outside. The twinnies have a hard time with days like this, so we have created special things that we do only when it's storming out. One of their favorite rainy day activities is tie-dyed bubbles in the sensory table.  It's messy, it's colorful, it's not allowed at any other time.

So, because I'm all about sharing the messy, I'm going to reveal our tie-dying bubble secrets! First, we spread out an old white flannel sheet. This is for a couple of reasons. 1) it keeps colored water off my kitchen floor and provides easy clean up,  2) I can bleach this sheet before the Daddy gets home and no one is the wiser, and 3) this prevents slipping, because I strip the twinnies down to their diapers before bubble/water play.

Here we go!

Step one:
Spread an OLD sheet on the floor, and then set the sensory table on it. Squirt a generous amount of liquid dish soap into the dry sensory table.

Step Two:
Using your kitchen sink sprayer (because it makes more, and better, bubbles this way!), fill the sensory table about half full with warm water.

Step Three:

Toss all the colorful lids, ladles, cups, and wire whisks you can find into the sensory table with the bubbles and water

 

Step Four:

Get out your food coloring and sprinkle drops of each color all over the bubbles! Today was a mixture of primary and neon colors.

Step Five:

Strip down the kiddies and let them have at it!

Now really. How cool is THAT?! Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

Handmade for the Holidays ~ Jars By Lisa

Happy Monday everyone! Today is exciting because it's the first post for our Handmade for the Holidays series, where I will feature one crafter a week and their products! If YOU would like to be featured on Handmade for the Holidays, please visit the tab above and fill out the form.

This week's featured crafter is Lisa Gallegos of Jars By Lisa. Lisa takes ordinary glass canning jars and decorates them for every possible occasion. These darling jars are perfect for birthdays,  teacher appreciation, baby showers, graduation, holidays, autism awareness, and everything in between. And if you need a gift for someone special, Lisa has a jar for you.

Whether you have a specific theme in mind or want to order in bulk,  want to receive them filled with candy or plan to fill them yourselves, these jars will be the perfect  for anyone on your list.

Jars are priced at $10 unfilled, for existing stock. For custom orders or filled jars, the price is $12 each. Discounts will be given for orders of 10 jars or more. Shipping costs are not included in the price of the jar.

Lisa ships anywhere in the US and Canada and welcomes custom orders. To contact her for your order, see the contact tab on her Jars By Lisa facebook page. Orders for Christmas must be placed no later than December 1 for Canada, and December 5 for US.


But wait, there's more! That's right.. we're having a Jars By Lisa giveaway! One lucky Living with Logan reader in the US or Canada will win 2 decorated jars for Halloween or Christmas from existing stock!

But first, the boring, responsible adult part:
Jars By Lisa, images, and references are property of Lisa Gallegos and are used here with permission.  I was not compensated in any way for this post!


And now, the fun entering the giveaway part!

Iron Kids Review and #giveaway!

One of the biggest challenges of having a child, or more than one child that has extreme allergies, is making sure they get all the vitamins and nutrients their little bodies need to grow and stay healthy. For us, it's been a headache trying to find any kind of vitamin supplement Logan can have that 1)doesn't have sneaky little allergens in it like maltodextrin, or soy and 2) won't break the bank.

Several months ago, I started tweeting with Deb Lowther (@KidsGummyMum), whose husband makes IronKids Gummy Vitamins. When I discovered that their gummy multivitamin was not only gluten free, but also soy, corn, dairy, and egg free, I was excited! FINALLY! A multivitamin that is fun, healthy, and Logan safe! 

I was lucky enough to get the chance to meet Deb in person at BlogHer this year, and speak with her over lunch about what an amazing product this will be for our family and the families of many others. We spoke about the great benefit of being gluten, corn, soy, egg, and nut free for households with children on extremely restrictive diets while adding an element of fun for a child that has never been able to eat a gummy. Following BlogHer, the Monster House got a fun package in the mail with a bottle each of gummy multis and Omega-3 gummies. The Omega-3 is the first gummy to use 100 % fish oil with no fishy aftertaste, and won Canadian Living Best New Product in 2010! In fact, IronKids is the first entire brand line to be approved by Health Canada. I love the fact that there are no artificial flavors or colors, ever.

The monsters fell in love with these gummy vitamins, and actually fight over who gets to be first each morning. Because this is the first time the twinnies have been able to take any sort of vitamin, I mentioned to Mighty M the other morning how pleased I've been that the twinnies actually enjoy it, and that we need to buy more in the near future. Here's the awesome part: Mighty M said, "Yeah, and I think they're getting what their bodies are needing from 'em, because all the other monsters have been sick for like, two weeks, and the twinnies only had it for like, 12 hours. Yay vitamins!" Yes, Mighty M really does talk like that.

Here's a little about IronKids:

 IronKids Gummy vitamins are made in Canada by Life Science Nutritionals, a growing company started in Burlington, Ontario to give kids an all natural choice in a gummy vitamin! No sugar coating, no aspartame, no artificial colors . . only real ingredients.

At Life Science Nutritionals we believe that people are our greatest asset and that your health is your greatest asset. That is why we are dedicated to developing nutritional products, with uncompromised quality that benefit the health of our consumers. By formulating products based on modern science and innovative technology we deliver products with true nutritional value that help our consumers live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

 Because the Monster House is so impressed with our gummy vitamins, we were thrilled when Deb asked us if we'd like to host a giveaway! One lucky Monster House addict will win some gummies of their very own!

If our winner lives in Canada, they will receive the prize pack as shown above. If our winner  lives in the US, they will receive 2 bottles of IronKids Multi-Vitamins and 2 bottles of IronKids Omega-3's and they are awesome!

And now, the responsible boring part:

images and  references to IronKids, Life Science Nutritionals, IronKids Gummies are property of Life Science Nutritionals and are used here with permission. 

I was sent two bottles of vitamins to try and review. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated in any way!

Ok! Let the fun entering begin!!