Get Old-School!
We’re all feeling the squeeze from the economic downturn, but does that mean we have cut corners on family fun this Halloween? I think not! Craft magazine illustrates how to make fun and funky costumes for your kids with a visit to your recycling bin, sewing box or local craft store – Much easier than standing in line at a crowded costume shop and a bit easier on the wallet, as well.
You can quickly and easily whip up any of these five amazing kiddy costumes using supplies you probably already have on hand, plus a bit of creativity. Inexpensive and easy to make, these custom-made outfits have more staying power than most flimsy store-bought costumes. Follow the links below for full instructions, or Click here to watch the video.
Autumn Harvest Raw Apple Pie with Almond-Date Crust
This uncommonly good apple pie is raw–yes, unbaked–and it rivals the most luscious and delectable of cooked varieties. It is dense, rich, sweet and aromatic with cinnamon, and suitable for low-carb, gluten-free, low-glycemic and vegan diets.
Raw food (like many things worth waiting for) takes time. This dish is somewhat time-consuming, so I suggest you make a weekend of it! Spend Saturday scouring the orchards for apples; It’s fun, great exercise and often there are seasonal festivals with music, period costumes and demonstrations. Get the kids to help, and use the time together for a short history lesson about how food was gathered and prepared when Grandmother (or Great-Grandmother) was young. Click here for the full recipe.
(Visit my other blog, UnassumingFoodie.com for more great kid-friendly recipes!
Future Environmentalists Club
“By raising our children with a strong sense of respect and reverence for Earth, we help ensure that there will be adults to step into ecological leadership positions.”–Helen Coronato, author of Eco-Friendly Families, The following are excerpts.
Make your own Pine Cone Bird Feeder! This is a fun and easy project that is perfect for inviting our fine feathered friends to the back yard! All you need are fallen pine cones, string, chunky peanut butter, spoons, citrus fruit (such as lemons), scissors, sunflower seeds, and plates.
Cut the citrus into slices, then in to very small pieces and set them aside. Pour sunflower seeds into plates, spread around, and set aside. Tie a length of string around the top of the pine cone long enough to hang it in front of a kitchen window or from a nearby branch. Cover pine cone with peanut butter using the backside of a spoon. Stick fruit bits onto the peanut butter. Roll the pine cone in sunflower seeds, then hang your bird feeder!
Every part of this project is eco-friendly. Using fallen pine cones makes good use of a natural resource that you can later toss in the woods, where a thankful squirrel will claim it. Chunky peanut butter provides birds with high-energy peanut pieces, seeds are a staple in a bird’s diet, and fruit helps maintain health. Keep in mind that birds will come to depend on these feeders as a source of food, so plan on keeping up your pine cone practices through the Fall and Winter.
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