diy: spider halloween party invitations in a box

This post is sponsored by Pottery Barn Kids.  All opinions are my own.  Thanks {as always!} for reading. xoxo

Every year since I became a mom, come late August/early September I've looked forward to getting the Pottery Barn Kids catalog with all their darling Halloween party ideas and costumes in it.

This year {again!!} I think they're all adorable...but there's one I think my girl would just love...
The spider!

She's totally the product of living with two older brothers...
Creepy crawly things don't faze her at all.
Digging around in the dirt for bugs and splashing in puddles is where she's right at home!

Of course the best part of adorable costumes is seeing them on, so I thought it would be fun to host a little Halloween party with a spider theme.

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These invitations in a box are not the usual fill-in-the-blanks-stick-it-in-an-envelope or an evite.   They're a fun way to start off a theme party and are really just a few extra steps!

To make them you'll need:

small cardboard boxes {I found mine at the craft store for about a dollar}
plastic spiders {also from the craft store}
festive colored paper/cardstock

All you need to do to assemble the invitation is to first fill your boxes with plastic spiders...

Print your party information on the cardstock and trim it and any background colored paper to size...{My new Martha Stewart paper trimmer was perfect for this.}

Attach your paper layers together with a glue stick or double sided tape.

Then stick your invite in the box...

and tie it with twine or ribbon.

Hand deliver it to friends or mail it in a padded envelope {I have no idea on the price of postage...of course you'll want to check before sticking it in the mailbox!}

I also have a few more spider-y Halloween party details to go along with the invite...and I'll share those soon!

But....I want to know!
Which Pottery Barn Kids costume do you like best?
Or do you make your own??
What was your fave costume growing up? {mine was totally Rainbow Brite!!  My grandma made it and it was AWESOME.}
I'd love to hear!!

ps. right now when you shop Pottery Barn Kids online for Halloween treat bags, you save 20% and get free shipping!!

xoxo

costume photos c/o Pottery Barn Kids

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bento school lunch: week 4

A little late in sharing, but here is a peek into last week's lunchboxes.
{Hot lunch at school this week, so a little shorter than usual!}

grapes, pretzels, puzzle pb&j, apples and Nutella

grapes, blueberries, animal crackers, pretzel goldfish, carrots, turkey dog and ketchup

strawberries, cookies, carrots, grapes, wheat thins, peanut butter sushi rolls

And a collage version for easy pinning:

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the one where I give a tiny bit of beauty advice

This is what I use for a no chip mani at home.
I can usually get a full week out of it...minimal wear.

I bought both at the beauty supply store for less than $10 each.
I start with the bottle on the left as a base coat, then 1-2 coats of color {anything will do...I go between cheap Sally Hansen to expensive Essie}, and then the top coat.

This is so not my typical diy!!
Ha!

Now I'm going out on a major limb here giving beauty advice because, seriously, if one of my littles didn't smear something on me, I probably have spray paint in my hair and hot glue on my clothes.
Hot mess.
But every once in awhile I like to clean myself up and go on a date. ;)

I instagrammed this pic last Sunday.  {Mainly because of the PAM trick I keep seeing pinned.  Jury's still out on whether I thought it made a difference or not...}

And this is how my nails looked yesterday, a full week later.
Not bad.

xoxo

ps. this is NOT a sponsored post!

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diy: folding chair slipcover

JoAnn's was nice enough to send a sample of Waverly fabric to help celebrate National Sewing Month.

I thought the bright and playful fabric would be perfect for prettying up a plain old folding chair.

I based my pattern mainly on the folding chair slipcover in the book One Yard Wonders {I omitted the top ruffle for simplicity and because I didn't read the directions all the way through...I added contrasting ties to the top portion}.

Start to finish, the whole project took less than an hour.  Not bad!  I think making a bunch of these covers would be such a great way to add a personal touch to a party!!

xoxo

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diy: halloween gumball necklaces

This post was sponsored by Hub Network through their partnership with Circle of Moms. While I was compensated to write a post about Hub Network's First Annual Halloween Bash Costume Contest, all opinions are my own.  As always, thanks for reading!!
xoxo

We've had temps near 90 all week, but it's hard not to start thinking about Halloween crafting.
The candy!
The decorations!
The school supplies are gone and they're starting to creep into the stores.
I'm ready. :)

This little project is a fun take on the classic candy necklaces my littles love.

With a little adult supervision, even kids can make this simple little craft project.  I think it's perfect for a fun and festive accessory or they could even be Halloween party favors!

To make these, you'll need:

gumballs {I found individual gumballs at the party store for less than 10 cents each...they also sell bags of single colors.}
ribbon
drill with a small bit or skewer
large upholstery {or plastic for children} needle

To make the necklaces:

Start by poking holes through the gumballs to make them into beads.  I used a drill bit for the sake of this project, but if you plan on chewing the gum or giving these, you may want to consider using something food safe, like a skewer.  Use good judgment. :)

Gumballs are hollow, so be careful making a hole.  The shell on the outside tended to crack if I used too much pressure.

Then thread the ribbon through the large needle and string the gumball beads.

I experimented with different color combos and tying bows in different ways.  It was a lot of fun!

And I'm not the only one thinking Halloween lately.  The Hub Network is too!

 

The Hub Network's First Annual Halloween Bash Costume Contest is going on now, with a chance to win a prize valued at $25,000!

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instagrammed.

A tiny peek into the past few weeks of our lives, through filtered iphone photos.
If you'd like to follow along as I post to instagram, I'm @aprettycoollife
Have a great week, friends!
xoxo

find me on bloglovin' and my fave social media sites!
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bento school lunch: week 3

Three weeks into school already is just crazy!
Here's a peek into lunchboxes this week:

mixed berries, grapes, cookie, pretzel goldfish, fruit leather, pb&j stars

cantaloupe, cookie, baby carrots, pretzels, grapes, peanut butter sushi rolls

strawberries, blueberries, baby carrots, pretzels, grapes, puzzle piece peanut butter sandwiches

strawberries, nutter butters, pretzels, grapes, kiwi, ants on a log

grapes, frosted animal crackers, baby carrots, apples, wheat thins, nutella sushi rolls

And for those of you who like to pin a collage:

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