Handprint Trees

Lately the twins have been wild, climbing the walls wild, so I thought it might be good to funnel some of that energy into an artistic expression.  Today we made handprint trees, and used their little fingerprints as leaves.  It actually turned out pretty well and now we have some cute fall trees hanging on our art wall.  Here's what we did...

Supplies:

• Paint (washable & non-toxic)
• Paint brush
• Paper
• Small containers (or paint lids) for dipping

Method:
 
First, I painted brown paint onto a cute chubby hand and stamped it a few times to make the branches of the tree.  I had to repaint each hand twice to get enough limbs.  Then, I added in a tree trunk.  

After that, I gave each boy a few small dishes of paint, and showed them how to dip their fingers in and stamp the leaves.  We used yellow, orange, red, magenta, and even a little purple.  The boys stamped leaves on the trees, some falling down, and some on the ground.  Thing 1 was much more interested in eating the paint than stamping, but I helped him a bit.  Thing 2 on the other hand really got into the stamping.  He even repeated, "stamp, stamp, stamp" each time.    

 From start to finish the project took less than 15 minutes, so it was perfect for the 20 month old twins.  Honestly, Sissy was even a little jealous of their art when she got home from school!  Maybe we will do it again with her this weekend.

I'd love to hear from you if you try it with your own little hands!

Happy stamping!

Short Order Saturday

We awoke Saturday to a torrential downpour of rain.  Soccer games were canceled, and we were destined to spend the day indoors.  As we enjoyed apple pie pancakes, it occurred to me that it might be the perfect opportunity for a fun and silly Saturday.  So, I made an announcement, "Name a food, and I'll make it, whatever you want!"  Smiles lit up all around the table, and the brainstorming began.  In a few short minutes the requests were it!  

Sissy and I bundled up, and braved the storm to purchase supplies.  When we got home the cooking began.  Sissy helped me roll the pigs in a blanket.  We started the meatballs in the crockpot, mixed up a queso dip, and enjoyed round one for lunch.  After lunch we made cookies, wings, spaghetti and mac & cheese.  

 
All said and done we ended up with so much delicious food, it seemed only right to share.  We invited over my brothers and had a feast!  We were even able to send some cookies home for my mom.


In the end of course, the food wasn't really important.  What's important is that every day is what you make it, that rainy Saturdays can be transformed into magnificent feasts, that a little food prepared with love can bring joy to everyone around you, and finally, that whatever happens, a day with family is a true blessing!  I am secretly hoping it rains again next weekend, so we can do it again! :)

Happy Monday!

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Its football season, and in this house that means tailgating!  Okay, well sorta.  Now days tailgating means I make up a some yummy dishes, and the hubs and I attempt to watch a few moments of college football in between playing trains, changing diapers, coaching soccer, and reading board books for the 100th time.  

Anyway, one of my favorite tailgate recipes is Cowboy Caviar.  It is a delicious dip made from black eyed peas, corn, tomatoes, and avocado with a spicy sauce.  Its easy to prepare, keeps for days, and everyone loves it.  I keep most of the ingredients on hand, so I have a quick dish for anything that comes up. 

Cowboy Caviar
Ingredients  

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 firm ripe avocado
• 1 can (15 oz.) black-eyed peas
• 1 can (11 oz.) corn kernels
• 1 can (15 0z.) petite diced tomatoes 
• 2/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional)
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tortilla chips for serving

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix vinegar, hot sauce, oil, garlic, and pepper. Peel, pit, and cut avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to vinegar mixture and mix gently to coat.
2. Drain and rinse black eyed peas thoroughly.  Drain tomatoes and corn. Add black eyed peas, corn, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes to avocado; mix gently to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.  Serve Cowboy Caviar with chips.

I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do.

Happy football season! 

How to Sell at Consignment Sales

Last week I wrote about shopping consignment sales, and several people asked if I also consign.  I do, and I love it.  Depending on how frugal you are selling and shopping, you can almost clothe your kids for free!  It takes a bit of work, but is certainly worth it if you shop on a budget.  So without further ado... how to sell at consignment sales!  Much of the information presented will be considerably redundant with the last post, so please bear with me.  

First let me cover my general consigning strategy.  I sell at two different sales that take place about three weeks apart.  The first sale is smaller, pickier about the quality of items, and generally brings in more money per item.  I take all my applicable items, price them on the higher side of reasonable, and see what I get from the first sale.  (Side note: Most sales offer a half off sale on the final day, but it is your choice to discount or not.  I do not.)  I generally sell about half of my items, but make a nice amount of money.  The unsold items are already prepped, so I just reduce the price about a dollar each, re-tag them, and try again at the next sale.  It is a bit more work, but I make considerably more than I would by pricing low all along, or by offering my items for 50% off on the final day.

Here are my tips for successfully consigning your children's clothing and gear:

1. Find a sale in your area!  Just hop on Google and search for children's consignment sales in (your city here). 
2. Read all the instructions first!  Each sale will only accept specific items.  For instance, you can only sell season appropriate items... coats in the fall, bathing suits in the spring, some only accept 10 pairs of shoes per consignor, some take maternity clothes, some accept car seats, etc.  You will waste a lot of time prepping items that you can't sell if you don't read the list of acceptable items first.  
3. Follow all the instructions!  This may seem like I am rehashing number two, but it is important.  Each sale will have a very specific set of instructions for preparing and tagging items. 
   
   If you don't follow the directions, your items may be rejected or you may lose sales.   Hangers must face a certain way and tags must be done according to the template.  Here is an example of a tag.  This particular sale uses hand written tags while some use computer systems.  This may seem complicated, but its easy once you get the hang of it.
4. Present your items favorably!  This may seem like a no brainer, but your items will sell better if they are clean, wrinkle free (mostly), and are well presented on the hanger.  I use lots of safety pins to assure that my items do not shift or fall off the hanger no matter how many people look at them.
   
   In fact, sales often request that items be hung a certain way for two reasons.  One, if your item falls off the hanger onto the floor, it will not sell, and two, an item that is securely attached to a hanger is much harder to steal.  So, test each item and make sure it won't fall off no matter what occurs.    
5. Price reasonably!  This is perhaps the hardest aspects of consigning because of the emotional attachment involved.  No matter how very cute your little one looked in the outfit, try not to price items emotionally.  You will sell more if you price items based on a reasonable scale and ask, "in this condition, what would I pay?"  Here is a wonderful consignment pricing guide to help with fair pricing.
6. Volunteer!  Consignors generally earn a larger percent of their sales based on how many volunteer shifts they work.  For example, no shifts = 60% of sales, 1 shift = 70%, and 4 shifts = 75%.  
7. Be patient!  Consigning is a process that takes place over the course of a week or longer.  Here is an example from one sale.  I am scheduled to drop off items on Saturday and it should take about an hour.  I will shop the sale the following Wednesday for several hours.  The next Saturday I work a 4 hour shift.  The following Wednesday I will pick up my unsold items and check.  I personally find the reward to greatly outweigh the work, but that may not be true for everyone.  

I hope you give it a try and have fabulous results.  Please comment with your own consigning suggestions, tips or questions!

Happy selling!

How To Shop Consignment Sales

I just finished shopping my very favorite children's consignment sale, and realized its the perfect opportunity to share one of my passions with you.  
Now wait, I know what you are thinking when I say consignment... you're picturing those over priced consignment stores that offer next to nothing for your clothes and then re-sell them at ridiculous prices.  

No, no, no!  There is another way!  

There are large bi-annual consignment sales, usually spring and fall, that sell gently used children's clothing, toys, and gear.   The sales take place in expo centers, abandoned big box stores, school gyms, and generally last 3 or 4 days.  Most sales allow between 250 and 2000 consignors (sellers), so the size of each sale varies widely.   Large or small though, the deals can be amazing!

I purchased 37 items for $126!  That's an average of just $3.40 per item.  A few of the items are bargain brand, but most are name brands including Ralph Lauren, Gap, and Gymboree.  I found 5 sets of button down shirts for the twins,  khaki pants, dresses for Sissy, skirts and sweaters for school uniforms, and even a few fun items like a Santa dress, and everything looks brand new!

So, now that you're sold, here is the bad news... its not always easy to get the best deals.  The sales can seem daunting, and the pricing can be all over the place.  Here are a few tips to make you a successful consignment shopper!

1. Find a sale in your area!  Just hop on Google and search for children's consignment sales in (your city here).  If you live in a very small town, consider finding a sale within driving distance.  It will be worth it.
2. Research the sales!  Ask your mommy friends, read online reviews, and find out what each sale does best.  Some sales are very picky about the clothes they accept, so you waste less time searching through stained or worn out clothes.  Some sales have more gear like high chairs, strollers, car seats, and cribs while other are mostly toys and clothes.  Find a sale that fits your needs.
3. Volunteer!  Most sales are fully staffed by volunteers, and the volunteers get to shop before the sale opens to the public.  Usually, you can earn the right to shop early by working one 3 or 4 hour shift.  I can not impress on you enough how important this is.  The very best deals will be purchased by the early shoppers.
4. Make a list!  Sit down and think about what you need before you go.  The sales are often huge and overwhelming, so its easy to get distracted if you don't have a plan.  Write down the items you are looking for and even the size you want, so you have a quick reference in the moment.  It will also pay off to look at a map of the sale and plan your attack.
5. Know your brands!  You will get the best deals if you are generally familiar with common brands and prices.  For instance, $3 for a GAP brand polo is great, but $3 for a Faded Glory brand is just okay.  Assume most items will be offered at less than 40% of retail value.  I stumbled across this consignment pricing guide which is broken down by item type and brand tier if you want to brush up a bit ;)
6. Be patient!  I usually block out 3 or 4 hours to shop kid free.  It will take a long time to look through all of the clothes, toys, etc., and because the sales are staffed by volunteers, it will probably take a long time to check out.  I waited 30 minutes to check out this last sale.  Consider this though, you can purchase a whole season of clothes in one sitting at remarkable prices... its worth 4 hours! 

I hope this helps you become a very successful consignment shopper.  Let me know if you try it!  

Oh and one more thing, many of the sales will let you shop a private "new mom sale" if you are pregnant, but they only take the first 200 or so to sign up!

Happy shopping!