Puzzle Blocks: Maurice Sendak style

In honor of the movie release of Where the Wild Things Are, I made some puzzle blocks using Maurice Sendak illustrations.







Materials:

• wooden blocks in any size and quantity (I used nine 2 inch blocks found at Michaels)
• Mod Podge
• foam brush
• 6 different photos matching the size of all of your blocks put together (in my case, 6 x 6 in.)
• X-acto knife, ruler, cutting surface

Directions:

• Cut one of the photos up to match the size of your blocks.
• Using the foam brush, spread Mod Podge on the back of the photo pieces and attach them to each block.
• After they have dried, rotate each block and repeat with the next five photos.
• Put a coat of Mod Podge over the entire surface of each block (do one side at a time) to seal the photos and protect the surface.

Lazy Days Skirt

I found this fabric on clearance several months ago and thought it would make a cute skirt for the girls. I finally decided it was time to cross this project off of my list. So a few nights ago, I sat down and made one for Amelia, one for Elsa, and had enough fabric left to make one for a friend. I decided to go with the "lazy days skirt" which is super easy to make.

You can find the instructions here.

Fall Festivals

Happy October! There are Fall Festivals everywhere. Check one out.

(Click on the name for more information.)

In Virginia:

Cox Farms Fall Festival
Centreville, VA
This festival is HUGE...plan to spend several hours. There are a lot of slides that are fun for the whole family. There are also rope swings, farm animals (including an interactive "goat village"), a great hayride, a silly corn maze, free apples and cider, a special area for children under 5, straw tunnels, and other activities. Admission includes a small pumpkin.

If possible, go during the week to avoid the weekend crowds. Afternoons seem to be the least busy.

Burke Nursery's Fall Festival
Burke, VA
Daily activities include slides, hay rides, farm animals, pumpkin fort, rope swing, and pirate and western-themed activities. Small pumpkin is included with admission.

Old Mine Ranch
Dumfries, Virginia
Through the month of October, enjoy pumpkin picking, hayrides, slides, petting farm, moonbounce and more. Open everyday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Spookfest every night except Sunday 7-9 p.m.

Hollin Farms Orchard
Delaplane, Virginia
One of the largest pumpkin patches in Northern Virginia. Pick a pumpkin, see farm animals and baby calves, take a pony ride, enjoy live music, hiking, and more. Open Wednesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October.

Heather Hill Gardens
Fairfax Station, VA
The Fall Festival includes pumpkins, a pumpkin fort, climbing ropes and swings for children.

Stribling Orchard
Markham, VA
Pick apples and choose pumpkins at this family farm which is more than 200 years old. Visitors can picnic at mountaintop tables and view farm animals.

Marker-Miller Orchards
Winchester, VA
Pick-you-own apples and pumpkins. There's an apple harvest festival Oct 10-11, and a pumpkin festival.

Virginia Farm Market
Winchester, VA
Pumpkinland features a pumpkin-lined path with red wagons and a pumpkin-filled wagon designed as a photo backdrop.

Great Country Farms
Bluemont, VA
This 200-acre farm offers hayrides to a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Activities include pedal carts, a giant corn box and a 2,800-square-foot pumpkin jumpin' pillow for outdoor bouncing, five mazes, a twin 60-foot slide and a mountain made of tractor tires.

Pumpkinville
Leesburg, VA
The festival includes hay mazes, hill slides, a moon bounce and pumpkin fort. Pumpkins are available for picking. On weekends, children can fly down a 200-foot zip line and ride camels.

Ticonderoga Farms
Chantilly, VA
The Pumpkin Festival at this 1,000-acre, fifth-generation family farm features hayrides, a pumpkin patch, hillside slides, tetherball, face painting, a candy corn hut, a small petting zoo and refreshments.

In Maryland:

Butler's Orchard
Germantown, Maryland
Annual Pumpkin Festival is held weekends throughout October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick a pumpkin; take a hayride; explore a hay maze; and enjoy crafts, food, and family activities.

Homestead Farm
Poolesville, Maryland
Harvest festival is held weekends through October from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Take a hayride, pick your own apples or pumpkins, find your way through the hay maze.

Larriland Farms
Woodbine, Maryland
Annual Pumpkin Festival is held weekends throughout October. Pick a pumpkin; take a hayride; and explore a hay maze and more.