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We're in the mood for all things Halloween and that includes our TBR pile! Our witchy booklist is full of magic, mystery, romance, found family, revenge, and more! Check out these 13 witchy books to read this fall! The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - An orphan witch is taught to hide her magic away until one day she gets a message to come to a house where they teach young witches how to control their magic. She becomes part of this secret society. When danger comes knocking, the real fun begins. In Charm's Way by Lana Harper - Explore the effects of trauma and rage with a witch who has memory loss and performs a powerful spell to gain back her lost memories. It works, but she becomes a beacon for all things supernatural. This book is part of the Witches of Thistle Grove series but can also be read as a stand-alone novel. The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry - The story of a young woman named Biddy who washed up on an island as a baby and is taken care of by the magician. She learns to love and protect magic as if it was her own even though she can't do magic of her own. When the magic begins to dry up, the magician leaves to make sure the magic is evenly distributed. But, he's been keeping secrets and Biddy starts to question everything, Big Little Spells by Hazel Beck - The second book in the Witchlore series. When Rebekkah was 18 she was stripped of her powers and banished from her town. Now, 10 years later, she's back with the coven that presides over the magical world, but her return becomes sinister when they think she's a threat to witchkind. A witchy journey of self-discovery and healing Now she is Witch by Kirsty Logan - A lyrically written book about witchcraft, wise women, and folklore. Else discovers rumors of witches in the north are running rampant, her mother was accused of witchcraft, and now a stranger appears with a wolf in tow. Not tied to a specific time or place, it feels very much like a story told over time and has the feeling of being historical and modern at the same time. Weyward by Emilia Hart - Three separate stories that span generations of a family and we follow three women who are connected in many ways. Each woman has to deal with the expectations that society places on women in their own times and men who try to control them. We follow the women as they find their own strength and power with a hint of magic weaved in. Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs - When two estranged sisters are given the task of guarding the family's library of magical books, they work together and unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their family. Loyalty, betrayal, and the pursuit of magical power. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman - Their family has been cursed since the 1600s when an ancestor was charged with witchery. Now, generations later, three unique children have rules like no walking in the moonlight, no cats, no candles and most importantly never fall in love. As the uncover their family history, they discover who they are, and are determined to escape the family curse. Two of the children in the family grow up to be the beautiful aunts in Practical Magic. The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre - Iris, who is terrible with money and who everyone calls the "chaos bunny" suddenly inherits a house from her great aunt. She turns the house into a B&B and it ends up attracting all kinds of misfit boarders who are of the paranormal type. This is part of the Fix-it Witch series but can also be read as a stand-alone book. The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy - Gracelynn lives with her grandmother on Tin Mountain in the Ozarks helping her with herbal remedies. We get steeped in old folk magic following two viewpoints as a man moves to town and something seems off with him. Danger is closer than it seems. Pre-order these witchy reads that are coming out this month! Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (Available September 12th) - Each witchy sister in this family has her own magical gifts. Sage's gift is that of botany and that causes her to have to work closely with someone in her past who broke her heart. It's a book of complex sisterly bonds, second-chance romance, a little bit of plants, and a lot of magic! What Became of Magic by Paige Crutcher (Available September 26th) - Aline is a witch who can talk to ghosts. She uses her powers in secret to help lost souls find their way home. Along the way, she sets off on a quest to find a town that doesn't exist, or does it? Full of magic and Alice in Wonderland vibes. Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn (available September 26th) - When two sisters inherit a house they begin to have haunting experiences. They discover their families is that of witches and someone doesn't want them to have the house. They come face to face with an enemy that has been stalking their shadows for years and they discover the awful truth about what happened to their mother. Do they have the power within them to survive Bone Hill?

I wanted to create a simple DIY Halloween bunting banner that could be used for different Halloween décor not only for this year but for years to come as well. I kept it simple with a classic black-and-white color combination. I found black pre-cut burlap bunting at my local craft store and I used white craft paint to freehand paint my letters on the bunting. I added simple ghosts for a little spooky touch. It looks great with my DIY cheesecloth ghosts . Easy DIY Halloween Bunting SUPPLIES Black burlap (or sturdy black fabric cut to shape, felt might work too) White craft paint and paintbrush Twine Large needle White scrap fabric Cotton balls Black marker White thread DIRECTIONS: Step 1: Cut your fabric to the shape and size you want. Mine are about 5 x 7 inches, and then I cut it angled in at the bottom to make the bunting shape I wanted. Step 2: Using white craft paint, paint “Happy Halloween”, one letter at a time, on each of the bunting pieces. This took a long time but was worth it in the end. You may have to do 2 or 3 coats to get the white just right. Step 2: To make the ghosts I just used 4 jumbo cotton balls wrapped in a piece of white fabric and tied with white thread. I drew on black eyes with the marker. Step 3: Using a large needle and some black and white twine I threaded on each letter to make my banner. I made 2 separate buntings, one for the word “Happy” and another for “Halloween”. Step 4: String the ghosts through the head on each end of the word “happy” to complete your banner. Hang and enjoy for many Halloweens to come! I made mini versions of these buntings when I made my DIY cheesecloth ghosts . Head over to that post to make this craft . Looking for more Halloween? Check out these posts: 13 Spellbinding Witchy Books to Read this Fall Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Starbucks Copycat Recipe

I remember a family friend making cheesecloth ghosts when I was a child. Although I loved them at the time, I never made them myself until I was a mom with kids and wanted more "homemade" Halloween decor. These ghosts are simple but make a big impact and are seriously so cute! The ones I remember from childhood were simple, but I added matching buntings to my ghosts to match my DIY Happy Halloween Bunting . Supplies: Cheesecloth Liquid starch Balloons or Christmas ornaments Jars, glasses, or vases Pipe cleaners , any colors Pans (to set ghosts in while they dry) Bowl (to soak cheesecloth) DIY Cheesecloth Ghost Directions Step 1: Create the shape for your ghosts by setting a blown-up balloon in a vase or jar. I used a pipe cleaner under the balloon to create arm shapes. Play around with different sizes of ghosts to see what you like best. I used pieces of tape to secure my balloons to the jars before I began adding my cheesecloth. This will give your ghost a head and arm shape. *Note: Be sure to put your ghost shapes on a clean tray to keep the mess contained once you add the liquid starch. Step 2: Measure and precut your cheesecloth to fit your ghosts. I discovered I liked 3-4 layers of cheesecloth to achieve the transparency I desired. Make sure to leave enough cheesecloth at the bottom of each ghost to puddle and create a base for the ghosts to stand up. Step 3: Pour some liquid starch into a bowl and wet your cheesecloth. Be careful your layers don’t get too bunched up. When your cheesecloth is completely wet, sloth off some of the excess and arrange it on your ghost mold, draping from front to back. You have time to arrange it how you like making sure you leave a puddle of cheesecloth around the front and back for your ghost base. Once you are satisfied with your ghosts, let them dry overnight. Step 4: While you wait for your ghosts to dry you can create their banners. I wanted my ghosts to be holding bunting that matched my DIY Happy Halloween Bunting. I used a few extra pieces of the black burlap bunting and cut mini buntings to match for my ghosts. Step 5: Cut rectangles the size you need and then snip out a triangle shape from the bottom going from each corner at an angle to the middle of your rectangle to creating a bunting shape. Using white paint, create your letters. I made my buntings say “boo” for the big ghost and “trick” “or” “treat” buntings for the 3 smaller ghosts. Step 6: Gently remove the ghosts from their mold. I popped my balloons and just loosed the ghosts from the ornament molds. They look awesome don’t they! Step 7: Now you can attach your buntings. Thread your bunting letters onto twine and attach them through each of the ghost’s hands. Tie a knot on the underside of the ghost hand to keep the bunting attached. These DIY Cheesecloth Ghosts make a great centerpiece for a Halloween party or just use them to decorate around your house. Make large ghosts and place battery-operated tea lights under them to line your steps or walkway outside! They just make me so happy! Shop this project: More Halloween Fun: 13 Witchy Books for Fall Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies

Did you know you can really visit the town where the Halloweentown the Disney movie was filmed? Take a trip to the Pacific Northwest this Fall and plan a trip to visit "Halloweentown" in St. Helen's Oregon, a quaint little riverside town. We went last year and it was so much fun. This blog guide will help you plan your trip to Halloweentown. Put on a spooky outfit and channel your best witchy vibes. Plan a Trip to Halloweentown While we spent the day in St. Helen's, Oregon, we really planned the trip to visit Portland, Oregon, and the Oregon coast so I'll touch on some of that in a later post if you're interested in our entire trip. But let's dive right into some Halloweentown tips and tricks to plan your trip. How Far is St. Helen's from Portland? St. Helen's is only a 40-45 minute drive from Portland so it makes a great day trip. Because it was so close we knew it would be a town to visit to kick off the Halloween season and put us in the Halloween mood. When to visit Halloweentown? St. Helen's is a regular town so you can visit any time of the year, but they really put on a show for Spirit of Halloweentown from mid-September all the way until Halloween (Sep 16-Oct 31, 2023). Because of our trip itinerary, we visited on a weekday which was much more chill, but if you visit on the weekends, they open their main attractions and it's much more fun! What to do in Halloweentown? The main attraction in my opinion is the plaza in front of the courthouse with the large Halloweentown pumpkin! This is open on the weekends (weekdays for free) for photo ops and walking through. You can also see Benny the cab driver and pose with him for a picture. On October 7th , they have a big Halloweentown parade that ends with a pumpkin lighting so that's fun! On weekends you can purchase tickets to other attractions as well such as the haunted house, Big Halloween Exhibit, boat ride to Sand Island to hunt for Big Foot, a decorated houses tour, alien museum, movie theater showings, celebrity photo-ops and more! They host a costume contest every Saturday and Sunday with cash prizes up for grabs so go all out! Weekend attractions are usually open from 10 am to 5 pm unless otherwise noted. Halloweentown Photo Op Places? Giant Pumpkin - Halloweentown Plaza City Hall/Courthouse Plaza - Halloweentown Plaza at 275 Strand Street Benny’s Cab - Parked along Halloweentown Plaza (it's not exactly the cab from the movie, but Benny will be there in the driver’s seat and it's a fun photo to snag!) Bus stop - Halloweentown Plaza Old Theater : 212 S 1st Street (You can actually watch movies here including Halloweentown!) If you're looking for Aggie Cromwell’s house, it's located at 3814 SE Martins Street, Portland, Oregon so that's a bummer. Special events in Halloweentown? On October 21st- 22nd it's the 25th anniversary of the original movie and they will have special guests including "Sophie, Dylan, Luke, and Marnie" there, where you can get paid autographs and/or pictures with the cast. There is even a pizza party with Sophie, Dylan, and Luke you can attend. You can go inside the courthouse and see part of the movie set as well as scripts and other props and view the Halloweentown movie in their theater to celebrate! Other weekends are a host to special events such as Twilight weekend (September), Hocus Pocus weekend (September), Haunted Hotrods (October) and Witches Beer Fest and Witches Celebration (October). If you're a Twilight fan, the Bella Swan Twilight house is also in St. Helen's. You can stop by to see it and take your picture out front as well. Where to park for Halloweentown? During the weekdays you can park in the city on 231 S First Street and it's free. On the weekends, because it's a small town that pulls a big crowd, they offer parking passes for 1810 Old Portland Road and will shuttle you into the town. Parking on weekends costs $15 a day online and $20 in person so plan ahead. To get more information and purchase your tickets for attractions, celebrity photos, parking, and more, visit their Halloweentown website . Visiting Halloweentown is such a fun trip and such a unique place! If you are planning a trip to Portland or the Oregon coast, come back soon for my 4-day trip itinerary and guide! Looking for more Halloween fun? Check out our DIY Cheesecloth Ghosts, 13 Witchy Reads for Fall , and Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam Recipe .

I'm a sucker for holiday-themed and cute food. To celebrate Halloween, here are 7 fun Halloween foods I enjoy serving my kids during the Halloween season. These ideas are sure to make this last week festive and fun! 7 Fun and Easy Halloween Foods Yes, I have served all of these fun foods to my kids either this Halloween or last Halloween. They love themed food and I’m totally that mom who loves making it! I might as well enjoy it while they’re young and still think my quirkiness is cool. Check out some of my favorite Halloween foods for kids. 1. Green Eyeball Pasta I love making this for Harry Potter movie night as well as Halloween. We call it Mad Eye Moody Meatballs if we are serving it for Harry Potter. You can also dye spaghetti green for a brighter pasta which I have done here to make it more spooky. Full recipe here . 2. Pumpkin Face Pancakes and Boo-nanas Create pumpkin pancakes and then cut them out with pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters . Give the kids candy corn and chocolate sauce to make faces (or make it for them). Add chocolate sauce to half a banana for boo-annas! 3. Mummy Pizza and Spider Eggs On half of an English Muffin make a cheese mummy pizza using strips of mozzarella cheese and olives for eyes. Serve grapes (spider eggs) on the side with a plastic spider ring on top for them to wear during their meal! 4. Mac and Cheese Jack-o-lanterns Jazz up some basic stovetop Mac and cheese for Halloween. I added about 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, extra cheddar, and served them in orange bell peppers that I carved to look like mini jack-o-lanterns. 5. Candy Corn Waffles I made a batch of Pumpkin Spice waffles . Before cooking them in my waffle maker , I separated the batter into 2 bowls and added orange and yellow food coloring. Pour the orange batter in the middle and some yellow around the outside. Once they are cooked, separate the triangles and dip them in a simple milk, vanilla and powdered sugar glaze to create the white tip. Yum! 6. Zombie Brains These sushi zombie brains are super creepy but fun for sushi-loving kiddos. I didn’t want to make a whole batch of sticky rice, so I used Annie Chun’s white sticky rice and it worked perfectly! Check out the video on our TikTok to see how easily these come together. Full recipe here . 7. Jack-o-lantern Quesadillas We made jack-o-lantern quesadillas to eat for our pumpkin carving night. I just cut pumpkin shapes (or have older kids make their own pumpkin faces) out of one tortilla and then line up two tortillas to cut the pumpkin stem at the top. Fill with cheese, spray the outside with cooking spray, and bake in a 400-degree oven for 8-10 minutes until melted. Make these Halloween treats even more festive by serving them on Halloween plates ! Which one looks the most fun to make? Let me know in the comments. Shop Halloween Deals

Boo baskets are such a fun gift-giving activity for the Halloween season. My daughter recently made a boo basket for a friend as a gift exchange. She was being creative, so she got a skull and filled it with pink goodies to look like a brain. We had fun finding all pink themed things to fill her boo basket with. Here is a sneak peek at her boo basket and some ideas to make your own pink boo basket this Halloween! Build a Pink Boo Basket Start with your basket Halloween Tote Skull Basket Pink Pumpkin Add something cozy fuzzy pink socks Pink Halloween Blanket Fluffy Ghost Slippers Cat Plush Choose a fun cup *You can add a drink as an option. Cocoa, tea, or soda! We found some pink peace tea and added that to ours. Pink Stanley Hello Kitty Halloween Mug Glass Pumpkin Tumblers Pink Ghost Mug Add a few fun things pink satin bows Fillable bath brush Lip masks Semi Cured Gel Nails Gel Bead Eye Mask Finish with Something that smells good Pink Candle Rose Bath Bombs Body Scrub What would you choose to put in your boo basket?

The kids and I love watching Harry Potter and making themed foods. I decided to try my hand at a new Harry Potter food. In the past, we've made Butterbeer Milkshakes as our go-to Harry Potter movie treat. I decided to turn that butterbeer goodness into a cookie. I've made cake mix cookies and cakes before and this one was so yummy! Butterbeer Cookies Ingredients: 1 box yellow cake mix 1 (3 oz) box of butterscotch pudding 3/4 cup melted butter 2 eggs 1 tsp rum extract 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 1/2 cup white chocolate chips tablespoon Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix and pudding mix. In a small bowl, cut butter into small pieces and microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Mine took about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, eggs, and rum extract to the bowl with the cake mixture. Mix well. Fold in your butterscotch and white chocolate chips. Scoop the dough into rounded 1 tablespoon balls and place on a baking sheet, pressing down slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for a 1-2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to finish cooling. This makes about 24-30 cookies. Store in an airtight container and enjoy! For more Harry Potter food check out our Mad Eye Moody Meatballs and Gillyweed Pasta .

I'm reading through the Harry Potter series with my son and he's loving it. We recently finished the fourth book, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. As usual, I had to do an at-home movie showing with a themed dinner with fun treats to celebrate. We always make a butterbeer milkshake anytime we watch a Harry Potter movie and this time was no different. This butterbeer milkshake is only a few ingredients and so easy to make! Kids and adults alike love it! Butterbeer Milkshake Ingredients: 4 cups cream soda 4 cups vanilla ice cream 1/2 cup butterscotch topping (plus more for topping) whipped cream Directions: In a blender, mix together your cream soda, your favorite vanilla ice cream, and butterscotch topping. Blend together until smooth. Divide into individual servings (ours made 4 glasses) and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of butterscotch topping. Serve and enjoy! This drink is creamy and drinkable and not quite as thick as a real milkshake, but so yummy! Perfect for whipping up during a Harry Potter movie night! We also snagged some butterbeer chewy candies and chocolate frogs and pretended we were on the train to Hogwarts buying stuff off the trolley! Shop Harry Potter Fun Finds: Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit // Hagrid's Hut Lego Set // Hogwarts House Squishmallow If you like this recipe be sure to stay tuned for more Harry Potter-inspired posts coming soon!

I'm obsessed with Taylor Swift and The Eras Tour currently. The imagery in the Lavender Haze music video is just so dreamy so I decided to create a Lavender Haze-inspired Cocktail to sip on while scrolling SwiftTok and Instagram and watching videos. This cocktail features egg whites, which I wasn't sure about at first, but after making a few different versions of this drink, I realized, it NEEDS the egg. They add a subtle creaminess to the drink and it doesn't taste like egg at all. It makes it even prettier and looks like the clouds Taylor is floating on during the Lavender Haze music video. So let's share out how we made this pretty cocktail! Lavender Haze Cocktail Ingredients: 2 oz Empress Gin 1908 3/4 oz lemon juice (we use this juicer) 3/4 oz simple syrup 1 dash lavender bitters 1 egg white large ice cube dried edible lavender flowers , optional as garnish Notes: This serves up perfectly in a coupe glass and makes 1 drink. Instructions: Chill your coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes, while you prepare the drink. In a cocktail shaker add the Empress Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and lavender bitters. Dry shake for 15 seconds, no ice. Add the ice cube to your shaker, wet shake for 20-30 seconds. Double-strain the drink into your chilled coupe glasses. At first it will look very white but after a minute, it settles to this lovely lavender color. Garnish with dried lavender flowers if desired Note about egg whites: Adding egg whites to your cocktails is a very old-fashioned thing and perfectly safe as long as your egg stays chilled. The egg white adds a rich creamy texture and for this drink, it represents the clouds that we see in the Lavender Haze music video. If you want more information, check out this egg-white cocktails video . Shop Cocktail Fun Finds: Iridescent coupe glasses // Bitters Set // Glass cocktail shaker For more Taylor Swift-inspired fun, check out our DIY Lover House Friendship Bracelet Holder Eras Tour Confetti Shadow Box and our Lavender Lemonade mocktail ! Be sure to check out my newest post on how to throw a Taylor Swift Party !

My kids and I are huge Harry Potter Fans. I read the series with my daughter and now my son and I are halfway through the final book. Whenever we finish a book, we watch the movie and have a Harry Potter Movie night with things like Mad Eye Moody Meatballs or Butterbeer Milkshakes . The kids love it and it's so much fun! We also collect some of the wands. We made this DIY Harry Potter Wand holder out of wood to display their wands on in their rooms. DIY Harry Potter Wand Holder My kids love displaying their wands from Wizarding World at Universal Studios as well as Mystery Wands and Dark Arts Mystery Wands . Supplies: 18 inch wooden plaque 18 inch x 2.5 inch wooden boards, one for each wand sandpaper L shaped screw hooks , about 1.5 inches in size ceiling hooks , about 1 inch Small screw eyes , about 3/4 inch craft paint wood stain sawtooth picture hanging brackets Directions: Make sure all your wooden pieces are smooth. Sand any rough spots down with your sandpaper. Then, we added a pretty wood stain on all our pieces. Once that was dry we painted the word "wands" on the large wooden plaque. You can also personalize it with the person's name. 3. Use the L hooks and create "ledges" for your wands to sit on. These are nice because wands are different sizes so some need to be further out from the wood if the handles are thicker. I used 2 L hooks to hold up each wand and adjusted it to fit each wand handle. 4. Using the ceiling hooks and small screw eyes, you can link together the wand-holding pieces to hang down below each other. 5. Add sawtooth picture hanging brackets to the back of your wand holder and you're ready to display your wands.

Let's face it, dads can be hard to shop for sometimes. I'm sharing my Dad Gifts Shopping Guide with tons of gifts for just about every kind of dad. With 11 different dad categories and over 45 different gift ideas, there is bound to be something for everyone! Gamer dad, check! Dad who is outdoorsy, we've got that! A dad loves to cook, we got some fun stuff for him! Nerdy dads, we rounded up some unique finds! Dad who would rather stay home and chill, yes! Dad Gifts We love all kinds of dads! Shop our gift guide below and be prepared to show Dad just how much he means to you! Dads with a Home Bar Cocktail Smoker Kit - Dad can make his cocktails come to life with this smoking kit for extra smoky flavor. Map Whiskey Glasses - Celebrate Dad with his favorite cities maps etched onto whiskey glasses. Wine Saver - Dad can preserve his wine for days with this airtight stopper for wine bottles. Horn Mug - Viking, Thor, Dad? This horn mug is a unique gift for Dad who likes watching Game of Thrones or Vikings. Dads who Cook Blackstone - He will be the coolest Dad on the block with this fancy new blackstone grill. Perfect for the Dad who likes to entertain big crowds. National Parks Cookbook - Recipes inspired by National Parks will keep Dad on his toes while cooking. Steak Stone Grill Set - Dad can cook up his famous steaks on this hot stone that sears the outside while keeping all the juices inside. Hydroponic Herb Growing Kit - Dad can grow his own herbs for the kitchen with this unique hydroponic kit with a built-in water pump and grow light. Nerdy Dads Smartphone Paper Airplane - Dad can make a paper airplane and then attach it to a mini motor and fly it with his smartphone! The plane charges in just 30 minutes, so the fun starts faster! Build your Own Movie Projector - This 3-d wooden puzzle will be a fun brain teaser for Dad. Once he completes it, he can watch the included film reel because it really plays movies! Color Change Dice and Custom TTRPG Terrain - Is Dad into D&D? Then these will be right up his alley. Dad Jokes Shirt - Dad the master of the Dad Jokes! Let him show it off with this cute graphic shirt. Light Saber Chopsticks - "You are my Father", Star Wars Dads will get a kick out of these glowing chopsticks (and they would make a great stocking stuffer) Gifts for Quality Time with Dad 1 00 Things to Do with Dad poster - This poster is chock full of fun ideas to do with Dad throughout the year! Scratch them off as you go and celebrate the new year all year long! Escape Room in a Box - Stay indoors and try out this fun escape room game! Three different exciting games to play. Pickleball Bag - learn to play a new sport together. Surprise Dad with this adjustable pickleball tote and some group lessons or time at a local pickleball court. Give Stories Not Stuff - This gift box is customizable with an experience voucher for 1-2 people (800 things to choose from) in over 50 countries! Give the gift of an experience. Coffee Dads Whole Bean Coffee Sampler - Bones is a small batch roaster with delicious coffee flavors. This sampler pack is a great place to start. Coffee Bean Grinder - This coffee grinder set has everything Dad will need to grind his own coffee beans at home. Keurig Smart Coffee Maker - Go all out with this coffee maker that is wifi compatible, makes lattes and cappuccinos, and has a built-in milk frother. Temperature Controlling Mug - If Dad is particular about his coffee, this mug keeps it exactly the right temperature, warm, hot, or piping! Thoughtful Gifts for Dads Custom Reel Viewmaster - preserve your memories with Dad, vintage style, with this custom Viewmaster. Creating your own reel with your photos is a creative way to show Dad how much you love him. Personalized Keychain - Turn your child's artwork or handwriting into a personalized keychain Dad can take with him everywhere. Why a Daughter Needs a Dad Book - Sweet and thoughtful gift idea for those girl Dads. Custom Puzzle - Create a puzzle just for Dad with your favorite picture of him and the kid(s). Outdoorsy Dads Hiking Stick and Medallions - This a fun way to inspire Dads to get outdoors and get moving while collecting cool things like a medallion from each National Park. Monocular Telescope for Smartphone - If Dad likes hiking, hunting, or birdwatching this is a super cool gadget! This monocular has a 60 mm lens with 12x zoom. It comes with a smartphone holder to get clear pictures and videos. Man Box - Show Dad he's "the man" with this box full of goodies for the outdoor enthusiast. Survival Kit - Let Dad know "We couldn't survive without you", and Dad can't survive without this cool 17-piece outdoor survival kit. Also, check out our Camping Gift Guide for more ideas for your Outdoorsy Dad! Musical Dads Record Player - Dad is old school and so is this record player. Dad can bring back the good old days with this record player and speakers set. Hit up your local record store to get a vinyl of one of Dad's favorite bands to go with it! Wireless Karaoke Microphone - Encourage Dad to belt out his favorite tunes with this wireless karaoke mic that can Bluetooth stream music and has 6 different voice changers. Vintage Handcrank Music Box - Dads will think this music box is pretty neat when they play the song you write. It comes with a few pre-made songs and blank paper to create your own. Game That Song - A fun and interactive music-themed game that anyone can play! Sporty Dads Stadium Blueprints - Frame the blueprints of his favorite stadium. Perfect to hang in his office or man cave. Couple it with tickets to see his favorite team play and you might become his favorite child! Golf Sensors - Help Dad up his golf game with these sensors for his clubs. Stroke analytics, personalized advice, automatic shot tracking, and more! NFL desktop organizer - Dad can wirelessly charge his phone and keep his desk organized. Stadium Seat Watch - Get Dad a watch made from authentic wooden seats salvaged from iconic MLB ballparks. Homebody Dads Couch Caddy/Tray - Make couch time easier with this all-in-one cup holder, phone charger, and caddy/tray for the couch. Snack Subsc ription Box - Try Treats is a fun, monthly subscription box full of snacks from around the world! Hoodie Blanket - Keep Dad cozy in this oversized hoodie blanket, perfect for chilling out around the house and watching movies. Hammock - Dad can relax in this hammock out in his backyard. Holds up to 400 lbs and comes in a variety of colors! Home Security System - Dad can help keep his family safe with this security system complete with indoor and outdoor cameras. Compatible with Alexa and Google. Gamer Dads Headphones - Dad will enjoy playing with these memory foam headphones with personalizable color lighting. Gaming Keyboard Combo - Dad can take his PC gaming to the next level with this keyboard and mouse combo made just for gamers. Retro Gaming Shirt - Dad is just leveling up, not getting older, in this retro-inspired gamer t-shirt Gaming Storage - Dad can store his controllers and headphones on this cool stand. Lego Pac-man Arcade - Lego is releasing this non-functional gaming system Lego set with a lot of fun retro details. This lego set is brand new, and was just released this Summer! For more gift guide ideas, check out our post about Best Camping Gifts.

Cyanotype is the fun process of using light to do photographic printing. It creates this beautiful rich blue color. Today, I'm going to teach you a little bit about how cool cyanotype is and show you how we made our DIY cyanotype shirt for the 4th of July! It's a great summer project. History of Cyanotype Cyanotype was developed around 1842 by a man named Sir John Herschel, a Greek chemist and experimental photographer (to name a few titles). Cyanotype creates a monotype print with a deep blue hue that looks like a blueprint. It was first publicly used to create the first ever photographic book called Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions by Anna Atkins. Cyanotype is one of the oldest photographic printing processes and is still used today. How Does Cyanotype Work? First, the cyanotype solution is created by mixing ferric ammonium citrate potassium ferricyanide to make an iron-rich sensitizer solution. The solution is brushed over a porous surface such as paper or clothing, you can add an object, and then expose it to light. When the chemicals are exposed to UV light such as sunlight, they react and create ferric ferrocyanide, also known as Prussian Blue around the object. The last step in the process is to use water to rinse away the chemicals. Over time the dark blue develops to reveal the final product. DIY Cyanotype Shirt We created a fun Cyanotype shirt for the 4th of July using this cyanotype dye kit , star stickers, and a plain white cotton shirt . She wanted to create a blue shirt with a stars and fireworks pattern on it. We used foam star stickers to make the star shapes . The fireworks were created with these fluffy pom poms we found in our craft box from years ago. While don't need a dark room, we did our painting in a dim room before taking the shirt outside to expose it to light. For our shirt, we painted the whole area blue and then laid the stars on it in a pattern we liked. Then we took it outside to let it sit in the sun the sun for a while. We left it outside for a few minutes to develop the color. Shop Cyanotype Supplies: After letting our shirt sit out in the sun, we brought it in and removed the stars. She immediately washed the shirt in a sink with cool water. We used gloves to protect our hands from the chemicals. We let it air dry before putting it on. This is the final result. We used a pretty saturated layer of the cyanotype so the blue is pretty dark but the stars and fireworks are fun for the Fourth of July! To help protect the shirt, I've only ever washed it by hand alone and let air dry, so I don't have good tips for laundering it in the future. It's a fun summer project for older kids or teens! We are planning to experiment more with nature designs next time. More Cyanotype Fun: