Kid Giddy Helps to End the Thumbsucking Habits

Hi everyone!

I was working today on this new end the thumbsucking chart for any of you that have a thumbsucker in your home...and wanted to share it in a post, with some information even though it will have a little home on the right side of my blog for a while!

My girls were huge thumbsuckers...and yep - they got it from me! Here's the whole story, as one would find on my thumb guard listings on Etsy.

My older daughter Monkey started sucking her thumb at 8 1/2 months old. My younger daughter Elephant began at 4 1/2 months old. They have been sucking their thumbs ever since. Not a day went by or a moment, when their thumbs were not in their mouths! I feel your pain, it's a hard habit to break, and I know that first hand! (no pun intended!)

Since I have my own sewing business - I finally came up with a reversible thumb cover that they were willing to wear when they were ready to stop sucking their thumb. They struggled to be ready, but the day finally came.

The rule was to wear their thumb cover from 6pm to 6pm. If they did (without complaining and trying to renegotiate) they would get a "reward" from our little treasure chest. It was a little box filled with items from a party store,the dollar store or other dollar spots.

Some nights were hard, but since they couldn't take their thumb covers off by themselves, they stopped complaining and even stopped thinking about it. It became so comfortable to wear, they often forgot they were wearing it. I helped them take it off for washing hands and eating, but then we put them back on. They also charted their progress on a monthly chart with a sticker for each day that was successful, and an "x" for the hard days. They have both been thumb free since last year when they finished their 3rd month chart!!!

Some experts recommend starting the process with night time only. Once that is mastered, then do day time. But I say do what is right for you and your child. So if you need a thumb sucking guard, please contact me. And in the mean time, download a FREE copy of this "Two thumbs up for Me" chart to help your child stop today! I have left room at the top for your childs name, and at the bottom - so the child can decorate it or you the parents can help write goals or decide a special reward for making the said goal. If they don't suck their thumb all day (night to night) - they color in the hand - or put a sticker over it! Every kids LOVES stickers! If they suck their thumb - it is an "X". We allowed 3 "X" days out of 31 for the first month. 1 "X" day out of 31 for the second month and 0 "X" days for the 3rd and final month.  This allowed them to have "oops" days and not feel horrible about it! Please understand, every child is different. Some might quit in a week and never put up a struggle, some may take much longer than mine did. The best thing I found that I could do was be patient and loving as they fought their own battle.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! I'm not an expert, but I have the experience from both sides! Have a great night! kg

Seller Saturday: Kid Giddy

Today I feature myself...since I haven't featured myself yet - and don't often talk about my shop here. Not sure why that is. The shop (happycreations4u)/artist (Phoeobe) I wanted to featured today will be featured next week because she lost power in our recent East Coast storm!

I never posted my Giddy-Up Friday yesterday because I was slammed with making my most popular item - my Thumb Covers. So I'll tell you a little about me and my shop today...and get back to our regular schedule again on Monday!!!

1. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? I would be White. With my mom being the art teacher that she is, I was always told White is actually not a "color" but a tint. (And likewise, Black is not a color either, but is a "shade"). Regardless, the world thinks white is a color, so I choose white. I love that white can lighten up other colors. I love helping people when they are in their struggles, and love to lighten their load. Many have done that for me, and it's a great feeling.


2. Do you have a special talent? I'm not sure why I included this question for my seller saturday's, but random "talents" can mean just about anything - and I guess that can be very interesting. I can wiggle my ears. Curl my tongue. I can tie a cherry stem in a knot in my mouth (saw that on the show called Twin Peaks ages ago! - had to try). I can write with both hands, and can now sew a button hole. (yep - that's talent - someday - I'll be able to say I can sew a zipper - for now - I'm still phobic of them I think!)

3. Which season do you love the most? Summer. I do love the changing seasons of Spring and Fall, but I really love to be warm. I love the sun on my cheeks and in my heart as it fills my soul for the cold days ahead. I love the color of green grass (but not the smell), I love hearing the birds singing, warm sand beneath my feet, and I love the blue in the sky!

4. What made you want to open up your Etsy shop? I wanted to help people get what they need (Thumb Covers to help stop Thumbsucking). I also wanted share my talents, and lighted the burden of my fabric spending on my families finances! I love the smell of fabric and it fills my craft room, I've got to use it up somehow!


5. What is your favorite item in your shop today? My all time favorite item is my Tuck 'n' Go. At first glance - people don't realize what it is, but it really works. I have a lot of friends I have given it to, and they have used it, loved it and passed it on to their family or friends! My next favorite is my Turtle Stuffy (I currently have 3 for sale in my shop)! The body can come out of it's shell and just looks so stinkin' cute!

So that's me. You can read more about me - on a different level by clicking the "About Me" tab above. Thanks for reading!

If you would like to be considered for a future Seller Saturday post please check out this thread on the Etsy forums for more information. Have a great Saturday/weekend everyone! Thanks! kg

Please remember all images are copyright and owned 2 is Beautiful, LLC. Please do not copy!

Craft Blog Central...add your name to the new list...

Hello to all. I'm doing it again. I'm wanting to see who all of you are and what you blog about and what you do for fun in your free time. So if you sew, craft, write songs, love photography, woodworking, cooking, parenting or anything else along the creative lines...your in the right place - CRAFT BLOG CENTRAL (grab this button for you blog - let everyone know where you're at)!
If you have already added your name to a previous list...please don't add it to this list. Only 100 links will be added...will it be yours?
So here's what to do:
Please sign up your Blog Name and provide the URL using the MckLinky feature below and won't you please leave a lovely comment anywhere on my blog - but please don't spam me or my comment fields. I will view your blogs as you post them and be happy to make a comment somewhere on your blog. It may take me some time - so if you don't see a comment from me right away - I'm working on it and tending to my really cute family! (If you have enough room in the name field, please include the type of blog you write - Family, Craft, Music, etc - that way others can find you or what they are looking for a little quicker!). Please don't post your esty shop or an etsy item - this is for blogs only!

*Please understand if there are any blog links added that are of questionable content or contain adult language/content - I will have to remove it from this list.*

Oh - And please click that link over there - to the left...yep - that one - that says "FOLLOW"....you'll be so glad you did - and "oh - the places you'll go"!

Thanks so much for adding your link and if you haven't grabbed the Kid Giddy button over there for your cool blog - please do! -kg

Edible Wednesday: Delaware Chicken

Dela...what? Delaware Chicken. I just told my little Elephant we were having chicken tonight and she got bummed out. I don't know why she doesn't love chicken...but she doesn't. And for that matter - she doesn't love bread or sandwiches or hamburgers or much of anything else. And this hasn't always been, but more recently she's been deciding for herself - what it likes and doesn't. I don't suspect gluten free - but I wonder if something is up...

Ok - back from my bird walk. So I told her in the car we were having chicken. She wasn't thrilled. Then I said it was chicken like Aunt Sue's chicken! She sat up in her seat, raised her eyebrows and got all kinds of excited. I turned back around to continue driving and that's when I heard her say "mommy - I love delaware chicken!"....

Oh - so that's what it's called?! She cracks me up! So here it is. It's really time consuming - but worth it. Get out your crock pot. Get a whole bird. Rinse it - empty it out, and stick it in your crock pot. Speak kind words as you put the lid on top and crank it to high. (Low if it's in the morning - high around noon). And then walk away.

That's it. You literally pop it in and walk away. How insanely easy. It is time consuming - but for the crock pot - not you!!! It will literally fall off the bones (which you do have to be very careful of!)...but I think that's why elephant loves it so much. It's tender, juicy and downright yummy! Again people - watch your portion control, it's easy to get lost in the finger licking good of it!

So try yours tomorrow...and enjoy! kg

Do you have an awesome recipe you'd like to share? - Your recipe could be a future Edible Wednesday! Click the Contact Me button above and email it to me.  Please include one photo (must be your photo) of said recipe completed - the Ingredients, Directions and the story behind it (and you!). Thanks! kg

This 'n' That

Busy Monday: Drawings by Monkey & Elephant

Since both of my girls were little, they had one thumb in their mouth as they used their other hand to draw. Monkey started drawing at the tender age of 13 months old. She always wanted to take our pens or pencils and do what we were doing. I bought her some washable crayons and discovered she was going to eat them down to the paper...so think quick - plan b. I ventured out to Target and found a large Magna Doodle board that became our saving grace...and hers. She drew everyday. Every minute - from sun up to sun down. And still does. Before she turned 2 she was drawing recognizable drawings of the Sesame Street Characters, that I began teaching her after she could draw circles and ovals. She's won tickets when she was 3 1/2 years old to see Sesame Street Live for coloring in a really good picture of the characters, and then drew on the entry envelope a picture of Annie her dog Sandie and herself. The girl Rachel that called with the good news of her winning was in shock with the drawings on the envelope and said that was what sealed the deal for her as the winner. 2 years ago she drew a picture of a dairy farm and entered it into the calendar contest at Daddy's work, and made it in there as August.

Elephant didn't begin drawing so early. She didn't try to take the writing implements from our own hands. She watched her big sister, but didn't take on the itch as Monkey did....until she was about 19 months old. We got her, her own Magna Doodle and they would sit side by side drawing endlessly. She has not entered a contest yet, but we haven't found one that we thought she could be a strong contender for (and most are for Kindergartener's or 1st Graders!)...

She to this day, carries her own. She drew Daddy with his spiky hair before she turned 2 years old, and is now drawing princesses and castles galore. She is just as advanced as her sister and looks forward to winning her own contest someday.

So for today's Busy Monday, I wanted to share a little bit of my girls with you. The art runs thick in their blood and thick in ours. It will forever be a part of our family, and for that I am eternally grateful!

If you'd like to see more of their fun drawings, please visit the Kid Giddy Facebook fan page. Enjoy! kg

Seller Saturday: A Joyful Vision

Oh the end of the day can't come soon enough. Traveling is hard work...but my girls were troopers and we made great time coming up the east coast with little to no traffic...(do you hear the angels singing?!).

Sorry for the wait folks...but we've got it...today's Seller Saturday is Whitney from A Joyful Vision. I found her on the forums...as usual and contacted her because her stuff is sew cute! I long to do apparel...and so do my girls, but alas, it is not quite my thing! But it is Whitney's! Check out her stuff...and then come back here and let her know how cute it is!

Here's more about AJoyfulVision...
1. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Pink, but not baby pink...something like fuschia or raspberry!
2. Do you have a special talent?
I'm a good writer, they say. I can also bend my thumb in half.
3. Which season do you love the most?
Spring for the colors, new life, and beautiful weather. Summer comes in second for the swimming and fun vacations! And both seasons have great clothes!
4. What made you want to open up your Etsy shop?
I love love love to craft and was given the advice to sell my stuff. I started with photo cards but it wasn't working, so I switched to girls' clothing. It has been a nice source of a little extra income as well as a lot of fun (and hard work!)
5. What is your favorite item in your shop today?
Definitely the Nicey Jane top/dress. I love the fabrics, and all the tiers and ruffles. I made one for my daughter for her Easter dress!

You can check out AJoyfulVisions Facebook Fan page too!

You too, can be a Seller Saturday on my Kid Giddy Blog. If you would like to be considered for the Seller Saturday post in the coming weeks - please check out this post on the Etsy forums for more information. Have a great Saturday/weekend everyone! Thanks! kg

Please remember all images are copyright and owned by the respective artists. Please do not copy!

Giddy-Up Friday: White Crayon+Watercolors=Hidden Messages

I know it's Saturday, but I'm going to post a Giddy Up Friday post anyway. I've been traveling to visit family during my daughter's winter break this week, so I didn't have as much time as I hoped to blog, sew more thumb covers, and to write songs, etc. So much to do - so little time!

So here's your Giddy Up Friday activity:

• Grab a few pieces of white paper and a white crayon. 
• Draw a picture or write a message for your child. 
• When your are done, give them some watercolors to paint, have them uncover the secret image or message. 

I love to do this for my daughter's with a huge surprise or just to tell them I love them. Images obviously work best for little kids.

I'm getting in my car in 20 minutes, and will be driving up the east coast back home to vacationland! Have a great day and weekend. I'll be posting today's Seller Saturday later tonight! -kg

Edible Wednesday: Mini Taco Salads

Last summer my sister (the more creative one with food)...cut, sliced and diced this schmorgesborg of fixings for kid size taco salads. For some bizarre reason, I haven't made them since - but my girls LOVED it and so did I! Forgetful is most likely the reason, but you've got to try this...it really takes no time at all!

You'll need these ingredients...

Bowl style tortilla chips
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Black Olives
Avocados
Ground cooked Protein
Black Beans
Salsa
Sour Cream

Everything on my list is optional and of course add to this list anything else you might want to include in your mini taco salads! What can't you live without?

Cut, slice, dice, mince how ever you prefer...leave them in separate bowls or make separate piles on a large serving plate. Give each child a certain number of tortilla "bowls" on their plate and allow them to make their own salads.

With my own girls I put their protein in their bowl first, so they knew that had to be in there. Protein? They didn't care - they were just excited to make their salads and eat them too! This is another one of those...you can't just have 5 - so be aware of the portion control if you choose to make these - it's easy to keep popping these in your mouth!

And folks...these aren't just for kids! These make a great party or dinner appetizer! Serve them up the next time you have company over! Thanks sis! Enjoy everyone! kg (pictures will be forthcoming).

Do you have an awesome recipe you'd like to share? - Your recipe could be a future Edible Wednesday! Click the Contact Me button above and email it to me.  Please include one photo (must be your photo) of said recipe completed - the Ingredients, Directions and the story behind it (and you!). Thanks! kg

This 'n' That

Hello Tuesday....



I'm sorry not all the photos aren't linked to the Etsy shop from whence they came...I am trying to link them but my sister's computer is slower than slow.... I hope to get the rest up this afternoon! Thanks for your patience...kg

Busy Monday: Photos...

Many of my friends and family know that I'm not a huge fan of the winter snow. The cold bitter air flying up off the snow makes me itch. If it were always warm and melted quickly, I wouldn't mind so much. But there is still something mystical and magical about a first snowfall. The earth covered in white is a sight to behold. When my girls go out to play - I love taking their pictures and watching them grow out of their snow suits from year to year, and while they continue to play, I enjoy taking pictures.

These three are from our new Miniature Crab Apple Tree, and I am told the fruit won't grow much bigger than this.  I hope you are all enjoying your Monday. -kg

        

All photos on this blog are property of Kid Giddy a division of 2 is Beautiful, LLC (unless otherwise noted). Copyright 2010 All Rights reserved. Please do not copy without permission.

Seller Saturday:

Today's Seller Saturday is not music related...but her work is too cute to hold off on! (and I forgot last week when I talked to her that today was supposed to be about music, and didn't want to bumm her out by making her wait another week...so here's Donna from CooperDolls
1. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
My favorite color has always been orange...so i would be an orange crayon. I find it to be a warm, energizing, exciting color. I love it's vibrancy and glow. My current fairy in progress is mostly orange and will be named "Arancione" which in Italian means orange. They say that orange is a mentally stimulating color, increasing enthusiasm and creativity. It also stimulates the appetite, so don't buy orange dinner plates! People who like the color orange are usually thoughtful and sincere. (I kind of got a thing for the color green too)
2. Do you have a special talent?

Well the "Italian" in me says that my special talent is cooking. For me cooking is more than the ingredients in the pot, it's the feeling it evokes as you cook it , smell it, and taste it. It's about the memories that are attached to the flavors and aroma of what's cooking. It can capture moments of your past, just like a song can, and bring you back to your grandmothers kitchen table. I guess you can say that I'm very nostalgic about food. I also have special interest and talents in painting, photography, gardening, scrapbooking, and of course fairy making.
3. Which season do you love the most?
The fall, it always seems to bring me back to the person that I really am. The distractions of summer are gone, which allows more time for cooking, crafting and creating. As a child, fall meant back to school and all new supplies....and yes I was the child that always had the box of 127 crayons ,with the sharpener on the back! And of course the colors of fall...all the orange leaves...the golds ...the browns. I find fall to be inspiring. (Spring is pretty nice too). Someone described me once as being "fickle"!
4. What made you want to open up your Etsy shop? I wanted to open an Etsy shop , not so much for making the money but more for the exposure, response and reaction to my work. And also for the adventure that exposure would lead me to. Just a week ago I barely knew what a blog was , and now I'm being featured on one! So you see... it's all about the adventure......

5. What is your favorite item in your shop today?
Well it's a toss up, but I think my favorite is "Enchanting Violet" (the last image). There's just something about her expression, her color palette, her simplicity.

You too, can be a Seller Saturday on my Kid Giddy Blog. If you would like to be considered for the Seller Saturday post in the coming weeks - please check out this post on the Etsy forums for more information. Have a great Saturday/weekend everyone! Thanks! kg

Please remember all images are copyright and owned by the respective artists. Please do not copy!

Giddy Up Friday: Kids Can Make Music Too!

Good Morning everyone...I realized that this is music week - and have postponed the Curtains on the Puppet Show until next week or the week after (no sure I have enough room to bring my sewing machine where I'm going)...but that's a whole other ball of wax...

In the meantime...I found this really awesome website for teaching kids about music and learning how to play, and found some really great online games too!

It starts here at Play Music.org - where you can choose from a variety of things to do (or learn more about). The best option - clearly is the Creating Music ("Try Writing Your Own Music"). Once you get to Creating Music - you can learn a whole host of things by playing different games. You can listen to the music and determine the pitch, or play with scales or simply - make your own music!

The possibilities are endless! If you are homeschooling, or teaching your child how to do something you love to do as a hobby (or career), or if they have even expressed interest themselves in learning - this is a great resource! No matter the reason - check it out. It's even fun for adults too!

Have a great, melodious weekend! kg

Edible Wednesday: Guest Chef Dan Vaillancourt

Because this is "FAWM.org Music week"...I thought I would snag one of the "fawmers" (someone that write songs during February Album Writing Month) that I know, who not only loves music, but also LOVES to cook! I met Dan & his wife in my driveway last summer. It was too nice to be indoors so the kids were out at play during this drive-by first time encounter!  I am now very sad to say - he didn't cook (or grill) for us...but I'm hoping the next time he rolls through my town and into my driveway - he will!

Dan Vaillancourt of Funktified Food grew up in a household filled with music and home cooking, it is no surprise that he is as passionate about food as he is about music. After constant inquiry about recipes and cooking techniques from his friends and fans, he is beginning an online cooking series entitled “Funktified Food.”
 
 "I like to cook for many of the same reasons that I like to write and perform music.  I'm one of those people that gets really excited about food.  I like the creative process of experimenting and perfecting recipes/techniques and I love to cook for other people.  My mother is amazingly talented at cooking and baking! Between growing up with home cooked meals everyday, and being able to eat at unique restaurants around the country while traveling, I have an endless supply of inspiration."

The ingredient list is below but for all the directions, watch this awesome pilot episode (no drooling): 'Funktified Food with Dan Vaillancourt'. Dan will begin filming more episodes in just a of couple weeks and cranking out new videos with lots of new recipes soon! If you have some feedback for this pilot episode, please leave a comment on his Funktified Food Facebook fan page. Dan will be implementing some of those suggestions/feedback for the upcoming shows. Stay tuned and follow along at www.funktifiedfood.com.

Ingredient List:

Easy Pizza Crust:

6.5 Oz Pizza Crust Mix
1/2 Cup of Warm Water (or the amount as listed on your Pizza Crust packaging)
1/2 t. Kosher Salt (or 1/4 t. salt)
1 TB Sugar
1 t. Baking Powder
2 TB. Wheat Gluten

1TB of Butter

12 inch Cast Iron Skillet (or any pizza pan or pizza stone)

Toppings:

Sliced Grilled Chicken Breast

Crisp Bacon

Thinly Sliced Carrots

Sliced Red Onions

Fresh Mozzarella/Havarti/Colby (or your favorite cheeses)

Your Favorite BBQ Sauce

Vegetarian Option: Replace chicken and bacon with grilled zucchini and pine nuts.

If you'd like to learn more about Dan and his many musical talents....you can visit him online at DanVaillancourt.com. 

Thanks so much Dan for sharing your awesome pizza with us today on Kid Giddy! Now get out there people and make Dan proud! If you enjoyed this post - please leave a comment below and share the love!

Do you have an awesome recipe you'd like to share? - Your recipe could be a future Edible Wednesday! Click the Contact Me button above and email it to me.  Please include one photo (must be your photo) of said recipe completed - the Ingredients, Directions and the story behind it (and you!). Thanks! kg

This 'n' That: Music Style!

 

Need I say anything more? Well - incase you said yes just now - I will...there's so much more on Etsy that I wanted to include here! There's so much talent on Etsy - and so much talent in the Music world...as the FAWM.org music world! Whatever inspires you - get it! Make it! Do it! Sing it! And if you don't have enough money yet or want to travel the world doing a FAWM Radio show like my friend Charlie....get the piggy bank and save every penny along the way! When it's full - fulfill your dreams! Enjoy the picks for today - and as you may or may not know - I couldn't just pick the usual 12 (and I like it to be divisble by 3) :)  Have a great Tuesday - off to write some songs if this writers block ever goes away! -kg