Pretzel Mummy Snack

This 3 ingredient treat is a total scream for Halloween. This is great for party snacks or just as an easy way to give pretzels a little costume of their own for the occasion.

 

After a year and a half of homeschooling my kids, they are back to in person learning. Let me first off say, hats off to all the homeschool families and distance learning families. That is no easy feat! I don't think I realized how time consuming school was for us until they went back to normal.

I usually find that I have just enough time to make something special for their afternoon snack after cleaning the house, tending to the pets, and enjoying my own coffee and podcast time. This was one of the treats I made for the kids that they LOVED. Best of all, it is so easy that anyone can make these, in just a couple of minutes.

Ingredients:

Pretzels

Melted white candy wafers

Candy eyes

Melt the candy and dip the pretzels in. Fish them out with a fork or spoon.

Related: Ghost Ornaments

Drop the pretzels onto some parchment or wax paper.

'

Drop on some candy eyes.

Alternately, if you prefer, you can just drizzle on some melted white chocolate right onto the pretzels.

Either way is totally delicious and easy!

Then drop on the candy eyes.

  

Then let them dry for about a half hour.

Serve immediately after they have hardened.

Store in an airtight container if you have leftovers.

 

If you are looking for more Halloween treats check out these favorites:

12 Ghouslish Snacks for Halloween 

Play Doh Pumpkin Faces are so much fun for little ones this Halloween too!

5 Reasons Why You Should Switch to Sustainable Clothing

 

Did you know that you could look stylish and save the environment at the same time? If you care about the environment, then it is high time that you switch to sustainable clothing. Sustainable clothing is clothing that is made from eco-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton. The clothing industry is one of the leading significant contributors to environmental & human damage.  However, you can be the change you want to see by making prudent decisions on the type of clothes you buy. The following are reasons why you should switch to sustainable clothing.

Go for High Quality, Save more Cash!

Why go for a low quality while you can choose a high quality that is guaranteed to serve you for the long term? Sustainable brands focus on quality. Sustainable clothing is made from fabrics that can stand the test of time. Sustainable fabrics are strong and can go for years, so you will not have to keep buying clothes. Low-quality clothing is cheap, but they do not last long, which means that you will keep buying clothes, which makes it expensive. Sustainable clothing may be expensive in the short term, but these materials last longer, thus making it worth your money.

Conserve Water

You will be surprised how the fashion industry is highly dependent on Water. Water is used in the production processes, such as dyeing and finishing, for nearly all clothes. Cotton suck in a lot of Water. That is why sustainable brands use organic cotton, which uses less water. A single shirt made from regular cotton requires 2700 liters of water for it to be produced. That is crazy, right?  However, using eco-friendly fabrics can reduce water consumption by 91%, making it the best choice to go for.

Save Animal & Plant Life

The fashion industry has a negative impact on animal life. Imagine that an animal had to give up its life for you to have that cute leather jacket, skirt with fur on it, or those pretty pair of shoes you love. It isn't kind! Sustainable clothing brands look for alternatives such as waste from the sea, yeast, bio-fabricated vegan wool, plant-based composts, among others, to avoid this cruelty.  Most brands that deal with sustainable women's clothing do play a massive role in reducing pollution to the environment through recycling. Switching to these options means you are contributing to the wellbeing of animals, plants and our planet!

Lower the Carbon Footprint

Fast fashion industries mainly use petroleum-based fabrics, including nylon, polyester, and acrylic, which emit so much carbon during production.  On the other hand, sustainable clothing is made from natural materials and recycled fabrics, making them eco-friendly. These organic fabrics are always biodegradable, making them the best because they protect both you and the environment.

Help Workers Earn what they deserve!

Unlike in fast fashion industries where workers get mistreated and work for long hours and only earn less, sustainable clothing brands care for their workers. Most workers in the fast fashion industries live in poverty, as others suffer the risk of sexual assault. Buying that sustainable dress or a pair of trousers can be a means to change these workers' lives. Workers in sustainable industries work in favorable conditions, and their health is put into consideration.

Wrap up

What is greater than knowing that your money is being used for the greater good? When you purchase sustainable clothing, you not only benefit from it but also the whole of humanity does. You can build a better world by buying the right types of clothing. We hope that the points above have given you enough reasons to go green with more sustainable clothing on your wardrobe!

Reasons Why Wine Is Still A Good Gift Option To Consider

 Reasons Why Wine Is Still A Good Gift Option To Consider 

The festive season is approaching us in a month or two. Thus, it's a good idea to think about some thoughtful gifts. Such circumstances are common to lead us to the dilemma of picking wise gifts for our relatives, colleagues, and friends. You may look through multiple options, but deep down, the solution is with the cellar. 

The connection between a cellar and gift items - 

It may interest you to know that wine is acknowledged as an ideal gift. The ancient Greeks considered it as a gift from the Almighty. In their culture, the Ancient Egyptians were common to bury their loved ones along with a handful of supplies to ensure they remained happy afterlife. 

Now you may be considering 'wine' as an outdated gift option, but when waking up to the realities, you will realize wine is a sophisticated and wise gift item. If you still don't believe us, surf through these legit reasons to change your perspective. 

#1 - Picking the right wine for the right person - Most people in your circle may be in love with sipping wine, but not all of them would love to go for the exact wine. From vegetarian wines to something unique like Sauvignon Blanc, there are many wines to choose from. This gives you ample options to select a safe and thoughtful gift. 

#2 - Wine for all occasions - No matter if it's Christmas eve or a gift for your friend's achievements, remember there is a wine type for everything. For instance - most people prefer Champagne and sparkling wines for special occasions, whereas others prefer Domaine Leroy Musigny for a plush home warming. All in all, you won't run out of options made just for you. 

#3 - It's a way of honoring someone you admire - Wines are considered an ideal way to honor someone who has achieved a remarkable feat in life. Countries like Argentina, U.S., and South Africa are considered the maximum for regional wines ensuring an authentic wine experience. 

#4 - Adorable packaging options - When it comes to gifting, its packaging plays a crucial role in impressing the receiver. And that's when wines work as an ideal gift for you. The markets are loaded with many wine bottle decoration items or boxes to make this job easier for you. All you need is to surf through the suitable options. 

#5 - Online platforms to assist you - Many online platforms are helping you choose the right wine type. Such platforms make you undergo a wine quiz and discover and display relevant results to have the most suitable wine for yourself. For this, you can consider joining a monthly wine club enriching your knowledge about the best tasting wines available in the market. So, what are you waiting for?

The last word - 

Choosing a thoughtful gift for your friend or close ones can turn into a significant challenge, primarily when you have been revolving around some selective gift options in your life. Here, wine works as a progressive gift option strengthening your bond with the one you are gifting it. But make sure you are reaping enough knowledge about the best wines available around. 

Home baking: 4 healthy substitutes for better-baked goods

 Home baking: 4 healthy substitutes for better-baked goods

There is no one in the world who does not like a fresh-baked batch of chocolate chip cookies. The aroma fills the house and makes your mouth water. But if you are someone who likes to bake quite often, you should think about the nutritional value of the goodies that you make. Compromising on ingredients is better than compromising on your health. 

Baking requires ingredients such as sugar, heavy cream, butter, and more things that are on the heavier side and can affect your physical health in the long run. These things will keep your diet bad, even if you eat healthy all throughout the day. There are many substitutes available to lighten up your cupcakes and cookies without affecting the quality or the taste.

Avocados instead of butter

Both avocados and butter contain a lot of fat. Butter has highly saturated fat which can clog up your arteries and cause your cholesterol to spike, but avocados can help eliminate this. It might not be your first choice, but it is a great substitute for butter. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats. It contains more potassium than bananas and is incredibly nutritious. It is also loaded with a lot of fiber. Moreover, avocados can help lower cholesterol instead of increasing it. This is perfect for use in chocolate cakes, brownies, or cookies.

Natural sweeteners instead of refined sugar

Sure, sugar can make almost anything taste good. But, having excessive amounts of sugar daily can really harm your health. According to many studies, refined sugar can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and much more. Scientists have also linked excessive sugar consumption to liver disease, dementia, depression, and even certain types of cancer. You should try an alternative confectioners sweetener that can be made from multiple ingredients such as sugarcane. These are completely natural and are a much better substitute than sugar. 

Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream

Heavy cream is quite tasty since it is high-fat dairy. It might taste perfect on your cupcakes, but it has been associated with an increased risk of issues such as dementia, along with death from prostate cancer. This also contains a lot of saturated fat within a small amount, so all servings of these are ridiculously high in calories. You can use greek yogurt instead for your baking needs. It is high in probiotics that are so desperately needed by our bodies and have the same texture as cream.

Almond flour instead of regular flour

Refined flour is quite unhealthy if used in regular amounts. This can raise your glycemic index quite a lot. It can also lead to a ton of issues such as fatty liver, bad cholesterol, and even high blood pressure. This can lead to an increased risk of obesity, mood swings, weight gain, and much more. Almond flour is loaded with healthy monosaturated fats, protein, and even vitamin E. It works best with pastries and similar items.

It is important to keep a check on your health even if you want to indulge in home-baked goods. Use this list to help you find healthy substitutes for your recipes.

Cork and Button Apple Tree Process Art

This cork and button apple tree process art is perfect for preschoolers or kindergartners this fall. It is an easy activity that requires very little prep. 

We love process art, and we love all things fall around here! Harper and I have been hoarding fall decor since we saw the first adorable decorative pumpkin in stores back in July. Rolf is not so quick to jump seasons, but on the first of September, he said "Finally! It is September. Now we can buy all the pumpkins we want without comment." HA! 

Related: Apple Tree Window Clings

Harper and I felt like painting and wanted to start on some fridge decorations for the season. We came up with these adorable cork and button apple trees. They are so worthy of displaying! Plus, they are easy to make!

 

Supplies Needed: 

Paint in Brown and Green

A Wine Cork

A Paper Plate

White Paper

Buttons

Glue

Directions:

Pour a quarter sized drop of both the brown and the green paint onto a paper plate.

Offer your child the cork.

Encourage your child to first stamp the trunk of the tree with the cork.

Then ask your child to give the tree leaves with the green paint.

Allow to dry for about an hour in a warm, sunny place.

When the paint has dried, offer your child the glue and some buttons. We used yellow for this project to make the kind of apples we like. Feel free to use red, green or even a mix if you like. As you can see below we also made one with red buttons, just because we had so much fun the first time.

Encourage your child to spread out the buttons, pressing them onto dots of glue.

Allow the glue time to dry. Then display! This is perfect for refrigerator art!

Are you looking for more awesome apple art projects for kids? 

Here are some favorites:

Easy Paper Apples

Apple Process Art