Tape Happy!

Freida has been overly obsessive about "tape" as of late. She absolutely loves the texture and the concept of the sticky stuff. I cut a bunch of strips of light-weight masking tape and hang them by an edge off a chair - she could play for a loooong time. She goes back and froth from the chair to the wall adding strips of tape to her design. She even learned how to hang up her own art this weekend.

While browsing around for some colorful tape options (which would be more fun, more educational, and definitely nicer to look at all over my dining room walls!), I happened upon some wonderfully charming and novel ideas in the tape industry. Thought I'd share the sticky-joy!

These would make for fantastic gift wrapping options, adorable labeling, and a myriad of imaginative design ideas!

Japanese Washi Tape set, $30.o0

Blogged about this before - and I'm still loving it!! Great for so many things!

MT happy dots pair, $8.00

Hello, new friend! : )

Jewel Tape by Marie-Héléne de Taillac, £7.50

Make a simple box bejeweled!

Optical Illusion Hinge Tape

Now this, is genius!

Have fun!!

* Update: Just got linked in to a fantastic new website that imports almost all the tape goodies from Japan!! Check out HappyTape, for a heaping variety of Japenese washi paper tapes.

Going "green" Under the Green!

With cardboard furniture a current rage, I figured I'd join the party! Freida had fun helping put up her own little version of a sukkah, decking out the interior, and making an "art show" (freelance marker scribble, stickers, pictures etc.) on the outside walls. I let her mess around with tape and experiment with its stickiness, putting tape on her pictures and letting her have fun sticking them up all over. We just used cutout cardboard (from random boxes), and some green drywall tape (leftover from renovations) for the scach. Cardboard makes for super simple, low-tech play space. Children love having a little fort/house/booth to crawl into and play in; it makes them feel independent and gives some much needed personal space.  We gave ours a corner of the dining room, and Freida crawls under there at random to read a book or two, add a finishing crayola touch, or share some snacks with her "freinds". A great way to (literally) bring a mitzvah to the little guy's level.

Check out some other cardboard furniture goodies:

1 & 2. Forty-two Roads Cardboard play kitchen & washer/dryer

3. Cardboard Castle

4. Cardboard Chair (David Graas)

5. Belkiz Cardboard High Chair

6. Foldschool Cardboard Furniture

Deck the Wooden Walls!

Wishing all you lovely ladies a fabulous autumn holiday! Enjoy the great outdoors, the good company, and the obviously incredible food! There's a good reason jewish mamas work-it in the kitchen!!! Love that this year Sukkos comes out on the first day of fall... all the woodsy nature of our little booths coupled with the turning leaves... it's a little tiny bit of nature's divine.

Chag Sameach, mamas!!

(Found some packs of these great little silk cut-out leaves at the Target $1 isle. Perfect for some sukkah-interior-decor! Freida went glue-happy!)

Challi-pops!

Food on a stick has become quite the fad; with the bestseller Cake Pops flying off shelves modern moms everywhere are learning the simple tricks of toddler food consumptions, namely, sticks. From the famous ones like marshmallow pops and cinnabun pops, to dinner on a stick like these awesome pizza pops - food on a stick has been deemed super cool. I conjured up these pie pops (with some leftover puff pastry) for our Rosh Hashanah meal, and the kids we had over went wild for them! In the Pre-K classroom, while teaching the concept of a round and sweet challah for Rosh Hashanah, I decided to give over the idea on a much more hands-on level... Hence, challah on a stick. A regular challah recipe, sweetened up with some cinnamon, sugar, raisins or chocolate and rolled around a popsicle stick + a bit of cellophane and a ribbon. Challah on a stick may just be the latest in modern judaism, at least I know my Bubby would go nuts for a "challi-pop"!

Will.i.am's (Sesame) Street Cred

Someone just forwarded this video to me, and I think it's brilliant! Here's to world renown rappers teaching our little ones some self confidence!! Enjoy!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyVzjoj96vs]