Best witches!

Craft Break-Dia de los muertos masks

It's final.  Our Halloween crafts are complete, and the house is (finally) decorated.  We still have several pumpkins to crave before the big day, but our crafty focus can move elsewhere.  How about Dia de los Muertos?  I have a full lesson coming your way this week on the subject, but I couldn't resist this sneak peek of these awesome masks from Scrumdillydo.  An awesome accessory, and with stuff you probably already have on hand!  Check out the tutorial HERE.

Today in History-October 28

October 28, 1965

Gateway Arch is completed.

"On this day in 1965, construction is completed on the Gateway Arch, a spectacular 630-foot-high parabola of stainless steel marking the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial on the waterfront of St. Louis, Missouri." - History.com

• Saint Louis Gateway Arch 
• Gateway Arch FAQ-GatewayArch.com
• Inside the Gateway Arch-video, History.com
• 25 Interesting Facts
• Maze/Guess the Word worksheet-Education.com
• History of St. Louis worksheet-Education.com
• Coloring page
• Coloring page
• Coloring page

Craft break-Button Branch

Okay, so....there are crafts we do with our kids because they'll teach them a concept, or be cute/fun....then there are crafts we do so we can frame them and make our house look awesome.  This awesome idea from Meet the Dubiens is the latter.  It's amazing how classy a simple stick and some buttons looks.  Add a frame and you've got an amazing, 3D piece of art that would look lovely on any wall.  TIP-Wal-Mart, Michael's, and JoAnn's often sell buckets of buttons for $1-$2, and they go a long way! Find the tutorial HERE.

Craft Break-Shaving Cream Painted Leaves

So, I wasn't aware Shaving Cream Painting was a thing...and now I want to try it on everything.  These leaves are gorgeous, and the process is simple, making it a great craft for any age.  Head on over to Little Wonders' Days to learn how!

Craft Break-Recycled Paper Garlands

Two-for-one today! These awesome garlands are made by Sweater Surgery-a blog devoted to repurpose crafting, which is an idea I'm firmly behind.  Both utilize old books, which is another think the bibliophile in me loves.  Check out the acorn tutorial HERE.  Coffin garland can be found HERE.

Today in History-October 23

October 23, 1864

Battle of Westport

"On this day in 1864, Confederate General Sterling Price's raid on Missouri nearly turns into disaster when his army is pinned between two Union forces at Westport, Missouri, near Kansas City. Although outnumbered, Price's forces managed to slip safely away after the Battle of Westport, which was the biggest conflict west of the Mississippi River."-History.com

It's a slow TiH day, especially in terms of kid-appropriateness.  While there isn't a ton of info out there on this subject, and no worksheets, I just HAD to share this, being a KC girl myself.  It's always surprising to me how many people have no idea how much this area, and the area I grew up in east of KC, were involved in the Civil War!

• Battle of Westport - Official site
• Battle of Westport-History.com
• Battle of Westport-About.com
• Battle of Westport-personal website with lots of links!