Tag Archives: autumn

It’s that time of year again! Time to try and figure out how your child is going to wade their way through the masses of superheroes and fairies to the magical land of sugar-high happiness. However, while your child is dreaming of lollipops and mars bars, you don’t have to stay up all night worrying about what they’re going to wear! Here are a few tips and ideas to inspire you this Halloween!

My mother wasn’t overly into Halloween costume shopping, so we tended to simply find supplies around the house and get creative! We swapped thick goopy costume makeup for Mom’s cosmetic bag and pre-made suits for some of Dad’s construction supplies! One year my parents managed to transform Christmas supplies and a big piece of plastic vapor barrier into a “dancing bug” (I LOVED it).

All of the costumes above can be created for about $10 (that’s cheaper and cuter than VV Boutique (a.k.a. Value Village) !!!! If your child is willing to sport some FREE 3D glasses, Helium balloons, and a walker made of plumbing supplies, Carl from UP is sure to win first place in any costume contest!

Another really adorable trend is dressing your kids up like household items! There is something oddly funny about an 8 year old dressed up as a box of KD or a flower pot. A lot of great costumes can be made from taking a look around the house and making a trip to the Dollarama!

Here are a few step-by-step instructions for adorable and affordable Halloween outfits!

Earthy Princess

Supplies:
-Natural feathers ($1/ bag Dollarama)
-Brown headband ($1 Dollarama)
-Turquoise beads ($1 Dollarama) -optional
-Brown Tulle (2$/ yard Fabricville)
-Suede ($4 Fabricville)
-Eyeliner (you likely have this already)

Instructions:
1.Get your daughter to wear a white long sleeve shirt and neutral leggings.
2.Wrap the tulle around her hips and secure with a strip of frayed suede/ safety pins
3.Use leftover suede as armbands (or turquoise beads)
Braid your daughters hair.
Place headband around forehead to secure the feathers.
Make a few marks on her cheeks with your eyeliner
if you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars, you can purchase a brown tutu at Walmart or VV Boutique

Carl Fredricksen from UP

This is probably the cutest costume I have ever seen.

Supplies:
-3 lengths of Plastic Pipe ($3 hardware store)
-2 elbow joints ($2 hardware store)
-2 Tennis balls ($1 Dollarama)
-Helium Balloons ($3 Great Canadian Dollar store)
-String ($1 anywhere)
-Kids 3D movie glasses (FREE)
-Dress Clothes
-Bow tie
(DIY Bow Tie)

Instructions:
1.Dress your son in formal clothes (don’t forget the iconic bow tie)
2.Assemble the pipes and elbow joints in the shape of a horse shoe (ie. 2 vertical and 1 horizontal connected by elbow joints)
3.Cut an “x” shaped slit in the tennis balls large enough to slide the pipes into.
4.Stick the tennis balls onto the open ends of the plastic pipes to finish off the walker!
5.Tie your helium balloons to the walker and have a wonderful time taking pictures of your adorable little man!

Flower Pot!

Supplies:
-1 large flower pot that your kid can fit inside (~$5 Walmart, scope out thrift stores for a better bargain!)
-Lots of Fake Flowers ($4 Dollarama)
-Cord ($1)
-Headband

Instructions:
1.Cut the bottom out of the flower pot
2.Drill/ Cut holes in the sides of the pot (2 front and 2 back)
3.Cut 2 pieces of cord long enough to go over your child’s shoulders
4.Feed the cord through the holes, tying knots on each end.
5.Glue/ Tie a few fake flowers to a headband for your child to wear.
6. Fill the pot with fake flowers!

Have a blast making lots of “sweet” memories with your families this Halloween 🙂

*For more costume inspiration check out Dollar Store Costume Ideas
**KandeeJ has some sweet video tutorials for mom friendly costumes!

“I’m so glad I live in a world with Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it?” -Anne Shirley.

The month of scarves and pumpkin spice lattes has “fallen” upon us! With temperatures cooling off outside, warm interior hues are a must! October couldn’t be a better month to incorporate this spicy palette! When looking for timeless decor, it’s important to balance bright colours with trend-setting neutrals. This warm palette does just that by incorporating both grey and brown with savory cinnamon, pumpkin, and vanilla.

We think these colours work well together to make an inviting common space. A warm backdrop will make guests feel welcome, while you will love spending down time cozying up with an exotic tea and book!

An alternative space for this palette is the Master bedroom. We are loving the idea of pairing a wooden wall with grey bedding and warm accents. This look artistically combines both modern style and classic comfort. Would you choose a spicy autumn palette for your living space or would you rather keep the cozy colours in the bedroom?

I know, I know, you’re saying “Fall?! It’s August!”.. BUT the reality is that August is almost half over, the back to school shopping has begun, and the leaves will soon be turning colour. And so, to help you prepare for the turning of the seasons we wanted to share with you three delicious fall drinks that you can be excited for. Wether it’s a Sunday afternoon barbeque, an evening pig roast, or lunch some seasonally appropriate corn on the cob, here are three fall drinks that we think should get you excited for the cooler temperatures!

1. Cinnamon Toast

You can find the recipe and more like it here

2. Bailey’s Caramel Appletini

You can find the recipe and more like it here

3. Butterscotch Coffee

You can find the recipe and more like it here

Photo credit: New Brunswick Tourism

Autumn. The season when the nights grow shorter, sweaters come out and our thoughts turn to hockey and hot chocolate. It is also the season where Mother Nature provides our of her most glorious gifts—fall foliage.

Those of us living in New Brunswick are blessed to have a front row to one of the most spectacular colour shows in North America. Over 80% of our province is forested, which means you’re never far from a brilliant display of colourful leaves. Indeed, our plentiful deciduous forests are so full of these changing colours that the visual spectacle draws tourists from around the world to witness them. While our tree types and colours are similar to those found in New England, the crowds are mush smaller (and costs a bit lower) compared to the more popular areas of New England.

Tourism New Brunswick has created a useful online tool to help you and your guests track the most dramatic fall foliage highlights in their province. The website includes an interactive map which allows you to click on an area and get relevant details on the region.

With the prime viewing time right around the corner—autumn colours are at their best over Canada’s Thanksgiving Weekend—we thought we’d share our favourite locations from the site to witness New Brunswick’s fall foliage:

Fundy Foliage

Not only ins the Bay of Fundy one of the Marine Wonders of the World; it is also one of the best places to see vibrant fall colours. If you thought it was beautiful in the summer, just wait until you see it dressed in brilliant colour!

Acadian Colours

The Acadian Coast is resplendent with bright fall colours to admire and discover. Here, as everywhere in the province, the autumn scenery is simply breathtaking. Be sure to stop at Chaleur Bay—one of the most beautiful bays in the world—in part because of the fall foliage.

The Leaves of Miramichi

The Miramichi River provides a front row view of the spectacular fall foliage. whether you decide to walk along the hiking trails at French Fort Cove Nature Park, or view the colours from a boat on the river, you’ll be sure to catch some spectacular views

These are our favourite spots;  but we know we missed several more great locations. Please let us know in the comments what your favourite spot to view New Brunswick’s fall fall foliage is.