Countdown to Halloween - Monster Theme

Today's theme for the 13-day Countdown to Halloween is "Monsters." There is a service project, art activity, and food treat for today.

Service Project

Although this isn't a true "service project," it does have an element that affects others: manners. When children use good manners at home and in public, others respond positively to them. When they exhibit out-of-control or difficult behavior, the response may not be as favorable.

So, today the girls practiced their best manners when they were in public. They had the opportunity to attend a VIP Meet & Greet for Victoria Justice and Carley Rae Jepsen.

Victoria talking with Sophia and Olivia 

at the table where the artists were doing autographs

and talking with the guests.

Victoria is an actress, singer-songwriter, and dancer. She has appeared in several films and television series including the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 and Victorious. The girls enjoy watching Victorious, so it was very exciting for them to see an actress who they've seen on television many times.

I was standing right at the base of the steps

where Victoria and Carly Rae entered.

Carly Rae Jepsen is a Canadian recording artist and singer-songwriter from Mission, British Columbia. She is known for her single "Call Me Maybe." The girls enjoy listening to her music, so seeing Carly Rae was equally as exciting for Sophia and Olivia.

Carly Rae Jepsen (on the left) and 

Victoria Justice (on the right).

They waited patiently before the artists arrived, smiled when they met them, and were polite when they had their picture taken with them.

Sophia, Victoria, Olivia, and Carly Rae

at the photography session in the 

Executive Center at the Mall of America.

(The photo, unfortunately, isn't that great since it's blurry...

but it helps us remember the day which is important.)

They had such a fun experience, and we were all impressed with how cordial and friendly both Carly and Victoria were towards the public and the girls.

Art Project

Yesterday, the girls painted black cats using watercolors and Chinese brushes. Although they enjoyed painting, both said it was a bit challenging because the watercolor ink was very thin compared to paint they normally use in ceramics and other craft projects.

Today, they used acrylic paint and no brushes for the art project - the complete opposite of yesterday's experience.

So, tying in with the theme, I found a pin for No Mess Monsters that linked to Kids Activities Blog. Here’s what we did to make monsters:

1. Dab on globs of paint toward the middle of a piece of paper.

Sophia putting the globs of paint on the paper.

Make sure that the globs of paint are close together so that it looks like a body when they are pressed together.

Olivia putting paint on her paper.

2. Fold in half.

3. Press the paper together and mash the paint blobs together.

Mash the paint blobs together so they end up being one big shape.

Otherwise, you'll have two separate monsters. That's okay too. 

It's up to what the child wants for the final picture.

4. Open the paper.

Olivia opening the paper to reveal the image.

She has two separate images so she can make two monsters

on one sheet of paper.

If you have googly eyes, you can add them when the paint is wet.

Sophia with the symmetrical image.

Tomorrow, she'll transform it into a monster.

5. When the paint is dry, use a black marker to add other details (e.g., feet, horns, arms, whiskers). Since the paint was so thick, it was still drying in the evening. Tomorrow, the details will be added so the monster pictures will be finished.

Food Treat


At Cupcakes Take the Cake, there is an idea for monster cupcakes. (This is the pin for them.) We made our own version of these easy treats.

Sophia and Olivia made devil's food cupcakes from a mix and I made homemade vanilla frosting using a recipe from the Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

After the cupcakes cooled, we frosted them and added marshmallows for eyes.

The girls frosted the cupcakes and added sprinkles

before putting the marshmallow eyes on top.

Some of the cupcakes have miniature marshmallows for eyes, while other ones have the large marshmallows.

Monster cupcakes we made.

We didn't make the colored cupcake holder or 

completely cover the frosting with sprinkles

like the pin I saw. Nonetheless, they tasted great.

All have black decorator icing for the pupils.