Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Introducing Shadow Riders by Menacing Pickle


Our new line of vests is now available through the website and on etsy.

Our adorable model Leo helps lasso in the fun with these reversible sleeveless wonders.

Available in sizes NB-8

displays cotton shadowed cowboys on one side and cowboys on the range on the reverse.



Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I found the letter Zzzzzzzz

I made some friend's children ispy bags to tide them over during a long plane ride.
Aren't familiar with what ispy bags are?
They are little pillows that contain rice, beads, or plastic pellets of some kind and approx 40 hidden items amongst the pellets. A small vinyl window revealing the items inside the bag makes it a little hand held scavenger hunt.

The pillows are triple stitched so that the contents don't break loose and ruin the fun.

Little T and his sister Stunning S found the bags before the trip, and apparently they are a hit.

Little T was captured just moments ago
That's the ispy bag tucked under his face.

I will be adding some of these to my etsy store and website in the near future. I can take custom orders as well if you have specific items in mind you would like in the bag.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Menacing Pickle current featured seller at rozzissweetpeas

http://rozzissweetpeas.blogspot.com/2009/03/featured-seller-on-etsy-kids-team-is.html


Rozzis Sweet Peas offers clothing with romantic whimsey. Her blog offers a bit of everything from fantastic photographs, fantastic giveaways and features numerous handmade items from Etsy. They offer a bit of something for everyone, I am thrilled she chose Menacing Pickle to be among her other featured stores.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

I Spy book

After seeing these posts about personalized Ispy books I wanted to make my own.

http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2008/05/personalized-i.html
http://www.rookiemoms.com/publish-your-own-i-spy-book/
http://marytree.blogspot.com/2008/02/mini-swap-makes-it-to-cinncinati.html
http://juliekintaiwan.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/i-spy-pictures/

materials used: Can be made for under $20 if you design frugally.
scrapbook album
scrapbook paper (12x12 same size as album pages)
digital camera
printer
stickers
foamie stickers


I put this book together for my friend’s son Brian. He is 4.

I took pictures of interesting items/toys around the house and then changed their perspective by focusing in on details.

I wanted a fun way to have him work on his numbers and alphabet.

The fun thing about these books is you can read them as written and then when kids get bored look for other things like specific color items, specific shapes, things that are happy, things that are sad, items you use during certain seasons and so on.

And of course, you can always add pages to commemorate an event

  • It's easiest to come up with a story then find pictures to illustrate it.
  • Think of the words you want to use then find rhymes around them, a thesaurus and rhyming dictionary are great tools.
  • your child's name and all the words that rhyme are also great starting points.
  • When in need of another line use a color or sound and then go through the alphabet thinking of all the words that rhyme. (blue, boo, coo, goo, moo, new, too, woo, zoo...)
  • now is the time to use all those spare foamies and stickers you find laying around. You'll notice the numbers I used to number my pages aren't a matched set. Some were left over from a foamie car kit while others are stickers and markers.
  • You can add items to a picture to suit your needs like a hidden cow (pg 6) or missing fish (pgs 9, 14, 16-19, 23)


(please click photos to enlarge and see two pages side by side. Having blogging difficulties which are cutting off the preview of my pics)
(page one was a personal message and instructions, not featured here)


Page 2
Here are things that start with the letter B
How many burgers do you see?

Page 3
Cars go fast and cars go slow,
Some carry people and some can tow
Lots of them are in this book.
How many sparkling cars if you look?



Page 4

swings can move high and low.
I ha d 4 golf balls,
Where did they go?
I also thought I had 4 tees,
If you find them we can golf with ease.


Page 5

What am I?
Think hard and use your wit,
Rem ember where in your house I fit.


Page 6

I am your dining room chairs!
Do you spy something blue?
Many things which are tasty too?
And someone Who goes “MOOO!”

Page 7

What am I?
Maybe I am used to hear.
Or to laugh and yell and scream and cheer.
Could I be used to smell?
You

need to turn the page to tell


Page 8

I am your bear!
I have eyes that add to two,
Just like mom and dad and you!
In the woods I like to roam
What kind of place to do you call home?
Instead of hands I have paws,
Instead of nails I use claws.

Page 9

This too is from your house,
but do you know where?
Maybe it’s a bed, couch or chair.


Page 10

Do you see something that is green and grows?
How about something that ribbits and sits in a pose?

Page 11

Ready for more?
Do I go on a wall or on a door?
Maybe on a ceiling or on a floor?



Page 12

I am your playroom rug!
I am the letter B.
Without me there is no Brian, bed or bug.
Do you spy something green?
Something you could use to clean?

Page 13

How many sharks are swimming here?
Uh-oh! Some fish are missing I fear.
They are lost somewhere on the pages of this book
Find them and tell them to return to the brook!



Page 14

I spy with my little eye a snake in blue.
Can you see him too?
There’s a monk in brown.
And a giraffe way down.
There’s 11 in all,
Some are short and some are tall.

Page 15

(was the picture which was a piece of scrapbook paper unaltered)



Page 16

Can you find all these toys in the pile?
Some are backwards so it might take a while.

Page 17
(picture of toys in box)


Page 18

I’m pink and yellow and black
I can be used to hold a snack.
What am I?

Page 19

Your cookie jar!
Can you find where I hid a car?


Page 20

Who can fly way up high?
Who’s neck is longest?
Do you know why?
I spy an animal in mid roar
And one with a trunk.
What’s he use it for?

Page 21

Can you pick the island with 4 trees?
Watch out for the snake that likes to squeeze!



Page 22

How many sheep do you see?
And which animal has a count of 3?
One animal is in a herd (or group) of 4,
And one has 6 which is 2 more.

Page 23
You are almost done!
One of these pirates lost his sword
And now has none.
After matching colors can you tell which one?


Page 24

You made it to the end of Brian’s quest,
How many jewels match each chest?

Looking for ways to do this cheaply?
  • Every week in the Sunday paper Joann's, AC Moore, Michaels, and other crafting stores offer 40% off one item coupons. Buy the big items like the album and big pack of foamies with those coupons and look for sales on scrapbook papers and stickers.
  • Scrapbook paper can be found 4/$1.00 during a great sale. I built up my supplies over weeks while I wrote the book and hoarded coupons each week.
  • Some weeks I bought two Sunday papers and went to nearby stores twice.
  • Split your supplies and make books with friends. Most stickers come in sheets of two.

I would love to see how other people are inspired to make their own books. If you need help with rhymes or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Friday, March 6, 2009

deer insure rants

Deer Insure rants,

First it startdid wiff hi insure rants preemie-yums. Now I em gutting billz in the male lefffft and rite from docktores yooare no longer paying add-a-kwatlee. Yoo are also declawning to pay fur a numbur uf medikashuns that my docktores feel are mediclee mess-is-saree. Wen did insurants become moor nowledgebubble than docktores on how payshints shud be tweeted? The last straw wuz when I tried to fill medikashuns at the farmIsee I have yoozed for deckaids to be told insurants declined them. When I kalled insurants I wuz told I am rekwired to use male ordurrr farmisee now. Hooo iz benney- fitting from this? Sertanlee not eye, the loopuss pashunt that just wants two get butter. Deafin-nut-lee not the docktores hoo don’t seam two bee getting payd what they halve rytfulleee urned, or the farmisee hoo knows me pursesonlee and my medikashuns cents I can no longer patronize them. So insure rants, it must bee yoo that is benifitting from this. Shame on yoo, may-king the lives of peepole hoo are already suffering that much moor difficult and costlee.

With dismay,

Sarah as dicktated to Alfredo the Kat

Beecuz meowmie haz a headache and wont get up