“Holiday Cookies”
Family Cooking Workshop

The Children’s Museum of Cleveland

DATE: Sunday, December 18, 2011

TIME: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

WORKSHOP FEE: $5.00 per person. (Non-members must pay additional Museum admission of $7.00/person if they wish to play in the Museum exhibits).

MORE: Participate in a family-friendly cooking workshop created especially for kids. During each workshop kids will learn how to create recipes that are easy, delicious and nutritious. Today we inspire your family’s culinary creativity as we prepare our own “Holiday Cookies” from scratch. Recommended for children ages 3 and older.

REGISTRATION: Required. In person at the Museum, by calling 216-791-7114 or register and pay online NOW by clicking here.

We are located at 25651 Detroit Road in Westlake, Ohio, next to Houlihan’s! Please call 440-892-0900 or go to the website at www.bricks4kidz.com to sign up for classes, mini camps and Birthday Parties!!!!!!! We have Camps during the Holiday for $100 for 1/2 day and $175 for full day for four days! You can’t beat the price! Clases start next week on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s starting at 5:30pm and run for 6 weeks. Open Play every day from 11-5 and Mommy and Me classes are from 10-10:45 every morning. Bring your child and play or socialize with your friends while we educate and teach your child to be creative and use their imaginations. For $7.00 you can’t beat it!

The building is right off of the Columbia Road exit from I-90.

If downtown is more convenient for you, there are also several day-long LEGO workshops taking place at the Great Lakes Science Center over winter break for grades K-8.

Until next time,

Lorelei

Holiday CircleFest 2011 at University Circle

December 04 – 1:00pm to 5:30pm

Start off the holiday season with a trip to the 18th Annual Holiday CircleFest. It’s the perfect way to experience University Circle, free of charge. Many of University Circle’s renowned museums, gardens, galleries, churches, and schools open their doors and offer an afternoon of activities, food, and shopping.

Perhaps the most highly anticipated activity of Holiday CircleFest is the opening of The Rink at Wade Oval. Admission to The Rink is free, and skate rentals are only $3. After visitors have finished skating, they can warm up with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate… continue reading

• Collective Upcycle Pop Up is located on Shaker Square between Fire REstaurant and Yours Truely REstaurant in the space that once was the wine shop. Over 30 artists with amazing products, most of which were recycled in some way.
• Cosmic Bobbins Pop Up is in the heart of downtown Tremont, and in fact is the storefront of the building owned by Tremont West Development Corp. A lovely small retail space, but well organized, and more high end on products…
• Winterfest – Check out the vendor tents on Public Square before the big celebration this Saturday!

Or check out their wares on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/imagesinbloom.

Until next time,

Lorelei

Holden Arboretum’s Gifts from the Heart of Nature
Craft sale continues through Fri 12/30 from 9AM-5PM. Gifts from the Heart of Nature promotes regional artists with nature inspired works, and crafts made from environmentally responsible materials. Visit HoldenArb.org for event details.

Brecksville Center for the Arts Shoppe for Art
http://www.brecksvillearts.org/shoppeforart….html
Visit our Shoppe for Art, a small gallery in our Highland Drive facility featuring the works of area artists and BCA instructors. Works of art will be on display for one month or more and are available for sale. The Shoppe will also feature fine crafted gift items during special seasonal and holiday gift shows. The Shoppe for Art will be open during regular office hours 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 440-526-6232 for more information.

2011 Made in the 216 Holiday Shoppe at Room Service
http://madeinthe216.com/about.php
MADE IN THE 216 is a shopping event designed to tout the design community of Cleveland and to support those that have chosen to stay and base their creative endeavors right here in ‘the 216’. By showcasing the designers along with musicians and caterers in a setting merchandised and designed to look like a fun and engaging retail space, the guests are encouraged to explore and discover the products and shop and have fun!

Lake Erie Artists Gallery
http://lakeerieartists.com
Lake Erie Artists Gallery offers you the opportunity to browse and collect the finest local Cleveland art, photography, and memorabilia as well as wonderful jewelry from local Cleveland, Ohio artists. Please browse and bookmark our unique art gifts for yourself and your friends. We will ship your gifts just about anywhere in the world safely.

Cleveland Handmade at Winterfest! Sat Nov 26th or Buy Online
http://www.clevelandhandmade.com/
A new part of the festivities will be the Winterfest Village which will include artists and craftspeople (many from Cleveland Handmade Markets) selling their wares in a large, heated tent on Public Square from 3-7pm. Make visiting (and shopping with small business people) a new part of your Holiday tradition!

Can you think of more?

Until next time,

Lorelei

http://www.step2.com/made-in-usa/

I’ve written a bit about Step 2 in the past:

• Step2 Store in Streetsboro
• Cleveland Holiday Shopping Tips and Toys R Us 15% Off Coupon

Visit the store itself at:

Step2 Store
10010 Aurora-Hudson Rd.
Streetsboro, OH

And, according to their Facebook page:

Don’t miss your chance to get additional savings for Black Friday Weekend!
If you come into the store now through November 23rd, you can receive a coupon for 25% off one product (excluding clearance)!

Until tomorrow,

Lorelei

http://buildadreamplayhouses.com/our-story/

Until tomorrow,

Lorelei

http://www.knex.com/News_and_Events/American-Made.php

Apparently, motors and special parts are Made in China, if you read the fine print.   But, considering K’NEX makes the kind of toys my 5 year-old boy would like to play with (building toys, similar to Legos), I’m afraid I’m not going to do much better than that.  

Until tomorrow,

Lorelei

After making some purchases for Christmas already, I have decided from this point forward I am only buying Christmas presents not made in China.   Unfortunately, the Fisher Price Trio Hot Wheels toys our 5 year-old had picked out are apparently made in China, as well as the entire set of my niece’s “American Girl” items.    This is officially my tipping point.   Since we’ve moved into our house, we’ve received several items made in China that we did not expect to be made in China.   Recently, landscape path lights from Kichler (based in Cleveland, Ohio), furniture from Hekman (based in Michigan) and furniture from Fine Furniture Design Manufacturers (based in North Carolina).  

So this week, with so many great toys Made in the USA, I am going to highlight one company each day of this week for you. 

Today I begin with Hudson, Ohio based Little Tikes.    I’m fairly certain we’re all familiar with Little Tikes, but what you may not know is, if there are large items you’d like to order from them but don’t want to pay hefty shipping charges, you can pick up the items at their facilities in Hudson.    We’ve done this before, and from what my hubby tells me, it was a fairly easy process.  Little Tikes has a list of all of their toys that are Made in the USA:

http://www.littletikes.com/made-in-the-usa-toys

Additionally, Little Tikes has a great email you can subscribe to that offers discounts on various toys throughout the year.

Will you be buying American this year for Christmas?   I just get so excited when I can actually find things made here, so I wanted to share.

Until tomorrow,

Lorelei

http://www.cvsr.com/polar-express.aspx

Here’s my advice based on last-year’s experience, departing from the Akron station:
For those who are looking for answers for 2011, we did end up going on the Polar Express this past Christmastime. We arrived about a 1/2 an hour early and the 8 of us were able to sit together, though we were not on the side of the car that faces “the North Pole” when you arrive. It didn’t really matter anyways, because all of the children go over to that side of the train to look out the windows and no one seems to mind. It didn’t seem like there was any big difference regarding which car you were assigned to, though I did notice we were in the car next to the one where you could purchase souvenirs and popcorn. Not sure if that was planned since we didn’t buy the tickets. They did have souvenir Christmas ornaments you could purchase which was nice. We went on a Sunday evening.

One suggestion that our friends and I hadn’t thought of, if you bring your copy of “The Polar Express” and a Sharpie, you can have your book autographed by Santa!

Also, looked like many of the kids had matching PJ sets, and I was surprised by how many grown ups were wearing pajama pants as well! It’s a great activity for any child or adult who “believes”.

For more comments related to the Polar Express, visit my post from 2009.

Have you taken your kids on the Polar Express?    Do you have any advice to share?

Until next time,

Lorelei