Kid's Keepsake Craft Box

It's starting to pile up.  The cute craft projects made by my darling daughter who is three.  The ones I can't bear to throw away.  No, I don't keep every single colored picture or anything like that.  If I did that, my house would be stuffed by the time I am forty.  But there are certain ones I don't want to part with.  The ones that really get me are those that are made with a foot or hand print.    I especially enjoy those that she brings home from daycare, Sunday School, or VBS.  We also love to do crafts together.

I knew I needed to find a place to store these special keepsakes.  Many of them are displayed somewhere in the house, at least for a little while.  But eventually they must come down, to make room for something new.  I finally had an idea.  A craft that we could do together.

I emptied a shoe box. Unfortunately all of them were in use.  Then we gathered some of these "projects for saving" and used decoupage to glue them to the box.  We mainly used her handprint crafts and a simple craft project that she had done at daycare where she decorated her name.  I also traced her hands onto construction paper, cut those out, and put them on the box. 

 

Brylee loves to "use the scissors" to cut out paper.  She is very good at making confetti.  So, I let her cut paper while I put on her craft items.  When I was done with that, I let her decorate the box with the paper scraps.    Well, actually it was a combined effort!  I also cut out some shapes from some of her "painted" pictures from daycare and put those on, too.  Then we covered the entire box in a coat of decoupage.  It was a very fun mother/daughter project!   We would have painted the box first, but since it was already a nice, lovely orange color, we just broke out the decoupage and got our fingers sticky!!

 

 

 

I'm already saving a couple handprint/footprint pictures that daycare did with my baby boy.  Guess I better go shoe shopping so I can get another box!!!

 

I hope you enjoy making your Keepsake Craft Box with your special kid!

 

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A Mom Moment

Meal time had become super frustrating, as of late.  A bargaining table.  If you eat this, then you can have this.  Some of the bad habits started because we often just take one food item, eat it and then take the next when we are done with the first.   The consequences were that are three-year old would often eat a lot of what she liked best and little of the other, maybe, healthier food items. 

I'm not sure how it happened, but some how we were needing to find a way to encourage her to eat her food, or to at least try a food.  We would start off saying you need to eat 10 bites and after each bite she ate we would subtract one finger.   Hey - this worked great for helping her learn to count, and especially count backwards.  And then somehow along the way, it turned into her getting a reward for each 10 bites - maybe one chip or one of something else she really liked.  It worked o.k. at first, but eventually she learned how to use the system and do her own bargaining.  She bargained for only five bights and then three.

I eventually couldn't take it anymore.  Something had to change.  I started by correcting some of the bad habits....... and now things are much better, calmer, and more relaxing.

We began putting all food on her plate at the beginning of a meal.  If chips are part of the meal, they go on her plate.  If she wants to eat them first, she can.   In the past we always gave chips last.   It gives her some control back into meal time.  Yet at the same time, Mom and Dad still ultimately have control.  In order for her to get seconds of any of her favorite foods, she first has to clean everything off her plate.  This has helped her eat more of the good foods, and often, now she doesn't want seconds of her favorites (for example a hot dog), because she is already full.  It is working great! 

We also set a timer.  If the timer goes off and her food is not finished, we take it away.  This may seem harsh.  But we offer plenty of time.  We are slow eaters (I didn't used to be, but I've become like my husband).  Meal time is family time.  The reason behind this is that she will learn meal time is for eating, not playing.  She knows the rules.  If she doesn't clean her plate or her plate gets taken away (usually around 45 minutes), then she does not get any snacks or treats.  No food until the next meal time.   I think we have only taken away her food once. 

Most of the time she cleans her plate at every meal.  It has cut down on a lot of the playing at the table.  Often we no longer set the timer, but wait to set it if she is goofing off.  If it gets set, then she knows we are serious.  If she doesn't clean her plate, she is usually clear that she is done.  She knows then she doesn't get a treat - extra's of her favorites (lately this is blueberries!), candy, ice cream, or chips if they are on the table but were not on her plate, etc.  She does not get a treat after every meal, but she knows the eligibility requirements.  The only other rule is that she has to TRY everything on her plate.  Most often the things she doesn't want to try, she likes and eats all gone.

I only hope this works as well on our second child who is currently in the messy baby food stage.  That reminds me - it's time to make more baby food.  I post this only in hope it may give someone else an idea who is struggling through meal time.

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Ten Commandment VBS Craft!

I'm making it through VBS week, despite having had strep throat.  Yes, with God all things are possible!!!!  One more day!!

One of the first places I turn for craft ideas for VBS is the internet. 

So, I wanted to share one of the ideas I developed for this year with you.  I hope to help someone who is looking for ideas, like me. 

The story for the first day was Moses and the ten commandments.  Here is the craft we did:



 Mt. Sinai and 10 Commandments Sculpture

 

 

 

Instructions:

 

 

Day 1:

Supplies:  clay, 2 small paper plates, toothpick, yogurt container, egg carton piece (use corner pieces only from the egg carton), newspaper, paper Mache (1/2 flour 1/2 water or more), glue

1.      Begin by gluing the egg carton piece (point up) to the bottom of the yogurt container.

 

 

2.      Divide clay into two equal pieces and shape two stone tablets out of each

3.      Using the toothpick, write the numbers 1-5 on one tablet, 6-10 on the other.  Leave to dry overnight. 

4.      Set top of yogurt container on to paper plate. Tear strips of newspaper and dip in paper Mache, cover the entire yogurt container, egg carton piece, and part of paper play.  Work from top down.  Leave to dry overnight or two nights, maybe.

 

Day 2:

Supplies:  dark gray paint, lighter gray paint, paint brushes, dishes for paint, water to rinse brushes, cardboard circles, felt, markers to trace, scissors, glue, glue gun

1.      Paint mountain dark gray.

2.      Paint clay tablets with light gray paint. 

3.      Cut cardboard circle out (I used a Cool Whip container as a pattern).

4.      Trace cardboard circle onto felt (color of choice and cut out).

5.      Glue felt on to cardboard circle

*At this point you may choose to let the paint dry and finish later or the next day  OR you can be messy, like me (but not as bad as the paper Mache) and just get it done!

6.      Cut out mountain from paper plate and glue to felt.

7.      Glue tablets into standing position against mountain.

 

 

The kids loved it!!  It was messy and fun.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Penguin Party Hats and Penguin Party Fun!!!!!

More penguin themed stuff from the birthday party!  Who doesn't love party hats for a birthday party?

We made our own and they turned out adorable!!!!!!!!!

 

 

How to Make:

 

1.  Cut out penguin shape from black construction paper. (a combined oval and circle)

 

2.  Cut out black strip about the width of a ruler and long enough to go around child's head. You will need two strips for each hat if using construction paper.  Tape or glue them together so they are long enough.  Then glue to the penguin near the bottom.

 

3.  Cut a slightly smaller penguin shape out of cardboard and glue to the back.  This will help it stand tall when the child is wearing it.

 

4.  Cut out a smaller white oval shape and glue on for belly.

 

5.  Using a one-hole punch, punch dots out of colored paper for eyes. 

 

6.  Cut a small orange triangle for the nose.

 

7.  Cut out flippers from black paper and glue to the back so they stick out to the side slightly.

 

8.  Cut feet out of orange paper and glue to bottom.  When the feet are dry, bend the feet up where feet meet the black paper as if the penguin were standing on them.

 

9.  Cut a triangle out of colored paper to make a party hat for the penguin.  Glue this to the (front) top of the penguins' head. 

 

10.  Decorate hat as you choose.  (polka dots, stripes, plain, etc.)

 

11.  To make tassel for the penguin hat: take a colored string about a foot long and fold it four times.  Tie a not in the middle.  On one side of the knot, cut the string just a little bit below the knot.  Now, trim the tassels to the length desired.  Glue knot to the back of the penguin hat.

 

12.  When children come to the party, fit a hat on them and have fun!!!!!!!

 

 

MORE PENGUIN FUN!

 

 

The kids got to play Pin the Tummy on the Penguin.

 

The adults played a game seeing how many words they could get out of "Penguin Birthday Party".  The prize for the winner was a can of sardines wrapped in white paper.   I drew little fish on the can and wrote "Penguin Food".   (forgot to take a picture). 

 

The children got Penguin Party Favors (see previous blog post).  These also worked great as a tie down for the helium balloons. 

 

I should mention, we had everything penguin.  Our lunch was even breaded fish sandwiches to complete the theme.  They were served on black plates with white and black polka dotted cups and napkins.

 

And, of course, no penguin party would be complete without a Penguin Cake!!!

 

This was my first attempt at decorating a cake.  Didn't go great; didn't go horrible, but turned out pretty cute and yummy, too!

 

 

 

I'm sure glad I used easy shapes for this cake.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do anything more advanced.  The head was a small Corningware pan and the body and oval pan.  The feet were two cupcakes.  I originally had planned to outline the wings with white (on just the body).  However, since I goofed up my first batch of cake, I had plenty cake to use as flippers.  In all my cake decorating nervousness I forgot to add vanilla.  As I was mixing up more batter for cupcakes (I was planning to make penguin cupcakes too. A friend had shown me an adorable picture of them from a book.  Let's just say I didn't read the directions very thoroughly, couldn't find all the supplies I needed, and my quite quick attempt at ten o'clock at night on a busy and exhausting day, didn't work.)

 

Anyways, after that tangent, ten minutes after the cake was in the oven was when I realized I had forgotten the vanilla, so I added it after it had been in the oven.  It actually turned out, too.  But the perfectionist in me, couldn't let it go.  Yep, I made another.  As you can see, one flipper turned out fine.  I cut it from the side of the first cake.  The second one broke and every attempt to cut from the cakes middle, failed.  It turned out the best it could with patchwork.  The nose was a starburst cut in half.  It pleased the birthday girl, but I'm requesting cake decorating classes.  I have lots of questions.

 

It was very yummy! And we ate it on specially painted Penguin Party Plates that the own birthday girl did!  She loved the craft!!!!!!  I know what you are thinking, "you ate cake and vanilla/chocolate combo ice cream on plates that were painted by a three-year-old?"  Yep!  I've got you curious, don't I?  Don't worry.  I wouldn't feed food on anything where the paint could chip off into food.  This has been one of me favorite craft ideas ever!!!!!  And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not posting pictures or instructions, yet.  It's an idea I'm writing up as an article to submit to a magazine.  If I don't sell it, I'll post it hear.  I'll keep you posted!

 

 

Love It!

 

 

Penguin Party Favors!

I've been getting ready for my little girls third birthday.  We are doing a penguin theme.  Yes, even though it is a summer birthday.  I got the idea after watching Happy Feet with her.  I decided to do the penguin theme after I saw two pans in my cupboard - - if I make the cakes in them, I think I could put it together for a good penguin shape (I think).  I probably should pull the pans out and really take a look at them, before I set to work at making the cake.  So, I opened my mouth and asked if she wanted Mommy to make her a penguin cake for her birthday.  The answer was yes.  This was several months ago already and she hasn't let me forget it.  Now I'm stuck.  I'm not a cake decorator and have never done anything more than just slapping regular frosting on a regular cake - so this shall be interesting.  I've had my good friend, who is also my daughter's baptismal sponsor make them in the past.  She is a professional cake decorator.   But being a Mom, I want to make one for her.  Wish me luck.

Ok, after going off on a tangent about how this whole idea started....here is a fun craft that we put together for the party favors for the kids at the party - toilet paper penguins for Penguin Party Favors!

First, put black construction paper around the TP roll.  Then cut out a white oval for the penguin belly.  Next, cut out wings out of black construction paper.  I folded them in half lengthwise and also folded the tip where I wanted to glue them to the body of the penguin.  This helps the wings jut out a bit from the body. 

I first planned to just decorate The TP roll as a penguin, and put a cardboard base as the feet and fill it with candy.  While I was shopping for candy for the favors, I found the containers of mini M & M's and decided they would make cute feet.  I put the top down and put a strip of double-stick
 tape along the candy container and put the TP roll over the candy and stuck it in place.  For extra security, I put some tape over the bottom of the container inside the toilet paper roll and taped it to the inside of the TP roll. 

I then found some big suckers and wrapped black tissue paper around them for the head.  I placed the stick into the TP roll. That part was a bit difficult with the big candy container inside.  I did end up cutting out round circles and putting the penguins eyes and nose on the circle and gluing/taping them to the TP roll and sucker.  I probably could have just glued them to the tissue paper, but was in a hurry to get them done so this allowed me to just curve the paper over the sphere shape and not deal with perfecting the head with the tissue paper the way I had planned.  I was hurrying before the baby woke from a nap.  My little girl had lots of fun helping with the craft!!!!!  It's a great way to help them be involved.

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Outdoor Fun and Learning Fun!

I don't spray my yard for those beautiful flowered weeds.....Dandelions.  And probably never will.  I don't like chemicals and don't want to spend the money.  No, they are not my favorite and I'd rather them not be there, but they are and they will remain.  They are still part of God's creation.  The Bible does tell us that we will have thistles and stuff chocking out the good stuff in this sinful world.  So, I might as well make the most of them since they are there.

Admit it.  Don't you remember having some fun with those gold yellow flowers too when you were a kid?  I do.  Whether it was picking a beautiful Dandelion bouquet for my parents or holding the flower under my chin and saying, "I've been eating butter"... or something like that from the yellow glow.  I just remember my mom doing something like that based on a Norman Rockwell painting with a boy holding a flower up to a girl. (I think).  I tried to Google it but didn't find what I was looking for.  And at least I think that is where the idea came from.  I guess it's just a vague memory.

These first pictures come from an activity I remember my mom doing with me as a child on warm summer days.  I specifically remember sitting on our wraparound front porch curling dandelions stems.  It was fun.  We'd pick the dandelions, preferably the longer stemmed ones.  It didn't matter whether they were buds, blossoms, or the white seeded part.  We'd pick off the flowered part and discard, gather a bucket of water, and then tear the stem in half and drop in the bucket of water.........and fun little curly cues would appear.  However, not all will curl.

 

 

 

My three-year old and I enjoyed it!  The next thing I knew we were turning the curls into fun little rings on our fingers and toes!  LOVED IT!

A few days earlier, we had been making a game of who could pick the most dandelions the fastest.  I, of course, let her win.  Most of the time.  And, just maybe, by picking them we will prevent a few less Dandelions in the future since those poor flowered weeds won't get the opportunity to blow their white puffy seeds around.  Later we had some outdoor learning fun with the bouquets we'd gathered.  Since I've been trying to teach her letter recognition, I started forming letters with them and quizzing and teaching her the letters of the alphabet.  The letter's with loops and curls are a bit more tricky than ones with just straight points, but it was still fun and a learning opportunity!  Sometimes I'd just break of a flowered part to make the letter more cute!

You can use it for learning spelling words too!

Have fun playing and learning!

Love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's Up?

What's up as of recently?

I know it's been awhile since I've posted.  O.k., two months to be exact.  But, that's what comes with life and being a mom.  Also, I've been reading some good books and spending time on my writing projects.  And for the third spring now, something that has been consuming a lot of my time, organizing craft projects for our church's VBS program this summer for a 150 kids of all ages.  That's 750 craft projects.  Thankfully, I've got some great helpers.  I've got at least ten different projects planned for daily crafts and a few extras, too.  In the future, I may share some of those.  We'll see how the kids take to them.   I should mention, we come up with our own crafts.  We don't use what the publishing house sells.  I personally like to make it more fitting to the theme, lesson, or Bible verse. It makes me very thankful that blogs exist, because they can be a great place to find ideas.  But (sometimes), my mind actually comes up with a few ideas of it's own.  Oh, and I'm having the older kids do the pocket verses I posted a while back!  Fridays daily theme verse is, Jesus says, "You will be my witnesses....to the end of the earth."  Acts 1:8  (Concordia Publishing House VBS 2013 - Go Tell It On The Mountain Where Jesus Christ is Lord!) It may not be the most fun craft, but I chose it for the lesson in being a witness.  They will MAKE ONE for themselves and one to PASS IT ON.  And it's kind of nice to be able to let the kids creativity flow on there own some, too.  Sometimes, I think I'm crazy to take on this task, especially this year with having my second babe at home, but honestly I LOVE IT! and wouldn't have it any other way.

I still have some ideas that I've not had time to implement and post, but I've had a few other random creative thoughts that have occurred to me.  Kind of silly, but fun.  At least I think so.  Easy ones, and easy to post.  All I had to do was grab the camera and go.  Now, on the this three day holiday weekend and finding some time to relax out of town, I'm sitting down to do them.  Only to find, (though I was sure I remembered packing it in my purse) that I must not have brought my camera cord to upload my pictures.  So, here's to the typing and adding the pictures later...and then....posting (hopefully next week).  Unless, I find a camera cord that matches mine among our families stuff or find I packed it anyway in one of those "special" spots. 

Since, I don't have the camera cord, this is kind of the reason for today's more personal post.  And because I found in the beginning of typing my first post, that I just randomly started typing about the events of life.  I tend to do that now and again.  I guess it's the lengthy and winded writer in me.  I decided it was more fitting alone and by its self.  I also have some ideas I've wanted to post, but have decided to try them as "how to's" to publish in a magazine on my journey to try and become a published writer.  If I don't sell them, I'll come back to post here. :)



So...NEW POSTS AND CREATIVE THOUGHTS COMING SOON!

Love it!  and LOVING life :)