Pop Out Valentines

Tomorrow the kids are passing out Valentine's at school. I really wanted to come up with something that would be fun for my kids to make and fun for the kids in class to receive.


Violet's very violet Valentine.

Supplies:
paper cups
colored card stock
stickers
googly eyes
glue stick
craft sticks
ric-rac


I bought colored paper cups and then made a template of a heart that fit inside that I used to trace onto colored card stock.


While I cut out the hearts, the kids had the job of signing their names on the cup and decorating them with stickers.


Then came the fun part, googly eyes and ric-rac. I glued the stick on to ensure that they were straight so that they would align well in the cup. I used an exacto knife to cut a line in the bottom of the cup. The cut needs to be right in the center and just the size of the stick so that the heart fits inside and the stick is snug.


Making 24 of these was a lot for the kids to do. Wren signed his own name on all the cups and did most of the stickers and faces. I printed out the word "from:" and glued it in front of his name. I hope the kids have fun with them tomorrow!

Memory Mobile

I made this out of objects that we found at the beach this summer. While I was making it I was brought back to each time and place where it was discovered. And now we have something lovely to look at that reminds us of our adventure.








Materials:
seashells, sand dollars, beach glass, snake grass, mossy stick, cotton pearl thread, beading wire, beads, our memories.

You can turn any outing into a Memory Mobil , a walk around the block, a hike, road trips. Collecting objects helps you become more aware of your surroundings and then you have something that will trigger your senses and conjure up a memory.

*This project was inspired by and is dedicated to my dear friend Sage who once gave me a Memory Mobile.

The Shrinky Dink Experiment

Over at Unplug your kids, I read about how you can use #6 plastic to make shrinky dinks and wanted to give it a try. We salvaged some take out food containers and I bought some colored sharpies. The kids enjoyed coloring on the plastic, and I gave my hand at one. Wow, I haven't drawn for a while!


I'm not sure if it is the plastic we used or just that it was our first try, but they ended up sticking to themselves and not uncurling. I was able to pry one open and flatten it. It could have been that they were too large because the long skinny ones turned out a bit better.


I tried to make two of them into rings, but they wouldn't hold their shape. Still, this was a very fun project and I love that we can use what we would other wise toss out to make them.

Tuesday Night Already?

We had a great long weekend together.

The kids helped shovel dirt out of the truck for the garden box.



Wren personalized his party invitations and drew silly monsters on every one, front and back! He told a story about each one as he drew. I really enjoyed listening to his little mind go! These are a few of my favorites.



Wren spent much of his time playing in styrofoam inside the enormous box that our gas grill came in.



Here is a shot from the top to give you an idea how big this box is. Wren has always enjoyed playing in boxes. Violet will get in and play for a bit, but its not really her cup of tea. This box is going to be transformed into a bean bag toss for his birthday party.




The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning and tidying; talking and relaxing. We did have a BBQ on Monday, of course.

Wren's birthday is in less than two weeks and I've still got quite a bit of sewing and things to do. That's what I will be doing with all my extra time for now. I've got quite a few things on the back burner that I'm eager to get to, but must finish making silly monsters! AH!

Styrobots Are Our Friends

After seeing the very large, very cool Styrobots made by Michael A. Salter using packaging styrofoam, I was inspired to save the packaging material from our new ceiling fan. It sat in a closet until just the right moment.

One afternoon, while Violet was napping and Wren was tired of all the usual things we have to do around the house, I pulled out the styrofoam, a bunch of nails, tacks, u-nails, screws and some tools. Using a serrated knife, I hacked the styrofoam in to different sizes and let Wren get to work. He decided that he was going to make himself some new friends. (he did actually say that)


Here he is with his trusty red hammer. Styrofoam is great for hammering into, it's just like butter.


He also got some practice with the screw driver.


My favorite is the cute little one up front with the smile.



After Violet woke up, we made more toddler friendly versions with pipe cleaners, foam stickers, pom poms and I helped with the glue gun.



This project is mostly about the fun in making rather than something to keep and play with. The nails and things do eventually fall out, which can be a bit of a hazard, but it was well worth it to see the creative juices flowing.

'S' Is For Sewing: part 1

I was inspired when I read Linnea's post about her son's first sewing project and wanted to see if Wren might be interested in giving it a try.

I thought I should start with something where the stitches were visible and it wouldn't be too hard to poke though, plastic canvas fit the bill.



Both of the kids had fun 'sewing' and Wren was eager for more!

"I want to stuff something!" Wren declared. So we set about making a little stuffed guy that he could give to a friend for his birthday. He really enjoyed drawing the circles and cutting them out. And he was very ambitious when he started sewing the circles together. But after just a few stitches, he was ready for something new.

"Well, you could finish it" he said, as I reminded him we needed to sew it together before we could start putting the eyes and mouth on. I encouraged him to do a few more stitches and finished the rest. Stuffing and decorating were right up his alley though and I think his little guy turned out pretty cute.




Violet went right to work trimming pompoms.

GAK!

Here's something fun to make with the kids. Its easy and fun, and a bit scientific.


The ingredients, Elmer's Glue, liquid starch and food coloring.


Pour 1 c Elmer's glue into a bowl, then mix in the food coloring.


Pour in 1 c liquid starch and start stirring.


This is where it gets fun, when the two mix, they start to get thick.


Pretty soon it turns stretchy.


Violet is looking a little bit concerned.


After a bit more stirring, it all comes together into a solid mass. It is sort of stretchy, sort of gooey and lots of fun.



A few notes:

If it seems too sticky, mix in more starch.

It does stick to clothes and the carpet. Don't worry, it comes out easily in the wash or with warm water and a bit of rubbing. You might want to keep it on a tray or in the kitchen. Wren stuck a glob on his head once, AHH! I just stuck him in the bath and it pretty much dissolved with warm water and a wash cloth.

Not all glue is equal. Elmer's is the best, and glue you get from school supply stores works. But the glue I bought at the dollar store did not work!

Gak should last for a month or so if kept in a tight container.