Thursday, May 30, 2013

Recycled Birdhouse craft

 

We found some great crafts while looking at www.Nickjr.com
Personally I love to re purpose items. Free materials are a great thing for anybody but especially great when working with preschoolers who destroy as much as they create ... its all part of the creative process don't you know ;)
 
 
 

Materials:

 

  1. Toilet paper rolls
  2. glue or glue gun
  3. scissors
  4. paper
  5. paint
 
First we rolled the rolls in the paint
 

 
 
 
 
I had C trace the bottom of a large candle and let her practice some cutting. This project has a few nice opportunity's to practice your preschoolers emerging motor skills.
 
 
That's it we cut a slit half way down the middle and I let her help me tape it after I folded it over. I used the hot glue gun to glue them together. She was very proud of her work :)
 
Here is the link they call it the Wonder pets Recycled birdhouse and the tut is a little different this this.
 
Enjoy
 
 
 
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Sunday, May 12, 2013

 
 
Diy  Dress Form

 
 
This is in no way a true dress form to use to get accurate measurements. This
tutorial is for a fast easy "dress form" to use for display or for pictures. If you are looking for a dress form tutorial to use with your own measurements this link has some great options. I was just looking to make something more 3 dimensional than a hanger to photograph the things I sew and something less Wiggly and my 2 year old.
 


First I made up my pattern paper. I just free handed it but if you want exact measurements let me know. I used old shipping paper that I save to use for making my own patterns or copying them. It is sturdy and it works nice and the best part... Its free!!!I used some fleece from the scrap bin at the store but you could get fancy with it and make it out of something really pretty.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I cut out a front and a back to the pattern. It's nice to have a rotary cutter but not necessary.

 
 
Sew it the front to the back. Leave a opening at the bottom in the middle large enough to push the top of a bottle through. The size of the hole really depends on the bottle. You want it to be tight because it will stretch over time but you can always come back and put a few extra stitches in it if need be. This part wont show once she is dressed. trim down edges and turn.



 
 
 
I used some stuffing and this you can play around with a bit as well. It will take some finagling to get it to set up how you like it. You don't want to over stuff it or it wont stand up on the bottle right. You can also stuff a stick inside it and the bottle to give it more stability.



And that's pretty much it. Fill the bottle with pretty water beads you can at as much or as little to the project as you want.


 
 
 
 


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Teaching the Alphabet, early writing
 
I have been searching the Internet for some ideas for early writing. Man some of the kits cost a fortune. I think the most important thing in teaching young children is to make it as much like play as you can. Children learn through play. So I came up with my own "kit" Here is a list of things I'm doing with my daughter.
 
 
 
Bingo marker- letter tracing... Connect the dotss lalalala (sorry from the peewee Herman era) I think I picked this bingo marker up at the dollar tree you can get them anyplace. The child traces the letters its pretty self explanatory.
 
 
 
 
 
I picked up some books at our local Walmart nothing real fancy but they are nice. We don't use them for long periods just small sections of what we call "school time" She really enjoys them.

 
 
 
Inside each book there are many activities. To save even more money I got contact paper and covered the pages so she could use a dry erase maker on them and use them over and over. The contact paper is a PAIN in the butt to roll out but it works well.
 


 
 
 
 
My daughter enjoys writing and erasing the pages.

 
I didn't get a good picture of it but I also couple the letters with toys that start with that letter. For A I got out her toy airplane ext ext.
 
 
You can get these cheap foam letter puzzles at dollar general for a buck or so. If you are trying to put the puzzle back together your going to be sorely disappointed. I even have trouble getting the pieces in!! Instead I drew faces on them and we play with them they tell each other what letter they are she really likes them. The also stick to the walls of the bathtub nicely when wet.
 
 
 
 
I found these alphabet pretzels at our local Mennonite store. I pluck out the letter of the day for some fun munching at snack time.
 
That's about it so far. Hope this gives you some new ideas. I get so bored doing the same stuff all the time. If you have other ideas leave them in the comments bellow.
 
If you have time please visit my etsy store.
 
 
 


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Ideas for Rainy day fun.
 
 
 
We have had some dry weather here and some nice warm days full of outside play. The last two days have been pretty rainy though so I picked my brain on how to conquer the rainy day blues. After the winter we have had I have no desire to keep the house shut for more than 24 hours.
 
 
 
 C and I propped open the door and put a towel over the threshold to catch all the muck.
 
 
She could go in and out at free will touch and watch the rain without getting sopping wet. Chalk in the rain makes great paint. So we painted the ground played toys out the door and made rainbow foot prints in the chalk.
 



 
 
We got some bowls and watched the rain water fill them up.

 
we added some food color and she ran out the door squealing as she rushed to "fill up" her baby pool with her green rain water.



 
We sat in the doorway and blew bubbles although they didnt go far.
 
 
and shook off our rainy day blues.

 
Take that RAIN!!! Ha!


 
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Monday, May 6, 2013

Isn't it great that God meets us right where we are.
 
That we don't need to "get right" before we come to Him.
 
You can be the lowest of low and He will still lift your head up.
 
It amazes me actually when I think about it. He didn't have to send His Son and cover our
 
sin's but He loves us that much.
 
I find it interesting that the Greek word Repentance is Metanoia meaning actually
 
change of mind and heart.
 
 
 
 
 
Many people think it is this beating of the breast crying out to God Repentance. Images like this one I found on the Internet only scare people further away from God. REPENT! REPENT NOW! OR GOD WILL HIT YOU WITH A LIGHTENING BOLT FROM THE SKY!!! This is what I found when I searched repentance on google.
 
 
 It is Simply a Change
 
of mind and heart.
 
A change that the one who loves you has covered you. With the blood of His beloved Son.
 
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
 
 
Peace.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Sunday, May 5, 2013

Momma

     Play.

I have stuff to get done.

It will wait.

someone just messaged me on facebook.

It will wait.

I have to get one more load in and then...

It will wait.


she wont...



Growing before my eyes... Play momma Play.
 
I decided to blog again a few weeks ago. I finally decided today was the day. So here we are you and I staring blankly at each other again (I'm talking to the courser on the screen not you... if there is a you and I'm not just talking to myself in some side run on sentence like I always do ... here I go again) because I really don't know how to start it this time... Last time I blogged I spoke about being a recovering alcoholic who found peace and healing through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While that is very much a part of my life... Man talking about alcoholism everyday got heavy fast and I longed for the relief of some more light hearted subjects.  So here we go again.
 
Goal: touch a heart... put a smile on a face...share some tips... free printable sewing patterns, Tutorials ext... Stay tuned.
 
If your interested in taking a look at my new Etsy store here it is. I don't have a ton in it yet but more to come. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Chloescustomcloset?ref=search_shop_redirect