Adventures in Upcycling : Can planters

Fun garden DIY to start off the week!

I absolutely love this low cost way to jazz up a boring old fence. 

 

We use a lot of the jumbo sized tomato sauce and green beans cans, so it was not too much trouble to wash them out and save them up. It took a few weeks of yelling "Stop! don't pitch that can!" and only a few dives into the kitchen trash can to get enough for the fence.

 

Once you have amassed enough cans simply add a little spray paint and screw them randomly onto the fence and pick out some flowers. I chose a variety of annual flowers and a couple annual vines to add more depth once they get growing.

 

A Low cost and low effort DIY with a big payoff. 

 

Bonus: 

Froggy in the milk flowers! 

I know, I know! Really over done and soooo last year, but I love it all the same. 

Starting the School Year Right!

I am causing my normally type B personality to question itself with all the Type A preplanning I am accomplishing! I have up to week 7 of Classical Conversations notebooking pages created and have my new "busy work binders" ready and raring to go.
I have been doing extensive Mommy Blog research this summer and we are going to try out notebooking this year and incorporating them into, what I am calling, a Busy Work Binder.

You have questions? Well let me will elaborate!

Notebooking is pretty well know in homeschool circle, by here is the Readers Digest version for any newbies. Using a notebook, or binder in my case, students write out what they are learning and use color pages, matching, magazine clippings or their own illustrations to cement the concepts they notebooked.

Ta-Da notebooking in under 35 words!

I am endeavoring to combine notebooking with the Rise and Shine binder. What is a Rise and Shine binder? A fun learning tool I discovered at The Internet Mothership, aka Pinterest.

Here is a link to an example of these type binders that I am rebranding Busy Work Binder!
http://tunstalltimes.blogspot.com/
A few more pages that I am incorporating:
firstgradebrain.com
teacherspayteachers.com
teacherspayteachers.com/

Here are a few of my pages

Hopefully these little puppies with help out when I need to focus on one kid at a time. My master plan is to have one kiddo work on the laminated pages and learning aids (math flash cards, letter cards and the like) while I work on math and/or reading with the opposite kiddo. Then we will work on the notebooking pages together during our CC memory work time.

I will track my data when the school year begins and keep you abreast (awesome word)

Dr Seuss Birthday Week

In honor of the great writer and illistrator that we all have learned so much from, we are having a Dr Seuss week of crafts, stories and learning games topped off with a party at the Shoals Children's museum.
I think Dr Seuss has a place in everyone's heart! He is a wonderful artist and writes deceptivly deep liturature. I know I want to collect all of his books for my kids to enjoy and learn from.

Our own finicky fish in a bowl will be watching over our Seussian mayhem!

 

One fish, two fish hands

Seuss inspired rhyming match game.

 

Truffula tress using tissue paper and stickers and a fun game of magnetic fishing!

 

 

 

If you are in the area join us at the Children's Museum of the Shoals for Dr Seuss Birthday Party!

 

 

Chalk Mat

My little family is gearing up for a trip to Orlando! We are super excited and ready to get going, James asks everyday when we are going to go!
I am excited, but for me getting ready for a trip is like preparing for combat. I do the usual packing planning, who needs what for the trip. Then, of course, the actual packing. But my favorite part of the trip battle plan is the activities for the kids. I love finding and making fun things for the kiddos to do.
This trip we are going to road test Chalk Mats.

Needed:
chalk cloth (fabric store or online)
2 same size squares of thick fabric
Velcro
two ribbons (made or bought)

Sew your cut chalk cloth to one layer of fabric then face the two sides together and sew on just 3 sides. Pull it right side out. Fold inward and sew the 4th side and continue all the way around. It gives it a nicer look and I think makes it sturdier. Attach your closure ribbon to one side and your Velcro cloth holder and chalk holder pocket to the other side.
All done but the fun!!

Make sure you prepare your chalk cloth before using it. You simply rub it down with chalk and wipe off. I you ever wash it off with water you will have to prep it again.

 handy dandy wiper holder. A tie and a strip of Velcro to secure it in place when not in use. choose a semi-fluffy and soft fabric scrap for this dirty job.

And then make yourself a little pocket for all the colorful chalk you need for making your masterpieces

All rolled up and ready to go!

Harry Potter Grimm Cup

We all love harry potter, so when I saw this cup on Pinterest I HAD to make it!
I used a glass paint pin I picked up at the mother ship (aka hobby lobby)
All you do is draw, bake and enjoy! :)

I am having so much fun with my paint pins that I am going to post some on my etsy page, check it out!

Fancy Nancy Birthday

Lilly-bug's fabulously Fancy Nancy 2nd Birthday


Fancy Nancy inspired birthday dress!



Pink Fluffy Topiary
Items Needed
-foam ball
-small wooden dowel (I cut mine in half to make two)
-boa
-craft paper
-6 in flat round foam piece
-a bit of tulle
You should be able to get all you need from your local craft store.

Hot glue the boa to the foam ball in a spiral pattern. Then wrap the round flat foam piece in scrap paper for the base, secure with glue. Your scrapbook paper should be much taller than the foam piece. Then attach them together with a small wooden dowel.  Add a little hot glue to the joints just in case. Lastly, stuff the bit of tulle all around inside the base.
I add a couple rocks from my garden down under the tulle so it wouldn't tip over as easily.



Crafts! Crowns and princess wands for everyone!
Displayed in fancy fabric covered cardboard boxes ;)



Boas, Jewelery and Nail Polish Station

Sandpaper Art

James requested a project this rainy, cold, icky winter day, and Mommy/Pinterest came to his rescue! I scrounged up some sand paper and old play shirts, James set up the crayons, and voilà, sandpaper art!

All you need is fine sandpaper, crayons, a piece of card board, some wax paper, an iron, shirts and willing munchkins!

Once the the art is completed heat your iron to the Cotten setting. Sandwich your cardboard inside the shirt, the artwork on top and the wax paper on top of that. Heat for about 30 second and then reap the Your-An-Awesome-Mom rewards!

Quite book

I have begun the car trip prepping today and am readying myself with books, toys, color books and a new quite book!
I love all the fun ideas out there on the web for quiet books. I made a super fast one a month ago and the kids like it so I went all out this time.
All I used was an old three ring binder, several colored sheets of felt, hot glue and old fashion imagination!

Dressing and putting baby to bed, Lillian is already in love with this page

Fishing with magnets and an apple button tree

Scrapbook Paper Advent Calendar

While we don't celebrate the Advent calender in the traditional way, we use it as a countdown to Christmas, I am calling it that because that is the way most people know it.

I saw this on pinterest and loved the idea of scrap paper and all the fun embellishments that come with it. So here it is! I think that I will still add some more doo-dads, I love me some doo-dads! (yes, doo-dad, that is the technical term for embellishments) 

I have crafts like a making an ornament and paper snowflakes. We are going to do a couple of service project such as care packages for the troops, toys for tots, and a giving canned food.
I really want them to appreciate the holiday as a season of giving not getting, so one day is making Christmas cards for a family member, another is picking out a gift for the other sibling, and helping make our neighbors Christmas candies.
We will also read Christmas stories, watch the Polar Express, and we are doing Elf on the Shelf this year!

I can't wait for December so I can start the fun!!!

 

The insperation from pinterest...



 

Source: kimberlypetersen.typepad.com via Tiffany on Pinterest