Artist Study: Vincent Van Gogh

 Artist Study: Vincent Van Gogh free worksheet available here

Coach's Gift

Attach this printable to a pair of gloves and add a handwritten note from your child... voila' coach's gift done!

Ish

 

 ish by Peter Reynolds is one of my all-time favorite books! It's the perfect story to get us all thinking more ish-fully! After reading this story, children can create their own ish drawings with this printable. 

 

 

Free Worksheet: ish Printable

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Worksheets

If you read a preschooler "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," chances are she will want to create her own cookie recipe. After you write a recipe with her, she will decide she wants to make the cookies. Making the cookies will remind her that she is hungry. She will ask for a cookie. And chances are if she eats a cookie, she will want a story to go with it...

There are countless fun activities to go along with this story! And its perfect for introducing  sequencing. Here is a great worksheet to accompany the story:

Free Printable Worksheet: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Harold and the Purple Crayon

It's every kids dream to jump into their doodles just like Harold! Imaginations run wild in the sweet, simple classic tale. Help your child create their own adventure with this printable:

Get the free worksheet: Harold and the Purple Crayon Printable

Where's My Teddy?

Teddy Bears... What's not to love?? There are so many heartfelt stories about bears. One of my favorites is Where is my Teddy by Jez Alborough. It is sweet, but packed full of not-too-scary suspense.

 

After reading this story with your preschooler and their favorite teddy, you can also play "Teddy, Bear Turn Around" and plan a teddy bear picnic. Here is a fun printable- have fabric, yarn, cotton balls,  buttons, googly eyes and maybe faux fur available for your preschooler to glue on.

 

Free worksheet: What is my Bear Made of Printable

Mouse Paint

The meddlesome mice in Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh are perfectly relatable to inquisitive preschool minds. This story is a great way to introduce color blending. Children can experience the color mixing fun first hand with this coordinating worksheet. Follow-up with free paint time, allowing kids to blend and create on their own.

 

Get you free worksheet here: Mouse Paint

Caps for Sale Printable

My little monkeys (the human kind) love the repetition of the classic tale Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. This story is a fun one to act out during a read-aloud. It leads to great discussions on frustration and anger and how to deal with these emotions. Follow-up: have children create an item to sell- paper dolls, paintings, paper boats, friendship bracelets and them the children can sell and buy from each other using coins or fake money.

 

Get your free printable worksheet here: Caps for Sale

Good Night Moon Worksheet

Who doesn't love to snuggle up and end the day with the calming rhythm of Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown? I always choose this comforting classic to introduce classroom discussions of moons. After reading the story, I have the children close their eyes and picture themselves tucked in bed in their cozy room. What do they see in their room? What would they say goodnight to? Help them make a list, and then illustrate a picture of their room. This can follow with a discussion on different phases of the moon. Follow-up discussions: Who was the first man on the moon? How did he get there? What did he wear? What would it be like to walk on the moon?

Free worksheet here: Good Night Moon Worksheet

Job Chart System

So I think its so important to teach kids the importance of work and contributing around the home, but I also think its important to teach them they have to work to get money and earn things and that things should not just be given to them  The other thing I wanted was to limit my kids TV/video game time or at least make them earn it and I wanted to somehow connect all these things together.  So, I've been searching for the perfect job chart system.  In all my searching I couldn't find what I wanted, I found some cute things along the way that could help with it, but I decided to come up with my own system.  So here it is:

 When I was a child my mom had this circle wheel thing that hung in our kitchen that was a rotating job chart and each week my siblings and I would be in charge of a different room for the week and then she would rotate the wheel and we would have a different room the next week. During the week we were responsible for keeping that room straight and then on Saturday we were to super clean that room.  If we had the yard that meant weeding, cleaning up dog poop and being in charge of taking out the trash.  I knew I wanted to do the same type of thing.  I feel my house is messy all the time and I can't keep up.  My kids are getting old enough where they need and should help with this chaos.  So I didn't make the wheel thing like my mom had, but I found this idea off Pinterest for a Family Chore Chart at Super Saturday Crafts and made one myself and changed it a little bit to make it how I wanted it to work.

 

 But just that wasn't going to do the trick, having them be in charge of cleaning on room a week, was not all that I wanted them to do.  There are things that I want them to get in the habit of doing like saying their prayers, reading scripture, making their beds, brushing their teeth, cleaning their rooms, etc.  So I found this handy dandy chore chart printable at Pinch A Little Save-a-lot.  I liked it because I could input each of my kids names on them and customize the chores to each kid.

 

 Here is my son Brock's chart, so each item he would do each day he would put a check mark. If you notice on there is "Weekly Job Chart Chore", when they straighten the room they are in charge of for the week they could check it off here.  I put the charts in page protectors, that way we could wipe the chart clean each week.  Now comes my points/ reward system, which might seem a little complicated but this is what has made this whole system.  So, for every check mark my kids get they get a point.  Each week I count the number of check marks on their personal chore chart and then I transfer the points to a white board we have in our laundry room and I wipe their personal chart clean to start a new week.

See, points written on white board (my son thought his baby brother should get points too, that is why his name is added to the board, but since he's only 18 months he's exempt from this system for now ;)  ).  So what do we do with the points you ask?  Well the points can work two ways.  First they can use the points for money to earn allowance, it took me awhile to figure out how much each point should be worth (and you could decide whatever you want for your family), but for mine we decided that each point is worth 5 cents. That way if they did all their chores each week they could average around $3 a week (my kids are 9 and under so I thought this was age appropriate).  My goal was to give them allowance each week.  Sometimes there is a bigger gap and they get it once a month (that's because mom usually doesn't have cash on hand).  The 2nd way they can use their points is for TV/video game/computer time, I decided for every 1/2 hour of electronic time that would cost them 15 points. For movies I made it an even 45 points, figuring most movies are about an hour and a half.  I do allow them 1 free hour on the weekends (mainly for Saturday mornings so they aren't waking me up, when I want to sleep in) and they get one free movie on the weekend too.  This system has totally motivated my kids to do their chores.  Both my boys want a DS, I personally do want my kids to have them, I won't buy them for gifts, I tell Santa he's not aloud to get them one, but I told them I can't stop them from buying one with their own money (though the points system still applies to them playing those), so this has totally got them on board to doing their chores.  The nice thing is when I want extra things done around the house, or if I want the car cleaned out or I'm too lazy to run upstairs to get the baby the diaper I can just ask them too and offer them points for doing so.  So they can earn extra points on top of their regular everyday chores.  Today I wanted my kitchen cupboards wiped down, I offered them 20 points if they did and they were all over that.  It truly has been a successful system for our family.  Hope that it can help you out.

(NOTE: so my 4 year old wasn't grasping or getting excited about the whole money thing and points for TV time so I had to find some other motivation, so what I have done is I bought a couple of toys and wrote down the number of points it will cost for her to get that toy. So a $10 toy would be 200 points being that each point is 5 cents and I've put them in a clear box, so she can see whats inside so she is motivated to do chores.  So whenever she fights me on cleaning her room I say, "Don't you want that Lala loopsy doll in the box?  You can't get it without earning points."  This has totally worked on her.)

Kid's Artwork Display Board

I have had this idea in my head for over a year and a half now of creating an area on this small wall in my kitchen to display my kids art.  My children are constantly creating.  I have one son that draws me several pictures a day and I hate to throw them away and chance hurting his feelings, plus I'm proud of his beautiful artwork.  But, my fridge just can't hold it all.  So I had it all planned out in my head what I wanted to do, I kept telling my husband about it and I think he would get a little annoyed.  He gets an idea about something and gets it done right away.  I process it forever, I knew I wanted it to be magnetic, but did I want to paint chalkboard paint on it, did I want to use sheet metal or paint directly on the wall with magnetic paint?  I couldn't decide.  My husband kept saying, "stop talking about it and just do it!".  Well I finally did and this was the result:

 I loved how it turned out.  I just went to a local metal place and asked them to cut me a 6' by 2' piece of sheet metal (I tried to find sheet metal this size at Home Depot and Lowe's, but had no luck).  They did this for me and only charged me $15.  I then went to Lowe's and bought some moulding and painted it black.  My husband and I then screwed the metal into the wall through the studs and then we nailed the molding on top.  I then had my friend, who has her own vinyl business, cut me some vinyl that said "Masterpieces" inspired by this art display I saw here.  Sorry I don't have step by step pictures, I'm not season with posting projects like all those craft bloggers out there.  You can comment if you have questions.

The finished product now with my children's beautiful artwork displayed on it.

Kids Command Center-Part 1 of My Laundry Room Makeover

I don't know about you, but my house was getting quite cluttered with all of my kids school stuff.  We had no official place for their backpacks so they would always just end up on the floor.  I had so many papers from school that I needed, but couldn't file away and they were just piling on my counter, on top of flyers and newsletters and homework folders.  For a long time I have been wanting to create a command center in our laundry room to organize all that stuff.  It took me a little bit to figure out just what I wanted, but then I had it all figured out in my head I just had to do it.  And that took a long time.  My husband kept telling me to stop talking about it and just do it.  So I got my self in gear, painted the room (it was a plain cream color before) and now I finally got my "Kid's Command Center" wall done!  I'm not a very organized person, but I know when I do try and organize myself my life is a lot less stressful and I think this is going to help me out a lot!  So, this is part 1 of my laundry room make-over and here it is:

I was at my friend Vanessa's house and she had the first letters of her kids names on the walls with hooks screwed into them to hold their backpacks.  I just had to do this.  She only had a single hook, but I wanted my kids to be able to hang their backpacks and jackets so I bought the two prong hooks from target.  Pretty much everything you see here is from Target except the letters.  I got the letters from Michaels (just the white ones) and painted them black, hung them on the wall and screwed the hooks in.  The storage bins are from Target, part of their "Re-do" line and were just $10 a piece.  I absolutely love the Pottery Barn organization system you can check out here and I was kind of inspired by that, but I definitely had to take the cheaper route.  I had my friend who has her own vinyl lettering business make me vinyl with all my kids names in a typewriter font.  The cork board and white calendar board were also from Target.  I'll use the bins to store each kids papers and homework folders.  The cork board will hold school newsletters and flyers and birthday invites (pretty much anything that involves the kids).  The calendar is just for events that involve the kids.  My oldest son loves this, he really likes to know whats going on and he'll just stare at the calendar and study what we have going on for the month.  Just this wall has cleared out so much clutter out of my kitchen.  It has been so nice.  I like when there is a place for everything.

So, I still have more that I want done in my laundry room, so there will be more to come.

How to Make a Trash Truck Pinata

My son said he wanted a trash truck pinata for his birthday (which is NOT that easy to find btw), so we decided to try our hand at making one. It was a long, messy, and fun project for us me (he helped a LITTLE bit!). We had a lot of trial and error along the way, so I decided to share what we learned!

There are directions all over the internet about how to make a pinata using a balloon, but I needed a square shape. I thought about using a cardboard box, but I am dealing with 4 year olds and didn't think they would have enough "oomph" in their swings to break it. I thought if I used a lightweight frame of straws and plastic wrap, it would be my version of a "rectangular balloon." This was my first attempt.

I got about halfway through the first layer of paper mache, when I realized a valuable lesson. If you use bendy straws, you will have a bendy pinata. The straws were sagging every which way, the plastic wrap was caving in (wet paper mache is HEAVY), and it was a soggy mess. I chucked it in the garbage, and started on round 2. I cut the bendy parts off the staw, and attached them together by using tape and/or sliding one end into another. I also used more supports on the sides, and a couple of cross supports so it would hold its shape better.

 

Then I used Press'n'Seal (which is AMAZING!!!) to cover it, and added a small shoebox for the cab.

The paper mache paste is very easy: 1 part flour to 2 parts water (I used 1 cup flour, 2 cups water). It will be thin and runny.

For the paper mache part, I cut a bunch of old newspaper into strips about 2 inches wide by 12 inches long. I didn't take any pictures of this part (because my hands and arms and clothes were covered in goo!), but you basically dip a stip in the paste, run the strip through your fingers to get the excess paste off, then lay it on the pinata. It is good to alternate directions (lay one horizontal, then one vertical). That will make it stronger! This process took some time, because you can't do the whole layer at one time (you can't do the bottom until the top dries enough to turn it over). It took 12-24 hours for the paper mache to dry enough to move it. I did 3 layers overall. After the second layer, tie some string around to hang the pinata.

I just basically wrapped it up like a present, and tied a loop on top big enough to tie the rope to. I used yarn, and if I didn it again I would either double it up, or use something stronger (the string started to break before the rest of the pinata). After you put the string on, do your third and final layer of paper mache (3 layers was good for my group of 4 year olds...everyone got a turn before the pinata broke. If this is for bigger kids, you might want to do an extra layer to make it stronger. Or us a cardboard box as a base!).

Once it is all dry, use an Exacto knife to cut a flap on top big enough to reach your hand in (watch out for your string when you are cutting!). Reach in and pull out all the straws and Press'n'Seal (I used a small pair of scissors on the straws to break them up, and they came out very easily). Put your candy in, and tape the flap shut. Now you are ready to decorate!

I used crepe paper streamers from the dollar store. Fold them in half like this (if you do several layers at once it will save a lot of time!)...

cut about halfway through...

and when you unfold it should look like this!

I used dabs of glue from a glue gun every few inches to tack it into place. The closer you do the rows, the less newspaper will show through (or you could always do a quick coat of spraypaint underneath the same color as your crepe paper)

it will take some time, but eventually you will be done :>)

all that's left is to hang it up and watch the kids have fun!

Father's Day Gift Idea

Can't go wrong with food for Father's Day. Here is a top ten list I created for my hubby and 10 coordinating candy bars for each item.

10 Things We Love About Dad…




1. You are our “lifesaver” and always there when we need you


2. You always make us feel special (Special Dark)


3. You know so much and always provide us with infinite wisdom. (Smarties)


4. You are a hard worker... and deserve a little break. (Fast Break)


5. Your “hugs” always make us feel better


6. You are always willing to “Take 5” and listen to us, with patience and love.


7. You’re fun, and happy and we love rushing to the door every day when you come home. (Jolly Rancher)


8. You can always make us “snicker” with your silly jokes.


9. Hands down, the best look’in Dad around (Big Hunk)


10. We love you to pieces and are grateful for everything you do for us! (Reese’s Pieces)

Car Seat Cover Ups

I think these things have been around for a few years. I saw my first one over two years ago when I was visiting Utah. I had a friend that made them. But I noticed here in California no one had them. I think these car seat cover ups are wonderful. You know we all put the blankets over the top to keep baby asleep and its a pain to carry the seat. Now that solution is solved, plus keeps most people from touching that new baby with all the germs. So I found a pattern and made one for Melissa. Then I got requests from others to make them. The first pattern I bought was for personal use only, so I could only use it to make gifts. But, then I had some people ask me if I could make them one and they would pay me. So I found a pattern that let you sell what you made. Here is the first pattern here and then click here for the other pattern (the one you can sell what you made). I combined what I liked best about both for my own.
Here are some I have made the past couple of months as gifts.

Fun Father's Day Craft & Treat

These brownies were a fun, kid-friendly way to wish dad a happy Father's Day. For instructions, visit http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/grate-gift-for-dad-888883/

Bow/Clip Holder

A girl in our ward makes these and gives them as baby shower gifts. Ever since the first time I saw one she made I have wanted to make one for my daughter Mckynlee. Our ward actually made them for a super Saturday, but I had already bought the supplies for mine. She just gets a long board from Lowe's or Home Depot and cuts it down, but since I just wanted to make one I just went to Michael's and bought an unfinished wood plaque. So here's what you need:
A unfinished wood plaque (Michael's or Joann's, or of course if you want a bunch buy a big board from the home improvement store and cut it down)
-Paint (one for the base color and then another color for the polka dots)
-Ribbon (mine was 7/8 inch wide)
-stable gun
-drill
-A vinyl letter of your choice (I got mine from my wonderful friend Kyra, she has her own vinyl lettering business, check out her website here.)
Take your plaque or piece of wood and drill two holes at the top. Sand and paint your base color (I did several coats so the imperfections in the wood wouldn't show). Then paint on the polka dots. The girl that makes these uses vinyl, she has a cricut machine and just has it cut her dots. I found these cool sponge brushes in different size circle shapes at Walmart and I used those. Just dip them in the paint and then press where you want your polka dots. After your paint is dry apply your vinyl letter in the center. With the ribbon I just guessed the size. I threaded it through the holes and tied it in a bow until I got it to hang the length I want. As for the bottom ribbon I just cut those the length I thought I needed. My friend just has one ribbon hanging down from hers but my daughter has so many clips and bows I did three. After I cut them I light a match and run the edges through the flame to seal it, or you could use fray check, just do it so your ribbon doesn't fray. Then I officially tie the top one in a bow and staple gun the 3 other ribbons evenly apart on the bottom backside of the plaque and then your done and can hang all your bows. (I think it would be fun to make an adult version for all those adult clips I have to put in my hair).

Sweet Little Dress

I've been wanting to buy this pattern forever and finally did. I had bought fabric especially for it and it has just been sitting with my sewing stuff. I finally bought the pattern and made the dress for my daughter. I think it turned out so cute. You can find the pattern here at the Leila and Ben etsy shop. It's so easy to make and you can mix and match fabrics or use the same fabric for the whole dress. They have two patterns one that is 3 months -12 months and a 12 months - 5T. I bought the combo pack that had both patterns for just $12.

I decided I wanted to have a tie around the dress so I made my own tie (not included in the pattern)

Here is my little one with her new dress. I also made her a headband out of the coordinating fabric. I went the size smaller so it could fit as a long shirt too. It was so easy to make!

Doesn't it look cute paired with jeans? I used Heather Bailey fabric for her dress. I liked the dress so much I already have 3 more in the works that I'm making her.

Finnegan Fox

I made these foxes to put in my boys stockings at Christmas. I find with sewing I'm always drawn to making things for my daughter, there are just more fun girly things to sew. So, I get excited when I find things here and there that are fun to sew for my boys. They love their foxes. Again they are patterns from Bit Of Whimsy Primms, click here to shop her patterns.

Bumble Bee Plushie

Just another pattern I got from the bitofwhimsy etsy shop. I loved this one. I made this bumble Bee for my daughter to put in her stocking at Christmas. Click here to get the pattern.

B-Movie Monster

Awhile back the Bitofwhimsy etsy shop was having a sale on all of their patterns, so I stocked up. This is the same shop where I got the Jo Doll pattern. My boys have been wanting me to make them something. So in the shop she had a stuffed monster pattern that I thought was so cute, so I had to get it. I made one for each of my boys. The picture above is the two monsters I made for them, so cute huh?! You can click here to shop her patterns.

Buttercup Bag

So several months ago while looking at another craft blog I came across this bag. I thought it was so cute and what more the pattern is free! I had to make it. So I checked out the girls blog that created the pattern she has other cute patterns you can download for free also for your personal use. But, if you love making them so much and want to sell them you can also purchase the pattern for like $10 and it comes with permission to sell the bags you make. Click here to download your free copy of the pattern. It only takes a Fat Quarter to make the outer bag and handle and a little less than another fat quarter for the lining, so its super cheap to make. I just added the flower embellishment and attached it to the bag. The bag above I made for my friend Kate for a Christmas present. It's perfect to take out on a date with your hubby, or a night out with the girls!

I'm in my ward's Young Women Presidency and back in September we were putting together our Young Women In Excellence night. Our theme for the night was "'Purse'-suit of Excellence". This was right after I discovered this pattern. So my friend Katie, who was also in the presidency, and I got all our fabric scraps together and made enough purses for all our young women as a hand out after the program. The picture above is a close up of some of them.

Here are all 20 bags that we made. We stuffed them with tissue paper and used them to decorate the Relief Society Room for the big night.

We put a cute little quote inside and after the program the girls got to go up and pick a bag. They loved it! So if you're in Young Womens and looking for Young Women In Excellence ideas, this was so much fun.