Conference Weekend

I love Conference weekend! This one was particularly wonderful. All the messages shared were so applicable. So much good information and things I need to work on!

I usually have some type of project going while I sit and listen. This time, after a quick reminder tutorial from my Gram, I have started knitting again. I have been a long-time crochet-er, but love that knitting doesn't hurt my wrist as much. So this weekend's project was dishcloths. All the women in my family make them and they are so much better than the store-bought ones, and they are better than the crocheted ones too (believe me I know)

The pattern (using 100% cotton yarn):
*cast on 4
*knit 2, yarn over, knit across
*repeat above until you have 42 stitches
*knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together, knit across
*repeat above until decreased down to 4

My first one had a few dropped stitches and came out a bit funny shaped, but the second one was much better.

Candy Corn Hat

How cute is this!!! Hmm. I wonder if my knitting skills are good enough. I have never used circular needles before, but I just might try it! Here's the link if you are interested.
http://www.materialwhirled.com/Candy-Corn-Hat-Pattern-pr-344.html

Skirts

I was in need of some new skirts for when I teach ballet. So I found this pattern and it seemed simple enough. My measurements were a bit off, but it still turned out! Rylee then said she wanted one and I managed to have just enough fabric leftover. Because I was reckless with my cutting of my skirt, I ended up having to piece hers a little bit more. But it still turned out cute.

My little barefoot model all ready for the runway.From the back

Then my little fashion designer took all the leftover pieces and used them to accessorize Missy and Jo Jo, her 2 stuffed horses. Her next equine collection will be available in the Spring. . .stay tuned! :)

How adorbale is she???!!!

This was the second one I attempted. It turned out even better than the first, but I don't know that I could replicate it. The peices ended up being cut on the bias and the bottom hem has a curve to it. I say this like I MEANT to do it this way, but that would imply that I am a competent seamstress who actually knows what she's doing. NOT! Instead, it started out as a mistake (as many of my projects do). I started with the intention of making a circle skirt, which I did, but soon decided that me and circle skirts, especially short ones, don't mesh--I looked like I was wearing a tent! So I then cut the pieces for the wrap skirt out of the circle skirt. Anyway, they were super easy and fun and I think I might have to go buy some more fabric!

Happy Fall!

My kids were sick with the stomach flu this weekend, so we had a pretty mellow few days--perfect for finishing up some crafts!

I saw this tutorial and made these cute pumpkins for my kitchen table. I have to admit that my impatience led me to omit the little bag of sand at the bottom of the pumpkins, but they still work for my purpose. They were so fast and fun! And I just made them out of scraps of stuff I had at home already. Jason later handed me a plaid shirt of his that has a hole in it and my first thought--that would make cute pumpkins! I think I am obsessed!

We also finished up my scarecrows. I wanted to make them last year, but never got around to it. I saved old clothes from my kids and made 3 scarecrows--one for each child. My face painting skills need some work, but I think they turned out ok.

I made a "t" out of old lumber my husband had laying around and them dressed and stuffed the "t". The faces were made from an old curtain panel I had laying around and the hats came from the dollar store. Score! While I was proud of my thriftiness, my poor husband had a heck of a time trying to get the darn things to stand. The wood I used was so old that screws and nails just split it and the epoxy he tried using to put the stakes on stuck to the stakes, but just peeled the old wood away. Finally he resorted to electrical tape. Not the best looking, but whatever works!!

Origami Bookmarks

I saw this idea and loved it! Especially since I love to read so much. I didn't have any Origami paper, but scrapbook paper worked too. It was just harder to get the precise folds. Fun!

Glove Animals

I was at the dollar store the other day when I found these really soft chenille-like gloves. I immediately thought of this idea I had seen several months ago.




I made a puppy for Rylee--it turned out pretty funny looking, but she loves the thing! Drags it around everywhere with her. Kids are so easy to please! The "collar" is a "Girl Power" bracelet Jason brought home from a lady he works with.

Preschool Day 2

And what a day it was! To start off, I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. It's been a crazy week and my alarm didn't go off this morning, so I was rushing around like crazy trying to get things together. Add in a child pouting in the bedroom for 20 minutes (mine, of course) , a pants-wetting incident (also my child), and a bloody nose sustained from a collision while riding our cardboard box train, and it was quite the day!

On to the details:
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Have you ever been on a boat?

CENTERS:
White-board/Chalkboard
Blocks
Puzzles--different ones from last time

I found this packet of 36 school bus cutouts at the dollar store and figured I could use them to fit in with the Vehicles theme (cars trucks, buses etc) that we are doing this week. I wrote the alphabet out, one letter on each bus and then scattered the buses around on the walls all over the house. After talking about the questions of the day, I told them that the alphabet got all mixed up and we needed to put it back in the correct order. We sang the ABC's song once and then I started with "A". I would write an "A" on the white-board and then they would have to hunt around till they found the bus that matched. Then we connected all the busses so that it made one long bus and then sang the ABC's again as I pointed to each letter. Now if only "X" had come at the beginning of the alphabet, everyone would have enjoyed the game. (Rylee wanted to find "X" first and my explanation that we needed to go in order prompted her pouting episode) Why is it that your own kids are always worst when it's your turn?

The we did the classic "Sink or Float" game. I got out our plastic toy boat the kids play with in the bathtub and had the kids take turns pulling items out of a bag and guessing wheather or not it would make to boat sink or float. Then they would put the object in the boat (sitting in a tupperware of water) and see if they were correct. Then they would put a sticker on the side of the paper that showed what happened. I have done this game a couple of times when I did a similar preschool with my boys and it is always a huge hit! Although the kids usually get pretty wet. Something about the temptation of water is just too much to resist!

Then we had some OUTSIDE PLAY TIME and SNACK. I found the idea to make these JELLO boats and had to try them. The kids loved them! We also had crackers and grapes.


Then we read a BOOK-- I Love Trains

My husband brought home some boxes from work and I folded the flaps inside and lined them all up to make a train. The kids would take turns being the conductor and caboose while we sang a song my mom used to sing to us "Choo Choo the Big Train is Coming Down the Track". Then at the end of the song, the kids thought it was fun to tip the cars off the track. Shortly after this picture was taken was when the collision happened. 2 little boys were trading places in the train when one's head hit the other's nose and it started bleeding pretty good. But he was such a trooper!! He hardly cried and before long he was back playing again.

After that, we took the train apart and made them into cars--cutting out circles for the headlights and a rectangle for the license plate. Then I poked holes and tied yarn to make straps so they could "wear" their cars. They all decorated licence plates with stickers and then we were headed outside to have races when it was time to go. A couple kids stuck around for a race, though. I wish we'd had more time because I was going to play "Red Light Green Light" with them in their cars. Oh well!

Here's Rylee in her car. She is saying "zoom" hence the funny face.