Free Printables

I have been doing a lot of projects using Photoshop, lately.  I recently created some motivation charts for my oldest daughter.  They have really made a difference.  They are designed to print on an 8.5 x 11" paper.  Laminate them and you can reuse them with a dry erase marker. 

 Rose Chore Chart

Achievement Chart.

(I could offer a different color if there is an interest.)

I numbered the stars from 1 - 100.  We are tracking her allowance to help her earn the American Girl Doll she has her eyes on.

Leave me a message in the comments section if you would like me to email you the jpeg file.

Stuffies

I've been caught up in making stuffed animals and dolls lately.  I have yet to create my own pattern, so I can't take all the credit, but I really like them when they are done.  These have just been too much fun! 

 I liked this one so much I almost couldn't give it away.

 This one was just to see if I could do it.  Anyone need a platypus?  I think the next one I'll do will be bigger. 

Apples Continued

I don't know what it is about this fabric, but I really like it.  Go figure.  I'm trying very hard to complete projects and use fabrics from my stash, as it's slowly taking over my room. 

I found the idea for a wrap skirt here.  I thought it sounded like a good idea.  As always, I found a way to make it more complicated.  There wasn't enough apple fabric, so I added the dots.  And I made a wide bias tape to act as the tie.  Then I figured out why a wrap skirt is difficult for a four year old to wear.  So, I added a couple more "button holes" for the tie to act more like a belt.  It does a much better job.  Now I just have to teach my daughter how to sit in a skirt.  I guess I better do that before preschool starts anyway. 

It was a fun sew and very easy, even though I complicated it.  I think it would work better for an older girl or woman.  That's what I like about this tutorial - it lets you adjust it for your measurements.  The shirt was something I made up.  It was an experiment.  Thanks to Target, it was only a $5 experiment.

A Tight Leash

My daughter had a great time playing with her stuffed animals.  With the dog stuffies she needed leashes, of course.  She had been using one of my belts.  I only had one and there are more than one dog, so I promised her I'd make her some. 

 I found some 'D' rings in my stash, added some ribbon (just measured to my daughter's waist), minimal sewing and Ta-Da!  Super easy!  And in no time at all (the attention span of most kids), an accessory for the puppy stuffies.

The very same idea can be used to make a belt for kids.  Age 4 or 5 might even be able to undo them for potty breaks.

Sweet and Sour - Candy Apples

 Or, so I am told.  The whole not eating fruit thing makes me about the last person who should post about a fruit based treat, so I am going on the recommendations of my husband and daughter.  I wanted to make these for preschool graduation, but the original attempt completly flopped. 

The idea was to do a carmel apple, so I googled it, watched an episode on Food Network, and looked at dozens of recipes.  And I learned something:  cooking is not like sewing.  You can't just combine a bunch of ideas and have it turn out.  At least I can't.  I am now a by the recipe kind of girl. 

That wasn't the end of my stuggles. I didn't have a 'melon baller', so I picked one up at the grocery store. (Again, my lack of expertese with fruit would have been helpful here.) Well, about 10 apple balls into the project, it broke. You don't really need the handle, but it certainly helps. Then the caramel only kind of stuck to the apple, because it usually sticks to the skin of an apple, I ran out of sprinkles, and in the end the caramel stuck better to the paper wrappers than the apples.

It leaves such a funny looking apple at the end :)

Bound an determined to make this recipe work, I just cut up an apple and tried it with the melted peanut butter chips suggested by the recipe.  Remember:  I'm a recipe follower now and again without a 'mellon baller'.  They aren't as cute at the round ones, but my daughter ate them happily. 

The melted chips are much more kid friendly, too.  They don't have to be as hot as the caramel.

I am hoping to do more fun ideas like this during the summer. 

Preschool Graduation

The rotation of our preschool group fell to me.  I enjoyed searching the Internet for ideas that would be easy enough and fun for the kids, but enjoyed by the parents.  I like how it turned out, but I am biased.  I think the kids enjoyed it.

First up: caps
      yarn
     cardstock
     styrofoam bowl ( I couldn't find any paper ones, just dessert plates)
     large eye needle

Second: the program
I had the kids each say a line from this little poem.  And we learned a little song.  Short and sweet and even that was hard to handle at an outdoor venue. 

Poem:
Graduation Poem

Original Author Unknown
Do you remember way last fall
When I was only just this tall?
Now look at me! I'm up to here!
And my, I've learned alot this year!
In fact, you think I'm really great!
That's why I get to graduate!

Song:
Fun In Preschool

Sung to: “I'll Be Working on the Railroad”
I've been having fun in preschool,
Learning all year long..

I can tell you all about it,
Just listen to this song.

We've been learning shapes and colors,
Letters and numbers too!

I've learned how to share with others,
Now our year is through!

Both ideas were not my own and you can find more like them here.

The Girls' Room

Audrey got some fun paper dolls to decorate for her birthday.  She worked really hard on them and has been very proud of them.  They were taking up a little too much space on the top of the dresser, so I told her we'd display them.  When we got around to putting up these shelves for the girls, (that we've had since November)  it was a perfect place to put the dolls.  And I can change the decor if we get tired of it or she can play with them. 

Karin's side was finally finished today, too.  I just got around to painting the K bright pink.  I've had that K since before Audrey was born.  I bought the K and A at the same time because we had two names picked out for girls.  I knew we would use both of them.  Now we've used them up.  The pictures are things that are important to me or things I want my girls to grow up seeing - a picture of Christ, You Are My Sunshine print from here, a print of my favorite Georgia O'Keeffe painting and a frame to be filled later.  I like the shelf for the non-committal format.  We can change anything at any time.  It's a good thing to have in a child's room.  Their interests change so often.  The shelf is from ikea.