Succulents in Seashells: Kid's Craft

I never used to care much for succulents.  Deciduous leaves and lots of flowers just seemed more alive.  Ever since moving to drought-ridden Texas though, where dry weather plants reign, succulents have really grown on me. 

 Or maybe it's just because they have become trendy, and I'm more of malleable to popular opinion than I like to think.  

At any rate, they really are great, aren't they?  So many textures. So many fun names.  (baby toes!) So un-plant-like sometimes.  Not to mention the fact that they're adorably juicy...it makes you just want to squeeze their little leaves!  

Make Homemade Paper with Party Streamers

If your party storage bin is anything like mine, it includes a few crepe paper rolls that have gotten..ahem...a bit out of hand.

One glance at that sprawling monster with it's gnarly, multi-colored arms is enough to kill the party spirit in me every time.  I swear it must actually move around in the box between birthdays.  And of course, if any of that crumpled crepe paper actually made its way to my walls and ceilings for a party, it would likely make the poor, celebrated child weep at the bedraggled sight of it.

Best just to throw it all away, right?

Well, actually...not so fast.  Here's a terrific use for that colorful, fluffy mess.

Eliza's Cherry Trees: a Cotton Candy Craft

If you've ever been captivated by a flowering tree in the spring or wondered how the cherry trees ended up in Washinton D.C. you should run to go find this wonderful book.

Front and Back Photo Bookmarks

Mother's Day Card: Floating Hearts and Kisses

Outdoor Sightwords Activity: Dumptruck!

This is my third time to teach a child to read, and I still love it.  I love getting to be there when a child has that whole new world of literacy opened up to him.  But that's not to say it doesn't get tedious...a lot.

And of course, if it is tedious for me...how much more for a squirmbunctious little boy!  Here's one of the activities we've done lately to mix things up a little. It was a big hit!

Easter Transformation Tree

I've often thought that I would like to take more opportunity to prepare for Easter.  This year, I planned a project for my family that had the added benefit of allowing me to meditate on the truths of Easter in an artful way. 

(as a side note, I think having children is one of the best things that can happen to someone who loves to do art but isn't very skillful at it.  You don't have to produce masterpieces...just something good enough for you and your children to enjoy...it's so freeing!)

My project started a couple of months before Easter.  As I read the Bible each morning, I deliberately looked for phrases in three categories and jotted them down in my journal: 

Favorite Homeschool Resources

Oh my!  It has been a long time since I've written a post.  Mostly that's because  I have finally waded into the thick of homeschooling. I'm finding it's a murky (but delightful) bog...there's always more to do.  I know some people do a great job juggling homeschool life with blogging, but that's definitely not me yet.  

Doily Heart Stencil T-Shirts

I saw this Valentine's Day kids craft idea last year in Family Fun magazine, but we didn't get around to it in time.  That turned out for the best though because this year the girls had an opportunity to do it with their grandmother, and now they all have coordinating shirts they can wear together on Valentine's Day.
Here are some tips we found for making this project go smoothly with kids:

Heart Shaped Granola Bars {Healthy Valentines Treats}

You know what I recommend?  Trial runs for homemade Valentines Day treats!  Ha ha...why not- right?  We did that the other day with these heart-shaped granola bars as I wasn't sure how granola dough would work with cookie cutters.  I'm happy to report that it works just fine (said through tasty granola crumbs).

I vote for making these above actual heart-shaped sugar cookies for the following reasons:

Silhouettes on a Hill {Photo Tutorial}

I was able to make this grandparent gift last year  by accident, but I've since realized that the process is completely reproduce-able.  And who doesn't like silhouettes of children?  Especially children playing?

Here's what you do:

Stained Glass: Kids Medieval Project

When I visited Europe as a child, I remember being struck by the Gothic stained glass windows, and particularly the rose windows found in so many cathedrals- for their symmetry and massive scale.  So this year as we've been homeschooling through the Middle Ages, I found myself wanting to help my children interact a little with the beauty of Gothic stained glass somehow.  

I liked the way this project allowed my children to do their own work but create pieces that were unique and presentable.  I had envisioned helping them a great deal, but found that the the art mediums at both stages of the project were very forgiving.  My six-year-old and four-year-old made their windows almost entirely on their own. I think an older child could include finer detail and could maybe be more creative with the project.

Materials:

Glass rectangle from a small picture frame 
Black fabric puffy paint with a fine tip
Acrylic paints
Clear liquid glue

My Kids Love it When I do Laundry!

Yes, my girls get pretty happy when they see me with a basket of clean laundry.  Do they care that much about clean socks and underwear?  They couldn't care less!  What they love is the prospect of being showered with piles and piles of clean clothes.  (It's especially great if I am on the ball about getting it out of the dryer in time, and the clothes are nice and warm)

And why not?  It all needs to be folded and sorted anyway.  They sit close together and wait for me to dump it all on their heads.  Lots of giggles.  No creativity, time or clean-up required on my part.  Perfect.

This post is inspired by my friend Rebekah at The Golden Gleam who writes a fun series called Joy in Minutes with lots of easy, simple ways to bring joy to your family.