Crafting with Kids

One of the most common things I hear from people is, “your children must be so crafty…” This is either said to be with a look of wonder or a look of pity. The wonder comes from the people who think I put forth so much effort in this regard; the pity comes from those who see only the hassle. Well, sometimes pity comes from those who see all the effort as well, but that’s chalked up to hassle when pity is the end result.

Contrary to popular belief, crafting with my kids is one of the easiest things I do around here. The problem is what adults view as crafting as opposed to what children view as crafting. They are very different things. Adults want an end product, something to give away, use or display. Kids just want to make.

I often am told by others, “I’m not crafty” or “I have no patience for that.” Sadly, their expectation of what crafting is does not match that of the child’s. Kids want to experience the joy of cutting, gluing and exploring what can be done with the materials around them. Particularly young children, as, we must remember, the older we grow the mindset of what crafting is will change as well.

Young children are the best crafters, and the easiest to pacify. They happily take what is offered and can do ANYTHING with them. Learning to use only the right amount of glue, understanding how to bend the pipe cleaner, organizing pompoms in some made up sequence that is only apparent to a 3 year old brain, are all legitimate modes of kid craft. None of those require adult imagination or work. 

I do admit that I’m more lenient with my children and their use of glue, paint and other messy products. But I account for this and make use of newspaper, plastic bags and foil to create easy to clean up work surfaces. I know mothers that will dab glue for their children because they don’t want to deal with the mess, I on the other hand glop a big ol’ blob of glue on their working surface and toss them a handful of q-tips. I know that half the fun is trying to learn how to make it work! 

My personal advice for those that worry about what to expect when crafting with kids is simple- Have NO expectations. Seriously, you never know what you are going to get. The goal may be to make butterflies but end up with space creatures instead. No problem! You may begin the project by painting, only to discover that painting isn’t as much fun as it was last week, this week cutting things into small and nearly invisible parts is WAY more entertaining. Paintbrushes should be optional, really. The joy of running your fingers through that cool and thick substance is awe inspiring. Kids learn by feeling and doing, always buy washable and non-toxic and there is no need to be worried. Besides, baby wipes were invented for just this reason… those bad boys can clean paint off ANYTHING.

Trust me… this I know from experience.

Adults that do not enjoy crafting usually cannot let themselves go and feel at ease with their creativity. The same adults find it difficult to let go of the same feelings in regards to their children, but children are not programmed the same way. They are naturally carefree and open minded, crafting comes naturally. Expect nothing and everything will come as it should.

A New Season!

Welcome Fall! I've been patiently waiting for your arrival... with your crisp weather, beautiful colors and clean smell. This past summer has been good to us, but I know we are ready to move on. 


In honor of the arrival of fall, my children were surprised with Apple Struesel Muffins for breakfast this morning. A delicious muffin treat, topped with a cinnamon crust- they began their day with happy smiles. I did make them the night before, so I went to bed dreaming of cinnamon treats, but they were perfect this morning after we rewarmed them. 


I have been cleaning the house in preparation for fall, and the pumpkin/leaf decor will be soon brought up from the basement. However, today I do believe will be the day for creating some of my most favorite decorations- cinnamon ornaments. It doesn't take long to make them and they are easily shaped into seasonal decors- and fill the house with the scent of cinnamon, a wonderful fall flavor.


Historically, homes have been scented during the colder seasons as a way of masking smells- from people and animals... the tradition has long since been carried on, though we no longer have the same need for hiding unpleasant odors- now, the wonderful smells of spice is a mental trigger to all that we believe essential to the season.


Today, I celebrate that season... and hope it brings you as much joy as it does for me and mine.

Apple Struesel Muffins-

Preheat Oven to 400*

In Medium bowl, Mix-

• 1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tsp baking powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/8 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

In smaller bowl, Mix-

• 1 egg
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

Also needed-

• 1 Cup diced apple chunks
  

In another small bowl, Mix-

• 1/3 Cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 Tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened

Directions-


Spray or line muffin tin with papers. Fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined, fold in apples. Spoon ingredients into pan... sprinkle cinnamon mix on top of each muffin, patting to ensure it melts into the top of the muffin while baking. Bake for 20-25 minutes, check with a toothpick. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving muffins to wire rack to finish cooling. *Caution- apples will be VERY hot*

Cinnamon/Spice Ornament Dough-

What you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup white school glue (like Elmer's)
• Bowl
• Plastic food wrap
• Rolling pin
• Wax paper
• Cookie cutters or a knife
• Ribbon or yarn for hanging
• Straw

How to make it:

1. Mix cinnamon, applesauce, and glue together in a bowl. The dough should be as thick as cookie dough. Add a bit of water if the dough is too stiff.
2. Remove from bowl and knead. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for at least a half hour.
3. Remove the dough, knead again to make sure it's smooth. Flatten/roll the dough between waxed paper until it's between 1/4" thick and 1/8" thick.
4. Cut out desired shapes, use a straw to punch a hole for the ribbon to hang. The circle of dough will pull out with the straw.
5. Gently place the shapes on a piece of clean wax paper. They will take 3-5 days to dry, and you will need to turn them over a couple of times a day for them to dry evenly and flat.

Don't be surprised to see that the ornaments get smaller during the drying process. Keep this in mind when you pick out the cookie cutters for your designs. You will also notice that if you do not turn the ornaments over often enough while they are drying, the edges of the ornaments will curl.

When dry, thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through the hole to hang.

It's Butterfly Time

Monarch Butterflies always seem to be a big deal... school's love them for their science purposes and awe factor, while people in general gasp at the orange and black beauty that flutters around them. Though the butterflies themselves can be found as early as spring, fall really seems to be the time of year they get the most attention. 

Normally butterflies live in 2 week cycles. It takes 2 weeks for the eggs to hatch, caterpillars live for 2 weeks before wrapping themselves up in their chrysalis where they remain for, you guessed it! 2 weeks. Finally, the butterflies flutter and do their jobs pollinating and egg laying for their final 2 weeks of life. However, Monarchs that are born in September are something special... they do not live for a mere 2 weeks- they live for MONTHS.


September Monarchs are designed to migrate south for the winter, traveling thousands of miles to gather in awe inspiring masses in order to survive the winter. The life cycle cannot continue on its regular scale during the winter, they will freeze and die. The special group born in the fall work extra hard in order to keep their species alive, returning in the spring to start the cycle over. 


Dressed in their holiday colors, the black and orange beauties grace us with their beauty and endurance... inspiring crafts, art and fashion world wide. 


As a special thanks, our Co-op preschool program (aptly named, Caterpillar Club) has honored the black and orange beauties with a special project... we've spent the whole week learning about and playing butterfly games, as an extra special thank you for all they do so that we may be graced with their beauty.

Egg Carton Caterpillars

Materials-

• Cardboard Egg Carton, cut into strips (I cut them short today, since they are young kids)
• 2 Large Googly Eyes per Caterpillar
• 1 Pipe Cleaner (I cut a regular sized pipe cleaner in half for the right size for these little guys)
• 4 Foamie Circles per Caterpillar
• Orange and Black Paint
• Paint Brush
• Glue
• Small screwdriver or Kabob Skewer

Instructions- 

I cut the egg cartons beforehand using a utility knife. Pick a side to be the "face" and poke 2 little holes evenly spaced for the antennas on top of the head. Run the pipe cleaner from the bottom and twist over the top to hold them in place.

Enter children... Let the kids glue/stick the dots onto the end of the antennas. Dallop black and orange paint and allow them to GO CRAZY! When dried, glue googly eyes onto the face.

Little Big Ideas

For those that know me know that around this time of year… I start getting a bit stranger. Maybe it is the change in the weather that does it for me… or maybe it is the fact that summer is over, playtime is finished and I need something to direct me. Not that the new school year, fall cleaning and upcoming holiday preparations aren’t enough to keep me busy!

Since I was in high school, I have been participating in the, Yoplait Yogurt Save Lids to Save Lives program. Back then, I would buy a yogurt at lunch and mail my few lids in at the end of the year. It wasn’t much, but I felt good knowing that I was doing something. When I moved out and was a poor college student/new mother/housewife/teacher we didn’t have much in the way of extra spending cash, but I would try and spring for the “fancy” yogurt and mail the lids in. I still felt as though I was doing a good thing, though it was a very small thing.

I’ve been a member of the online mom’s community, CafeMom for nearly 3 years now. During October of my first year, CafeMom asked if I would be willing to participate in a, Yoplait Yogurt Save Lids to Save Lives, influencer program. WOULD I EVER!?! At that point I began to wonder if they were really stalking me and my little causes… if they were, it worked. I’m still an active member and I’m STILL participating in the, Yoplait Yogurt Save Lids to Save Lives, influencer program. This will be my 3 year organizing a team known as, Pink Ninjas.

During my first year I asked one of my private groups if they would like to join me. That first year, CafeMom, gave us $100 to spend on the project and another $100 to as a personal thanks. I had a ball informing my friends that they would earn PRIZES for sending me lids. I then emailed all the surrounding schools and asked if they wanted to participate. Out of all the schools I inquired, one responded. However, between my friends, my family members and that one school… we saved over 900 lids!

The next year my daughter entered Kindergarten… and that school was eyed like a vulture on the hunt. The poor principal had no idea who was following her daughter into the school system! However, they happily agreed to participate- and between my Pink Ninja team, my family members and the school, we raised OVER 1000 lids! That is over $100 in pink yogurt lids that goes directly to breast cancer research.

I’m not certain why I feel so compelled to eat the yogurt and save those shiny pink lids… I do not know of any family members that were directly affected by breast cancer. Skin cancer and prostate cancer yes… but not breast cancer. My family also contains countless other medical concerns that I could focus my attention towards as well… but something calls to me in regards to this cause. I’m even well aware of the fact that Yoplait’s profits increase during this time of year… all in their “support” of the cause. Still, they do donate 2 million dollars a year to the, Susan G. Komen Foundation… and yogurt is rather good for us. 

This year my compulsion has grown to the next step. A friend of mine has agreed to do a 5k walk for awareness coming in October… the school is again collecting lids and my Pink Ninja team is forming. Yesterday I sent out a mass email reminding my friends and family to start collecting and my Aunt informed me that she had already started… she placed a jar in her office to collect and there were already 3 lids, and I have 8 in mine. My little thing has really, really grown.

Going Green with the Wonder Liquid!

The world around me seems to be going crazy over the color green. Businesses and groups are making a FORTUNE on selling green products that are supposed to work great and be safe for you and the environment. Many of these products cost more than their ungreen counterparts… and if they don’t, people are still buying them at such a rate- profits are UP!

However, we the people are being duped. Really, I promise… there is something out there that is CHEAP and works with amazing awesomeness, and it completely natural and safe for EVERYONE to use. This miracle can be found in your cupboard RIGHT NOW. I’m talking about the wonderful liquid… vinegar.

Most likely, vinegar was discovered thousands of years ago after a cask of wine went wrong… and rather than fermenting into alcohol, bacteria changed the alcohol into acetic acid. Today, there are a great many different types of vinegars that we use for cooking. However, one of the cheapest and most easily accessible is regular ol’ Distilled White Vinegar.

This wonder liquid, my friends, works real miracles… and can be used from everything from cleaning windows, ant and flea removal, car care and sunburns! Every surface of your home (minus marble surfaces) can be cleaned and sanitized with the use of vinegar. Mix with water, or leave as is… vinegar does it all!

I quickly noticed that our new washer and dryer are located in such a place that they are hit with direct sunlight in the afternoon. This warms my washer… and any clothes that happen to be in there get a tad bit smelly. Not that I always forget about my laundry, but I am only one person and I get busy! Also, once one load gets smelly, those that follow for a while accumulate the smell as well. Also, let’s be honest… we all smell from time to time. Be it socks or kid’s underpants or sweaty work shirts… Laundry is a smelly chore. I began to combat this problem by adding vinegar to my wash- and I have had NO problems since. Vinegar also helps to keep your blacks blacker and your whites whiter! No reason for me to buy those special products… my cheaper use all solution does it for me. 

I clean toilets with vinegar now… Shower grime (we have hard water and vinegar works wonders to remove the mineral build up) I wipe down my wood surfaces and scrub mirrors and windows.

“What about the smell?” is the most commonly heard rebuttal when I tell people about my love affair with vinegar. What about it? Yeah, it has an odor when you first use it… but that odor does a wonder job all its own! You see, that odor drifts into the air and absorbs smells, leaving the room smelling fresher and cleaner than before. If you use vinegar you notice the smell dissipates quickly, though it is still working wonders in your benefit!

Housework, laundry, car care, gardening, pet care, cooking and health benefits… all ways that vinegar can work its magic for you. I’ve personally bookmarked the site, Vinegartips.com, where 1001 uses for vinegar can be found and incorporated into your daily life. 

Because really… who doesn’t want to be greener and save a few bucks, particularly when caters to ease?

Happy Green Cleaning, My Friends!

Sharing My Secret...

I’ll let you all in on a very deep secret of mine… I really wish to be exceptional at something. I wish that there was one talent that I could master and be AMAZING at and produce something that will take the breath away from those that witness it, viewing in awe and MY creation.

Alas, I have not yet found my particular amazing talent. Rather I dabble a little bit in everything. I bake and cook (very different) and sew and craft… oh boy, do I craft. I scrapbook, I make cards, I sculpt with clay, I bead, I paint glass, I paint pictures, I burn wood, I cut and glue and bedazzle… On the computer I scrapbook digitally, I play with animation, I alter photographs… You name it, I’ve tried it. I sew dolls, costumes, clothing and household accessories. I cross-stitch, I embroider and I’ve tried to learn to crochet.

I think my very worse personal trait is my compulsive need to collect craft supplies. I have an entire room and an entire section of our basement just to house it all. I donate it happily to those in need, but I collect it faster that it can EVER be used. I see things, fall in love with their possibility and horde it. More than a million times my poor husband has heard me utter the phrase; it’ll make a great something, someday.

Don’t feel bad for him though, he indulges me. Always on a whim, I come up with some scheming idea and he goes along with it… never really telling me no. He supports me and reminds me that I never like what I’ve made, though others do. He’s the first one to point out the flaws and offer new ideas, and to walk away when I’ve traveled too far over the edge of normal.

In all, I think my contribution to society can be best served by sharing my thoughts and ideas and giving others the same crazy experience that drives me each and every day. Think of my blog as the Michael’s Arts and Crafts Book, Simplicity Sewing Ideas, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart and Taste of Home- all rolled into one sticky cut out mess. Join me on my adventure and share your own… because Crazy LOVES Company.