Sunday, February 19, 2012

Overheard This Week

Mama did you see that boy on the tv?  He burped out a snail!  I wish I could burp out a snail.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Overheard This Week

Son: Sister did you make this telescope?
Daughter: Uh-huh.
Son: Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you, this is so awesome!  Mama I have a new name for sister, Best Telescope Maker!
(The telescope in question, is infact a rolled up piece of paper.)

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Overheard This Week

Sister, you are going to have to go kiss that bear somewhere else, I am busy.  Please, just go kiss that bear somewhere else!

Saturday, February 04, 2012

A Bit of Magic

We received a really nice art desk/Easel from my brother's family and put it under my son's loft bed.  We're working on rearranging the kids' room.  It's quite dark under the bed and so I decided to hang up some lights I bought months ago.  It really added some needed lighting and color.  Plus the kids just loved helping hang the laterns.  I did however discover we are 8 lanterns short of what the package says we ought to have, oh well.
Now we just need some art on the walls.  These lights should help with that!

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

What A Difference Wool Makes

Sometimes I'm stubborn, okay most of the time.  I hadn't worked with felt much since childhood and figured, you know felt is felt.  I do strive to use natural materials, but aren't there always exceptions?  Since having my kids I have been looking at more kid centered crafts, and many of these involve felt.  On the websites and books they usually state to use wool felt.  I did the price comparison and wool felt is quite a bit more expensive.  So, I just kept using the other stuff.  I finally decided a month or so ago that if everyone keeps talking about it, then it must be worth using.  So I ordered some (as I haven't found a local shop that carries it).  Okay, everyone is right!  I am never going back.  It's amazing how much nicer to work with the wool is.  Plus the wool just looks nicer to start with. 
I made my son his birthday crown last year using, you guessed it, the poly felt. (The stars are wool as they were added this year).
2012-01-29 12.22.38.jpg
I made my daughter's out of the wool felt this year.

2012-01-29 12.22.12.jpg
Yes, L's has had a year of rough play behind it, so maybe next year I should pull them out to compare again.  But I think these pictures speak for themselves.  I didn't use a pattern, just what I remembered from reading The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections. Which if you haven't checked out this book, you should.  I now know that birthday crowns are a Waldorf tradition, but reading this book was my first introduction to them.
I'd like to say that from now on I'll listen when people call for a better quality material.  Yes, let's leave it there, I'd like to say that I'll listen.