Archive for the ‘Create’ Category

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Tactile Touch

October 28, 2010

This is for you, Aunt Lannie! My aunt has her doctorate in early child education.  I love watching her interact with my children! Once, when N was small, I heard her say, “Ok. It’s tactile touch time!” I was thinking, “Tactile what?”  That day, I learned about tactile touch and we did a little of our own tactile touch time this week.

This was a watermelon that was already bad when I cut it. I let N and J dissect it in the sink and it entertained them way longer than I would have expected. But some rubber gloves and have a little tactile touch fun with your jack-o-lantern remains after Halloween!

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Create a Break from the Chaos

August 12, 2010

One of our favorite ways to create a break for ourselves is to invite friends over for late nights, after the kids are in bed. These nights usually entail Turkish tea, games and some type of fun desert. This particular night’s reprieve came from Sara, Christine and James all of whom we shared life with in Central Asia. So, in honor of our shared experience we had yummy chocolate suffle and played speed scrabble.

Sara and Christine spent the night, much to N and J’s anticipation and delight.

Both of these amazing girls logged hours caring for our kids in Central Asia. So, when they found themselves helping ferry one of our cars to the repair shop, switching out 3 car seats, sweltering heat in a car without air-conditioning and screaming kids, they felt right at home!

Man, I love these girls!

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Motorcycle Cake

August 5, 2010

N knew he wanted a motorcycle party when he saw this cake in a magazine several months ago. Coco puffs for rocks, oreo truffles for boulders, pretzels to line the path and fruit roll ups for the flags. Pretty simple to make and really cool to a 5 year old! Now, J is saying she wants a PINK motorcycle party next year. I don’t think I can pull that one off. Hopefully she’ll be onto something else by then!

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Weaving Without a Loom

July 29, 2010

So, I haven’t done many crafts with N and J since SK has been born. Actually, now that I think about it, I haven’t done ANY crafts with them unless you count letting them watch me make N’s birthday cake last week.

I did find this cool idea on how to weave without a loom. We will be trying this soon sometime before summer is over!

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Indoor Sand Castle

July 22, 2010

This idea was also from Family Fun magazine. Their castle looked much better than ours but this was lots of fun!

Ingredients:

1 cup sand

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon alum (spice section of grocery store)

3/4 cup water

Mix sand, cornstarch and alum in a saucepan with a wooden spoon.

Add water and stir until mixture is smooth.

Cook over medium-low heat until clay starts to thicken about a minute or two. Scrape continually from the sides and bottom of pan.

Remove when clay has thickened to a play dough consistency about 3 minutes.

This was a little more in depth than some crafts but worth it. We threw ours away but evidently it will harden after about a week and you can have a piece of your vacation at home!

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Hot Dog Sea Creatures

July 15, 2010

I saw this in Family Fun magazine and we had to give it a try. Cut hot dogs into thirds and poke raw spaghetti noodles through them. Next, boil the whole creation until the noodles are soft. Eat your sea creatures with ketchup or ranch dressing.

N’s tedious noodle poking:

Sea creatures before their boiling bath:

The final result:

Yum yum!

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Beach Craft- Year 2

July 8, 2010

Last year, we made hand prints at the beach using plaster of paris. Last year’s final products looked better. Click here for more ideas. This year, we made the kids initials as a take home memory of the trip:

This is an easy, fun process. First, draw a letter, make a hand print or shape in the sand. Letters need to be drawn backwards as the under side will end up being the final product. Next, fill the crevice with shells, glitter, jewels or anything else you want to mix in. Then, mix plaster of paris (found at Hobby Lobby) with water until it is the consistency of pancake batter. Pour it into the shape and let it dry for a few hours. You’re done! Carefully pry your creation out of the sand.

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Iron-On Transfer Crafts

July 1, 2010

Lately, I’ve been doing iron-on transfer crafts. You can buy special fabric sheets to run through your printer but they are much more expensive than the iron on paperI have started to use instead. You can create any image on the computer and then print it onto the iron on paper in the ‘mirror’ setting. Then, iron it onto white fabric and sew it onto your craft.

This is a burp rag I made when I found out I was pregnant. I wrapped it and gave it to J to surprise him with our news!

This is a pillow I made for one of his hospital patients. As a Beşiktaş fan, I never thought I’d be making  a Galatasary pillow but it was worth it for this patient!

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Create- Treasure Boxes

June 24, 2010

First, let me say that  Baby #3 is due TODAY! Unless there are baby pictures already posted, I am headed to another pre-natal appointment in the med center today. Arrg. Hot. Fat. Tired. Come soon little one!

Back to the treasure boxes…

A few weeks ago, N decided he wanted a treasure box to store his own little treasures. This was completely his idea and the craft lasted all week as we added things each couple of days. First, they picked their own boxes at Hobby Lobby and painted them.

Next, we sprayed them with spray glue and added glitter.

After the glitter, we glued on jewels and then added a layer of deco-page a few days later, in hopes of keeping the glitter and jewels ON the boxes, not all over the house. :)

They love their boxes and practice putting small things inside that their soon-to-arrive baby sister shouldn’t have. N has a set group of things he considers ‘treasures’ but J’s treasures differ from day to day. They always pack perfectly into her box where the lid can still fit.

I never realized something so simple would be so much fun for them!

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Tin Can Ice Cream

June 17, 2010

Here’s another fun summer activity for kids. If you live in America, schedule a playdate a week in advance. If you live in Central Asia, just go out on your porch, start making ice cream and kids will come! 

KID’S TIN CAN ICE CREAM 

Printed from COOKS.COM 

□   1 (3 lb.) clean coffee can
□   1 (1 lb.) clean coffee can
□   Duct tape
□   2 or more kids

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

□   1 c. milk
□   1 c. whipping cream
□   1/2 c. sugar
□   1/2 tsp. vanilla
□   Fruit (smashed), chocolate, etc.
□   Rock salt
□   Ice (crushed or small cubes)

 

Pour all food ingredients into 1-pound coffee can. Duct tape lid on securely. Place inside 3-pound coffee can. Layer ice and salt around sides of small can. Duct tape 3-pound lid on. Roll briskly on hard ground for 10 minutes – cement works best.Open lid and drain ice water. Open 1-pound lid and stir, scraping sides well. Re-tape. Re-pack big can with ice and salt. Re-tape and roll again. Makes about 3 cups of ice cream. 

Let the kids do it all themselves, even if they make a mess! 

 

 

Stir, stir, stir! 

 

Set a timer for the rolling portion so the kids don’t wimp out. 

 

Enjoy the ice cream and success of making it yourself! 

 

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