Making Christmas Presents

This year, mostly in an attempt to save money, but also in an effort to limit commercialism, I decided that the gifts I gave my kids would be homemade.  I also limited myself to only using the supplies I had on hand.  No buying expensive fabric! 

Luckily, my kids are only 2 and 5, so their expectations for Christmas gifts are pretty low.  Santa will still be bringing non-homemade presents, or at least the kind he makes in his workshop (ahem Amazon.com).  I just finished the presents today, and thought that I'd share.

For my two year old, I made little placemats for the play kitchen.  She is always getting my fabric napkins, laying them out, and setting out an elaborate meal, so I thought that her own set of placemats were in order.

 



 

I cut up an existing piece of pre-quilted fabric intended to be bound into a baby quilt.  It had sweet little "blocks" just the right size for mini-placemats.  The fabric is a stiff polyester, I think salvaged from my mother-in-law's stash.  It was too stiff and scratchy to be used for wrapping a baby in, but perfect for making little placemats.  After cutting rectangles, I bound the edges in bias tape (my first attempt at machine sewn binding), and called it good.  I think my daughter is going to love these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For my five year old, I made an apron.  I had made her one when she was two using this awesome pattern, but it is a bit small for her.  Besides, the little sister needs to wear an apron too.  Since I last made the apron, the pattern has been updated to give a size for 5 - 8 year olds.  Perfect!  I used pink fabric from my eternal source (see here and here), and embellished with some retro Strawberry Shortcake pieces.  I think this fabric originally came from our Grandmother, Mary Frances, but it came to me via Carlee.  I am also sure that the new apron will be well-loved too.

 

 

 

 

What about you?  Are you making anything for Christmas?  What will it be?  Do share!  I am thinking of making one more small thing for each, but haven't decided what yet.  Any suggestions?

 



 

 

Outdoor Fairy Party

It has been an unintentional birthday party month over here at The Mary Frances Project.  Don't you love the masks that Carlee made?  If only I could convince my daughter to have a super hero party....

We celebrated my daughter's 5th birthday last weekend with an outdoor fairy tea party.  It was a beautiful day (especially for September!), and we had so much fun. 

I loved all of the birthday party tips that Carlee gave, and I want to share a few more highlights and tips from our recent birthday party experience.

Ask for help.  I was lucky to have a few of the other parents offer to stay and help with the party.  It was great to have some extra adults around.  When one of my friends arrived, she said "Hand me your camera.  I'll take the pictures."  I loved having a "photographer" to document the party, and take pictures of all of the little details (like our wooden fairy path below).

Play games.  I think the classic kids party games are pretty fun.  We played pass the parcel (the gift inside was a teeny chocolate), and bean bag toss.

 

 

Keep the food simple.  We served a fruit tray, a veggie tray and honey sandwiches.  Everyone could find something that they liked, and it wasn't too difficult to prepare or messy to clean-up.

 

 

 

Serve mini-cupcakes.  I have a set of mini silicone cupcake liners and I love them.  Most adults only want a taste of cake, and most kids don't finish a whole cupcake anyway, so I think that mini-cupcakes are the way to go for little kids parties.



 

 

Give a gift suggestion.  Many people will bring a gift to birthday parties, even if they told that they don't have to.  This year, I included a note that said, "Please don't feel obligated to bring a gift, but if you would like to bring one, I know that my child would love _____."  I think that most people want to give a gift, and want to bring something that they know will be liked.  I gave the suggestion of art supplies, and my daughter ended up with some great art supplies, books, and a few other really lovely things.

 



 

Our fairy party was a great way to celebrate my daughter, and have fun with friends.  She is my oldest, so maybe in a few years, I will see birthday parties a bit differently.  Over all though, I think that we hit on the essential elements for a successful party: friends, fun, and food.

 

 



Super Hero Party

This year, my five year old was wise to the the birthday party scene.  In the past we've been able to get away with a casual party for both the boys where we invite whole families.  Not this year.  Kid 1 really wanted to have a super hero party.  At this stage, he doesn't really know that much about actual superheros, we we were able to get away with a loose theme.

We invited a ton of friends and held the party at the park around the corner on a Saturday morning.  It ended up being a really fun party.  I am not one of those ladies that has an adorable spread of matching water bottles.  I like to keep things simple.  Even though it was low key, we got a ton of compliments on how fun the party was.  I'm certainly not experienced at throwing parties, but here are a few things that worked really well for us.  

I think the key to having a fun kid party (in the summer) is to have it outside where they can play.  If you have a good backyard, great, use it.  If you are like me and don't, choose a local park or beach.  I love having our parties in a public place so I don't have to worry about cleaning before, during, and after the party.  I don't know what I'll do when Baby Girl is old enough to have a party since her birthday is in the winter.  Outside parties are the best.

Keep it short and simple.  This is especially true for parties for young kids.  Don't plan too many activities.  We had a craft for the kids to work on while everyone was arriving.  This was pretty fun for most of the kids.  I cut out pieces of coloured poster board to make into superhero cuffs.  The kids decorated these with glitter glue, letter and star stickers, and crayons.  When they were finished, we stapled them onto their arms and called it good.  Kid crafts with staples are my favourite.

 

We also organized a few relay type games for the kids.  This ended up being a little crazy since there were about 20 kids there, but in a cute and adorable kind of way. 

Little kids love to dress up.  The parties that have been the very most fun for us have involved costumes (true for adults as well as kids).  I won some respect from our friends and my kids by showing up in super hero attire.  Sorry no picture!  I'm not quite ready to post a picture of myself in tights, and gold accessories.

Make a good cake (I made my new favourite Wacky Cake Recipe with chocolate frosting from the Cook's Illustrated book).

  

I always do a nice 2 layer round cake, and then make a batch of cupcakes to make sure I have enough sweet stuff.  The boys like to help, but aren't quite old enough to work on the big cake, so I put them in charge of decorating the cupcakes.  I don't worry about how they look, and this keeps the boys busy while I finish up any last minute preparations.

 

Bring wipes. Don't forget this, the wipes are very important!  They were indispensable for cleaning glitter glue and chocolate cake off of hands and faces.

If you do a goody bag, keep it simple and practical (I like that article that Emily linked to as well).  We've been to a few parties recently where the goody bags had very fun, and very inexpensive toys that broke within the hour.  This seems like such a waste to me.  This year instead of sending home goody bags we are sending out thank you cards (made by Kid 1) and leather super hero masks (made by me and more on that later).

 

 Looks like a fun party, eh?  It really was.    

Birthday Party Goody Bags

Kid #1 just turned five, and tomorrow is her birthday party.  I think my child may have a future career as a wedding planner - this party has been talked about and planned for months.  We just finished making the goody bags today, so I will share that now, and share the rest of the party details later.

The theme that was requested for this birthday party was a "Fairy Princess Lavender Tea Party."  Why not, right?  Although my kids have not been to a whole lot of birthday parties, they have been to enough to know that an essential part of a birthday party is the goody bag.  I do like the idea of giving a little gift to friends as of way of thanking them for coming to celebrate with you.  However, I am not super keen on spending a lot of money, or buying something unnecessary.  (This New York Times article on the topic describes the extreme.)

For our goody bags, my daughter and I decided on a list of inexpensive items that we could mostly make, and that we thought her friends would enjoy.  Kid #1 is so excited about these goody bags and is really hoping that one of her friends doesn't come tomorrow, so that there will be one left for her.

Do you want to see what we put in them?  Here it is!
























Playdough

I made playdough using a recipe I found here.  It looks quite blue in the picture, but it is a purple colour. 

Raisins

As Carlee has already mentioned, I am not eating refined sugar for the month of September.  Kid #1 is really taking the idea of no sugar to heart, and insisted that we have raisins instead of candy in the bags. 

Notebook

Something that my daughter really wanted in the goody bags was a notebook.  I did look at the dollar store briefly, before realizing that I would never find a teeny fairy notebook for a reasonable price.  Instead, I laminated a fairy picture, found here, and bound it up with white paper. 

Seeds

When Kid #1 requested flower seeds, I thought it was a really sweet idea.  After checking out a few stores, I realized that 1) you can't buy seeds at the end of the summer, and 2) we have a ton of seeds in our own garden.  We harvested a bunch of sunflower seeds, put them in a little bag, and added instructions for planting next year.

Glitter Pen

This was the one purchased dollar store item.  At $0.20 each, it was my biggest "splurge."

Fairy Ring

The fairy flower ring printable was found here.  I cut out the rings, laminated them, and then cut them out again.  It was a bit labour intensive for a goody bag present, but cutting is a kind of a fun thing to do while watching TV at night.

We loaded all of the gifts into a brown paper bag, and stapled on a cute fairy picture that says "Thank-you fairy much!" (found here). 


So, what's your take on goody bags?  Too much work?  Totally fun?  I will have to see how the party guests react, but this has been a fun project to work on with my daughter, and a nice way to teach her that giving gifts to others can be rewarding.

 

Tea Party (for Boys)

As I was going through pictures on my computer tonight I came across this gem.

Would you like to come to a tea party at our house?  We will be serving fresh milk and bacon.  Now that I'm thinking of it, this actually sounds pretty similar to the 'meat party' that Kid 1 requested we have last week.  You know, the kind of kid party where your friends come over and eat lots of meat.  Surely you've been to one?  I've mentioned that I'm a fake vegetarian before (there is a word for it now - pescetarian), so I'm sure you can appreciate why I find this request particularly hilarious. 

Anyways, long live imaginative play!  Kids have the best ideas.

At Home this Summer

I just realized that it has been over a month since Carlee or I have posted.  In case you have been dying to know what I have been up to, the answer is: "Not a whole lot."  (Carlee is a different story, but she'll tell you all about her move later.)

I have been really trying to focus on just being with my kids in the day.  Kid #1 will be going to Kindergarten next year, and although it's only half days, I know I'm going to miss her tons.  I have been trying to savour the time that I've got with these little ones, as I know that it's going quickly.  So, what have we been up to?  Playing outside, going to the Zoo, and enjoying our time together at home.  It has rained a lot in the month of June, so we have been spending quite a bit of time inside and at home.

When we are at home, I try and have a mix of just letting (and hoping that) my kids play by themselves, and setting up games and activities for us to do together.  Here's a sampling of what this has looked like.

Number Lines

Write the numbers 0 through 10 on a strip of paper.  Give your child 55 small counters.  Instruct your child to put the corresponding number of counters below each number on the line.  I usually model saying the number, counting out the correct amount of counters, and then double checking to make sure it is right.  My daughter is often very engaged by this activity.

Old Office Supplies

We have a book of cheques from a closed bank account.  Kid #1 thinks it is so funny to write cheques to different people and things for crazy amounts and reasons.  The cheque below is for "Everyone," in the amount of $600, to buy "The Earth."  If you can get your hands on old cheques, receipt books, cell phones, computers, or anything else that kids are usually not allowed to touch, your kids will thank you!

 



Make Your Own Toys

After reading the book, Megan Gets a Dollhouse, Kid #1 decided that she would make her own dollhouse.  She used stuff from the recycling bin, wooden blocks and scraps of fabric.  I really want to encourage creativity in my kids, and having them make stuff is a perfect way to do this.

Playdough

I will never tire of playdough and I hope that my kids never do either.  Playdough is great for: creativity, fine motor skills, imagination, the list can go on and on.  I love to set out different toys and tools with playdough each time such as: marbles, toothpicks, utensils, plastic animals, Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, or feathers.

Dandelion Painting

The sight of a field full of dandelions is such a happy thing for me.  Dandelions give me so many memories of being outside in the spring and summer.  Now that I have kids, I love dandelions because my kids can pick a million of them, and there are still more dandelions left to pick.

Once those dandelions are picked, the perfect thing to do with them is paint! 

This was an activity that both of my girls (almost 2 and almost 5 years old) did together.  They had so much fun, and I think that the finished product is pretty neat looking.

I started out by giving my girls a paint palette with washable finger paints, a big empty piece of paper, and some dandelion "brushes."  Kid #1 insisted on having q-tips to paint with too, but those were hardly touched.

My toddler used her dandelion more like traditional paint brush, and my preschooler went with a print-making approach.  Both were great ways to experiment with a new tool.

I love the way the flower pattern looks.  The dandelion held up nicely, despite being mashed and squashed repeatedly. 

In other news, the city that I live in has just gotten warm enough to plant our vegetable garden these last few weeks.  Our days and nights have been filled with planting, planning, and hoping that we'll get a good harvest come August.  Mr. Emily has been the hardest worker, but the kids have enjoyed getting their hands dirty too.

Decorating Laminated Pictures

Our family has been laughing and laughing at this super simple, super silly activity.

Original pictures by the lovely Laura.

Take a picture. 
Laminate it. 
Decorate with dry-erase or washable markers. 
Laugh and laugh. 
Repeat.

At first, I just printed and laminated pictures of my children, but Kid 1 liked this activity so much, that I added pictures of me and Mr. Emily to our collection.  I think that there's something about being allowed to draw all over a picture that is so fun.  I'm allowing the forbidden!

If you want to make your own laminated pictures to decorate, look for pictures that have simple backgrounds that are light in colour.  I hope that you have as fun much with this as we are having!

The Best Tip for Entertaining Kids

When I first graduated with my teaching degree, I had a job working at a daycare with toddlers.  It was not my ideal job.  I was making just over minimum wage, knew nothing about toddlers, and was dying to work in the public school system.  Looking back, however, it was good for me.  One of the best things about working at the daycare was that I got to work with an amazing lady.  Margaret was incredible.  She was upbeat, organized, efficient, and knew so much about what to do with kids. 

Margaret employed what I'll call the "Dump and Play" strategy.  She wouldn't just midly suggest that kids go and play with bubbles or dinosaurs or babies.  Instead, she would take the toys out, dump them on the table and start playing.  This trick works all of the time.

If you ever need to entertain kids: Dump toys out, then start playing with them.

Once kids see how fun and cool those toys are, they'll be there playing too.  (And then if you're like me with my kids at home, you'll try and sneak away to get some work done while your kids do their "work.")  This trick works especially well for toddler/preschooler set, but I think it would even work on adults. 

This afternoon, when I needed to get some work done for Mr. Emily's business, I laid out a bunch of junk on the kitchen table.  After sitting down and playing for a minute, I left Kid 1 alone, and had 30 solid minutes of productive time.

She was building towers and houses, and was very engaged.  After playing at the table, she moved onto building a cardboard box house from a salvaged recycling bin item.



If I would have just said, "I need to get some work done, find something to do," chances are good that her mind would have been blank, and that finding something to do would have been impossible.  Usually, when I set out toys or an activity, engaged playing is the result.

So, what about you?  Do you already use the "Dump and Play" method?  What's your best tip for entertaining kids?

Stripey Knit Shirts

Last Saturday, my church had a clothing and household goods swap.  By the time I got there, it was a bit picked over, but I managed to find a few things that I am pretty exited about.  (It's amazing how exciting free stuff is!)

I went in to the clothing swap looking for items to add to our dress-up collection.  I found an awesome curly wig, some gold high-heels, and some cool silky shirts.

I was also searching for large knit t-shirts that could be turned into dresses and skirts for my girls.  I found three great stripey shirts, and am pretty excited.  I will use the arms to make leggings, and the body for skirts. 

I'm pretty excited, but also a bit nervous.  My sewing skills aren't the greatest.  I have decided that old free t-shirts are the best kind of material to practice with, and my little kids are the best kind of models for a beginner sewer. 

I plan to use this tutorial from Make it and Love it for the leggings, and either this tutorial from Made, or this tutorial on Sew, Mama, Sew! for the skirts. 
Wish me luck!

Mailboxes and Letters: Developing Literacy Skills

The mailbox game is a perennial favourite at my house. 

Do you know this game? 

First, you make a mailbox.  Our current version was made out of an old box, stickers, paper and packing tape.  It is hanging on the door knob inside the front door.  I've also made mailboxes out of plastic containers, paper, and well - anything we could find at the time in the recycling bin.

Next, you write letters!  Or draw pictures, make cards, write love notes, or scribble on scrap paper - whatever you're in the mood for.  My kids have really gotten into this.  My one year old is very serious about her creative process. 

Finally, you check the mail!  If you are four, you'll check the mail all the time.  And, if you're four and have put a letter in the mailbox for someone else, you'll make sure that they check the mail as soon as a letter gets put in there.  Mail is pretty exciting, after all.

Today when my daughter and I left for preschool, my husband was still at home.  As soon as we got home, my four year old checked the mail.  She had mail and was so excited about it! 

Letter writing is a great way to work on literacy skills.  My four year old dictates long letters, and writes short notes by herself.  She also draws pictures and decorates things.  My one year old is working on using pencils and crayons to make marks on the page.

Letters are also a nice way to show people that you care.  There is something so special about opening the mailbox and seeing a handwritten letter, just for you.  A mailbox inside the home is just right for getting that instant gratification.

Homemade Slime

I am always on the look out for something that will engage my four year old, and perhaps give me a few minutes to go to the bathroom alone.  A few weeks ago, I was at a friend's house and she had made some slime for her kids.  (Slime can also be called goop, gak, flubber, etc.)  The stuff was awesome, it was just the push that I needed to make it at home.

Slime is an awesome tactile experience.  It is easy to make and super cheap.  My daughter and I had so much fun mixing the ingredients together and watching the slime take shape.  My recipe uses just a bottle of white glue, and a teeny bit of Borax.  Be warned: this is only really appropriate for kids who are old enough to not put things in their mouth, or touch the slime and then put their hands in their mouth.  You also need to be careful when using around wood or carpet as it may stain. 

Homemade Slime

1. Mix 8 oz. white glue with 1 c. warm water.  Add a few drops of food colouring.
2. Mix 1 t. borax with 1/2 c. warm water.
3. Mix the glue and borax together.  It will seem too watery at first, but it will thicken up and be an awesome consistency in just a few moments.

We've had fun using the following with slime: shells, stones, jewels, playdough toys, plastic toys, cutting toys, and little cups for making "food."  Slime makes a great little birthday present, too.  Chez Beeper Bebe has a fun printable for monster slime that will now be part of my go-to gift for little boys. 

 

Have you made slime before?  What are some fun tools to use with it?

How Art Looks at My House

My four year old loves art.  As I have mentioned before, art for little ones should be about the process of creating something, and not about the final product.  The other day we did some potato stamping.  I intended it to turn out like this:

That's my artwork, by the way.  Usually when I set up an art project for my daughter, we each work on something.  My daughter's artwork didn't quite look like mine did.  It usually doesn't.

In fact, paint mostly ends up all over her hands and arms or in a mash all over the paper.  I am okay with this.  In fact, I love it.  Doesn't mashing paint everywhere sound like fun?  And fun is what I'm going for 99% of the time.

Fun goes hand in hand with learning.  My little one year old takes such a scientific approach to art.  Everything is an experiment.  Paint goes on her face, mouth, and gets examined closely in her little fingertips.  Occasionally paint will go on the paper.  ("Paint" for toddlers should, in my opinion, be not only non-toxic, it should be homemade.  The concoction pictured is made from flour, salt, water and food colouring.)

So how does art look at my house?  It looks messy.  It looks like learning.  It looks like fun.  And I think that's just how it should be.

How does art look at your house?