Quiet Book, page 4 {bugs on leaves}

Do you ever feel like a year has gotten away from you? That's how my year has been...busy, busy, busy {I guess that's what I should expect with 5 kids...right?} and it has FLOWN by.  In all that craziness I completely forgot about pages 4, 5 & 6....oops! So here is page 4 of my quiet book for you "bugs on leaves".  It's another quick and easy design (the best kind).  It's more of a look, touch & feel page.  Younger kids will like the sensory aspect of just the different textures of the felt leaves and pompom bugs.  As they get a little older they can begin to count the bugs, name the colors, or match the colored bugs (try connecting them by drawing a line with a piece of yarn or string).

Here's what you need:

1 piece of felt for the background, cut to 8 1/2 x 11 inches, I used bright blue

Green felt in two shades

1/2 inch colorful pompoms, I chose more "autumn colored" pompoms

Sewing machine + thread

Embroidery floss + needle

Scissors

1. Cut out your leaves.  I know I say this a lot, but just free-hand it--you can do it!.  If it makes it easier, cut out a paper template first.  Make a large (about 9 x 5 inches) "football"...pointed oval shape, then just cut some notches out of the side to give it a more tropical leaf feel.

2. Arrange the leaves on the background, then pin in place.  Using a sewing machine, stitch the leaves onto the background, adding details for the leaf veins as you like (see pictures).

3. Arrange & hand stitch your pompoms in place using the embroidery floss.  Just knot your thread and sew through the background/leaves, into the pompoms and back down a few times to make sure they are extra secure.  Your stitching shouldn't show too much through the fluffy pompoms.  Add a few straight stitches around each bug's body for legs (see picture below). Repeat with remaining pompoms.  I added 5 pompoms to each leaf, one of each color.

And that's it.  Super quick and easy.  Enjoy!

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Page 1: Lion

Page 2: Snakes

Page 3: Hidden Flowers

Page 5: Tropical Fish {coming soon!}

Page 6: Coconut Tree {coming soon!}

Throw Back Thursday {Thanksgiving Crafty Countdown}

A few years ago...or more, I guess it was way back in 2010...I blogged a series of six Thanksgiving/autumn themed crafts for kids {as always, from my previous blog}.  Follow the links for full instructions, enjoy!

Day one:
Cone Cornucopias

Day two:

"Stained Glass" Leaves

Day three:

Indian Beads

Day four:

Leaf Napkin Ties

Day five:

Frosted Leaf Candle Holders 

Day 6:

Double Braided Bread

Popsicle Stick Bracelets

{This is a re-post from my 'old' blog...With the kids home from summer, I've been thinking a lot of ways we can spend time together that are fun, inexpensive and don't require technology.  Back in 2012, my daughter and I had fun making these bracelets, and she still has them.  This would be a great rainy day or way-too-hot day activity.  Enjoy!}

***

H and I had a great time making these bracelets together.  These are the perfect size for her {she's going on 10}, and if I can find some craft sticks big enough, I'll be making some for me too :)

I've seen some tutorials around to make these using a drinking glass to mold them.  Honestly, it didn't work out so great for me.  One, I don't have drinking glasses that small, or that have straight sides.  Two, I had a problem with them not staying put & popping out.  I really wanted to make these with H, so I set out to find the best way & after a couple attempts, here is what I came up with:

Supplies:

*Wooden craft sticks (we used 6 x 3/4 inch)
*Saucepan & water
*rolling pin
*zip ties that are a few inches longer than your craft sticks
*Strips of paper cut just slightly longer & wider than your craft sticks {it's always easier to cut away excess, then try to line up perfectly}
*Decoupage glue {such as ModPodge}
*Scissors


1. Place your craft sticks in a large sauce pan, cover generously with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for at least 15-20 minutes {the longer you boil, the softer the sticks become}
Drain, and allow to cool slightly {they cool off rather fast}.


2. I used a rolling pin to mold the initial curve, by wrapping the craft sticks around then letting them go...just made it a little easier to bend them in the next step.

3. Loop around a zip tie & secure on the first notch (biggest loop) possible.  Mold your craft stick into the zip tie, try to overlap the ends just slightly so that the ends curl around too.  Tighten the zip tie.  You want to mold these on the small size.  They will expand when you un-mold & decorate them.

4. Allow to dry over night-24 hours...make sure the are good and dry.






5. Un-mold and decorate.  It's best to follow the directions on your decoupage glue, but here's how I do it: brush a thin layer onto the craft stick; adhere paper, then trim excess; add multiple layers of glue on top using a brush, allowing to dry in-between each; sand lightly if necessary.

**if the bracelets expand a little too much after decoupaging, just slide them back into the zip tie {carefully!} after they are dry to the touch and leave for a few minutes, it doesn't take long to get them back into shape.**

You don't have to stop there, try decorating them other ways :) Instead of decoupage try wrapping with thin ribbon, yarn or string.  Glue all sorts of rhinestones and gems on...or simply color with markers (just don't use washable).  Have fun creating!

Quiet Book, Page 2 {Snakes}

So, the last few weeks have been filled with kids with colds,  me catching the flu and snow-days {which are rare when you live in the mid-Atlantic region}...and trying to get the house back into some semblance of order {we're almost there}.  Needless to say,  I didn't have much time to blog...but I'm back now & here is page 2 of our quiet book...

This "snakes" page is the most quick and easy of all the pages I put together, but has lots of value.  Use it to learn colors and patterns or to practice counting {with small children, use adult supervision, we don't want anyone choking on little felt triangles} :)
Here's how to make your own...

You will need:
8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of felt {I used purple}
green felt
red felt
felt scraps {or an assortment of colored felt}
scissors
sewing machine
needle and black thread
pins

1. Cut out your snakes, I free-handed mine by just cutting a squiggly form then squaring off the head.  If you like do a quick little sketch with a fabric pen, then cut out each snake.  My snakes measure 8 to 9 inches long, with the bodies about 1 inch wide and the head about 1 1/2 inches wide {at the widest point}

2.  Cut a 2 1/2 x 3 inch rectangle of scrap felt to use as a pocket.

3.  Arrange your pocket in the bottom corner of the page {with the widest side at the top, where the opening will be}, pin in place.  Arrange your snakes however you like and pin in place.

4. Cut a small forked tongue for each snake...make it a little longer than you would think, slip the non-forked end under the snake's head and pin in place.

5.  Using coordinating thread, use your machine to carefully stitch around each snake close to the edges.  When stitching the head, stitch over where the tongue is securing it under the head, don't worry too much if it slides a little {it gives each snake a little character if they are not perfectly centered}.  Leave the remainder of the tongue free for a little extra dimension.

6.  Machine stitch around 3 sides of the pocket.  Always be sure to back-stitch when you start and finish stitching to lock your work in place {there are few things worse than falling out stitches}

7.  Using a needle and thread sew two French knot eyes on each snake.

8. Using felt scraps in an assortment of colors cut out small triangles to decorate each snake and store in the pocket. 

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Page 1: Lion

Page 3: Hidden Flowers

Page 4: Bugs on Leaves

Page 5: Tropical Fish

Page 6: Coconut Trees