Crafting Kits

Every time we head to Hobby Lobby, we stop by the back wall to check the sale items. I've bought scrapbooking kits for as little as $3 each, paint-your-own animals, and now foam puppet kits. The little boys, in particular, had a great time with these. Best of all, they are sticker foam! Even Little Lad can peel the sticker backing off and position the pieces in the right spots. This gave him a great sense of accomplishment. Dash wanted to follow the pictures exactly.

Results, in color: Looks like the elephant bopped his head on something.

The Claw

This picture was taken this morning, while Dash was working on his creation pages for My Father's World. Notice his grip again. I was trying not to worry.

Knew it would come in time.... right?

But if you let a habit like that form, then won't it be even harder to fix later?

An unnecessary hurdle to overcome.

Then I remembered that I actually ordered The Claw

(remind anyone else of that scene in Liar Liar??)

months ago, and simply forgot about it.

Whipped that little sucker out and now LOOK!!!

My 'lil man was amazed. He actually said, "oh, this is easy. Can I always use this?"

YES, YES, YES!!

(no, I didn't jump up and down, squealing and flailing, like I wanted to.

Didn't want to scare the poor kid. I had a little party in my head, though!!)

I love these moments; seeing an issue, searching for a solution, finding something that works (or often watching the kids find something that works for them) and then watching as they take off. This is why I homeschool.

This little guy was so happy to be able to write easily. His little fingers just weren't cooperating but, with a bit of help, he's feeling able to conquer this whole writing thing.

He asked for an extra page of handwriting!!! And then wanted to try with a pencil.

I had started with the crayon, thinking that he might be able to use a proper grip more easily.

This was just such a great perk to the already-great-going week.

We also had great friends over today, after school, and had to do another 2010/2011 School Photo Op outside, with our "extras."

Autographed Construction Masterpieces

Where do you do school?
We've tried having a separate room to work in.
We've tried individual student desks.
We've tried doing work outside (which actually works wonderfully for us, when it's not 110+ degrees out there.)
And we always end up back at our little 50s style diner table. Yes, six of us eat at this table. It's small and round.
I love it.
So my kitchen area has become the schoolroom, complete with scrap paper, educational posters and maps, glue puddles...
It's messy in there, during the day.

And the more projects we work on, the messier it gets. Picasso cubism, take 2We have so much "paper stuff" already, on Day 4 of school, that my artwork is being layered, because the kids"need" to hang things up to show Daddy.

Love that.

So be it.

We'll file those away in their binders when the newness wears off, and the next projects go up.

For now, I'm just so excited that they are so excited.

Someday my house might look like it came out of a magazine (probably not,) but for now, we're going to have construction paper masterpieces up on all of the walls!

Attempting a picture with all of the kids

I LOVED this idea so much, that we decided to copy it. Thanks, Joyful Chaos!

I would have taken the pictures outside but, for crying out loud, it was around 110 degrees all day. No, I am NOT exaggerating. So, this was our first attempt at having all four kids in the same school picture. I may try again tomorrow, outside. Then I'll drench them with the hose.

First Day

We started off our 2010-2011 School Year with a Nature notebooking hike at Eagle Watch. Heat indices were expected to (and did ) climb to 110-115 degrees . With those warnings in mind, we left early.

We were rewarded with geese flying overhead, and landing near us in the lake.
Huge beautiful butterflies congregating on these round fluffy flowers. I know, I need to look them up. Shame on me for not doing it before I blog.

A young rabbit darted in front of our trail, and then stopped to eye us warily:

They collected some nature items to bring home and study, and we brought our sketchbooks to use while we were there.

We left around 9am, but I was already ~dripping~ with sweat by then. Ick. The relatively short, but hot, hike totally wore Little Lad out.

Back at home, we had a big First Day Breakfast, read the Bible together, and got busy with school work.
The Artist and NatureMan are using TeachingTextbooks again for math. We love that program!
Dash and Little Lad are using MyFather's World for all subjects. I'm really enjoying it so far. Very hands-on. So far they are really enjoying the calendar work & hundred jar, and the songs.
I still supplement a lot, though.
Here is Little Lad, making his triangle page:


Fred worked with Dash on some of his math pages (not MFW work)
After "regular school" we did the just-as-important Art lessons.
We're studying about Picasso right now.

For day 1 of the study:
Introduce students to the Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso. Discuss with the students the many different styles and challenges Picasso faced throughout his life and how it effected his work. I.e. After the death of his best friend, Picasso then began his popular "blue period."
Refer to the Come Look With Me books for additional pictures and background information.

1. With a pencil, draw a geometric shape, filling three fourths of the page.
2. Draw a face down the center of the shape. Noting the brow line, nose, lips, and chin.
3. To add interest and ensure that the drawing resembles the style of a cubist, add details and different views of specific parts of the face. i.e. possibly draw a profile of the eye on one portion of the face, and a straight on view on the other.
4. Be sure to use creativity in adding hair, hats, glasses, or clothing to fill the remaining space.
5. To tie the portrait drawing together, go over the pencil lines with a dark, wide permanent marker using only smooth, solid continuous lines.
6. Complete the portrait drawing by shading in each area with colored pencils, markers, or paints and erase any pencil lines that might be showing.

Voila!

The Name Song

To the tune of B-I-N-G-O:

There is a boy,
He is the best!
And Trevor is his name.
T-R-E-V-O-R
T-R-E-V-O-R
T-R-E-V-O-R
And Trevor is his name.

It works no matter how long or short the name is, you just have to sing the letters faster or slower. Dash (aka Trevor-- yes, I debated on posting this, but he is very proud of his poster...) is into writing his name on everything. He kept leaving the vowels out, though: "TRVR"

So we used this idea, and created a poster (overlook the imperfections!), so I could sing and point. After referring to the poster for a day, he is now writing his name correctly! YAY! (although still not holding the pencil with the correct grip, but that will come....)

Next, we practiced with foam paint stampers:

I'm so proud of this boy! He is an excited kindergartner.

Now I need to make a poster for my Little Lad. He already knows how to spell his big brother's name, thanks to the song. :-)

It's also time to break out the color songs!! Wow, third time around. It feels weird to be starting kindergarten with another child.
If you know of other learning songs, please inform me. It helps us a lot! :-D
We usually focus on one per week, as part of morning "circle time."

Paper Doll Crafting Party, Take1

I was invited to an awesome little crafting party, and the theme this month was Paper Dolls.

Check out some of my friends' results:

Beautiful glitter and butterfly wings, leaf tank top and flower skirt (gathered pink ribbon,) and a tiny basket with a single blackberry. Adorable. She is standing on petrified wood, with lichen and a real toadstool.

For this one, the sweet lady sewed the quilt square that is being used as the skirt and crocheted the tiny hat and shawl herself!

Closer detail:
Next up, the 4th of July doll

She is beautiful.

Sam tinted the color in her face lightly, and embellished her fabric dress.

(that is antique lace) Detail:
Then two ladies made beautiful Halloween decorative doll hangings:

I love the old pictures, and her use of buttons!

So cute!

Three sisters.

Here are a couple of mine. I actually made a lot. When the theme was announced, I started looking for ideas, and became inspired to go several directions with it. I'll post the others soon.

The green box in the center is a lipstick case that my Mimi had given me.

detail:Inside: And, of course, the picture is of my Mimi. The baby is my daughter.

My next one is a bit more modern, whimsical, unusual...

detail: So much fun!! I LOVE being around other crafty people.

If you're not part of a crafting group, start one!

Surround yourself with people who encourage you, and you can encourage in return.

Let those creative juices flow.

Choose themes that will stretch you.
Have fun!