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Noteworthy Tidbits: Great CRAFTS

Oct. 18, 2008 • 9:47 AM

With Christmas closeby, we hope to start our Christmas gift-making soon. I am running behind on this yet life is running in fast forward. Here are the great things I have added to my computer notebook recently. I hope you like these great ideas as much as I have. They should get the creativity going!

First, here is an article letting everyone know (through a study done) that Crafts are an important part of learning and those students that do creative crafts or projects learn MORE! Students develop both a greater appreciation for and understanding of what they are learning.

For Fall decoration: Here is a silhouetted pumpkin!

Go find your old scarves for these great projects:

Here is a recycled Winter Scarf Blanket ! What a great idea, I can imagine sitting by a fire with this blanket remembering the times my children wore the scarves used. This would be great for grandparents as well! You can also find great scarves inexpensively at thrift stores to use! If they are not the same length, I would cut them to be the same and add a fun edging!

Here is a video showing how to make a bag out of a large scarf. This would be neat to use when traveling- just pack a scarf that matches your outfit and make the bag if needed. This is so simple yet makes such a great bag! This is an especially nice way to use those scarves you never seem to wear! Knotty & Nice Bags!

Here are 2 awesome gifts to make for children! I hope to at least make these for my own children if not also for gifts!

Colored Glue! A bottle of Elmers school glue and a marker cost much less than that cool colored glue in the stores! You could make a bottle in every color, add some paper and other craft/school supplies and you have a really neat gift for a creative child! How to make Colored Glue!

I am not a great sewer but I could handle this. I really like felt, too! A felt jungle (scene) is another really awesome idea. Make this and add of tub of plastic play animals and I am sure you created a toy that will last and the child will enjoy over and over again! Would be a neat travel toy as well. I could see it all going inside the felt, rolled up and a ribbon tied around!

Here are two inspirations for home-made cards:

Adorable Handprint card: a sweet note and special keepsake item that forever saves the little sized hand of a child- no matter how big they get! I will be on the look-out for paper clay!

This same lady created THIS clever birthday card!

Do you make a Christmas newsletter for family and friends? Here is a great article on the subject!

Since the election is just days away, here are two great resources for a unit study:

First is a FREE election Lapbook! You know I love lapbooking. What a great way to learn about the election process!

And, here is a great site on all the presidents with fun facts, photos and more. I like the way this site is set up, too; easy-to use and a great tool for learning more about all our United States presidents.

Last but not least we have two great websites

My youngest son is in a phase where he loves toy airplanes and paper airplanes. This site shows step-by-step directions for various planes as well as video tutorials for many! This is especially great because now I can make him airplanes- not just daddy!  The amazing Paper Airplane site!

and finally, this site is a real blessing to many, I am sure! This site by Calvery's Chapel Children's Ministry has 325 lessons on the Old and New Testament.

The printables are available in either English or Spanish! Each pdf file has coloring pictures with the verse, crossword and circle-a-word puzzles and fill-in-the-blank pages. These files will be a wonderful resource to use along with your own Bible studies, devotionals or children's ministry! Click here to access the materials offered by the Calvery's Chapel Children's Ministry.

Have a wonderful weekend!

If you found any of these sites helpful to you, please leave me a comment and let me know. I list these here so I have them saved to go back to, but I am also hoping that others get something out of the list as well!

Noteworthy Tidbits: School Edition

Aug. 28, 2008 • 9:35 PM

A lot of the links I have found lately that I wanted to save are either ideas for homemade Christmas gifts or school-related links. So.. this edition of Noteworthy Tidbits is going to have a School theme.

Something I didn't learn growing up or in home-ec class was how to can foods.  I wanted to try it this year and then teach my girls. I got peaches and collected equipment to give this a try but ... a few unexpected things have come my way that are more important so, we will do this next year and the peaches will get frozen this year! Anyway... Here are two great links for those starting out in canning!

This one has step by step instructions with pictures! The everything stop for info on canning! PickYourOwn.org

The Simple Woman's Cannery

Here are some wonderful projects for Art and for inspiring creativity!

The neatest homemade flowers: Simple to do and lovely to display!

Then ... look how she used them to make some really cool mobiles!

Here is a neat ribbon mobile! I'd like to incorporate the two mobile styles!

Science: TODAY in Science: See things that happened in Science (history) on a certain day! Select today's date or any other date and a list will appear to read!

Here are two wonderful history resources to use during a unit on the U.S. Presidents:

Presidential FUN FACTS and then... Printable American Presidents Cards (I really like these!!)

Here is the best site for fun with spelling words, SpellingCity ... just type in your spelling list and have fun studying the words with word scrambles, word seaches, and games!!

This site is one to try when learning a foreign language! Choose the language you want to work on and then "go to town" with games, videos, activities, etc.

Here are some for algebra... a new subject in our homeschooling recently!

Algebra Basics. Pick a problem you want to see solved. It will show you and tell you (visual and audible learning!)

This site has great tutorials. The name is a bit dumb though (Math for morons like us.-- I don't think so!- I wouldn't call anyone a moron- great, easy-to understand info though!)

Here are a few things for ...

 Watch this movie for a great and simple learning tool anyone can make. My tots are going to love these! So simple and clever- I love it! Alpabuddies will make an appearance in our home soon!

We will be doing a mini-unit on The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We will be doing these great pages after we read the book!

Lastly, did you see this list of FREE resources that TOS Magazine put together?

Now if you want to join in on this and post some of your own Noteworthy Tidbits, please sign in with Mr linky! You can also grab the logo here and add it to your post! (Please link back to this post!)

 I'll stop by and check out your links!

Noteworthy Tidbits: First one!

Jul. 31, 2008 • 1:51 PM

This is something new I am starting to do here on my blog!

I am a fairly organized person! I have lists all over the place and notebooks full of ideas. I have two huge binders filled with ideas from magazines, library books, etc. I like to have a place for everything and I try to keep everything in its place (once we are finished using it). It isn't always easy but I try. I find that organization gives me peace. If  an area/room is organized, you can find what you need when you need it-- saving time, energy and reducing stress. Just looking at a huge mess is stressful.

I found though that I wasn't able to easily keep all the good ideas I find online. I started printing some of them and adding them to my idea/craft notebooks but wanted something simpler. So I decided that I would keep them all here within posts that I call Noteworthy Tidbits. This way I can come back into these posts and get the particular link I am looking for. That project I saw last week won't go unforgotten any longer (I hope!). Enjoy the links! If you would like to do this too, let me know in a comment. If there is a lot of interest, I will try to put a Mr. Linky onto a future Noteworthy Tidbit entry.

I printed some of these paterns for button cards! So cute! Just add buttons. I will go to this link often to make stationery sets! Make about 6 buttons cards, stack them and tie with a bow. A great gift!

Another great gift idea: Lovin' From the Oven plus a cute and clever presentation: Individual Pies in a jar!

Great RESTAURANT Recipes: and arranged alphabetically (so organized!)

Here you can downoad an entire old-fashioned cookbook called Practical Recipes for the Housewife. Read this blogger's cute story about this book as well!

This link gives me a great idea to try to make these really neat 3D silhouette placemats. Having that dainty detail in the corner of a placemat would just make anyone eating there happy (I think!).

I am refinishing an old desk to put in my girl's room to be used as a vanity or work area. I thought this patchwork decoupage idea would be so whimsical to do to the top of the desk. Then I just need to find some cool new knobs!

Recylced Oraganization: This is an awesome recycled storage container to hang from a pegboard. Add the ribbon that matches the room. Plus make a COOL mask at the same time with the leftover piece!

A neat idea for homemade Christmas gifts: I think the older kids would enjoy making these Ice Candles with me, too!

Another great homemade gift idea: Here is a video that shows how to make this Year in Review Scrap-Lap book! I love this for the kids! (It even encourages them to write more and practice neat handwriting since it will be a keepsake item!)

The last two things are things I hope to incorporate into our Tot School soon:

Here is a neat color rainbow made from scrap paper. Simple but fun and a great assignment for learning/revewing colors.

 Have a great day!