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Homeschooling Adventures at the Maxwell's
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
CRAFT CORNER - Art Quake
Create an "art quake" by cutting apart a shape. Then paste it back together leaving spaces in between each piece. Notice how the spaces give energy and movement to your piece of art.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Two contrasting colors of paper (such as black and white or yellow and red)
Scissors
Glue
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Cut one sheet into a large, interesting shape. (My interesting shape happened to be a rectangle, feel free to bask in my creativity!!)
Then cut that shape into unusual pieces. Put the pieces back together like a puzzle on the uncut sheet. Leave spaces between each small piece. Let the bold color of the uncut sheet show through. Paste down the pieces when you are happy with the way they are spaced.
How's that for art that really moves you!?!
Here are two more example that my son and daughter made and wanted me to post on here.
 This one appears to be missing a lot of paper, my daughter decided to do this art project her own way and, you know what, it still looks good!!
Another option: Try "art quaking" a magazine photo. Cut it into strips. Past the strips down, in order, on construction paper. Don't let the strips line up exactly with each other. Let the construction paper show between each strip. The new photo will look as if it's been through an art quake! |
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Friday, November 7, 2008
CRAFT CORNER - Fun Fabric Parachute
This craft will be a hit with kids of all ages, and it is very economical.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Piece of fabric, 15 inches square
Piece of fabric, 5 inches square
Ruler
Fabric pen or pencil
Scissors
4 pieces of string, each 15 inches long (can also use yarn or thin ribbon)
Small stone, 1 inch wide
Rubber band (I couldn't find my rubber bands so I used a hair elastic instead)
Lay the 15-inch fabric square onto a table with the right/front side, facing up. At the upper left corner measure 1 inch from the side and 1 inch down from the top. Mark a small dot on the spot. Mark a small dot in the other 3 corners in the same way.
Cut a small slit on each marked dot. To cut a slit, fold in the edge of the fabric so that a dot shows on the fold. Then cut a small slit on the dot. Repeat with the other three dots.
Thread a string through one of the slits. Make a loop, and then tie the string in a double knot. Thread pieces of string through the rest of the slits in the same way.
Lay the 5-inch square of fabric onto the table, with the wrong/back side facing up. Then lay the ends of the string across the 5-inch fabric square as shown.
Place the stone on top of the strings.
Fold the cloth around the stone to form a small pouch. Close the pouch with the rubber band.
Take your parachute by the bundle and hold it upside down.
Take the pointed end of the parachute and begin rolling it towards the bundle until it looks like this.
Take your parachute outside and roll it up as shown. Then toss it high into the air. The parachute will open as it floats back down to the ground!
This would be a fun craft to do with a group of children using a wide variety of fabric squares so no two parachutes would look the same. You could also provide fabric markers and plain white fabric so they could design their own style. The part where the children may need help is threading the string through the small holes, but otherwise it's all pretty easy. Also, remind the kids to try to throw the rolled parachute UP and not OUT, it will make a world of difference! Have fun!! |
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Saturday, November 1, 2008
CRAFT CORNER - Beaded Book Thong
While I was shopping at the mega book store at my local mall, I noticed some of these "book thongs" by the checkout. There were merely pieces of embroidery floss with beads and/or charms on the ends. The price tag was $5.99!! OUCH! I made this one for just a few cents.
Here are the supplies:
Embroidery floss
costume jewelry
scissors
hand towel
I had a nice picture of all the supplies neatly laid out on the towel with the necklace still intact, however, I somehow lost it in the process of moving it from the camera to the computer.
I like to use a hand towel when working with beads as it seems to help keep them from rolling all over the table. I snipped the end of the necklace and took all the beads and sorted them into various piles with similar qualities. Cut 2 pieces of the floss, about 18" long.
Using your mouth, wet the ends of the floss to get them to go through the holes in the beads. You may need to do this with every bead and it sometimes helps to also twist the floss with your fingers to give it a slight point. Figure out how you want your beads to be assembled and put about 1 to 2 inches of beads on each end of both pieces of floss.
Knot above and below the beads on each end to keep them from sliding up and down the floss.
Put the two finished pieces together and tie them together about 2 to 3 inches from each end.
To use, just place in between the pages you want to mark.
Enjoy! These could also make nice gifts for the readers in your family. Look in your jewelry box, I bet you can finds loads of costume jewelry. The necklace I used still has most of the beads left, I could probably easily make 10 more just from it. I think I will, get a little head start on my Christmas gift making. |
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Thursday, October 30, 2008
Bummer of a Day
For some reason I'm feeling totally bummed today. I do have the tail end of a migraine (gotta love hormones) so I'm sure that's a big reason. I just have some things that I really need to take care of but I feel so scatterbrained that I can't seem to get anything done.
Plus, on top of that, I feel guilty that my husband is working two jobs and he still comes home to a messy house. I MUST make it a priority to have our home in a peaceful state for him to relax in when he comes home. I'm so blessed that he takes on the responsibility of earning our income, and I need to do a much better job of budgeting it. We are meeting our bills okay, all except our electric and it is horribly behind (I'm sorry worried about it too). I'm totally stressing myself out about where the money will come from for Christmas though. I'm working on cutting back on what we spend this year, but I still need to find the money for it somewhere.
I've been working on some crafts for the Craft Writer Blog on the HSB Company Front Porch, I really should try making more of certain ones and list them on Etsy just to see if they sell. If they don't sell, I could still give them away as gifts anyway, right? The problem is, I have great ideas, but seriously lack in the follow through. Right now I have a quilt top I started over a year ago sitting in a pile on top of my kitchen table. I bought the fabric February before last, cut it out several months later, arranged them in the order I wanted to sew them in several months after that, and finally started sewing them together last week. I haven't touched it since!!
I know I probably have some attention deficit problems, but I'm waiting for my insurance to kick in at my husbands main employer so I can go to the doctor and hopefully get some meds to try.
I'm just in a grumpy, blue mood today and was wanting to vent. I have a few friends that I chat with on msn messenger, but they all must be keeping busy with other aspects of their lives.
Well, I'm needing to get off of here. My hubby will be home in about an hour from work and I need to make it look like I've been cleaning today. I so need to declutter, that would make a huge difference around here. |
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Monday, October 27, 2008
CRAFT CORNER - 2 Hour Baby Quilt
This must be the year for having babies!! I know so many beautiful women that are bringing such wonderful blessings into this world, I just had to share this super easy and oh-so-elegant baby quilt. I call it a quilt, but it might actually be considered a blanket since the top is actually one piece of fabric and not a lot of smaller pieces sewn together. However, once it's finished, it sure looks quilted.
Here's what you'll need to make one similar to what you see here:
1 yard of soft flannel with some sort of pattern
1 yard of coordinating solid satiny fabric (look for both of these in the baby section of the fabric store)
1 spool of matching quality thread
Pins
Sewing machine
Scissors
Start off by washing both pieces of fabric, this will take out any sizing that might be in it. After washing and drying, iron them smooth. (Hmmm, should I have listed washing machine, dryer, iron and ironing board in the supplies needed?)
And no matter how carefully someone attempts to cut fabric, the only true way to make it absolutely "square" is to tear it. (Not all fabrics can be torn, such as jersey.) Start at one of the cut edges and cut a small snip along the edge about an inch in and then tear it all the way across the fabric to the other end. Do this on both cut ends to even it up. You do not have to do this to the selvedge ends, but you can if you want. If you notice that when you tear the fabric from where you snipped it that it doesn't make it all the way to the other end, then move in a little more and try again. Sometimes it looks like you are wasting a lot of fabric, but it really needs to be done so it will lay properly. Do this to both pieces of fabric.
Lay the backing fabric on a flat surface, I use my kitchen table (be sure to wipe up any food or other spills first), and smooth it out with your hands. The backing fabric should have the side you want to show facing the table. On top of it, place the top piece with the design you want to show facing up. You will have the wrong sides together. You will need the backing fabric to be about an inch larger all the way around the top fabric. If you need to trim any then continue with the tearing method you used earlier. Keep laying them together until you have them the way you need them.
After smoothing the fabrics together with your hands to make sure all wrinkles are gone, begin pinning them together. You may use safety pins if you prefer, or straight pins, that's up to you. It's a small blanket, so about 20 pins should work fine.
Once you have it all pinned down and are satisfied with it, you are ready to begin sewing it together. Start at one corner and sew in a pattern towards the opposite corner in a diagonal. Depending on the pattern on the fabric, you might just follow a preprinted line or you may need to eyeball a pattern yourself, either way it will still look great. You'll backstitch both at the beginning of the line and again at the end. Once you reach the end, go to the closest line beside the one you just did and do it again. Stay in the same diagonal direction until that entire direction is complete. Once done that way, start going in the diagonal the other way, again starting in the middle and working out.
Once done with all this sewing, you'll need your scissors to trim all the ends of thread. Just snip, snip, snip away. Flip the blanket over and do all the threads on that side too.
Now you are ready to use that excess backing fabric to make the binding. Start at one corner and down at the front fabric edge, fold the raw edge of the backing in to meet the raw edge of the front. Then fold in again so the folded edge of the backing is over the front piece edge. There are several ways to continue with the binding, it may depend on what you feel most comfortable doing. I just fold it over like this and start sewing, then stop after a few inches, fold a little more, then sew some more, then stop, then fold, then sew, all the way around. You can also fold and pin down all the way around, this will take more time initially, but won't require the constant stopping and folding like I do. You can also fold and iron it down. This would also take some time to do, but would also make it easier when it comes to stitching. If you are not sure try a different method on three of the sides and pick the one you liked best for the last one.
Whatever method you select, just stitch each side down overlapping the corners. Trim all threads and TA-DA, beautiful baby quilt that you made all by yourself!! |
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Monday, October 20, 2008
CRAFT CORNER - Artful Color Wheels
This craft project is also educational, I love these kinds!! While making these you will also be learning about primary and secondary colors and how to combine some to make the others.
For supplies you will need:
Acrylic/craft paint in red, blue, and yellow
Watercolor paint in red, blue and yellow
White paper
Paint brush
Rinse water
Black Sharpie Marker
Small circular object, about 5 inches in diameter
Trace around the bowl twice, once near the top edge and once near the bottom edge. Draw three disecting lines through the circle to make six pie slices.
Label each slice as primary or secondary, alternating between the two as shown in the above picture.
Starting with the watercolor yellow paint, color three slices, one primary and the secondary ones on either side of it. Rinse out the brush well between color changes or combinations.
Using the blue watercolor, do the next primary slice and the two secondary slices on either side of it. One of the secondary slices will already have yellow paint in it, so cover it with the blue also. You've just made your first secondary color - GREEN.
Taking the red watercolor, fill in the remaining primary slice and the two secondary slices on either side of it. You'll cover the yellow to make the secondary color of ORANGE, and the blue to make the secondary color of PURPLE.
To make a color wheel using the craft/acrylic paint, put one drop of each color in the same order/combination as you did using the watercolors.
Paint each of the primary colors first, rinsing the brush very well in between.
Then go back and use the brush to smear/combine the two paint drops in the secondary slices to make a new color. You will end up with the same color combinations as you did with the watercolors.
Allow this paper to dry thoroughly it is suitable for framing. Not only is it a colorful piece of artwork, it can also be used as an educational tool. Enjoy!! |
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Saturday, October 11, 2008
CRAFT CORNER - Easy Mittens
This project is for some super easy mittens.
SUPPLIES:
Fabric (I'm using polar fleece, but you can also use old sweaters, sweatshirts, etc.)
Sheet of paper
Marker
Pins
Scissors
Needle
Thread
To begin:
Lay your hand on a sheet of paper with fingers close together and the thumb sticking way out to the side. Trace around your hand, make sure you leave enough paper on the sides for a half-inch seam allowance.
Draw around the hand outline again going out about a half-inch all the way around for the seam allowance.
Cut out the pattern on the second line.
Fold the fabric you are using double, right sides together. Pin the pattern onto the fabric.
Cut through the fabric, around the pattern.
Remove the pattern and pin fabric together, still with right sides together.
Here is a fast and effective way to make a knot on the end of your thread. First thread the eye of the needle with the thread. Take the end of the thread and cross over the needle leaving a little tail, hold down against the needle with your thumb.
Now take the thread that leads off from where you are holding it down, and wrap around the needle several time (the more times you wrap it the larger the knot). Then hold the wrapped thread with your thumb also. Pinching the wrapped needle between your thumb and finger, with the other hand pull the needle out through the wrapped thread. Continue pinching and pulling until it won't go any further. TA-DA!! Knotted thread.
Beginning at the cuff, hand stitch all the way around the mitten, only coming in about a 1/4" for the seam. Continue all the way around making very, very small and close stitches. When you get back to the cuff, leave it open across the cuff and knot the thread again to finish it. Trim the threads.
Take the scissors and clip the corners and curves so the fabric will lay nicely when you turn it right side out. Be very careful not to accidently clip through the stitching.
Now, turn it right side out and smooth it out.
You have now made yourself a beautiful and easy mitten. If you'd like a pair, just repeat all the steps above! LOL!
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is one of the first publications I started getting when I began homeschooling 4 years ago, and it is the only homeschool magazine I've continued with. The other magazines that are available for and about homeschooling families are okay, but nothing compares to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. It is so full of useful advise, wonderful tips and ideas, and knowledgeable articles.
I wanted to tell you all about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Fall Special. You can get two years of the magazine, 6 fabulous physical gifts (no downloads!) worth over $120, plus the current issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine that is full of ideas for the new school year, so you start receiving your magazine in a flash!
It really is one of their best deals ever and you don't want to miss out. In fact, they've got a really cute Homeschooling with Heart tote bag (valued at $13.95) for the first 1000 to subscribe. About half of them are gone, but you should still be able to get one if you hurry! (They will remove the info from the subscription page when the bags are all gone.) The total value is over $212, but you receive it all for only $39 - 50% off of cover price! Plus subscribers get their online monthly Teacher's Toolbox which focuses on a different topic each month, giving you words of encouragement, hands-on teaching ideas, book recommendations, field trip ideas, and a bonus download item.
I think any homeschooling family will greatly benefit by having this magazine. If any of those links don't work for you, just link to http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/US_Promotion.php.
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Sunday, August 24, 2008
Getting Ready For School
We'll be starting back to our formal studies on Tuesday, the 26th. I've spent the afternoon getting some of the things ready. I'm trying to have things better organized this year and so far things are looking great.
I took a shoebox and assigned one for each of the kids. I premeasured them and all three will fit on one shelf in the homeschool closet. Each morning, the kids will just grab their box from the cabinet and bring it to the table. It will be filled with everything they will need for their individual schoolwork for that week. I've started filling them up some already. Each has a new spiral notebook for their journal, their word book (a 3-ring binder for writing vocab words), math books, reading, spelling, writing, and pencil cases. As I get more things sorted then each will be filled with more stuff.
I will also be using a shoebox for items will use as a group, like science projects, art history, classic literature, social studies, etc., that we'll be using for that week, along with any planners or logs that I'll be using. On the shelf I'll be keeping that box on will also be all our normal daily supplies like the 3 hole punch, date stamp, stapler, pencil sharpener, etc.
I'm still sorting through papers and books that I've looked through over the summer and I want to get the lessons and ideas from them all planned out. Our first week will not be hugely filled, we will get back into the schooling groove at an easy pace, mostly setting up and organizing everything. Then the next week will begin the first of our 1st 12-week term that will last until the end of November. I'm so excited!! I just know we are going to have a great time this year! |
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Sunday, August 24, 2008
Menu Plan For This Week
Since we are starting school again this week, I wanted to make sure we had healthy and yummy meals ready for us so I planned out our menus to make it one less thing for me to stress about. I looked through my giant recipe file and chose a few things to make as well as some tried and true favorites. I planned it all out - breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. If there is an asterik next to something, it just means I have a recipe for it. If I remember it or if someone requests it, I'll post the recipes I'll be using this week.
SUNDAY (8/24/08)
B - scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon
L - George Foreman chicken, salad
D - pasta, meatballs and sauce (slow cooker), salad, garlic bread
S - garlic pita chips, french onion dip*
MONDAY (8/25/08)
B - french toast sticks, syrup
L - ham sandwiches, veggies and dip
D - meatball hoagies, salads
S - pear pie*
TUESDAY (8/26/08)
B - scrambled eggs with cheese, ham, grapes
L - Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up*, salad
D - meatball veggie soup (slow cooker), cornbread*
S - Creamsicle Ice*
WEDNESDAY (8/27/08)
B - Grab 'n Go Breakfast Cookies*
L - George Foreman grilled cheese, tomato soup
D - Baked Cola-Onion Chuck Roast*, tater skins, corn, salad
S - Oreo no-bake cheesecake*
THURSDAY (8/28/08)
B - Overnight Cinnamon Rolls*
L - leftover soup
D - tacos, fruit salad
S - popcorn
FRIDAY (8/29/08)
B - cereal or oatmeal
L - left over tacos or taco salads
D - sloppy joes on garlic bread, green beans with bacon, baked potatoes
S - mini meringue pumpkins*
SATURDAY (8/30/08)
B - scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, and fried baked potatoes slices
L - leftovers
D - leftovers
S - snow capped nuts* |
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