Camp Crafts

I like to take a little simple craft to camp for the girls to do if they want to. Last year we made layered felt butterfly finger puppets (http://artteajannell.blogspot.com/2010/09/felt-butterflies.html), and this year we made wrapped or colored bracelets out of the large craft (popsicle) sticks. We bent the sticks prior to camp. To do this we gently boiled the sticks in hot water on the stove for 30 minutes, then let them soak for at least another half hour. Then carefully work them to soften and bend to fit into the inside of glasses to dry. This makes the curve. We found that fewer broke if we fitted them into a larger set of glasses, and then transferred them to smaller juice-type glasses to finish drying to the right size. Later, when you glue or draw on them, the moisture can make the curve loosen up. We put rubber bands around them after decorating to help them dry again to the correct size.

To make the banded color, we put a bit of glue on the inside of one end of a bracelet and glued the end of embroidery floss to it. Then we smoothed glue on the front in about 1 " sections and wrapped it with floss, repeating until done. Glue the floss/yarn end to the back at the other end of the bracelet when you get done. You can start or stop colors as you go, gluing the ends in the back at the start and end of each color.

I found that verigated floss worked great for these. The girls added beads when they wrapped for added interest on a couple of them. We used permanemt markers to draw on the colored bracelets. When done, we brushed a coat of Mod Podge on them to seal.

Mushroom Intricacies

Postcards from God-earthy, intricate beauty (pix by L.)

TC and Ballet Start

The Middle School and High School homeschooling Tutoring Center classes started last week. L is taking World Literature and Composition, World History and American History. M is taking Middle School Chemistry, Literature and Composition and World History. W. and her friends sometimes get to hang out and do things together at the library. (Above, from L.) W. Abby, Hannah, Gemma and Tess.

Dance started on Wed. W. started ballet this year with Friend Abby. They look so cute together. M. is in Chechetti II and L. is in Chechetti III ballet this year.

Earring Holder

M. made an earring holder the other day. She needs one for when she can start switching out her pierced earrings next month. We took and old frame from Goodwill and removed the back and glass. We had some old screen that had been spray painted gold for another craft, which she cut to fit with an old scissor. She laid the screen into the frame and squeezed hot glue dabs into the corners and along the edges, rubbing the glue down into the wire with the hot point of the glue gun so the melted glue contacted the frame through the screening. Done! A wall mounted frame would work as well.

A Little More Birthday

Big brothers and sisters were out tonight for W's birthday. Mac made a cake.



The girls were having a MacK spa.

Birthday Blanket

W. wanted a new blanket for her birthday, and one day while I was in Hobby Lobby, I saw this great material on clearance. I bought some sale ribbon to match and made her this cute blanket for her birthday.

Because the width of the fabric was a bit longer than the length of the ribbon, I decided to gather the blanket a few inches above the top and bottom edges and sew the ribbon on this seam. I like the girly, ruffly look. To make it even more girly and ruffly, I scalloped the top and bottom edge.

I used three pages of taped-together notebook paper and a small bowl to make a ruffle pattern to cut the edges. Do this cutting before you gather the blanket. I had some trouble sewing the ribbon on neatly, since I had ribbon on both sides on the blanket. I found that if I lined up the middle of the ribbon with the gathering seam and pinned all three layers together every inch or so, it sewed together much more neatly. I used pink ribbon on one side and blue on the other. I think these blankets would make cute gifts.

A Bit of Birthday

Today W. is 9!

Husband thought I should be in the picture, too.

On Tues. some friends went with her to play in the park and have an ice cream snack at McDonald's while their older siblings were in Tutoring Center classes.

Family Camp-Praying Together

Elizabeth


Group picture.

Family Camp-Playing Together

Mark, Husband, John, Tess, Sydney, W., Abby, Maria, M, Sus, Thomas, CeCe, Nicole, Nick, Charles, Teens play

Mr. H-classic volleyball socks, Gid

Adult/HS volleyball, Fran, Husband

Ann, Katie, M., Maria, Cec, Nicole, Sus, Girls singing on the fire pit


(Last picture) back: Hannah, Carina, Grace, Katie, Mary, Isabel , front: L. Rachel, Annie, Cassie

This Week

This week we scattered grass seed on the scars from the trees we removed in the front yard. I finished another embroidered dish towel.

The girls and I went to a shower for Friend W. Scott's lovely bride-to-be. (The horse towels were for her.) We made some pies for the weekend.