Butterlflies

In preparation for our butterfly world outing.....paint splotch butterflies, a butterfly magic schoolbus movie, a butterfly book...and for our preschooler .... Acting out the lifecycle of butterflies to classical music! And a Very Hungry Catterpillar necklace. 

Glitter Christmas cards.

So we made some Christmas cards, but didn't get our act together to post them! Ok, my excuse is pregnancy brain and severe nausea.

We made star stamps out of foam , but you can push a star cookie cutter into a potato for similar effect. Dipped them in glue and stamped them then threw glitter all over the place and let them dry.

Voila - sparkly christmas cards! Easy enough for really little ones to join in.

Felt Advent Calendar

Because we don't do chocolates, sweets, chemicals, colourants and all the other things that come with normal shop-bought advent calendars, I decided to make a calendar from felt that can be used again and again. I took all my felt scraps to make the pockets, glued on foam numbers I found at a sewing shop and used embroidery thread to sew around each pocket. It is delightfully colourful and each morning the boys rush through to get their card in there, which I have posted the night before. We made the cards up together and they range from; visiting a friend to a new chritmas story book, an outing, a picnic, a special game or stickers.

It has worked really well so far.

Spring Necklaces

Ok we took some craft foam pages (I bought these from Merrypak) and I cut them into flowers.

We cut up some straws to thread inbetween.

We then used a blunt wool needle and string to sew these on.

I am inspired by Waldorf Crafts and sewing is so therapeutic for children.

Anyway they enjoyed them and it was really a quick and easy craft.

(If your children are older they can draw and cut out their own flowers)

Nature Prints and sewing.

Ok these are so fabulous looking and so so easy.

So you need : some cream material/ or white - any kind will do, a hammer, a piece of white paper, raffia or ribbon or string for handle and a twig.

So send the children into the garden to gather a few leaves and flowers. Then they come and place them on their square of material (mine were about 20cm square).

Lay the white paper over the top and hammer the flowers and leaves for a few minutes till you can feel they are flat.

Lift the paper and gently scrape remains off material. Viola. I stitched a line across top to make a seam and they threaded their stick through. Then I tied the handle on.

Last night I had some special girl friends come over for a craft evening.

Well we felted and embroidered and sewed and cut and stuffed and spooned and this is what we ended up with .... an assortment of the cutest christmas trees ever. I love the one with the cross, to remember Jesus - the reason for the season.... and yes we do know it is not Christmas yet, but we are getting ready and crafting away. My personal aim is to make my own christmas gifts for family members this christmas. It is a big time commitment, but it is worth it!