Kids Craft Christmas Decor

Say that one ten times fast!  Between Tim and I we were really starting fresh with Christmas decorations.  He came with a cute ceramic tree from his childhood and a stocking and I had some ornaments my mom gave me along with ones I inherited from my Dad.  Now that we are in our own house and living on a budget I was really missing my mom's endless boxes of Christmas decorations.

Bear and I were feeling crafty and in the holiday spirit and made up some great easy decorations that kids can help with too (ages 3+)!

We made a Pom Pom Garland and a Christmas Star for the window.

Pom Pom Garland

Pom Poms in various sizes and colors
Thread - we used a sparkly silver thread we had leftover
Needle

Thread your needle - I didn't cut my thread to size since I didn't want anything to get tangled.  Have you preschooler choose the pom poms and help you thread them on. We used ones sized .25 inch, .5 inch and 1inch and used neon colors since that's what we had lying around from other crafts.  We didn't worry about the spacing until it was hung up.  We used about 38 pom poms spaced 2" apart to go over our big window in our living room.

Make sure when you are threading them to poke the needle through the center of the pom poms or they will fall off.  They didn't slide around once we spaced them out so we didn't bother to tie any knots before/after each pom pom (too much work)

Christmas Stars

Popsicle sticks - 10 per star and large or small size is fine.
Tacky Glue - I find this works best with popsicle sticks/wood crafts
Modge Podge - any finish will work fine
Foam Brush
Tissue Paper - any color(s)
Thread - for hanging

Arrange your popsicle sticks like shown below and use the tacky glue to hold them together on the ends in the shape of a star.  Let dry (this is a good time to make a pom pom garland or have a Christmas dance party).

Once dry tie your thread around the top of the star - cut long enough for your star to hang where you'd like when it is finished.  Using the foam brush and modge podge, paint on a thin (ish) layer on the back of the sticks and start putting on some tissue paper.  We found it was easiest to make 4 x 4 torn pieces of tissue and to work from there.  You want the paper to go over the edges of the sticks.

Then turn your star over and modge podge the other side and fold the edges over.  Add more modge podge and tissue paper until satisfied.  We only had two colors so we made a green star and a smaller purple star (broke the sticks in half for the smaller star).  Let dry and hang!  I think these would also look really cool with different colored papers collaged on.

What crafts are you going to do this winter?

Love,
PlusPeace

Holidays

Wow! It's been over a month since I've posted - oh dear!!

Quick update on toddler life:

1) Being 3 is hard.
2) Daddy's make good "bad guys" but also the best "P.I.C."
3) Getting a 3 year old who has never slept a whole night in his life to sleep takes persistence, patience and a routine but IS possible (we are on night three of 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep)
4) Napping is for adults too.

We have had a lot going on the last several weeks and I foresee a lot more chaos in the near future but, it's going to be OK.  We got a new washer and dryer last weekend - BEST thing we could have ever gotten!  If you need new ones I highly recommend the Samsung 4.2cu Washer and matching Dryer.  We got them on sale and what is usually a full day of laundry (6-7 loads) was only 3 loads!!

Anyways, I got a jump start on my Christmas shopping this year (I was pretty much done by November 1st) and I wanted to share some of the things I got that are my favorite...we overdid it...

Playmobils - I loved them as a kid and scored a few deals online so I got the advent calendar and some small sets for stocking stuffers.

Spiderman Action Figure - on sale at Target!

Accessories - Oddly, Bear really likes boy accessories (like cool superhero pins) so I got a bunch of those, a skull velcro belt (which is the best invention ever) and a hat

Spiderman Sweatshirt - it has a pull down mask in the hood!

Modular Race Track Set - I chose this over hotwheels because it was on sale and it came with a lot more pieces that go in a lot more different ways and works with matchbox cars too.

Lanard Engine Overhaul Set - This is the coolest of everything!  It's a toy engine with working parts that you can take apart and "fix".  Bear loves helping Daddy in the shop so we thought this would be perfect.

Train Set - Tim picked out one on ebay that is battery controlled and like 35 feet of track so that will be fun around the tree!

I got almost everything on Zulily - I recommend signing up they have awesome deals on kids stuff, women's stuff and stuff for the home.  I also always use Ebates for extra cash back :)

What are you planning for under the tree?

Love,
PlusPeace

Craft Necessities

Bear has been really into crafts lately and I don't always have a project ready to go so here are my Top 10 Craft Supplies to Keep on Hand

Markers & Washable Paint/Brushes

Craft Paper (that includes plain paper, construction paper, watercolor paper, anything)

Googley eyes

Pom Poms

Pipe Cleaners

Glue (Glue Sticks, Elmers, tacky) & Tape

Popsicle Sticks

Clothes Pins

Scissors (fun punches optional)

Yarn (multiple colors)

These are all cheap and can be stored in a Rubbermaid. From here, the supplies can be split into craft baggies or just let your little one be free with all of it.  We have a big cutting mat that I let Bear use on the floor since it’s plastic, it wipes easily and I don’t really care if it’s caked in glue.

Here are just a few crafts that you can do with these basic supplies..

Monster Buddies

Cut feet from the construction paper glue a pom pom to the feet and then glue on eyes

Halloween Decorations

Cut out ghosts, pumpkins, spiders, etc from the paper and hang them around the house.  We got glow paint for this so our ghosts glow in the dark but just as fun without.

Make a yarn web in the window and make pipe cleaner spiders to live there

You can also make houses from popsicle sticks, butterflies and airplanes with clothes pins, flowers with paper and pipe cleaners.

The possibilies are literally endless and if you are looking to spice up the craft selection you can keep these special items on hand too:

ShrinkyDinks (or equivalent)

Tissue Paper

Pony Beads

Fabric Squares

Puffy Paint

What are your favorite crafts?

Love,

PlusPeace

Successful Potty Tips

In my mind I thought Bear would be potty trained by age 2.  It's a typical potty training story, we started out strong, lost interest, came back to it and then were forced to really go for it.  We are almost completely there.  Down to poops, night time and occasionally at nap.

Bear, age 3, decided recently to purposefully pee his pants at Nana's house.  Not certain what brough this one but once we hit a certain point in potty training I just kind of gave up, like, oh he'll just sort of do the rest on his own.  It does not work that way.  We had several incidents where poop was smeared on things (gross, I know) so we had to try something!

I am happy to say we're relatively accident free (except real accidents) and he goes poo in the potty almost every day.  Thanks to a clever idea from Nana, the phrase "Mommy, I need to sink a boat" has become quite common.

If you are down to the point where your child flat out refuse to poop in the potty try this:

The S.S. POOPNUGGET Battle Ship Tutorial

Now I had heard of little flushable boats or adding a goldfish to the potty to help with aim but would have never thought to use little boats as a way to get to #2

Get some old magazine or newspaper pages - these end up being about 3 inches long and dissolve pretty quickly.  Follow these instructions: HERE

I personally have never made these, thankfully my mom made a stock of them to keep in the bathroom but since they are working so well I will learn.

Stock up on boats and keep them in the bathroom (preferably out of reach - these are special boats with one purpose).  I don't offer the diaper option unless he is going to bed so if I notice him being quiet in his room (or clenching his cheeks) I ask him if he needs to sink a boat, he usually says yes, we drop it in and he...sinks the boat!

I would not use this option for aim since you dont want to flush a million paper boats down the potty.  We are on town sewer so beware if you have septic.  

If you are trying to get your little to practice aim, buy the Scrubbing Bubbles Gel Discs.  They are little gel discs that stick to the inside of the bowl.  Bear enjoys trying to aim his pee at the disc and there is no harm to the toilet since all they are made for keeping potties clean.

How are you tackling the potty?

Love,

PlusPeace

Solar Powered Pumpkin Jars - DIY

Thank you, Nana for this amazing craft!  My mom and Bear made these cute pumpkin lights (powered by solar garden lights) and I just had to share

You will need:

Paintbrushes (preferably with long handles)

Various glass jars (jelly jars, pastene jars, canning jars, etc)

Acrylic paint – think pumpkin and fall colors: Orange, Red, Brown, Yellow

Sticky-back Black Foam

Solar Garden Lights – Try Target, Walmart or clearance sales at HomeDepot for cheap

Electrical Tape

Scissors

How To:

Put a dime sized blob of 1-2 colors of paint inside each jar and let your little ones use the brushes to coat the inside of the jars.  Cut out eyes, nose and mouth shapes from the stick back foam.  You can also do spiders, shapes or anything your imagination can come up with.  Stick them to the outside of the jars.

While the paint dries, remove the sticks from the solar garden lights and use the electrical tape to put the light up parts onto the top of each jar.  Make sure you pull the tape tight so they stay in place.  If you use mason jars, remove the lid inserts and tape the lights to the rings). 

Leave them in the sun and watch them glow at night!!

If you have trouble finding solar lights use the battery operated votive candles (Target, Walmart, craft stores and some dollar stores)

Love,

PlusPeace

Lessons

As a mom I naturally worry about my child's academic development.  Facebook doesn't help, mom's are constantly posting their child's achievements, and I do it too.  I decided to make a list of the things my kid is great at, yeah he can't write his name or draw a face but there are countless other things that make me proud.  This is not a brag post but a reminder to stop and enjoy what your child is and can do, not what other kids can do :)

Say his ABCs and count to 23
Successfully crack an egg without getting shells in the bowl
Check tire pressure with the pressure gauge
Use the pedals on his tricycle
Explain the exhaust system (simply) on an 18 wheeler truck
He can spell his name
Make patterns on a peg board
Put on/take off his own shirt
Share
He knows how to love his family and friends no matter what

Of course the list could go on but these are big ones for me...what are your little ones doing to make you proud?

Love,
PlusPeace

Grab Bags - Preschool

It has been a stressful few weeks but we've gotten through it!  Bear did excellent for his surgery last Thursday and recovered almost immediately.  The nursing staff and Doctors at Mercy are AMAZING! We topped off the week with a great trip to Story Land in NH which was really fun because it was a surprise for Bear.  He was so giddy when he figured out where we were going :)

Iv'e bit off more than I can chew lately so, unfortunately, SillyKids Box is going to be QUARTERLY but will include more activities.  I just can't commit to a monthly thing when I am working a full time job and trying to start up a small business.

I poo-pooed Kiwi Crate for a while because I figured there was no way it could be worth the cost but recently received a deal from them and we got our first box.  I have to say, I love it.  What I ended up doing was splitting up the three activities in Kiwi Crate and the activities from last month's SillyKids Box and making grab bags for the winter (the boring times in Maine).  Take a look below:

Gallon Sized Baggies

Puke Bucket from the Hospital (shh) Don't worry, unused.

I am really excited to use all the activities and can't wait to add more!  I also got the "Creative Room" cleaned up this weekend (AKA my office/Bear's mini classroom/guest room).  And Bear spent some time giving play-doh hair cuts and painting pretty pictures for the walls.

That about wraps it up for now! Also, check out the August SillyKids Box post for some pictures of how te finished Robot City looks - updating it now!

Love,

PlusPeace