Christmas Advent Calendars

So every year, I try to do some kind of Advent Calendar with scriptures to read each night. I've actually had to re-do this list several time, and I'm sure you can find others if you did a search, but I'm going to post mine...for posterity or whatever :) I've tried to start with prophesies about Christ's birth, and scriptures talking about who he will be and what he will do, then I put the event's of His birth from the Book of Mormon on the 22, the story of the Wise Men on the 23, and we like to read Luke 2 Christmas Eve. I've left several days blank for things like stories out of the Friend or some of our Christmas books. (I know one year, I had it so it was a scripture every day, but I don't know how I did that, and I like to mix in some of those articles anyway) This year, I put them on the back of strips of scrapbook paper and we'll make a paper chain as we go.

Day 1 - Luke 1:26-38
Day 2 - Matt 1:18-25
Day 3 - 2 Nephi 19:6-8
Day 4 -
Day 5 -
Day 6 - Moses 5:57
Day 7 - 1 Nephi 19:8-11
Day 8 -
Day 9 - John 1:14
Day 10 -
Day 1 1- Micah 5:2
Day 1 2-
Day 1 3-
Day 1 4- 1 Nephi 18-20
Day 1 5-
Day 1 6- 2 Nephi 25:13-14, 19
Day 1 7-
Day 1 8- Isaiah 7:14
Day 1 9- Helaman 14: 2-9
Day 20- 1 Nephi 10:4-6
Day 21 - Alma 7:9-13
Day 22 - 3 Nephi 1:1, 4-21
Day23 - Matt 2: 1-2, 9-11
Day24 - Luke 2: 1-20

We also are doing one using the list from Somewhat simple.

apron pictures

So here is my first attempt at this apron. I think it turned out really cute. Because the bib is too short for me, Aimee will be getting this apron. It's a little big on her, but it will work just fine. I want to find a pretty button or something to put at the top...but that can be done later.

This is Betty modeling for us...see, a little big, but Aimee loves it, so that's all that really matters.

New apron!

So, I haven't been feeling particularly crafty or creative or patient enough with my kids to do crafts with them...but I'm trying to get myself re-motivated.

Lately I've been longing to have pretty things in my house...but I can't afford to just go out and buy them....so I'm trying to learn to make them. Right now, I want to work on sewing...I want a fabulous 50's style dress...I can see it in my head, and I've even seen a few online that I really like, but to get it just right, I know I'll have to learn how to do it myself. So, I'm starting on small projects and I'm going to try to work on them at least a little everyday.

Yesterday, I made an apron. I found this great tutorial that I followed exactly. It was really a good tutorial, and the apron turned out very nice! I had to rip out a couple seams because I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing...but her instructions were very good. My camera got left in the car that my husband took to work, so I'll have to post a picture later.

A few things I would change for next one. The bib on this one is too short for me. I'll make the neck tie in back so I don't have to do button holes. The waist ties, I'll fold over and sew then turn right side out...the ironing and hemming of those is a task I don't enjoy, so why do it that way when I like the other way better? :) Plus, I think it will look better so you don't have the back of a tie showing. And I may try one with a pleated ruffle...wouldn't that be pretty?

Overall, this was a very fun, easy project, and I think I'll do some measurements so my girls can make some for themselves.

Getting ready for the Tooth Fairy

So, the tooth fairy will be called in any day now, for Aimee's First loose tooth! It is a very exciting time around here. So, I made this little pillow for her. Cute, hu?

Supplies I used:
Paper (to draw pattern)
pencil
Scissors
1/4 yard White fabric (I used flannel and 1/4 is more then you need, but you need that width)
White thread
Embroidery thread (fabric paint for the words if you'd rather)
Embroidery hoop
Sewing machine
Cotton stuffing

How to:

1) Draw the tooth shape for front and back of pillow. I filled a whole 8x11 sheet and felt it was a good size. make an oval/circle for top of pillow...same width as top of tooth shape. Draw small pocket, big enough for a tooth and then change/bills from tooth fairy.

2) Cut out the pattern and transfer it to your fabric...I used a washable marker in a light color. If your embroidery hoop is bigger then the tooth, do not cut it out first...let's just not cut it out yet, for ease of directions :) Cut out all but the front(at least the pocket if nothing else), leaving enough around the front to secure in hoop.

3) Hem the top of pocket if necessary. I folded mine over and ran a blanket stitch along the top with embroidery thread. You could just run it through your sewing machine. Secure tooth front in hoop and stitch pocket in place with embroidery thread. Write "Tooth Fairy" with light washable marker or soft pencil (remember to leave room for a seam). Embroider front(or use fabric paint, letter buttons, or whatever other embellishment you wish). I'm wishing I'd added "sparkles" with 6 point stars on mine, and will likely go back and add something.

4) cut out fabric (if you haven't already) Place front and back together wrong side out.

5) Sew up all execpt the top of tooth. Place top of tooth along front so the hem will be on the inside. (I don't know how to word that, but I hope you have enough sewing experience to logic it out...)

6) Turn right side out. Wash by hand if it is neccessary to remove ink/pencil. Let dry.

7) Stuff (I used cotton filling). Turn seam under on back/top and stitch.

wow, that was a lot of steps...but it really wasn't hard. I did it in an evening, and think I could do another faster (I'm thinking of getting ones for Betty and Katie done while it's fresh in my mind) If I do, I'll post pics and maybe even scan in the pattern I made for you to use....now I just need to find the going rate for teeth...anyone know what the Tooth Fairy pays now-a-days?

A new place for books

First, not a lot of projects going on this week, cause we are mostly just enjoying our visit from Uncle Grady! The girls LOVE having him here! Lot's of giggles and wildness and running around...and that's just Grady :p

So, a while ago, I made plans for a sling style kids bookshelf. Then we moved and I didn't have access to tools to make it. Then I saw this which is kinda almost what I was wanting. (mine was a free standing unit with 3 "slings" with different depths...but for what I've got to work with, this will due....someday I'll make my cool freestanding unit)

So, I gathered the supplies. I'm wanting a lot of color, so I loved this fabric.
Then I had this bare spot on the wall that was perfect for it. It's right at Betty's eye level which is perfectly out of Katie's reach. I plan to make another one (got fabric that is the same colors, but with stripes). It's going to go below this one for Katie's books. If I were to make another one, I think I'd use a little heavier fabric, and for kids books, not make it quite as deep.

Book review!

You Can't Take a Ballon Into the Metropolitan Museum By Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman and Robin Preiss Glazzer

What a fun book! It's such an expressive story...with absolutely NO WORDS. My girls and I looked though it together and tomorrow we are going to use the references in the back of the book to look up some of the art pieces and learn some more about them. We're also going to talk about art representing life (as many of the pictures show this). This has also been a great book for my girls to look at on their own, since the pictures tell the story so well. Definitely one to check out!

Lots of catching up....Lots of fun experiences.

So, what have I been doing this last week and a half...where I am NOT posting my promised posts? We've been living life.
We did this art project from Art Project for Kids. The top two are mine. I've found that it works really well if I do an example before, then do one with them that is different to show that there are different ways to do things and to encourage them to use their imagination.

The girls built snowmen with their dad. LOL...like how the snowman has arms? Guess they couldn't find branches.
We planted Wheatgrass to observe...we weren't real observant though, and we got a lot of mold in it...I've found some better directions and we're going to be starting this again this week.
I started home-made hankies. I saw a suggestion to make some out of flannel. This is the fabric I picked out for the girls. Now I just need to get around to hemming them.....


We had a rodent experence....We found this thing on the sidewalk when walking to get Aimee from school. I think it was injured...it acted very docile, and I thought maybe it looked like a gerbil, so I was worried it was someone's pet. We've been trying to teach our kids kindness...and because Betty had seen it, I couldn't just walk away. I used Katies hat (don't worry Miriam...it wasn't one of her good ones ;) ) and caught the thing. After getting it home, we looked on the internet to see what it might be. It wasn't a gerbil...we decided it was something wild that had been in shock. When we went to send it back to the wild "to go find it's family" it got a little spooked and reared up and showed it's teeth...definitly not domestic teeth. Well, my goal is giving my girls experiences...(and no-one freak out...nobody touched it, the hat was washed, there was no way it could have gotten loose, and I did not release it in our back yard.)

And lastly...We celebrated Betty's birthday!And here is the apron I made for her. I think it turned out sooo good! I had no pattern, and I really don't have a lot of sewing experience. I think I want to add pockets to it...but we'll see if I get around to it. Especially because Aimee wants one now too...and I think I do too :)