Saturday, June 28, 2014

Best Dish Cloths Ever!!

My daughter and I make our own dishcloths. It actually happened by accident. Fran had scrap yarn and asked what she could make and I said make me a dishcloth. One day I didn't have any cloths left and needed to use it. I found out it was super absorbent and worked great so I made more. I decided to make my Dad a few and he loved them too. 

They are made with Sugar and Cream cotton yarn. It's like $2.00 a spool. This material soaks up spills better than paper towels or terry towels. The dishcloths are simple,very absorbent and do the job. I have several for my dishes and the old ones I use for cleaning. They are better than paper towels and sop up a messy spill in no time. I crochet and Fran knits them. They aren't fancy but they are the best cloths ever. You can buy it at places like Walmart, Joanne's, and craft shops.

Learn to crochet





Books related to topic:

Natural Cleaning Recipes available through Amazon



Sunday, June 22, 2014

Girl Power!

There are some strong female character role models in literature and on television. Both fiction and non-fictional. This is just a partial list of some that people I remember.

Fictional:Mulan,Katniss Everdeen, Ariel, Malificent, Anne of Green Gables,Pinky K. Henderson, June B. Jones, Madeline, Pippi Long Stockings,and so many more.


Non-Fictional: Joan of Arc, Harriet Tubman, Jane Erye,  Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth, Mother Teresa, Hiliary Clinton, Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart, Oprah Winfrey, Indira Gandhi, Marie Curie, Rosa Parkes, Florence Nightengale and the list goes on and on.

Here is a link to some really terrific educational books that have strong girl characters.

Here are a few crafts for girl power.

Paper Nunchucks

Make a punching bag

Books related to our topic--


Amelia Earhart
The legend of the Lost Aviator
The ever-fascinating story of the legendary pilot is given new life in this vividly told true-life adventure.Ever since Amelia Earhart and her plane disappeared on July 2, 1937, people have wanted to know more about this remarkable woman. Amelia Earhart follows the charismatic aviator from her first sight of an airplane at the age of ten to the last radio transmission she made before she vanished. Illustrated with original artworks, contemporary photographs, quotes, and details, this is a great introduction to the famous pilot. The book includes a bibliography and an index.
Available on Amazon


I am Rosa Parks (Ordinary People Change World)

“Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it,” Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography – for his own kids, and for yours. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a vivacious, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren’t quite ready for the Who Was biography series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. For example, Rosa Parks dared to stand up for herself and other African Americans by staying seated, and as a result she helped end public bus segregation and launch the country’s Civil Rights Movement.

This engaging series is the perfect way to bring American history to life for young children, providing them with the right role models, supplementing Common Core learning in the classroom, and best of all, inspiring them to strive and dream.
Avaiable on Amazon


PINKY
Pinky is a girly girl, but she isn't your average next door neighbor. She's rough and tough and loves to play sports. Her favorite sport is karate. The boys in her karate class think girls are dumb. Pinky is determined to prove them wrong. The big State Championship Sparing Match is about to take place and Pinky has a plan. She's going to fight as the Masked Crusader. This is the only way she can prove her point. Girls are just as good at doing anything including sports. She's going to prove girls rule! Because they do.

Available on Amazon and Createspace













Friday, June 20, 2014

Grandma's Are The Best!

Grandma's Are The Best! Some of our fondest memories are with our Grandma's, or maybe a special Aunt, our Mom and Dad. We did lots of crafts with my Mom. She was an avid knitter and crocheter. She loved crafts and really had a knack with designing her own projects. She made all sorts of Barbie dresses and doll accessories. Some of her love for designing crafts wore off on my daughter and I. My favorite things to make is doll furniture and Barbie houses. Maybe you and your special someone have a special craft or project that you like to do too.
 
One of my favorite sites for any idea is PINTEREST.
Here are some ideas that you can do with your Grandma. Please also check through my previous blog posts as I have a ton of craft and food ideas.
 
 
 
 
Books related to our topic--
 
 
Baby Duck's New Grandma
 
Baby Duck loves her grandma very much. Her grandma is in heaven now and Baby Duck feels very alone and sad. Her grandpa has a surprise for her and she is bubbling with excitement.

What could it be? The big swimming pool he's been dreaming to buy? Maybe a vacation with the family? Baby Duck is about to discover the surprise and isn't going to be happy.
 


How to Babysit a Grandma

When you babysit a grandma, if you're lucky . . . it's a sleepover at her house! And with the useful tips found in this book, you're guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter in no time. (Be sure to check out the sections on: How to keep a grandma busy; Things to do at the park; Possible places to sleep, and what to do once you're both snugly tucked in for the night.) From the author-illustrator team behind the bestselling How to Babysit a Grandpa comes a funny and heartwarming celebration of grandmas and grandchildren.
Available on Amazon


 


Thursday, June 19, 2014

Guinea Pig Crafts



Piggie and Cuddles 
My daughter and I acquired our first guinea pig about 10 years ago. My daughter wanted a pet and after some research I thought a guinea pig would be the perfect pet. We named our guinea pig Ally but soon we changed her name affectionately to Piggie.

Piggie was a baby when we got her from a local pet store. She was very animated and quite vocal. We have allot of fun memories of Piggie and she made a great pet.

I ran across some really cool guinea pig crafts. How about making your sweet little furry friend a house? These houses are so adorable and I'm sure your furry friend would adore one.
 


I couldn't find any with directions but if you are crafty I don't think these will be very hard. You could use some very thick and sturdy corrugated cardboard. Guinea Pigs like to chew so they might try to eat it. Be careful to use non-toxic paint and materials that don't splinter.

Or maybe a soft bed?? Here are some really cute ideas to assure your guinea pig a super night's sleep.



Guinea Pig Bed

Here's a really nice guinea pig run too. Wish I had one of these years ago. You can find the directions here.
 

 
Here is a book I write about my guinea pig, Piggie. It's called---
 
Piggie Wiggie's Great Adventure
Written and Illustrated by: MJ Daley-Prado
Piggie Wiggie'sPiggie experiences life outside of her safe surroundings where everything seems so strange, loud, and unusual to her. She hears sounds and sees things that she has never seen before from her cage that was situated high on a shelf in Emmy's room. Piggie goes on a ride of a lifetime as she slides behind the wheel of a remote control Barbie car and accidentally presses the button and sets the wheels in motion. Piggie gets herself into some pretty funny, scary and unpredictable situations. Will Piggie Wiggie ever find her way home?
 
More guinea pig books--
 
Sammy, The Classroom Guinea Pig
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
are some interesting books related to Guinea Pigs.