School Year Template

This is my adorable niece. Adorable with a capital "A"!! I'm prejudice I know but this little girl is such a sweetheart and she's not just cute she has a heart of gold.

My niece (her Mom) Brandi made this. She found the idea on Pinterest and she and her sister recreated the idea. 

Materials Needed:

• Large Foam Board (from the Dollar Store) or Cardboard 
• Aluminum Foil
• Scissors
• Large Marker
• Compass
• Tacky Glue
• Craft Paints (White, Yellow, Red and Silver)
• 1 piece of chalk

Directions:

1. Depending on the size of your poster board cut a rectangle shape about the size of 12 x 18  out centered and about 3 inches from the bottom of the board.
2. Cut 2 large circles out. The circle will need to be approximately 4"
3. Next--cut 2 small ovals and 2 larger ovals and then 1 extra large oval.
4. Paint the two smaller ovals with silver paint.
5. Glue everything in place using the photograph as your guide. 
6. Once everything is glued you can add the grade. Write it in chalk so that you can use again and again.

stencils for bus

Totem Pole

Do you have daycare or a summer program ? Maybe a birthday party?? Summer camp or vacation bible school? Well...how about cowboys and Indian theme party?? Here is a totem pole using recycled objects from around the house.

Here's what you will need for the totem on the right--for directions click HERE

• Plastic Milk Cartons and Coffee containers  (* Do not use plastic soda or juice containers as the plastic is too hard to cut through to insert the pole.)
• Gesso paint
• Acrylic paints/ brushes
• Old broom pole or PVC pipe
• Plastic place mat ($1 from Dollar stores)
• Sharp knife - for adult use only

For this totem pole find instructions HERE
















Books related to our project --

North American Indian Crafts

Informative, carefully researched coloring book depicts, in 39 detailed illustrations, native North Americans engaged in a host of arts and crafts: drum-making, carving totem poles, face and body painting, building a dugout canoe, making and painting ceramic pots, weaving rugs and blankets, preparing hides, more. Descriptive captions.

Available on Amazon

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Cowboy Up!: Ride the Navajo Rodeo

It's morning at the rodeo. Riders are standing by. Horses are in the chutes. "Cowboy up!" the announcer calls. Then the excitement begins In this riveting collection, narrative poems give voice to the individual competitors, lively prose explains rodeo events, and evocative photographs show off the riders and ropers, the horses, bulls, and broncs. It all adds up to an unforgettable close-up view of Navajo

rodeo over the course of one action-packed day.

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Available on amazon

 

 

**Credit--Pinterest.

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DIY Chalk Board Paint

Chalkboard Paint is expensive. It seems to be quite the rage right now. Seems like every time I look in a magazine or on a website I'm seeing something about chalkboard paint. Even my 19 year old wanted one of her walls painted with chalk board paint. (Go figure!)



Well here's a super duper easy recipe that only has two ingredients.
Here's what you will need:

• Paint (Any color )
• Non-Sanded Tile Grout

Directions: Mix 1 cup of paint with 2 Tablespoons of grout. Stir really well to get all the lumps and bumps out.

Have fun and enjoy!!

Books related to chalk---

Chalk
A rainy day. Three kids in a park. A dinosaur spring rider. A bag of chalk. The kids begin to draw. . . and then . . . magic! The children draw the sun, butterflies, and a dinosaur that amazingly come to life. Children will never feel the same about the playground after they experience this astounding wordless picture book and the power of the imagination. Bill Thomson embraced traditional painting techniques and meticulously painted each illustration by hand, using acrylic paint and colored pencils. Available on Amazon





The Magic Chalk of Rita Elementary School An entertaining tale, in both Marshallese and English, of what happens to two students who happen upon a piece of magic chalk while cleaning up after school one day. Written and illustrated by students as part of The Unbound Bookmaker Project. Available on Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Crafting and Reading from Fran and Friends! 

 

 

 

 

 

 



DIY easy to make birdbath

This is a very easy project that you can help the little ones make and then spend hours of fun watching the birds frolic in your backyard while you teach them about nature. Anyways...it's nice to think of our feathered friends.

Here's what you will need to complete this project:

• grapevine wreath (you can find these for a $1. at the dollar store)
• twine (again at the dollar store)
• swallow plastic bowl (.88 cents Walmart)
• Plastic leaves (I cut a few leaves off of something I had laying around the house.)
• large metal ring
• florist wire
• drill

Basically this picture is self explanatory. What you want to do is basically make a hanging basket type thing using 3 strings of the twine. I cut mine 54 inches each so that I'd have enough to tie on a tree. First I looped the strings of twine through the ring and then all you have to do is basically knot them at the bottom.

Once knotted place your wreath inside the hanger and then place the bowl inside of the wreath. I drilled three holes into my plastic plate and used a little bit of florist wire to secure the plate inside so it was more stable or wouldn't blow out of the wreath. I didn't want to give the poor birds a heart attack if a strong wind came along. (I wish I would have gotten a picture of mine but I gave it to a friend and didn't get one before doing so.) You can fill with water or even food---it's up to you.

DIY Robot Costume

Hope you have allot of aluminum foil. lolCredit http://www.google.com/imgres?q=robot+costume&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&tbm=isch&tbnid=
8Nj9hQx2YalhgM:&imgrefurl=http://www.family-vacation-getaways-at-los-angeles-theme-parks.com/Inexpensive-Homemade-Costumes.
html&docid=c2gPgPlZo-YnVM&w=209&h=291&ei=cU1vTpjvC4negQftg8SrCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1110&vpy=228&dur=1045&hovh=232&hovw=
167&tx=166&ty=135&page=3&tbnh=159&tbnw=114&start=47&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:47&biw=1440&bih=684

Books related to our project:

FOR PURCHASING INFORMATION

My little girl adores this book, she talks about it at bedtime, we have to draw pictures of all the bugs, she won't stop talking about it. Love it!!

FOR PURCHASING INFORMATION

A couple boxes, some aluminum foil, and lots of gadgets make this costume easy and a lot of fun to make.  Using various things found around your home, you and your child will have a great time designing your own robot of the future!

What you'll need:

• Two cardboard boxes, one large for the body and one smaller for the head
• Silver spray paint
• Screening material or silver toile scraps
• Assortment of buttons, beads, bright costume gems, plastic bottle tops, a spring toy (recommended: Slinky)
• Craft knife
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Black permanent marker, various colors of paint pens
• Gray long-sleeved shirt or sweatshirt
• Gray sweatpants
• Black gloves
• Two shoeboxes
• Tin foil

How to make it:

1. Cut out a hole in the top of the larger box, large enough for your child’s head to fit through.  Place box on your child, and identify where the arm holes should be.  Remove the box, cut the arm holes, and put it back on your child.
2. Place the smaller box on your child’s head and mark where his face is.  Identify and mark where his ears are.  Remove the box and cut a rectangular hole large enough for his eyes and mouth to be exposed.  Cut ear holes where marked.
3. Outside in an open area, with the ground protected by newspapers, use the silver metallic spray paint to cover the boxes completely with paint, and allow it to dry fully .
4. When the head box is dry, cut a piece of screen large enough to cover the rectangular face opening.  On the inside, use your hot glue gun to secure the piece over the opening, all the way around the rectangle.  Allow to dry.
5. Using your permanent marker and paint pens, draw dials and gauges on the front of the body to your liking.  This is where your imagination can go wild.  Use your hot glue gun to attach buttons, gems, beads, and spring toy to decorate your robot, placing things in a symmetrical manner across the body.  You can also go online and print off images of gauges or dials, then glue them on the front.  Photos and photocopies of clock faces and calculators from catalogs or magazines can be used, too
6. Turn your shoeboxes upside down and cut holes in the bottoms large enough for your child’s foot to go through.  Cover the boxes with foil and secure with glue or tape.
7. When dressing your child, have him put on the black shirt, pants, and gloves, then arrange the boxes comfortably for him. After his sneakers are on, he can put his feet into the upside down shoeboxes and go!

 

DIY Bubble Bath Costume

I have been trying for years to get my daughter to use this costume. Unfortunately as a kid she never wanted me to make it and well now she is too big to tricking or treating. I always thought it was so cute though and it would have been so easy to make.

I have seen two versions of this costume. One is pictured and the other I cannot find a photo of it. Either versions are easy to do and I am going to explain the one I like as it may be difficult to find a rubber duck blow up toy.

Here's what you will need:

• Rectangular Heavy Card Board Box (if it is not heavy then get two that are the same size and glue them together for extra support).
• White balloons (about 2-3 dozen)
• Hot Glue
• Clear Packing Tape
• White paint
• Fiber fill
• Bath Brush
• Shower Cap
• Pink Sponge Rollers
• Soap Box
• 2 Heavy straps or 2 old belts
• Flesh Colored pantyhose and top

Directions--

• Paint the rectangle box white. (This will be your tub
• Attach two straps to the box,one on each side. The top of the box should be waist length.
• Using  pantyhose and fiber fill you want to create some legs. Fill the pantyhose with filler fill to approximately the knees of the panty hose. Once you get them filled then fold over twice and sew shut.
• Now attach the legs one by one to the end of the tub box. (It should resemble legs hanging out of the bathtub.)
• Blow up balloons
• Put on the flesh colored top and some white sweat pants or tan tights.
• Step into the cardboard and hold up tub by slipping straps over your shoulders.
• Now someone will have to help you tape the balloons securely onto  the carboard. The balloons will resemble bubbles and they should all be white or pearly looking.
• Once all of the balloon are tapes on don your shower cap and hold the back scrubber for special effects.

This is a cute costume that could be used for a Halloween costume contest. It's unique and cute.

Books related to our craft--(Click on link for further information)

THE NIGHT BEFORE HALLOWEEN
"The idea of the monsters getting ready for Halloween was great. I loved the book. I bought 10 copies and gave them to friends and relatives. They had received the Night Before Easter Book and were looking forward to the continuation of the next Night Before series. We are anxiously awaiting The Night Before Valentines Day" Reviewed by a customer on Amazon 

IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE
"My son and I have read this book over and over and over again. Whether it's Halloween time or not this book will be a sure favorite of kids' who like the dark side. Don't take this to mean that the book is dark or scary. What I mean is that if your kids have a taste for spookies then this book will not fail to please. Great pictures with subtle hidden pictures that show that the spookies and such aren't real in this haunted house. The text is fun to read out loud to the wee ones" Reviewed by Donna on Amazon