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

available through Amazon

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

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.

 

STEPPING STONES 

 

JEWELERY

 

BOWLING PINS FROM CANS

 

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.

Available https://www.createspace.com/4795175 and AMAZON

 

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

 



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?

Available https://www.createspace.com/3394904  and Amazon

 

More guinea pig books--

Guinea Pig Tales

I love Guinea Pigs

 
Sammy, The Classroom Guinea Pig

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

are some interesting books related to Guinea Pigs.

 

 

Father's Day Tool Box

Father's Day is not far away. Before we know it June 16th will be creeping up on us and so here is another idea for Father's Day. This is a tool box made out of a cardboard box and a ton of creativity. I didn't have a pattern. I used my imagination. There were plenty of mistakes along the way but I really am pleased with the finished product.

Materials Needed:

• glue Gun
• glue sticks
• old Cardboard boxes
• craft glue
• utility knife
• poster board
• wrapping paper
• wide clear tape
• brads

I don't have instructions but it's pretty simple. It's all rectangles and you just glue it together.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

DIY Non-Toxic Paint

Kids love to paint and be creative. Here's a non-toxic natural paint recipe that you can make for your children.

Here's what you will need:

• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 c water
• food coloring
• empty squirt bottles

Mix well and add to each bottle. After you add to each bottle add the food coloring and shake well.

Found on Pinterest

Books related to our project--

Mr. Pickles Paints the Town

Peter Pickles went to bed one night and woke up to find things had changed. The sky was not blue. The birds were gone too. The world had been rearranged. All the colors had disappeared. What could Mr. Pickles do?

 

 

Paint It! (Art Smart)

Gr 3-6-An emphasis on technique distinguishes this bright and colorful series. Twelve attractive projects per volume, many of them resulting in useful objects, give kids a chance to learn and practice techniques such as weaving, stenciling, and frottage. Specialized materials are not required, and most kids will be able to achieve success with the majority of these projects, regardless of their level of artistic talent. The books were written by art teachers and it shows. Tracing and collage are offered as alternatives to drawing, and many drawing and painting projects are abstract or begin with random shapes. The trickiest skills are the various stitches used in Make It!, and, unfortunately, the instructions, which are usually quite good in this series, are not quite up to this task. Photographs often show the finished projects while drawings illustrate the process

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DIY Cat Bed

I love this simple idea and can't wait to imply it to make my Millie a new cat bed. There really isn't much to it,this is what you will need:

• A wicker basket
• Foam
• Piece of material or an old blanket
• Nails and hooks to secure basket on wall

You have to measure your basket and then measure and cut foam (length and width) accordingly. I plan to use an old piece of fleece blanket to cover the foam rubber. I have plenty of fleece blanket's that have holes in them or have stains that I can make use of and I'm sure Milley will enjoy the softness of the fleece. You can sew by hand but I plan to sew mine on the sewing machine so that it looks more professional. I plan to hang this in my daughter's room and I might make one one for the upstairs.

Books related to our project:

Chester's Back!

In this uproarious sequel to Chester, the battle of the picture-book makers continues. Which author-illustrator will come out on top -- Chester or M?lanie Watt -- is anybody's guess! This time, there's no denying (in Chester's mind) that he's the star of the show. His already outsize ego has ballooned even more due to a spate of "fan mail" on the heels of his self-titled debut. As Chester sees it, who needs Melanie Watt when they have Chester? He's got no shortage of his own storytelling ideas. With heavy paw and red marker, this control-freak cat does not hesitate to commit them to paper. When Chester starts acting far too Hollywood, Melanie calls an open audition to replace the high-maintenance feline. This isn't a move that Chester will take lying down. Get ready for a seesaw comedy of dueling author-illustrators. Who will come out on top is anybody's guess! Available on amazon

 

Kitten's Summer

A beautifully illustrated picture book introducing toddlers to animals in the farmyard and the woods on a rainy summer day. It's a rainy summer day, and Kitten is meeting all sorts of animals taking shelter from or enjoying the warm rain, including a fox, a turtle, a beaver and many more. As in the two previous titles in the Kitten series, rhyming couplets capture the animals' actions, making this book another fantastic interactive read-aloud. Young readers will delight in discovering animal habitats, picking out seasonal details in the exquisite mixed-media art, and searching for and finding Kitten on every page. Available on amazon

Avaialble on amazon

Available on amazon