A month ago, we gathered reeds from the roadside, beside an old church outside of Winnipeg.

They were hung to dry in our basement, and now are ready for whatever we decide to use them for...

To demonstrate, I soaked a handful and make this tiny basket.

I'm not too sure what I am going to use it for, other than a demo.

It is pretty sturdy by my standards, yet not something I would trust my children with unless I didn't mind "accidents".

It is made solely of the reeds, no glue, tape, string, etc.

 So that was the first handful, but there are several more ready to be used.  I am now just waiting on the inspiration of what to do next.

Yesterday, I made a card.  I made it with stickers.  I used all colors, like black, brown, and blue, and yellow, and that's all the colors I used. I made it for Mom and Seedling.

 Today I made Squidword on a horse, and I made his house.  It was fun.  I told Seedling it was her birthday card.  But it's mom's birthday card until her birthday is done, then it will be Seedling's birthday card.

I think I am going to make more today.

I have been working on a math board for Speedy.  Skip counting and mutliplication are on his agenda.

A circle peg board on one side lets him wrap yarn around every 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. I am trying to get different colored yarn for each color (hint, hint  if anyone is de-cluttering their stash).

On the other side of the board, there is a target. 

The inner circle counts by 1s: 1-12.

The next circle counts by 2s: 2-24.

The next circle counts by 3s: 3-36.

etc.

 

The target was painted in one afternoon. I expected that to take much longer.

The numbers are going to take longer. I am using craft paint and a toothpick, but it is turning out beautiful and will be worth it!

Today I took some time to make new placemats. 

 Our old ones are still in great shape - and they work well - which is why I made more!  Usually if things are working well, you do NOT replace them.  I am not replacing our old ones, but am adding to our stash. 

The only thing on the top of each placemat is a verse reference.  We get to spend mealtime trying to remember the verses, and only when the dishes are getting cleared do we get to flip the placemats over and reveal the entire verse. 

Well, I did it again, but this time, it was by request.

We spent the day Saturday at Grand Beach and Maverick was taken by all the cute sundresses they were selling, and how they would all look so cute on Seedling.  The "we should buy this" turned into "you could make this" very quickly.  My concern was that I didn't think I had cute enough material.  Then I remembered about this royal blue material with yellow, red, and green tie died flowers on it -- perfect!  I must say that this suits her more that the other patterns we have seen in dresses!

So we got home very late from the beach and another party afterwards, and when the children didn't sleep in on Sunday morning, I decided to make this dress before church.  The dress she loves ... hopefully by the time this is posted, she will have let me take it off of her to wash it ...

WIP: Lord's Prayer Poster

One day, we spent a long time painting.  We painted a huge poster.  We painted beautiful colors, all light, and we blended them, and tried different patterns.

Then it looked very beautiful when we were done.  The last thing was to write The Lord's Prayer on it.  Then we framed it, and hung it on my bedroom wall.

Now my room gets something beautiful, and I have something to remind me to pray more.

Spent some time outdoors again today. 

I did a color wash again, but sanded the edges slightly for the "warn away" look.

Again, sealed with Almond Oil.

I think I still like the unpainted versions (the bears), but that's just me.

 

Here is our new addition, and how it fits into our growing "play set",

and this is what makes today's finished product our "Work In Progress"!

WIP: All Things Bright and Beautiful

Another room project, to add more of Sprout's presence into the boys' room ... a collage!

This is my picture.  It says "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (said to the tune). Me and mom made it,  First Mom made the letters...

then I colored the letters.  I used two colors for one letter. If I did it hard, it would work, definately. 

 Then I colored the other letters.  When I was done coloing all the other letters, I did scissors and glue.  Pictures of animals and God's stuff that he made.

I put the poster on my bedroom wall.

Funny note ... we enjoy looking up different versions of this old hymn on YouTube, most are set to striking beautiful photographs or paintings, but today came across a version set to screenshots of Farmville!!!

WIP: Bears

When we returned from camping last week, Sprout had fallen asleep in the vehicle on the trip, and when he awoke at home, he bagan bawling.  He was very upset that we were done camping, but had not yet seen a bear.  He was adament that we MUST go back now, and not leave until we see a bear.

This week, Speedy and Sprout have been playing with a camping adventure set, but Sprout is still talking about his bear.

It wasn't suprising to me, then, when I asked the boys what I should make today, that Sprout burst out with "a bear"!

Thus, my second attempt at using my scroll saw ...

Momma and baby bear!  We decided not to paint this set, but just to cure it and see how it holds up to the rough boys and the drooly girl!

WIP: Personal Space

Recently Sprout has moved on.  He has not only moved onto his own bed, but has transitioned into "The Boys' Room" with Speedy.  Although we have been calling this his room for a year, his bed (and the fact that he stays in it all night) make the transition complete.

This meant rearranging the room, and he asked me to put up sheets to make his bed darker.  Most children I know would cry the opposite, so I decided to run with it and create his own personal space in the shared room.  And what makes it personal more than PERSONALIZING it! 

Speedy has been learning handwriting (cursive), so I decided to do a wallhanging with Sprout's name on it for his new area.  Set on a black backdrop to block out the sun in the summer when bedtime can come before the sun goes down, I used green, orange, and white cording and yarn for his name.

This wall hanging will be functional as well as decorative.  The boys have a double sided bookshelf which is very tempting to climb.  By placing this black artwork above the book shelf, it takes that temptation away because there is nothing to look at on the other side.  This is the first step in creating the cave-like bed he is asking for.  I do have black material to complete the wall requested, but want to make sure he is getting enough air flow.   I do have some yardage of drapery/mosquito netting type material that I might look into dying black.  Stay tuned...

WIP: CARDS !

I was having a lazy day today, and was in the mood to get creative. So I actually took the time to make some cards! I love to make them but usually only do when I really have to.

These cards are my favorites of the day:

Sadly, I might end up using most of them this month.

Rainbow Experiment

So our "holiday" portion of our holidays has come and gone.

We spent a few days at a nearby campground with two lovely families, then a few days with our family celebrating a new marriage.

Now reality has set in, and although our days are mainly free to enjoy, there was alot of work to reclaim our house. In the very quick comings and goings to repack and leave, the house was quite out of order.  That pretty much meant if there was ever a chore to be done, it had to be done today. 

 I'd love to say I am done, but I am not.  I gave myself until 1 to give'er, then I took a little "me" time.  What's that look like, you ask, with 4 children in the home?  Well, my best way to relax and avoid my work is to find other "work" to do! I decided to try and get some life out of an old board found in our backyard.

I did take a few pics along the way, intending to do a WIP entry.

I didn't anticipate finishing anything today...  would it be cheesy to call it Finished it Friday?

Speedy and Sprout are really exicted, and love their new toy (IF they can get it away of Seedling long enough to play with it)!  It had already become bridges, boats (well, an ark), balancing toys, and I think at one point, a rainbow!  More importantly, they watched me make it, and are already thinking of what I can do next, and what step they can help me with.

So why call it a Rainbow Experiment, you ask?  Because we had no clue what we were doing, just sacrificing an ugly piece of wood to test the waters for future projects.  At the onset, I never expected a product that we would be playing with!  Although far from perfect, it's being called "cool" and "awesome" here, and that makes my heart warm.

An afternoon well spent.