Felt Valentine Busy Bag

My daughter has been busy preparing for her new baby - due any day now - so she is a little behind on her busy bag post so I thought I would surprise her and post one this week.

My granddaughter loves dramatic play so I made these felt envelopes with little hearts for her so she can "send"  Valentine cards to her family.  I whipped these up in less than an hour with a few pieces of felt, fabric paint and velcro. 

I traced an envelope on the felt and cut it out.  Sewed around the edges leaving an opening at the flap. 

Cut out a few squares for stamps and made a few simple labels of family members.  I placed velcro on the stamps, labels and flap. 

Added a few felt hearts and she is set for hours of play.

Track Santa's Progress

Are your kiddos bouncing off the walls with excitement about Santa's visit tonight (Riley is)? Add to the fun by tracking Santa's progress on Norad’s Track Santa.  It may keep them busy enough you can finish up all those last minute details. 

Polar Express DVD Only $6.49

Currently, on Amazon you can get The Polar Express on DVD for only $6.49. They also have it on BluRay for $12.99! This is 50% off.  Both are eligible for free Prime Shipping or free Super Saver Shipping over $25.  I just love this movie!!

Norad Tracking System

Norad Santa is a FREE website that lets your kiddos track Santa and play Christmas games during the holiday season.   Each day the Kids Countdown Village page will introduce a new game for you and your kids to play. You can countdown til Christmas and track Santa's progress on Christmas Eve.  This site has the Riley stamp of approval.   

Craft of the Week

With a little paint and some paper towel/toilet paper tubes your kids can create these Little Monsters. Hop on over to Alisa Burke's blog for complete tutorial.  Think how cute this will look on display in your home this Halloween.

Father's Day Ideas

Best Dad Picture

Mini Corn Hole Boards

Handprint Canvas

Dad's Six Pack

Golfer's Tie Rack

Father's Day Memory Jar

FREE Jell-O Flag Mold (w/$2.50 s&h)

This Jell-O Flag Mold is perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Veteran's Day or anytime.  Right now you can order a FREE Jell-O Flag Mold  with instruction on how to make the delicious layered gelatin flag dessert. You will have to pay a $2.50 processing and handling fee. The kids will have fun helping you with this dessert.

Easy Mother's Day Gift Idea

Mother's day is just a few days away but don't fret here is a wonderful idea your kids can whip up for mom, grandma or favorite aunt.  This would also be a great teacher gift. This emergency clutch from eighteen25 can be made in a few minutes with just a little hand sewing using a potholder.

Bubble Bath Soda

Here is a fun gift for any mom this Mother's Day.  Everything you need to put this together is available at the Dollar Tree. Your kids will have so much fun making this.

Materials:
Bath salt, bath oils, or bubblebath
Glass- beer mug, wine glass, parfait cup
Wash cloth, bath poof
Straw
paper umbrella
Directions:
Fill a tall glass or beer mug with loose bath beads on the bottom.Add a similarly colored nylon bath poof or washcloth and top with a straw and umbrella.


Thanks Mommy on a Shoestring

Cinco De Mayo

The fifth of May is Cinco de Mayo in Spanish, is a national holiday in Mexico. It commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at the battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862. The victory was an important step for Mexico in her fight for independence. Today in Mexico, and in Mexican-American communities, May 5 brings celebrations, fiestas and parades!  Make your own celebration at home this week with some of these activities and foods.

Song
Cinco de Mayo song (sung to the tune of Pop Goes the Weasel)

France invaded Mexico in 1862
The French were strong and powerful
Cinco de Mayo!
The leader of the Mexicans was General Zaragoza,
He was smarter than the French.
Cinco de Mayo!


It was the fifth of May in 1862.
The French lost; the Mexicans won.
Cinco de Mayo!
Book


Cinco De Mayo: Celebrating the Traditions of Mexico
Craft

Mini Sonbrero from Kaboose
Materials:
Styrofoam or paper cup

Mini paper plate
1" wide strip of brown felt
1/4" wide strip each of red and yellowfelt
Acrylic paint in red and sunflower (tan/yellow)
Medium pom-poms in red, green, yellow, orange, white and brown
Paint brush
Hot glue gun


Instructions:
Paint paper plate and Styrofoam cup with sunflower paint. Let dry and repeat. Paint the outer edge of the plate rim red. Let dry completely. Hot glue the Styrofoam cup to the center of the paper plate to form your hat. Glue the brown felt around the bottom of the Styrofoam cup (the edge that is touching the plate) to make the hat band. Glue the red and orange felt over the brown to create stripes. Glue the pom-poms to the red edge of the paper plate, alternating colors as you go (green, white, red, yellow, brown, orange, green, white, etc.).

Food

Black Bean and Corn Empanadas




Sangria In a large pitcher mix 4 parts purple grape juice, 2 parts seltzer, and 1 1/2 parts orange juice. Add oranges and cherries.

Craft of the Week

This May Day basket is a great way to recycle and use materials you have on hand along with a pack of flower seeds.  This is the perfect craft to make for yourself or to give as a gift.

May Day

May 1st is known as May Day around the world. The traditions and stories surrounding May Day vary from place to place. However, one common theme is FLOWERS.
One popular tradition is to hang a basket full of spring flowers and/or other small gifts on a neighbor's doorknob. You have to be sneaky because if you get caught you get kissed. 

Another popular tradition is to decorate a pole with brightly colored ribbon, streamers, flowers and balloons.  People would carry the pole in parades and then dance around them.


In London, May Day is celebrated with the children going from house to house. They bring flowers and get pennies in return. The pennies are then thrown into a wishing well. The pennies are then donated to charity.

 

On May 1st, people in Hawaii celebrate their own version of May Day; they call it Lei Day. People give Hawaiian leis to each other. They put them around each other's necks and sometimes give a traditional kiss.

 

In Germany, one tradition is for boys to secretly plant a May tree in front of the window of the girl they love.

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2- 6th.  Here are some great gift ideas from my favorite craft sites. Even if you don't give your child's teacher a gift make sure to write a note telling her thank you for all that she does.  As a former teachr I know how hard they work.

We Need S'More Teachers Like You!

You're a cut above the rest!

 

Whoopie!

 

Subway Art

Ten Things to do With Your Kids on Earth Day

1. Take a hike
2. Plant a tree, flowers, vegetables... Lowe's is giving away one million free trees
3. Eat locally organic grown foods
4. Make recycled art work
5. Make a list of environmentally friendly changes you make in you home - such as turn off lights, recycle, use less paper products
6. Take the Recycle Bank challenge - earn points you can redeem for discounts, coupons
7. Grab some friends  and pick up trash at your neighborhood playground
8. Walk or ride your bike to school
9. Unplug things appliances, computers, gaming systems... when not in use
10. Limit all activities that involve using electricity - cook out, turn off TV and computers, open windows and let the sunshine in

Carrot Patch Snack

This is a cute, healthy snack to send to school for the annual Easter Party. 
Ingredients:
Hummus, Ranch Dip or other thick dip
Baby Carrots
Parsley
Clear, 3 oz. plastic cups 
Small terra cotta pots (need to be big enough to hold cups)

Instructions
For each patch, spoon about 3 tablespoons of dip into plastic cups. Place four baby carrots for each cup and use a toothpick to poke a hole in the top of each one. Insert a sprig of parsley into each hole. Then "plant" the carrots in the dip. Place the cups in mini terra-cotta pots. 
Optional: Provide a pack of carrot seeds so that the students can take the pots home and start their own carrot patch. 

Original Idea and Picture compliments of Family Fun

Hosting an Extraordinary Egg Hunt

If it is your turn to host the traditional Easter Egg Hunt here are some tips for making it extraordinary:
1. Have everyone brings one dozen filled plastic egg per child.
2. Buy some themed or shaped eggs based on the ages of the children.
3. Fill with super fun things. If it is HOT do not put chocolate in the eggs.
4. Write children’s names on some of the eggs (to be sure each child finds a few eggs.
5. Hide eggs depending on child’s abilities.  Hide some easy and low for young children and high and challenging for the older children!  Give the younger kids a minute or two head start.
6. Hide egss in creative and unusual places.
7. Let the kids decorate some hard bolied eggs while some adults are hiding the eggs.
8. Make sure you know how many eggs you hide so you can be sure you find them all.
9. Send everyone happy.  Have a few extra eggs or prizes for those may not be great hunters.
10. Be sure to include the whole family in the festivities.
11. Have some extra baskets on hand in case someone forgets to bring one.

Picture from Volunteer Spot

Easter Home Decor

I have been working on a few new decorations for Easter.  These are things you can get the kids involved with and they will not break your pocketbook. 

"Cheep" Flower

This idea is from All You magazine.

Materials:
4 -5 inch flower pot, Dollar Spot at Target
Styrofoam ball, Dollar Tree
11" dowel, pack of twelve for $1 at WalMart
6" embroidery hoop, $2.50 at Joanne's (used 50% off coupon so it was $1.75)
3 Packs of Peeps
Easter grass, $1.00 at WalMart
newspaper
hot glue gun
green acrylic paint
Instructions: 
Paint the dowel and let dry.   Cut the Styrofoam ball in half and hot glue to the bottom of pot. Apply a generous amount of hot glue to the dowel and secure it to the screw at the hoop of the embroidery hoop.  Tighten the screw and let dry. 
Remove the peeps from package but do not separate.  Apply a thick line of hot glue to 1/3 of the hoop and press on one group of five Peeps with the beaks facing the center. You will need to bend them slightly to fit on the hoop.  Repeat with the other two sets of Peeps.  Hot glue the bottom of the dowel into the Styrofoam ball.  Stuff newspaper around the dowel in the pot.  Cover with Easter grass.

Decoupage Eggs

Materials:
1 dozen plastic eggs, .99 at Publix
4 sheets of scrapbooking paper, $1.00 at Joanne's
water downed glue or Modge Podge
brush
Instructions:
Cut the paper into squares.  I found small squares easier to use.  Cover a small section of the egg with glue and place the paper on. Smooth out wrinkles.  Cover with a layer of glue.  Continue until completely covered and let dry. 

Also, I plan to add this Easter Subway art.

Craft of the Week

One year my room mom made these cute little treat holders for the students in my class. They are so simple to make, you could make a dozen in just a few minutes.

Materials:

craft or construction paper

wiggly eyes

black pom pom

orange felt

ribbon

Easter grass

favorite treat

Instructions:  Cut a circle out of craft paper and cut it in half.  Fold into a cone shape and staple.  Add embellishments for the chick or bunny.  Punch holes in the side and tie on ribbon.  Add grass and treats.  So simple!!

Even More April Fool's Day Tricks

Still need a little inspiration coming up with just the right prank to play on your friends and family.. check these out.

Candy in a Fruit Can

Spaghetti and Meatballs?

Meatloaf Cupcakes

You could do a backwards dinner and serve the cupcakes for dinner and spaghetti for dessert.  

More April Fools Tricks

April Fools Day is for the kid in all of us. Here are a few more ways you can fool your children.

Bedtime Switcheroo
After you children go to bed move around some of their furniture or toys. They will wake up to a big surprise!

Mouse Malfunction
For your older children who check their email or Facebook first thing in the morning you can put part of a post-it note over the tracking ball on the computer mouse. It won't work for them! You can write April Fools on the post-it.


If the Shoe Fits 
Stuff tissue in the toes of your children's shoes so when they go to put their shoes on they can't!


*Ideas from Parenting.com