Stain Glass Toddler Art

We are doing an upcoming Easter party at our church and I wanted to give my activities a trial run before attempting them with 30 two and three year olds; so we could troubleshoot ahead of time.  Since we have had ample time being trapped during this bipolar spring it wasn't hard to find an opening in our schedule...

We are not a family that bans the Easter bunny or any other of the fun traditions surrounding Easter but we do try to to make extra effort to ensure the real reason for the season is apparent to our children.  When perusing Pinterest I came across this fun stain glass cross craft.  I already had all the supplies on hand, so we tried this one first.  We placed a sheet of contact paper sticky side up and taped the top and bottom to ensure it didn't curl up or move on my ocd toddlers. This was the hardest part.  It kept wanting to curl over and stick on itself so you had to work quick. Taping the top first and then slowly peeling the paper as you went worked the best.  I had pre-cut a cross outline out of black construction paper and carefully placed it on the contact paper starting at the top and working my way down to try and minimize bubbling.  I had assorted tissue paper cut out in squares (because I am anal about the uniform look of it) but you could easily have your kids cut it or tear it.  Then it was free reign for the little ones.  I made sure to explain that once they set the tissue on the sticky part it was permanent and would be impossible to move.  You know, to try and minimize the epic meltdowns that could occur if a tissue square could not be relocated and it was a two year old life or death situation... They were very serious about distributing their tissue colors evenly throughout their cross.  I tried to explain to keep it inside the cross but that was too limiting.  They wanted it everywhere.  Doesn't matter though because you cut off the extra anyway.  This took 30 minutes!  That's like 3 hours toddler time!  It was AWESOME!  Mainly because it required very little supervision or help from me.  So, I was free to do fun mom stuff like clean the kitchen undisturbed while they were tackling it.  Once they were finished, I took a second piece of contact paper and placed it on top of the first sticky side down and ran the straight edge of my scissor over it to get out any bubbles.  Then trimmed around the outline of the cross.

I think they turned out great!  We hung them on the back window and the March snow blindness in the background really helped bring out the colors :)

He is Risen Treat

Since my last post on my plague diseased family a couple weeks ago, I am sad to say we are still fighting some sickness.  Whatever we got, got us good.  I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  The littlest one came down with it right in the middle of our spring break vacation that ended up not being very relaxing.  After a trip to urgent care, a freak snow storm in March and power outages to our rental, we called it for what it was and came home a few days early.  So that means folks my toddlers have been in a house with me continuously for, count them, four weeks now... I really don't feel like I need to elaborate on the insanity that has been my life.  They have developed a very odd love/hate relationship and become incredible wrestlers who scream and cry when they are together but scream and cry when you separate them.  I think the only one who needs to truly separate is me.  Unfortunately, St. Louis is now being pummeled with it's own freak spring break snow storm.  So, I am pretty sure that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

I've have always been pretty good about coming up with stuff on the spot creatively speaking but I think I have exhausted all of the tricks up my sleeve.  Adelyn is ALWAYS begging me "let's do a little craft Mommy,"  (Yes I have created a monstrous version of little me who idolizes holidays and anything DIY) and I needed something new.  Amen for Pinterest.  Last year we were in tank tops and shorts planting jelly beans outside, swimming and outdoor Easter egg hunts.  This year we are sledding... (Literally the same week last year... oh how I love the lack of monotony in Missouri weather)

Therefore, we brought our spring activity inside.  We have been discussing the story of palm Sunday and the forth coming events of Jesus' last days.  Adelyn has always really liked the Resurrection rolls and story.  So, I decided to tackle the story with a different edible craft (edible is the only route to go with Marcella.  If she can't eat it, she isn't interested.) 

I had seen this done with chocolate doughnuts but I'm not a huge fan of chocolate pastries so our stone tomb is "limestone".  The girls constructed the whole thing, eating along the way, while I read the Easter story.  The ground is two graham crackers sandwiched with peanut butter with green icing grass.  A partially sliced glazed doughnut is the tomb and an Oreo is the stone that rolled away.  The "He is risen" signs were leftover stickers on toothpicks I had laying around.

Adelyn was satisfied for 30 minutes!  That's impressive.  It was a success :)  Now for what to do for the other 11 hours they are going to be awake today...

Wash Your Hands or Don't. I Don't Care...

Envision this... Right now I am typing this in the same pajamas I have had on for days, Kleenex twisted and shoved up my nostrils, and a three year old asleep on my lap who feels like she is on fire with snot running down onto my leg and I don't care.  That pretty much catches you up to where I am right now mentally.

For the past two weeks, yes that's right TWO, our household has been a germ infested nasty bucket that I can't wait to pour the heck out.  It all started last Monday when my eldest woke up from a nap with a very obvious gunked pink eye.  After a frantic call to her pediatrician (I know how contagious it can be and with three three and unders it was imperative to act quickly) I had him phone in some drops.  I don't know if you have ever had the pleasure of trying to put eye drops into a toddler but if not we will compare it to trying to wrestle a raging bull/rolling crocodile/wild stallion type animal and then once you finally get it tied down you must now hold it still enough to drop something into it's eye FOUR times a day... Get it.  No you don't.  It's worse cause toddlers can tell you how much they hate you for it when you do it.  Then naturally a day later my two year old gets it... Fun x 2.

Two days later, I finally breathe thinking we past the contagious window and we are finally done.   But I get a sore throat.  Then Daddy gets a sore throat and then my two year old gets a fever and boogers and a cough and yelling and screaming and tired and won't sleep, three year old gets congestion and I want to die and then...  Daddy gets pink eye...  I now went from taking care of three children to four.  (I love my husband dearly but like my Mama wisely told me once... Men don't have it in their make-up to handle sickness.  Understatement).  My husband and I got diagnosed with strep and then our fever ridden two year got diagnosed with a severe sinus infection and viral something or other.

Okay so after 11 days I finally think we see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Until today my three year old gets a fever and now they are telling me she has possible walking pneumonia.  I quit.  Throwing in the towel.  My hands are literally bleeding from over washing.  My house has been Lysol bombed and wiped and wiped again and we still are all sick.  $350 in 7 days on co-pays and prescriptions and that's with good insurance.  I know it could be worse but I'm drowning... in snot.  That's all I got.  No cute crafts, no good recipes.  Just snot. 

Valentine's Day Par-tay

Threw a little shindig for my mom's group this week.   A pink and red explosion.  It was a lot of fun, food was good and the kiddos sugared up.  I am now too exhausted to think to write anything intelligible.  So here are some pics and that is all...

sugar cookies with Kool-aide dyed and flavored cream cheese frosting

 Horrible pic but "Whooo do you love?... Owl always love you"  The girls made these.

 Candymelt mustaches and lips

 orange cinnamon roll hearts

 pb&j heart sandwiches

 Strawberry sandwich cookies and red velvet cupcakes

 Dark cocoa raspberry candy hearts and m&ms

 Valentine puppy chow

 Hot dog hearts with spaghetti and cheddar arrows

 heart shaped watermelon and heart shaped strawberries

 We decorated frames with doilies/tissue paper and I had pre-printed pics of the kids with their daddies

 glitter plates and heart decorated water bottles

 adorable

 glitter heart banner, valentine's mailboxes with chalkboard labels

 My Marcella doing what she does best... being adorable, talking and eating.

 kiss me mama

 The motley crew

mmmmmmwhaaaaaaa!

Bloody Art

I am so excited about my recent DIY project at our house.  The girls have reached an age where they are begging me to do their own art and I have no where to display it.  We are not your hoity toity refrigerator people who have a clutter free facade.  No that surface is covered with all kinds of projects from art school, mom's group. etc... But I wanted a place where I could really show off the ones I really like.  At the same time, I have been contemplating what I wanted to hang on the bare wall in my dining area.  Nothing against it, but I am not fond of store bought art on the walls in my house.  I would rather litter my walls with personal family photos and my kids glorious use of color.  So, I woke up one sleep deprived morning with the epiphany of combining the two.  How smarts I am :)

I had a few projects in mind that I had pinned on Pinterest but none of them individually really excited me.  Therefore, true to Angel-a nature, I took the best of all of them and attempted to combine them all to suit my personal taste.  And I have to say, I am pretty thrilled at how they turned out.  Plus, the hubby really liked them too (which isn't always easy to do!).  I wanted a magnetic, framed board that could really show case their work without looking cheap and cheesy.  I am on a tight budget, so I could never have possibly afforded to buy three large ornate frames that I envisioned for the space.  I kept my eye out and scored in the Michael's clearance section.  I found three large backless frames (wrong color) for only $5 each!!!  They were ugly but nothing a can of semi-gloss black spray paint couldn't fix. I sprayed them black and headed to Lowe's for some sheet metal for the magnetic board.  Only cost me $10!  I needed to cut them to size.  The guy warned me that sheet metal is really sharp when cut.  "I know, I know..." I said rolling my eyes.  I'm not careless.  And that is where the blood comes in.  That guy wasn't kidding.  I got out Jason's tin sheers and started cutting.  I by-passed the gloves because they made for clumsy handling but that was just plain dumb.  That sucker sliced all the way practically to the bone effortlessly.  Almost like a paper cut.  Barely felt it when I did it but that didn't last for long!  Yowzers!   Needless to say, Jason finished cutting them while I nursed my wound with a butterfly band-aide. 

Once cut and with gloves on... I painted the metal my kitchen color to coordinate the two rooms.  I then inserted them into the frame and staple gunned them in place.  I then purchased three white wooden craft letters from Michael's ($6 total)  and glued a magnet to the back and voila!  perfect way to display the girls art!  The whole project cost me $31!  That's cheaper than one regularly priced frame!  I absolutely LOVE how they turned out and they are quickly becoming my favorite things in the house.

As far as the artwork they created here, all I had them do was paint two half sheets (one red, one pink) and make lines on a third with a green marker.  They took a wadded paper towel and used it to paint on the blue for the background.  Once dried I cut the red and pink pages into hearts and the marker page into strips for the "stems".  I then helped the girls glue them on.  They love using the glue stick.

I love the proud little faces that excitedly display their masterpieces for everyone to see at our house! 

Craft Stick Snowflakes

Recap of the last month of my life... horrifically busy.  As I am sure all of your Decembers were.  Ours was intensified by a two week venture to California.  That's right.  Half way across the country with three, three and unders.  I had been dreading the seven hour travel day since we had purchased tickets months ago.  However, I am going to have to boast a little.  My monsters did remarkably well.  With the aid of a dual dvd player and usually off limit candies (don't judge this bribing mommy) we survived as did the rest of the plane.  I had thought about bringing treat bags for those surrounding us (including ear plugs) but decided against it since it was just one more thing to get through security.  Thankfully, they were unnecessary.

In all actuality, the plane was the easy part.  The two weeks of no naps, a baby who refused to sleep in the crib provided for us there, wonderfully bad for you food, weird half Cali half Missouri time change thingy and absolutely no structure was the hard part.  They kept it together pretty well until mid-week two where it became evidently clear that toddlers, although great at creating it, do not bode well for chaos.  Looking back at it now, we did some pretty awesome stuff while visiting though.  Got to catch up with lots of friends and family we hadn't seen in way too long, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Aquarium of the Pacific, trips to the beach, shopping, eating, eating and more eating.  Don't get me wrong, FANTASTIC vacation, but man was I glad to be back home to the normal chaos that is my house. 

So, in the days to returning to normalcy, I decided to lay low until our precious structure reappeared.  However, the girls were bored within minutes...  So, I came up with this wintertime craft to occupy them so they didn't destroy our house in the plethora of downtime they had.  Winter is hard on toddlers.  And mommies.  And furniture...

I had the girls paint 24 craft sticks each white.  That part was glorious.  It took them, no joke, a half hour of concentrating silence to master that first step.  Great thing about washable tempera paint is it dries pretty quick.  So by the time they were finished painting, the first ones were already dry for the next step.  We laid out our pattern on the table to make sure we had enough pieces and began gluing them with Elmar's glue.  My kids love to glue so I let them.  However, once they went down for their nap they had to be reinforced with a hot glue gun.  I hot glued some ribbon on top and viola!  A pretty non-Christmas winter decoration.  The girls were pretty proud and I have to say they came out pretty cool.

They are pretty big since I only had jumbo size sticks on hand.  So, I hung them in the kids play area in our basement.  I kind of am digging how their inconsistent paint job makes them look rustic.  Which, being my toddlers, I am pretty sure they meant to do that...

My December Baby...

This past week my second born turned two.  Not sure why but this time around I am a gushy mess.  I'm usually not a sentimental crier but this week I have been a blubbering fool.  Maybe I had more time to ohh and ahh over my first one and the milestones were exciting rather than a realization that they are just a point of no return.  Or maybe it's because she has always been a lover by nature and all of a sudden kisses are sticky and hugging takes away precious playtime.  Whatever the reason, I'm a mess.

So like always, I poured myself into a project for therapy.  This time it was Marcella's Charlie Brown Christmas themed birthday party.  Following in her sister's footsteps, she is very opinionated and thorough about her party details. When asked what she would like to eat, without skipping a beat she answered, "cake, hot dogs, macaroni & cheese, and pizza."  Well the party was a morning affair and I wasn't sure any of these things would be appetizing at 9:30 a.m. but true to toddler nature, cake, hot dogs, mac & cheese and pizza are always a viable option.  So I got a little creative...

Her invite:

The spread:

small "pig pen and linus' pigs in a blanket"

"Shermie's pizza cupcakes"

"marci's mac and cheese" and "Woodstock's pretzel nest"

"Sally's snowflake cake"

"Peppermint Patty's peppermint patties"

"Snoopy's puppy chow"

"Lucy's shiny yet yummy Christmas trees"

I made "Charlie Brown" water bottles with yellow duck tape and black ricrac.

The kiddos made Christmas trees out of upside down waffle cones, frosting and m&ms and was happy at how well they turned out.  Not a lot of mess and it really kept their attention!

Then we beat the Snoopy pinata I made to death...

For favors, I was lucky enough to find some Peanuts themed goodies in the dollar section at Target.  Also, my local grocery store's bakery had some cute Snoopy and Woodstock individually wrapped cookies!  Perfect.  I also made the kids individual personalized Charlie Brown coloring books.  I found some large Peanuts coloring books at the dollar store.  I took ten pages, stapled them in construction paper and then used the same picture I used for Marcella's invite to photoshop each kid into it for a personal touch.

(Sorry this pic stinks!)

I think it turned out cute and Marcella was sooooo excited to have a day dedicated to her favorite topic of discussion :)