New Life, New Revamp

I made this DVD shelf three years ago and painted it a multitude of fluorescent colours... Needless to say it was time for a change!!

I particularly like the chalkboard sides, just need artistic motivation! :)

Be Well

Coffee Table Mosaic

We hate our coffee table... and we have a lot of old CD's.

So we put the CDs in a pillow slip and whacked them with a hammer.

Except for our favourite ones which we laid out in a preplanned pattern of our musical paths.

Glue, glue, glue... apparently it's best to leave it dry a little until it's sticky!

We went for the 'pick a colour and start sticking stuff' method

Glue, glue, glue... turns out that wood glue warms when you put, say, a hot coffee on it.  So we're also going to put a sealing spray thing on it... when we buy one.

TA DAA

Be Well!

The Latest Felt Stories

Yes... my addiction to felt continues!

Ingredients: 

Felt, scissors and imagination (or templates if your that way inclined)!

As promised, the completed firefighters and their truck.  First you start with the red truck and as you sing "the wheels on the truck.." etc, you put them up!  The competition winner was the firewomen, and my faithful competitor!

We are in the middle of a massive obsession with buildings at work.  After hours of scanning the internet for a felt house and song I ended up having to make one myself.  As with the fire engine you sing a song and build the house as you go.

Song:

Let's build a house lets build one, let's build a house today

We'll build a house we'll build one, we'll build one for our play

build, build, build a house, build, build, build a house, build a house

First we need some walls and we will need a floor

next we'll need some windows, let's not forget a door

build, build, build a house, build, build, build a house, build a house

Next we need a roof, and a chimney too

what about a garden, and of course we need you!

build, build, build a house, build, build, build a house, build a house!

Another work related creation... I keep finding bugs, the most recent being a little moth caterpillar starting a cocoon.  This off course must lead to the Hungriest Caterpillar story, and because it's me it's come in the form of felt!  If only the little caterpillar didn't look so evil!

The best thing about finding bugs is that you can show children how special they are.  The children in my room even protect the ants they come across!

Maybe these will give you ideas for your own stories, or perhaps the motivation to create!

In either way, Be Well and Choose Happiness!

Firefighter Competition 2012

 So I might have started a Firefighter craze at work when I started a mat time dedicated to the "Get Down, Get Out" slogan.  This has resulted in children harassing their parents about their smoke alarms and escape plans... I'm sure the parents will like me again in awhile!

It has also meant a lot more stories and songs about Firefighters and, more specifically, firetrucks!  So I created one from felt.  The downside to felt you ask?  You have to draw (or glue) finer details... hence the Firefighter Competition of 2012!

Ingredients:

Two templates, one male, one female (of course)

Two felt cut outs

One fabric pen

Two eager contestants!

Ready, set, DRAW

I tackled one... although I won't say which!

My competition tackled the other

The final results... You choose the winner!

I took a picture of the final product, complete with firetruck and accessories which i'll upload once google realises it's on my phone! 


 Look out for The Hungriest Caterpillar and the Build A House felt set in my next blog!


Be well, and choose happiness!

Felafel & Flat Bread

So I've started working at a vegetarian centre and found myself married to a vegetarian... how convenient!  The smells from my work kitchen are the most incredible ever, and I get to bring home the recipes and share them with you all!  So enjoy!

Felafel 

Mash 1 can of chick peas and combine with:

1 finely chopped onion

2 crushed cloves of garlic

parsley (But i didn't have any!)

2 teaspoons of curry powder

1 egg (or some sour cream)

1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (although I didn't have any either)

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 tablespoon of olive oil (... never have this so i used butter)

1/2-1 cup of breadcrumbs (little bit at a time till patty type consistency)

Then fry or bake (200C) for 10 mins each side!

Flatbread

3 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of baking soda

2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons of oil (but of course I use butter)

Put all in a bowl and mix with iced water until a nice dough, roll out into flat circles, prick the surface and fry in an oiled griddle until brown!  YUM

Dips

Onion:

Caramelise onion, add a clove of crushed garlic and some worcestershire sauce then cool.  Add 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons of sour cream.

Aioli:

Mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and curry powder... in whichever quantity you desire!

It's also awesome with yoghurt and mint dip!!

Be Well!

holiday crafts and a few randoms

I get given lots of those small little hotel soaps, and I still have fleece left over from Steiner classes... this year someones getting felted soaps for christmas!

 It's surprisingly simple, just wrap, add hot water, rub and squeeze, for ages. 

Cleaning out the cupboards gave me: cardboard, fleece, felt, buttons, bark and paint.  So i present a magical elf land!  Next year my classroom is going to be filled with this sort of stuff!

Couple of old crafts now, actually I might have done this but I can't remember, so forgive me if you've seen them before!

Chalkboard paint was on sale.

The above table was outside someone else's house with "Free" written on it.

The old pinboard below got a new lease on life.

Crafty Fingers

I have found myself overloaded with pillow slips, Ki has found herself living in a hippie commune, and Melody has requested a craft night, so:

 Crafty Fingers Presents: 

Prayer Flags

Saturday 16th July: 3pm: My House 

Ingredients:

• Material (optional to bring... i'll share my pillow cases)
• I have household and artist paint, along with vivids, bring along anything else you might want to use to decorate...
• Scissors... I have three pairs, is that enough?
• Thread and needles supplied
• Rope, elastic or string for hanging (I think i'll use those shoe laces I never used!)
• Imagination!

I am planning on using the symbols in the image above.  I am, however, attaching an article about prayer flags that talks about their different purposes so you might like to consider alternative ideas for personal significance.

Hope to see you there!


Be Well