Snow Days

Just thought I would share a couple pictures from our snow days last week. The kids really enjoyed getting to play in the snow and spent a good amount of time working on forts. We also did a lot of art projects to try and keep from going totally stir crazy. Although we had fun I am praying the bad weather they've predicted for this week will pass us by.... I am truly tired of being stuck in the house!

Peyton and Weylin's snow fort... you can see it's armed with snowballs for attack. 

Our kitchen looked like an art store exploded for most of the week. 

The face of an artist ;) 

Valentine Craft and the best kids art book ever!

First up a fun little Valentine craft my friend Valerie inspired us to do. If you want to try it please use her instructions here... her instructions are fabulous and I wouldn't dare try to replicate them lol.

Here is the beautiful work in progress.... This really is a great craft to do with little kids. Despite the fact that everyone helped with every part it still looks gorgeous and not at all like the 2 year old helped even though she did!

Next up I want to tell you about the best art book I've ever purchased for my kids. Not the meatiest nor the most detailed mind you. But the BEST book EVER!! Want to know why? The projects are fun, intriguing and my kids can do them ALONE. The instructions are great with lots of details and pictures and my kids have made projects that look neat and they feel proud of. The best part is I purchased this at Hobby Lobby Monday ( with my handy dandy 40% off coupon) and since Monday afternoon, until now Wednesday evening they have made stuff from it nonstop!!

Here's the book 

Here's some samples of their work ;) ( Some of it is MIA already but you can get the idea) Some of it should be larger but we've been snowed in so I haven't had a chance to take the patterns to a copy machine to enlarge them to 200%

Sand Art

We are studying Middle Ages this year in history. Last week we were learning about India and the Frescos they once made on their cave walls. We decided to try out own hand at this. Let me tell you creating art with sand... not as easy as you might think. Forget about detail, you can also forget about walking barefoot through your kitchen for the next year. Unless that is you enjoy the beach feel ;).

Hard at work.

 Their Creations..

Christmas Crafts

I just wanted to share a fun little craft we did this Christmas. Yes I know it's late but I've been a blog slacker.
We got the idea from the filth wizardry blog. We always do the snowflakes but this year we added the tissue paper stain glass window. It was a blast and very pretty although quite hard to remove from the window. Not sure if we'll do it again or not... I guess it will depend on if I forget what a pain it was to get off or not.

Happy Easter

Super Snowy Snowflakes

Don't you love my clever titles.... ok ok I know they're lame but I never proclaimed to be creative.

Anyways.... I taught the kids to make snowflakes and then we taped them to the window and covered them in fake snow. It makes a cheap easy and fun decoration. The kids have been making snowflakes all week, I'm so glad they enjoyed the snowflakes... although I can say I won't be sad when there aren't little paper triangles everywhere anymore. We even got Joe to make snowflakes with us.. then the stinker outshone us all and made superflakes. The guy had snowmen, Christmas trees and Scrolling curves in his snowflakes... who can do that? It turns out Weylin is pretty talented too he got bells and swords in his snowflakes... my snowflakes weren't even symmetrical... I shouldn't admit such things but it's the truth.

OK so first you find a tutorial to make snowflakes online and start cutting.

You'll need to really concentrate while cutting... it's hard work.

Remember to have fun and smile

Don't forget to make amazing designs in your perfect snowflakes.

Tape your snowflakes to the window.

Spray the snow over the snowflakes and take down the paper snowflakes

Then sit back and admire your work.

Thanksgiving Crafts

Fairy Houses

All the big kids and Dad were gone doing various things today so I decided the little girls and I would have some fun.
Inspired by this blog http://filthwizardry.blogspot.com/ we decided to make some fairy/pet shop/polly pocket houses.
The girls were delighted, I don’t often do art projects centered around only them.

First we found containers and cut doors and windows. Then the girls got to work painting.




It takes a lot of concentration to build a fairy house ;)


The finished products
(note to self... don't stick out your tongue to get the kids attention)


In action