Our Family Project

Yesterday was Free Enterprise day for our homeschool group.  Free Enterprise day is when each child makes something to sell, then they set up a table and sell their goods to the other children and parents in the group.  Our table had hot cocoa, banana bread, cookies, gift bags, and face painting.  There was another family that had hot cocoa too, so we were in competition.  I think Andrew sold more though because of our Cocomotion.  That thing rocks! Andrew and Adam helped me make banana bread to sell.  We made mini loaves and sold them for $1 each.  Maryanne actually dug into the end of one of the loaves so we cut that one up for "samples."  The loaves were one of the first things to sell out ... next to some wooden swords that another child made.  (Which I didn't even get pictures of because they sold out so quickly!) Kate decided to offer face painting.  She practiced at the ward trunk or treat, so she got pretty good at it. ...

On Fridays we get together with some friends for an art lesson and playtime.  We've been getting together since September, and each month one of the moms takes a turn teaching and providing the art lesson/project.  Last month the mom did a lot of Halloween crafts, and the month before that the mom did a unit on Mosaics.  I've loved having our own little art gallery in our loft, filled with all of the children's art! This last Friday was the first time that the group met here for a lesson/project of my choosing.  I have a book that introduces children to the great art masters, and then provides an idea for an art project that helps them to learn how the artist created their masterpiece. I decided that since Claude Monet's birthday is this month, that our first art project would be about Monet.  After reading in my book about Monet and the associating project, I looked online for more ideas.  One of my good friends posted on her blog about a couple o...

I was privileged to make the scripture tote for my good friend's daughter.  She recently turned eight-years-old and received her own set of scriptures.  I quickly learned that when I develop my own pattern for something, I should probably write it down!  It was June 2010 when I made the last scripture tote ... the one for which I actually made the pattern.  I didn't write down anything about it, except what I did on my blog ... so I just went off of that and what I could remember. I spent quite a bit of time trying to remember how to make the bag, and actually made one and it was too small!  So, I took it apart and changed the pattern measurements and then it was slightly too big.  *sigh* I started again, but this time I had expected it, so I just had to do a couple of alterations.  I also eliminated one of the pockets in the inside and added a zippered pocket on the outside ... A change that I will definitely do again next time.  At any rate,...