A Collection of Thoughts

DIY : Air Dry Clay Ornaments

Last weekend we embarked on a project idea that I had pinned ages ago. Last christmas I saw these really cute ornaments that had been stamped with doilies. I imagined that they would be simple to make so I went to Riot and purchased some air dry clay. Blah all the rolling in the world did not make it soft or pliable or even remotely use able. I promptly left it in the too hard basket.  I remember I was chatting I think to Georgie ( hello! ) on line about the disaster and she sent me to this link. I pinned it and forgot.

Fast forward to last weekend and we gave it a try. It's so simple and works perfectly.  We made the clay ( less than 20 minutes from start to finish including cooling time!  It's beautiful and soft and perfectly white. We rolled it out - cut shapes with cookie cutters and used a doily to press a pattern into it.

The girls then decided they wanted to make some coloured ones too so we got out our wilton colour gels and also just the normal everyday food colouring colours. I was a bit sceptical but they turned out great. The colour of the dough was really vibrant but it drops back as it drys.

I put holes in each piece and then we left them to dry. The drying process took 4 days but it was no big deal -we could see them changing each day and becoming more sturdy. We flipped them over on the second day. You can bake them on a low heat to fasten the process but I was dubious because we have the dodgiest oven in the world and I didn't want to risk it.

Finally we added string and hung them from our glitter tree and on glass jars to be filled with water and tea light candles.

 I would recommend making a double batch especially if you have helpers working with you or if you want to do colours. I also bought these set of clay tools from stacks ( a junkstore)  by Montemarte for $9.95 which made making the holes and tidying the sides etc much easier but you could get by with a skewer and a knife I think. Any left over clay can be kept in a ziplock in the fridge.

via montmarte.net

Other than that all you need is come cookie cutters, food colouring, bicarb soda, cornflower and water. They turned out so gorgeous and were really simple and totally foolproof. I can see these as part of our handmade Christmas ideas for this year for sure.

Happy Making!

Easter Ideas for Kids

I am on the search for simple ideas the girls can do themselves and/or won't take a lot of time or cost alot of money.

I stumbed across this concept for using Jelly Beans. You place one of each colour into a plastic egg  and add this poem.

 

Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass he made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright,
Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins we made,
White is for the grace he gave.
Purple is for his hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.

A bag full of jelly beans is yummy to eat,
It’s a picture, a promise, a special treat,
To help us remember Jesus’ work complete,
Gives us hope beyond any earthly sweet.

 

The jelly beans I bought didn't have purple so we have changed the poem to say blue instead of purple.

The girls have started their eggs I have to get some more ink for printing the poems.

 

via pinterest.com

I love these "carrots"  I saw this idea last year too but I have had NO luck finding the icing bags  anywhere. I'd love to thought because these would be perfect for a few friends.

via pinterest.com

I pinned these last year too but they are going to take too much time so have left them for yet another year.

via spoonful.com

 We love the idea of these for our family easter party - though no idea what to use for the orange lolly ... Maybe a snake chopped up???

 I love the idea of these too for one of our meals over Easter- popped inside a plastic egg. Easter conversation starters.

 

via homecookingmemories.com

I'm heading into surgery again next Wednesday and I'm not likely to be out before Easter Sunday  so trying to get organised before hand. Have you got any fun ideas that are super easy ??? Please do share.

Travel Journal Ideas

Later this month we are travelling to Sydney for a week - so excited.  Last year the girls and I went for three days and I found we had some down time each afternoon when I just couldn't keep walking seeing doing. It was some of the time we enjoyed the most coming back to our room chatting about what we had seen and planning our evening and next day. I thought this time I'd love to keep a travel journal and get the girls to do one too.

So far I have thought of a little pencil case for each of us with journalling pens washi tape stapler label stickers glue sticks. I'm on the fence about taking my selphy for easy printing or I may just google and see where we can do some printing in the city if its close enough to our hotel.

 I have had this pinned on my board forever - so minus the  camera - they can use their touches or my phone- but this kind of idea

via pinterest.com

 But that's it - that is as far as I have got.

 I have seen this one

PROJECT : A Scrapbook On The Road is simply a small album you put together prior to a trip that allows you to document your travels as you are experiencing them.

via aliedwards.com

I love this idea of making something before we go so that we can just pop things in as we go along. OR should I go more traditional and get a Kikki K style one for the girls ???

via www.kikki-k.com

I like some of the prompts - list of a fav things etc

I also saw these ones - which are an AU company so would arrive in time

via iseekidguide.com

I am really leaning towards making my own - has anyone seen anything fab out there or made one ? That worked for them I'd love to know.

 

Advent Calendar DIY

EEEEK we are so sorry – our little Christmas countdown clock stopped there for a minute! So to make up for it I have for you a super dooper way of doing a fun advent calendar for not many dollars.

24 days of little gifts can certainly add up but it’s so fun and the magic of Christmas doesn’t really last that many years so it’s nice to try to keep it as long as you can I think.

My girls are on school holidays for just on one million weeks as of this Friday. They love craft and are always on the look out for activities so I thought I’d see what I could find that was free to download for an activity for them to do –instead of gifts and/or chocolate each day. I bought one of those share packets of Cadbury Crackle pixie elves thingys  and I did already have some little bits put away but when I counted up I still had 9 more empty bags! 

 

So last night I googled and surfed and have now printed some wonderful activities that require very little extra.

Here is my round up

1.  Cupcakes.

I think I may have shared these before they are so cute! The girls will love making these into cards or pictures. I printed these to normal copy paper and Ill add some cardboard into the pack. They can grab scissors glue stick and maybe some glitter from our usual stash
 source
 
2. Paper Dolls by Black Apple

I’m going to have the girls make these into a little banner – so I’ll add some string to this. The instructions are printed there too. These I printed to cardstock so they’ll be a bit more sturdy.
source

3.  Colouring in

Always popular but this site has some really lovely patterns I’ve printed an extra one for me – I love to colour . We may even play with watercolours for something different.
source

4. Sewing cards.

I just printed one for each of the girls – the one I thought theyd like the most.  and I will add needles and thread. These I printed to cardstock.
source

5. Lacing Bookmarks.

Also stitching but really sweet are these. They will need a needle a  push pin  -  and some precut cardstock so they can make a few. I’m thinking these would be nice for some grandparents too!

source

6. Cootie Catchers

These are all the rage in our house. I actually don’t even know if that name is correct but its what the girls call them. These lovely ones come in a variety of colours and I love their “answers” A bit of trial an error and I realised I was never going to be able to match the sides up properly for printing so I have printed page 3 and 4 to plain paper – they can trim glue and then fold once it’s dry.

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7.Fans. 

I’m a fan of these fans LOL – sorry couldn’t help myself.  Add some dolly clothes pegs  and  thread.  There is even a colour your own version ( saves on in! )
source

8.Placeholders.

Two lots of cute as bookmarks I really love the rainbow set – You do need some of those magnet strips so either use old advertising magnets or I found mine at stacks which is a cheapie store.

source

9. Christmas Prop.

We  had a photo booth  for the girls birthday and I thought it might be fun for them to do some for their instagram and maybe a Christmas card. This lovely set from O Happy Day has 14 pages of printables . I went with the Santa beard, cups and presents. All you need to add is skewers
source 
 
Three of my printables use thread so I couldn’t resist printing these little thread thingys from Wild Olive as well.  

 source
 
So there you have it 9 very fun and awesome quality printables to use for your advent calendar.
 
If you are looking for twelve and then do a lolly treat the other twelve days here are a few others which I checked out but don’t need to use.
 
Ornaments for your tree also by Wild Olive

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A lovely owl banner  I would print this to cardstock and add ribbon. (Though just quietly Sof would LOVE this I may have to do it for her just because)

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A set of alphabet books – designed for early writers but I did think about printing a T and S one for them to fill with fun facts about themselves and add some photos.

source

 
Good luck if you do decide to quickly make an advent something J.  A link to the scriptures we use and activities is over here.  My tip for activities is to add them in the night before I so can’t plan ahead a whole month. You can see my advent bags from Ikea over here

Four Days until you need it time to get printing!

PS - I wrap the printables up as I would a gift - and pop a number on them so they know which one to open. So when they look inside the little ikea bags and there is not treat they will know to raid the pressie pile.

 Back soon with our christmas countdown post :)

School Holiday Activities

 Can you believe that school hols have rolled around again in Queensland? It was a mad dash to the end with convict diaries, science experiments, speeches for a public speaking contest and a strings concert in this last week. But we made it :-)

I have been googling for activities to do getting us out and about while Richard works as he has no time off these hols and I want to make the most of them.

So here is a little round up of the things I have found that we will attend - if you are local and have any other fun things to do please do share :)

Tomorrow we are heading to Westfield Helensvale to watch the style workshops :)  Always fun and if you register you get a free goodie bag - Fortunately the girls love fashion too so we are all looking forward to this. - Cost - $0

details here

Over the weekend we will hit the Swell Sculpture Festival held in Currumbin I have never been yet it's been running on the coast for 10 years I believe. Amazing sculptures and activities on the beach. Cost $0

details here

It's not holidays if we don't take a trip to GOMA. There are two exhibitions on at the moment which we are keen to see.  Sculpture is Everything 

The images look amazing. This is a free exhibition and if you book in at 11.00am you can go through with a guide which always adds so much more to the visit. As well we will visit Portait of Spain - This isn't free - $22 for adults but children under 12 are free. There is a kids program designed to complement it with multimedia interactives and drawing activities.

details here

The Gold Coast Arts Centre is celebrating 25 years and as part of that program has a special day on October 3rd for kids. There's a heap of different activities -arts, workshops, writers, illustrators - some are free and some ticketed, running all day.  We will attend the free performance called Cents and Sensibility and hang out at the art stuff. I have booked the girls into the public speaking workshop in the morning which sounds really good.

details here

That's as far as I have planned. I'm not sure what movies are on these holidays no doubt there will be a movie visit. The girls and I will also make use of the nice weather and head to wet n wild with a picnic too. Hopefully we can invite some of their friends to join us. There will no doubt also be a trip to Vintage Expresso and quite possibly Madame Tojos :-)

YAY for holidays.

Clean Eating Snacks

Let's be honest one of the reasons we don't eat clean is because it can be hard work. Prepping all the veges and fruit. Making your own crackers, slices, meals. One meal done and it's time to do another. Not eating clean is easier. That's a fact. I was also battling the whole Sponge Bob thing.  Do you have that in your house?

Before we ate clean I asked the girls one day what they'd like in their lunch boxes. One said oh can you get those new fruit things ? I'm like what fruit things ? They are Sponge Bob and they come with a free sticker.  I'm embarrassed to admit I went searching and randomly threw them in the trolley and it wasn't until  I got home I really looked at them and said umm I think these are just lollies ???

 

• Ingredients

  Reconstituted Fruit Juices (65%) [Apple (63%), Orange (1%), Raspberry (1%)], Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Gelatine (Halal), Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Natural Flavours, Maize Starch, Gelling Agent (Agar), Vegetable Oil, Natural Colours (Curcumin, Anthocyanins).

Now they know not to ask and they are much more savvy about labels and realise just because it says fruit doesn't make it a piece of fruit.

However it can be a losing battle in that good old Sponge Bob is cute as - he comes in a bright happy packet with his free sticker and really that can be hard to beat. Not to mention that you can also just readily throw it into a lunch sack without having to think.

i have been searching for "clean" processed snacks - things I feel I can live with including and here are my top  five - all available from Woolies.

 

 1. Hello cute packaging! These are freeze dried fruit snacks - come in apple, banana and strawberry and they are crunchy and really good.  You can read up about them here  - Ingredients - 100% fruit.

2. Mrs Mays - these are a little beyond my usual rules as they include cane sugar but there are lots of different ones. We have just tried the almond so far. You can read up about them here  -Ingredients Almonds, Rice Malt, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sea Salt.

3. Sesame Snaps - also containing sugar but I have just found that they come in a little packets - I had bought the larger ones.  These are a perfect treat to pop in lunch boxes.You can read about them here - Ingredients Sesame Seeds, Glucose Syrup Sugar

4.Organic Popcorn- We pop our own but one day when we were out getting a juice after school I noticed these at Boost Juice. A quick look at the ingredients and the grls were thrilled when I declared they were aok. I am yet to see them in the supermarket but the girls have already decided that we will get these before we go into a movie next time.  You can read about them here  - Ingredients popcorn (organic), expeller pressed - sunflower oil (organic), sea salt.

5. Fruit Roll Ups - We don't have a dehydrator so I'm yet to try and make my own and we never really had the other roll ups but we do buy the home made ones from the markets which the girls love so we thought we would try these.  My two say they are ok - not super delicious but ok. I asked should I buy them again and they said yes - so not overwhelmingly excited.  You can read about them here  Ingredients  100% dried fruit, apple, passion fruit, Pineapple, Banana, Mango.

I have to admit I'm a bit dubious about 100% dried fruit - thing because there is dried fruit and there is dried fruit - but still I think these are a far cry better than the Uncle Tobys ones

Ingredients

CONTAINS WHEAT AND SOY AS INDICATED IN BOLD TYPE.
MALTODEXTRIN (MAIZE OR  WHEAT), CONCENTRATED FRUIT PASTE (22%) [APPLE (15%), PEAR (5%), PEACH (2%)], MODIFIED STARCH (1412)(WHEAT), FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE (5%) [APPLE (2%), ORANGE (1.4%), PINEAPPLE (1.4%)], DIETARY FIBRE (INULIN), VEGETABLE OIL [EMULSIFIER (LECITHIN) (SOY), ANTIOXIDANTS (304, 306)],  EMULSIFIER (471),FOOD ACID (CITRIC, MALIC), SUGAR,  NATURAL FLAVOUR, NATURAL COLOURS EXTRACTED FROM FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND PLANTS (CHLOROPHYLL, ANTHOCYANIN, TURMERIC), VEGETABLE GUMS (410, 415).

 

The bonus is the girls are happy to have "processed" stuff and I am happy with what they contain and thats all that matters.

Oh and if you need to still combat the free sticker thing ?

 I love these for slightly older kids

via pinterest.com

 

or for the younger ones

 

via pinterest.com

and here are some disney ones too. If you follow the link there is a boys version as well.

 source

I have just pinned a heap of nice ones over at pinterest for you too - see them on my perfectly printable board.

As I continue in my clean eating life I will share other products that I find that work for me -and I'd love it if you do the same.

 

My girls are growing up

This is a tricky post to write because I'm so super proud of my girls but I'm also sad too.

Tonight they published their first blog post.

When I first started blogging back in 2005 I knew at one point I would stop having a focus on them as they grew older and would no longer share the details of them growing up. I didn't have a definite  time line on when and Richard and I have discussed it plenty of times. I'm always conscious of what I write - I never want them to go back and have things that may cause them grief written publicly. Though there was the time when they drew on the walls! And when they used to only wear Dorothy the Dinosaur :)

 

I also figured there would be a time when they wouldn't want me to take photos and tell stories about them. That hasn't happened yet (thank goodness).

They love a good photo shoot and have many of the same likes as me.  When I am exclaiming over a fun new DIY I have seen they are usually right beside me saying cool let's try that. They have always had an avid interest in my blog and what I write. We have noticed some other girls about the same age start their own blogs and have their own instagram accounts and they have been pestering me about it.

I have resisted because I didn't want to share my computer LOL. But the other day Mel shared her new blog for Bella with me that the very clever Emily Wind created. I knew if I showed the girls that the pestering would never end so it was a conscious decision to do so.

They of course loved it and wanted to get started straight away. It's been quite a few late nights discussing and reading others and talking about what they want and the things they'd like to share. I have been surprised by how much they already know. Working in high schools I see too often the issues around social media not being used responsibly and not being understood by some younger people. Clearly its here to stay and I believe that part of my responsibility is to teach them how to use it properly. We have had lots of chats about copying things and how it's important to put your own ideas to things. It's been really fun actually.

The girls skyped with Emily last night - they wanted to know what she thought about bad comments or if people were mean. She is a wise soul and told them just to be true to themselves and to not worry about what anyone else thinks. Mind you I had given the same advice and still they wanted to ask Emily. Sigh.

So anyhow they are now up and running and no doubt will share the links with their friends at school. No they aren't doing facebook but I have created a fan page for them which I will load the links to and let them know if there are any comments.

While there will still be plenty of mentions of them over here - the main stories will happen on the Twice as Nice blog - told by the terrific twosome. Their blog has turned out so cute Emily is very clever and the girls loved the creative process behind it.

If you have tweens in your house who might like to read the girls adventures we would love it if you would send them over that way.

It's more happy than sad.

 

 

Whodunit? - Sciencentre

via www.sciencentre.qm.qld.gov.au

I was thinking about taking the girls to the science centre these holidays and found this exhibition. Its been on since  January so although it's a long shot I was just wondering if any of my readers have been? I read the description to the girls and they said it sounded cool - until I got to the maggot part and then they said ewww. Just wondering how eww it is ...

Any other brilliant plans for hols? We have to be out of the house for a large chuck of most days and I dont have endless energy - it's a bit tricky.

 

Easter Paper Doll Templates - Miriam Bos

via miriambos.tumblr.com

 

via miriambos.tumblr.com

Do you need something to keep little hands busy ?? I've just printed these adorable templates to keep my two occupied for a bit this morning - Richard is working and I am off to my first radiology appointment- no rest for the wicked LOL

 YAY for clever designers who share wonderful things like this!!!

 Happy Easter Creating

 

 

The Kindness Of Strangers

The other day Misses Talia and Sofia received three parcels in the mail  love how both fishpond and book depo do that? Weird.

Anyhow inside where these amazing colouring books which I had not seen before - also a pretty pattern book which Talia was quick to pounce on and explain to me that they now needed new good textas for colouring.

Textas in our house disappear like odd socks - colouring in pencils on the other hand multiply.

Here they are the smiling girls - so stoked with their lovely books -and sharing their favourite pages. We have lots of down time and quiet time these days and I just love these so they can be happily crafty without needing any or minimal input from me.

Thank you so much whoever you are who thought to do this. So very kind.

I've just had a quick look on fishpond - there are all different ones - I think I'll be adding another on to the girls Christmas gifts- such great books!

Drawing, Doodling and Colouring Book and an Advent Calendar to Colour and a

Monsters Colouring Book  for the monster inclined:)

Patterns Colouring Book (Usborne Colouring Books) This is the other one we received and the girls are going through popping "bags" it post it notes on their favourite pages :)

Perfect christmas gifts!  Thank you so much to our sweet anonymous friend.

This afternoon I'm venturing out for a milk shake and texta buying :)

Happy days.

Here's hoping tomorrow is equally as calm.