These are the three most recent stars I've made. I make the stars by hand-folding small squares of paper, overlaying the folded paper, and then gluing them together to create different patterns.
The green and pink stars are both very intricate window stars, and both take quite a while to make. They are the more complex stars offered by Harvest Moon by Hand.
Please visit my Etsy shop at http://www.harvestmoonbyhand.etsy.com if you're interested in any of these stars. There also is a link to my shop on the right side of this blog.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Trying on Wooden Shoes
The girls, their grandparents, and I traveled to Pella, Iowa, as an extension of the girls' unit study about the Netherlands. Pella was originally a Dutch settlement in the 1800s.
It has prospered since that time, and each year the community does a cultural festival. We traveled the week before the festival so it was much quieter and more peaceful. We could enjoy the over 80,000 tulips that were planted throughout the town. It was a stunning example of tulip gardening.
The girls are in a store adjacent to the Klokkenspel. We had some time to look around before the Klokkenspel went off at 1 p.m.
Here, the girls found their sizes in the wooden shoes. They aren't the most comfortable shoes...perhaps with padding they might be more comfortable. However, the girls certainly had fun trying them on and walking around in them.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Girls by Tulips
The girls are sitting by a bed of tulips at the historical village in Pella, Iowa. There were over 80,000 tulips planted in this town.
We traveled the week before the big tulip festival so it was a bit quieter and less stressful for the girls and my parents (who are in the 70s).
We traveled the week before the big tulip festival so it was a bit quieter and less stressful for the girls and my parents (who are in the 70s).
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Visible Horse - Skeleton
The horse was at the Minnesota Horse Expo. My daughters love horses, and Sophia wants to be a veterinarian. So going to the Horse Expo was part of homeschooling today.
This side of the horse shows the skeleton. It is painted with non-toxic paints. The muscular anatomy was being painted on the other side of the horse.
This side of the horse shows the skeleton. It is painted with non-toxic paints. The muscular anatomy was being painted on the other side of the horse.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Rainbow of Window Stars - Learn the Color Wheel
I like the pattern of these stars and wanted to see what they looked like in single colors. This is a collection of the stars using eight different colors of translucent paper.
They are a great reminder for the girls about the colors of the rainbow, primary colors, secondary colors, complementary colors, etc.
It's a hand-on way that they can learn about the color wheel by moving the stars around and/or changing the order that they are in.
These stars are available in my Etsy shop, Harvest Moon by Hand. Please visit http://www.harvestmoonbyhand.etsy.com if you'd like to see these stars and other Waldorf-inspired window stars that I make.
They are a great reminder for the girls about the colors of the rainbow, primary colors, secondary colors, complementary colors, etc.
It's a hand-on way that they can learn about the color wheel by moving the stars around and/or changing the order that they are in.
These stars are available in my Etsy shop, Harvest Moon by Hand. Please visit http://www.harvestmoonbyhand.etsy.com if you'd like to see these stars and other Waldorf-inspired window stars that I make.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Face on a Tree
Sophia spotted this face on the tree when we were on our nature walk at the state park.
Pareidolia is when a vague or random image is perceived as recognizable - like these growths on a tree representing a recognizable face.
This was part of homeschool phy ed/nature walk/science observation for the day.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Snack Box for Easter
The concept of the snack box that I made for Easter gifts was that it would be a fun way to present a wide variety of snacks that could be enjoyed in a short period of time.
Each person who received the snack box really like it. They are long gone now...the snacks were quickly devoured.
The items in this box were: cashews, sesame sticks, dried apple slices, gum drops, banana chips, jelly beans, sunflower seeds, wasabi peas, toffee peanuts, and Swedish fish.
My snack box is based on the "Muffin Tin Meal" concept.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Olivia in Play at Homeschool Co-op
This was Olivia's first play that she was in at the homeschool co-op. She's playing "Christy Kennedy" in "On the Banks of Plum Creek" (a Laura Ingalls Wilder story).
The costume she's wearing was made by a seamstress who I hired many years ago when I did a farm/art camp for kids. The seamstress created costumes for kids to wear that represented a variety of times in history (from the mid-1800s to 1970s).
This class was good practice in acting, public speaking, and being comfortable in front of an audience.
The costume she's wearing was made by a seamstress who I hired many years ago when I did a farm/art camp for kids. The seamstress created costumes for kids to wear that represented a variety of times in history (from the mid-1800s to 1970s).
This class was good practice in acting, public speaking, and being comfortable in front of an audience.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sophia Needlefelting
One of the skills that the girls have been learning over the past couple of years is needlefelting.
For Easter this year, they learned how to make a needlefelted egg. Using an egg-shape base, they chose the color of wool they wanted. They used a single barbed needle to felt the wool onto the egg form.
Needlefelting is a calming, peaceful activity for children. It is excellent for developing hand-eye coordination, and the result is a lovely, all-natural piece that the child can play with or use to decorate the home.
For Easter this year, they learned how to make a needlefelted egg. Using an egg-shape base, they chose the color of wool they wanted. They used a single barbed needle to felt the wool onto the egg form.
Needlefelting is a calming, peaceful activity for children. It is excellent for developing hand-eye coordination, and the result is a lovely, all-natural piece that the child can play with or use to decorate the home.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Painting for St. Patrick's Day
The girls look forward to St. Patrick's Day each year. This year I had them try something new.
I gave each one a heart stamp carved from a half a potato. Told them to stamp the hearts next to one another to create a shamrock. They were so excited to see how simple it was to create a printed image of a shamrock.
Once they printed a couple of shamrocks, then they took their paintbrushes and added some other elements to their paintings.
Sophia is painting her St. Patrick's Day picture of the shamrock, with flowers, sun, and blue sky. This is part of homeschooling art time which she and her sister (Olivia) enjoyed.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Connecting Literature through Play
Her snowman and pinecone heart are all done. She was so happy with how both turned out.
There is birdseed in the snowman's hat so the birds have another feeder to visit. The carrots she left on the ground for the rabbits or deer.
She told me after she made the snowman that she was thinking about the book, "Stranger in the Woods" as she was making the snowman.
It's interesting to see how Sophia and Olivia both are inspired by books that I read to them as part of homeschooling, and how that translates into their play and learning.
There is birdseed in the snowman's hat so the birds have another feeder to visit. The carrots she left on the ground for the rabbits or deer.
She told me after she made the snowman that she was thinking about the book, "Stranger in the Woods" as she was making the snowman.
It's interesting to see how Sophia and Olivia both are inspired by books that I read to them as part of homeschooling, and how that translates into their play and learning.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Learning How to Needlepoint
Olivia and Sophia are learning five different needlepoint stitches this week.
Growing up, I had simply learned the tent stitch (the standard one that is commonly associated with needlepoint).
It was fun to learn some additional stitches and teach the girls how to do them.
The girls enjoyed learning how to needlepoint and are excited to learn more stitches and do a small project.
Growing up, I had simply learned the tent stitch (the standard one that is commonly associated with needlepoint).
It was fun to learn some additional stitches and teach the girls how to do them.
The girls enjoyed learning how to needlepoint and are excited to learn more stitches and do a small project.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Bulb Garden
A little over a week ago when I did the homeschool home ec lesson about indoor bulb gardening/tulips/Netherlands, there were no flowers - only the leaves.
It's been a joy to watch them bloom and smell the wonderful scents of the flowers. It helps get through the days when it is cold and snowy outside.
It's been a joy to watch them bloom and smell the wonderful scents of the flowers. It helps get through the days when it is cold and snowy outside.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Celebrating Chinese New Year
January 26th marked the start of the Chinese New Year - The Year of the Ox. For Home Ec class, I chose to use this special day to focus on China - including food, clothing, and culture.
Started the class by giving each girl a "Culinary Passport" - a paper passport that is about 4" x 8", has the title on the front with a graphic of an eagle, and about a dozen blank pages.
Started the class by giving each girl a "Culinary Passport" - a paper passport that is about 4" x 8", has the title on the front with a graphic of an eagle, and about a dozen blank pages.
On each page, the girls will write the name of the country they are exploring during the semester, with China being the first entry. Under the country, they put the holiday/special day and today's date.
Brought in postage stamps from China and each girl chose some she wanted to put in her passport.
After that, I distributed handouts that tied into the items that were on the display table.
The girls learned about silk worms and how to make silk, and then saw samples of silk (dresses, placemats, hats).
They learned about the custom of giving new shoes on the Chinese New Year - and then saw baby shoes that Olivia and Sophia wore. (They were handmade in China and are full of detail.)In contrast, they saw an adult woman's shoe - the kind where the feet were bound. Found a children's website that had x-rays and diagrams of a "normal" foot and a bound foot. They compared the size of a baby shoe to the adult shoe. Quite a difference.
Showed them some chopsticks that were purchased in China when Sophia and Olivia were adopted. Gave each girl a handout about how to use chopsticks, and then told them some basic rules about what to do and NOT to do with chopsticks. They thought that part was funny.
After looking at more items, it was time for food. I showed them how to make fried rice. All the girls thought it tasted good.
Since I was making the fried rice, I doubled the recipe. Had the girls tell me how many cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons were needed for each ingredient (an easy way to incorporate math/multiplication into cooking).
They also tasted two beverages: white gourd drink and lychee drink. The snack was finished with two candy-type treats: seasame flake crisps and peanut flake crisps.
The snack was served on placemats from China. The girls had a chance to try eating with chopsticks which they thought was fun. (Brought in forks and spoons ahead of time just in case they had trouble with the chopsticks. All ended up using the forks.)
The hour was done before we knew it. This easily could have been stretched out for many more lessons. However, it was a good refresher for my daughters (who are both adopted from China), and a good introduction for the other girls.
After looking at more items, it was time for food. I showed them how to make fried rice. All the girls thought it tasted good.
Since I was making the fried rice, I doubled the recipe. Had the girls tell me how many cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons were needed for each ingredient (an easy way to incorporate math/multiplication into cooking).
They also tasted two beverages: white gourd drink and lychee drink. The snack was finished with two candy-type treats: seasame flake crisps and peanut flake crisps.
The snack was served on placemats from China. The girls had a chance to try eating with chopsticks which they thought was fun. (Brought in forks and spoons ahead of time just in case they had trouble with the chopsticks. All ended up using the forks.)
The hour was done before we knew it. This easily could have been stretched out for many more lessons. However, it was a good refresher for my daughters (who are both adopted from China), and a good introduction for the other girls.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
"Olivia's Choice Day"
What's a "Choice Day"....you may be asking. It's when one of the girls picks an activity that she wants to do that everyone in the family also can participate in and do together. It's a way to strengthen the family and grow closer together.
The "Choice Days" are always done on the last Saturday of each month. One month, Olivia chooses what she wants to do. The following month, Sophia chooses what she wants to do.
For January, Olivia picked going to the American Girl store at the Mall of America. She enjoyed looking at the different dolls, the outfits, and the accessories. Here she's standing in front of one of the many dioramas at the store. The diorama features Kit, her dog, and a little table set for a tea party.
For homeschooling, the girls are listening to the Kit series right now and learning about the Great Depression and life in the 1930s. The trip to the American Girl store was a nice "field trip" for the unit study.
After the American Girl store, we headed over to A World of Fish in Minneapolis off 66th Street. It's been around since the mid-1970s. Supposedly, it's one of the top 30 fish stores in the U.S. There is quite a selection of freshwater and saltwater fish. The girls enjoyed seeing the fish and feeding the koi fish.
Next month, it's Sophia's turn to pick what she wants to do for her Choice Day. It will be interesting to see what she chooses to do.
The "Choice Days" are always done on the last Saturday of each month. One month, Olivia chooses what she wants to do. The following month, Sophia chooses what she wants to do.
For January, Olivia picked going to the American Girl store at the Mall of America. She enjoyed looking at the different dolls, the outfits, and the accessories. Here she's standing in front of one of the many dioramas at the store. The diorama features Kit, her dog, and a little table set for a tea party.
For homeschooling, the girls are listening to the Kit series right now and learning about the Great Depression and life in the 1930s. The trip to the American Girl store was a nice "field trip" for the unit study.
After the American Girl store, we headed over to A World of Fish in Minneapolis off 66th Street. It's been around since the mid-1970s. Supposedly, it's one of the top 30 fish stores in the U.S. There is quite a selection of freshwater and saltwater fish. The girls enjoyed seeing the fish and feeding the koi fish.
Next month, it's Sophia's turn to pick what she wants to do for her Choice Day. It will be interesting to see what she chooses to do.
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