Wooden Nativity Puzzle

I know it's the end of September and I'm posting a Christmas craft, but there is only so much time!! A few weeks ago I went out perusing some local garage sales and hit the jackpot-a scroll saw!! I've been wanting to do some woodworking for sometime, but the investment was a little too great. But going in used makes it much more economical.

Last week I came across this post on LaPaz Home Learning. I saw her nativity  puzzle and fell in love! I knew it would be a tough first project, but jumped in with both feet. I decided to take her project and simplify it. I took out angel and small pieces near the star.

I happened to have a pieces of MDF I had purchased out of the junk bin for $1 at Home Depot. Theresa at LaPaz used real wood and stained her pieces. I love the look of the wood stained, but I just wanted to be able to try it and use what I already had on hand.  I eyeballed the pattern onto the wood. It probably would have been easier to use carbon paper or even cut the pattern out and trace it, next time!


All cut out:

Now sanded:


And Painted:

I started another wooden nativity today, stay tuned to see how that one turned out!

I'm so excited to make these and give them to my family & close friends as gifts this year. We'll see how many I can get done!!

I see a lot more wood in my future!

Recipe: Chuck Wagon Wraps

This has been a family favorite for many years. I originally got the recipe from Taste of Home: Light and Tasty back in 2003!! I've made a few modification for our family, enjoy!

Chuck Wagon Wraps:

1 lb Pork Sausage (we like using Maple flavored!)

1 26oz can of baked beans (the "Ranch Style" are our favorite)

2 cups frozen corn

A splash of Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 C shredded cheese

Sour Cream & Cheese for topping

Flour tortillas for serving

Brown and drain sausage in a large skillet.

Add baked beans, corn and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a bubble and drop temperature to low for 10 minutes.

5 minutes before serving add cheese and allow to melt in.

Serve in flour tortillas with cheese and sour cream.


They are also very good with tortilla chips!

Enjoy!

Preschool Alphabet-day 2

On my second day of teaching preschool, the same concepts were covered and I used the same lesson plan in general. A few changes were made in the lesson/hands on portion.

We worked on finding the letters in their names and making them with the play dough:

We made a "A"-alligator today

The pictures I took on day 1 were put in fun foam frames and they put their names on them.

The next time I teach isn't until Halloween and then Fall will be my day 2 theme! I'll be searching for some super fun hands on Halloween and Fall themed ideas.

Preschool Alphabet-day 1

Here is my lesson plan as well as some pictures from my first day of teaching our coop preschool. Things went well and the children enjoyed themselves. I will revamp snack for Wednesday, but other than that things went as planned!

Preschool Ideas: ABC and the letter “A” Day-1

Objective: To help the children become familiar with the alphabet through hands on, books & art with an emphasis on their first name and first letter of their name.

Lesson Plan: Sept 19^th School: ABC’s  Letter: A  Color: Red/Blue

Gathering (9-9:15): Play dough with Alphabet cookie cutters

Weather/Calendar/Letter/Song(9:15-9:25): Letter A-Fridge Alphabet letter “a”,

The A says “a” the A says “a” every letter makes a sound the A says “a”

Lesson (9:25-10): Caterpillar alphabet & Chika Chika Boom Boom book with tree

• Reinforce the letters of the alphabet using Leapfrog Alphabet Caterpillar


• Read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
  
  
  
  • Using Coconut Tree with letters removed have kids: 1- pick a letter 2-say letter name 3-put letter back onto tree
  
  
  
  

Craft/Hands On Activity: Apple A, First letter of name coloring

• Apple A- glue & q-tips,


• First letter of name coloring-crayons

Snack (10-10:10): Cinnamon Sugar Pie Crust Names + Apple slices

Music/Movement (10:10-10:25): ABC song

Preschool Playlist

• ABC’s


• Shake the sillies out


• Turning Turning Turning

Book (10:25-10:40) Alphabet books

• Star Wars ABC’s


• A is for Ark


• Eating the Alphabet


• Dr Suess ABC’s

Free Time(10:40-pick up): Play outside

Playdough with ABC cookie cutters:

Apple  "A":

Coloring 1st letter of their name:

Alphabet books:

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree:

Tablet Sleeve

This week I was totally spoiled for my birthday! My husband got me a tablet! Now my tablet needed a sleeve-protection. I pulled out some scrap fabric and got to work. I've been working on Christmas stockings for my family and decided to use the stocking pattern found here as a method to the madness! (http://tiedyedivadesigns.blogspot.com/2010/10/free-pdf-sewing-pattern-how-to-sew.html)

First I measured the tablet to see how wide and tall I needed to make it. I doubled the width, put right sides together and sewed up the side and across the bottom. I also did this with a liner fabric.

Next I turned the liner right-side out and put the outside inside.

After that I measured out another tube (it should be double the width & about 12 inches tall).  I sewed up the side, turn right-side out and fold on itself.

Then I slide it on itself and hemmed around the opening. You are sewing 2 pieces of 'cuff', the liner and the outside-all the way around.


You're almost there! Turn it right-side out. You will see the hem on the cuff, but that will go away soon.

Fold it down however far you want your cuff.

Then I added two snaps to hold it all in place!

All done! This would be super easy to adjust to whatever size item you need to slide in~Tablet, Ipad, Kindle, Nook.

Have fun sewing!!

Preschool Ideas

I recently started preschool coop with some friends. There are 6 children, 3 boys, 3 girls. Each mom teachers 1 week, every six weeks. We meet 2 days a week for 2 hours. I plan on posting my lesson plans as well as some of the activities we do when I teach. If I find other preschool ideas those will also be posted here.

Welcome Bucket

I found this bucket a few weeks ago at Walmart. I purchased it without having a purpose for it. I know I shouldn't do that, but I was drawn to it!!! It's rubber and very light weight.

I decided to get some fun yellow mums and liven up the entrance to my house. I started by throwing some used plastic bottles in the bottom. This meant less soil and it wouldn't be as heavy when it was filled (disregard the fact that those are all Dr Pepper, I know I have a problem!).

Next I threw some soil in and then the mums.

I finished it off with some vinyl!

I'm ready for fall, but not quite ready to put up my fall decor. This is just enough to brighten it up a bit!