Tuesday 05 April 2011
My friends at Black Dog Books sent me a copy of One Stitch At A Time, a beginner’s guide to making soft toys. While I am not the world’s best sewer – I have to admit that it is gorgeous. Author, Gen West, has collaborated with Postman Pat puppet maker Laura Clempson. Needless to say, the softies in the book are impeccably stitched! The complete toy making kit contains everything you need to make your first softie, plus patterns and instructions for other soft toy animals. (Lots of great literacy skills involved in reading instructions and working with patterns.)
Thursday 31 March 2011 -
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Many of my friends with little boys have amazing train tables, and I’ve often been just a little envious! We don’t have the space for one, so I’ve been on the lookout for a trundle train-tray which can be pushed under my son’s bed. The only ones I’ve seen have been just too expensive – so the search continues.
Tuesday 29 March 2011 -
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My daughter has only just embarked on her 13yr school journey – and already I am over chocolate drive fundraisers! I am always interested to hear about unique fundraising ideas, and this has to be one of the best I’ve seen. Educational? Check. Australian? Check. Profitable? Check. Ethical? Check.
Monday 14 March 2011 -
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A story in pictures…
Whoa. Check out this big branch that fell down!
I’m going to move it up there to build a cubby with it.
All. By. Myself.
Friday 11 March 2011 -
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We {heart} our nature cubby. Not only does the leafy roof provide shade for the dirt kitchen, but it also provides a home for many garden creatures. The plant is a Monkey Rope Vine (Parsonsia straminea). Monkey Rope is common around Brisbane, and it is an interesting (and fast growing) vine thanks to its adventitious roots. These are roots which come out of the branches and stems of a plant. Monkey Rope is...
Tuesday 08 March 2011 -
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Step 1. Hammer the wood.
SquiggleDad helped, of course.
Step 2. Make your purchases.
Green rocks. Small plant. Mini trolley. Happy boy.
Tuesday 22 February 2011 -
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As my mother is an artist, the kids have visited the Queensland Art Gallery many times and also enjoy creating in Nanna’s studio. There are few blank walls in our home, but I wanted to create a gallery space to showcase the kids’ own work. We chose an awkward spot in our stair well which is seen by everyone as they enter our house. (It’s also awkward to photograph!!)
There is space to add further...
Friday 18 February 2011 -
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This summer has been so damp here in Brisbane, and while the resulting mould inside the house is NOT fun, the fungi growing outside has been amazing!
The great thing about having multiple species in one area is that the kids have been able to compare them. We’ve been able to talk about
colour
size
shape
smell
and identify similarities and differences. We haven’t touched the fungi in our yard. Many...
Tuesday 08 February 2011 -
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The whole thing came about with a simple conversation. Miss 4 shouted from the dirt kitchen “Mummy! Come and buy a cake from my bakery.” I headed up to the nature cubby and placed my order…
Mum: Mmm, those cupcakes look delicious. I’ll have two of those please, and can I have a loaf of bread?
Miss 4: Sorry, we don’t sell any bread here.
Mum: Oh? I thought this was a bakery?
Miss 4:...
Monday 31 January 2011 -
14 Comments »
I’m not exactly sure who came up with the idea of ribbon sticks. Red Ribbon Dances were performed for Chinese Royalty thousands of years ago, but I suspect ribbon sticks have a heritage in more than one culture. Ribbon dancing still has a place today in contemporary gymnastics.
Wherever they have come from, there is something beautiful and creative about playing with ribbon sticks. At a time when hi-tech toys rule...
