Forest School Log - Ice Mobiles

Ice mobiles

The week started out  with a frost, so I decided this week's forest school would make use of it. So we made ice mobiles. These are very easy to make and like all the other forest school activities can be easily done at home.
The children donned their wellies and we squelched and sloshed about looking for 'interesting things'. They mostly chose natural objects, leaves, berries, fir cones and daisies! It shows how mild it is to find daisies in January!!!

arrange your findings

These were carefully arranged in ice-cream tubs, but you could also cut down milk containers and use the 'tub' that produces. A large loop of wool (or string) was also laid in the arrangement and then water carefully poured over, just enough to cover the contents. Making sure one end of the loop was well down in the water and the other half is draped out of the tub.
My plan had been to leave them out to freeze, but the weather became milder and the rain started - again. So I put them carefully in the freezer. When they were ready, a quick dip in some warm water to loosen them and then they were hung on a tree to bob in the wind. The children loved them and so did I!
I thought I would add this to Handmade Monday this week, as something different to make!! Why not see what everyone else is up to?

 



Penguin post

Happy Handmade Monday!
The good news is that the sea stayed behind the wall last week-end and we slept safely. The weather has made it very soggy and muddy around here, but life has continued it's weekly round of school, dancing, guides and very little crafting for me. I am busy trying to do my tax return ready for the end of the month and any helpful advice would be very much appreciated!

penguins

I have redesigned the penguin key rings with Valentines and Mothering Sunday in mind, and the jammy dodger key rings are one of Folksy's Valentine gifts which is boost! I've got lots of ideas simmering away, and I'm having to keep them firmly at the back of my mind for now!
One thing I am struggling on is a 21st Birthday gift for my nephew - he's not likely to drive and an alcoholic theme isn't really appropriate either so again, any suggestions would be very welcome!

Forest School Log - Mud!!!!!

As I have posted before I am lucky enough to teach Forest School four afternoons a week, and to be honest they are the best afternoons!
This week it has been very muddy in our little patch, and because it gets so much use it has just got muddier and muddier. The activity the children and I came up with was building our own walkway over the mud using the materials we could find. Mind you, it still didn't stop them playing 'Stuck in the mud' for real, skidding in the mud and 'accidently' falling over!
It was interesting to see how the different classes tackle the activity. One class made stepping stones using logs, whilst another laid them down next to each other. I also loved seeing the co-operation, kindness, encouragement and bravery that was happening.



Yummy hot chocolate!

We even ended up on Wednesday drinking hot chocolate in the rain - and guess what, I was told it tasted even better! (I thought it might have had something to do with the mini marshmallows myself!)

Getting crafty

I'm sitting here in a very wild and wet Somerset writing my blog, when I should be doing lesson plans, waiting for high tide this evening, and hoping the sea will stay below the sea wall!
I made Mr P-L a key ring for Christmas, based on the idea that I love him more than jammy dodgers. I did get a bit carried away and made lots, so those are now for sale in my Folksy shop.

I love you more than jammy dodgers!

 I was then left with all the little hearts I had cut out of the middle of my felt biscuits. So today, after forcing my children to write thank-you notes for their presents, I used the left over hearts to make some very simple thank-you cards of my own, to give to the children at school for their gifts they gave me.

I don't waste anything!

The lovely gingham printed paper comes from Mrprintables and I just glued the hearts onto the front. No where near as intricate as the ones you see on Wendy's Handmade Harbour, but I am pleased with them!

Simple thank-you cards

This week week I am planning to join in with Handmade Monday and catching up with everyone, so I will finish by wishing you all a very happy New Year.

Happy 2014

Didn't we have a lovely time..

...the day we went to London.
On Sunday the Pickle-Lily family had a day out in London. It was a rather strange mix of a day. We started in Trafalgar Square to see the Christmas tree and then into the National Gallery. We took the children round to see a few of the paintings - Sunflowers, The Ambassadors, Leonardo's cartoon were just some of them. It is just so different seeing them in real life as opposed to a printed image. I wanted to buy a soft toy doll of Van Gogh in the shop with a Velcro ear to give to someone you love, but at £20 he was a little too dear!
We then walked down Whitehall, past Horse Guards, Downing Street, the Cenotaph and along Westminster Bridge, and then back again!

Carnaby Street

It was then onto Carnaby Street for a visit to Choccywoccydoodah - P's end of term treat. We both love watching the tv programme and this was our chance to visit. The shop was smaller than I expected with a long queue for the café. The staff were very friendly and the cakes AMAZING - even better in real life. It was all beautifully displayed with so many beautiful things.

Outside Choccywoccydoodah

From there P wanted to go to Liberty where I spent some of my Christmas money on some beautiful Rowan Kidsilk Haze which I knitted up into a lovely scarf yesterday evening.

Liberty

P and I also went to John Lewis where she spent money and met the bear from their tv advert. Then it was onto the new Cath Kidston store at Piccadily where I spent more of my money (and so did she!) in the sale.

my Christmas treats

We then got the tube back to Epping and back to Nanny and Grandpa's. We all had a lovely day admiring the Christmas lights and windows and it brought back many memories of when my dad worked in Oxford Street and my parents used to take me to Selfridges to visit Uncle Holly and Gamages at Christmas. Now that does date me! My children were also a little impressed by how I would walk to the tube station, catch two trains and then another long walk at the end to go to secondary school and then the return journey back for seven years.
I will just finish by wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Men,men,menly,men

I have had the usual present struggle for the men on my present list again this year! Last year I made a chunky stocking which I filled with goodies. This year's presents also involve knitting.

stripes

This pile of stripes have been turned into pairs of fingerless gloves. Made from lovely merino yarn including a favourite rugby team colour scheme, and with a bag of homemade fudge, I'm hoping they will be practical and fun! You've still got time to knit a pair if you're looking for a quick gift idea.


fingerless gloves


Easy-Peasy Reindeer

This is my 200th Post - and by sheer coincidence I am taking part in Bugs and Fishes Blog link-up as part of it. Such fun! The link-up is all about Christmas and I am sharing my easy-peasy reindeer tutorial. Last year I created an easy-peasy robin for Pickle-Lily ( my crafty daughter ) and this year she asked for a reindeer to make and here he is.

Easy-Peasy Reindeer

You will need -

Two circles of medium brown felt - now these can be any size depending on how big you would like your reindeer to be.
A smaller circle of red glitter felt, or just red felt or even a red button for the nose.
Two black brads for eyes or appropriate sized buttons.
A length of ribbon to hang him from.
Some darker brown felt for the antlers.
A template for his antler - this I made by using the Kristen font in Word, enlarging it to the size I wanted, cutting it out and rounding it off to get what looks like this...

Or you could draw your own shape. The beauty is no two antlers look alike so you can make them as simple or as intricate as you like. Cut out two antlers from dark brown felt.

 

 

Place the nose where you like on one brown circle to be his face and stitch it on with running stitch.

At the same time - trap the folded piece of ribbon on the back of this circle.

Then ..

Place the two antlers in position and hold them in place with the eyes...

Now, put the other brown circle over the back and sew in place.
I use a cross between a running stitch and back stitch, this gives the effect of a simple running stitch on the front but is as strong as back stitch. To do this, sew as if it was back stitch making the top stitches shorter, so they don't touch each other and the under stitches longer.
The top stitching looks like this ..

The underside will look like this

You can add a little stuffing if you want to make him a little plumper.
If you prefer you could make him into a badge - leaving out the ribbon.
A tip for this is to add an extra little piece of felt onto the back of the back circle to strengthen your badge and to use double thread to sew it on. Sew the front and back together as before.

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is making and sharing their tutorials for! A big than-you to Laura for organising this.