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A Crafting Solution

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“Again we know that the human hand is a wonderful and exquisite instrument to be used in a hundred movements exacting delicacy, direction and force; every such movement is a cause of joy as it leads to the pleasure of execution and the triumph of success. We begin to understand this and make some efforts to train the young in the deft handling of tools and the practice of handicrafts. Some day perhaps, we shall see apprenticeship to trades revived and good and beautiful work enforced. In so far, we are laying ourselves out to secure that each shall “live his life”; and that, not at his neighbor’s expense; because, so wonderful is the economy of the world that when a man really lives his life he benefits his neighbor as well as himself; we all thrive in the well being of each.”

~Charlotte Mason, 1842-1923

Recently I posted about a crafting dilemma I was having. I have one side of me that really wants to create, and really wants to teach my children to create. But there is another side of me that sees the things we create as a waste of time, space, and resources because they are not useful. After a few comments I discovered that I am not alone, heard about another crafter’s dilemma, and got some ideas for mixing things up a bit, but nobody guessed what my solution is.

I promised to share my own solution, and here it is: Handicrafts. OK, so it doesn’t sound like much of a solution, but hear me out. Most of what I was trying to do would be considered arts & crafts. Handicrafts is not the same thing as arts and crafts.

Arts and crafts include things like bean collages and paper mats. They have their place for encouraging fine motor skills and occupying the hands, but the finished products rarely serve a useful purpose.

Handicrafts are life skills that are taught slowly and carefully. Usually it is the learning of the skill itself that is important, rather than the finished product.

The story of how I came across Charlotte Mason (quoted above) and the idea of changing arts and crafts time to handicrafts is a long one, so I will leave that out. The discovery of the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy did make me reconsider how I thought of craft time though, and now I’m excited to have craft time with my girls because we’ll (hopefully) be accomplishing something more than just making a mess. I envision handicrafts as an integral part of my children’s home education, and I hope to share some of what we learn and discover along the way with you.

To start off, here is a list of things that would be considered handicrafts. This is not an exhaustive list by any means.

• macrame
• knitting
• crochet
• rug hooking
• embroidery
• plastic canvas needlework
• cross stitch
• felt projects
• clay sculpting
• beadwork
• carving-soap or wood
• quilting/patchwork
• weaving- paper, yarn etc.
• braiding/knotting floss e.g. friendship bracelets
• lanyards
• wax modeling
• woodworking
• basket weaving
• paper cutting
• doll making
• spool knitting
• applique
• smocking
• tatting
• needlepoint
• wire sculpting

We are starting with a couple of things on this list. I am teaching myself how to knit, and my 5 year-old daughter and husband have started learning about woodworking by attending clinics at Lowe’s and Home Depot. Chances are, you will be seeing some of our projects and get instructions on how to do them yourself as we explore a little more.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am still all about the arts & crafts. I love a good mess of paper scraps, spilled glitter, and sticky spots of glue once in a while. I’m just changing my focus a little bit to help get myself back into the creating groove.

Are there any things you would add to the list of handicrafts? Do you do any of these handicrafts already? Which ones are you interested in learning more about? Be sure to leave a comment and let me know so I can help you find instructions or share ideas with you.

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Crayon Physics!

I already posted about this on my personal blog, but I know we have a lot of homeschooling moms who read our blog and would love this info as well. Check out this game called Crayon Physics! It’s a fairly simple concept, and it challenges the player to come up with solutions using basic rules of physics. Best of all - it’s freeware!

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Bloggy Giveaway Carnival Winner!

Thanks for leaving a comment and entering my bloggy giveaway. I hope you enjoyed the carnival and found some great blogs!

Maureen is the winner of my Watkins Giveaway! She commented on April 22. I’ll email her for her mailing address.

Watkins award-winning products
Original Double-Strength Vanilla - 11 fl oz
Granulated Black Pepper - 6 oz
Purest Ground Cinnamon - 6 oz

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/april5-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and shop for products at http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake

I found this recipe at The Pioneer Woman Cooks and have been planning to bake it for several months. It looked so lucious that I knew I had to bake it when we had guests over for dinner.

Warning: This recipe uses butter, butter, and more butter plus cocoa powder and is lick-your-plate-good!

I used Watkins Baking Cocoa and Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla as ingredients. This cake is simple to make. It bakes in 20 minutes. Mix the frosting while the cake is baking and pour frosting over warm cake.

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake

Combine in a mixing bowl:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, melt:
2 sticks butter
Add 4 heaping tablespoons Watkins Baking Cocoa. Stir together.

Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In measuring cup, pour 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Watkins Original Double-Strength Vanilla

Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make icing:
Chop 1/2 cup pecans finely.
Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan.
Add 4 heaping tablespoons Watkins Baking Cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
Add:
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Watkins Double-Strength Vanilla
1 lb minus 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Stir together.

Add pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

I made the frosting without pecans. It would be yummy with them!

This cake is truly one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever eaten!

If you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge you can add powdered buttermilk (use according to package instructions) or pour just under 1/2 cup regular milk into the measuring cup, then add enough regular vinegar to the milk to bring the quantity up to 1/2 cup. Within seconds, it turns into buttermilk and works perfectly.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/april5-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and shop for products at http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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Real Moms Talk About Diapers.com

A Review By Real Moms Review Panel Member: Sara Lilly

I know in my house (and many others), diapers are just a way of life…You can never have too many, and you better not run out! Every week, diapers are my first thing on my grocery list! If your child is not potty-trained, you just have to have them….No exceptions! We have settled on Luvs being the best overall diaper for our little man. The fit, price, and leak protection we get from Luvs have been hard to beat. I know that diapers vary a lot by the child, but Luvs just really work best for us. Like many Moms, I grab my diapers at Wal-Mart on my weekly grocery trip and thought I was getting a fair deal at paying $19.97 for a 104 pack of Size 3 Luvs. That averages out to be .19 per diaper.

However, after being introduced to Diapers.com, I realized that I was being robbed! Not only were the Luvs cheaper (about .17 cent per diaper), but the packs are larger, which means less restocking! The whole experience dealing with Diapers.com was a pleasant one from the start. The website is easy to navigate, which was very nice to this busy Mommy! And if you think all they carry is diapers, you will be pleased to know that they carry many other items as well: Wipes, Aquaphor, Toys, Sippy Cups, Motrin, and Training Pants are just a few items that sparked my interest in their wide variety of products.

I purchased 2 Extra Large packs of Luvs ($35.99 for 204 diapers), a tube of Aquaphor ($8.49 for a 3 oz tube, also cheaper than Wal-Mart), and 2 tubs of Wet Ones Antibacterial Wipes ($2.99 for 40 wipes, about the same price as Wal-Mart) Once I had everything in my cart, ready to purchase, I entered just a small bit of required info and my order was placed….Very Easy!

Shipping is FREE for orders over $50.00 so you really can’t beat the price and convenience of ordering diapers in your PJs! Had I not browsed so much at all the great items in one place, I could have easily had my order placed in less that 5 minutes. I immediately received an order confirmation and received a shipping confirmation the same day. I placed my order on a Monday and I received it on Wednesday…Talk about fast service!

Here’s a little background info on Diapers.com:

“Launched in 2007 following a successful beta, Diapers.com is the largest online specialist offering baby care necessities in the United States. As dad’s themselves, Founders Marc Lore and Vinit “Vinnie” Bharara understand diapers.

Tired of the ‘diaper runaround’ ¯ midnight store runs for diapers, frustrated searches for the right diaper size, wasted time waiting in store lines and traffic ¯ they knew there must be a better way. Turning to the convenience of the Internet for help, they were astonished with the lack of online diaper sources. Astonishment turned to excitement as they realized the opportunity at hand.

Diapers.com was born, initially offering the most popular name-brand diapers, wipes and formula ¯ and quickly adding bottles, pacifiers, rash ointments, creams, shampoos, breast pads and more. Its mission: To offer the lowest prices moms (and dads!) will find online, along with the convenience of fast, free shipping and the best customer service around.”

I was VERY pleased using Diapers.com and will definitely be back when I need to restock! This has definitely been an enlightening experience for me, to say the least. I only wish I had found them sooner! They provide a neat Referral Program and allow you to use manufacturer coupons that could help you save even more money on your orders! You can’t beat the pricing, customer service, convenience, and fast shipping that Diapers.com provides! Click on over and you’ll see what I mean!

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A Crafting Dilemma

I’ve been in a creative funk lately. How I got into it is a long story, so let me keep it simple by introducing you to the two halves of my brain.

First, meet the crafty side. This side loves paper, ribbon, buttons, and glue. She loves making messes and creating things, even if they aren’t very practical. Sometimes she can just sit down and create. Other times she needs a little direction or inspiration. Either way, the things she makes are usually fun and make me feel like my brain has been stretched.

The other side of my brain is very different. She is very logical, thoughtful, and purposeful. She prefers to have things neat and orderly. She will clean up because she knows she has to, but prefers to just avoid making messes. The fewer things she has, the happier she is, because it means less stuff to clean up. If something does not serve a useful purpose, then we should just get rid of it.

It’s tough sometimes. Occasionally the conversation in my head goes something like this:

Crafty: We should make something with the girls today.
Logical: Yes, but then we’ll just have to clean up the mess.
Crafty: But if we do the cutting and pasting for them then the mess won’t be as big.
Logical: That’s true, but what are we going to make? Do we have all the stuff to make it? Do we need to print out instructions? Will the girls be able to do it themselves while we work on something else?
Crafty: Well, let’s make some cards to send to the grandparents.
Logical: We could do that. Of course, I don’t have any good envelopes to actually send the cards, or stamps. We still haven’t even sent the Thank You notes from Princess’s birthday in July. Neither of the girls can really write by themselves anyway. And as much as I’m sure they would love a card, wouldn’t it be easier to just send an e-card than to make one?
Crafty: Well, let’s make some cute springy decorations.
Logical: That could be fun too, but what good are decorations if nobody comes to our house to see them. Besides, they’ll just get torn up, and it’s not like we can store them to use next year. We don’t have any place for that. They’ll just get thrown away.
Crafty: You think too much. Now I’m not in the mood to do anything.
Logical: Maybe tomorrow then.

Lately my logical side wins most of the time and I’m left feeling guilty, thinking that I haven’t spent enough time actually crafting with my kids. I want them to experience the joy of creating something with their own two hands. I want them to know how it feels when you create something that expresses who you are without regards for rules or boundaries. And yet, we create nothing but the occasional batch of cookies or brownies. While delicious, it just isn’t quite as fulfilling as something that won’t get eaten as soon as it is made.

So, what’s a mother to do? I think I’ve found a solution, but before I tell you what it is, I want to hear your thoughts on the subject. Do you have a hard time getting into the crafting mood? Are most of your childrens’ art projects created at school or day care? Do you think you can guess my solution for more crafting with my kids? Leave your comments, and then stay tuned to find out if you’re right or not.

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My Kid’s Summer Business

Some people are born with an entreprenual drive, and some people develop it later in life. Sometimes it’s because they are tired of the 9-5, for many WAHMs it’s because they want to be more available to their families, and for some, it’s just because they need the money. I was definitely born with it. I started my first job at 12, baking pies for a local restaurant on the weekends for $2/pie. Sounds small, but I usually made $10 in 2 hours. That’s pretty decent for a 12 year old in … well, lets just say it was awhile ago, lol.

I learned/inherited my entreprenual drive from my dad, and not surprisingly, my eldest has learned/inherited it from me. Ariel will be nine in September and has already started one business - making and selling greeting cards. It didn’t last long, she didn’t have the skills needed to make a go of it, and didn’t enjoy it enough to want to learn. She was 7, so I didn’t push it. Since then, she often talks about it, and asks me what she can do to make money “on the computer like you do”.

Earlier today, Treece posted a link to her new eBook - Kids Business Ideas. Treece is a mother who works for her kids. It started when her daughters asked from some prewrap, and she couldn’t find it locally. She found a bulk lot online and bought it. She then told her daughters if they could sell some to their friends, they could keep the money. Treece says they not only sold them all, but they came back with a list of new orders. In a short time, they moved online and now Treece works almost full time for her daughter’s business.

So - Treece decided to put together a list of business ideas suitable for kids. Most of the ideas in this book are meant for kids between the ages of 9-17, and of course, not all ideas will work for all children. But the ideas, advice and inspirations were invaluable! I printed it and went through with a pen, underlining ideas that I like. Even for my 9 year old, I came away from it with a dozen great ideas that would be perfect for her. Tomorrow, I am going to share some of them with her and see what she would like best. I have a fairly good idea what she will pick, but I won’t say now because it will be a surprise:)

Anyway - if you have teen or preteen kids who would like to make some money either online or offline this summer, grab this book! It will definitely get your brain (or theirs if they are old enough to go through it on their own) working overtime with tons of great ideas. Pick up your copy today

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Earth Day Photo Meme

Today, Aprill 22, 2008 is Earth Day. Show Mother Earth your appreciation by using all-natural earth-friendly cleaning products, reuse items or join a reuse group, and keep a tote bag in your vehicle for daily shopping stops.

Groups like Freecycle keep stuff out of the landfills and connect people with hidden treasures. Give and get cool things for free while reducing waste and helping our planet.

Keep a tote bag in your vehicle for daily shopping stops. When you stop to purchase groceries and other goods, make sure you bring your tote in the store with you to carry them home. With over 36 billion plastic sacks being used in the U.S. alone, this one effort could save a lot of ozone depleting chemicals from being released into the atmosphere. If you find yourself without your tote, opt for a paper sack instead - this option has much less impact on the earth. Imagine the impact we all could make if every person took this one simple step!

This is one of my favorite photos for Earth Day. I love taking pictures of nature particularly flowers, birds, and the sky. This is an hydrangea from my back yard.

See other Earth Day photos at Chrysanthemoms

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Our Journey Thru Autism Part 2

Well we continue our story. Erik did very well in the pre-kindergarten program. His speech improved. He was talking up a storm. He finally called me mommy and his dad daddy. It moved me to tears. The following year Erik repeated the pre-k program because he still needed work. Speech was still slow at coming but was improving. He continued his occupational and physical therapies. But this year he had a new teacher. She was young, energetic and loved what she did. Erik really liked her. Her name was hard to pronounce so the kids called her Miss Z. When I met Miss Z prior to Erik attending school again I was a little nervous. This was her 2^nd teaching job since she was fresh out of school. So I told her all about Erik.

Then she invited the parents back for an informal meeting at the back to school night. By this time Erik was 3 yrs. Old. Erik and I went. Even though Erik had gained confidence with his new skills he still clung to me. He still didn’t make eye contact when he met Miss Z or the other children. So when it came time for school to start, Erik leaped on the bus waved as it went past.

My nervousness about Miss Z. past when I came to see Erik in class for a little play that they were putting on. The children made artwork that they held, some of which you couldn’t make out what is was. Then they sang a song together. All the children made eye contact with the other mothers in the room. It was amazing. Some of the other children who could not talk were using sign language, instead of singing.

Erik made great strides, but his behavior and hyperactivity were still a problem. Some of his bizarre behaviors still scared the other children. He had poor impulse control. He would do things for no apparent reason. One day he hit another child in the class and when he was asked why, he responded, “I don’t know”. This happened quite often and since Erik was an only child I never saw this behavior. The other children in the neighborhood were frightened of him. So the behavior continued at school but the teacher established an awards system for Erik. She made up a chart for him in the classroom, along with the other students. When Erik did things right, he got a sticker. For everything he did wrong no sticker. Well Erik really wanted those stickers. Before long Erik was improving a little with his behavior. But something else was emerging.

When at home he started to throw things at our dog. The dog wasn‘t hurt thank goodness. Then Erik started to destroy his toys for seemingly no apparent reason. I’d ask him why and the reply was always the same, “I don’t know”. For once I believed him. I really think that he didn’t know why he did these things. Like the idea of cause and effect were a mystery to him. He new it was wrong but he failed to grasp the idea.

I became concerned about his behavior and contacted his teacher at school. She said he did these things at school but was not aware we were having problems at home. She advised me, that Erik was always on the move at school couldn’t sit still, constantly tapping his pencil, or banging his feet on the floor and the like. She said get a mini trampoline. I thought this was a weird thought.

She said that the trampoline was a good way for him to focus his extra energy and strengthen his legs. So I went out to the store and got a mini trampoline for in the house. One day Erik got home from school and I introduced him to the trampoline once he started to jump on it he smiled and laughed. It was my saving grace.

More of our journey next time.

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Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

Maureen Severin of Maryland is the winner of my Watkins Bloggy Carnival Giveaway! Her name was chose at random. A big thanks to everyone who commented on my blog. Please come back soon for yummy recipes and kitchen tips.

Everyone should use Watkins gourmet ingredients in their recipes. My Bloggy Giveaway is a selection of our award winning products.

To enter my giveaway just leave a comment below! A winner will be chosen at random and announced on Sunday, April 27th.

This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers and residents of the United States and Canada. Please leave your blog url or email address so I can notify you if you are chosen the winner.

Watkins award-winning products
Original Double-Strength Vanilla - 11 fl oz
Granulated Black Pepper - 6 oz
Purest Ground Cinnamon - 6 oz

Enter to win more Bloggy Carnival Giveaways here.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/april5-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and shop for products at http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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