Christmas Tree Crafts: Under the Sea

Starting in September, I led Katy's Sabbath School class and Adventurer's class, the Baby Birds, in making crafts for a tree in the Christmas Tree Forrest at the International Museum of Art and Science.  The Christmas Tree Forrest is an annual display of trees decorated according to a designated theme with entirely handmade decorations.  This year, the display includes 20 tress decorated by different groups.

Each week for three months, I planned a craft and tested it at home on Katy to make sure it was age appropriate.   Thankfully, Katy loves doing anything involving art and was therefore a very happy and willing test subject.  After weeks of making ornaments, it was finally time to decorate our tree.  Big thanks to Sylvia for spending an evening with me turning the crafts into true ornaments by adding safety pin hooks and pretty little bows

Our tree, "Primary Colors Under the Sea," turned out so colorful, full, and beautiful.

Although Katy's Sabbath School Class helped make the tree's ornaments, the Baby Birds class made most of the ornaments.  For this reason, I registered the tree under the Discovery Club name and included a placard explaining what the Discovery Club is and our club motto, "Because Jesus loves me, I will always do my best."

The placard also lists the different ornaments the kids made and what we used to make them.  I spent a lot of time thinking of different ways the kids could use different materials and mediums to decorate the tree.

Below are close up pictures of the different ornaments the kids made.  I love the variations and imperfections in the different ornaments.  It gives them loads of character.

Octopus; acrylic paint, cardstock, plastic jewels, and wiggly eyes.

Shark: paper cup, newspaper, cardstock, and wiggly eyes.  I love how the teeth turned out on these!

Whale: acrylic paint and cardstock.  The gradient color scheme of the blue paints made for such a great finished product.

Submarine: crayon, marker, cardstock, and a plastic straw.

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Jellyfish: contact paper, tissue paper, cardstock, and ribbon.  The ribbon tentacles look so neat flowing down the decorated tree.

Turtle: crepe paper, plastic plate, cardstock, and wiggly eyes.

Manta Ray: acrylic paint, cardstock, and wiggly eyes.  I like how simple these are, and the kids seemed to enjoy painting them with bubble wrap.

Fish I:  cardstock, popsicle stick, confetti, and wiggly eyes.

Fish II: markers, coffee filters, rubbing alcohol, popsicle sticks, and wiggly eyes.

Fish III: cardstock and stickers.

Snake: pipe cleaner, paper straw beads, cardstock, and wiggly eyes.

Fish Scene: watercolors, newspaper, cardstock, bottle caps, foam, sandpaper, and foil paper.

Pelican: watercolors and cardstock. I love how watercolors turn out, even when toddlers are the ones painting.

Starfish: cardstock and pom-poms.

Crab: acrylic paint, cardstock, miniture plastic cup, and wiggly eyes.

Seahorse: tissue paper and cardstock.

The tree topper includes our Discovery club mascot, a dolphin, jumping from the water and wearing a scarf as seen in our club logo.  The sun in the topper is made from the kids' handprints and turned out so cute.

I finished off the bottom of the tree with some wrinkled paper to look like sand at the bottom of the ocean.

It was fun introducing the kids to different methods of painting, as well as lots and lots of wiggly eyes.  Even better, these kids have now have their artwork on display in a museum before reaching the age of five.  They are an accomplished group of toddlers and preschoolers.  Perhaps best of all, however, our group won first place in our age category, Kindergarten to 2nd grade.  Here are some pics from the reception for the event, at which the kids received our award certificate and cash prize.

This project consumed a lot more time than I initially intended, but it was so fun and the final product is just beautiful.

Photos for Woolmade Shop

Fotos para Woolmade Shop

One of my friends is a talented knitter who sells her beautiful pieces of art online.  She used Katy as a model for her winter collection and in return, provided Chris and I with the pictures she took and a gorgeous knit vest.  Katy modeled some beautiful outfits, and the pictures we received capture so much of Katy's personality.  If you are in the market for some beautiful, heirloom quality pieces for your little one, head over to Woolmade Shop.

Una de mis amigas teje ropa muy bonita y la vende en el internet.  Ella usó Katy para modelar su colección del invierno, y nos dio los fotos que tomó y también un chaleco muy bonito.  Katy modeló atuendos bonitas, y los fotos reflejan su personalidad.  Si necesitas ropa bonita de buen calidad para un nino or un bebé, visite Woolmade Shop.

Summer Projects

Proyectos Este Verano

Here's what the Sias family created over the summer.

Aqui esta lo que creamos sobre el verano.

I made Katy a gas pump for her car using a cardboard box and things I found around the house.  Katy enjoyed it and even mades a little "shhhh" sound as she put gas in her car.

Hice una gasolinera para el carro de Katy usando una caja de carton y cosas que encontré en la casa.  Katy le gustó y dijo, "shhhh," cuando puso gasolina en su carro.

I made Katy a cow costume using one of Chris' old undershirts and spare felt, elastic, and ribbon.   I used this tutorial as a guide for making the dress.  We dressed as cows for cow appreciation day at our local Chick-fil-a.

Hice un disfraz de vaca para Katy usando una camiseta vieja de Chris y fieltro, elástico, y cinta que tuve en la casa.  Usé este tutorial para hacer el vestido.  Nos vestimos como vacas para un evento en Chick-Fil-A.  

I also finished some farm animal hand puppets, which I made using a pattern and tutorial from Larissa Another Day.  I sewed most of the puppets by hand and only used the machine to sew the front and back sides of the puppets together.  I used thick felt because I want the puppets to withstand toddler handling.

También hice títeres de animales de granja usando un patrón de Larissa Another Day.  Cosí mucho por mano y solo usé la maquina de coser para unir el frente y la parte trasera de los títeres.  Usé fieltro grueso para hacer los títeres porque quiero que los resistan los manos de niñitos.

I made some tiny shopping bags for Katy's little shopping cart.  I made the first one following this tutorial almost to a tee.  The second one I changed a bit by rolling the top of the bag to create a cuff and adding much longer straps.  I prefer the second bag I made because it holds it's shape better and is easier for Katy to carry on her shoulder.

También hice bolsas de compras chicas para la canasta chica de Katy usando este tutorial.  Sigue el tutorial exactamente para hacer la primera bolsa.  La cambié la bolsa un poquita para hacer la segunda - doblé la parte superior para hacer un puño y hice correas mas largas.  Me gusta la segunda mas que la primera porque sostiene su forma mejor y Katy puede llevar la en su hombro.     

I made some family finger puppets.  I didn't follow a tutorial for these, just used my imagination.  My favorite is the grandpa.  I didn't make a dad because I ran out of steam on this project.

Hice títeres de dedo.  No usé un tutorial, solo usé mi imaginación.  Mi favorito es el abuelo.  No hizo un  papa porque no tengo tiempo ni energía para hacer mas títeres.

Chris finished our storage shed and it looks SO GOOD!  He started it about a year ago and has worked on it here and there.  He designed and built the entire thing, with a little help from his brother and my dad.

Chris terminó nuestra cabana y la mira MUY BIEN! La empezó al año pasado y trabajó en la cabana cuando tuvo tiempo.  Chris lo diseño y construyo todo, con un poquito ayuda de su hermano y mi papa. 

Front of the shed, as seen from our yard.

It's already full. 

The view of the shed from the front yard.

Katy also created loads of lovely pieces of artwork.  She is one busy artist, just like her mom and dad.

Katy también creo un montón de arte bonita.  Ella es una artista muy ocupada, como su mami y papi. 

Big art.

I drew it. Katy and I colored it together.

Katy's first attempt at cutting along the lines. 

She loves using markers.

Katy discovered glitter this summer and LOVES it.

Katy's first attempt to stay in the lines.  Not bad at all!

She told me she drew a tree, and it actually looks like a tree!

Is Chris Already the Fun Parent?

Chris ya esta el padre divertido?

Each month during my book club meeting, Chris and Katy go to McDonalds to eat oatmeal.  Last week, Katy told me only her and papi go to McDonalds.  She continued, "Katy and Papi also watch cat videos."   Katy really likes watching cat videos on YouTube, and she very much likes going to McDonalds.  I asked Katy what she does or where she goes with mommy.  She thought for a minute and then said we go to HEB and we sleep.  Out of all the fun things I do with Katy, grocery shopping and taking naps are the two things that stand out to her.  

Cada mes, cuando tengo mi grupo de libro, Chris y Katy van a McDonalds para comer avena.  La semana pasada, Katy me dijo que solo ella y papi van a McDonalds.   Continuó, "Katy y Papi miran videos de gatos también."  A Katy le gustan a mirar videos de Gatos en YouTube y también ir a McDonalds.  Le pregunté a Katy donde va o que hace conmigo.  Ella pensó por un minuto y dijo que vamos "a HEB y a dormir."  De todas la cosas divertidos que hago con Katy, ir al supermercado y dormir son las dos que sobresalen a ella.   

Book Club: One Year Anniversary Celebration

Celebrando Aniversario del Grupo de Leer

One year ago, I organized a book club.  To celebrate our one year anniversary, we had brunch at the Sias house.  I couldn't resist the temptation to set a proper table for our celebration!

Hace un año desde que organizé un grupo de leer.  Para celebrar nuestro aniversario, comimos en la casa Sias.  No pude resistir la tentacion a decorar la mesa para nuestra fiesta.

Not pictured is the potluck-style buffet of carbs, carbs, and more carbs.  Yum!

No tengo fotos de la comida rica que comimos.  

After discussing our book for the month, we individually ranked the twelve books from the last year from most to least favorite.  We then compared and summed up everyone's rating for each book to determine that the Book Theif, by Markus Zusak, was the overall group favorite.

Después de hablando sobre el libro del mes, cada persona clasificó los libros del mas al menos favorito.  Comparamos nuestros clasificasiones y los sumamos para cada libro.  Determinamos que el Book Thief, escrito por Markus Zusak, era el favorito del grupo.     

Overall group ratings

I also printed up a list of the first lines from each of the twelve books we read.  It was fun to match the lines with their book.

También imprime una lista de las primeras lineas de cada libro.  Cambiar las lineas primeras con sus libros fue divertido.  

One of our group members ordered from a bakery twelve book-shaped cookies, one with the name of each book we read, to share.  The cookies were a fun surprise.

Uno de los miembros del grupo ordenó de un panadería doce galletas en la forma de libros, uno con cada título de los libros que leímos, para compartir.  Las galletas fueron una sorpresa perfecta!

Finally, we took a group picture each holding our individual favorite book from the last year.  It was a fun morning.

Al fin, nos tomamos un foto con nuestros libros favoritos del año.  Fue una mañana maravillosa.