Rain Gutter Bookshelves

I found this idea online, and thought it was perfect for us! We are always looking for great ideas that will save us some money, and this is by far one of the least expensive ways to install some bookshelves in a child's room! I think it cost us a total of $8 total! I definitely scored some brownie points with the hubby for being so frugal! :) Here's the tutorial we followed. And here's how ours turned out: 

My husband also recently painted our son's "Big Boy Room", and installed a new fan. We opted for a modern looking grey for the walls. I think it pairs nicely with the blue furniture in his room. I'll try to get some pics of the entire room soon. Still need to add some prints and decorations on the walls. I'm thinking we'll also add some more bookshelves as our son gets a little taller. ;) 

Rain Gutter Bookshelves

Library Books

Here is our library book selection from the last week... actually we've had these for about 2 weeks, but just now posting... From top left to bottom right, we have All About Me: A Baby's Guide to Babies, Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond, Tails Are Not for Pulling by Elizabeth Verdick, and This Little Chick by John Lawrence. My son loved all of these books! I figured he would like the All About Me book since it has pictures of real babies. He loves looking at real pictures! He also liked the cute pictures and rhyming story in Tumble Bumble. The pictures were also a hit in the other two books. This Little Chick was so cute because the chick went around to the other animals on the farm and started "speaking" like them (i.e., "moo-ing" like the cows). So, my son loved to make all the animal noises! I LOVE all the "Manners" books! My son has been a little rough on our very tolerant animals lately, so this was a good one for him to listen to. Luckily our Corgis don't have tails... but our cats do. Too bad there's not a "Don't Hit Your Pets" book. I guess that would fall under the Hands Are Not for Hitting book, huh? Oh, well... we are still trying to correct some of his behaviors as he is definitely in full "terrible twos" mode now. Mama needs patience... LOTS of it!

Anyways, we also "rented" some movies at the library too... for the hubby and me. :) Gotta love FREE stuff! I hope you all take advantage of your local libraries! They are so great!

Library Books

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in, click on the button above.

This week's theme was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, from the children's book by Judi Barrett, and now there's a movie coming out in its honor. The movie looks really fun, but I just don't think my son could sit through a whole movie yet, so we'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD. I do remember the book, though. It was fun flipping through the pages to find ideas for this meal, and also reminiscing about the first time I read the book... I think one of my teachers read it to the class. It was fun and exciting when I was a kid, and now that I'm a mama, it is fun to be able to read books like this to my son. I am so glad he loves to read! So, if you haven't read the book in a while (or ever... gasp!), go read it for yourself or to your kids. It's really a cute, imaginative story, and makes for a great food theme! You could probably have an entire party based on this book! I'll just explain what my foods are from the book. Pretty much anything was fair game, since all different types of food were pouring from the sky. From top left to bottom right... I have mashed potato clouds with peas, bananas (this was my "I don't have anything else to put in this tin" tin), a cup of milk (since it would rain juice or milk from the sky), meatballs... gotta have 'em, spaghetti, and broccoli. I don't know if anyone else noticed this about the book, but why is it when the "storm" comes, all the foods that are good for you end up being the "bad guys"? Why do broccoli and brussels sprouts always get such a bad rap? I think they are both delicious if cooked the right way! Anyways, that's my 2 cents. This was another fun muffin tin meal to make for my son, but he only ate the bananas, meatballs, and spaghetti... and, of course he drank his milk. I guess 4 out of 6 is progress... :) Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Library Books

Here's our library book selection for our son from the past week. From top left to bottom right, No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli, I Spy Little Animals by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick, Hands Are Not For Hitting by Martine Agassi, Mommy Loves by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben, From Head to Toe by Eric Carle, Big Little by Leslie Patricelli. So far, my son has loved all of Leslie Patricelli's books. I think he likes the main baby character, as well as all the bright colors. He also seems to listen really well to all the "Best Behavior" books. His other favorite this week was Eric Carle's book From Head to Toe. On each page, there is a different animal doing something. For example, the monkey waves his arms, and the seal claps his hands. He really liked participating in the different activities the animals were doing (pretending to be an animal). It was really cute! Much to my dismay, he hasn't really gotten into the I Spy books yet, and he also wasn't too excited about the Mommy Loves book this week. Maybe he'll like them more later on. But, overall, this was a pretty good batch of books this week. We'll be adding four of these books to his wishlist. :)

Happy reading! 

Library Books

Library Books

So here's our library book selection from last week. Learn-a-word book Clothes, by Lorenz books, Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, Bear in a Square by Stella Blackstone, and Skippyjon Jones Up and Down by Judy Schachner. I was excited to see Stellaluna and Tacky the Penguin, both books that I love! I figured my son would like these books too... especially Tacky the Penguin, since he loves penguins! Stellaluna turned out to be a little too long of a story for him at this age, so he wouldn't sit still for it. The other four were big hits! He especially loved the actions involved in the Skippyjon Jones book, and he liked finding the shapes in Bear in a Square. It was also great that we found the Skippyjon Jones book before we went to the bookstore to meet him! :)

On the first Saturday of every month, a nearby bookstore has Character Storybook Time for the kids. Some of the characters they have featured have been Curious George, Clifford, Wild Thing (from Where the Wild Things Are), Peter Rabbit, The Cat in the Hat... and many more! I think it is so fun for the kids to meet a character from a book! The kids get to listen to the storyteller tell a story from one (or two) of the character's books, then they get to give the character a hug and take a picture with them. :) It's very cute! So, this past Saturday, the character was Skippyjon Jones, and I think he is so cute! Its something fun and free to do with my son every month! Check out your local bookstores or libraries for great free events for your kids! :)

Library Books

Baby Blanket

I don't know why I have never posted this... I guess I just forgot about it since my son sleeps with this blanket all the time! Anyways, this is the baby blanket I crocheted for my son before he was born. I had never crocheted anything before I made this, so it was my first attempt, and I think it turned out pretty good! :) I was trying to do the colors the same as we had in the room... yellow, green, and white. The green isn't exactly the same, but I thought it was close enough... plus I wanted the same type of yarn for all the colors. I think I remember my grandma showing me how to crochet one time when I was staying at her house... but by the time I was pregnant, I had long forgotten how to do it... so, I resorted to the following books:

I liked the pictures in these top two books. They really helped me to understand what I needed to do. They also have some patterns you can follow if you're more experienced/brave. ;) Since I was too scared to try anything super fancy, I just did a single crochet throughout the entire blanket, then switched colors every 8 rows. 

I also liked this baby afghan book for the cute patterns. I'm currently starting a blanket for my niece for Christmas. I'm hoping to make some type of blanket for all of my nieces and nephew eventually. :) I just LOVE making gifts! 

Baby Blanket

Library Books

We've been going to the library a lot more this summer! There's a fairly new one near our house that opened up last November, and we've already visited a few times. I love it! I am very happy to say that my son LOVES to read! We have a bookshelf in the family room where he is free to pick out books for us to read to him... and he does this quite often throughout the day. I always set aside quiet time before bed and read him at least five or six books. Needless to say, we have TONS of books! There are so many cute ones that I just knew I had to get for him, and our "home library" just keeps getting bigger, much to my husband's dismay (I, however, love having lots of books!). Since money is getting tighter, we've decided to utilize our local library more. So, we've been checking out a few books for our son about every 1 to 2 weeks. Then I get to see which ones he really likes, and I add them to his "book wishlist". Then, I'll hint to family members to get him something from his wishlist for his birthday or Christmas. ;) Since he's only 20 months old, I get to make the selection at the library. I usually know what he will enjoy. Right now, we typically only allow board books, since he's pretty rough on anything with paper... ;) 

Here's our selection from this past week: Colors Everywhere and When I'm Big by Sam McBratney (the author of Guess How Much I Love You), Teeth Are Not for Biting by Elizabeth Verdick, Blankie by Leslie Patricelli, and Uh-oh, Calico! by Karma Wilson. 

So, wanna guess which ones he likes? 

Yeah... the ones with all the colors in them... not the cutesy pastel-colored ones that Mama likes... Oh, well! I do have to admit, the super colorful ones still have cute stories too. My son really likes the pictures in Blankie, and he loves the rhyming and saying "Uh-oh", when I read Uh-oh, Calico! And it seems like he's really paying attention when I'm reading Teeth Are Not for Biting... anyways, I hope he is. He sits very quietly and listens. :) He's not really a biter, except for when I try to help him brush his teeth... He's getting so independent! But, sometimes he just brushes one side of his mouth, and I want to make sure he gets all his teeth! Anyways, no recent bites... so maybe the book is sinking in! :) I do love all of the "Best Behavior" series books by Elizabeth Verdick, and I'm hoping to add them all to his collection... eventually. As for the other two books... I really like them. They are both super cute stories... just what you'd expect from Sam McBratney. Maybe my son will like them more when he's a little older... 

Library Books

Easy Quiet Book

I LOVE making these quiet books! They are sooo much easier than trying to design my own (see "My ABC Book" post). This little fabric book took me only two of my son's naptimes... so about 3 hours in all! All of these fabric book panels come with instructions, which makes it even easier to put together!

My mom gave me this panel of book fabric for Mother's Day, and I love it because it talks about where food comes from. 

I also love it because they visit a farm and learn how things grow into the foods that we eat. 

In the story, it's Grandpa and Grandma's farm... wouldn't that be cool if all grandparents ran a farm? Mmmm... farm fresh food all the time! :)

Page 8 is my favorite... I think it looks like me... brown hair, and baking everything in sight! :)

My son will just have to be satisfied with our backyard garden, and the occasional trip to a Farmer's Market...

This book was written and illustrated by S.K. Johnson, and designed by Possibilities for Avlyn.

So, here's what you need:

1 book panel

1 yard medium-weight nonwoven interfacing 22" wide OR

24 x 36" thin batting

General sewing supplies

Here's how to make it (these are the instructions that came with the panel):

1. Cut out the six 2-page units along the outer edges

Cut interfacing or batting the same size as the book cover. 

Baste (or iron) interfacing or batting to the wrong side of the book cover. 

2. Pin unit for pages 1/10 to book cover with right sides together. Make sure tops of pages are facing. Baste. 

3. Stitch with 1/4" seam allowance, leaving an opening for turning. 

4. Clip corners. Turn right side out. Press. Turn in seam allowance at opening and slipstitch closed. 

5. Repeat steps 1-4 with unit for pages 9/2 and unit for pages 3/8 placed right sides together. Repeat with unit for pages 7/4 and unit for pages 5/6 placed right sides together.

6. Place book cover open on flat surface with pages 1/10 facing up. 

7. Centering smaller pages on larger ones, place page 2 face down on page 1, page 4 face down on page 3. Check sequence of pages. Pages 5/6 will be facing up. 

8. Machine stitch on center line, backstitching at each end to secure pages.  

Easy Quiet Book

"My ABC Book"

Well, I have finally finished this quiet book for my son! Let me explain a little... My mom got me my first sewing machine almost a year ago, for my 30th birthday. I was thrilled! I was so excited to start making things for my son! I went to the fabric store and bought a whole bunch of supplies, then started to make a "quiet book". I had no clue what I was doing! Not only had I never used a sewing machine before, but I had never designed my own book either! So, I really had to think about what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to incorporate some tactile/fine motor learning things for my son, such as a button, buckle, shoelaces, zipper, etc. But, I didn't know how I was going to do it... I could have just done it the "easy way" and bought a pattern or template, or the "super easy way" and buy an already made quiet book. But, that wouldn't be as meaningful. I want my son to be able to look back when he's older and say, "Look, my Mama made this!", maybe with a hint of pride in his voice. I know, wishful thinking... Anyways, between my indecisiveness and just plain "busy"-ness, the book project kept getting pushed back, all the fabric just sitting there waiting to be made into something unique... The ideas were sitting in my head, I just needed to start it and design it. Finally I said to myself, "I am going to work on this book NOW!!!" So, I sat and started cutting, playing with ideas, and I came up with my idea of an "easy" way to finish this book.... Ding, ding, ding! "I'll just do the alphabet!" This way I could just do small little pictures and maybe an occasional button or zipper. From the time I actually got serious about starting it and the time I finished it (yesterday), the book project took me about 3 months... It is pretty impossible to just sit there sewing non-stop... I did take an occasional break. So, here it is, finally completed... almost a year after the original idea popped in my head. Now, don't be too critical... Remember I just learned how to sew (and I taught myself), so I am the equivalent of a "preschool" sewer right now. I promise it will get better... Nevertheless, I am still proud of my hard work, and I'm glad I have another "keepsake" for my son, even if it is a little shabby. :) Oh, and by the way, I won't even begin to describe how to make this book. I cut all the letters and pictures freehand, and added on as I saw fit. If you want to try to make one like it, all I can say is go for it, and good luck! :)

I made a "mini" book on the front cover, with a little "love" inside...

A: Apple, B: Ball, C: Car, D: Dog, E: Elephant, F: Frog, G: Giraffe, H: Hat...

I: Ice Cream, J: Jacket, K: Kite, L: Lemon, M: Moon, N: Necklace, O: Octopus, P: Pig...

Close-up of button and J: Jacket...

Q: Quilt, R: Rose, S: Shoe, T: Turtle, U: Umbrella, V: Vegetables, W: Whale...

Close-up of S: Shoe...

X: Xylophone, Y: Yarn, Z: Zipper...

Close-up of Z: Zipper...

"My ABC Book"

Hip Mama's Place Giveaway

Hey, everyone! Just wanted to let you know, one of the blogs I follow, "Hip Mama's Place", is offering a giveaway for I SPY A to Z: Book of Picture Riddles. I entered the contest to win, since my son doesn't have any of these books yet, but I LOVE them! They are fun even for adults to try to find (I'm a nerdy puzzle freak...)! Anyways, check the site out! It is a great blog for moms, and maybe you could enter to win too! :) 

Hip Mama's Place Giveaway

ABC Block Books

My son LOVES these little books! And of course, I love that he loves them! Every time I ask him, "Do you want to read some books?", he points to this box of books on the top shelf! He loves taking the box and pouring all the books out on the floor... similar to what he does with his big bag of blocks! Then he picks one out and we read it together! Each book has four cute pictures matched with four words that begin with that letter. For example, "A" has apple, alligator, airplane, and ant. So, he's learning his words at the same time he's reading them! I'm hoping he'll start saying more words... :) These books are the perfect size for little hands, and since they are chunky board books, they are harder to destroy! They are also a good size for stacking! Come to think of it, they are a good travel size too! You can put a few in the diaper bag or your carry-on luggage and have some little books for your toddler to flip through in the car or on the plane! My son loves flipping through the pages to find different things, and he's learning! I'll ask him, "Where is the apple?" and he flips the page until he finds it, then pretends to eat it! So cute! Now I just need to get him to say, "apple"...  I ordered my box of books through Amazon, but I'm sure they are available at your local bookstore. You can also check out the publisher's website. Happy reading! 

ABC Block Books

Snuggleville Zoo

My husband and I saw this idea in my Family Fun magazine, and we thought it was so cute that we had to build it for our son! The idea is that it is supposed to look like a cage in a zoo for all of his stuffed animals, then have extra storage on the bottom for books or other toys. We think it is a unique idea and a very cute way to store his animals when he's not playing with them. :)

What you need:

3 tier shelving unit (we made our own)

3/4-inch-wide elastic for the "bars" (about 6 to 8 feet worth, or as much as you think you'll need for your shelving)

12 to 15 finish washers

12 to 15 one-inch wood screws (we used No. 8's)

Drill

What to do:

Along the shelves' edges, mark spots to attach the elastic bars, spacing them between 5 and 10 inches apart. With a drill, make pilot holes to match your screws. 

Measure the height of the zoo enclosure, then cut strips of elastic that are 1-1/2 inches shorter than the enclosure (you want to stretch the elastic when you attach it to the shelving to make it tighter). 

Find the middle of the elastic, then (with 2 pairs of hands) hold the middle part of the elastic tight on the middle shelf and attach it using the drill with the wood screw and washer. Once the middle part is attached, you can then stretch the remaining elastic above and below to make it taut. Then, attach it the same way on the top shelf, and the bottom shelf. Do this for the rest of the elastic strips until they are all attached. Alternatively, you can secure the top and the bottom of the elastic first, then secure the middle. 

Snuggleville Zoo

Journal Makeover...

I first made a journal like this a few years back at a stamp party I went to. I thought it was such a cute idea! I've made many of these little journals! I think it is a great gift idea for anyone, and it is easy to do! I'm sure your kids could help (or even make their own) as well! I have made some for other people as a regular journal, a Grandma journal, or as a baby shower journal. I also made some for myself as fancier school notebooks! It is relatively inexpensive too, but looks so nice when its finished! And because you make it yourself, it is a gift that everyone will love! 

What you need:

*Composition notebook

*At least 4 sheets (8-1/2 by 11-inch) colored or patterned paper, or make decorations on simple white paper using stamps or stickers. You can use scraps for extra decorations (i.e., for the label, border, etc.)

*Ribbon (I like to use ribbon either as an added decoration or as a bookmark. Mine was about 12 inches long)

*Stickers (optional)

*Craft glue stick

What to do:

Make measurements of the exact amount of paper you'll need. Place your notebook on the paper (long-ways) and line up the edge of the paper with the edge of the black binding of the notebook, then flip the notebook over making sure the paper stays lined up with it. With a pencil, trace on the paper along the outside of the notebook (be sure to trace the side of the paper that won't be seen on the outside of the notebook). Do this for all four sheets of paper, for each side of the notebook (front cover, inside front cover, inside back cover, and back cover). To make it as even as possible you will have to trace each paper, since the shape will vary some for each cover. Once you have your paper traced and cut out, begin attaching it to your notebook. Take your glue stick and spread glue all over the front cover, then attach your front cover paper to the front. If you are using ribbon as a bookmark, attach it to the inside of the back cover (using glue stick) before you attach the back cover paper. Glue only a couple of inches of ribbon to the inside back cover. It will be more secure once you attach the paper on top. Attach the remaining covers with your glue stick. If you don't like the look of the black binding on the notebook, you can cover it up by gluing some scrap paper over it, making an edge/border type thing. See mine above... I have dotted paper, but my border was striped paper to cover up the black binding. You won't be able to cover the entire thing since it curves, but it will look a little nicer at least. You can add a little "label" on the front. I did the generic "My Journal", but you can be more personal and call it "Jennifer's Journal", or "Grandma's Journal", "Travel Journal", whatever you want. It doesn't even have to be a journal... it could be a recipe keeper, memory book, school notebook... you decide! :) I like to put random stickers or stamps  throughout the notebook in the corners of the pages as an extra decorative touch. If you're giving this as a gift, it is also nice to write a little something on the first page to the recipient. Enjoy making this crafty gift! :)

Journal Makeover...

Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe for Tortilla Soup in my 101 Things to Do with a Slow Cooker cookbook, but I adjusted it a little based on what I had available, and things I wanted to add to my soup. :) My husband loves corn, so I had to add it to this soup, along with a couple of other special ingredients. It is starting to get kind of hot for soup right now, so I probably won't make this again until winter. :) If you like a lot of heat, you can increase the spicy-ness by adding extra chili powder, red pepper flake, or hot sauce to this. I prefer a milder heat. :)

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, with liquid (I used the Italian kind)

1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles

1 can (14 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup salsa (mild or medium)

1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 flour or corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Cheese, shredded

Spray inside of Slow Cooker with non-stick spray. Add all ingredients except tortillas and cheese to the Slow Cooker. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours. About 10 to 20 minutes before serving, make the tortilla strips. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and spread tortilla strips evenly on the tray. Bake at 300 F for 15 to 20 min or until crisp. Pour soup into bowls, then add shredded cheese and tortilla strips on top. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Enjoy! :) 

Tortilla Soup

Good Night Our World Books

My son and I LOVE this book! We got back from a trip to the Carolinas the other day, and we found this book in a gift shop in Charleston, SC. Good Night Charleston is part of a series of books by Mark Jasper and Cooper Kelly. It has a cute little story and great illustrations of some of the places we visited while in Charleston. I didn't realize there was such a large series of them until I looked up the website on the back of the book. There are many different cities and states, as well as some different places families tend to visit such as the zoo, the beach, the lake, etc.! I am excited to add to my son's collection! As you know from my other book posts, I LOVE books that teach kids about different places or cultures, and these books definitely fit this category! You might be able to find these books in your local bookstore, in some gift shops of the cities you visit, at Amazon, or the publisher's website. I think you and your children will love them! :)

Good Night Our World Books

International Children's Digital Library

I LOVE this website! I think it is so great! This is an online "library" that has a bunch of online books from all over the world that you can read to your child from your computer for free! Many of them have been translated into English, so it makes it easier for us monolingual parents! I think it is great when children can learn about different cultures! :) Check it out! 

International Children's Digital Library

World Snacks Books

My son and I LOVE these "food books" by Amy Wilson Sanger! I think they are so cute! They are designed like a collage, using textiles (paper, fabrics, etc.), and cute little rhymes for the food stories. I love that these books introduce children to different foods around the world! We eat a lot of Asian food in our family, so right now, I only have the First Book of Sushi, and Yum Yum Dim Sum. Also available are Chaat and Sweets, A Little Bit of Soul Food, Hola! Jalapeno, Let's Nosh!, and Mangia! Mangia! I am hoping to eventually get the entire collection. These books may be available at your local bookstore, or through the publisher's website, or at Amazon. We love food so much over here, that we even love to read about it! Then we get hungry... ;) 

World Snacks Books

Mini Masters books

My son LOVES these books, and I LOVE that he loves them! :) I took a bunch of Art History classes in college, and I love learning about different artists, artwork, and the meanings and symbolism involved in so many masterpieces! I think these books are great because they expose children to some of these amazing paintings at such a young age! Authors Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober have made cute little rhymes for the stories, too! I love anything cultural and educational for my child! Some of these books are available as sets of four, or you can also purchase them separately. They can probably be purchased at your local bookstore, or check the publisher's website, or Amazon. Also available: Painting with Picasso, Sharing with Renoir, Sunday with Seurat, Quiet Time with Cassatt, Dreaming with Rousseau, and On an Island with Gauguin. Happy Reading! :)

Mini Masters books

Family Fun Magazine

I LOVE this magazine! It has so many great ideas! There are some fun crafts and activities you can do with your kids, great recipes, ideas for family vacations, and so much more! My mom got me a subscription to this magazine for Christmas, and I am so glad that she did! When I get it in the mail, I usually go through and mark all the pages that I think are great ideas that I could use... I usually end up with most of the pages marked! My son is still pretty young, but I know I can use some of these ideas for crafts, etc. later on. I highly recommend this magazine if you have kids! :)

Family Fun Magazine

101 Things...

I LOVE these cookbooks by authors Stephanie Ashcraft and Janet Eyring! Each one focuses on a certain kind of cooking style or food. There are a bunch of different kinds. I have both of the Slow Cooker books, Casserole, Tortilla, and both of the Cake Mix books (not pictured), but there are plenty of other ones too! They give you a great variety of recipes and they're wonderful when you can't think of what to make for dinner... or lunch... or dessert! :) And at about $10 a book, they're a pretty good deal! They are available at most bookstores as well as the publisher's website.

101 Things...