More Plyssa beads fun: Star Wars StormTrooper coaster Diy

We used purple beads instead of grey, because plyssa doesn't come in grey

 My 7 year old made this uber-geeky present for his dad's nameday. I found the design here http://floresdecelofan.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/posavasos-soldado-imperial.html. We were able to finish it in about one hour with him putting the beads on the thingy, and me giving the directions.

I was really glad my son was able to make something that is actually useful, functional that my husband can use at work every day!

Needless to say, our senior Star Wars fan was over the moon!

Angry Birds coaster from Ikea Pyssla beads

My older son is a huge angry birds fan, and while we do not let him play much, it is something that seems to be constantly on his mind. He brought home clay angry birds from pottery class and also likes to draw them...

I was cleaning out the kids room last week and found a jar of Pyssla beads from Ikea. A got it about two years ago, but we only used it once. I was planning to give it away, but my son was onto me before I could get them out of the house.

So I went on pinterest and found some cool patterns we could do. We made one for my husband (will blog about it later), and then we made an Angyr birds one I found the pattern here http://pinterest.com/pin/157766793168664287/  the idea is from this blog http://pat2811.over-blog.com/categorie-11071900.html they have tons of other patterns. I chose this one, because pyssla beads do not come in peach color as the hama beads do and this pattern only used white

Work in progress

 My printer was out of ink so I copied the pattern onto paper, and then gave directions to my son on how many beads he needs and which direction he should lay them down. I found this is a good activity to practice not only numbers but directions, and the combination of the two. Eg. "From left to right, please put two black ones then 4 blue ones and then one black one." So kids can also practice remembering a sequence of instructions while being crafty/artistic. You can go as slowly or fast as needed.

My younger son enjoyed playing with the beads, scooping them up and pouring them into different containers.

Knee Patches DIY 1: Cordrouy Monster Patches

 An increasing  number of my 7 year olds jeans' knees have become threadbare. Rather than trying to change his habits, but not wanting to buy new jeans every month I have been thinking of different types of patches that would appeal to him. (And make me look less cheap and more creative...:) ) This is project number one. My somn liked it so much we wore it to school the next day!

Cordrouy Monster Knee Patches DIY

 

My grandma sewed the corduroy patches onto the jeans. She first sewed around the edge because cord tends to fray. We ended up puting smaller circles above the head because there was a small hole above the knee as well.

 I painted the faces on with acrylic painmt. Because of the texture, I had to go over each feature a number of times, somemes using a thin brush to get the paint in between the gaps.

My son sporting the knee patches!

Finger knitted hoolahoop rug diy

 I made this rug from finger knitted wool and my husband's old tshirt. I had been planning to make one fort the longest time! Once I tried making a tshirt hoolahoop rug, but I had to turn it into a basket because I pulled the string too tight:) This kind of small rug is good for kids to sit on while they play board games or Lego, especially on the cold hardwood floor in our living room which is their favorite place to play.

I cannot fingerknit so that stilted by plans to make such a ruig. However, before Christmas, I found a load of finger-knitted balls of yarn at a church bazaar... I bought all of them!

I made the spokes from my husbands old tshirt. It has an earthy color and I tried to use the more earthy colored balls of yarn. Some of the balls were multicolored and I did not always know what lay under the top layers.

work in progress

I

How to stop the fingerk-nitting from slipping and unwinding?: I put the balls of yarn in a fleece sock and always unwinded just enough to be manageable.

The pictures below show how I connected the ends of the finger knitting. This is a much neater way than tying a knot.

Voila! Our finger knitted rug!

Baking with a 2 year old

 Ok, baking with a 23  month old. Today I saw some ripe bananas on sale at the supermarket and just like that my dilemma on what to bake for a school snack this week was solved (I try to make something every week). So after we got home S had a joghurt and we got down to business. We used the Wonder Muffins recipe from Bibi's Bites http://www.budapest-moms.com/2012/01/bibis-bites/, she has some great recipes!

I got both my sons involved in baking/cooking at an early age as I find it is a good way to combine (messy) fun with the kids getting food on the table. I also thinks it helps their motor skills and promotes their self confidence. The only drawback is time and a slightly more messy kitchen than if I had worked alone.

S really likes to help, and loves the kitchen. I let him do some easier tasks like stir, hold the mixer with me,  shake out packets, sprinkle salt, but cupcake liners onto the tray. Today we even cracked an egg together :)

S stirring with a wooden spoon while I get some of the other ingredients ready.

Simon separating the cupcake liners and putting them on the tray (this has been his job since he was 17 months, and while I had to help him quite a bit in the beginning he is near perfect at the job by now.

I let him but batter in some of the cupcake liners- this was a tricky job.

The expert muffin-unwrapper.

 

 

 

Yum!

For G!

DIY Autumn wreaths

 My sister-in-law and I made these wreaths during the autumn out of leaves and berries we found during a long walk we took in the county side. I have to give a shout-out to my brother-in-law who turned out to be a diehard berry/leaf picker, he found 8and was able to reach) the best stuff. Nagyon köszönöm!

My sister-in-law made this beauty

work in progress

I made the red one.

Felt-Textile Coasters

I made these felt coasters using felt and re-purposed fabric/leftover fabric scraps. I used a CD as the template for the felt bit and the rim of a mug for the fabric bit.  I used blanket stitches to sew the two together and along the side of the felt.

I made these felt coasters for my sister in law.

My son and I made this one to look like his favorite softie!