Deck the Halls

Things are getting festive around here.

A little baker’s twine, a little felt, and we have a nice holiday garland. I got this idea from The Paper Mama. How in the WORLD can I not click on a website with the word “paper” in it? An aside: you guys and all your talk about a paperless society?  That’s the most depressing thing ever. I love paper. I love pens and pencils.  Don’t take that away from me  with your fancy computers and your talk of efficiency. I’m not havin’ it. Anyway, I made this and the thing is, how do you glue felt to twine? What I mean is, what do you put under the project while the glue is drying? The HOT glue. I don’t think she included that in her directions. If I were a real DIYer and was on Pinterest I’d know, wouldn’t I? Well. Just don’t use wax paper if you try it.  You’ll be sorry.  A towel doesn’t work well either.

The girls made these and hung them on some of our doorknobs.

They’re just little reindeer kits that you can get at Michaels. I have a love-hate relationship with that store. Some DIYers are kind of mean, no? I feel like you can’t go in there without an idea of what you want to get.  That’s not how I shop. I’m a wanderer.  Plus, I’ll stand and stare at a thing for a while.  This bothers people at Michaels.  They know what they want. They have their coupons. Get out of their way. I try to follow the rules but I like to tease so I go in there and wander just to get on their nerves. I’ll probably do this until I die. I’m not the nicest person.

The girls also had a little winter writer’s workshop this week.  I had them create some object poems.  These are fun, and a great activity for young people.  Like me.  Here’s what you do:

Pick an object and draw a light sketch of it in pencil. Then write words that have to do with that object around the border of your picture.

Go over your words with a black pen. I suggest a Sharpie fine point pen if you have one lying around the house.  If not, go to Michaels. They have them. Aisle 4. Or maybe it’s Aisle 7.

(For kiddos who might not know all their ABCs and how they work, have them tell you the words they think of and you can write them down.  Working with a “very special pen from Michaels” will be satisfying for those children who like to do whatever it is their older siblings are doing.)

Then erase the pencil so the “poem” becomes the object.  You can decorate as well.  I always like to add a little color to my writing.  Trust me, if my program didn’t require I email my assignments to my advisor, I’d probably write fancy, colorful titles and maybe even add pictures.  It’s how I got through college.

 

Fa, la, la, yo.