Back to School...and a sparkly sink!

Both my youngsters returned to school this week, my lovely daughter to Sixth Form (I still don't know quite how that's happened so quickly!) and my teenage boy to Year 9! Next week, it's back to school for me too as my after school art & craft clubs begin! Once all four clubs are up and running, I shall be making and creating with up to 80 children each week...and I am so looking forward to it!

I love to hear the children's ideas and to see what designs they come up with! Last term, we made coasters using old CDs and DVDs and, as the World Cup was underway, I had made a football-themed example and mosaic example for those that were not into football.

Without exception, the boys all made football coasters and the girls made mosaic ones!
I have always been fascinated by the "nature versus nuture" debate...are boys and girls conditioned to have different tastes or are they just born that way? What do you think?

I am a keen recycler and this crosses over into my after school art & craft clubs, not only because it is eco-friendly, but because I aim to show the children that you don't need a lot of expensive materials and equipment to be creative and have fun!

We made football trophies and goblets using plastic bottles, recycled cardboard, masking tape and papier mache - they looked fantastic once they had been painted gold and silver!

The children did some observed drawing using a charcoal pencil: apple and banana in a striped bowl. I found the end results very interesting:

These are some of the drawings from the Foundation & Key Stage 1 group - children aged 3-7. I love the different interpretations...the way that some children have drawn the fruit and bowl as separate pieces and how, for some, the fruit was hovering above the bowl rather than in it! I was most fascinated by the drawings produced by twin girls who are the youngest in the group, which can be seen at the bottom of this photo. The drawings are so similar, even though they didn't draw them together - they didn't even see each others drawings until they took them home!

So my sink will be sparkling again next week as I wash the empty pots, sticky spreaders and dirty brushes...in fact, it's not just the sink that sparkles during term time...glitter seems to get everywhere!

I'm really looking forward to going back to school!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

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What can you make out of England, France, Ireland, South Africa and Italy?

These labels were left over from something that my husband did at the rugby club a while ago and, not being one to throw things away, I have been using the plain white pieces to label the children's work at the after school art and craft clubs that I run. Today, I found another use for them.
I made labels for some of the tins that I am re-using to store bits and pieces that I use at the art and craft clubs - 'lids & corks etc.', 'card scraps' and 'felt and fleece' - I used 'l' and a 'y' to make the 'k' in corks and wrote the amphisand!

This week I have been having a huge sort out of all my art and craft club materials and equipment to make better use the space that I have available in the cellar and so that I can assess what I need to buy ready for September. I am pleased with how it's going so far:

these clear plastic storage boxes fit perfectly beside the freezer and, as you will see, from the photo of the tins, I even space left on my shelves too! However, that is not the end of Operation Sort Out...I need more, even bigger storage boxes for these:

lots of boxes, tubs and cartons,

bag loads of milk bottle tops,

and bags of plastic bottles!

I do keep a lot of junk but, as you can see, I can always find a use for it...the main problem is finding somewhere to store it all in the meantime! With four after school clubs running in September, I shall need all the junk I can get! I shall do a post soon showing some of the children's work from last term...it was such a busy time and we had so much fun making and creating!

Time for a much needed cup of tea...

Back soon,

Rebecca

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And the winner is...

Congratulations Becca! I shall be sending the parcel of goodies to you next week. Thank you so much to everyone that took the time to leave a comment - I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them all!

This week I've been making these with the children at art club...

...we've called them "squidgies" and I now have around 35 of the creatures waiting for me in the kitchen! Job for today: to give the Squidgies their squidgy filling and stitch them up!

I don't normally buy craft magazines, but I just had to get a copy of May's Knitting magazine as my Flower Hair Grips are featured in the 'Get Inspired' section (top right hand corner!).

I have to say it is a lovely magazine - I'm particularly looking forward to reading the 'WI Controversial: The Changing Face of the Women's Institute' article and I love this Strawberries and Cream Tea Cosy pattern by Patti di Cagli.

As it's another sunny day outside, I shall be doing a little more weeding, sorting and planning in the garden later. Lettuce, rocket, beetroot and mangetout seeds went in last weekend - a little late, but we always get there in the end! I am planning a good sort out at the bottom of the garden by the pond so that I can scatter some wild flower seeds and just wait to see what happens! Hopefully, a colourful display in late summer! Watch this space...

Back soon,

Rebecca

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Positivity=Creativity

Despite all the not so cheery things that are going on in our lives here at the moment, I have decided that I am going to keep my blog as a place of positivity and creativity...or at least I shall try to!

I was back with the Brownies this week to finish off the egg cosies and here are some of the end results:


I was delighted when one of the girls told me that her dad had bought her some knitting needles this week and when another was excited to tell me that she had started to knit a scarf. All the girls seemed to really enjoy themselves, knitting and nattering, with a few exclamations of "I can knit!" along the way - so pleasing bearing in mind the "I can't do it" and "It's too hard" from the first week's session! How sweet too that one Brownie asked Brown Owl if I could join them on Pack Holiday next week!

The lovely Calico Kate asked me for the pattern for the little egg cosies, so here it is:

Most of the Brownies used 7mm needles and DK yarn, which gives quite a loose knit, but grows quickly!

1. Cast on around 20 sts - needs to measure at least 12cm when stretched across your needle.
2. Knit until your work measures approx. 7cm.
3. Cut yarn, leaving an end of approx. 30cm and, using a wool needle, thread this through all the stitches on your knitting needle.
4. Remove knitting needle and pull yarn to gather the top. Then, with right sides facing, stitch the side seam. Fasten off and darn in loose end at beginning of cast on edge.
5. Make a small pom-pom and stitch it to the top of your egg cosy!

Well, as my boy is pleading starvation, it would seem that it is time to go into the kitchen, but I shall be back tomorrow with a First Anniversary post - it's hard to believe that I have been blogging for a year already!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
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