Friday, February 23, 2018

New Lapbooks in Store

I have two new lapbooks in the store.....

and they are both on sale....

{ Horse }

Science Horse Interactive Notebook Lapbook



&

{ Salmon }

Science Salmon Interactive Notebook Lapbook







I am so excited to do these next two lapbooks.  We'll be starting Horses next week.  I haven't taken the photos for them yet, but everything is all good to go. :)

Just click the covers for the links to check them out in store.

Thanks so much for visiting.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Using Tin Cans for Your Pencils


This is a practice that I have used for many years now.  I collect tin cans, decorate them with some pretty paper and store my pencils, paint brushes, odds and ends, and scissors in them.




First, I picked out a pretty paper.  Next, I cut them into strips of 41/4 inches wide.  Then, I used my super power double sided tape on the perimeter backside.  Lastly, I simply adhered it to the can, running it just under the top lip so it fit snug and tight.



Have you ever tried this project?   Let me know down in the comment section.



Monday, February 19, 2018

Art Monday

Today we tried turning the face a little to the side....


I'm still struggling with trying to find how to do the *skin*.  I am going to try acrylics in the next one and see if I can get that to work....

I also really need to remember not to do the writing or black lining until AFTER I have colored.... so that it doesn't bleed.


Phebe did very well today.  I am really enjoying watching them improve and produce lovely Art.




Hannah wanted to finish quickly though.



I love how Chloe added her own style of hair.  Awesome!



Sunday, February 18, 2018

New Unsteads for My Library

I had a very serendipitous book weekend.

I just so happened to be visiting a local second hand book dealer and was casually perusing his shelves, as you do, and I spied an Unstead.....


I have actually had this book on my wish list for about 15 years..... so without a second thought I popped it on the desk to purchase.  I didn't even check for the price, I just knew it was a keeper!

Then the store owner casually mentions to me that he has another little Unstead in his working pile.... and proceeds to pull it out for me to have a look.

Ummm, yes please..... add that to my purchase as well.

They are collectors loves - beautiful and timeless.

So in love.... 




* * * * * *

And while we were out there we also picked up these:

direct from the growers....







Monday, February 12, 2018

Art Monday

This week we detoured with Peacocks for the really littles and Portraits for the bigger girls.

Noah.....
Yes, he is finally transitioning to doing Art with us.  He turned 3 last November, so that makes him 3y3m.  It's so cute when he comes and asks for an "activity".


Charlotte - 6
Today she drew a peacock and then painted it.


Hannah - 8 

Today she worked on a portrait.


and then painted it.....



And yes, I joined in!




Phebe - 10



And Chloe - 12



What are you doing for Art these days??  Let me know in the comments below.  

Thanks so much for visiting.


Friday, February 9, 2018

I Bought a New Art Course

I've been wanting to invest in an Art course for a little while, but I always chickened out.  I couldn't commit.  The time, the money, the materials.  Well, I finally took the jump and bought an Art course.  Yep.   I did it.

So.... at any rate, I made a start....



Probably the very best portrait I have ever done.  lol.  



I am going to have to work on the painting though.

I might even need to buy a couple more supplies, and find the prisma colors too.  I hid them to keep them safe, except I hid them so well that I can't find them.  Sigh.  lol.

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Rod and Staff Reading Grade 1 Unit 1


Charlotte has now finished the first book for Rod and Staff Reading Grade 1 - Unit 1.

It is truly a beautiful introduction to reading.  It is christian in its focus and delivery, as is the entire series.  The book unabashedly upholds high character and family values.  Something that many beginner readers lack these days, and of which I am very pleased to have been able to find and purchase.  It has been a huge blessing in our home with several beginning readers over the years.



Even though it is a thin book, it holds 30 little stories with illustrations inside.  Just right for a new beginning reader.  Each lesson / story gently incorporates new words.


The stories are illustrated with black and white lined drawings.



In the back of the book we find a couple of list word helps.  I used this particular set to quickly introduce her to the new words for each reading, just prior to the reading.  That way it wasn't over whelming or difficult at all.  And often we discovered that she already knew the words.  This just gave her all the more confidence to do the reading.

It's very gentle in the amount of words that they introduce at each lesson.



There are workbooks that also go with these stories, but we are currently just using it as a reader.

and.........

I thought I'd do a random, no practice, over the shoulder video of Charlotte reading last week. Just filming memories. 


Thanks so much for visiting.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

When a Visit to the Local Library Ends in More Books


I'm entirely a hopeless case, aren't I?  { I've been trying to minimise my book purchases. }  But look what happens when I go and check out the local library.  I discovered that they have books for sale..... In this case a set of Children's Britannica. For $5 for the entire set, I thought I couldn't lose no matter what. 


a 1971 copy.....



It is filled with beautiful pictures.



And we find two toned colored ink pictures throughout.
 


I particularly liked that it was an English version, since I am in Australia.

I did a video of our library show and tell here:




Thanks so much for visiting.

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

What Chloe Gave Me for Robinson Week


This week Chloe did these pieces for writing.  Entirely self guided, self producing.

Monday.....


Tuesday.....



Wednesday.....



Thursday.....



Friday.....



Monday, February 5, 2018

Art Monday - Masked Owl


We did these last week.


Charlotte 6



Hannah 8



Chloe 12



Phebe 10



* * * * * 



Thursday, February 1, 2018

Preschool - Touch Point Numeral One

Even though I feel that I've transitioned from early learning to being more relaxed, I have discovered that there are still some eager learners out there.  I suppose all children are eager, but perhaps the shift is in the scheduling and delivery.  :)  Either way, I do purpose to be more relaxed with Noah over the next 3 years, but today when he asked for "school" my philosophy wouldn't let me turn him down.  Oh, no.  No good opportunity should be wasted.  So I set this up for him.

Touch Math - Touch Point Cube for the numeral 1.

You can grab a FREE copy from their website by clicking HERE.
In fact, you'll notice that they have a whole stack of them to pick up.

You can print them out in color or black and white.


I put it together for him. 


I also pulled out a fresh new page/pack of numerals to pair up to the cube activity.  If you never buy anything else from them, buy a pack of these.  They're awesome!  So handy to have.


Then after we looked at the cube and the card for the numeral 1 I set up a salt tray for him to practice writing the numeral.  I always keep a separate container of cooking salt just for tray work.  You can use it for all sorts of things.


After that, school for him was over.

But I think he did listen in on Charlottes SOTW II story for the day.  lol