Beads & Baubles

As part of our "Mommy Camp" activities, we have done some extended-period arts and crafts projects, and I thought I'd share this one because it was so easy and resulted in such a cute finished product. Plus, whenever one activity can take up 3 time slots - you know it's a goodie! :)

Freida had been fixated on jewelry, and she had a really great time making a few pieces with this jewelry kit last month, so I thought I thought I'd bump it up a notch and show her how to make beads from clay (I've recently read a lot about child-led learning and felt like this was a great way to incorporate that).

She was in awe about the fact that we were going to be making a necklace from clay, and she jumped right it and got rolling. I used Crayola Air Dry Clay in white - it was easy to manipulate and it held form very well. Once I showed her how to roll balls in different sizes and poke holes in them with a wooden skewer, I let her mess around and make them any way she wanted...

She was very into her "marshmallow" beads - once the skewer was in the ball she rolled it along the table to make this shape before removing the stick. I get a kick out of watching kids find shapes they recognize in different places (like when she was a baby she would take the foam bath toy letter "E" and try to use it as a comb!), and her marshmallow beads just cracked me up!

When we were finished with the beads, we set them aside to dry. It said it takes 3 days so I did this with her on a Thursday so that over the weekend I didn't get too much nagging and the beads were ready to paint on Monday morning. It was really neat to feel them everyday (I have a sensory fetish :)) and see how they seemingly became heavier the more dry they got! By Monday morning they felt like regular ceramic beads and I think I was more excited them Freida to get paint on them!

We used a set of shimmy acrylic paint from Kid Made Modern, and it went on sleek and smooth. Naturally, the 8 colors weren't nearly enough for my 3 year old, and she went on to mix up her own purple formula. Which I loved. Obviously.

But the best part about the project was when she cried out "Mommy, it's like we have Color Me Mine in our house!!".

The painted beads dried overnight, and we went on to lace them into necklaces the next day...

Anyways, the result was super-cute and the project was cheap and easy. Thought I'd share the goodness so you can give it try!!

Weekend Round-up!!

I took off this weekend and headed across the expanse of the western desert to visit my sister in Scottsdale. When I left LA early Friday morning, the city was a sight of rare rain-ridden terrain, and I got a little nervous about the drive with my 4 month old. I'm not usually one to get overly nervous about a drive or a trip, and panic-y feelings I started having made me realize just how much I needed to get away! Do you ever get randomly anxious or suddenly go overboard with the worrying? I feel like whenever I find myself getting to that place, where the smallest things can take me over the edge - I really need to relax and take some time out. Thankfully, my husband was avidly on-board with my travel plans, and I really can't thank him (and all of Freida's amazing aunties!) enough for taking such good care of her while I was on leave!!

Once I took to the road and was halfway through an iced latte I eased up a bit and felt much better... My drive out here was lovely (all but the hour of monsoonal torrential downpour - most frightening hour ever!), and Hudi was a joy to travel with!

It took a little more than 5 hours - with two road-side feeding stops. It was so fun to be with Hudi in such a one-on-one setting. I was fixated on how simple it was to travel with one suckling babe; no snacks, no toys, no potty-stops - just some breastfeeding on my lap and a sporadic diaper change on the passenger seat!! Pie! :)

Anyways, while I lap up the last of my mini vacation here in the desert - sunbathing, swimming, and sister-chatting, here are a few things I've been meaning to share with you this week, and I'll be back in full-swing on Monday! Hope your weekend was a happy one!

- I now understand how important it is to find your neutral - it does wonders for ones complexion!

- Quinoa sushi, anyone?

- Garden hose envy!

- A really beautiful kitchen-goods shoppe.

- When art is good art.

- This made me laugh so hard at first. And then just left me feeling grateful...

- One of the reasons I love living in a big city/community.

Square Foot Gardening

Yesterday I mentioned a square foot gardening idea. This morning I discovered this - awfully pretty - tutorial! (I've been browsing some raised-bed gardening concepts because I'd love to create a kids garden for PLAY.) Anyways, if gardening has piqued your interest at all recently, or if you'd love to be growing some plants or veggies but feel like you have 2 black thumbs (like me!), this may be just the tutorial to try:

Weekend Round-up!!

I'm having one of those weird Sundays... The ones where nothing really happens, and nobody really wants to go out. So we end up staying in thinking we'll be relaxing and watching movies all day, which obviously doesn't happen because, well, we have kids. So then we just end up lounging in the back, complaining - to keep ourselves busy, and eventually cracking up from Freida and her attempts to snap us out of it. :)

Today we ended up caving to her "bike wash" - there was just no way to say no to her; bikini-clad, on her radio flyer trike, pink goggles on and all! So we cranked up the sprinkler and got on line for the ride. Anyways, while I take a few minutes break to dry off and feed my 4 month old brood who just woke from her afternoon nap, here's a few links I've been loving:

- Paint chip animals look like a great doctors office activity! (you can even bring along a crayon and draw up a farm on the paper-covered exam table.)

- Sandbox up-cycling. #iWish

- Can't wait to drive to Arizona to meet my new niece this weekend!! Freida is staying behind for this trip, but if she were coming along I would totally attempt this!

- This deliciousness should help jumpstart my "lose 10 lbs" summer goal!

- I found the two sides of his face fascinating.

- Denim + Blueberries - perfect.

Hope your Sunday was better than mine!! :)

Happy summering!

P.S. This bubble machine creates instant backyard magic!

Quesadillas + Cookbook Giveaway!!

I had been looking for some new summer dinners lately (somehow my regular weeknight menu plans just don't feel right for the long lazy summer evenings), and while leafing through the new Bais Yaakov Cookbook last weekend it dawned on me that I should really be switching things up in the kitchen - even just for Freida. She is so used to my meals and the way I cook and the flavors I use, I thought It would be really good to try some new things. And since I have all this time with her during these summer weeks, it's a perfect way to incorporate cooking into our slew of "mommy camp" activities. Anyways, we poured over the cookbook together this morning and I let her pick something new she wanted to try for dinner. She went with Quesadillas! The recipe was simple enough - unlike many of the other high-grade kosher cookbooks, this one is beautiful to look at yet actually works with regular ingredients that you'll likely have in your pantry! - and she was able to do most of it and assemble them on her own (while entertaining Hudi, to boot! :).

I used whole wheat tortillas, and the recipe called for onions, mushrooms, red pepper, yellow pepper, and shredded cheese. She ate it all! I couldn't believe she didn't even put in a request for a "plain" version!! Who knew quesadillas are total kid fare?? She dipped them in sour cream for a while, and then went on to munch away on them happily like they were little slices of personal pizza. Perfect summer dinner + leftover lunch-on-the-go - perfect with some chilled salsa and sour cream!

The Bais Yaakov Cookbook is choc-full of elevated recipes you can make from regular ingredients you have on hand. It's beautifully done and really well-written (I loved reading the History of Bais Yaakov in the forward. I had no idea the whole movement was started by one girl when she transformed her small seamstress workspace into a classroom in Krakow - for only 5 girls!!), and the halachic guidelines in the back will very likely come in handy,  but mostly what I loved about this cookbook is that majority of the recipes I can make for dinners, or dinner parties without hassling too much in the kitchen. (I can't wait to try the Crumb Coated Sea Bass, Roasted Garlic and Zucchini Soup, and these Apple Buns look off-the-hook-amazing!!)

To win a free copy of The Bais Yaakov Cookbook leave a comment where you see this post on Facebook!! A winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday. Good luck!!

But don't worry - even if you don't win you can still snag a copy for yourself or for a friend at 20% off + free shipping here!!