DIY No-Sew Carseat Poncho (and One for Your Build-A-Bear Too!)

I advocate for a lot of things: breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, and carseat safety! If you choose not to do the first three, that is your choice and I do not judge you for that. But if you choose to be flippant about carseat safety, that makes me upset. One big rule with carseats is no coats! Last winter we had one of those Cozy Covers on her infant seat and just zipped that over the top. This year it is not so easy. I am not a fan of fussing with the coat on and off in the car. (In fact, many times I don't wear a coat, because I don't like to fuss with it.) This idea seemed so genius to me! A lady in my mom group was making these for some other members and so I decided to make my own version!

  

The first step was choosing the fabric. Beatrix quickly fell in love with this print. She really loves puppies! We went with a solid gray for the back (you could just do one layer if you live somewhere not quite as chilly.) I got 1 yard of each. Since we did two layers this is reversible! Then I measured from her shoulder down to about halfway between her knee and her foot. I doubled that length for my measurement of where to cut. So hers is 1 yard wide by however tall x 2 (I could not find my measuring tape so I just used a string). Mr. Fish suggested we make Cupcake a matching poncho with the extra. Cupcake is the puppy she made at Build-A-Bear on her birthday and she is quite attached. The pictures I took of the process are with Cupcake's poncho, but it all works the same way.

Disclaimer: I tend to just wing things and I did not follow a pattern, nor do I have exact measurements. That is just the way I do things. This was really easy and no-sew fleece projects are very forgiving. You could also hem this instead of tying the edges if you like. I just didn't feel like dragging out my sewing machine. I just put it away last week after finishing up Christmas presents.

Set both of your fabrics on top of each other and cut to the desired size. You could make the end shape a circle or a diamond if you like - make those cuts now. We went with a rectangle for simplicity sake. Next you want to cut the neck hole. Fold the fabric in half the hamburger bun way, then the hot dog bun way. Mark the center and then make a small cut down into the fabric and then across the fold on each side. It should look like the picture below on the right. I just guesstimated the neck hole size, but you could measure the neck of a shirt that fits.

Next, cut each of the triangles that make up the neck hole in half and in half again like you see below.

(Can I just add how I hate cutting fabric with animals or people on it? It is so freaky cutting through their heads and limbs!!!)

Next tie each of those little triangles with the corresponding triangle in the layer below. You could trim the ends if you like. Here it is with the neck hole tied and the fringe cut.

Below on the left is Cupcake's poncho all finished! Cupcake is modeling the print and the gray below in the middle and right pictures, respectively. (She holds more still than Beatrix.)

Above is Bea's finished poncho, folded, like it would be if it were on her. Below it is all laid out.

We also had enough fabric to make a small blanket for Cupcake or her dollies. Below are the two matching cuties! She was not too thrilled that she could not see her arms, but she got used to it quickly.

Here it is in action! The idea is to flip the back up over the back of the carseat, lift the front and buckle underneath that. Keeping your little one warm and cozy AND safe too!

Messy Monday: Peppermint Oats

Happy Monday everyone! We had a grand time this morning with this activity and you can too!

Ingredients:

Oats
Peppermint extract
Red and green food coloring

I put oats in two separate zippy bags, added a splash of peppermint extract and a few drops of food coloring. shake and knead the bag to really get the food coloring worked in. (I did this last night so the coloring could soak in better and we did not have any stains.) The peppermint scent was quite mild. You could leave it out if you wanted, it would still be a really fun activity.

I put them in a Christmas tin, but you could really use any container you like. I thought Bea would enjoy mixing the colors so I carefully filled the container keeping the red and green oats separate. They looked really pretty once combined as well!

We had Christmas music blaring as we played, so Beatrix was dancing and having a really jolly time. We worked on scooping and dumping skills by filling the muffin tin. We also stirred them around and buried our hands in them! And for easy cleanup the spilled oats will just be vacuumed right up.

These could be used over and over, so I am storing them in the tin. Older kids may enjoy making a batch of these and sprinkling them outside for "reindeer food" on Christmas Eve!

Winter Window Squish Bag

With Christmas decorations up, it was time to say goodbye to our Fall squish bag and hello to our new Winter squish bag!

Beatrix plays with these every day, she just loves looking out the window while smooshing the contents of the bag around with her fingers and toes.

Here is how I made it!

Ingredients

Some kind of gel (I use Dollar Tree clear hair gel)

Glitter (I used blue, silver, while, and black)

Beads (I used red, white, and green)

Poms (I used red and green)

Snowflake window clings

A good quality gallon-sized freezer zippy bag. (cheapo ones tend to rip easily.)

I have found it to be easiest if you put the "dry ingredients" in the bottom of the bag first, then add the gel. 

The dry ingredients - you don't need to put as much in as you think. This was actually a LOT of glitter. It would be just as pretty with about half that amount.

Here I am trying to show about how much gel I use. Just enough to keep everything moving around nicely. Again - not too much. Don't fill the bag full!

I put up some snowflake window clings under where I was going to put the bag, for a little peek-a-boo surprise! It is fun to move the glitter around to find the big flakes. 

I think this is my favorite bag I have made so far! Mr. Fish says it reminds him of when Jack Frost paints the windows. Beatrix seems to like it as well! 

Christmas Treasure Basket

Here is the Treasure Basket I put together for Beatrix to explore Christmas! Like always, the items included are safe for little hands to explore.

What's inside:

A Christmas Teeny Beanie with jingle bells inside (not new, I have had him for quite a few years)

A clean and empty AE eggnog bottle (Beatrix LOVES eggnog)

3 crocheted snowflakes

A small wooden nativity

The always popular nutmeg-inside-a-ground-nutmeg-jar shaker/smelling jar

A plastic snow globe ornament

A sled ornament

A miniature stocking

and

A book about the true meaning of Christmas

I set the basket under the tree for her to discover and she was quite smitten. Her favorite object is the snow globe. There is no liquid inside - just glitter - but she loves to shake it and to crawl around with it in her hand. 

A Christmas Treasure Basket is a safe way for babies and toddlers to discover the different textures and shapes that come with Christmas. To make your own, simply gather up some non-breakable ornaments, and place them in a baby-safe container. For an older toddler, it would be fun to include a mini tree and some small ornaments to decorate it! For an Advent calendar twist, wrap one item for every day until Christmas and keep them in a separate basket. Let your child choose one item to unwrap and add to the basket each day! You could even have each item represent something significant - either about the Christmas story, or something to do with your family traditions, and talk about the meaning with your child. 

If you have never put together a Treasure Basket for your little ones, there is no better time than Christmas! 

Messy Monday: Homemade Finger Paint Artwork!

I have been wanting to try finger paints where I could actually keep the artwork Beatrix made. She is still exploring the world with her mouth, so I am not super comfortable with letting her use commercial paints. I found THIS RECIPE for non-toxic finger paint, so I decided to give it a go! Knowing exactly what was in it, and that everything was edible, made me feel a lot better about her getting her hands into it!

For the paint:

3 TBSP sugar
1/2 TSP salt
1/2 C cornstarch
2 C water
Food coloring

Combine all ingredients except food coloring in a small saucepan and warm on low heat while stirring until mixture begins to thicken. Pour into containers (one for each desired color) and add food coloring. Make sure the paint is not too hot before you start painting!

The first batch I made, I let it thicken too long and when I went to use it this morning, it was firm - almost like a rubbery play-dough. Thankfully it doesn't take long at all to stir up a batch, I just put Beatrix up on my back in the Tula and she watched!

You could do this on paper, but we did it on a canvas I had prepared, because I want to give it as a Christmas gift to someone. For the canvas, I painted it yellow, then when that was dry, I drew the design with pencil freehand and filled it in with tape. I would have used painters tape, but I didn't have any, so I used some washi tape. The color bled through slightly though, because it got wet, so just a warning there. I cut it in small pieces and really made sure there were no bubbles where paint could seep under. I pulled the tape off while the finger paint was still wet.

We used the paint basically right away, while it was still a little warm, since she already had her footie-pj's-turned-paint-smock on on top of her clothes and was itching to go.

First she just wanted to paint with the fork that I had stirred the paint with, but she switched to brushes, then her hands.

Then she painted her hands and my hand! It was most definitely a Messy Monday!

She accidentally spilled 2 of the pots of paint, thankfully it was thick enough that it didn't soak through the towel. I am not going to post the finished project, as it is a Christmas gift, but it turned out really cute! It did stain our hands, but I haven't tried that hard to wash it off yet. Based off past experiences, food coloring washes out after a bath pretty well. You could also use liquid watercolors, which are washable, just not quite as taste safe. She did try to put it in her mouth a couple of times, so I am glad we used a non-toxic recipe!

Kitchen Treasure Basket

Sorry for the absence last week, I was crazy busy getting ready for Beatrix's birthday and party. It is so hard to believe I have a one year old!

I put together this treasure basket right after Halloween, but I never got around to posting it. I thought a kitchen basket would be an appropriate nod to Thanksgiving

Whats in it:

• Assorted containers to stack
• Assorted kitchen utensils
• Some crumpled up aluminum foil for something new to explore

That is really about it. I added some things here and there, and took some things out (because I was tired of yogurt lids everywhere, and I needed the spatula) 

She didn't show as much curiosity about this basket as others. I am guessing that is because she has played with almost all of these objects before. But it still kept her busy!

This would be a great way to keep your kiddos entertained while cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Just throw some assorted kitchen items into a big pot and let them have at it while staying out of your hair (and the hot oven!)

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Messy Monday: Cupcake Pudding Paint!

It is hard to believe, but little Bea turns one this Friday! For her Birthday week Messy Monday activity (and since we skipped last week as Mr. Fish was on vacation) I thought we would make a big birthday mess!

 I made some vanilla instant pudding and poured it into a muffin tin. I added some food coloring to make each cup a different color. Right before play time I added some sprinkles for some extra birthday fun! I set a white cutting board on a sheet tray for her to paint and I supplied her with a silicone basting brush.

The colors were so vibrant! We have done baby cereal paint in the past, but I like the smooth texture of the pudding paint!

She was rather hesitant at first, as she tends to be with cold things and new textures.

She came and sat on my lap for awhile and watched me smear the paint around and I finally got her to taste some!

After that she was a happy little artist!

Oh my, what a mess!

I put some soap in a big bowl and ran some warm water in it, We did a very splashy sponge bath and then she helped me wash the floor. This was a great start to her last few "baby" days!

Muffin Tin Sorting

This activity requires zero planning ahead and is good for developing fine motor skills. Just grab a muffin tin - even an egg carton would work! Gather together some objects that will fit into the cups (make sure they are not a choking hazard if your little one is still mouthing things!) We have been using seashells, but you could get really creative with this!

Show your child how to set things in the cups and dump them out. Depending on the age of your child you could use tongs or clothespins while transferring objects to add to the fun!

With Beatrix we just focused on putting a shell into each cup. With older children you could sort different colored objects or objects of different shapes in to different cups - the possibilities are endless!

Dumping them all out at the end is her favorite part right now! 

Can We Fit All of That into a Shoebox?

Every year we our family packs a shoebox full of toys, school supplies and hygiene items for Operation Christmas Child to bless children in need around the world - you can too!

To start, all you need is a average-sized cardboard or plastic shoebox. Once you decide on an age/gender category, the fun begins!

Choose a "WOW!" item - a bigger gift that will really catch the child who receives the box's eye. A doll or a soccer ball (deflated, with a pump) are a couple good ideas. Fill the rest of the box with small toys, clothes, hygiene items, and school supplies. Really pack it full! Taking items out of their bulky packaging allows you to squeeze more inside. You are also encouraged to include a picture of yourself and/or a note.

Most importantly, be sure to pray for the child who will receive the box. After receiving a shoebox gift, children have the opportunity to enroll in a Bible course that teaches them about God's greatest Gift to mankind - Jesus! 

We are packing for a 2-4 year old girl (the closest category to Beatrix.) What's inside our shoebox? 

We chose 2 dolls for our "WOW!" item, because Beatrix loves dolls. Also a toy flute, some princess dress-up jewelry, a coloring book and crayons, a jump rope, a foam puzzle, stickers, a picture book, a sun hat, a pair of mittens, a warm hat, 3 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of flip-flops, a cup, a spoon and fork, a toothbrush with a case, a bar of soap, a "magic" washcloth, a frog bath-puppet, a frog washcloth, and a bunch of hair pretties!

It took some creative packing to get it all inside, but we did it! 

A prayer for the shoebox before it goes off by car, plane, boat - maybe even by donkey-back - around the world, to a special little girl who is waiting to hear a message of good news and hope! You are never too little to change someones world!

Messy Monday Halloween Edition: Witches' Brew!

I love holiday-themed play, so when I saw that Halloween was going to fall on a Monday this year, my wheels starting turning, This is what I put together for our Halloween-themed messy play: Witches' Brew!

Here is what I used:

1 package of green Jello

1 container of mandarin oranges

1 package of giant googly eyes

3 toy frogs

I prepared the Jello per the package instructions and added in the fruit following the method on the box. When I added the fruit, I also added the google eyes. I poured the whole thing into a plastic cauldron over 3 bath-toy frogs.

I bought the store-brand Jello, but I didn't consider how the box was small, so it didn't fill up much of the cauldron. Also, I was going to have it set up in the cauldron, but it had a hole in the bottom, so that didn't work out how I planned either. But hey - we still had fun!

I didn't get a lot of pictures because once Beatrix got into it she wanted to share and as a result, I got sticky too.

I set it on a pastry mat and some towels to minimize the amount of mopping I would have to do. She actually stayed on the towels so no mopping for me!

I think older kids would really get into this activity. Especially if you had all of the ingredients in different bowls, they could mix and then serve the brew!

Happy Halloween!