Picture of my Christmas Cactus Flowering.

My Christmas cactus have been doing so well.  It started as a gift from my Mother "N" Law for our home when we were married. Still going strong 23 yrs. later.  Since she has passed we always have something special to either remind us of her or to carry on some tradition of sorts. She seems to be with us in these special ways and at the most interesting times still.   Happy New Year's Eve, Everyone!  :).

Little Elf, Little Elf What Do You See? Short story and song.

                                            Little Elf, Little Elf,  What Do You See?
                                                                                                                                       
                                            Little elf, little elf, what do you see?
                                            Shimmering lights on the Christmas tree.
                                                                                                                                                                 
                                            Little elf, little elf, what do you hear?
                                            Sleigh bells ringing, on Santa's reindeer.
                                                                                                                                                               
                                            Little elf, little elf, what do you feel?
                                            Santa's soft beard, it feels so real.
                                                                                                                                                     
                                            Little elf, little elf, what do you smell?
                                            Something's in the oven, but I won't tell.
                                                                                                                                           
                                           Little elf, little elf, what do you eat?
                                           Candy canes, so very crunchy and sweet.
                                                                                                                                                 
         This little song is about the five senses.   :).

Reindeer out of a child's hands and foot.

While your children are home on school vacation and are looking for something to do, here is an idea I did with a classroom of children.  They can create with whatever is on hand, even a paper bag and crayons and markers to do this project.  If one sibling is capable they can assist younger ones in this reindeer that would become a part of them and even make a cute gift for their parents.  Of course feel free to make a red nose to become Rudolf  if you choose.  :).

Christmas Animation Decoration

Here is one of my Christmas decoration's I put up this year. The children are animated when it is on. The lantern lights up as well.

Materials needed for Pooh

Here are all the materials needed to make this craft.    Two or three pieces of cardboard cut the same size.   One or two sheets of double sticky contact paper cut the same size as the cardboard that will be your canvas.   Scissors, thumb tacks,  about two sheets of sliver contact paper, paper hole punch, regular glue, glass, plastic or omni that can be used for glue,  small red beads for the mouth,  white paint, 2 glass or plastic beads for the eyes, tiny bits of black beads or black sand for nose,  permanent markers or acrylic paint,  leather to make circles for the tree, I put a chain on to hang the picture. You can use ribbon or whatever you choose,  contact paper for a backing of the picture the same size as your cardboard, rickrack of your choice for the circle of Poohs tree house brown beads. One more tip, when you are ready to put on the contact circles instead of pealing the circles you are better off to keep the backing on in tact and just glue them on. It will make your picture sturdier and easier as well to maneuver in the long run.  

Unfinished Pooh and directions.

First, I would like to say I am not a blog that will stick with one theme. I am one that likes to mix it up.        I started this project with cardboard layered with double contact paper and spray glue to ensure a more permanent stick.  Measurements I used was 13  1/2  by  14  1/2  in.   When that was dried and secured  I glued brown beans all around the edges of the frame.   Use a good glue, like one for glass or plastic to secure and for it to adhere it's best, if you decide to make this.  After that dried, I sprayed it with a spray glue for shine and for more of a good sticking purpose.  Draw or find a picture you like and place it in the middle of your canvas per say.    Now, I used colored thumb tacks. If you do not find the right color for your character than you could use nail polish or paint with acrylic paints.  Before using your thumb tacks I outlined my Pooh with punched circles  from colored contact paper.  Even though the circles were sticky I still used a basic glue on the back of each circle.  After outlining Pooh then I went to town on thumb tacking my Pooh.  I outlined the eyes before painting and putting a bead for each eye in their place.  The eye brows were punched out black contact paper.  The nose was tiny black beads. I put glue on the nose and sprinkled and pressed lightly and even overlapped to make it look a bit 3 D effect.  After all of Pooh was filled in. I, for the background used silver contact paper punched out after coloring the silver with permanent markers the colors I wanted it to be.   The peach color tacks in front of Pooh is supposed to be his table. Now I wanted the tacks to be sure they stayed in even though they punched in okay I still used glue on the back of each tack just to be surer of staying on. After gluing the background on I used some contact paper and placed it all around the the circle of Pooh.  When all the inside of Pooh is dried then I took a clear spray and sprayed Pooh twice after each spray let it dry.  I wanted a more shinier effect so I used clear nail polish over it all then let it dry.  Now you can take the papers off around Pooh for it was only needed so it would not get on the other parts of the surface where something else will go.  I had genuine leather so I used it by tracing same sized leather circles and cut them out. Then filled in the rest of where the white was that became the trunk of the tree that was Poohs house. I glued starting from the bottom, left to right until reaching the top. I used Omni Gel to glue the leather on. It stuck really well with this.   Remember you can work with and use what you have along with your own creativity to make it your own.  Do not worry too much if you get glue on the outside of the leather to me it gave it the effect of being pine sap so I just wiped it a little here and there.  Isn't it funny of all the steps that can be in a craft. That in your head it only takes a minute to put together.  I enjoyed making this and hope you like it"s results. At any rate thank you for stopping by.  :).

Winnie The Pooh project I made. Pictures taken in two different lighting's. Pooh in his tree house.

Here are two pictures of the Winnie The Pooh project I made.  The pictures were taken in two different lighting's.  Pooh in his tree house.

Completed Winnie The Pooh

Here is my completed Winnie The Pooh Project.  Hope you like it, and remember to click on the picture if you would like a closer look.