Simple Saturday: Fingertip Puppets

 

Super simple. 

Super sweet.

Simple Saturday Fingertip Puppets.

Remember the short supply list? An index card, scissors, and a marker?

  All you have to do is draw a picture of your puppet. The two nickle-sized circles at the base of my drawing will be cut out leaving a nice place for my fingers to slide right in. That's it, my Simple Saturday friend. I told you it was easy.

Got some kiddies to keep summertime busy? Suggest that they draw a family of puppets.

A plethora of Simple Saturday Fingertip Puppets...that's it.

They should stay busy for a long, long time.

We hope.

Simple Saturday: Beaded Daisy Chain

Meet my utterly delightful Canadian second cousin Lorry Mackay a.k.a. Sals or Sally (Don't ask why she maintains a secret identity. It's a family thang. Shhh.).

Isn't Sals a cutie? And check out the charming daisy necklace she's wearing. Great, isn't it? Want to make one with us? Well, then...let's get busy.

Did you gather the supplies? The glass seed beads, scissors, and either thin fishing line or the cool stretchy thread that can be bought at the craft store?

Lean in close and I'll tell you a Simple Saturday secret. I went ahead and bought that fancy stretchy cord because I hoped that Sally would enjoy making Beaded Daisy Chains with me and want to make lots of them for her friends. She did. We did. It's all good.

Here we go.

To begin, cut a 3 foot piece of thread from the spool. Slip one bead on the thread. Secure the bead to the thread by tying a few knots around it, leaving about 2 inches of the thread at the end.

Then thread 10 beads on the string. I call these beads the 'stem'. You can call them whatever you want to.

Now thread 6 petal beads onto the string. Next, loop the end of the thread all the way around the cluster of petal beads. Insert the end of the thread into the back side of the first petal bead.

Ready for the inside of the daisy? Okay, slip a bead onto the end of the thread. Stay inspired. You're almost there! 

 Now take the end of your string and slip it into the 4th bead in your daisy cluster.

 Go ahead and tighten the beaded daisy snug up against the end of the stem.

There! You did it!! All you have to do now is repeat the pattern all over again and again and again and again... Nothing to it.

If you prefer to make a shortened version to begin with a nice little bracelet is always nice.

Really...once you get the hang of making Simple Saturday Beaded Daisy Chain necklaces, you just can't stop. They're that much fun to make. Isn't that right Sally/Lorry/Sals? So good to see you, sweetheart.

Simple Saturday Prep: Beaded Daisy Chain

 

He loves me.

He loves me not.

He loves me.

He loves me not.

What the heck! Why waste time on this silly waffling game when we can be productive making Simple Saturday Beaded Daisy Chains, right?

For tomorrow's fun we need small glass seed beads, scissors, and either thin fishing line or some stretchy clear thread. I went ahead and bought some at the craft store.

Regarding whether he loves me or loves me not...dude, I don't have time to worry about such things. For real.

Don't you agree?

Sheesh.

Simple Saturday: Friendship Bracelets

You just have to grin when looking at these three happy sun-worshippers, don't you? I have no idea who these BFF's are. I just like the smiles on their faces. They look like the type that would make Simple Saturday Friendship bracelets for each other, don't you think?

Speaking of bracelets, did you get the 3 colors of embroidery thread, scissors and tape? Okay then, let's give these giddy gals something to giggle about!

Cut a long piece of each thread color. How long, you ask? Well, for our first practice run, I'd cut each piece about 2 feet long. Once you get really good at making these you can cut longer pieces of thread. For now, let's keep it short...okay?

Group your threads together. Fold them in half and tie a knot near the halfway spot loop. Secure the loop to your tabletop with a piece of tape. Now we're ready for the fun part.

Choose one color to begin knotting with. This thread is called the knotter...smart, eh? As you can see, I chose the blue thread for my first knotters. Smooth the other two colored threads together like I did with my yellow and red threads. These straightened threads are called fillers.

See how I layed the blue thread in a 'u' over my red and yellow threads? You go ahead and do that with your knotter.

 Now, tuck that knotter thread inside that loop you formed with the 'u'. See? Like I did?

Then carefully tie what is called a half hitch by tightening your loop around the fillers. Bring the knotter all the way to the original big loop. Smooth it flat and you, my friend, have made your first half-hitch knot! Woo Hoo!

Okay now...I made 5 half-hitch knots in a row with my blue thread. Then, I decided that I wanted to change knotter color from blue to red. It's easier than you think. Trust me.

All I did was join the blue thread with the yellow thread, making them both the fillers now. Then, with my red thread, I made the 'u' loops, tucked the thread into the 'u' loop, and tightened the half-hitch knot. In short, I simply repreated the process with my red thread. No problem...right?

After making 5 knots with my red thread, I repeated the whole banana with my yellow thread! Can you see how the pattern is created? Easy enough, right?

 After you've had success making a few shorter bracelets you're ready to graduate to the longer version. I'm busy making a longer one as we speak.

However, I tried to tie my practice Simple Saturday short bracelet on Tripod, but he was having none of it. Though brokenhearted, I told him in the most aloof tone I could muster, "Be that way, dog. Be that way."

He answered me with a long, wet lick.

Yuck! That's a dawg for you.

Anyhow, click on this link to see the long bracelet that I made for my bestest buddy in the world...YOU!

Now, go out there and have a super Simple Saturday, pal, and I'll see you back here next weekend.

Simple Saturday Prep: Friendship Bracelets

There is nothing finer in this world than having a best friend. Someone to laugh with, cry with...heck...just be with.

Hey...let's make our best buds a little something to show just how much we care for them, want to? How about a bracelet? Or maybe a little something colorful to tie around their ankle? How about it? Just a little something to remind them just how much we love and appreciate their playing such an important role in our lives. 

Here's what you need to gather up for  tomorrow's BFF fun: three colors of embroidery floss, scissors, and tape. That's it!

Be thinking of who you want to give this bracelet to. Tomorrow, as we twist and tie the threads together, let's think of all of the good things we love about our pals.

Don't worry. Friendship bracelets are easy to make. Your BFF's will love them almost as much as they love you!

Simple Saturday: Lucky Ladybug Bingo

 Before we get to our Simple Saturday activity, I want to chat up this first book on the Princess Posey series. It is cute, cute, CUTE!!!! So cute I just had to buy a copy for my great niece. This book is PERFECT for a child who is about to take those big-big-big steps into the scary halls of First Grade! Believe me.

Y'all, I just have to brag on my pal, Steph. She's such a great writer that girl has gone and got herself a great starred review in The Horn Book. For real! Dude, that's no literary chump change...I'm telling ya!

The activity we're borrowing today comes from the guide written for the second book in this series called Princess Posey and the Perfect Present. The only real bummer here is that we can't buy this book until March! Darn it all.

Here. Click on this link and download the Lucky Ladybug Bingo Game and then I'll tell you how to play.

Prepare game board by printing pages on cardstock or copier paper. Cut out the nine Ladybug Bingo game pieces. Cut out the nine word labels.  Conceal the words on the labels by folding the paper strips in half.   Place folded strips in a small box or basket.

 To play the game remove a folded strip from box or basket. Encourage your wee one to read the word printed on the strip. On the game board, find the picture of the object written on the folded strip.       Cover the picture with a ladybug game piece. When all of the pictures have been covered by ladybug game pieces, remove them and begin again! If you'd like to, go ahead and print out a few game boards and play with your friends. The more the merrier!

Let's fly away home and have a little lucky ladybug fun, shall we?

Speaking of flying home, I'm on my way, John. I've missed you so!

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Simple Saturday Prep: Lucky Ladybug Bingo

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Tomorrow's Simple Saturday activity is designed with the early reader in mind.

It's actually a game I designed as part of a Teacher's Guide for a charming chapter book written by my good friend, Stephanie Greene . The book's title is Princess Posey and the Perfect Present. Even though this darling book won't be released until March, I thought that we'd go ahead and play one of the games found in the guide now.

It's summer. What the hey, right? 

Tomorrow all you have to do is download a .pdf I'll attach to the post. If you'd like to print on cardstock instead of copier paper, that'd be great.

So, get yourself some scissors, your reading specs and we're in lucky ladybug business!

Simple Saturday: Pizza Swan

 Let's make a swan sans feathers, shall we? All that is needed is a leftover piece of pizza and a sizable piece of foil. What size, you ask? Oh...about 18 inches or so will do just fine.

Before we go any further, I have to give credit when credit is due. My daughter taught me how to make pizza swans. You see, these featherless creatures are tricks of her trade. Rock on, Homeslice. Rock on!

Let's begin. Cut an 18 inch-ish piece of foil from the roll. (Doesn't that pizza look just yum?)

Lay the pizza with space between the crust and the end of the foil strip measuring about 1/4 of the strip.

Working from the pizza point, fold the foil alongside the sliced edge of the pizza. Repeat this folding procedure along the opposite side of the slice. Now you've got a nice moldable strip of foil extending beyond the point.

 So, just bend and shape that remaining strip of foil into a swan's lovely neck, head, and beak. The remaining foil fanned out at the rear crustside won't go to waste...don't worry. Simply crease the foil upward, fan it out and....wha-la! You have made a swan tail.

  Notice the swan-like similarities?

Now that we've finished, let's talk about dinner. What are you in the mood for?

Me? You guessed it!

PIZZA!!!!!

Simple Saturday Prep: Pizza Swan

What do a piece of leftover pizza and a swan have in common?  Well, check in tomorrow and I'll show you what.

To have a swimmingly good and super simple fun time you'll need a piece of yummy pizza and sizeable piece of foil. That's all, my dear Simple Saturday friends. 

So give Dominos a dial. Prance on out to Pizza Hut. Better yet...if you live in Austin, hop down to Homeslice, the originators of the pizza swan. While you're at it, I'll take a slice of sausage and black olive.

Thin crust will be fine.

 

Simple Saturday: Sunshine Picasso

 All we need for hours and hours and hours of summertime fun is a hot sidewalk, a bucket of water, a cheapo paintbrush and thee!

The trick with this project is to work    f-a-s-t! Just paint with water on the sidewalk. That is it! You can't go wrong, either. If you're not pleased with the final product, just wait a few seconds and your sidewalk canvas will come clean in no time!

My little next door neighbor friend got in on the action. I have to tell you, she just could-not-STOP! Check out her snazzy Picasso-like techniques.

She started small with a clever self portrait.

After a little while her inner artist took over! She discovered that her canvas was as limitless as my driveway and she took full advantage of the unending space. Oh, my...it was absolutely endearing to watch her fully engage in the utter simplicity of this activity. Truly. 

 I chuckled she ran to reload her brush with water in effort to extend her artistic line. My sweet friend had to hurry because she knew that the linear expression of her Inner Picasso was short lived. Soon the sun would erase its essence and she would have to start all over, once again.

Oh, well...what the hey? Its only water, sunshine, a pleasurable moment, and joyful youthful artistic expression...essential elements of a happy child enjoying the delights of a summer day...right?

Parents, let's strive to balance simplicity and complexity this summer, shall we? Shut down the electronics for a little while and enjoy the simplest of things...water, sunshine, and...as demonstrated by my neighbor...the charming nature of your precious child.

Let's have a super Simple Saturday summer, what do you say? The best ever!

Simple Saturday Prep: Sunshine Picasso

Who needs a bunch expensive oils and pastels to tap into our inner Picasso. Not us, the Simple Saturday team...no way!

Tomorrow, along with your creative left-brained self, gather up a paint brush (any size) and a bucket of water. Yeppers...believe it or not, that's all we need.

Sunshine Picasso just might be the simplest of all Simple Saturday activities we've done together. The Mother of All...

Simple Saturday: A Spider Web Hunt

 One very important thing to remember about hunting for spider webs is to spend some quiet time observing our eight-legged friend. Admire how tenacious he is, and so patient. Wow. They're amazing creatures.

Let's gather up our supplies - the black construction paper and hairspray - and head out to the backyard where a busy little creature has woven several webs on one of my flower pots. Smart fellow, isn't he?

Notice in the picture that I also grabbed a white pencil and an extra sheet of construction paper? The follow up activity...remember? 

Let's go out in the backyard, shall we? I'll show you a really cool web.

Can you see it?

Look close.

Closer.

Closer.

Well, trust me. It's there.

Now, spray your black construction paper with your hairspray. Make it good and sticky.

Next, lay the sticky construction paper right on top of the spider web. Be bold. Lay it right on top. Hold the construction paper still for a few seconds giving the web a chance to adhere to it.

Okay...carefully lift the construction paper and look! The web has stuck to it! It is very hard to see those lovely, thin silky threads in this picture, but they are there...Gorgeous.

 And, for the follow up activity, grab the other sheet of black construction paper and white pencil, sit yourself down and watch little ol' Spidy rebuild the web.

 That's all there is to it. Easy peasy, right?

I do hope that throughout the summer you often spend time in nature. Take walks. Observe bugs. Lay on your backs in the thick, lush grass and just lose yourself in cloud watching.

Remember, simple things are the best!

Simple Saturday Prep: A Spider Web Hunt

I am eternally fascinated with the magical qualities of spider webs, aren't you? So fragile, yet so strong.

Well, I've had my eye on a busy spider who has nested in one of my backyard flower pots, marveling at how industrious that little critter is. If a rainstorm wipes out his sticky home...no problem...he's back at it in no time rebuilding that thing. That is why I feel tomorrow's activity will not ultimately harm the little guy. Oh...he might tap one of his eight appendages in a little spidey huff. Don't worry. He'll get over it.

So, for tomorrow's Simple Saturday activity here's what you need...a sheet of black construction paper, some hairspray, and a spider web.

If you'd like to do a fun follow up activity go ahead and get yourself another sheet of black construction paper and a white pencil or piece of chalk. 

I'd best be going. I have to find out why, for some frustrating reason, my website will not let me upload photos.

Maybe it has a bug in it.

Ooooo...what if there's a spider in there? Yikes.

Simple Saturday: Super Simple Pinwheels

I promised you a super simple activity and, my friend, this is one. Simple Saturday Super Simple Pinwheels are a blast to make. Let me show you how.

Remember the list of pinwheelie stuff you need to gather? The sheet of copier paper, a sharpened pencil with a meaty eraser tip, a handful of washable markers (optional), a straight pin, a small plastic lid, a ruler, scissors, and tape? If so, you're ready to spin. Let's do it.

Measure and cut an eight inch square of copier paper. Using the straight edge of the ruler, draw a line from one alternating point of the square to another. When finished, you would have drawn a big X on the pinwheel paper.

Next, lay the small plastic lid over the center point of the lines. Trace around the edges of the lid. This circular line is pretty important to your pinwheel success as it identifies the 'stop cutting here' mark. Go passed it and it's pinwheel doomsday, my friend.

At this point, should you desire to get all colorful and creative, go for it. Jazz up your pinwheel to your little heart's content. I resisted the urge because I thought the instructional pictures might be more easily understood if I didn't. Besides that, I was under a little bit of time crunch to get this post out. TMI? Probably.

After you colorfully express yourself, it is time to put this puppy together. Moving from the square's outer points cut on the diagonal line toward the circular stop-cutting-here-warning line.

Here comes the only tricky part of the project. Once you've made your cuts, being careful not to make a crease in the paper, fold alternate triangular tips onto the the circle's center point. Go ahead and use a tiny bit of tape to hold the tips in place.

Note: Use tape sparingly because we want to keep the pinwheel as light as possible. It spins better that way. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong? On second thought, maybe you better not answer that question.

Okay, with straight pin and meaty pencil eraser in hand, stick the pin through the pinwheel center point. Now see the sharp pointy part of the pin sticking out in the back? Go ahead and poke that baby all the way through the eraser. To assure that you won't get pricked while having that good ol' pinwheelin' fun bend the pin so that is flush against the metal eraser rim and cover it with a piece of tape.

And there you have it! A Simple Saturday Super Simple Pinwheel! To make it spin you can either stand in a breeze, position yourself in front of an air conditioner vent, or do just what John's doing here and blow into the pinwheel's curved folds. He's such a big kid, isn't he? He's having so much fun he can barely hold back a smile. See that?

But wait...

What in the world is that dark thing growing out of the top of his head? A unicorn's horn? An antler?

Good thing the pinwheel's not secured to that mysterious knob or he just might take off in flight!

Simple Saturday Prep: Super Simple Pinwheels

What do a piece of copier paper, a straight pin, a sharpened pencil with a meaty eraser at the end, scissors, tape, a ruler, a small plastic jar lid, and a gob of water colors markers (optional) have in common, you ask?

Together they make a pinwheel!

Y'all, this is another one of those Simple Saturday posts that I am almost ashamed to write because the activity is just so darned simple to make! For real.

That being said, this activity is a fantastic one to teach measurement skills with. And, if the pinwheel doesn't work...well, try, try again!

So join wacky Mr. John and me tomorrow, won't you?

We'll have a breezy, wheezy, cheezy good time together.

See ya!

 

Simple Saturday: Magic Wand Making

This poor fellow looks as if he's holding the short end of the magic stick, doesn't he? Well, we won't suffer the same fate after crafting a stick full of surprises...our very own magic wand. Just watch this!

Even though the materials I asked you gather might seem like everyday, ordinary stuff...the tape, construction paper, pencil, ruler, scissors, and (shhh) a straight pin... oh, contraire, my fellow Houdinis...nothing is ordinary when you believe in the unlimited possibilities of magic!

Let's get right to it.  Working lengthwise on the construction paper, measure 3 inches from the edge. Cut a long three inch strip of construction paper.

Next, for the wand's tips, measure 1 inch wide strips of the contrasting color of construction paper.

Now for the super simple magic wand assembly. All you have to do is wrap the long piece of construction paper around a pencil, forming a tube. Using tape, secure the long edge of the paper together. Remove the pencil from the inside of the tube.

Repeat this process to make the magical tips. Wrap...tape...and you're ready for a little bit of hocus pocus, my friends.

Speaking of a little hocus pocus...I wonder what clever Mr. John is up to now. Notice how he is holding the wand? With his hand wrapped around the wand? Just an ordinary everyday, homemade Simple Saturday magic wand, right?

At this point, let's add a touch of bippety-bobbity boo and POOF!

Wow! Will you look at that?! John is opening his hand and the magic wand is mysteriously suspended in air! Oh...my...it's magic! Or is it?

You know it's only because you and I are pals I will tell you the secret of this trick. Keep this secret tucked under your top hats. Tell no one. Pinkie promise? 

Remember the secret straight pin I asked for you to gather? Well, before John performed the trick, I stuck it in the middle of the long tube. Look at the picture to the right. See how I did it? John had the straight pin wedged between his fingers when he wrapped his closed hand around the center of the Simple Saturday magic wand. When he extended his hand wide, the straight pin remained wedged between his fingers. Because the paper tube weighs very little, it looks like it is suspended in air. Ooo...creepy, huh?

You might want to practice the pin-wedge technique before performing for a crowd. The wand has been known to top over at times. If that happens to you, my suggestion is to squeeze those fingers together and show that wand who's boss!

All for now. Have an abracadara-ly delightful day.

Simple Saturday Prep: The Magic Wand

Like butter is to bread...frick is to frack...white is to rice...what would a magician be without his wand? A sad, lost soul, that's what.

Saturday I will show you how to make a wand of wonder! And...hold on to your top hat...I will teach you a trick that is guaranteed dazzle the even the most dastardly.

Here's all that is needed to make a magic wand - sheets of black and white construction paper (That is unless you want to make a magical fashion statement of some sort. If that's the case, pick any two colors that you like.), tape, glue stick, scissors and....shhh...the secret element of the trick...a straight pin.

Intrigued?

Good.

See you tomorrow!

Simple Saturday: Friendship Yogurt

Okay, my mouth is watering as I type. Yogurt! Yogurt! I love homemade Simple Saturday Friendship Yogurt! Love it! Love it! Love it!!!!

Let's make some right now!

Click here for Janice Scully's, my VCFA pal, recipe.  But let's add a bit of Simple Saturday pictorial flair to the mix, shall we?

Here's a shot of the necessary ingredients. I particularly like the way the items have been arranged on the gingham dish towel. Nice touch, Janice. Really nice.

And here are the 7 easy steps to making yummy Friendship Yogurt. Dannon, look out...because here we come.

Gotta love a man who is good in the kitchen.Step 1) If you are using powdered milk, add it to the milk and Heat in the saucepan on low-med heat, to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring often to prevent burning. It will be steaming hot, but not yet boiling. This is called “scalding” the milk. Remove it from the stove.  Be careful! 

Step 2) Let the milk cool on the counter to 120 degrees. This will take about a half-hour. Meanwhile fill the cooler with hot water to warm the cooler. 

Step 3) When the milk has cooled to 120 degrees, quickly and gently add the yogurt to the pan of warm milk. Stir it well, but don’t worry if there are a few lumps.

 Step 4) Pour warm milk and yogurt into the glass jar and screw lid on. 

Go, Phillip! Go!!!Step 5) Incubate.  Empty the water from the cooler. Now place the jar in cooler. Pour in several inches of very warm tap water, at around 110-120%, around the jar to an inch below the lid of the jar. Screw on the lid to the cooler and wrap it in fleece. Your goal is to keep the temperature between 90-110% Fahrenheit. 

Step 6) After six hours, remove the jar.  Yogurt should be firm and still feel warm. Place it in refrigerator. It will keep at least two weeks. Save 2 Tablespoons for your next batch. 

Step 7) Enjoy! Put as much as you want in a bowl. Add honey or maple syrup to sweeten it. Then add fresh fruit, applesauce, granola, raisins, or dried nuts. Be creative.

Step 7 is definitely my favorite. How about you?

Well...have a yummy-in-the-tummy-spoon-likin-blueberry tasting-slickety-slurping Simple Saturday, pal.

I'll see you back here next week.

Simple Saturday Prep: Friendship Yogurt

I more than get by with a little help from my friends. Truth be told, I am lost without them. This week's Simple Saturday post is a gift from Janice Scully, a dear VCFA pal of mine. She's going to tell us how to make real yogurt! Yummy, yummy in rolly-polly tummy.

Janice tells me that people have been making yogurt for 2000 years! Dang...that a long time, don't you think? No wonder though, cause the stuff is just that good!

She also says that making yogurt feels like you're doing a science experiment. Maybe because there is weird bacteria involved in the culturing process, stuff with crazy long names like streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus. Good gosh! We eat stuff with names like that? I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to learn how to make that delicious stuff. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

Here's the supply list, 'yall. It's a little long for a Simple Saturday post, so I hyperlinked it to this post. And tomorrow I'll post pics featuring Janice's son making yogurt. Nifty plan, don't you think?

Janice says that all supplies need to be crazy clean. So crank up that dishwasher and let's get cracking.  

Your new audience awaits.

Start the process →