Grow a new plant!

17:22 Natalie Karine 0 Comments

Using clippings from houseplants is an easy (and FREE!) way to add to your own garden! On top of that, houseplants clean the air and add a touch of beauty to any home! You're about to witness my green thumb craftiness!








❶ Just look for a plant that seems to be growing (either with many stems or leafy vines)! Look at this Pothos plant...it's out of control (and one of my favorites)! I've also used Ivy and Spider plants before!


❷ Clip a few stems and place them it in a little glass jar with some fresh water near a well-lit window. Keep the water fresh, change every few days.

❸ In a few weeks (2-3 weeks) you'll notice new roots starting to show! When the roots are long enough (at least 2cm) you can plant them into pots with fresh soil (I always use africain violet soil... it's the best!) Now, just watch your new plant grow! I always find it exciting!



Then when your baby plant is all grown up... you can start the process again! And even share cuttings with friends! ♥

School/kids crafts

Shake it!

11:16 Natalie Karine 0 Comments

Maracas! This craft is perfect for those of you who are looking for a little project to bring some sunshine, rhythm and fun to your classroom!

All month, we've been discovering the continent of South America at school, so what better craft to do, than a latin american musical instrument... a maraca!

    


 What you'll need:
         ♪ Clean plastic applesauce containers
         ♪ Seeds, rice or peppercorns
         ♪ Popsicle sticks
         ♪ Yarn
         ♪ Pastels
         ♪ Hot glue
         ♪ Decorations (ribbons, beads, feathers)







⓵ Start by colouring the clean plastic applesauce containers with pastels

⓶ Fill one container with seeds and peppercorns anything that will make a good "shaking noise") Don't over do it! put enough to cover the bottom!

⓷ Hot glue a Popsicle stick on the inside rim of the container. Once it's dry, add glue all along the inside rim and place the other container on top (rim to rim). Fill in any gap with hot glue (there will be a small one around the popsicle stick!)

⓸ Now decorate with ribbons, yarn, feathers... or whatever your little heart desires!

⓹ Shake it! We even made a conga line in our classroom with the students! So much fun!

Look at these maracas! Beautiful!

Happy sunday! ♥

Extreme Gift Wrapping!

06:40 Natalie Karine 0 Comments

What better way to spend a lovely Saturday afternoon, than with your best girlfriends, giggling at a wedding shower!? My wonderful friend Andrea is getting married and her shower had a theme for gifts...  Lingerie or anything starting with "L"! So I got together with my friend Lolo (That's her on the left! check out her Blog: Sincerely, Lolo!) and we rocked the theme!













Each little gift was individually wrapped and labelled with a word starting with the letter "L"... Does it show i'm a school teacher?! HAH!


...Something lacy, luring, lushious, lovely, light, and even "Something Lolo" (she made a fantastic drawing of a love bus!)


And then the wrapping! WOAH! Everything in little wooden boxes, plus feathers, rose petals, birds, butterflies, ribbons, beautiful papers! We make a pretty good team Lolo (even if it did take us 3 hrs to do! Heh)

Our local dollar store was full of treasures for this gift wrapping odyssee! And what a hit it was! Nothing says "I love you" like some special little handmade and personal touches.

All wrapped up!

Happy Sunday!
xo♥

Sewing

Button Makeover!

06:48 Natalie Karine 0 Comments

Sometimes, I take on big projects, and sometimes tiny ones. This one is tiny and simple, but is an effective way to give second-hand clothes a face-lift.



Last week I found this skirt for $ 5.99 at Value Village. It came down to my ankles and had the most hideous buttons. However I saw its potential! (Only good moto for sewing ladies, not dating!) It was a nice colour and a neat A-line shape.

Sometimes a good ol' button changin' is all a garment needs! I've done this with cardigans, blazers and coats!

School/kids crafts

Can't Escape the Group of 7.

21:00 Natalie Karine 0 Comments

So if you live in Canada and know a little about art, you've probably heard of the Group of 7.  You can't really escape it. They are Canada's pride and joy.

Tom Thompson's Jack Pine

I have a confession for my readers: I'm not a big fan of these guys... I never was and never will be, or so I thought. My whole life i've tried to dodge them, but couldn't escape them in a high school art project, some university essays, and *gulp* giving guided tours of their work at the NGC. My worst fear was someone asking me all their names during a tour...Hmmmm... MacDonald, Carmichael, Harris, Jackson, Thompson... Ugh is that 7 yet?..... Man. I forget.

However, I think today, a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds managed to convince me that these guys were pretty amazing, with their use of strange colours and their letting go of rigid conventions. My students show me constantly how to open yourself up to a magical and beautiful world of innocence. Thanks little guys. ♥

Group of 7 landscape-collage!




To make this craft, you will need:
            ❧ White cardstock
            ❧ Pastels
            ❧ Glue
            ❧ Yarn
            ❧ Twigs, seeds, lentils, etc...






For this craft, we talked about landscapes in general and the Group of 7. All I did before-hand was draw two line on each piece of white cardstock: one for the water, and one for the mountains. The kids were free to create after that!

And my favorite! (this kid is 4 years old guys! Woah!)