Panda Swap 2011

Nature Girl asked me last week why I don't sign her up for swaps anymore. I explained that working moms have less time for swaps. Of course since I'm a teacher and have the summer off that doesn't currently seem like a good reason. So we discussed hosting our own swap. We decided to host a panda themed swap. We're already thinking about panda bags/purses, panda softies, panda journals, panda pillows, panda key chains, panda jewelry, etc. The possibilities are endless! As you can see we're excited about this swap, we hope you are too! Here's what we are swapping:

Participants will swap:

• One handcrafted panda themed item.

• Three black and white goodies of your choice. These can be bought or made.

• A card or note to your partner to say hi. Please include your e-mail address so your partner can send you a thank you.

Swap rules:

1. This swap is open to people of all ages. If this swap is for a child make sure you state that in your sign-up so the package can be geared to a child.
2. You must have a blog or website to participate in the swap.
3. Please be prepared to spend or create items that are about a $10 to $15 value. You don't have to spend a lot, just send something that you would be happy to receive.
4. All packages must be mailed by August 16th. If you are in the US please use delivery confirmation and send me your tracking number. Please send e-mail to let me know when you mail and when you receive a panda package.
5. You must send a thank you note to your partner once you receive your package. It's only polite to say thank you when some creates something special just for you.
6. If you sign up you must follow through, so please only sign up if you are able to create and send a package by the deadline(August 16th.) We don't want any sad swappers! :(

Now that you've read the rules, it's time to sign up. Swap sign up is open from now until midnight on Friday July 15th, so hurry! Partner information will be sent on July 17th. You can sign up by completing the sign-up form HERE. Leave a comment or e-mail me if you have any questions.

Did you sign-up? If so, grab the swap badge from the sidebar and get ready for some black and white panda fun!

Ladybug YOE

June's YOE theme was ladybugs. I was excited because I have always loved ladybugs and consider them to be lucky. One of the things I've really enjoyed about the YOE swap this year is trying new things. So to keep with the idea of trying new things, this month I tried modge podge and paper mache with tissue paper for my ornaments. The frame ornament on the right was made using a silver frame that I bought at a yard sale. I modge podged a page from Alice In Wonderland onto it, then drew a little ladybug for the center, of course that could be taken out and replaced with any other picture. Since I was having so much fun with the modge podge, I decided to alter a small Altoid tin to be a ladybug ornament or maybe a little pill box for my partner's purse.

The green leaf ornament in the center was made using wire and tissue paper that I glued to the wire. The ladybug on the leaf is also made from paper mached tissue paper. It's not easy to paper mache with tissue paper as it rips super easy when it gets wet!! But I didn't let that stop me and I was really happy with the result. I'm already thinking of other things to create using tissue paper mache.

Of course my personal favorite in the package is the wool ladybug pincushion. I promised myself I wouldn't use recycled wool this month for YOE ornaments but I couldn't stop myself. Technically it's not an ornament but a pin cushion so I didn't really break my promise to myself. Either way, I did use recycled wool and this little ladybug fairy was born. I think she's very cute and rounds out the package. I had a great time making these ornaments and hope my partner Sherry will like them!

Now I'm looking forward to July's theme - Mermaids, water sprites, sirens, and water nymphs! I can't wait to get started! I have a few thoughts stirring in my head but no definite plan or vision yet. I'm still mulling it over.

Freaked Out

I'm home alone today cleaning and organizing while Nature Girl is at her last day of art camp. Around 12:30 I heard the dog across the street barking and looked out the front door to see a coyote standing in my front yard. I did a double take. . .yep it really was a coyote. Cinnamon, who is a tiny little dog, kept barking. The coyote took a look a Cinnamon then trotted off down my driveway then around the side of the house. I couldn't see where he took off to.

Now, we live in a rural area so we have plenty of wild animals around, I just don't like it when they are in the yard in broad daylight. Nature Girl is always wanting to play outside, ride her bike or drive gator around. Seeing a coyote in the yard makes me want to keep her inside! Of course I know that's irrational, so instead I now have to show her a picture of a coyote and say if you see this immediately come inside. It freaks me out! I think I'll be spending lots of time outside this summer on coyote patrol.

Sweet Portrait

Nature Girl drew this sweet little portrait of me with a raccoon while we were at school on Wednesday. I was impressed and think it is just so cute! She drew it while hanging out in one of the fourth grade classrooms, so even the 4th graders were impressed with her drawing ability. I wasn't sure why she picked a raccoon to draw next to me, but funny enough when we got home on Wednesday night we could hear raccoons outside in the trees around our yard. They were really chattering out there.

Summer!

Happy summer! Today is my last day of school. Nature Girl finished first grade yesterday, so she's coming to my school for the day. It should be fun!

To celebrate the end of school and the first day of summer we went out for dinner at a little roadside stand nearby. We had hot dogs and onion rings. Nature Girl had this double onion ring. I think they make great summer glasses.

We're both excited to have the summer at home and can't wait to get started on our summer fun list!! Yay summer!!

Show and Tell

Recently Nature Girl started in a program at the library where kids can practice their reading skills by reading to a dog. A few weeks ago she saw this dog coming into the library and begged the librarian to allow her to read to him. Isn't he cute?!! His name is Fritz. He's a five year old great dane that has been trained to be a therapy dog. Look how he lays on her. He even does this while she's reading to him.

Fritz is a sweetheart and I think it was love at first sight. He's as big as she is but Nature Girl thinks he's the best. She asked his trainer if she could take him to school for show and tell. We had to get permission from the principal for Fritz to visit school, but Nature Girl went to the principal and asked him herself. The principal agreed to allow the visit. So Fritz went to school this week as Nature Girl's show and tell. The kids were amazed and had lots of questions about Fritz and his job. Fritz visits nursing homes, libraries and now schools too. He's a companion and a good listener even though he is deaf. Because he is deaf his trainer uses hand signals with him. He responds to the signals and is well behaved.

Fritz is a wonderful therapy dog. He loves to be around kids and people. As you can see, this little girl likes to be around him too!

A Girl and Her Art

Nature Girl brought home this picture yesterday. It's her with her new stuffed Webkin pig. She purchased the pig with her own money. Look how happy she looks in the picture. I think it's a sweet little drawing and could picture it as a greeting card or in a little book with cute sayings about friendship.

She drew this on the back of a math sheet at school. She told me that the kids at school watch her draw and tell her that she's an artist. She seems surprised by the comments but it makes her feel good. She loves to draw and it makes her happy. Watching her draw makes me happy! I'm glad she has an outlet for her creativity and a talent that makes her proud of herself.

I have to share another drawing too. This is Nature Girl's tortoise drawing. Things that are important to her come out in her art. We've been talking a lot lately about getting a pet. We had adopted Ruby back in the fall but after she tried to bite Nature Girl several times she is now happily living in an adult only home in NY. I'm happy to say that Ruby is very happy there but I miss having her around. We're definitely ready for a pet and have discussed several possibilities including kittens, a dog or a Russian tortoise. I'm not sure what we will get but I know we're both ready to love some special little animal.