Moonmum

Robot colouring posters are here!

Have been so looking forward to sharing this project with you... 

I've taken my robot fellow and dressed him up 50 different ways in three different posters. Plus there's an extra poster of plain robots for the kid's to use their imagination and dress up however they like!

There are four posters altogether, printed on a nice heavy paper. Each one is A3 size, which is perfect poster size but not so big to lose their attention. We have 'product tested' them here in the Moon house already and the kids loved looking at all the charaters and thinking of new ones to do on their own robot page. Apparently it's a bit outrageous that i didn't include a zombie robot however...

Available in the shop and here too.

The things you find when you clean up

This is from a couple of years ago when my eldest wanted me to make him some finger puppet monsters. I only ever made one of these... See how he's sketched them for me and put the colour scheme he wants beside each one? Even putting a cross on the colour he wanted for the body? So cute and pedantic.

I'm still mid cleaning up and there's crap everywhere, i'm completly distracted and don't want to finish. I'm claiming credit for starting and good intentions though.

An undertaking...

A little while ago i had the idea to remake projects my mum had done and published in craft articles back in the 70s. I just thought it'd be nice. Potentially a little too ambitious because many of the articles are sewing related and i ain't that great when it comes to fabric things.

So an easy one to start... and since easter is just around the corner these sweet 'Happy Easter Chicks' seemed a good place to start. The article was published in Woman's World, the April 18 1973 edition. Suitably cute for the Moonlets to enjoy too! 

We needed ping pong balls, glue, feathers, coloured card and coloured markers. Gluing the feathers proved quite messy. And of course, the kids had to see wether the ping pong balls would still bounce after we'd finished... poor little chicks!

Re-using kid's paintings

A while ago I wrote this little diy project for The Creative Collective blog... click over for full instructions. Great way to reuse some of those kid's paintings that you can't bear to throw away.

I have to confess, initially i had an issue with cutting into the Moonlets artworks. Do you think i'm heartless? Seriously though, there are so many! I have folders full of the cutest drawing and best paintings and there are always some on display on the walls and fridge. But we do so many, inbetween school and crafting at home that i've become accustomed to using them... gift wrap, cards, letters and book coverings. 

Rather than throw them into the recycling i'd rather put them to a practical use. How about you? Do you have any suggestions to add to the list? Would love to hear how you store or use them.

 

Desk + cute vintage wallpaper

We have a little desk which is the perfect kid-size, but was looking a bit blah and battered. And just quietly, I was never particularly fond of the red and yellow drawers.

As it's no longer needed in my son's room, I revamped it with some colourful wallpaper and Modge Podge. Much better.

Don't the Moonlets look so studious and well behaved when they actually sit still for a minute? It is, however, quite impressive how much junk they can dump on their desks in any given day. And then complain that they have nowhere to do their work! I have no idea where they get that from.

The good scissors

Did you grow up in a house that had a pair of "good scissors"? The scissors that absolutely weren't to be just grabbed and used for any old thing? That lived in the sewing room? That required permission to be asked and interrogation made as to their exact intended use?

I did. But I never really understood. 

The Moonlets had a craft attack yesterday after school, there were bits and pieces all over (and under) the table, projects akimbo and sticky tape everywhere. And then i saw one of them, with work in hand, turn to my sewing table and reach for my "good scissors"... I panicked and had to intervene. We had the talk. 

And now i understand mum, i do. Good scissors indeed. 

Straight back to childhood

Ever have those delicious moments when you see or smell something that instantly takes you straight back to when you were a kid? I haven't had one of those moments for ages, but in my morning ritual blog readings last week i came across this photo. 

I can't remember who it was that used to draw faces on peanuts (or was it walnuts?) for me when i was little but i thought it was wonderful and so funny... I had forgotten all about it before that pic jogged my memory. So, of course, the next grocery shop i had to get some and the moonlets enjoyed making some peanut people.

I have to confess that this small exercise has made me wonder over all those countless things that fill our days... that are loved and smiled over... and then completely forgotten about. Especially from when we were growing up. In turn, it's made me wonder what my kids will remember from these days, what things will stick in their memory and what things will fall by the wayside as the years tick by. 

I've discovered Mod Podge

...and it is truly amazing. Why i haven't bought it before i have no idea. It completely rocks for someone like me who likes quick things to do and a nice finish. 

First up i did the front of the infamous one dollar drawer so i can use it for markets. Lots of my spike birds running across the length of it to my logo. Cute no? The photo doesn't do it justice, trust me it's awesome.

Then the littlesst Moonlet and I attacked a crappy old storage box. She chose papers from my stash and had fun using my cutter while i slapped the modge podge around. Oh it is far from a good job but it was fun and fast, suitable for the attention span of a four yr old.

It's already disappeared into her room so it looks like she's happy with it!

Edit: I should have explained, Mod Podge is like a glue and sealer in one product. So you use it to secure the layers of paper on your item as you go and then brush it over the top as well so it seals it for a nice finish. Water-based too, so easy clean up. I think i should still do a couple more coats to give these pieces a better finish.

Long weekending...

Oh the productivity! A long weekend well used... painting, curtain hanging (I thoroughly dislike hemming curtains by the way), shelves up, sorting out cupboards and putting stuff aside to donate to charity. Some painting with the kids. Some great finds at the second-hand book fair. And a healthy dose of easter chocolate of course. 

Also got through a heap of photographing and listing new things in the shop. A whole lotta mother birds listed... many people have told me that they use these for new mums too, which i think is a lovely idea.

And it hasn't escaped my attention that today is the last day of school holidays. I saw a funny thing on tv last night that commented on easter landing at the end of the school holidays... something along the lines of "who thought it was a good idea to hype the kids up on sugar just when mummy's about to snap?!?"  I can relate.

Hope you all had a lovely few days :)

School holidays arrive

We've been out of town for a few days celebrating ten (TEN!!!) years of marriage with a family holiday... a long car trip, touristy things, sleeping in bunk beds, taking lots of photos and lots of time together just doing stuff.

And now we're back it's time for school holidays. I feel very unprepared this time around. I hadn't thought too much past our holiday really, and now here we are. The kids are starting a list of things they'd like to do and I have a list of my own too.

I do have a little treat for you guys today to start the holidays... an easter colouring page for the little peeps! 

Download Easter Colouring Page.  For personal use only guys, hope the kids enjoy it :)