Ways to Celebrate Being Alive This Week!

There are a lot of ways to show your family that you love them and celebrating the little things is one of those ways. We try to give you assistance here on the blog-o-rama to do that.
Okay, so, let's serve up silliness for the week of December 3 - December 9th!

 

 

December 4th is an fun day!
Santa's List Day AND Wear Brown Shoes Day. Well, well, well!
Regardless of your thoughts on using the Naughty List to bring on better behavior, some days just call for an emergency "Santa probably wouldn't care for that" reminder! Here is a great tool you can use or not... http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home

As for brown shoes.. you are on  your own... but fortunately, you still have tomorrow to pick up a pair if you need!

 

December 5th is Bathtub Party Day

This is bound to be a hit for your kids, so consider carefully. Will you do bubbles, make faux-hawks with shampoo, create bathtub paints with this recipe from Pepper Paints or... fill the tub with as many rubber duckies as you can find!

December 6th is Mitten Tree Day
Odd? Yes. But... consier the book The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen about a lady who sews mittens for kids who don't have them. She leaves them on a tree and donates them anonymously to those in need until she runs out of yarn.

Hmmm.... do I feel a mitten giving mission coming on?



December 7th is Letter Writing Day
We double dog dare you to actually WRITE a letter and mail it today. <3 Sure... it can be to Santa.


December 8th is National Brownie Day

Hooray!!!! What a GREAT day!!!
Whether you make them with the kids, or they get made in secret, the key here is to EAT them!

And just so we are all on the same page...
no one really cares if you make 'em from a box.

 
  December 9th is Christmas Card Day, so we are thinking... this is a pretty great day to send 'em out if you haven't already! Here is ours! Merry Christmas to your family from ours. <3

 
 

Build It Tuesday - A Bridge to Creativity

 

Creating towers and buildings with legos and blocks is a timeless pastime. Adults and kids alike can't resist stacking at least a few together. Have you wondered how your child SEES their creations?

 

 
Are they simply creating a miniature world,
or do they see something...

BIGGER?

If you consider how crushed they get when it's time to dismantle and put the toys away, you might be seeing evidence to that. 
I'm not suggesting that we leave every Lego tower standing,


but it does give us pause to admire their work a little more closely. Just food for thought...

Feel like reading more about building with Legos... Right or Left Brain Lego Builders  is a good read too! Build on families... build on!

And Toy Tuesday: Lego Learning!

Now, armed with all that brick knowledge...
let's build a bridge!

Family Fun Friday - The GREAT Pumpkin

Starting something new here... I usually post some family friendly on the Kaleidoscape Play Studio Facebook page on Fridays, but I want to take that a step further. I want to help you have some family fun and give you a list for next week too! That way, you'll be ready to make some family fun a week early. (In theory)

Fortnuately, today's Family Fun Friday project is rather timely and you may need to do it anyway! Let's talk pumpkins! Whether or not you celebrate Halloween, finding joy in a pumpkin is easy. They are round, orange and super tasty in a pie! That said, this article does feature how to DECORATE a pumpkin.

So, first things first! If you decide you want to do some traditional pumpkin carving, PLEASE take the time to click here and read some Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips! But we are thinking after reading this... you may opt out of knife weilding with your kiddos and take one of these fun ideas instead.

First up... yes, I'm going there. MUSTACHE PUMPKIN!

Super simple tutorial here!

 

Next on the No-Carve-Menu, RAINBOW PUMPKINS!  

 

Neon + rainbow = amazing.

 

These pumpkins are also very kid-friendly, as all that's involved is acrylic paint (no hot glue or spray paint).

 

An egg carton served as our paint holder, with different colors in each compartment. Using a different brush for each color will keep them from mixing.

White Artist's Loft brushes worked well. The square brush gives you a straight edge.





A few coats of paint will probably be necessary to get good, thick color. When you're putting one color next to another, wait for the first to dry before starting the second.

One way to easily get in all the shades of the rainbow is simply to paint small pumpkins in different colors. This looks great, and is super simple to do.

Rainbow Pumpkin Ideas from here! Best Hallwoeen Ever!

Nine More No Carve Ideas!

1. Use hot glue or stickers
2. Masking tape
3. Glue cardboard words and spray paint
4. Duct Tape
5. GLITTER!!!
6. Patterned pantyhose
7. Pushpins
8. Decopage and add ribbon
9. Use Mr. Potatoe Head accessories



"Thank you for believing in my weirdness."

Kaleidoscape Play Studio is a dream coming true for me. I honestly believe that my whole life’s work has led me to to do this. Our name is based off of how when you look through the lens of a kaleidoscope and turn it, the picture changes. We believe that as our community changes and our children grow, how we play changes too! 

With paint in my cuticles and glue in my hair, I laugh that if I had a super-power, it would be transforming ordinary items into new forms. I have always said there are no mistakes in art – only room for more embellishment! I am a mother of two and a longtime Alaskan and I take pride in using that super-power of creativity for the betterment of our community. (Hmmm is that a real word?)



Creativity is my super power!

I have taught art classes based on literature, storywriting workshops, have been a fairy-for-hire and it thrills me to take birthday parties to impressive heights. With Kaleidoscape Play Studio, we just expanded the party to everday life.

One of my favorite quotes is from pop icon, Katy Perry and I used it to lead off this post, but I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, truly, for believing in my weirdness.