Friday, October 23, 2009

Getting ready for Halloween

I've been focusing my FAD lessons on Halloween preparation these past few weeks, and my son is so excited that it reminds me of how beautiful childhood really is. We've made garbage sack ghosts (a big white garbage sack with grocery store sacks stuffed in the head, then tied off with string and a face drawn on, hung from our trees in the yard), decorated with other little things we found in the basement, and found things going on in the community to attend. We also sing any Halloween song I can remember, practice our trick-or-treating, and make witch, monster, and ghost sounds. Our lessons also extend to Autumn, and often include going outside to play in the pretty leaves, or just sitting on the porch and watching them fall.

It is fun for me and for Lee to have these special holiday lessons. He is learning our family traditions and how to celebrate life. I love them because I learn to live in the moment, and how to find joy in the little details. I can't wait to do the same for many upcoming holidays!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Apple Paint--Bird Feeder--Nature Collage

Painting is always a good creativity booster. Cut an apple in half to make a star. Stick a fork in the top. Dip it in the paint and stamp circles with stars in the middle. Take a leaf that is still malleable and dip it in the paint to make leaf stamps. You could turn the apple circles into pumpkins if you draw a brown stem on the top. Get creative!

You could also make a bird feeder with an old toilet paper roll. Punch two holes across the top to thread yarn across the top for hanging. Spread glue all over the outside of the roll and then roll in bird seed. Lisa, I have extra bird seed I could drop off at your house if you want to do it.

Go on a small walk finding cool stuff like sticks, leaves, bark etc. and glue them on a paper to make a nature collage.