The Oracle Of Love

I've just started a series of Arts and Crafts days at HDEE.  Since it's so close to Valentine's day we went with that theme.  We made an Oracle of Love.

To make this really cool craft you need:
a clean baby food jar
craft foam
a small styrofoam ball
a waterproof pen (like a Sharpie)
Das (you could probably use salt dough or play dough, but i don't think they as shock resistant and could crack when they dry. since you there are kids and glass involved I would advise against it)
hot glue gun
optional: glitter and food coloring

- Squish the styrofoam ball into a cube shape.
- Cut out 6 hearts large enough to cover a dice side. Write 6 response for yes or no questions, ie: yes, no,   maybe, you bet, etc.  Hot glue those onto the styrofoam cube.
 (If you're doing a group project, have this done ahead of time)

- Put cube in jar, add glitter (if you want), add water and close jar.
- Use a little bit of Das to make a 'snake' and 'seal' the lid and jar together (you made need to brush with a little bit of water to make it stick)
- Cover jar with Das (we made a pancake shape and pulled it up and squished it together)
- Add some food coloring to the Das to make some pink or red clay (you can also add in some glitter) and  use that to make heart shapes (make sure you use a little water to make them stick).

Now you are ready to ask the Oracle about your the love in your future!

It took about an hour in total to do with 10 kids (3-11 yo) that really didn't understand much English, with the help of Sonia.  They had loads of fun.  Hope our next activity will work out this well.

side notes: you could find much better pictures, American products and a better explanation at familyfun.go, where I found the activity.

I didn't actually use a styrofoam ball, i cut up pieces of styrofoam left over from the box that held our microwave and I found the craft foam at Carrefour in the section where they have all those Gutterman products, but before I found the foam, I actually just used the polystyrene from meat trays.  It's harder to cut out and write on, but it still works.

the Mom

It's so hard for me to keep up with the blog now.  My mom came, stayed and left and I'm only getting the pictures up now...the week after she left I worked in Monza to cover for one of the girls over there.  Since I'm still insecure about driving here, I made Max drive out there with me first and we took my mom and Viv out for a little look around too.

Monza has a really large and beautiful park - it has many private (and expensive) house, places to do activities, some sort of agriculture school, a race track and this building. dunno what it's for-i think it's a museum now and there is also a theater attached.  As we were snapping these pictures, Max noticed there was a guy on the roof.

the harness looks pretty sturdy, but that rope tied around that old vase does not look OSHA approved.

This is the main road that runs through the park.

This was not the biggest or most beautiful house, but it's the only picture that came out well - and it ain't shabby either.

The French Invasion

Okay, they are not really French, but they both live in France.  Laura (my friend from HS) and her bf Dan came out to visit.  It was the first time for us to meet the bf and I glad to say, he is a dream!  Not only is he a cute, but he is also sweet!  They are great together!

We went to Como for the day.  Unfortunately I got a late start and then the gps decided to take us the looooong scenic route to the lake.  D and L got an earful of Laurie Berkner and the Backyardigans-which is all we listened to on the drive.  Despite listening to kids music 'fin alla nausea' (until they wanted to barf/until they couldn't take it any more) - they were still awesome with the girls!  They went down to check out the swans and then

D taught S to skip rocks.

It was too cold to go on the boat, so we went up the funicular instead.  This is Sophia being a cog or wheel or whatever these things are called.  And you know most trips go with some sort of  crazy story, this is today's:  Sophia had asked for a postcard to send to Grandma and Grandpa (despite the fact that my mom will arrive in a week), I told her instead of getting one from the stand near the ticket station, she could get one at the shop on the top of the hill, as I remember they had a better selection and the lady was really nice to Sophia last time we came with Louisa, Ryan and Denise.  She didn't whine but waited patiently until we finished looking around on the top of the hill.  Right before we left, she reminded me that she wanted to get post cards, so I said okay. Plus Laura had to go to the bathroom (I finally found someone who actually has to pee more than me, I know you don't believe me, but it's true!!!) -since you shouldn't enter a bar/restaurant and just ask to pee, you're supposed to buy something. I said we would get the card and then ask if they had a bathroom.  Sophia chose one, there was no price so I gave her a 10 spot and had her go up to the counter to pay.  At first I thought it was just because she was short, they didn't acknowledge her, so I held her up. Despite that, it still took a while before someone helped us.  Finally, the old guy looked at her and asked what she wanted.  Sophia proudly held up the postcard and the money.  This asshole in a rude tone, barks at her 'It's 50 cents'. And we just stood there waiting for him to take the money, when we didn't move or react he continued like we were idiots he groused:  'It's 50 I don't have change, so take your card and put it back in the spot where you found it'  Sophia's face melted-I stood there in shock.  I was so surprised by his jackass response, I didn't know what to say.  The only thing I could think to do was say Don't worry, this guy is a totally rude and he didn't have to talk to you that way.  Laura kindly took the card and put it back, because even she was shocked, she speak italian and understood what he had just said).  Tears started to well up Sophia's eyes and Laura still had to pee!  It was awful.  I am wondering how the guy makes change for espresso, which costs about the same as a stupid post card and why the hell he has postcards laid out, if he doesn't actually want to sell them! Luckily we found a sign for bathrooms behind the funicular mechanical room (I had forgotten about those, I think we used them last time we came).  So if you ever find yourself in Como, don't frequent the bar on top of the hill-the guy is a COGLIONE! 

 

I See

The lesson is 'I See' - suggestion for props is to make sunglasses.  I don't have that many kids, so I printed out some heart shaped sunglasses (since it's almost valentine's day). my idea was to print them on some thick stock paper, but the printer at school doesn't like the paper, so I ended up just tracing a template.  Sophia the guinea pig did the first sample and is our model today (as always). She decorated the glasses-(next time i think i will have them glue some printed stickers on b/c i found out that instead of decorating, the kids just colored. i tried to have them draw hearts or spirals, but they didn't get it)- and  then we glued on some transparent film and tahdahhh-rose colored heart shaped glasses, everybody should be so glamorous! The kids had a great time making the glasses, but I wonder how much they will remember I see??

Gong Hey Fat Choy

Being out here in Italy, Chinese New Year always creeps up on me and I'm never ready for it. (especially since, like easter, the day is never the same from year to year).  My idea was to make fortune cookies, lai see and  a nice chinese dinner. As they say in Italian, 'invece no'-it means 'instead no' or it didn't happen...

 Instead...a few minutes before I left for work, I printed out some envelopes for Sophia to color (I couldnt even find rabbit ones, so she just drew them). I know this picture is not nice, since Viv is crying, but it's the only one with the envelope visible.

Viv's first envelope made by her sister.

And Ding Dong making her silly faces. 

We also went to nickjr and did a cute dragon streamer and activity village  and colored some of their printables. I really wanted to do the paper cut outs, but I was pressed for time and didn't manage to do it.  Somehow I managed to make a quick chinese dinner (black bean chicken and the steam egg jung) and we ate that-because it seems weird to not each Chinese food on Chinese New Year, that's like Thanksgiving without turkey (or the day after thanksgiving without jook :o)

Pan di Stelle

Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?  Yeah I know, seriously obsessed with fake food right now.  Made these for a game of Who Stole The Cookies.  Dunno if it will work, will let you know.  Actually I don't care, I just wanted to make felt cookies and a jar.

(wow this picture is crap, i will retake one when i get the chance)

Birthday Cake

It's Marcella's bday and she's in need of some props- so two birds with 1 stone: I 'baked' her a cake. 

 I used left over fleece from when me and Simo were supposed to make those blankets a few years back  and some felt and a tiny piece of velco and wahlah....For some reason I am obsessed with making food right now.

I should try and pattern these things out, but in the meantime I will write a brief explanation.  

Items needed  for felt birthday cake: 

Plate/bowl/something to draw am large circle. 

plastic soda or milk bottle cap or something circular to draw a small circle.

A measuring tape

1 large piece of pink felt (cake)

1 piece of white felt (frosting)

1 small piece of colored felt (enough to make number of candles desired). )

1 piece yellow felt (flame)

velcro for the bottom of the candle
polyester stuffing (i also used the bits left over from cutting the pieces).
Glue

Cake:
Trace the circle on the pink felt and then cut out..  Measure the circumference of the plate.  Measure a rectangle that is the circumference of the plate +  1 inch seam allowance x the height you want your cake (mine is 3"). Take one circle and the rectangle, with right sides together sew. (leave don't forget to start 1/2 in away from beginning and leave a 1/2 seam allowance at the end too).

Icing:  Trace the bottle cap on the white felt.  Each little 'icing' uses 2 circles. You will need enough to cover the circumference of the cake. to sew: Stack 2 circles one on top of the other, fold in half (like a taco) and sew folded edge, tie off and repeat with all circles. Attach circles to the outside of the cake (covering seam).

Cake: Attach the bottom half of the cake.  This is a little harder because you can only pin little pieces at a time (again don't forget about the 1/2 seam allowance on both ends for the side of the cake). Turn cake right side out. Fill cake with stuffing. Close side of cake with some sort of invisible stitch (stitch in the ditch).


Candles:  Use yellow to cut flame shape. Cut a 3in x 2in rectangle, fold in half and sew along long edge.  Insert flame (upside down) into cylinder. Sew around edge (making sure to catch the flame) pull thread tight (gathering edges) and tie off.  Turn candle right side out. Stuff candle with polyester stuffing.  Sew circumference of bottom edge (as close to edge as possible), pull thread tight (gathering edges) and close off. Glue small piece of rough half of velcro to bottom edge of the candle.  Keep going until you finish all of the candles (hopefully the cake is for someone very young or this becomes a long and tedious process :o)

Tah dah.....it's a cakewalk! Buon apetito e buon compleanno!
I'll try and post pictures of drawings to go with this, I just haven't had the chance).

Check out these cakes, they are hella cooler than mine: bella due, sam mclean designs (has awesome felt things), etsy has a bunch of different cakes for sale or you can just google felt birthday cakes and see some crazy cool things for yourself.