I have to sadly take a break from Little bear until mid September
I feel pretty lousy about this but know my plate is too full at the time.

School starts September 4th and I have to get my classroom ready.


I will return with My alphabet Along pictures and hopefully some new inspiration.

sorry I have neglected the blog for a few weeks- the girls and I were enjoying ourselves out in the country for 3 weeks.-kinda hard to be back in the city, but I will try to catch up with the alphabet along and get us back on track.
(I have some great pictures to share and some craft ideas in the work too!)
C is for Corn Flake Cookies


These were our favorite cookies growing up.  As soon as mom would plop these down on the wax paper they were gone.

You can see the same thing happens in my house 20 years later.

peanut butter cornflake cookies
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white karo syrup
1 c. peanut butter
3-4 cups cornflakes

in a saucepan combine sugar and karo syrup
place on high until just boiling(it will start to look more clear)about 3 minutes

turn off heat/add peanut butter and mix

add cornflakes

spoon on waxed paper.

B is for Bubbles
I bought this at the thrift store yesterday

I recommend this to All parents!!
You just put in the batteries,pour in the bubbles, pull down the handle, and have instant bubbles.
(it won a parent's choice award too-and I can see why!!!
I would pay full price for this puppy-the kids love it!!

A is for applesauce





pearl is coming up with some really great ideas
this should be a lot of fun.
(this was our first shot at making applesauce-we used a Betty Crocker recipe-tasted just like apple pie filling).

I have been brainstorming a few ideas to keep the girls entertained this summer and I came up with an idea to start an Alphabet Along.

Here is how it works
1.  Do a project  for each letter of the alphabet
(sewing project, baking project, read a book that starts with that letter, or just take a photo for the letters of the week.)

example: A
make Apple pie
read an alligator book
eat an apricot
learn about people who live in Alaska

example:P
make popcorn balls
go on a picnic
sew patches on an old pair of jeans
visit the panda at the zoo

2.  Share your picture on your blog or send them to me  to share.
(if enough people are interested, I will start a flickr group)
I want to post everyone's blog address too so we can see what everyone else is doing

3.Join the Alphabet Along by replying to this post or my e-mail

4.  I am going to start the Alphabet Along Monday June 11th.
(starting with letter A and B).

5.  In order to complete the alphabet before the new school year starts I am doing 2 letters at a time.
(no real rules, you can do it however you want)

6.  Spread the word, this could be a lot of fun.


I want to make copies of all of my pictures and at the end of the summer I want  to make an alphabet book for them with all of the projects/pictures from the summer.

if life is too crazy just send me a picture for the letter you want-you don't have to do every letter to join in.

My friend Suzanne made these adorable pies with her kids.
She saw the idea in this book.


Here's what you'll need

an empty jelly container
beads
glue
felt
scissors
pencil

1.  turn jelly container upside down on piece of felt and trace
(be sure to trace it slightly larger then container
2.  cut out felt circle and place in the bottom of the jelly container
3..fill bottom crust with beads
4.  pour a generous amount of glue on the beads
(let it dry)
5.cut thin slices of felt and glue on top to resemble your top crust.


Thanks SUzanne for sharing this idea with us!!!
YUMMY!!!

I was looking at this month's issue of Family Fun with my friend Suzanne and we ran across this article.

"Nicole Blum of North Hadley Massachusetts, and her 7-year-old daughter, Ava,like to fill an onion bag with nesting materials, such as raffia, nonmetallic ribbon, small sticks, and pet hair-then eagerly watch for the birds to begin construction".

We both instantly loved that idea!!! so I thought I would try and make one too!!

My onion bag was enormous, so I had to cut it down, then I filled it with raffia, ribbon, yarn, twigs and my own hair from my hairbrush.(is that wierd? I don't have any pets)

Here is a close-up of mine


Here is another shot, I'll let you know if if works!!


If you make one, let me know how it works out.

I would bake a cake!!!

My daughter dreams of making and decorating cakes this was a perfect gift from our Aunt Wendi.
It is a Wilton mini tier cake kit
(It comes with 3 baking pans, pillars, and seperator trays,and it only takes one cake mix for the whole thing).

Pearl decorated this for her best friend's Birthday party, but believe me, we will use this over and over again for many occasions.
If you have a daughter like mine, I think it would be worth the investment.

I am sure she will want us to try our hand at making it look like a wedding cake.

I am still working on my outerspace theme and decided to make robots from a few manila folders I had lying around.

Both of these were made by 2 girls in my class.


What you need
manila folder (1 folder will make 2 robots)
5 brads/metal fasteners
hole punch
decorations
marker or pencil

cut folder in half against the fold

fold folder into fourths

follow this guideline for the robot pieces(cutting along brown lines)


punch hole in folder according to the robot picture on top.

attach pieces together with brads

decorate your robot

Here is part two to my previous entry

what you'll need

permanent marker-sharpies are my favorite
sheet of plastic-(you can use those plastic book report folders with the bright colored plastic on the side)
coloring book
crayons
food warmer


trace an image from a coloring book onto a thin sheet of plastic with a fine point permanent marker.

cover the warmer with aluminum foil and then place your plastic sheet on top.
color in your image with crayons


remove from warmer, wait to cool,cut out shape,


i know these are pretty bad pictures, but they look great and are a lot of fun to make.  In a way they remind me of shrinky dinks


you can punch a hole in them and hang them in a window
use as gift tags
hang from a mobile

I would love to see what you end up creating!!!
e-mail me with any questions