Arts-N-Crafts: A Card For Daddy (2014 Edition)

Maia takes credit for every single word on this card. Even for the design, I should say. The only help she needed from me to put this card together was to reglue the frame and cut the photo to fit it. Everything else was hers to take.

Every day she amazes us. I barely have time to guide her in her lessons anymore. And yet, she carries on like a pro. All grown up. Doesn't need mommy anymore. Sigh.



p.s. Oh I take credit though for introducing her to the art of making cards. If there is one tradition that I can claim I started with this kid, this is probably it -- birthday card making!

Arts-N-Crafts: Cardboard House

I can't remember the last time I did an arts and crafts post but I am sure it has been a very long time already. I could tell by the look on my kid's face when I told her we'll do something crafty last Sunday. She lighted up. Like she really missed doing something with me.

She was actually the one who pushed for us to do this activity. She pointed to a pack of corrugated paper boards that we've had for a long time now and said, "let's do something with them later Mommy ha?"

Who am I to refuse?

I was the one who introduced her to the fun world of crafting. I wasn't any good, I must admit. I bravely plunged myself into crafting because I cannot think of any activities that we can make good use of our hands. But I wasn't artsy, not friends with scissors and even crayons. You get the drift. But what she saw everytime we do an activity was never the aesthetics aspect of our project but the quality of time we spend together. I figured then that's how badly she misses my company. And she has full faith in our partnership, she always believes we make the best art projects in this whole, wide world. (Indulging, eh haha)

After lunch that day, I logged into pinterest and showed her several activities that we could do together given the materials that we have on hand. She initially picked a lighthouse made of what was to be a mishmash of all types of paper (cardboard, tissue, crepe and corrugated paper). Then she saw a miniature cardboard house and decided in a heartbeat -- we are making that one, Mommy!

So off we went with the cutting and measuring and taping and glueing...tada! This is what we came up with. The structure was mostly me. But she decorated it with cut outs of different shapes of corrugated paper. We built an art deco inspired miniature house made of recycled cereal boxes and corrugated paper. She also gave it her personal touch by doodling on the walls.

Ain't it pretty? Surprisingly, the house still stands to date. I gave it at least 2 days but she was so careful with it I now think it will last longer than I thought.


Do you enjoy crafts with your little one too? We'd love to see your projects too. Please do share.

Here are the other recycled paper/boxes projects we did in the past:

Easter Bunnies
Truckie From Trash

and more here.

posted from Bloggeroid

Art Always Takes Top Priority

Last night, the hubs got stuck in traffic on his way home so our date run did not push through. It was a blessing in disguise because the kid was again refusing to let me out. Despite seeing me dressed in running clothes, she held me up to help her with homework. 

She had two assignments last night. One for Science and another for Math. I was never pushy when it came to homework. As long as she tries her best to get it done, I'm okay with it. She doesn't have to finish if she does not feel like it. I don't know if this is good training or not. I'm just going by my instinct here. And trusting that I know what works best for my kid.

So anyways, I let her pick which one to do first. Their topic for science this week is about the types of weather and the homework is asking her to draw her favorite weather type. I think the minute she heard me say drawing, a bell went 'DING' somewhere and she instantly grabbed the science book from me. It said drawing and yes, drawing always takes top priority. She can actually draw for hours. Just give her a bunch of paper or notebooks or sketch pads (even newspapers, she's not picky), pens (she really prefers to use pens - ballpoint, gel pens - rather than pencils when she draws. she's picky when it came to the drawing tool), markers and she'd be good on her own for at least 2 hours.

It didn't take her long to finish the drawing. Just a few minutes actually. She drew herself and a friend playing with a ball on a sunny day. With an apple tree and birds chirping on the background. She has a very detailed imagination and steady hands. Just by watching her draw with ease, my heart is filled with pride. Give her one more year, and she can draw better people figures than me. I bet she can even draw better landscapes then. (Now where did I put that art class flyer...hehe...)

So she finishes the science homework in a matter of minutes, gave it color even. In less than half an hour, we're done with homework #1. She knows it's time for homework #2. Then she stalled. She suddenly thought it's the perfect time to do some painting. And guess what she picks to be her canvas? MY ARMS. MY freakin' flabby arms. She grabs her watercolor and paintbrushes and asked me to choose - "what do you want mom? heart or ice cream?". I go for heart. And she started working on painting my arms with a green heart (because green is my favorite color, she says). She worked on painting my arms for almost an hour. Sneaky little kid, eh?

After finishing up with me, she goes up to yaya and asked her - you like me to paint you too ate? you want ice cream?. I have been holding the math book in front of her for quite sometime now (for like maybe 15 minutes already). She's really getting better at this stalling thing. And everyday she gives me the chance to exercise my patience. I should probably thank her for that. 

Thankfully her dad arrives just in time and she finally runs out of excuses. Guess what? She made me wait for an hour. She finished the math assignment in 2 minutes. Only took her two minutes but we had to wait for an hour before she finally gives it a shot. Sigh. The things I would for my daughter.

Anyways, you want to see the finished body art? I'm thinking of buying her face painting materials. This is probably due to an overdose of birthday parties this past couple of months. But I'm glad activities like that always tickles her curiosity and imagination.