Spring/Summer activity with kids: DIY coasters

In case you are wondering where I have been for so many weeks. Since March I have started afternoon creative activities with my son who is now 28 months old and has started showing keen interest in learning new things. So every afternoon we do these activities.It gives me immense pleasure, happiness and creative satisfaction to think and create different creative projects for him.These are on varied topics like maths, science, art, craft and many other. 

I have started writing a personal blog where I store all the creative activities/projects I do with him. By the end of the year I intend to print that blog. I find a blog a good way to write daily and store pictures more like a online private scrapbook. It keeps me busy and fulfills my creative desire to write( a blog). 

Anyways some of my friends&relatives( whose kids are around the same age group)asked me to share some of the projects/activities I do with my little ones. Since the other blog I have lots of personal pictures I do not intend to make it public fearing that my son's pictures will be swimming on the internet. I don't know how mom bloggers do that. Anyways I will be sharing some on activities/DIYs/ projects here on this blog. So here it goes. The first one I have selected to share is a set of clay spring coasters we made.

There are lots of Gulmohar trees all around Dubai. One day when I took Avaneesh(26 months then) to play on the grass. I started gathering flowers while he played. He saw that and he also started gathering flowers in his dump truck. I kept the Gulmohar flowers in the fridge to keep them fresh for a day or two. I had planned to make coasters by pressing flowers in air dry clay to store the memories of spring/summer flowers.

I made two balls of the air dry clay. One for me and one for Avaneesh. I showed Avaneesh how to roll the clay. He did exactly same. Rolling the clay into the base circle by pressing it and later with the rolling pin. It took some time to completely cover the base with the clay. Once done I took out the flowers from the fridge. First we separated the petals from the flowers. Then started placing and pressing the petals on our coasters. 

Then he rolled the coasters with a rolling pin to press the flowers firmly in the coasters.

Then I put it in the sunlight to air dry it. Avaneesh just couldn't stop putting flowers on them. 

Later when he was taking his afternoon nap I put a layer of Moshe podge on them.The clay had air dried by next morning. They make nice coasters.

Using the things made by your kids in daily use increases their confidence. Any child wants to do things to make their parents proud. 

Joining party at BNOP!

How to make tissue paper bunting

A few months back I had posted about the tissue paper bunting I had made on my baby's Introduction party.. I just realized that I totally forgot to document on the blog how I made it.. So here it is..It could be a easy summer project for kids as well.

For a tissue paper bunting, you will need :

Good quality tissue paper(either printed or plain) Size: 40*40cm  Ply: 3 or more

Baker's twine

Glue and scissors

Optional: gel pens

1) One tissue paper of 40* 40 cm size can make 4 triangles. Open the tissue paper and cut it in four equal parts.

2) Make triangles by folding two corner ends.

3) Draw design over it with pens if you desire..I made flowers..

4) Measure the twine as per your requirement and cut it keeping extra for making loops at the end. Pass the twine through the tissue paper triangles and glue the both ends

4) Make loops at the end of the twine and it is ready to hang. This is how it looked like at the venue..You can see the entire party post here.

Tips:

Use two triangles to make one bunting if you want more thickness.

 If you are going make a design on the tissue paper with pens, I suggest first do a trial as to which gel pen works better as some pens don't write smoothly on tissue paper.

Joining party at: Made with love

Party preparations

Hello friends.. How are you doing? Although I have been working on and also have finished many projects I have been very lazy in updating my blog.. So many new projects to share .. I will start with the latest one.. My baby is now almost 12 weeks old and we are having his first party this weekend !!! I am super excited and all week I have been busy preparing decorations and doing other party planning when he was sleeping.. Sharing with you what I have made so far...I will be sharing the tutorials for all these DIY projects soon..

Name Bunting made of paper and ribbon..

Lots of labels and tags...

I have a ambitious plan of baking 30 cupcakes and decorating them with baby faces .. I made a.Cupcake stand to arrange the cupcakes.. I just hope the cupcake turn out as pretty as I have imagined them to be..

We will be catering the rest of the food from outside .. so I made menu cards..

Red Bunting tutorial 

A few more buntings to decorate the hall..I really want to make a few more buntings but not sure if the time will permit!!

will share the finished pictures once the party hall is decorated are here!!!