Search Results for: blog sticks and stones

Fall and Holiday Decorating with Nature 2

Isn’t it fun to decorate for the fall and upcoming holidays? I’ve done a little bit with a basket of mini pumpkins, a friendly scarecrow and some candles, but I am itching to do more. Some of my favorite decorating involves the use of natural materials. I covered some ideas for fall and holiday decorating with nature in an earlier post. Did you like that log idea? Now I’ll share some more suggestions for your home. With a heavy rain yesterday, I know that there are plenty of fallen twigs and small branches in my yard. One idea is to … Continue reading →

Sticks and Stones …

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Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can’t hurt me. This is a childhood saying that we teach our kids because we want to teach them that just because someone says something nasty to them, they don’t have to respond with fists or kicks or scratches. But words are powerful things, they can help and they can hurt. The child who is labeled ‘fatso’ or ‘four-eyes’ is immediately singled out by classmates for being different. The difference doesn’t have to be profound or even unusual, it just has to be different enough that the other kids can pick … Continue reading →

Summer Scrapbooking Fun With Sandals or Flip Flops

Summer means hot days, popsicles, pools and sprinklers, shorts and t-shirts and hopefully a brand new pair of flip flops or sandals. What in the world does this have to do with scrapbooking? Let me show you how to create a fun piece to use on your layouts, as a card, as an album cover or as anything else you choose to use it for! Step 1: Grab a pair of flip flops and trace around them or search the web until you find a pattern for a flip flop (I found this one). You can either enlarge it or … Continue reading →

Three Types of Tank For Salamanders and Newts

There are three different kinds of environments for your pet salamanders and newts. Like other amphibians, salamanders and newts have sensitive and very porous skin that can make them very sensitive to changes in the environment. Land dwelling salamanders will need a terrestrial style tank. That doesn’t mean your salamander doesn’t need water! The moss used for the tank substrate will provide most of the moisture your salamanders will need. You should also provide a shallow container of water to help maintain humidity — just don’t make the water too deep. Terrestrial salamanders are poor swimmers. Place sticks or stones … Continue reading →

Get Set to Ski

The West Coast has been hammered by a series of storms causing widespread property damage.  Still, there is a silver lining for some enduring Mother Nature’s wrath.  In Lake Tahoe, nearly 30 inches of fresh snow has fallen, allowing ski resorts there to open early.  Likewise, Utah’s Wasatch Range has already received more than 4 feet of snow prompting Alta, Brighton, Solitude and Snowbird to open for business. If you are a snow bunny, Old Man Winter’s early arrival is fantastic news.  Many of the nation’s major ski destinations are hoping the snow and cold sticks around for a while … Continue reading →

Toddler Friendly No – Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

If your toddler is anything like my toddler, the very thought of carving a pumpkin this year probably has you rather frightened. Of course, picking out pumpkins with toddlers is a lot of fun so there is bound to be at least one pumpkin at your house. Here are a few no – carve pumpkin decorating ideas for you and your little ones so you can add some festive fall fun to your home without having to try in vain to explain the details of why Mommy can use a knife to cut a pumpkin and Junior can’t as Junior … Continue reading →

Easter Party Prep

Just because Easter is only a week away doesn’t mean you have to stress about the party planning. After all, if worse came to worst, you could always host a potluck rather than preparing all the food yourself. In addition, you could have guests bring extra candy-filled plastic eggs and make like Peter Cottontail by hiding them for the annual backyard hunt. Another option is to keep the party simple. Spend the day enjoying the presence of your company rather than worrying about whether you have enough chips and dip to go around. The games and activities can also be … Continue reading →

Changing Your Mind

How many times have put the finishing touches on a layout, and then realized that you made a mistake? I have experienced that sinking feeling far too many times to count. Part of me wants to scream while the other wants to sob. In some cases I have lucked out and figured out a way to salvage the page design, but on many occasions I’ve had to start all over again. This is why I have spent a ton of time researching different adhesives. Avid scrapbookers know that some sticky substances are easier to get unstuck than others. For example, … Continue reading →

Movie Uses the Word “Autistic” as an Insult

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There is a brand new movie called “21 Jump Street”. It is about two underachieving police officers that are assigned to blend in at a high school in order to bring down a drug ring. In this movie, the police captain uses the word “autisic” as an insult. The new movie “21 Jump Street” seems to be very loosely based on the main concept of the television program of the same name. Two young looking police officers, (played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum), are given the undercover assignment of blending in with teenagers at a high school, for the … Continue reading →

It’s Mud (Puddle) Season

With the arrival of spring comes the arrival of a very popular outdoor attraction for toddlers – mud puddles. Much to the dismay of many parents, toddlers seem to have a knack for finding mud puddles and an uncontrollable desire to splash in very single one that they can find. Parents have many different opinions about whether to permit their little ones to play in the puddles, and my opinion is just that – my own. Dylan loves to play outside and I can see and feel the effect that it has on him. When he is able to spend … Continue reading →