More Medieval goodies to share

new links added after publishing will be posted in red highlight at bottom of post

I wasn't actually looking for more Middle Ages stuff. Honest. I was simply making a couple copies of a reading log, and there was this little blog share in the sidebar, and I clicked on it while I was printing. It wasn't my fault. It was a bunny trail. You just can't resist a bunny trail that flows along the same thing you are working on, right? Of course you can't, just admit it.

Hello. My name is Deanna and I am a bunny trail addict.

So, my meanderings actually paid off with some more printables to use as we embark on the first leg of our Medieval Tour, the Vikings. And speaking of meanderings, how cool is it that the first stop is actually called Barefoot Meanderings????  Is that Providential or what?

Barefoot Meandering blog has a nice planning calendar for putting together your Story of The World V2 lessons and other 'ages' ...as well as reading lists, mapped out for the year.

A Book in Time has some great craft links and reading suggestions we'll be putting to use over the year...in fact, there are several pages with crafts for different era's, and plenty more to explore there.  Make your own shield, with patterns and directions, make a knight's helmet,

The Vikings, a Lesson Plan

Medieval Flashcards  you can print 2 copies onto cardstock, or laminate, and use for Go Fish

NEW LINK added 9-3-12...Coat of Arms craft

BlogShare: Storm The Castle

Medieval Times is our focus area for the coming school season. I had some ideas for projects, with my varying ages here I can run the gamut from easy to more detailed with no problem. What ideas I had definitely pale in comparison to the great projects shared by Storm the Castle!

Here are just some of the ideas I think we will glean from this fun blog...

Great diorama ideas for a whole Medieval village, and a cigar box castle, complete with detailed photos and step-by-step tutorials, even better, these are inexpensive craft materials.
There are several catapult projects and trebuchets, and more shared throughout the blogsite, here is just one of the projects...this one uses an embroidery hoop!
Not just your average, run-of-the-mill shields and swords and chainmail...even a helmet we may use for the Viking portion of our study...these are just a couple shared, definitely check thru the entire site for more detailed projects along these lines.
a stained glass window project...I had no idea there were black glue sticks out in the world, LOL. We were considering really basic...clear ConTac, torn bits of tissue paper, and no real design plan (more of a full window suncatcher)

We will definitely be bookmarking the Storm the Castle site and visiting again (and again) as we stroll thru the Middle Ages!

Crafting fun for the long days...

Ok, so we don't exactcly get 'snowbound' here in north Mississippi...okay, we did get a fair amount of snow for being down South over the last winter here...


but that is hardly typical. At least not in my 6 years down here.  Still, it's what I've got and I'll take it.

Crafting is just a natural winter sort of thing.  The days grow shorter, outdoor activities, at least most of the fun ones, are curbed and it's more about keeping occupied inside as the days grow dark earlier and the inklings of 'cabin fever' begin to set in.

In our Little House books we are reading through, wintertime is for handwork of all kinds...whittling, leather repair, hand-sewing, knitting, and more.  I love the short cozy days when a comfy chair, a warm fire and some handwork finish my days.  It's just not the same in the summer, kwim?

Here are some gathered crafty ideas to spur your imagination as we come into the perfect crafting season...

Scrappy Pumpkins... or apples, or whatever! Stuff extra thick for a great pincushion, or even gift-toppers or tree ornaments
Craft a family of Clothespin Dolls for fun wintertime play
Whip up loads of fabric napkins for the family or for quick gifts
McCall's Patterns has a great list of sewing ideas in free downloadable patterns
Fleece gifts...a dog sweater, mittens, slipper booties, hood with scarf, snow pants and more!
a cute way to use up a few scraps...a dishsoap apron

And there's always scrap quilting projects like table runners, placemats, couch or chair throws....yarnwork like knitting and crocheting...embroidery and cross stitch samplers...

...the lists can go on all winter long!

Craft Recipes: Homemade Glue and Paste

Homemade Paste

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• cold water

Method: Add flour to a sauce pan. Add cold water until a thick cream forms. Simmer on stove for 5 minutes. Warning:This paste takes a long time to dry.

Library Paste   
Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. alum
• 4 cups water
• 30 drops of oil of cloves

Mix all ingredients in saucepan and cook until clear and thick. Remove from heat and add drops of oil of cloves.

Clear Library Paste   
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon oil of witnergreen

Mix rice flour, sugar, and cold water in a pan until smooth. Add boiling water and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add oil of wintergreen.

Stamp Gum   
Ingredients:

• 1 packet (1/4 ounce) of unflavored gelatin
• 1 Tbs. cold water
• 3 Tbs. boiling water
• 1/2 tsp. white corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. lemon or peppermint extract
• 2 drops boric acid solution

Sprinkle the gelatin into the cold water and wait until softened. Pour softened gelatin into the boiling water, stirring until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. When ready to use brush a little to the area that you would like it and let dry. When you need it to stick, moisten it a bit. If the gum dries up in your storage container, just scoop it out into a saucepan and heat it again.

Envelope Mucilage   
Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons pure white vinegar
• 4 packets (1 ounce) unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon peppermint extract

Method: Pour vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Add peppermint extract and stir until thoroughly mixed. And a YouTube for making edible glue of course..

Independence Day: Thoughts, Crafts and Food Fun...

We have a short unit study we will be doing for the July 4th "holiday", although I think this year we will be very low-key for the weekend.  Normally we put out a great deal of time...and funds...into a great fireworks show.  We have alot of neighbors who have come to enjoy our display here, and I suppose it's almost a tradition, but not this year.

One, this bi-monthly budget plan I'm working the kinks out of didn't allow for it...
And two, is there really a call for celebration of some level of independence in the United States anymore?  Not to get overly political and all, but really folks...we've leased off, sold out, and otherwise given away our freedoms by allowing the government such a far reach.

But, I digress...Independence Day, 4th of July...Miss Emily's birthday celebration :o)  Miss Emily turns 4 on July 9th, but she fully believes that the fireworks...everyone's fireworks displays...are in celebration of her :o)  We don't correct her -- she's too cute, young, and innocent to have her fireworks bubble burst, just yet.  But, this year will be decidedly more quiet, more prayer-filled...yet full of fun crafts :o)

Here's some of what I've found so far:
The Crafty Crow has several pages of 4th of July craft links....here, here, here and here  and several fun games for any summer fun day.

We'll be making our Amish Sugar Cut-Outs and decorating them with red, white and blue for fun

Sumer Schooling: Crafty Round-Up

We don't actually "summer school" here, but we do school all year, so I suppose that is summer school, heh?

While working on this and that today I came across a great blog called Creative Jewish Mom.  Wow!  What fun she shares.  Homemade Water Colors are definitely coming to this schooling experience this week!  Homemade Puff Paints, too.  Or a cute little Matchbox Chest of Drawers.

Some fun Ruby Dolls...I could see these done up perhaps in costume following our current study (right now with Paths, it's Columbus, Marco Polo, China, Italy, etc.).

Perhaps some creative Stained Glass Melts...

For some fun sewing (perhaps to add to my Farm market list, who knows?) there is a really cute Reversible Bonnet pattern here...And she has a really neat notebook and pencil holder I'd like to do as well.

Some really neat veggie can crafts....and recycling pop cans into a neat mobile.



Modge Podge and food coloring!  Imagine the possibilities!

A Gazing Ball for the garden...made from styrofoam???  My mom has managed to break like 3 gazing balls lately.  This could be just the thing for her :o)

And more crafting fun: Crayon Shavings and Window Clings

I really enjoyed strolling through the pages of Skip To My Lou...I have bookmarked SO MANY PAGES!

Here are some more goodies I want to keep as reminders of all the crafting fun we can have:

Remember making these in school?  C'mon now...I'm not that old, and I can't be the only one who ever did this!
Crayon Shaving Pictures!  She made hearts, but the possibilities are endless...

And homemade window clings...again, endless design possibilities here.  Holiday decorations, sure...but anything your child likes to create could be done.  Oh, the gift ideas for Grandparents!