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Our Daily Time Line

August 8, 2008 at 11:10 pm | In Craftin' With Hali, Crafty, For Hali, The Mundane, adventures with Hali, paper crafts | 1 Comment
Tags: Hali, clock, timeline, daily schedule, paper crafts

At the beginning of the year, I posted about this, our daily clock:

A huge clock that Hali and I made to help keep her on schedule and to help her know what comes next.

When we moved a few weeks later, I decided to throw it out. I was trying to implement a few changes in our schedule anyways, so I thought we can just try something new. So, I simplified things and made a new schedule- on more of a time line than a clock format (there were mix ups with a.m. and p.m. also).

I hung this one on the wall just outside Hali’s room, just as we did with the clock. For this one, we managed to find something in various magazines to illustrate each event in Hali’s day. Not only that, but Hali truly did most of this one herself.

I helped Hali cut a few pieces of paper in half (we used my paper cutter). She glued them together. Then I pointed out approximate areas where she should write each number, and helped her with a few of the tricky ones.

Then came the fun part! We pulled out all my home decor magazines (I love home decor) and started searching for pictures to cut. Any reason for Hali to use her scissors is enough to make her a happy girl! After we had enough pictures we glued them on to the “time line” and taped it up to the wall.

This really helped me to get her moving along in the mornings (poor girl takes after me- I am NOT a morning person) and to keep her on task during the day. If she didn’t want to do something or just wasn’t not cooperating, then I would just ask her to go look at her time line so we could see what’s next. And she would run right over to it and proudly yell what it is that we do next.

After a few weeks she really didn’t even need it anymore. But when we’re having a hard time getting into gear, it’s handy to have it there in writing, or um pictures, to help motivate Hali. And her mom. We made it out of things we had around the house, so when our schedule changes in a few weeks (when we officially start preschool home school) I won’t feel bad about throwing this one out or rearranging things on it.

Our Daily Clock

January 9, 2008 at 7:51 am | In Craftin' With Hali, Crafty, For Hali, The Mundane, paper crafts | 2 Comments

A few months ago we were really struggling to get back into the routine of things. Our days just didn’t go as smoothly as they normally should. This seems to happen to us after the holidays and also the end of August/beginning of September.

It is so important for toddlers (and their moms) to know what is next. Most of our toddlers, smart as they may be, can’t read or tell time yet. So, I found this general idea somewhere (???) and with a few changes, made it into our very own giant daily clock.

This is on the wall just outside my daughter’s room, and it is about a two and a half feet diameter circle. Using a couple pencils and some string (a homemade large protractor), I drew a big circle on some brown shipping/craft paper that I picked up for a dollar at the local dollar store.

We cut it out, then drew in the numbers around the circumference of it, just like a real clock. I picked out a few images from Microsoft Word’s clip-art (you can find tons of cute things all over the internet, though) and printed those up. My daughter colored them, then cut them out with some craft scissors. We used some zig-zag ones that were handy, put you can use any kind of scissors.

We talked about each picture and what it represented as we colored and cut. Then, we layed the pieces out where they belonged on the “clock” and what time each activity would approximately occur. Hali glued each piece down to the paper. At this point you could even add some “hands” to your clock for extra fun- maybe even some that move so that your child can move them to each activity as the day progresses.

Just to give you an idea of what we have put on our clock:

tv time, breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth and hair, play time, snack, reading time, lunch, chore time, dinner, bath time, etc.

Hali loves to go and point out what time is next in our day when I ask her what we should do next. It helps her get moving during times when she is dragging a little bit, too.

Random Craftiness #2

November 30, 2007 at 6:14 am | In For Hali, Home Decor, accessories, paper crafts, sewing | No Comments
Tags: , book bag, camera, crafts, crayon roll, Home Decor, pillow, sewing

I’m trying to play catch up here and actually post some of the things that I have sewn/crafted lately. So here are a few things:

Crayon roll and little notebook for Hali. Excuse the untrimmed bottom there. This comes in really handy for church, in the car, or visiting relatives. Just do a search for crayon roll and you’ll find plenty of tutorials. Or go to etsy and buy one. I have plans on making a few more for some younger (and not so young) family members. Plus a few larger pencil rolls.

A bag for Hali from the same loud material. I machine embroidered the pink felt “H” onto the front pocket, which made from almost coordinating stripped material. I even did a lining for it.

It’s meant to be her library bag and it goes across her chest like a messenger bag to help make the weight of a couple books easier on her little body. Her “I want to do it” tendencies seem to be getting stronger lately and she really likes doing everything herself. Wonder where she gets this from?

It’s been used a couple times for ballet class, a few times just to tote random stuff in and possibly twice it has been taken to the library.

A new pillow for a chair in the living room. Really, it’s just a recovered pillow. When we bought our couch a few years ago, it came with these pillows that were in the same material as the couch itself. Kind of blah and no contrast whatsoever. So I found this sturdy home decor fabric at Hancock’s and thought it was perfect. The couch has a slight green tinge to it and I have a big brown shag rug in the living room as well, so this pillow ties in nicely.

I’ve had it with my sucky camera. I don’t want to sound ungrateful- my mom did the whole Black Friday thing a couple years ago and got it for us for Christmas. I was so happy! It really was the perfect gift.

I’m so glad that I have had it these past few years to document my daughter’s life. Before we got this digital camera, we just didn’t take as many photos as we do now. But I know I can take better photographs with a better camera.

This, and the husband keeps taking it to work with him, and of COURSE I need it when I discover it’s gone! So, I’ve decided that we (the royal we of course) are getting a new one. One that stays at home. So I can take good, decent, clear and focused photos of our daughter and the stuff we do. Luckily, our anniversary is in less than three weeks, so I guess I know what I’m getting us!

Random Craftiness #1

October 25, 2007 at 5:15 am | In Crafty, For Hali, accessories, paper crafts, sewing | No Comments

Felt cell phone cozy for my little sister. We have the same phones (magenta razrs) so I could measure it for a good fit. She isn’t big on pink or bright colors really, just earth tones, black and white for her.

I’ve actually made several of these little notebooks, but somehow only managed to take a picture of a couple. They are really handy and I always have the materials on hand, as do most crafters! I changed mine up a little from the tutorials I’ve found online like this one, but mainly because I’m lazy. No other good reason, really!

A quick bag I made for Hali to put her tools in:

Just some scrap red fabric, scrap white bias tape sewn together and some velcro to close it at the top. I didn’t even line it. I just wanted to get it done.

The tools had previously been in a plastic Walmart bag, which I hate. I am this close to making some fabric shopping bags of my own instead of using plastic ones. I don’t toss mine, though. They get recycled/reused. I even made a plastic bag holder for them that I need to post!