Building Tips for your "Fort in a Bag"

Building a Fort is pure fun and a great way to encourage imagination.  This post is written especially for Adults needing to kick start their imagination and keep pace with those kids.  I have compiled a list of tips that will help you create a unique Fort every time.  My most important tip, remember to get down to the child’s eye level and experience the Fort from the inside.  This is where the memories will be made.  It will be an amazing encouragement to your child in preserving a Heritage.  A Heritage that will be remembered and passed from them to the next generation.  

Your Fort in a Bag comes with the basic tools you need to get started.  Additional furniture is an option but not required.  By using the Clothesline included you can get height for your Fort.  Tie the two ends to a piece of furniture, chair, curtain rod, or my favorite, a door hinge.  Of course you are the judge of where the kids can or cannot attach their Fort and what is a safe location. Score 1 for the Fort in a Bag!  Furniture usage is optional.   

Other items for your infrastructure could include couches, chairs, table (card), bunk beds, or Rubbermaid totes.
Choose a building spot that is not in a high traffic location.  I guarantee you will be much more open to having the Fort up for a few days, or weeks, if it is not in the middle of the Kitchen.

Add your included bed sheets to the Clothesline.  There are ribbons sewn to all 4 corners of your sheet.  It cannot slip away on you!  The simple straight and easy tent uses 1 of your sheets draped over the Clothesline and anchored to low lying furniture at all 4 corners using your ties. 

 

To increase the size of your Fort to a Fortress use one sheet per side.  Attach the sheet to your Clothesline with your included clothespins.  Remember to use your corner ties on the Clothesline for more strength and longevity.  Score 2 for the Fort in a Bag!  The sheets will not be continuously slipping away on you. 

Remember back to your days of building.  Books are great anchors and elastic bands will work to cover chairs with your sheets if you have run out of clothespins.  

Extra walls could probably be found in your Linen Closet.  However, chances are better that the Fort to last longer if you stay out of the Closet.  The sheets provided in this kit are especially for Fort building.  You will not be looking for these ones or having to rationalize with a 2 year old about dismantling his Fortress.  Score 3 and 4 for the Fort in a Bag! Your Linens stay in your Closet and there are no 2 year old meltdowns.

Consider creating an entrance and an exit for your Fort.  Once you get the little people and the Adult(s) in you may feel claustrophobic and be looking for a quick escape!  

Be sure to add a pillow and favorite Stuffies to the Fort.  It will make it a little more comfortable to sit on once you get in.
Bring snacks into the Fort if you plan to stay awhile.

Bring a few books into your newly built Fort.  Read a few stories and maybe inspire a non reader to become a reader.  Score 5 for the Fort in a Bag!  Your tent is helping to promote literacy.      

Create a special name for your Fort with your child.  Your Fort in a Bag comes with a temporary name until you can decide on a family one.  

Consider a flashlight as an additional gift with your Fort in a Bag.  This is now a bonus gift included with your Fort in a Bag purchased in 2013!  

Stay and share a few extra minutes with your child. Cherish the memories you have just created in your uniquely designed Fort.  Score 6 for the Fort in a Bag!  Your child has a new piece of Heritage they will remember and share with their children in the years to come.

Finally, your Fort in a Bag is Eco-Friendly.  The bed sheets chosen are always repurposed and many times they are vintage pieces. Score 7 for the Fort in a Bag! Thank you for considering my product.  You made the world a little greener today.  

Best of Luck on your Fort building Venture!  It will get easier each time you create, I promise.

Danine

Artisan Award -not this year

A couple of months ago I entered the Artisan Award through Stampin' Up!  I now know that I was not one of the 10 winners chosen.

I am a winner.  I spent the hours and hours and hours preparing all the pieces.  The percentage of people that do that much is so small that I consider it a huge feat to have completed the 7 pieces required and mailed it.

The "competition" is only open to Stampin' Up! demonstrators and entries were to be submitted by April 22, 2011.  Being Canadian this meant I had to send out my entry the first week of April to insure that the American based company received it in time.  The obstacle I faced was that I crushed my hand in a rental door van 2 weeks prior to having to hit that first week of April deadline.  I pushed through and mailed the box!  Unable to hold scissors for 10 days and with stitches in 5 different places I still finished the project.  Yeah for me!

I had to include a special little message for all those that handled the box on it's way to the final destination.  Maybe a little corny but it was 3:30 am when I finally finished packing it up.

So....the next few blog posts will include what was all required to be submitted.  Stay tuned for a look at the 2 three dimensional projects, 3 scrapbook pages, and the 5 cards that were packed up.  I will not receive these pieces back.  The company will keep them and they should be on display at the Stampin' Up! convention I will be attending in July.  Only a month away!

Thanks for Visiting,

Danine

Mother's Day Kid's Class

Here is a class I offered a few times over the past 3 weeks leading up to Mother's Day.  A project that was set for Mother's Day but could really be used for any occasion or non-occasion.

I prepared a portion of the project and then the kids did a little painting, sanding, and gluing.   

Here is the room nicely organized before one of the classes started.

Here you can see the blocks were prepainted.  The kids then painted the letters.

I had a special request for MUM.

Painting started cleanly!  It took a long time for this particular set to dry!

My boys all attended one of the sessions.  Mommy chose the papers they would be using.  Yes I am a little controlling.  

The blocks were sanded an the edges a little to give that distressed look.

Then the papers were "glued" to the blocks with Mod Podge.  Straight to the block and then coated across the top.

A hot glue gun attached the letters onto the blocked once they were dry and sanded like the blocks.

The ribbon was tied around the full block and into a bow.  There was then a little extra length tied in a knot around the original bow.  I added a little hot glue to secure the bow from coming undone.  

If you are interested I have a few extra sets left over!  Kits are $12.00 and will come with pre painted blocks.  

Thanks for visiting, 

Danine

Mother's Day Card with the Grade 1 Class

Tomorrow I am going to spend an hour with my oldest son’s Grade 1 Art Class.  I have designed a Mother’s Day Card that 22 of the kids will be making for their Mom’s. 

Each child will receive an envelope with their supplies.  In making this blog post I am actually cheating a little.  The kids are going to follow along the post as a tutorial on the smart board in their classroom.  Image the way things have changed.  Follow along for your step by step instructions as there are still a few days to create instead of buy.  

Fold your Red paper in half and press your finger along the fold.    

Glue the creme paper with the ribbon on it to the middle of the Red paper.  The torn edge should be facing up.  You can use a glue stick for this.

Go to the Stamp Station and choose a stamp for the inside of your card. 

 Stamp the back of your card too.  

Take your pink paper to the Big Shot Station to emboss and cut out the Top Note shape.  Mrs. Regenwetter will help you do this step.  

Glue the pink paper to the front of your card over top of the ribbon.

Use pencil crayons to color your Mom Stamp and cut out along the edges.  

Your teacher will give you 2 pieces of puffy tape to stick it to your card.

Bend the 5 butterflies and then glue one of their wings to your card.  Make your own design with the butterflies.  

Go to Mrs. Regenwetter to get your rhinestone added.  

Put your card on the counter to dry.  Remember to put the envelope with your card too.  

You are all finished.  

Clean up your desk and help clean up the Big Shot Station or the Stamp Station.

I am really looking forward to working in the classroom and I know I am going to be receiving a beautiful Mother’s Day Card in exchange!  I already have a smile thinking of how many happy moms there will be on Sunday when they open this card handmade by their child.  

Thanks for joining me,

Danine 

Preschool Meal Exchange

I had already been booked to do a Simply Supper Meal Preparation when I was asked to do this Preschool Meal Exchange.  I am always open to learning and gaining knowledge so I said yes and joined this meal exchange too. 

A group of 5 moms from my second son’s preschool decided to make 10 different meals.  Each mom made 2 different meals 5 times.    One mom was the organizer who decided the 10 meals, made copies of the recipes to distribute, and figure out a delivery schedule.  Once the email with all the choices came out we signed up for which we wanted to make.  I chose two pork meals.  There were also chicken and beef based meals.  

We were given a month’s notice and did the actual exchange in the cold (but really it wasn’t a cold day) at the preschool parking lot.  This worked well as we could pull the prepared frozen meals out of our freezer, run them to school with our kids, and then return home with the new meals for the freezer again.  

I did my meals up the day before.  I shopped in the morning with my regular weekly trip on monday mornings and then spent 2 hours in the afternoon preparing.  2 hours is all that it took to put 13 meals in the freezer and number 14 was what we ate for supper.  We were only required to prepare 10 meals but the portions I purchased allowed for a few extras to go into my freezer. 

In the end the 2 meals ( 5 of each recipe) that I had contributed to the exchange worked out to be $12.00 each.  All the ingredients as well as the ziploc baggies are included in that price.  I should also note that the $12.00 was based on the 10 meals and I did not include the other 4 meals that I got out of the portions I purchased.  With those included the price was even lower at $8.47 each.  That “meal” will feed 3 adults and 4 children with leftovers for the Daddy’s midnight snack.  For a smaller family the recipe would easily last for 2 suppers.

 Others in the exchange had expressed that their meals were more expensive to create.  It was agreed and expressed before doing the exchange that you were in full control of your meals.  It was your choice to shop were you preferred.  

My meats came from Costco and the balance of ingredients were from the Superstore. The meats were the same price from Superstore or Costco however the quality was higher from Costco.  

All of the meals were good.  There were a few that were exceptional!  We loved the sweet and sour meatballs so much that it is the first recipe added to the exchange I am preparing right now.  There is only 1 meal that I would not ever make again.  And that truly isn’t fair to say without adding that it was just the recipe that needs to be tweaked for my family.  We would use much less red wine vinegar.  It had much too much tart for our house.  

If you are hesitant to try a specific retail location for supper preparation but think the idea of it is cool start this way.  It does have more labour involved but the price is much cheaper.  

That’s my 2 cents for the day, 

Danine 

1950's Replica Apron

A brown envelope showed up in the mail to me one day last summer.  

Inside the brown envelope was another brown envelope.  The second one, on the inside, was the inspiring one.  An original pattern envelope that was mailed in October of 1950.  

So far I have made an apron skirt following the exact step by step instructions of the Marian Martin Sew-Chart.  

The instructions even have the layout pattern for using a feed bag however it does specifically state that it will only work for a size small.  

I have completed the apron skirt and am still working on the bib.  

The skirt has been repurposed from a christening gown lining and the hankie was collected from a garage sale in New Brunswick, Canada.  

The binding along the pocket edge and the skirt hemline are not true vintage pieces however they hold the feel together.  

I have the fabrics set aside and will finish this piece in the near future.  Keep checking back for a follow up post showing the completed 1950's replica.  

Thanks for visiting, 

Danine

Making the Statement

I have not been bold in sharing with everyone I meet that I am a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator.  There is no reason to not, I just haven’t.  Well now I am.  I have decided that I need to take action and push myself in order to grow my business.  

The true silly part is that all you really have to do is tell people what you do.  If I could step out of my comfort zone and just speak it is there for the taking.  Others love to hear of what I do and see my projects and attend a class or workshop.  If they don’t know I do it then how can they possibly participate and learn what is waiting for them. 

So here is that first step.  I have added the Stampin’ Up! logo to the back window of my van.  To add the fun I have also added one of the products I offer in the decor elements division.  My family was purchased each individually in order to customize exactly what makes up your family.  

I can be proud to let everyone know I am a mother of 4 boys and I sell Stampin’ Up!  

The first thing was to wash the van.  Washing it wasn't an option at -30c outside so I washed only the window instead!

 Each "family member" is packaged individually.

Here they all are opened up from the packaging.

Once they are open you want to rub the back side of each person to ensure they are securely attached to the front face before peeling off the backing.  If you skip this step the person may loose a limb before the transfer happens!

I chose to work left to right with my family members.  The backing is peeled off and the "Daddy" was centered on the window.  Then the decor elements tool is what you what to use in rubbing the element onto the clean surface.  You will notice immediately when the surface paper is peeled away if the person is sticking or not.  If it is not set just put the paper back on and rub some more.  

I kept on adding and adding and adding and adding...until this family was complete.   I am happy to share that this family is now complete!  

Thanks for visiting, 

Danine