Easy Sun Catcher

It is Easter today.

The kids have been asking to decorate Easter eggs but upon checking, there were only two eggs left in the fridge.  Since I wouldn't be going to the grocery store anytime soon, I will just have to think of something else.  Remembered that there are some leftover transparent plastic sheets from another project that I made sometime ago, thus, decided to let the kids to make a sun catcher instead.

This is a really easy project.  Materials needed :

Transparent plastic sheet

Sharpie

Hole puncher

String / ribbons

Duct tape

First, draw some lines on the transparent plastic sheet and then let the kids color the shapes within using Sharpies.  The sharper the color, the more beautiful the effect would be.  Then, tape the borders of the sheet using duct tape.  Punch a hole (or two) at the top, thread the ribbon over and that's it!

Wear Your Creation

Was browsing in the stationery shop and came across the Fabric Crayons.  An idea suddenly struck :  let the kids doodle on cloth and make a dress out of it.  Or rather, sew the dress first before letting the kids doodle.  It would be a pity if I will have to cut off some of their drawings when cutting the dress pattern.

Made a very simple skirt out of the grey bridal satin that I bought some time ago.  Beats me why I bought the satin in the first place.  But the skirts turned out nice as the satin gave it a 'pom pom' feel.  

The girls doodled on the plain skirts excitedly and before long, they get to wear their own creations.  Just remember to follow the instructions of the fabric crayons, that is, to wash the fabric beforehand and to fix the crayons by heat setting.

 

 

Grapefruit Marmalade Jam

A tried and tested grapefruit marmalade recipe that a friend gave me and which I have tweaked a bit.


Ingredients :

3 grapefruits (~800g)
850g sugar
juices from 2 lemons


Method :

1)  Put the grapefruits in a pot, add in enough water so that the grapefruits are able to float freely.   Bring to a boil till for 2 hours. 
 Note : Water need to be replenished every now and then.

2) Remove the grapefruits from the pot and let cool.
3) Chop the grapefruits thinly, remove the pith and put the chopped grapefruits back into a clean pot.
4) Add in the lemon juice and sugar.
5) Let the sugar dissolve and stir constantly.
6) Bring the mixture to a boil till it reaches the setting point of 110 deg C.

Note :  If you do not have any thermometer, drop a little of the mixture onto a plate that has been put in the freezer beforehand.  Let chill for 1 - 2 mins. Push the mixture with your finger.  If the surface wrinkles, it means the setting point has been reached. Otherwise keep heating and repeat the testing procedure.


7) Ladle into mason jars, cover and leave to cool completely.


The jam sets perfectly.  It is not too sweet and leave a little bitter after taste, which is not unpleasant.

Christmas Treasure Hunt

Christmas is almost everyone's favourite holidays.  Although it is hot and humid throughout the year here, Christmas brings with it a 'white' cheer and feel.  I wish that we have a white Christmas here, but having a white Christmas in this part of the world is actually an environment disaster, rather than it being welcomed.

Kids like Christmas because of the gifts that never failed to appear at the foot of the Christmas tree.  This year, we did something different.  Rather than putting the presents under the tree, the kids have to hunt for them through a series of clues.  A Christmas Treasure Hunt.  It sounds exciting!

The kids 'reported' early for the hunt.  Since this is the first time we have such treasure hunt, I made the clues simpler and more straight forward.  Nevertheless, it made the kids ran up and down to search for the next clues.  The kids were excited to finally found their treasures.  Perhaps next year, I'll do a la 'Amazing Race', or make the kids do a bit of chores before we surrender the next clue to them.

Clue Card

Clue Card

Clue Card Peeking from Its Hiding Place

Clue Card Nestled Among the Tree

Found the Clue Card!

The Final Clue

Play Cafe

Learning about money from books is boring and only invites yawn and daydream, and also frustrations to both parent and kids.  So we are going on the learning through playing approach. 

Printed some 'money' for the kids to put in their toy cashier and also made a menu for the 'customer' to select their food from.  It was fun taking pictures of the toy food and making the menu.  I had no idea we have so much varieties of food available.

These are some of our menu :

Breakfast set.  A set of this cost you RM12.

Tea and Coffee

Whole cake costs RM35.  A slice is RM12.



The menu



The kids and I took turn to be the cashier, waitress and customers.  It was fun and they were very serious in their work.  The maths and concept about money become much easier to grasp.    Most importantly, we are spending quality time together.

Getting serious at work

Waiting on customers

Our table

DIY Dinosaur Play Fossil

Inspired by the 'Backyard Science' show recently, the kids requested to try making fossils.

So here are the fossils, made from my little boy's play dinosaurs.


Materials :

Plaster of paris
Sand
Water
Petroleum jelly / oil
Large container
Play dinosaurs



Steps :

1) Fill the container with sand, compacting them as much as you could.
2) Apply the dinosaurs generously with petroleum jelly or oil.

 

3) Press the dinosaurs horizontally on the sand.
4) Prepare the plaster of paris according to the instructions on the packet.  Wait for it to thicken to cream like.
5) Pour the plaster of paris carefully over the dinosaur, making sure to cover it completely.
6) Leave the plaster to set, ideally overnight.
7) Turn the container upside down to remove all its content.
8) Carefully remove the sand and the dinosaur.

9) Clean the fossil carefully to remove excess sand.  Allow to dry.




Applying the dinosaurs with petroleum jelly or oil prevents it sticking to the plaster.  Do be generous or else you will have a lot to answer for when your child does not get back his favourite toy.  I did batch 1 with oil and batch 2 with petroleum jelly.  Oil does work but the one applied with petroleum jelly is much easier to remove.

Removing and cleaning the fossils needed a lot of patience.  As careful as we were, we still ended up breaking the fossils.  But the kids were happy and thrilled nevertheless. At least we had a taste of what it is like to be an archaeologist.

Look at the Texture

 

Happy face with the fossil

 

The fossil is heavy

 

 

 

2015 Cinderella Dress

My girls have been looking forward for the new Cinderella movie with much anticipation. Not really sure if they are looking forward for the Cinderella show itself or the Frozen Fever short film that is aired before the start of the movie.  We enjoyed the Frozen Fever short film very much. Olaf is highly entertaining as usual while the sisterhood between Elsa and Anna is just as great.

The Cinderella movie itself is good but I don't think it is as good as Frozen.  It will take a lot to topple Frozen from the fans' hearts. Perhaps cos we grew up very familiar with the Cinderella story and there is no element of surprise. The storyline is well known and we knew what is going to happen next. Anyway, the animation in the movie is good. I particularly like the castle and Cinderella's house. Really like a page from the fairytale.

Shortly after watching the movie, I knew what my girls will ask for next, the dress! So here it is.  

I tried to stay true to the dress in the movie as much as I could but of course a little modification is needed here and there to suit children's bodies more.  

The girls were thrilled with the dress and urged me to finish the 2nd one as soon as possible cos they just wouldn't share. But lucky me that since they are twins, the size will be the same and the 2nd dress will be just a duplicate. The patterns are all already in place 😀