just like riding a bike...

After 10 years... I got to do what I one day long ago had only dreamed of... teaching my kids how to throw... not throw a ball...but throw a pot on the wheel.. (my hubby can take care of the other one!)  here is what they made.. (with a little help :) )

 

After a couple of practice throws... I got into the groove... just like riding a bike, it all came back to me and my hands took over...

I also started buying some pre-made bisque ware... (cause ceramic studios cost an arm and a leg!) to practice some painting techniques.. here is my new Martha Stewart adhesive stencils at work:

Summer Crafting

Tried some new things for our Girl Scouts crafting party!  I had a blast.. hope they did too!  Here are some of the things we made:

We used wedding party favor tins from Michaels and filled them with melted coconut oil, beeswax, olive oil and a bit of honey to make it sweet.  The girls got to scent and flavor to their liking!  Most girls felt that the coconut smell over powered everything else!  My girls love nail polish, lip gloss and such...I just feel that instead of giving them junk from the toy store... they got to make their own healthy version, which they can't stop putting on! (especially my 4 year old, who was quite thrilled to be part of the older crowd for once!)

 

So these are the message boards! I found these chargers on sale.  Decided to mix up some chalk paint...

 

Got the good 'ole puffy paint going... and.. voila!

the girls eventually, drilled their own holes and added a wire hanger.  they also painted one more coat of black chalk board paint.  Here is one but, they all turned out beautifully!

(the bags made with stencils and fabric paints was the other project!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crafting Club!

I started a crafting club for a group of girls whom I just adore!  They remind me of my beautiful and wonderfully talented niece who moved away several years ago. 
    Alhamdulillah, i'm so excited to be working with these talented and creative girls.  Last time we met we worked on polymer clay.  We made mini-wall mirrors and cooked stuffed chicken breast with cous cous and "monkey bread" for dessert.  It was great hanging out!

Here are some pics of the projects.. they did an awesome job working with an unfamiliar material, the chicken was tasty too!

Polymer clay like "Fimo" has to be baked for 20 min or so depending on its thickness

 

girls used different techniques to swirl colors and make patterns

 

Here's the chicken recipe link for those who like to follow recipes... but as my niece says, "zakia khala, I can't follow recipe, just like you!" it drives her mom crazy! lol!

http://cuckooking.blogspot.com/2010/08/cajun-chicken-with-pepper-jack-cheese.html

 

Next week, we're going to work on nail polish magnets and make "lemon dill salmon" with asparagus and "chocolate sin cake"!

 

Origami Star Cards

Here's a fun activity we did with my daughter's Girls Scout troop:

First, i cut out the shape i wanted out of tag board or recycled manilla folders in the center front of the card:

 

 

Flip to the inside.  Take origami paper, and cut half.  (sorry don't have pics of the rest yet)

Fold each strip in half lenthwise and glue down covering a few corners of the star.

Repeat again and again rotating around the star coverign just the corners, till you reach the center. Remember each strip that you glue, should have the folded side showing.

 

 

I had the girls, use gold and silver gel pens to outline the star and decorate.

 

Here's a pics of the Henna Cookies we decorated also: