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When you have a large family it’s hard to keep up with everyone’s schedules.  I decided to go on a hunt for ideas. I saw a family calendar ideas at Make it Love it, Infarrantly Creative,  PSA Stamp Camp, and Nanny Goat .   Their blogs further confirmed that I could try to do it.

I went to my local Goodwill and purchase a large glass frame that had printed art for $15 and another large frame at another Goodwill for $7  for one of my daughters.

Here are some quick cellphone snaps… The frame was originally gold.

I first sanded the frame and primed it with Color Stain Primer.   I mixed a few acrylic paints to get the right shade of charcoal gray to my liking.   Once I was done I added a clear poly acrylic paint to protect the finish.

The hardest part of the project was figuring out the size that I needed the squares to be for the calendar grid.   I used a permanent marker on the inside of the glass and added a piece a sheet metal and wrapped in duck canvas fabric.  You can find sheet metal at Lowe’s.
For the days of the week, I used my label maker.

 

 

The numbers were pretty simple to make.  I printed them on a sheet, punched them out with a 1″ hole punch, and  glued them on to wood circles. Then added a resin that when dried looks like clear puff paint (it bubbles up).   When dried it is hard like acrylic nails.  I then added magnets to the back of each number.

So, far we’ve been keeping up with the calendar and make sure important dates are added accordingly.  Each month I simply just erase all the information with water and a paper towel.  I change the month and rearrange the dates.  Viola…eeeaaasy peezy.

 

I so forgot to add this to the last post whoopsie…
Everybody knows that Santa gets a bit hungry as he goes from house to house leaving a gift or two for children around the world on Christmas eve.   We usually bake some cookies for him but, mmmm silly mommy forgot to pick-up cookie dough.   It wasn’t until Christmas eve that I was asked “When are we baking the cookies for Santa?”,  that I remembered .   So, I quickly baked some hardo bread from scratch and make some rolls hoping he’d like them.  As you can see the hardo bread and malta was a HIT!!  All Santa left was wee little morsel.

I told you the last post wasn’t the last you’d see of Mr. Grinch.  We caught him trying to take the gifts that were left from the elves in the fireplace.  That naughty Grinch.

I had a ball wrapping gifts.  I’m one of Santa’s best elves.  I love the vintage feel that kraft paper gives.   After going on a hunt for the Better Homes and Gardens December 2011 magazine,  I realized that what I thought I saw as inspiration in the magazine didn’t exist at all.  I was inspired by some things I saw online.  I’m always saving and recycling.  Over the summer I saved popsicle sticks not knowing what I’d end up using them for.  I saw a Pinteresting pin a while back and thought it was cool.  I had some left over yarn from a hat I knitted and went to crafting.

I just love the color combinations, textures, and the tags.

Our subdivision set out luminaries on Christmas eve along the streets.

At dusk they lit all the tealight candles.  It was a beautiful sight.

This year my husband got a late start on purchasing Christmas lights.  I saw them in October in stores but by the time he went to purchase them the first week of December all the white LED net lights were cleaned off of shelves.  I called all over town and finally found about five at a local target.  Next year we have to on top our game and get to stores once the LED white lights hit the shelves.  I’d love to add some lights along the roof line as well.

Each year I try to create a theme around Christmas.  I try to rally my three chicks to stretch their freedom of imagination.  This year our theme was “A Very Grinch Christmas”.   

 The theme was centered around the book entitled How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess.   Not only did we read the book and discuss it.   I also took the liberty of centering the lessons plans for the month of December around the book.  We did math, reading, science, music,  as well as art around Mr. Grinch.

Below is the part of the unit from a fellow teacher and blogger.  We made a cut out from the template made by Mrs. Jump . Just in case you can’t read what it says…”To make the Grinch grin I would cook a turkey for him”  .  She also drew a turkey on a platter (steaming hot). 

Coupled with ornaments that my children have made in the past years, I centered EVEN the tree around the Grinch.  Yes, the tree is crooked.  You see, Mr. Grinch tried to steal Christmas.  Fortunately for us we heard a crash of ornaments fall to the floor.  As we came to see what happened we saw a glimpse of  Mr. Grinch running away.

Jacques (the Elf on the Shelf) was there to witness all the comings and goings.  Unlike other elves he only moved 2-3 days.  I gather he had to observe each area longer than his counterparts do.

You haven’t seen the last of Mr. Grinch.   This week I will continue to feature the rest of our adventure with him.