Happy Holidays!

November and December are all very busy months for people, my included. I have been working on commissioned pieces as well as a few for myself.
I am getting ready for the holidays. It's coming up so fast, that I am not sure I will even get everything done in time. Every weekend up until I go away for Christmas something is going on.
I do plan on posting more about those activities as they happen.
I am looking forward to going home for Christmas. I love being with my parents and sister. They are amazing and I love them dearly. I have got some great pieces I am making them all for their gifts. I did get my sister something really cool, but I won't post about that until after the holidays once she receives it. I would hate to ruin the surprise.
The other thing about the holidays that I look forward to is my cookie party. When I was a kid, my godmother would have a party when she made dozens of cookies and all the kids gathered to decorate them. At first there was only 4 of us, but now that she has kids of her own, it's really grown. Sadly the past few years she has lived too far away for me to attend. So last year I hosted my own party, with her sacred recipe and everything. It was a blast. I am having it again in a few weeks and I can't wait. My favourite part has got to be watching Nestor the Long eared Christmas Donkey. It was a Rankin Bass movie that no one knows.

Here are some of the pieces I have been working on, as well as a video of the movie.

Well Merry Christmas...

I just did up the order of beads I will need to do everyone's christmas presents. I am scared. It's going to be around 35 to 40 thousand beads. I am scared lol.
But lots of fun projects to be done. I really need to get my butt in gear because I only have a month to do it all O.o....

I am going to finish a commission this weekend so more money :)

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada. Just wanted to thank my family who are military for everything that you do. I love you all(especially my dad).

OH.... Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY! He loved that baby picture of me. It was his birthday present!

Five Little Ducks Went Out to Play

Over the hills and far away, Mama Duck said "Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack" but only 4 little ducks came back.

I love this little song for kids. I really do. I like doing a deep quack sound for the Mama duck. It's just a great little kids song to teach them numbers.

A few months ago, I made some flannel board pieces for songs out of my bead collection. I made myself 5 frogs, a monkey, spider,sun, raindrop,star and the earth. Usually when I do a circle at work*, I use one of these pieces to involve my children with. They love them. They get upset and fight to rub them. They seem to really enjoy the feel of the beads under their hands.

So this weekend, I really started looking for patterns to make a bunch of songs for them. I want to show you the ones I have done.


Five Little Ducks went out to play, over the hills and far away. Mama Duck said "Quack,Quack,Quack,Quack" and only 4 little ducks came back...


One baby turtle alone and new.
Finds a friend, and then there are two.
Two baby turtles crawl down to the sea.
They find another, and then there are three.
Three baby turtles crawl along the shore.
They find another, and then there are four.
Four baby turtles go for a dive.
Up swims another, and then there are five.


Five busy bees on a day so sunny
Number one said"I like to make some honey"
Number two said" Tell me where shall it be
Number three said" In the old honey tree
Number 4 said" Lets gather some pollen sweet
Number 5 said" lets take it on our feet"
Humming their little busy bee song



I used these for Old Macdonald.


I used them today at work and the kids went nuts for them. Some of them they knew instantly what they were. The chicken and dog they weren't sure. So I may end up doing another pattern. I want them to be recongizable to toddlers. Overall they were a hit!


Jen

* Circle in the child care field is when the children are all together reading stories, singing songs and getting involved. It's focused on language, such as numbers, letters, animals and a big variety of topics all mixed together.