Google+

Fruit Exploration: Watermelon with a Quilt


Watermelon always makes me think of summer time. It is so fun to eat a slice in the hot weather. Hazel loves watermelon just like her namesake! My grandmother use to eat watermelon every day and Hazel would love to as well. Needless to say she was excited to explore one. She pulled out her magnifying glass and checked out the rind.
Then we flipped it over so she could explore the inside. She touched both and recorded it all in her fruit journal.

Then of course we enjoyed some sweet watermelon!!
Citrullus lanatus5SHSU.jpg
"Citrullus lanatus5SHSU" by Shu Suehiro - Own work.

Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Did you know that watermelon originally came from the southern part of Africa? Or that it is a berry? It is a berry with an extra thick rind according to Wikipedia. It is loosely considered a melon. It has a smooth exterior usually green and a juicy interior that is usually pink but can be yellow, orange, or white. It contains 91% water and 6% sugar by weight and is high in vitamin C. The rinds are also edible, but most people do not eat them. Although pickled rinds are popular in several places.  (Source) Next to tomatoes watermelon has a high level of lycopene which is important for cardiovascular and bone health. It also contains citrulline which scientists are discovering  new things about how it helps your health. They have also discovered that all parts of the watermelon, not just the pink flesh, are packed with these nutrients. (Source)


We have been enjoying books about watermelons or at least that mention watermelons. Both Watermelon Wishes by Lisa Moser and Icy Watermelon by Sandra Fria have wonderful Latino appeal. Icy Watermelon is in both English and Spanish on each page. Fruits of India by Jill Hartley adds more multicultural appeal. It is a very simple board book. The Pinkalicious book and Ned's New Home only briefly mention watermelons.

For a craft we decided to make a watermelon doll quilt. I found this pattern in one of the children's quilt books I had out from the library, but forgot to write down which one it was before I returned it. Sorry!! I still need to add the seeds to the slices and layer, quilt and bind it, but for now Hazel is enjoying it as a summer cover for her dolls. I am going to use black buttons as seeds. The instructions said black buttons or draw them on with a permanent marker. I loved this square since it was simple and showed an easy method to do half square triangles. The book gave the measurements to cut in three different sizes for the square. We did the small one since she wanted to do multiple squares. Of course when it came time to sew she wanted to play and not sew, so I pieced it on my machine.

We could not decide which fabric to use for the inside flesh, so we used two. The black and white plaid with cats represents a tablecloth. It is truly a perfect summer quilt. I added the watermelon fabric (which I think Hazel may have picked out at some point) to sash and border the squares. 

For more ideas on watermelons check out:

DIY Doll Sandals

A few weeks ago I bought Hazel some sandals for her 18-inch dolls. A couple of weeks ago we went to a birthday party at the American Doll Store and now we are going back next week to celebrate my birthday with my mother-in-law. Hazel has been getting into dressing her dolls a bit more, so we decided to try to make our own sandals. The owner of the store where I bought the sandals told me his sister-in-law made them after looking up how to on-line, so I began looking. There are many different tutorials out there. Here is what we did. 

Somewhat following the tutorials I saw on line and playing around, I made three pairs (somewhat successfully) of sandals in different styles. I also had one disaster, but learned a lot from it. To get a pattern it is best to trace the dolls feet. Our dolls are not American Girl dolls, but here is the pattern I came up with. (Click on picture for the pdf form of it.)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8PVW7zBWFxsQjhXSDFsRV9vR0k/edit?usp=sharing
I found it helpful to label the top of the feet not to mix them up or make reversed cuts. I wrote the name of the doll whose feet I traced. I happened to use Hazel's Hazel doll. Now you cut this pattern out of craft foam. I wanted to find thicker craft foam, but had trouble. I did however find some thick foam white ghosts and black spiders at A.C. Moore. I bought two of each. If you do not have the thicker foam, you can use more thinner layers (I would use a total of five or six after my experiences). With the thicker foam you will have three layers--one of the thicker foam and two regular craft foam thickness (a top and bottom). I mostly used sparkly foam for the top layer, but it does not matter. After cutting the foam, you glue the top to the thick layer or if not using thick layer, glue the top and two or three of the middle layers. If using only thin layers you want a few layers on top before gluing the ribbons to the bottom (or the ribbons can rip the top layer and yes, I had it happen). Then all the sandals or at least most I saw have some form of stretchy ankle ring to make sure the shoe is not lost if it falls off. You can add beads to it or not. A thin piece of ribbon holds the ankle ring onto the shoe. You glue this ribbon--both ends with the loop strung onto it-- onto the bottom of your glued layers. Next you measure the ribbon for the top part of the shoe and glue it on. I also remeasure after I have glued it on to make sure it will fit correctly.


Depending on the style you are doing, you may want to adjust this step. To do what I call the crisscross sandals, you first glue a ribbon folded in half and linked onto the ankle ring the length of the shoe and then put the crosses through it.

Or if you are using a wider ribbon and want to shape it or shape any ribbon more bow like, you can tie the ribbon with the ankle ring and use beads if you want.


My tutorial pictures are however for the simpler form of just having a ribbon going across the top. Hazel and I each made more pairs for the tutorial which are drying now. 

After the ribbon layer is glued on and attached if it is going to be to the ankle ring, I put a piece of tape over the glued areas just to hold it until it dries. Next glue on the bottom layer and clamp it with clothespins. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight for the glue to dry. If you want to hide your layers you can glue a ribbon of equal or less width around the edge of the shoes. You need to pin or hold until the glue sticks. You can buy special foam glue. I did not and used my regular Aleene's Original Tacky Glue. I will share our other two pairs after they are dry and finished. If you have questions about my tutorial, let me know.


Her dolls seem happy with the new sandals and playing my models. 


If you are looking for more doll clothes and craft ideas check out:




Easy Paper Doll Clothes and Creations

The other day I found sticky notes that were shaped as shirts in a bargain bin. My first thought was that they would be fun to dress up the cardstock people I bought ages ago. I pulled them out and then pulled out some cupcake liners and crepe streamers as skirts. Hazel and I had fun making them.

The shirts do not fit the people form 100%, but they are good enough for us. We used yarn for hair and Hazel drew on faces. We added a little glue to the bottom of the shirts when we glued on the skirts.


Hazel made up stories with them. I offered to glue sticks onto them to make the puppets, but she liked them this way. As she told me a story with them, she also mentioned that making them is more fun than playing with them. She also picked out one to be her and one to me.

I thought the one with the butterfly skirt and brown hair should be me, but she picked the long yellow hair. I guess she really enjoyed them, because when I was making something else the next day, she made this one.


She told me she used tape instead of glue so she wouldn't have to wait for it to dry. I need to put some of our people away so we will have them to make mermaids at her mermaid themed play date in August. Otherwise she will be using them all up on me very quickly.

These dolls remind me of Flat Stanley. Anyone want to make a Flat Stanley for us so he can continue his trip around the world?

For more paper doll type of ideas check out:

Fairy Tales in Different Cultures: The Golden Slipper: A Cinderella Tale from Ukraine


So this month Around the World in 12 Dishes is visiting Ukraine. I am behind in writing the intro and cooking something, but imagine my surprise when choosing a story at random from The Magic Egg and Other Tales from Ukraine by Barbara J. Suwyn I found a Cinderella tale. Hazel and I have been enjoying stories from this book each night. I pick one at random to read to her as part of our bedtime stories.Since today is the day I usually would share our food from the Ukraine, I thought we would share the Cinderella tale called "The Golden Slipper".

Sharing Saturday 14:29

Sharing Saturday Button

Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week and to all who visited the posts that were shared. Once again I was amazed by everyone's ideas!! I hope you take the time to visit. They are so inspiring!! We did have a most clicked. It was Edible Water Beads from A Little Pinch of Perfect.

http://alittlepinchofperfect.blogspot.com/2014/07/edible-water-beads-sensory-play.html

I also picked a few favorites. I broke them into two categories: nature and school/story.


Nature Features

1) From The Kennedy Adventures: Backyard Dinosaur Dig

2) From Enchanted Homeschooling Mom: Gelatin Sun Catchers Kids Craft

3) From Cutting Tiny Bites: Fruit Theme Weekly Home Preschool

4) From Krafts and Kiddos: Easy To Make Sand Dough

5) From Joys of the Journey: Exploring in Ocala National Forest


Story/School Features

1) From Felt With Love Designs: One Year of the Best of Felt With Love Designs

2) From Growing Book By Book: Storytime Ideas: Superworm

3) From Little Log Cottage School: Back To School Kindergarten Spin and Graph

4) From Carrie Elle: Super Simple No-Sew Elsa Dress

5) From Frog in a Pocket: Storytelling Cubes Travel Set


 
  Thank you to everyone who shared last week!! I hope you will join us and share again!! If you are featured here, please feel free to grab a featured button to display proudly on your blog. 

Photobucket


Featured Button Code:


From Your Hostess:
This week we did not post as much as we like. It has been a tough week with family visiting and my mom having heart surgery. We did share our review of the amazing book All About Indonesia, our book for Virtual Book Club for Kids, K Is for Kissing a Cool Kangaroo, exploring colors with music, quilts and a museum visit plus a purple people eater craft, finally some things from my sewing machine with a promise for a tutorial and pattern to follow with things calm down!







Now for This Week's Party  
A Few Simple Guidelines:
1)  Please follow Crafty Moms Share via GFC (or one of the other ways that work for you).  

2)  Link any kid-friendly, child-centered post. Please no etsy shops or giveaways, etc.  Remember to link to your actual post. 

3) Post the Sharing Saturday button on your sidebar or somewhere on your blog to help spread the word.
Photobucket


4) I would love it if you would follow me on FacebookGoogle+, and Pinterest 

5) If you do not have a blog, but want to share an idea you can leave it in the comments or e-mail it to me with a picture (if possible).

 
 Disclaimer: By sharing here, you are giving Crafty Moms Share permission to use your photos for features and to pin your craft at Pinterest.