July 28th 2015 - book hedgehog

july 28th 2015 - book hedgehog

today we went to the local community centre for their summer activities that they hold once a week during school holidays.  Todays activity was to make book hedgehogs.

My youngest son started to make his book hedgehog by folding it how he had been told, but he got bored after about 8 pages, so asked me if I would finish it for him, which I did.  I added the nose and eyes with glue when we got home instead of the double sided tape.

July 27th 2015 - Campfire cakes

July 27th 2015 - Campfire cakes

As my middle sons birthday is the day of badger day camp, I decided that I would try and make some campfire cakes similar to this pin but small fairy cake size.  I thought I had everything I needed to do a test run but found out I hadn't (luckily before I started) so me and lil man nipped to town.




We bought 2 packs of hard boiled sweets and sat and took out the red, orange and yellow ones:





 






We then used metal serving spoons to bash the sweets into small pieces/powder.  Here's my  son mid bashing!

Here are some of the bashed sweets both in their own bags and then the 3 colours mixed together.





We then sprinkled the mix onto a baking tray that had grease proof paper in it and stuck it in the oven for just over 5minutes so that the sweets all went back to being a soild mix, but a mix of 3 colours like flames.  This was the results both on and off the paper: 

















Next was to make the cakes - it was cheaper to buy a plain cake mix than a chocolate one, so I added a couple of spoons of drinking chocolate powder so it turns into a chocolate mix.

I then put them into the oven to bake and this was after I took them out to cool down.






 





The next thing was to decorate them, I knew what I wanted to do but wasn't 100% sure on how to do it.  This was what I was working with as well as the pieces of "flame" (coloured boiled sweets).







AND THIS is how they turned out.  I'm actually really pleased with them and they do look good, however, for the actual day camp I am going to use chocolate "matchmakers" as they will be easier to break and not as bulky to try and stand as sticks on a fire.

July 26th 2015 - rock pet

July 26th 2015 - rock pet

Yesterday when we went to the rock pool beach lil man picked up a rock and said was bringing it home to make a rock pet.  We didn't get as far as doing it yesterday so we have made it this morning.

I have had to use UHU glue as pva wasn't strong enough.  We have put googly eyes on it,

Then I glued a small feather to a piece of pipe cleaner and glued it into the crack in the stone as a tail.

Lil man then found a camo button and asked for that to be stuck to its back.

He then asked me to put on some diamantes and he has called his rock pet "Diamond".


We have talked about how he needs to look after his "pet" and come up with some "rules".  Here they are:

* "pet rocks" are lazy and do no not need exercise and they don't like to be thrown at anyone or anything.

* "pet rocks" are not known to eat food and can survive without any.  Nor do they need any water to drink.

* "pet rocks" are clean pets and don't need baths or to go swimming, infact they don't need to go anywhere near water as they will sink straight away.

* "pet rocks" are already trained they know how to "sit", "stay" and "play dead", they don't know how to come when called and wont answer to it's name.

* "pet rocks" don't need to be brushed as they have no fur or feathers.

* "pet rocks" can be left unattended for long times and will not cause problems or make a mess.


We hope you can find a relative of Diamond and make your own rock pet and have fun like we are.

July 25th 2015 - Parton

July 25th 2015 - Parton

I was on a mission today, I needed 60 smooth, small pale coloured rocks for a kids craft activity linked to Badger Day Camp.  They are going to make noughts & crosses games from lolly sticks and small stones of which they can decorate, they will then be going into a fabric pencil case that they can also decorate.  There is no way I am paying for rocks!

10mins drive down the road is Parton Beach, it is 98% rocks and rock pools and 2% sand.  Now you would think with this information that I would be able to find what I was looking for very easily - errrr no!  There are rocks every where but trying to find those that matched my criteria was not easy.

Hubby and the 3 boys went off to the rock pools and the edge of the sea and were trying to see what they could find - a few dead crabs, a dead seagull (decomposing), a pair of mens trousers, some shrimps and a few fish!  And they left me collecting rocks and shells.

 Whilst I was looking for the smooth rocks I found some that had lots of shiny/sparkly bits in that seem to be a type of crystal, there was a lot of this as well, in various shapes, sizes and colours.  I brought a few pieces home with me, the only 1 I can identify is the red cornelian.

My youngest son decided  that he wanted to bring a rock home and turn it into a rock pet, we are going to glue eyes on it.

July 24th 2015 - Bath time

July 24th 2015 - Bath time

Today is Bath time  for Starla my kitten.   I didn't want to bath her but had no choice as she has fleas and as only 7weeks old isn't big enough for flea collars or sprays.

She absolutely hated it!  i'mnot sure who was most traumatised me or her - me for all the scratches I have received on both arms, my shoulders and chest or her for getting wet!  Once I got her out I had her wrapped in a towel and placed a hand warmer under it to warm her back up, she seemed to like that.

At least she has forgiven me - she has laid on my chest and snuggled and nuzzled me and given kisses before going to sleep.

This is funny and pretty much the look I got from her. 

July 23rd 2015 - Lolly stick photo frames

July 23rd 2015 - Lolly stick photo frames

As part of the Badger Day camp we will be taking a photo of them near the "campsite", it will then be printed and laminated ready for use later in the day.  That is when we will be making Lolly stick photo frames to fix the picture to.  This has the image that gave me the idea.

They are very simple to make, but I have had to do some of the early work by sticking them together as PVA kids glue isn't strong enough and I have had to use all purpose glue to do them. 

You need:
8 natural lolly sticks for each frame
wood or all purpose glue (uhu)
4 clothes pegs
pens to write on the sticks
brown crayons to make look like wood
string to hang (optional)

1. Take the 8 lolly sticks, the glue and the pegs

2. Glue the first 4 together as shown and hold together with the pegs, you may need to squeeze them between fingers as well.  allow to dry (about 10mins) the move on to next step.

3. take 2 more sticks and glue in place, hold together with the pegs, squeeze if needed and allow to dry.   If you have more than 4 pegs you can continue if not you need wait until dry.  once dry remove all 4 pegs as they are needed for the last part.

4. Take the final 2 sticks and glue both ends off them and fix in place on the existing "frame" and hold in place with pegs.  you now have your square "frame".

it doesn't matter if its not quite square as its meant to be like twigs.

 Once its all dry you can decorate how you wish and add the photo to the back (stapler) and string to hang up.

July 22nd 2015 - Wellington Farm

July 22nd 2015 - Wellington Farm

Today was the last day my friend was going to be here and still the weather was bad so no beach again!  This meant we had to find something to do, preferably cheap or free. 

A friend had said about a local farm she had been to a few weeks ago not far from where we live, it's free to go round the animals etc and it served food and ice cream etc (you had pay for these).  I googled Wellington Farm in Cockermouth and found the location. It looked good and as free we decided this is what we would do as it was also the right way for my friend to get back on the road to go home to Scotland.

Although it was there it wasn't as big as the net seemed to hint it was.  The boys all enjoyed looking at the animals, they wern't keen on the geese that were making A LOT  of noise by the fence, and in fairness they did sound and look nasty!  They liked playing in the small play area on the bikes and tractors.  They couldn't go on the go-karts as we didn't have any cash on us as it was free place.  We did buy ice-cream in the shop which was lovely.  After wandering round the animals we went into the trail through the woods which was really good.