our idea book

The kids love the creative ideas in magazines - you know, things like 'how to make a wind sock' and 'try this octopus-shaped snack idea' and 'cut along the dotted lines and fold on the solid lines to make a miniature book'...

But their timing is frequently a little bit off .  Picture me at 5:27 pm, oven preheating, chopping veggies in the kitchen, negotiating a toy-sharing issue between the two littles and wondering why I can't find my ringing cell phone.... Julianna approaches "Mom, can you read me the instructions for this one?"  Exactly.

So we started our IDEA BOOK.  Now whenever they see something fun they'd like to try we rip out the page and file it in our clear-plastic pages binder.  And when they sit down with the craft basket they will sometimes choose to flip through the pages of the IDEA BOOK for inspiration.  [Added bonus is that with all the creative ideas ripped out, pre-dinner time book reading doesn't end with a dash to mommy and request to do a craft!]

A few days ago Julianna found her idea, followed the instructions and assembled it entirely on her own.  My only contribution was a "I think you might want to stop a minute and let some glue dry" and a quick run to the back up supplies for more craft sticks. 

Lydia jumped on board and created the base and lid, but my little socialite ran out of time and didn't get to work on the body of the box.  When Lydia crafts her mouth runs three times as fast as her hands :) 

Now that we have our IDEA BOOK it's filling up with all kinds of ideas from all kinds of sources.  Fun for me too - when I see or hear something I can jot a note and file it in the idea book.  If you've got a fun creative idea to put in the book, let me know :)