The Buckingham Blog - Craft

Ice Cream, Fish & Singing Kettle

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:14:00 -0400

This is our first week of the holidays we've not spend travelling somewhere and it's been very nice. We've had some pyjama mornings, and seen some friends. Like on Monday we were allowed to be in pyjamas until lunchtime! Then we had to go shopping for some food. That was all we did, it was fun.

On Tuesday I had my friend Emily round to play. Normally it's Kory's friends who come round, so it was nice to have mine over. Mummy forgot to ask if it was ok to put a photo here, so I better not until we check. Afterwards Kory went to boxing, it's been ages since he was there.

Wednesday was chilled again in the morning and then Mummy took us into town in the afternoon to go to the new Baskin' Robbins ice cream shop. I chose a banana & strawberry one with sprinkles, Kory chose mango tango with mixed berry sauce and Mummy got raspberry sorbet with marshmallow sauce which made her tongue go blue. I want that one next time!

On Thursday morning we did some craft with paper plates, felt pens and some glitter. Kory showed me what to do, he found it in a book and copied it. Mummy just left us to it for the first time ever. I think she expected a big mess but we didn't make one.

When we got dressed we went to Burger King for lunch and a play, then to Jessica & Sophie's house as we'd not seen them for 4 weeks with all our travels!

And today was a treat day. First we met Daddy for lunch at Pizza Express and then he went back to work and we went to the theatre to see The Singing Kettle show. At first I was a bit scared to clap, but I saw Kory and all the other kids doing it and I started to join in and it was fun. We sang lots of songs and danced in our seats. We even got the DVD to watch it again.

We had to wait for Daddy to finish work again and went to the bookshop to look while we waited. Mummy kept telling us to get off the floor, but it was the best place to read.

I've really enjoyed my week and tomorrow is a Daddy Special morning so I'm looking forward to that too.

Love
Krystal
xxxxxxx

P.S. Here is Daddy and Mummy last week...

Raincatcher

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:22:00 -0400

Today Mummy helped me make a raincatcher - I saw someone making it on the TV and wanted to put one in our garden to see how much it rains. Mummy said at least I'm realistic about living in Scotland in the Summer knowing it'll rain.

First we cut the top off a juice bottle, we then marked the bottom bit with centimetres in waterproof pen. Next we removed the lid and turned the top upside down so the bit the lid awas on is now inside the bottle.

We glued that in place. Lastly we put holes in the top and put through string so we could hang it on a hook in the garden.

Now I just need to wait for the rain and see how much it collects.

Love
Kory
xxxx

Pancakes!

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:30:00 -0400

Krystal mixing the eggs...

Both mixing the gloop...

And eating the finished pancakes...

Julie.xx

Growing Tomatoes

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:41:00 -0400

We've been doing a craft over a few days which has been good fun. On Friday, Mummy gave us some pots that were a redish brownish kind of colour and we both chose a colout to paint them. I chose blue and Krystal chose pink. We painted and we painted for ages until the pots were covered all over.

Then yesterday we got out the glitter glue pens and we drew on them and Mummy helped us write our names on them. We had to leave them to dry overnight.

Then today we got to put in some mud. That bit was fun and messy!

Next we put in some tomato seeds and some more mud and water. Now they are on the kitchen windowsill and they are going to turn into plants that grow tomatoes in the summertime. Yummy!

Love
Kory
xxxx

Mummy's Birthday Cake

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:44:00 -0400

Today after nursery and rising 5's, we made Mummy a birthday cake with the new moulds we got with out Christmas money. Mummy had to help us with some of the measuring bits and the oven but we did lots of it ourselves too!

Breaking Eggs

Mixing

Licking the Bowl!

Decorating the Butterfly

Caught licking icing off the knife!
(well it was strawberry flavour, yum)

The Pink Twinkly Butterfly Cake

Mummy forgot to tell us to half the amounts in the recipe, so there was lots of the mix left over after the butterfly, so we also made a teddy bear and some little cakes with sprinkles on. Here's me icing the teddy

The Final Teddy....

...and the little cakes

We had great fun doing this baking. It's so exciting that it's only one more sleep until Mummy's Birthday!

Love
Kory
xxxx

Santa Santa Santa

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:44:00 -0400

I knew as the kids got older, we'd get busier at Christmas time. But I didn't really think it'd be this busy. I think I'll put in sections of the things we've done!

Nursery Sing-a-Long

Friday was Kory's nursery Christmas concert. He was as high as a kite about it as soon as he woke up in the morning. I should add that he had the yellow shirt on as they were asked to wear something bright coloured or sparkly.

Christmas Lights

Every year we try to make a point of visiting the garden in Aberdeen that has loads of character lights. The guy makes them himself and puts a box outside for charity. We went on Saturday after a trip to Costco. The guy was outside chatting to everyone and was saying some really interesting stuff.

Christmas Show

On Sunday we took the kids to a show at the Lemon Tree called "The Night Before Christmas" which we'd decided on as an alternative to the panto (at £80 for Cinderella we decided Kory didn't like princesses enough and although Krystal does, she's kind of young for it)

It was a good show, the elf was incredibly camp, but funny. The kids all got to meet Santa at the end, Kory took Krystal's hand and they went down to wait. They had their chat with Santa and then went to meet the elf to get their present. It was a fun day out.

Puppet Show

On Monday, Kory had a puppet show at nursery. I spent the whole day running about chasing my tail and getting Kory's hair cut after rising 5's!

Nursery Party

Tuesday was Kory's nursery party, he asked me a few weeks ago when I got Krystal's party dress, if he could have a shirt and tie. Those of you who got photo Christmas cards will have seen them already! Otherwise, this was the first time they'd been worn. He was so funny, acting like a real grown up wee guy prancing about in his outift before we left.

Santa was arriving at 10:45am so I went back to see the fun. Kory was very pleased that Santa told him he looked very smart in his shirt and tie! When we got home it was whipped off ready for the next party! We went to boxing as usual in the afternoon.

Rising 5's Party

Today was another party, at rising 5's this time. Again, parents were invited back for Santa's arrival. Kory really wasn't bothered, I think he's seen enough of them this week

This afternoon we painted some stained glass things. Below are the artists hard at work and the results. And yes, despite seeing Santa 3 times this week, he has a blue beard!

So only one more party on Friday for Krystal to see Santa, an end of term assembly for Kory, the Santa Express and we're done! I'm exhausted and it's not even Christmas yet!

Julie.xx

Gingerbread Snowmen & Cinema!

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:04:00 -0400

It's been a busy time and I can't remember everything we've done. One day last week we got to decorate some gingerbread snowmen with some icing. Krystal did hers all white and I used the blue icing for mine. We were allowed to eat them after dinner and they were very yummy.

I went to the usual boxing and nursery where we are learning lots of Christmas songs for our concert. I've been teaching Krystal the songs too and she really likes them.

We also started opening our advent calendars last week. Krystal had a Princess one and I had a Transformers one that Grandpa got us.

We also have a new wooden one this year that Mummy & Daddy got us. We take turns of opening it. Each door has a little wooden decoration in it which we hang on one of the hooks round the outside.

On Saturday we had tickets to go to the cinema to see Planet 51 - it was Krystal's first time going to the cinema, so we got some sweeties. While we waited to go in we found this board with Alvin and the Chipmunks on it. We love the first film, so can't wait to see the next one.

This is a photo of us in the cinema, it's a bit rubbish, because Mummy didn't want to put the flash on inside the cinema. I had really wanted to see the film, but I didn't like it much, it was a bit scary with the soldiers and the one eyed aliens. Krystal liked it though. She's a girl and that makes her tough!

Then on Sunday we went to Union Square to look in the new Marks & Spencers. It was huge and Mummy loved all the house stuff. We walked past the new cinema in there too and look what we found, big models of the Chipmunks! Lots better than the cardboard ones.

And here are a few of Mummy's photo's that we sometimes stop to get!

Love
Kory
xxxx

It's Christmas!!

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0400

On Saturday, we went to Dobbies (garden centre) to see the Christmas display and get a couple of bits. After we'd had our dinner, Kory got down to making his card for nursery. I showed him how to make the snowflakes and he was good at cutting out the bits! I had to fold them up for him though.

He sat for ages cutting then gluing them on and lastly came the glitter. I was told the one I'd made was boring and didn't look like Christmas and that he wanted Christmas coloured glitter. So he sprinkled and glued some more until he was done!

This was the final result beside my one. I don't like to be beaten but his *does* look better!

Yesterday (Sunday) being the first Sunday of Advent, we decided to put the tree up. Yeah it's earlier than we would normally, but the kids are excited and I'm excited and we wanted it there for starting to open advent calendars tomorrow morning.

We had fun decorationg it (I should emphasise the decorating, not building or putting 5 sets of lights on!) and I even managed to keep my OCD in check and not stop them putting same coloured baubles together.

Krystal got to put the fairy on the top too. Now I suppose I need to get wrapping and get stuff under it. The bit I HATE doing.

Julie.xx

Pizza, Paper Chains & Card!

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:40:00 -0400

On Wednesday, I decided to have "make your own pizza" for dinner. I had shop bought bases for easiness and the kids had great fun decorating them.

Of course there was grated cheese absolutely everywhere - but that was ok, I have 2 keen volunteers where brushes are involved!

Today, we went to Katy's in the morning and Krystal played with Matthew. This afternoon Leanne came round with Jess and Sophie. We decided to make some Christmas paper chains. The kids had fun doing them, so we'll put them up somewhere this weekend.

Kory's nursery have a "only 1 Christmas card" policy - they think it's a waste of paper and time giving cards to all, and they ask that each child makes one card at home and takes it in. They then use them to decorate the nursery.

I decided tonight to do a trial run to see if the idea would work before letting Kory loose on it! This is the result and Kory can't wait to get going on it tomorrow!

Julie.xx

P.S. Here is today's scenic photo! Looks like sunrise, but it was about 9:30am!

Santa Letters

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:12:00 -0400

This morning I didn't go to nursery because I had to go and see the speech therapist. I got on really well and they are only concerned about one think I don't say correctly which is "th" - so Mummy and Daddy have to help me with that and they'll see me again when I'm 6.

We were home by 10am, so Mummy got out the Christmas stickers and we got going on our letters to Santa. I told Mummy what I wanted tosay in my letter then she wrote it down for me. I got my paper and copied it while she helped Krystal write hers. Mummy was very proud of me for my writing. I hope Santa likes it too!

Love
Kory
xxxx

Autumn Craft

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:37:00 -0400

Today it was a yucky day outside so we didn't go out. It's been raining and windy now for 4 days and it's getting boring. Not a wee bit of wind and rain, it's LOTS.

So today we got out the leaves that we collected the other day at the park and did lots and lots of stuff with them.

First of all we used some pencils with our names on and hid a leaf under the paper. When we did scribbles on the top, it was like magic and the picture of the leaf appeared.

Next Mummy got out the glue and put some on a plate. We had to dip in our favourite and most colourful leaves to make an Autumn picture. We even stuck on our chestnuts and helicopters. This is Kory's one, he wrote his name on by himself. Mine is below, Daddy helped me write my name and turn one leaf into a beetle.

We still had some leaves left after the sticking, so we got out the paint and we were allowed to paint them and make prints on the paper. It was really messy and such good fun.

Tonight we're getting to stay up late and eat sweeties and watche Bolt because the clocks are going to change and Mummy & Daddy don't want to be wakened too early in the morning!

Love
Krystal
xxxxxxx

Parks

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:29:00 -0400

I'm sure we've done more in the school holidays, but Mummy seems to mostly have photos of us in parks. We went to Johnstone Gardens one afternoon last week, but the ground was wet so we couldn't play on the swings and the slide.

Instead we played a game of "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" like the show we went to see a few weeks ago. We were going over mountains and through swamps and everything. It was fun.

At the weekend, Mummy took be to the cinema to see "Up" in 3D. We had to wear glasses again. It was good how things come out to you. It was a bit silly, the old man's house took off with lots of balloons. While we were there, Daddy took Krystal swimming which she enjoyed too.

On Sunday we did some things with Daddy while Mummy did a wee bit more Christmas shopping. We did play-doh and Moonsand. Mummy never does Moonsand with us. Now Daddy understands why!

Yesterday we had a lazy morning and then went to take our books back to the library and choose some more. We got 5 this time each as well as 2 DVD's.

Today started off a bit yucky outside and I had a runny nose so didn't want to go to boxing. So we weren't going to go out, but then it got a bit brighter and we decided to go leaf collecting at Hazlehead Park.

It was very windy but we had great fun getting leaves in our bags of all different colours and shapes.

We walked around the sculptures...

...played with helicopters...

...and went to the rose garden, Mummy told us all about this statue. it's for the men who died in a fire on an oil rig a long time ago before we were born. But Mummy and Daddy remember it happening. It was fun to hide behind anyway.

We went to the park after for a quick play and then Mummy helped us climb trees!

We collected Daddy after his work and came home to put the leaves to dry. They'll be for some craft things later in the week I hope!

Love
Kory
xxxx

Halloween Craft - Part 2

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:27:00 -0400

Once the wallpaper paste on the balloons dried, we did another layer, then popped the balloons and even more layers round the tops to strengthen it. It took several days to dry in between each time! But this is the fully dry result.

So last weekend before my mum arrived, and james had a lie in, we set about painting them. As nothing goes to plan, that too needed 2 coats and took days to dry out.

Then yesterday we finally completed the project. We drew on faces and made holes in the sides to put the handles through.

And hey presto - Halloween Pumpkin Trick or Treat Buckets. Of course they had to have some sweets in them instantly!

Impressed? I am (with my own artistic skills that is!)

Julie.xx

Halloween Craft Part 1

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:21:00 -0400

Today the Aberdeen schools were off, so we decided to have a pyjama day! At the library on Monday we got a Halloween Craft book out and one of the things required was papier mache which I’ve never done with the kids, so decided we’d make it. So after breakfast we got stuck in.

It was surprisingly un-messy actually, but everyone had fun slapping wallpaper paste about the place. They have to dry for 48 hours before we do the next coat. Then will come the painting. And at some point you can work out what we are making!

Julie.xx

Painting and Brechin

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:51:00 -0400

We've had a very fun 2 days. Yesterday morning, Mummy and I took Kory to the hospital for his eye clinic appointment. There were lots of toys there and in the room when he had his teast, there were lots of Dora stickers all over the wall. He did his test and the doctor spoke to Mummy. She said that unfortunately she couldn't discharge kory yet as his eye is still a bit squint and he's to go back in another 6 months to see if it is any better and get a different test.

When we got home Mummy did some of her housework while we played and then it was time to do some painting. We had sponges for printing, stencils and brushes. And Mummy even showed us how to make butterflies by folding the paper in half.

We painted for ages and ages, had great fun and only made a little bit of a mess!

Today was a very fun day too. After our trip to Brechin Castle Centre that went very wrong a few weeks ago (the parents forgot to lock the front door so we had to go home!) we went back today. It was a bit confusing when we tried to pay because there was some Viking convention on today and the lady didn't know if we wanted to go to it or not.

Once we got in, we played in the park and I was milking the pretend cow.

We went a walk around the outside of the coutry park and we saw this Highland Cow. Mummy likes them, she thinks they are lovely, but I think they look scary.

We stopped for a rest in a wee hut that we found, which helped my little legs.

Once we had seen all of the animals, we went to play on the tractors and to dig in the sandpit for treasure. Kory and I were throwing sand all over the place which was really good fun.

We had a little look around the gift shop and Christmas shop before heading back to the car. Instead of going home, we went to Brewsters for our dinner which was yummy.

Tonight I am going to sleep without my sleeping bag for the first time since I was a baby. I've got a new big girl quilt with butterflies on the cover. Gran bought this for me before I was even born. It looks really comfy and I am so grown up now. Soon I'll be as big as Kory!

And lastly - here is Mummy being a big kid on the bouncy pillows. These were great fun for us all!!

Krystal
xxxxxxx