Sunday, October 27, 2013

Cardboard Super hero house tour :)

Well as I shared a bit ago..(here).. that I made this super hero cardboard house for my little guy. 
I semi- promised I would show you more of it, so here it is. 
Enjoy.



The fun features are the trap door at the top and the workable jail.
I made the jail with a tea box. Also it has a secret passage on the side. :)
The beds are made out of cork board hot glued together and painted and the mattresses from foam and I sewed the bedding. The table is a lid and spool of thread. I have yet to make a few chairs for the 
super heros to rest their weary heroic bones. 



Here is the tea box and a pic to show you how I attached it.




Truth is Isaac loves that I made this for him but it is not on his list of favourite toys. It gets played with on and off. I think it would help if I made a few more pieces of furniture. However it was ALOT of fun to make and he often calls it 'special'. I love my little fellow and all the boyishness that he brings to our home!

Hope this is inspiring to someone. :) Here is the girls carboard dollhouses from years ago, (we still have one in good shape after 4 years!!) and another homemade toy from cardboard that I made for Isaac a few years ago can be found HERE.


In my west corner, Good night.
Becky

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Homeschool journal & journey #1 ~ Taking things too personal.

2013/2014 School year has been in the workings for over a month now and this year I have 
two girlies home and one little guy off in kindergarten for the mornings. I will be continuing my Homeschool journal and journey posts this year as well. 

Ok so the truth is I am their mom. Yep and that comes into the learning experience. I am an emotional mom at times, they are emotional girls at times and that too comes into the homeschool experience.  Last year I think I took things too personal and truthfully had my feelings hurt more times than I can count by my 8 year old. :) This year my perspective has changed and I feel like I am able to see clearer. I realise that my 7 year old and almost 10 year old are not struggling with 'me' it is the subject or the learning style or there own immaturity. I feel like we have made greater strides at the beginning of this year just by me growing in that one area. My desire this year is to be a better student of my children to understand them more; how they learn, think and what they thrive in, what they are afraid of and why. Examples like what are there preferred learning styles, what are their individual love languages, what are the gifts God has given them, what are their personality tendencies and yes even what is their favourite color this month. I want to 'get' my kids so that I can love them more and teach them well.
~ ~ ~
In just over a week we will be traveling to the States to visit my mom. This summer my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. It was such a shock to my family and me.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to visit my family and be a part of my mom's journey that she is traveling right now.  I am looking forward to being around my mom, sisters and their families. I really hope I am able to be a help and support in some way. I am also a little nervous, I know my mom has changed so much.

We will be homeschooling while we are there so we she see how that goes. :) I am pretty eclectic in my style so I think we will adjust ok. ;)

In my west corner... journeying,
Becky

Here are my posts from last years Homeschool journal and journey: Homeschool J & J page
Also here is a post from Mother's day a few years back I dedicated to my mom.
She is a women to be admired



Friday, October 18, 2013

Welcome art (Hoşgeldin)

Welcome. 
A little piece of wood art. 

This is your first lesson Turkish lesson to all you none Turkish speaking readers out there. 
Hoşgeldin (hoshgeldin) = Welcome 




Still would like to add a wire so that it can hang, I also think that will make it look more complete. :) 
One fun thing about this piece is that I stained the wood with black tea, brushing it over the wood on and off for a few days and then letting it dry. 

I have a sweet friend I want to give this too. I am saving it for a Christmas gist. :) 

Off to make dinner. In my beloved west corner. 
Becky

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Dancing alone...a Saturday to myself!!!

Saturday I spent my full afternoon ALONE in my bedroom!!!! (except for a few sweet interruptions) It was simply wonderful, exquisitely lovely and quiet.  The kids had ballet and gymnastics and David took them so I had 2 hours by myself and then when they came home David said I could just hang out in my room and he would let the kids play outside and he would get dinner around etc.  Wow I feel rejuvenated.  I blogged. I read my Bible. I journaled a bit and I watched 2 movies!!! I can't tell you the last time I did that, I mean really I have no idea??? By the end of the the first movie when the credits were rolling I was dancing a fun jig, yes busting my very own moves and life wasn't feeling quite as heavy. :)
Can you feel the stillness and quietness in my home? 
It was a sweet few hours of bliss. 

Over the past several months our lives has been filled with news that will and is changing our current life and future.  With all these pieces of news my mind thinks, works and seems to be in a constant rolling mode. It was such a relief to laugh, eat chocolate and drink tea all by myself and not have a plan except to rest and reenergise. Oh how I needed that time!

So there you have it. What about you, are you able to recharge?

Grateful for the freedom I have in Christ, (no matter where I live)
Becky

If you want to celebrate this amazing free life we live and dance a jig...I highly recommend this song.  Enjoy Friends.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Our fall leaf people

We are enjoying the beginning of Fall weather here in our little west corner. 
So the next obvious thing to do is make 
Fall Leaf People,  you know those little creations that come from the fallen leaves. ;) 
We used a glue stick and a hot glue gun for the larger sticks.


Isaac loved this and made his creations without much help, except the hot glue gun. 


This one was mine. The kids called it the 'fat leaf fairy'. :) 



On the day that we went and collected these things I was determined to find a place away from apartments and not one of the two parks we go to ALL the time. It is very hard to go for nature walks here and I had a moment that day to feel bad about it or ask the Lord to help me find somewhere to go. We got in the car and I prayed. I was reminded of a little walking area that is REALLY small but it has lots of trees so off we went. It really was amazing to me how much kids just love to be out, they did not notice that it was really small and had no grass just dirt. They had a riot looking for bits and bobs for our creations. My attitude and determination make such a difference in the fun of our days. Also that day I was again reminded the Lord cares about my/our daily lives and that makes my heart full.

Enjoy the beginning of this glorious fall weather. 
Tea will be abundant at my house so feel free to stop by!!!

Learning to ask the Lord to help me 'use what I have' to create and enjoy life. 

In my little west corner,
Becky

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Czech Republic in doors and windows- Crazy Europe tour #2

Czech Republic
 
 Pieces of architectural art.

I love solid, secure structures that have stood the test of time.  
I have such a respect for those who have worked hard and left in their place something to look to, to remind us of determination, true craftsmanship, pride, gifting and quality.  These doors, windows and buildings were such a delight to see and to experience history and ages gone by.

The Czech Republic was truly one of the most amazing cities I have ever seen. 



Charles Bridge



The tops of these buildings are so whimsical. Each one is different. TIme, effort and thought were put into the architecture of these simple buildings and I like that. 
I thought maybe I could use them for inspiration for my next mixed media houses I make. 


 Prague astronomical clock
The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still working.

I took to this clock. It drew me in. It was my favorite landmark of our whole trip. 



It rained everyday we were there. 





My Birthday cake. We celebrated my 39th birthday camping in Vienna our our way back home. :) 

In my west corner...looking for God to open a door or a window. 
Becky