Another Project

I made these little beauties for a friend who flys a powered para-glider. They are media etched with 220 Aluminium oxide.  I started out just making him one then I decided that a set would be nice. I think they came out nice and my etching is getting better and better. I also made a few more ornaments for my girls other karate instructor and their new baby but my silly bum forgot to take a picture of them and the Babies first Christmas one came out amazing.

Anyone else making these ?

Thanks to my sister a few years a go my girls got an Elf on the Shelf. Then I introduced them to shrink a dinks and they decided that miniature letters to Santa were in order. Today we made our shrink a dink letters to Santa. Now our Elf has agreed to take the letters to Santa then bring them back so that Mommy can hang them on the tree. They now sell a kit to do this but its more pricey than a pack of shrink a dink paper. I buy either the frosted like you see below or the white. You want to make sure it is not the glossy one or the pencil or marker will not stay after its shrunk. If you by chance get the glossy one you will need to get some steel wool and then scrub it tell there is no shine left. I buy a pack of 8 1/2 by 11 shrink a dink paper then I cut them in half and round the corners or use some scrap-booking scissors to give them a shape around the edge. You then bake them at 325 for about 3 minutes. My tip to you is to watch them carefully and have a wooden tooth pick handy because if it curls up and the ends touch each other they will not flatten back out. So if the edges start looking like they are going to touch another part of the paper simply use the tooth pick to gently stop it. Once they flatten back out let them bake for another 30 seconds or so then take them out and let them cool slightly. Don't forget to punch the hole and put the kids name and year on it.

This is happening in our house

There is trend among most youth sports where kids smack talk to each other and parents argue and fight with other parents cotches and referees. The amazing group of kids you see before you is changing that trend. 

The girls began martial arts classes about 3 months a go. Next to Homeschooling this was the best decision I have ever made for them. The kids in there classes amaze me every week. They support and encourage each other at every session. This week GabbyGirl went up for yellow belt testing. As she stood in line waiting for her name to be called every other child there whether they knew her or not either wished her good luck or said something encouraging like you've got this. When she was awarded her yellow belt every one of them shook her hand. Near the end of the night the kids that were yellow belt and above came out to spar. Each kid shook hands before the match. They battled it out martial arts style and when it was over they shook hands and told each other how well they had done. I even caught snatches of conversations where opponents were helping each other by showing them how they could improve a kick or punch or stance or form.  Not all the kids in this photo are from our regular class but they are all from with in the same organization they compete together they practice together and they learn together. 

Training Principles that we Live by:

Be Polite

Be Patient

Be Brave

Be Alert

 Do Your Best

Respect Yourself and Others 

Never Give Up!