The Krafty Mommy

Anya is learning about the plant life cycle by growing some plants at kinder, so I thought why not do this fun learning activity at home! While a lot of fun, this teaches toddlers about how a seed becomes a seedling n then a plant! It also instills caring by making them aware that plants need water and sunlight to thrive and grow. And all you need are a couple of handy everyday things... 1. An empty yoghurt tub 2. Some cotton balls 3. A couple of Sharpie's 4. Some Moong lentil (or any whole lentil should do) So to make our hairy Mary I just got anya to draw a face on the yoghurt tub however she wanted n helped her with it. Then filled it up with cotton balls to about 3/4th full. Then scattered the lentils all over the cotton and watered it in so the cotton is soaked. And then just left it at a party sunny spot. The seeds start to sprout the very next day but it takes a while for the shoots to grow longer. This is how ours looks in 10 days... And experimenting further

So much is happening in our lives but I just am not able to update you guys here..... continuing from where I left last time...August ! ohh too far behind.... So after our Bucket List Date (which we thoroughly enjoyed) we were feeling a lil guilty too that we didn't take the kids along......so we decided to have the rest of the weekend as a Family Fun time.... Nothing fancy ..no big plans...coz kids like little things....small pleasures bring out the best smiles on their faces....all they need it you and your love...and so we were with them enjoying and being a kid...being a friend...carefree fun... Lots of poems, songs and dancing and fooood...yummy chocolates and big big brekkie that I prepared at home for all of us...fun indeed! And then we headed out to have even more fun....Playground....with lots and lots of swings and play equipment...it was just a neighbourhood park ...but the kiddos had soo much fun...and so did we...looking at all those BIG smiles and laugh

Coming back to the "Stay-at-home" date me n hubby enjoyed a few weeks ago....now that we both feel the need to repeat it..LOL..I'll just share the experience and that hopefully should make me feel halfway better !! :) So the day was to start with a doctors appointment ! Because hubby was in pain and all that. But since we got the appointment for an hour later, we thought why not goto a local Cafe and have a Big Brekkie....no not the Chholle Bhature from India...the Aussie big brekkie! So we took his parents with us to a local cafe and had a lovely, long and BIG brekkie! And without having to feel the kiddo's. Without worrying about the cutlery being thrown all around. Without gulping down food so we can quickly get over with it and get out! It was relaxing and fun! We obviously got late for the doctors appointment !! LOL....but got through it...then my parents in law went over to brother-in-law's place....and we went for the medicines and all..and when

Yeah !! We're back! Been away and occupied with some other projects lately and also took the kiddo's on a holiday to lakes Entrance. In the last few weeks I have been working on conceptualizing and launching my accessories label P@perize! Making jewellery, cards, frames and more goodies... Visit the facebook page or the website to know more !!! Our holiday at lakes entrance was nice and relaxing. And to top it, the weather was exceptionally kind to us! Beautiful warm and sunny days! That is a bit of a miracle considering we've always encountered rainy days on all previous FOUR visits! Here are some shots from our holiday! And we were lucky to spot some playful Dolphins too!   Lakes Entrance - The Entrance, The Foot-bridge Trestle Bridge Buchan Caves - The Royal Cave

We usually save the peels (shavings) when sharpening our pencils in a box. Today we just used these to make ourselves a nice garden picture! And my princess was really excited abt the process! First I just drew some twigs and grass on the paper as the base for her to do the rest. Then she pasted some plastic mirror pieces as the centers for the flowers....this could be anything really...beads...buttons..run your imagination wild.. :) Now the fun part...I gave her the various pencil peels we had saved earlier...mixed textures and colors... And she pasted them around the centers to make the petals of the flowers... Happy toddler and a beautiful picture! My princess wasn't content so we drew a butterfly n pasted some other bits n pieces! All in all, lotsa fun!

This is for the mum's and dad's who are giving their all to their kids....all the love, affection and pampering...this is a note to say....just once in a while...have all that reserved just for your partner ! Just once! A few weeks ago, my hubby darling injured himself at cricket ..and then the princess happened to jump on the injured Toe !!! OUCH ! yes it hurt....and the trips to the doctor and getting it dressed and all that later...he had to take a few days off so he could rest ...as walking was hurting... So one of those days off I decided to take a day off to be with him and send the kiddos off to childcare (which is his daily responsibility)... So we ended up alone at home...just the two of us ! Well the thing is after you have kids...you don't really get to spend that crazy(or quiet) time with each other ...like you used to before you got married or even after...but before kids....its not a negative....its fun to be with the kiddos and everyday is a new adve

Ohk so there are so many ways to do paintings with these 3 ingredients out there that I wasn't sure which one to try :/ So I decided we will try them all..so we can put it to rest which one gives the best results. All you need for Take One... Clear glue Watercolors Table salt Watercolor paper Paint brushes And of course a krafty toddler! :) So for take One, this is what we did... 1. We dropped the clear glue all around the watercolor paper. You can do a meaningful pattern or just abstract. We left it to dry completely. 2. I got my kiddo to paint all over the dried, glue dripped paper with generous amounts of paints n water. The trick is to have it really wet. 3. Then I got her to sprinkle the salt on the wet paint anyway she pleased.  R. And that's it. The salt soaked up the wet paint and crystallized giving a starburst effect the the painting. So in this technique, the glue just forms a pattern underneath the pai

And it's finished...the Shiva trilogy...each book more gripping than the previous...I thoroughly enjoyed reading them....Om Namah Shivaiy....Har Har Mahadev! Realize the God inside of you!

The post comes late...really late...but I completed this book(The Secret of the Nagas) early last week itself...it was really interesting and even more gripping than the first one (The Immortals of Meluha). Its amazing how the mythological story all falls into place but with very very interesting and modern perspective....I actually had to finish the book late into the night..around 2am...because it really was un-put-downable!.... Now I am about halfway into the third and last book of the Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi - The Oath of the Vayuputras..and this one too continues to unfold amazing secrets and keeps you glued on...this one is about twice the length of the second....but am sure i'll finish it this week :) ... any suggestions on what to go onto next???

Or visited....I should be saying.. :) What I really mean of course is that I've finished the first book in the Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi - The Immortals of Meluha. Its a good book. I wont say one of the best ones I've read...because I am kinda more into lengthier books. But it is a great book nonetheless, because of the ideologies and philosophies put forth by Amish. He has very cleverly experimented with the tales of Indian Mythology and how they are relevant in today's modern world.  Amish has put it beautifully in his worlds. Its like he's mirrored my thoughts on the whole "God" theory. "God is one, though different religions approach Him differently. Call Him Shiva, Vishnu, Allah, Jesus or any other form of God that you believe in.  Our paths may be different. Our destination is the same." The one...the almighty...the energy that fuels the world! I already have started the next book...The Secret of the Nagas and it

So Anya came from her play school last evening with a finishing string (we'll make more at home and then I'll share with all of you) and some extra string (simple thick wool). And she told me she wanted to paint with the string. She had no idea how though. the string was tied to a straw on one end and the other end was loose so she liked the idea of moving around the string by controlling the straw. But this reminded me of the thread/ string painting we used to do as kids....so I put hubby dear on the duty to take care of the lil monster and we gathered the supplies needed. Paints String (wool or any string should be fine) Paper a keen toddler !! :) Thats it ! And doing it is even simpler...just dip the various threads in different colors and put them on a sheet of paper (creased in half)...let the clean ends stay out of the sheet a bit. Then just fold the sheet(with the paint dipped threads inside the fold)..and press and squish and move the thread

Been a busy weekend for us...with lots of cooking and the company of good friends...and the usual grocery shopping! But this time, papa also got a wine bottle..so obviously we got a long brown paper bag...so what an amazing little thing for the kiddos to have endless fun... We made it into a snake ..n both the kiddos enjoyed playing with and taking turns with our paper bag puppet snake!....sssssssss..... Can't leave an opportunity to be kreative! Hope you all had a gr8 weekend too!

A lot of readers have reported facing problems while trying to comment on various posts on the blog...I am sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you... It's unfortunate that I am missing out on valuable feedback and suggestions from all of you...I am trying my best to resolve the issue as soon as I can... In case you still seem to have difficulty commenting on the post, please comment/ post on my Facebook page  - The Krafty Mommy  and I will respond and resolve. Thank you for your patience and support! :) TKM

After our handprint peacocks...Anya wanted to do more hands and even feet prints....so I searched around and found some great ideas...and we did a few of them... All you need for this fun activity ... Watercolors Paper Some brushes/ sponges Some markers And super-keen and krafty toddlers :p We made a crab by printing one foot as the crab's body..and then 2 handprints on top on each side to make the clasps. Then just used a brush to join the handprints to the footprint..and some legs at the side...and 2 tentacles at the top... Once it dried we added 2 googgly eyes...Done!  If you have not seen the peacocks we did the other day..the post can be found here ...didn't they look absolutely adorable!  We also made Footprint Butterflies for both kids...these r my absolute favorite...must make keepsake for those cute lil feet... And finally (for now) we made our Family of Jellyfish ! So we all pitched in to make thi

After our lil monster's arrival... I never could find the time and patience to read books again....after having read the Harry Potter series from J.K. Rowling and the Inheritance Cycl e  from Christopher Paolini...and halfway through   The Fellowship of the Ring  ( Lord of the Rings - part 1) by J.R.R. Tolkien ...and many many more singletons....I was looking for something exciting n gripping to get back into reading... Some months ago we got hooked to a TV series about Shiva..  Devon ke Dev - Mahadev ...a God who is more believable...a man with extreme power, skill, courage...someone who didn't just smile and do magical things...someone who could love...who also had extreme anger and showed his rage ...unlike the always smiling and gentle Brahma   and Vishnu.... I ain't a very religious person...that is I don't believe in idol worship on the face...I do believe there is a supreme power above us all...above any explanation.....but the character...the stre

My darling daughter loves painting with her hands and fingers....more often than not they turn out to b messy paintings...but sometimes you wanna keep the little hand-prints as keepsakes .... Today we turned her little hand-prints into pretty peacocks ...as a reminder for us ....what our beautiful little angel was upto at this age....a few years down the line I am sure she herself would b amazed at how little her creative hands were.... And a keepsake for us for a lifetime! 

So we had these sausages in the fridge and  Anya loves sausages. But I decided to give them a twist today. A twist of bread roll around them that is! ;) I had seen the pics on Picasa a lot and have also found them in the local Chinese bakeries. They are functional of course (no sliding out sausages from bread) but they also look really cute....like babies wrapped in a blankie! :p So I made the bread roll dough as per the recipe Here . And then continued to make the Wrapped Up Sausages. All you need (over n above the dough ingredients) is: - sausages - 1 egg lightly beaten (for basting) - butter to paint the finished rolls with a shine! So when the dough is ready and divided into separate balls, wash n pat dry the sausages. Roll each individual ball of dough into a long snake (lol as anya called it! - read pipe). Now just roll the snake..umm blankie! Around the sausage like such. Make sure to tuck in the head n tail. And let the baby breathe! Leave  the h

Friday...yay! A relaxing day for me n kids. A day off.... thinking about the cleaning and cooking n the groceries! Huh.... But these days every new day also asks me..how are we being creative today.... We don't have to plan out a recipie based craft for everyday. Sometimes it's just the usual stuff that we can do a lil more creatively. Like last night, while doing the usual salad before dinner, I was being badgered by Anya to do some activity. Ohk sure... I said, and handed her 2 big leaves from the lettuce , a lil paint and a sheet of paper...and there she was happily stamping the lettuce with paints on the paper...and it came out really nice too ! Today started nice and slow, with a bit of screen time for the kids(tv and tablet games) and then some block building (read throwing them around, thanks to my lil monster). Then Anya spent an hour or more playing with her favorite Flubber Gak. It sure is the highest ranking activity we have ever undertaken. She even used her