Tuesday, June 9, 2009

A Hearts and Trees Update

Hello everyone. I just wanted to sort of give you an update about my summer 2009 kit. I am busy putting it together, and I was hoping to start my pre-ordering in the next couple of weeks, but it looks like it will be the beginning of July before I have it ready.

I just graduated from college and I am starting a new job. I have training every day about 40 miles away the next two weeks so that's going to keep me very busy. After that I will settle into part-time hours and will be back to work on my summer kit.
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I still have some spring kits left for sale, so if you haven't purchased one and are looking for some fun projects for your children be sure to check it out. If you have any questions feel free to email me. Thanks!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Just a reminder...


Just a reminder that this is the last week to take advantage of my May Special! With any purchase of one or more of my Spring Kits you will recieve one of my PFDs (your choice) FREE!!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com).


Hearts and Trees Spring Button

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Hearts and Trees Spring 2009 Kit!

SOLD OUT!!!

(This post will stay on top- scroll down for new posts)
Introducing the Hearts and Trees
Spring 2009
Art, Nature Study and Handicraft Kit


Each kit includes the instructions and materials to complete easy and fun handicraft, art and nature study projects with a minimum of effort. (Please note that you will need to provide common art supplies such as paper, colored pencils, paint, glue, etc.)

I am really excited about the two handicraft projects in this kit. The first is a woven pouch made on a cardboard loom. Once you master the basics of weaving, there are so many things you can make! The yarn, weaving needle, cardboard and instructions are all included.

The second handicraft project is to make your own screen for screen printing, using the provided Scratch-a-Print screen. This is a surprisingly easy and very fun project. The screen is reusable, so you will be able to make many prints of your design.

The art aspect of this kit is focusing on Winslow Homer. The art print for this kit is Winslow Homer's "Mink Pond." A notebooking page for Winslow Homer is included as well as an art element worksheet focusing on Value-Light and Shadows.

There is also a set of copy work pages focusing on frog poetry. There are two blank lined pages you can use for the copy work, as well as a page of frog poetry and suggestions for how to use them.

The nature study portion of this kit is focusing on frogs and nature study near lakes, rivers, streams or ponds. My mom helped me to design a frog file-folder book (which you could mount on cardstock if you prefer). In the lapbook there are components for vocabulary, frog facts, bullfrog facts, frog noises, and the frog life cycle. In the lapbook you can also mount your life cycle of a frog drawing (instructions for this drawing project are included).


I have also included a laminated nature study card designed to help you as you explore the area near a river, pond, steam or lake.

We also thought it would be fun to give you some ideas of how you can use the projects from this kit to throw a frog-themed art and nature study party showcasing what you've learned using this kit. So we have included a one page sheet of ideas to help you plan a Frog Party for your friends and family. There are ideas for invitations, refreshments, activities and how to present your projects from the kit.

In all this kit includes: 2 handicraft projects, 1 drawing project, 2 art notebooking pages, 1 art print, 1 frogs lapbook, 1 set of frog poetry copy work pages and 1 laminated nature study card.

Complete Contents List:

  1. Woven pouch on a cardboard loom- materials (cardboard, yarn, plastic weaving needle) and instructions
  2. Screen printing project- materials (scratch and print screen) and instructions
  3. Winslow Homer art print “Mink Pond”
  4. Winslow Homer notebooking page
  5. Art element worksheet- focusing on value- light and shadow
  6. Frogs Lapbook- (6 page set of lapbook pages with color cover) Note: file folder is NOT included
  7. Life Cycle of a Frog drawing project- materials (cardstock) and instructions
  8. Laminated nature study card- focusing on river, stream, lake or pond observations
  9. Frog poem copy work set- three pages (2 blank copy work pages and a page of frog poems)
  10. Plan a Frog-Themed Event instructions sheet

These kits were gathered with children ages 6-12 in mind. Parents may need to help their students, especially younger children, with some aspects of this kit.

To purchase a kit you will just need to make a PayPal payment to my account. You can do that using the "Pay Now" buttons in my sidebar. Just be sure to use the button for the right number of kits you would like to purchase.

The cost per kit is $11.95 plus shipping. Shipping for one kit will be $2.75 First Class. Shipping for two kits will be $4.00 First Class and shipping for three kits will be $7.00 First Class (Please note if you purchase three kits it will come in two envelopes). For information about purchasing more than three kits, please email me for shipping information. Shipping prices are for the US and Canada. (For information about shipping outside of the US and Canada, please email me.)

All kits will ship within 3 business days after I receive payment. (Usually the next day.)

If you are interested in purchasing any of the PDFs I am currently selling (they are in my sidebar) and you wish to make a combined payment for multiple items, feel free to email me for a total.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at amandachristina@yahoo.com.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Tint and Shade Paint Project Video Tutorial


Here is a project that I think would go really nicely with the Value Art Element Worksheet that is incuded in my Hearts and Trees Spring Art, Handicraft and Nature Study Kit.

You may need to click over to my blog to see this video tutorial if you are reading this via a feed.




For this project you will need:
  • Tempera paint (black, white and one other color)
  • Paintbrush
  • Pallette or plate to mix you paint on
  • Cup of water
  • Paper with circles printed on it
  • Papertowels
  • Newspaper to cover your work surface
Feel free to email me photos or leave me links to photos of your complete projects. I love to see how everyone uses the ideas on my blog.
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Spring Kit May Special Offer!

May Hearts and Trees Spring Kit Special Offer!
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I have decided to offer a May Special for my Hearts and Trees Spring kits. Now until the end of this month with any puchase of one or more spring kits you will recieve one of the PDFs I offer through my blog FREE!! You even get to choose which set of PDF pages you would like to receive!

Still Life Art Show Mini Unit Study Notebooking Pages PDF

P1014326
More info here


Clouds in Art Mini Unit Study Notebooking Pages PDF

P1014176
More info here.


Weather Lapbook Pages PDF
P1013850
More info here.


Mammals Lapbook Pages PDF

lapbook inside
More info here.
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*If you are interested in taking advantage of this special, you will just need to purchase a kit before May 31st (or before I run out of kits-my supplies are limited). You can find all the information about this kit as well as specific purchasing information in my Hearts and Trees Spring 2009 Kit post. When you check out with PayPal, in the notes for merchant section, just mention which of the four PDFs you would like me to email you. You can expect the PDF to be emailed you within 24 hours of my receiving your payment. If you have any questions, feel free to email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com) and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. Have a great day!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Spring Nature Walk Worksheet

Last spring I put together a Spring Nature Walk Worksheet which I shared here on my blog. If you haven't already seen it, be sure to check it out.

Spring is a perfect time to get out and enjoy the changing seasons. Because spring is a time of change, it can be really exciting to spend a little extra time in nature study- observing new growth, listening to streams rushing from runoff and hunting out wildflowers.

My worksheet is designed to get you and your kids outside, looking for specific things and spending time exploring nature using your different senses. On this worksheet I have included a space to sketch something you find during your nature walk if you have not yet started your own nature journal.

If you use this nature walk worksheet, feel free to leave me a comment. I love hearing how people are using my scavenger hunt worksheets.

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And if you are looking to include more nature study in your homeschool, be sure to check out my Spring Art, Handicraft and Nature Study Kit. The nature study portion of this kit focuses on frogs- a fun topic I am sure you and your children will enjoy studying together.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

A fun metal embossing project

"[One of] the important things to keep in mind about children's crafts are that... they should be given work well within the ability of their age range so that they are able to do it well and not sloppily."
Charlotte Mason in Modern English Page 316


For this project you will need:




  • A metal foil sheet to emboss (you can buy these through DickBlick-see the bottom of this post for more information.)

  • A stack of old newspapers or magazines

  • A pencil

  • Sharpies or other permanent markers

  • Scissors

  • Cardstock

  • Tape


1. Carefully cut the metal sheet so that it will fit on the front of your card. I cut mine into a 4" square to go on the front of a 8 1/2"x 11" piece of cardstock folded in half. Be very careful the edge of the metal sheet can be very sharp. If you have young children you may want to do this for them!

2. Place the metal square on top of a stack of old newspapers or magazines. Using the pencil draw the design you want to emboss onto the square. Leave about 1/4" of a border around the edge. If you are going to write anything, be sure to write it in reverse to that it will be legible when you turn it over to the front.
3. Once you have finished your design, turn the metal over. Your design should be raised on the front.
4. Use Sharpies or other permanent markers to color in the front of your metal sheet.

5. You can either tape the edges of the metal sheet onto the front of your card. (Maybe you could use colored masking tape or something else like that.) Or you can cut a hole slightly smaller than the size of your metal square (I cut a 3 1/2" square on the front of my card) and tape the square to the inside of the card with the embossed image in the frame. You could even tape a piece of paper over that encasing the metal sheet between the cardstock and the paper. (You don't want to leave any edges because the metal can be sharp.)

Here is my brother's embossed metal square.

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You can purchase the metal sheets like the ones I used for this project from DickBlick. You can find them here. I used the 36 guage aluminum sheets. If you have any questions feel free to email me.

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I also have quite a few Hearts and Trees Spring Kits still available for sale, so be sure to hop over to my blog post about them if you haven't already. I am hearing a lot of good things from families who have already received theirs in the mail.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Spring Kit Update

So, everyone who pre-ordered a Spring Hearts and Trees Kit should receive it in the mail shortly if they haven't already. I still have a lot of kits left, so if you haven't checked it out, be sure to. There are a lot of great projects if you are looking to add art, handicrafts and nature study to your homeschool.

In all this kit includes: 2 handicraft projects, 1 drawing project, 2 art notebooking pages, 1 art print, 1 frogs lapbook, 1 set of frog poetry copy work pages and 1 laminated nature study card.

I have heard a lot of good things from ones who have already received their kits in the mail. Frogs are such a fun topic for children of all ages.

If you have any questions about my spring kit, feel free to email me. Thanks!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Some Frog Book Links

My Hearts and Trees Spring Kit has a nature study and art focus of frogs. Frogs are fun to sudy wherever you live and whatever the age or gender of your children. My spring kit includes a frog nature study lapbook (designed by my mom), a Winslow Homer art print featuring a frog, frog copy work notebooking pages, and a page of frog-themed party ideas. (Just a note: I will be shipping all Spring Kit pre-orders on Friday, so be sure to purchase yours today!)

I wanted to share some book links with you if you are interested in spending a little more time studying frogs with your children.




And like I said, be sure to check out my Spring Hearts and Trees Kit. I will be shipping all pre-orders on Friday and after that kits will ship within three business days of my receiving payment. Have a great day!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Let's Get Drawing....

I am busy getting my Hearts and Trees Spring Kits ready to be shipped off on Friday. If you still haven't ordered yours, be sure to check it out. I am really excited to share it all with you.
I just wanted to pop in and share some fun drawing links with you:

I hope you enjoy. Feel free to link to any drawings your family may complete. And be sure to check out my Spring Kit- I will be shipping all pre-orders on Friday!