SICK DAYS

Winters around these parts are long and cold and tend to mean grass is a faint memory. I haven't seen grass since December. I'm really not kidding. I saw some yesterday and then it snowed last night again. By mid-February most people are playing out their previously planned vacations because we all know that it's just about enough!

We however, decided to put in a bathroom instead of going somewhere exciting so here we sit, trying not to spend money and well... getting sick over and over again. With one in preschool and the other in the beginnings of her getting-sick-years, sickness is recycled within our home endlessly. We don't get out much is the short story.

With all of this time at home, it is a challenge keeping television to a minimum. So we do a lot of crafting. I try to set up worthwhile crafting ideas to lessen the nonsense pieces of nothingness that end up in the trash after a few days. Those are ok too, because honestly, we can't keep everything they create.

Currently we're in party planning mode so I helped the kids make some party hats using paper, beads, and fabric. if you want to get serious about it, use a hot glue gun, otherwise Elmer's is fine, but I glob it on to make the beads stay which means it should dry overnight.

PROCESS
1. Make a cone with a thicker paper. I started with a 13"x19" sheet. Cut the bottom so that it's even and cut a 1/2" hole at the top to glue in a tassel.
2. Punch two small holes in the bottom at the half points.
3. Tie on an elastic after measuring roughly around their heads.
4. Make a top tassel with strips of several fabrics that the kids choose, add some ribbon and yarn, then tied string around it to make it a tassel. Secure it in the top of the cone with hot glue.
5. Have them choose their buttons and hot glue around the rim. If they want to do the gluing, use Elmer's and let it dry over night.

* They could draw on the paper first or use a patterned piece of paper. I just had white laying around.