More MIY Projects

I love making things. I get such joy when I see the finished product and think, "I made that myself!"

If you're a DIY kind of person, here are some MIY (Make It Yourself!) projects for you to try this summer!

Deodorant 

This was my most exciting discovery from this year! As soon as my store-bought deodorant ran out, I pulled out a recipe I had been saving. A little mixing and voila! homemade deodorant! What is amazing is that when you first mix it, the concoction looks liquidy and nothing like solid deodorant. The first time I made this, I put the mixture in a a little jar to see what would happen. The liquid solidified after a day! Then I tried making some in my old plastic deodorant container: just twisted the push-up part all the way down again and spooned in the "soupy" deodorant, and the next day, I came back to perfect stick deodorant! 

Here is the recipe:

1) Mix together 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup baking soda. 

2) Add 2 tablespoons liquified coconut oil and mix. (You can put the coconut oil in the microwave for a few seconds to melt it.)

3) Spoon into your container of choice and allow to firm up.

Facial Scrub

I also started making my own facial scrub! It's fine enough to use on my face, but I also use it on my body. If you prefer less graininess, use less sugar. If you want more graininess, you can add more sugar, or use regular sugar (for a body scrub only... regular sugar is too rough for your face). I keep the scrub in a small jar identical to my deodorant jar.

Mix together:

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 tablespoon olive oil (or more coconut oil)

2 tablespoons of baker's sugar (superfine sugar)

Fingerless Gloves 

Are you cleaning out winter clothes and discovering some old sweaters that you need to throw out? Cut the sleeves off and make fingerless gloves! 

1) Take two pieces of an old sweater, fit them around your hand. If you are using the end of two sleeves, they may fit perfectly! If they are too big (or you are using two rectangular pieces), you will need to sew them first. 

2) Fold over the cut edges and hem. In the pair I made, I only had to hem the top. 

3) Add a few stitches between the thumb and finger, and you're done! 

(In this picture, you can see the stitch I made between the thumb and finger. It's bright blue.)

Little Pumpkins

You can also use old sweaters to make these adorable pumpkins! The instructions can be found on my friend Kim's blog: Kim Chew Cooks and Crafts

Laminated Book Marks

Another simple project is to make book marks, using heavy packing tape to "laminate" them.

1) Create your design on a piece of cardstock. 

2) Cut a piece of heavy packing tape that is longer than your bookmark. 

3) Carefully lay the tape down, sticky side up. Center your bookmark over the tape and lay it on the tape.

4) Cut another piece of packing tape to match the first. Carefully lay it down, sticky side down, over your bookmark (sandwiching your bookmark between the two pieces of tape.)

5) Smooth down to press out any air bubbles.

Homemade Playdough

This recipe is from my friend Rebecca, and it's such a good one that I shared it in my new book (yes, there are recipes!) It's a fun "cooking" project to do with your kids! (That's my daughter's hand in the picture... she saw me "playing" with her play dough and couldn't help herself!)

1) In a large pot, mix together 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar.

2) Add 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons oil. At this point, you can add a few drops of food coloring, if you want only one color of play dough.

3) Cook on medium-low heat until a ball magically forms!

4) Knead on floured surface (add little bits of flour if it's sticky.) If you haven't already added the food coloring, you can divide your dough up into separate balls and add your food coloring to the balls. Knead to mix. (Your hands will get some color of them!)

5) Store in an air-tight bag or container in the refrigerator.

My next MIY project is taking a set of white cotton napkins and tie-dying them with my kids! I'll let you know how they turn out!

(For more MIY projects, check out my older posts: Make It Yourself! and Craft Ideas for Busy Moms)

How to Get Started in Homeschooling

After last year's abnormal year of schooling, I've had many parents ask me about homeschooling in the coming fall. Some are considering it because they really enjoyed having their kids at home, and some just want to try something different from what the schools are offering right now.

Whatever your reason, if you are on the fence about homeschooling, or you're ready to jump in but don't know where to start, this post can help. Read on!

SOME GREAT REASONS TO HOMESCHOOL (just three of many)

1) You pick the content.

The biggest plus of homeschooling is that you can pick what you want to focus on and include in your lessons. If your child is enthralled with astronomy, make that your science lesson. If your child is not a strong reader but loves to draw, do drawing book reports instead of written book reports. If you are looking for science or history books with a Christian base, there are many out there to get you started. 

2) You pick the methods.

The biggest complaint I heard from parents last year was how much time their kids were spending on the computer. Homeschooling parents can choose whether they want their child to learn through a book or an online program. You can get really creative and do math through cooking, sewing, or woodworking, and science through bird watching and gardening! Homeschooling does NOT have to look like classroom schooling. In fact, it shouldn't look like classroom schooling at all, so don't try to copy what teachers do in a classroom! When you're not teaching to 30+ kids at a time, there are so many things you can do differently!

3) You pick the pacing.

You know those standardizes tests that they give students every year? You don't have to do those as homeschoolers (at least in California.) I love it that when my daughter was a slow in learning to read, there was no report card saying "Needs improvement" or pressure to make her "catch up." We can spend more time on subjects that we need more time for, and less on subjects that come easily. 

4) You pick the schedule.

Is your child slow to warm up in the morning? Start school at 10am. Do you have little ones in the mix? Tackle the harder subjects during their naps.

DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING STARTED IN HOMESCHOOLING (it's an adjustment!)

1) Finding your groove.

There is a LOT of curriculum out there–it can be overwhelming. Start with something you know (I look at workbooks at the drugstores, bookstores, even Costco.) Go to the library and check out books to read. It takes a professional teacher three years to find his/her rhythm, so give yourself time too. You might not like the workbook you bought. A lesson you thought would be great might be just 'blah'. But don't give up. Keep trying.

2) Putting in the time.

Homeschooling will definitely take up your time. You'll need to look at lessons ahead of time and prepare. You'll need to sit with your child to teach them and help them. At first, you may feel like you have no free time.

3) Juggling different ages.

If you have children of different ages and levels, it will take you longer to find your groove. (And if you have toddlers and infants, it can take you longer just to get through a school day!) I combine subjects as much as possible (science, history, art, music) and have individual workbooks for math and language arts.

4) Feeling the pressure.

Homeschooling parents are always fighting against that feeling of "Am I doing enough? Will I fail my kids?" Remind yourself constantly that you cannot fail your kids by giving them more time with you at home. What is the goal, after all? That your child can read and think, love learning, love people, and love God. So it's okay if your child isn't taking AP Chemistry or Honors English. Success is marked differently in homeschooling–your child is thriving, feeling confident, feeling loved. And homeschooling doesn't have to be for forever... if it doesn't work out, you can enroll your child in school the next year. 

SOME BENEFITS OF HOMESCHOOLING 

1) When you're done, you're done.

There is no homework. No extra hour after school. When your child finishes for the day, he/she is truly finished. When you feel like your child has mastered a skill, you can move on! 

2) Your child will have more time for other things.

Homeschooling is not like a typical school day, which can go from 8am-3pm. We start at 9am and my younger kids are finished by lunch. Because there is no time used for attendance taking, crowd management, passing out papers, etc., the work is done a lot quicker. (And if your child is a fast worker, there is no waiting for the rest of the class to finish.) Then your child has time to pursue other interests, visit the library, or go play at the park with friends. 

3) Your child will eat better.

Every morning, my kids eat a good breakfast with the family. Lunch is healthy, balanced, and warm. There is no need to buy box juice or packaged snacks, or make sandwiches in the morning when you homeschool. (You're still welcome to do so, but you don't have to.)

4) There is time to work on heart issues.

If a child has a bad attitude about math at school, the teacher will do what he/she can do, then maybe contact you about it so you can deal with it later (or you find out about it weeks later at a meeting). If a child has a bad attitude about math at home, you can stop the lesson right there and talk to your child about it. Sibling disputes, talking back, all those issues that can pop up throughout the day can be dealt with right there and then. It becomes the more important lesson at that moment.

5) Less pressure.

I know my teenagers need to learn about grades and deadlines, but my younger kids don't need the pressure of passing spelling tests and turning in projects on time. We move at a slower pace, and if unexpected situations come up (because you know they do!), we can change our deadlines.

6) Time to be together.

My family is tight knit. We enjoy each other and have fun together. My kids are best friends and work together well. In a few years, my children will start leaving the nest, so we want to make the most of this time we have together!

HOW TO LEGALLY HOMESCHOOL

If you live in a state besides California, you must look up your state requirements, because every state is different.

For Californians, it is simple to become a homeschooling family. California does NOT require yearly testing. That is entirely up to you.

1) If your child was in a public or private school, talk to the administrators about making the switch. Ask them if there is any paper work you need to fill out or anything you need to do.

2) In October, file a Private School Affidavit online with the California Board of Education. Here is the link: Private School Affidavit. You can pick a "name" for your "school". My husband signs as the principal, and I sign as the administrator.

3) Keep a record of your child's attendance in school (minimum number of days is 175, recommended number of days is 180.)

4) Keep samples of your child's work in all subjects.

5) If you have younger children, keeping a record of grades is up to you. For high schoolers, record grades and start a transcript. (more of this here: High School Transcript Templates)

If you have questions, please ask!

No More Excuses

In my new book, I make a lot of confessions. Here's one I didn't include:

I'm afraid to talk to new people.

This morning, as we gathered for in-person indoor worship for the first time in over a year, I was so nervous about the many new faces filling the sanctuary. I wanted to stick close to people I knew, or busy myself with something and avoid eye contact. Just the thought of talking to someone new makes my heart race, my palms sweat, and my mind go blank. 

And I used to let that be my excuse.

"I'm just shy. That's who I am."

"They don't want to talk to me. I'll wait for someone to come over to me."

"It's easier to hang out by the food table and keep putting food in my mouth so I don't have to talk to people."

But guess what? God still calls me to love people, to reach out, and to build community. And He has all the tools I need to grow in this arena.

No more excuses. 

So, this morning, I made it my goal to meet one new person before I left. And I did it! I walked straight up to a new person and introduced myself.

Sometimes I'm talking to parents and I hear them say things similar to what I used to say about being shy. 

"I could never do what you do."

"I just don't have the patience."

"You were meant to have eight kids. I wasn't."

There was a time when I believed these too! I would watch how another mom handled a situation and think, "I could never..."

But I have learned over the years that God calls me to be the best mom my kids can have. He has all the tools I need to grow as a parent. So whether I am getting to know my newborn, or I'm figuring out new ways to be organized, or I'm learning patience–again and again and again–God's got me covered. 

No more excuses.

(Read more about my parenthood journey in my book, Dirtying My Sleeves!)

"I need help!"

Ever since she started walking at eight months, my youngest has always acted older than her age. If she sees me vacuuming, she wants to vacuum. If I'm cutting vegetables, she wants to cut vegetables. She wants to do EVERYTHING that her siblings do.

So usually, when she insists on doing something "all by myself", I let her try, if it's not dangerous. This may mean that her shoes are on the wrong feet and her shirt is backwards (and I'm practicing my patience as she is taking soooo long to do each task), but I can see that she is growing and learning.

But there are times when I KNOW that she cannot do something, simply because she doesn't have the dexterity or the understanding at the age of three! And yet, she insists on trying to do it herself (and there is no convincing that girl.) So I let her give her all. Sometimes I'll leave the room (my daughter tells me "Go away!") or I'll just wait nearby. Then after a few minutes, I hear "Mama, I need help!"

And aren't we just the same with our Father in Heaven?

God knows that things will be difficult for us. He knows that parenting, or getting sick, or losing a job, or loving a neighbor, is a difficult task that we cannot tackle alone. So He does not leave us to do everything on our own, and yet, oftentimes, we insist on doing it "all by myself!"

And how long does it take for us to realize that we don't have the strength or the understanding? How long do I keep trying before I finally pray "God, I need help!"?

My Father is always right by me, always ready and willing to do the heavy lifting. In ALL things, big and small, He never leaves me to struggle by myself, if I only ask Him for help!

The Fruit of the Spirit is....

PEACE!

Don't we all need more peace in our lives?

Not just the clean-and-quiet-house kind of peace, or the lounging-on-a-beach-in-Hawaii kind of peace. I'm talking about the strong, steady peace of being in under God's wings even when a storm is raging all around you.

Last month's "Fruit of the Spirit" box (I'm a bit behind) included a scented candle, rosemary-infused olive oil, handmade soap, a pen, and a small poster that says:

Peace... Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

What a wonderful reminder as we face the uncertainties of today and tomorrow.