tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65714439060867906222024-03-05T21:35:23.070-04:00Wonderfully Eclectic Faith, Family, Homeschooling, Crafting and MoreJacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-81730593128966317942021-10-30T17:19:00.000-03:002021-10-30T17:19:23.211-03:00Still Here!<p> Hey everybody! Just a quick check in to say that I am still regularly checking this blog even though I am not adding new content at this time. Please feel free to contact me through the link in my profile if you wish. You may also comment on a post and I will get back to you. I have been able to "meet" many different people through this blog and have been happy to help a number of families with homeschooling questions.</p><p>Yes, we are still homeschooling! Lass is 17 and doing Ambleside Online Year 10. Laddie is 14 and doing Ambleside Online Year 6. We really enjoy the Charlotte Mason style of education and appreciate so much all the work the AO ladies have put into this curriculum.</p><p>That is all for now! Take care and God bless!</p>Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-7472050389332632652019-05-23T21:55:00.000-03:002019-05-23T21:55:01.331-03:00Just MeHi, there. I'm still around! I've been thinking a lot about whether or not I should continue on with this blog. We do have Internet at home again and I've got a notebook full of ideas. It's just finding the <i>time </i>to make all of this come together. I do have a book review that I would like to post, as well as some other items. The problem is, I'm a procrastinator AND a perfectionist. I am amazed by people who can write a blog post every day or even a couple of times a week. I will try to come up with a plan and stick to it. As always, I am available to contact through email if you have any homeschool questions. Thank you to those who still visit my neglected little blog - I appreciate you stopping by!Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-3176348624967907722018-08-13T15:50:00.001-03:002021-10-30T17:20:27.860-03:00Mason Jar Pincushion<div style="text-align: center;">
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Materials List<br />
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Mason jar/ glass canning jar<br />
Canning ring and lid<br />
Piece of cotton fabric about 6" x 6" (15cm x 15cm) - I used a scrap piece of t-shirt material<br />
Polyester fill/stuffing - I used some batting from my stash, you could also use cotton balls<br />
Hot glue gun and glue sticks<br />
Paint (optional - my canning ring was used and there were a few spots of rust on it so I gave it a quick coat of off-white chalk paint)<br />
Ribbon/trim of your choice -to hide the rough edge of the pincushion (I used ribbon)<br />
Stickers/embellishments for your jar (I used Recollections reusable stickers specifically for mason jars from Michaels)<br />
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Note: If you are doing any painting you probably want to make that your first step.<br />
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1st Step - Make the Pincushion<br />
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Trace the outline of the canning lid on the wrong side of the fabric. I used a double thickness of the fabric because I wanted the surface to be nice and firm. Take a handful of batting and squash it into a ball shape before placing it in the circle you drew on the fabric. Pull the fabric around the batting and handsew it together, clipping away extra fabric as you go. In the end you will have a sort of ball - round on the top, flattish on the bottom.<br />
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Centre your pincushion on the lid to make sure it's not too big. The diameter should be roughly the same. Now take the lid and cover the top with hot glue. The metal will get hot so be careful to not burn your fingers! Take your pincushion set it into the hot gluePush it down to make sure it sticks and hold for 15 - 30 seconds. Set this aside. Take the canning ring and run some hot glue around the top on the inside. Do not get any on the threads. Quickly take the pincushion that is now attached to the lid and shove it through the middle of the ring as far as you possibly can and hold it there for 15 - 30 seconds. At this point, I took an extra jar (not the one I was using for the project) and screwed the lid onto it to hold everything together while the glue completely sets. Add some extra hot glue around the base of the pincushion for extra security. Next cut a piece of ribbon to hide the join between the pincushion and the lid and hot glue in place. Then take a matching piece of ribbon and tie it around the base in a bow to finish it off. Secure this with a dab of hot glue if you wish.<br />
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2nd Step - Decorate the Jar<br />
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I used stickers designed for decorating jars which had been given to me as part of a gift. I'm sure many stickers would work as long as they were flexible enough to conform to the curved surface of the jar. Arrange your stickers around all the sides of the jar in a pleasing way. If you use repositionable/reusable stickers you'll be able to move them around if you don't care for your first try.<br />
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3rd Step - Filling the Jar<br />
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At this point, you can start filling your jar with your sewing supplies. If you will be giving this as a gift, some things to include might be:<br />
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a small pair of scissors or a thread cutter<br />
a seam ripper<br />
handsewing needles<br />
pins with coloured heads<br />
thread (a few spools in neutral colours)<br />
buttons (perhaps the kind you would use on a shirt)<br />
a cloth tape measure</dir>
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I put an ergonomic thread cutter, colour head pins, an assortment of handsewing needles, and thread in neutral colours (white, black, grey, and brown) into mine<br />
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You could make one for cross-stitch and embroidery purposes by filling the jar with skeins of colourful embroidery floss (like DMC floss), an assortment of embroidery needles, and a pair of tiny scissors. It would be very easy to customise this project for different uses.<br />
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Variations<br />
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You could use a coloured jar instead of a clear one (or paint your jar with a glass paint like Vitrea for a custom colour)<br />
You could paint your jar with regular craft paint, chalk paint, or even blackboard paint for a different look.<br />
Instead of using stickers, try vinyl window clings (you'll want small ones)<br />
Another alternative to stickers is decorate your jar with decoupage (you'll need Mod Podge for this)<br />
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Tips<br />
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Decide on a theme for your jar to give it a cohesive look. I used a piece of pale aqua patterned fabric and brighter aqua ribbon to go with my birdcage and flower stickers for a springtime feel. Some other ideas might be a rustic theme using burlap, twine, and leaf decorations; victorian with chintz fabric, lots of lace and satin ribbon, and floral stickers; or country using gingham fabric, ribbon in a complementary colour, and accents featuring roosters or sunflowers. You could also decorate jars using the different seasons as your inspiration - pastels and flowers for spring, a nautical theme for summer, warm autumn colours and leaves for fall, snowmen or snowflakes for winter. The possibilities are unlimited!<br />
You could match the colours to the room the pincushion will be used in or you could use your favourite colour. If your project is to be a gift, it is a nice touch to decorate it in the recipient's favourite colour or use accents that are associated with their profession or hobbies (books for a librarian or teacher, flowers for a gardener, etc). </dir>
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</span>Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-86970280347250162752015-04-17T15:00:00.000-03:002015-04-17T15:03:21.563-03:00AWOLSorry that there have not been any posts for over a year now (gulp). It doesn't <em>seem</em> like that long ago. Our lives have been very busy the last year and a half - moving, renovating a 1926 house in need of a lot of TLC, travelling for ministry and being away from home a good bit. I do check up on the blog regularly so thank you to those who have left comments. As always, please feel free to email me if you have any questions about homeschooling or anything else I've written about and I will do my best to answer you in a timely fashion. Thank you, dear readers, for your support!Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-21243241430931665012014-01-02T17:36:00.000-04:002014-01-02T17:36:11.833-04:00Book Review - The Miner's Lady<div align="center">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #f1c232;"><strong><em>The Miner's Lady</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f1c232;">by Tracie Peterson</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><em>Ely, Minnesota 1890 - </em>The Panetta and Calarco families have been feuding for generations. What will happen when Chantal Panetta's sister Isabella falls in love with Orlando Calarco, who reciprocates the feeling? What lengths will Dante Calarco go to keep his younger brother marrying a Panetta?</span></div>
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This book is rather like the classic Romeo and Juliet story, except the ending is much better. I enjoyed it but it was quite predictable. There were a few twists that kept me guessing for a few pages. My favourite character was Mrs Barbato (Nonna Barbato), Dante and Orlando's grandmother.</div>
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I would recommend this book to someone who was looking for a nice, light read.</div>
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My rating: 3 out of 5 stars</div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><em><span style="color: #f1c232;">Please note: I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.</span></em></span></div>
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-37340933575946358072013-10-16T22:20:00.001-03:002013-10-16T22:20:52.893-03:00Book Review - Into the Whirlwind<div align="center">
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<em><strong><span style="color: #741b47;">Into the Whirlwind</span></strong></em></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">by Elizabeth Camden</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Chicago 1871 - Mollie Knox, expert watchmaker and owner of the 57th Illinois Watch Company, is enjoying the benefits of the city's wealth. Her business dealings with Louis Hartman's grand Chicago department store assure her of a market for her fine watches. But change is in the wind. When disaster strikes, who will she turn to? Who can she trust?</span></div>
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This is the second book I have read by Elizabeth Camden and I enjoyed it very much. The author has obviously put a lot of research into the historical background of the story and I appreciate that. I enjoy historical fiction that uses authentic details and likely scenarios rather than over romanticising the past. I'm not sure how many women owned businesses of the scale of Mollie's watch company in America in 1871, but the explanation that her father began the company and left it to her when he passed away seems plausible enough.</div>
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The characters are quite interesting and there is good character development even among the secondary figures. There is one character who is so annoying you dislike her almost right away but her attitude is very fitting to the action going on.</div>
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The novel has a strong romantic storyline but that is not the only focus of the book. It is "Christian" fiction but unobtrusively so. There are a few mentions of prayer, faith, and the Creator. This is an interesting historical fiction read with a clean romance story.</div>
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My rating: <strong>4 stars</strong></div>
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<em><span style="color: #741b47;">Please note: I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.</span></em></div>
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-91261962383687179952013-08-31T13:46:00.000-03:002013-09-01T07:17:37.990-03:00Book Review - Stopping Words That Hurt<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Stopping Words That Hurt: Positive Words in a World Gone Negative</i></span></div>
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The basic theme of this book was gossip and the destruction it can cause. I appreciated the author's insight into interpersonal relationships and the illustrations he provided. The author is an ethnic Jew and a Christian and it was interesting to read about some of his experiences growing up in a Jewish home. His section on the Holocaust is quite gripping as well. I had never really thought about the psychology of the Nazi regime that made so many German citizens do what they claimed they didn't want to.</div>
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However, I found that this book was long on psychology and short on theology. There was much space devoted to the positive/negative actions of the words we speak and there seemed to be the implication that words themselves are powerful, almost in a magical sense. Dr Sedler says <span style="color: #0b5394;">"</span><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Speak truth to your fears!"</span> </i>(p.146). This sent up a few red flags for me. It sounds vaguely like Word of Faith or Positive Confession teachings.</div>
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Dr Sedler really did not dig into the New Testament teaching on the behaviour/testimony of believers. There were many Scripture passages cited in the text - many of them were from the Old Testament (which is good), but there wasn't much dealing with the example of the early church. Another thing I found odd was that Dr Sedler appears to be confused <i>about</i> the local church. Dealing with Matthew 18.15-17, he says <span style="color: #0b5394;">"Who, exactly, are we calling the church? Is it the Body of Christ at large? Is it the local congregation? Is it the elders? We need to figure that out before we begin the process." (p.221) </span></div>
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On p.222, Dr Sedler writes,<span style="color: #0b5394;">"I have seen issues brought before <i><u>a church</u></i> (emphasis mine) on a Sunday morning and I have cringed! After all, in a Sunday service, who is in attendance? Only members? Only believers? Certainly not! Then why are we parading our issues in front of people who might have no idea about godly reconciliation and who certainly have no need to hear them? This type of gossip and criticism only serves to alienate people and push them further away from God." </span>The local church (a group of Christians meeting in a particular place) is not meant to be a social club for the unsaved. There should be certain times when the church meets where there would not be any unsaved in attendance. For instance, the early church broke bread together on the first day of the week (Acts 20.7). These were disciples remembering their Lord's death, burial, and resurrection and fellowshipping together. This would be the perfect opportunity for dealing with problems within the local church. As another example, the believers that I fellowship with meet each Lord's Day morning to break bread together and remember the Lord's death till He comes again. This is a meeting for sincere believers only. Visitors who are not known to the group and have not brought a letter of introduction are asked to simply observe the meeting and not partake of the emblems. The group would handle problems/discipline in this way. First, the elders would become aware of a problem or situation within the fellowship and they would investigate it quietly and privately. If need be, they would present it before the group after the breaking of bread. However, before the matter was discussed, all the children and anyone not in fellowship in the local assembly would be dismissed. Then the situation would be disclosed in as direct and brief a way as possible and the course of action be revealed. Any questions/comments would be taken to the elders in private. I'm not saying that we are perfect, but this seems to follow the pattern of the New Testament in dealing with issues within the local church. If one is trying to counsel Christians on appropriate behaviour, you first should have a firm grasp on what the New Testament church is.</div>
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This book <i>is</i> very well-written, in a style that is easy to read and understand. It was definitely an interesting read and not something I would normally buy for myself. However, I cannot endorse this book wholeheartedly as I find many problems with the general theology. This book is more psychology than Biblical instruction. If you do choose to read this book, <i>please</i> read it with extreme discernment.</div>
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I would give this book 2 stars for the writing style and 1 star for the content.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Please note: I received a free copy of this book from Chosen Books in return for my honest review.</i></span></div>
Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-57436001018110622002013-07-24T21:59:00.001-03:002013-07-24T21:59:38.471-03:00Book Review - Dragonwitch<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Dragonwitch </i>by Anne Elizabeth Stengl</span></b></div>
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<i>Dragonwitch</i> begins with the story of Alistair Calix-son (heir to his uncle the Earl Ferox of Castle Gaheris) and his betrothed Lady Leta, daughter of Earl Aiven. It's your typical arranged marriage scenario - neither one cares too much about the other but they aren't given a choice in the whole situation. There is something else going on, though - something darker. Why is Alistair's mother fighting so hard to assure her son's place as her brother's successor? And who exactly is the mysterious Chronicler, the dwarf who spends his life working in the Earl's library?</div>
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This is the third book I have read in this series. I still haven't found any of them to equal or surpass <i>Heartless</i>, though. It remains my favourite so far. Like <i>Starflower</i>, I enjoyed <i>Dragonwitch</i> moderately. Once again, all the stories running simultaneously (at least two or three at a time) makes the reading a bit confusing. I actually read the book twice before beginning this review to make sure I had a good grasp on the story.<br />
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As with <i>Starflower</i>, there is quite a lot of implied violence but nothing graphic. At times it is hard to discern whether a character is good or bad, but in the end, good triumphs over evil. Having some of the same characters from <i>Starflower</i> return in another story gave this book an interesting and unexpected turn of events.<br />
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I would give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. It is a clean, moralistic fantasy and an enjoyable read. The negative things about the story are the confusing multiple story-lines and the assumption on the part of the author that the reader has read the previous books.<br />
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<i style="color: #0b5394;">Please note : I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House (a division of Baker Publishing Group) in exchange for my honest review.</i></div>
Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-84259955727052246112013-07-13T09:24:00.000-03:002013-07-24T21:45:00.853-03:00Blackboardesque Card<div style="text-align: center;">
I love blackboards and they seem to be all the rage right now (not that I really follow the trends!), so I decided to try my hand at a blackboard card. I used white pigment ink on black cardstock for the blackboard part. The stamps are from Stampin' Up. The dotted paper is patterned cardstock from the Recollections line (Michaels). The card is an ivory card base that I stamped with kind of a zigzaggy background stamp (also from Michaels, one of those $1.50 ones).</div>
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It didn't come out as well as I thought it would, but it was fun to try. Thanks for visiting today!</div>
Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-70723657562991390432013-07-10T13:57:00.001-03:002013-07-10T13:57:14.022-03:00Hello!I haven't abandoned my blog completely. Life has just been really busy. However, I have a number of posts in the works, including one on the challenges of clutter and some book reviews.<br />
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My blog has a new follower. Welcome, Danielle! Thanks to all for continuing to follow my blog even when I'm not very consistent.Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-67293903847607659782013-04-08T16:51:00.001-03:002013-07-24T21:45:51.932-03:00Homemade Lesson PlannerI hope this isn't so simplistic a post. There seems to be so much information, reviews, etc about homeschool plannners. I don't want to add to the confusion but I would like to share my planning/record keeping system. If you already have a wonderful, organised system that is working fine for you, please feel free to disregard this post. You have my permission ;) If you are feeling overwhelmed or simply don't know where to start, read on!<br />
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I have tried all sorts of things - free planner printable forms, free samples of homeschool planners, and "real" teacher planners. The problem was I was always modifying all these in some way and it was frustrating. I was also surprised that some planners have rules - never write in pencil, use this planner exactly as it's laid out, etc. I was ready to admit I was a complete planning failure. Then I got a bright idea. Instead of wasting printer ink printing out pages I wasn't satisfied with, I decided to design my own low-tech version. By looking at other planners I got an idea of what I wanted my planner to look like.<br />
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These were my final guidelines:<br />
-one week's lesson plans per page<br />
-lots of space to write<br />
-a place to put extra notes for the week<br />
-separate sections for each child and myself<br />
-lines for writing on<br />
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I decided what I needed was a large divided notebook with 3 sections. Last July, I found Mead Five Star notebooks at a dollar store in Charlottetown for $3. They had enough pages to lesson plan for both children for the year plus an extra section for me to use for other purposes. The notebook was divided into 3 sections with pocketed dividers made of heavy cardstock, perfect for storing loose papers.<br />
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Once I got the notebook home and decided on how things would be laid out, I simply got out a ruler and pen and divided the pages (front side only) into 5 sections horizontally leaving a section at the bottom for other notes. I labelled these 5 sections Monday to Friday down the margin. I wrote the child's name and the week at the top of each page. Then I simply write in pencil the subjects/activities/assignments on the lines. I've developed a system for what order I write everything down in for a uniform look and to make it easier to find things.<br />
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I didn't sit down and draw up a full year's worth of pages at a time. Whenever I have a few minutes, I can fill out a few pages so I generally have them ready to go when I want to write down my lesson plans.<br />
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I hope this hasn't been too basic or boring for anybody but this is just another way I have found to stretch my homeschool budget. It may be labour intensive to some, but as I enjoy the planning process of our homeschool journey, making my own planner is a fun thing to do.<br />
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I have to say, I love the <i>idea</i> of some of those beautiful planners out there. I also love having exactly what I need. It's a pretty low-tech solution (notebook, pen, ruler) but it works for me!<br />
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Thanks for visiting today!<br />
<br />Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-15659491815261678772013-03-22T16:06:00.003-03:002013-03-22T16:06:55.340-03:00It's March......and so I guess it's time for my first post of the year :)<br />
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In my defense, we are spending the winter travelling so I don't have ready access to the Internet. Quite frankly, my mind has been going in so many different directions the last number of months that I haven't been able to think of anything to write about that anyone would care to read. However, I have come up with a few posts that may be of interest or use to someone out there. So, thank you, dear readers for bearing with me!Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-18699867340157342702012-12-20T16:13:00.000-04:002013-07-24T21:46:33.010-03:00Book Review - Starflower<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i>Starflower </i>by Anne Elisabeth Stengl</b></span></div>
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Three very different characters' stories intertwine in this fantasy novel. Hri Sora the dragon woman seeks revenge on the one who had enslaved her. Starflower/Imraldera, a mortal girl, flees from her terrible and turbulent past. Eanrin (who regularly shape-shifts into an orange cat), chief poet to King Iubdan and Queen Bebo of Rudiobus, hopes to rescue the Lady Gleamdren who has been kidnapped. All these characters are searching for something - will they be successful in their pursuit?</div>
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I found Part One of this book to be very confusing with the different stories all going on at the same time. There was very little explanation given for why things were happening, but perhaps I would have understood better if I had read all the previous books in the series (this is #4 in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series). Part Two did clear up the confusion of the first part. Everything fell in place and made sense to me, eventually.</div>
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I enjoyed the story moderately. The confusion of all the different stories running at the same time diminished my enjoyment of the book considerably. There is quite a bit of violence (not graphic for the most part but certainly implied) that readers should be aware of before beginning this book. Also, the contrast between good and evil wasn't as strong as it could have been, but it is a fantasy story with moral principles.</div>
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Having previously read <i style="font-weight: bold;">Heartless</i> (by the same author), which I enjoyed immensely, I had high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, it fell short of my anticipations.</div>
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My Rating : 3 1/2 out of 5 stars</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Please note : I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House (a division of Baker Publishing Group) in exchange for my honest review.</i></span></div>
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-84553394375917321542012-12-01T15:20:00.003-04:002012-12-01T16:02:14.009-04:00Book Review - A Home in Drayton Valley<div style="text-align: center;">
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Tarsie Raines and her friends Joss and Mary Brubacher need to escape the terrible conditions of living in the tenements of New York City circa 1880. Tarsie dreams of heading west by wagon train and convinces her friends to join her in search of a better life in Kansas. Tragedy strikes along the way and difficult decisions have to be made. Hard lessons are learned about life, family, and faith.<br />
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I liked this book and appreciated the way the author dealt with the issue of racism. I found the plot a little thin at times and slightly unbelievable, but overall the story was good. It was a clean and enjoyable read. <br />
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My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars</div>
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<i><span style="color: #e06666;">Please note: I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House (a division of Baker Publishing Group) in exchange for my honest review.</span></i><br />
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-50345594220860029682012-11-12T09:02:00.000-04:002012-11-13T19:18:14.189-04:00Let It Snow Cards<div style="text-align: center;">
I've been working on some more Christmas cards. These aren't really typical of my crafting style - there are no layers and there is glitter! I have a love/hate relationship with glitter because it can be so messy. I've recently discovered a cheaper version of Stickles and I really like it. It's much easier to use than any other glitter glue I've bought before and it gives a touch of class to a project. At $1.50 a bottle, it's much more affordable than the brand names.</div>
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So here are my cards. The supplies used are listed at the end of this post if you're interested.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKC8gcI7DX2EqM-H_4Aa2vHyyqUp0cMHOJ_grvwqySzPK3o5LU3hEG8mW8tF4p3SezNx3PSwaCY-8Aax9J6xP6SvIq9Il0i9U0gPo6ZIsOI76SQb19DhgtMmegCyaxl5Mx1p7190p6Hc/s1600/2012_111111sept20100122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKC8gcI7DX2EqM-H_4Aa2vHyyqUp0cMHOJ_grvwqySzPK3o5LU3hEG8mW8tF4p3SezNx3PSwaCY-8Aax9J6xP6SvIq9Il0i9U0gPo6ZIsOI76SQb19DhgtMmegCyaxl5Mx1p7190p6Hc/s320/2012_111111sept20100122.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also made a red version, but it didn't turn out very well. I really love how simple and elegant these are. They were quick and easy to make as well. I made 6 of them in an hour but it took a while for the glitter glue to dry, so that stretched out the process. I don't think I've ever made a card using just card stock, ink, and stamps before this. I'm looking forward to making more cards like this and trying out some more designs.</div>
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Thanks for visiting today!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cardstock - Recollections brand in light blue and white</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Stamps - all by Inkadinkadoo</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Ink - Silver pigment ink (dollar store), </i><i>Dark red pigment ink (All Night Media), </i><i>Blue pigment ink (Studio g )</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Glitter glue - Studio g</i></span></div>
Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-46188680733873281682012-11-06T16:19:00.000-04:002012-11-06T17:00:10.444-04:00How Much Does Homeschooling Cost? Part 2Welcome to Part 2 of my series on the cost of homeschooling! Today, I would like to discuss the costs associated with books used in homeschooling. I have previously written a post on choosing books (which can be found <a href="http://eclecticpapercrafts.blogspot.ca/2011/06/choosing-books.html" target="_blank">here</a>), but now I am going to deal with how to obtain books without spending a fortune and running out of room to store them. By books, I mean "living books" (Charlotte Mason's term) - good quality literature, both fiction and non-fiction, written by someone who has a real interest in the subject.<br />
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Some seem to have the idea that you must buy every book you need, brand-new from a homeschool supplier or bookshop. This is simply not true. I, for one, would long since have run out of space and money if I followed this practice. Here are a few ideas for procuring books in a budget friendly fashion.</div>
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1. <b>Use your local library</b> - I know not everybody has access to a good local library but that really is <b>my top recommendation</b> for keeping book costs down. I can empathise with the situation of not having that service from our time of living and homeschooling in Quebec (where there was no provincially funded English library). Our provincial library system here on PEI is set up so every local library on the Island is connected through a central database. I can access this database on their website and sign into my account using my library card, search for, and order books. If my local branch does not have a book, it can be brought in from another library. If you have a library near you, check it out and find what services they offer. Taking a "field trip" to the library is a great way to look over their selection of books and chat with the staff.</div>
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2. <b>Buy books secondhand</b> - As I suggested for curricula, look for good used books at yard/garage sales, thrift/charity shops, homeschool conferences or groups, library discard sales, etc. Our local thrift shop is a great place to pick up paperbacks very inexpensively. It's a good idea to make a list of books you are looking for and keep it in your purse. </div>
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3. <b>Look for free books</b> - This sounds a little weird but it may not be as hard as you think to get books for free. Your local homeschool support group members may have books they no longer need and just want to get rid of. Swaps and bartering are also a good way to get books without actual money changing hands. Say I have an extra copy of <u>Anne of Green Gables</u> I don't need. I could work out a trade with somebody who wants <u>Anne</u> and has a book I want. You could even barter a product (like a jar of homemade strawberry jam) or a service (such as a photography session) for books that you need.</div>
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4. <b>Kindle app for free classics and living books</b> - Did you know you don't need a Kindle (an eBook reader) to read Kindle books? You can download a free Kindle app <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=sv_kinh_1?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771" target="_blank">here</a> for 10 different devices including smartphones, computers, and tablets. I have the app for PC on our laptop. It probably isn't as convenient as the actual Kindle, but the app is free! I can imagine the app for smartphones would be good for being able to take your reading everywhere without buying an additional device. You can find thousands of free books on Amazon, many of them classics. Two other sites where you can download free books for your Kindle app are <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/" target="_blank">Project Gutenberg</a> and <a href="http://manybooks.net/" target="_blank">ManyBooks.net</a>. Reading books this way is not ideal in my opinion, but there are advantages - it is free, you can have many books without worrying about storing them, it is quite portable, and you can often find older books that are not in print. Right now, I have over 900 books on my Kindle app and I haven't spent a penny yet. There are also websites dedicated to helping people find free Kindle books. One that is specifically dedicated to homeschooling families is <a href="http://www.freehomeschooldeals.com/" target="_blank">Free Homeschool Deals</a> (she not only lists free books for Kindle but passes along many other freebies and deals).</div>
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So there you have a few ideas about keeping book costs down. I hope this post has been useful to you and thank you for reading!</div>
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This post is linked to the <a href="http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2012/11/hip-homeschool-11612/" target="_blank">Hip Homeschool Hop</a> today.</div>
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Also linking to <a href="http://lookwhatwedid-homeschool.blogspot.ca/2012/11/november-link-up.html" target="_blank">Look What We Did!</a></div>
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<i>Caveat: I would always recommend previewing reading materials before giving them to your children to make sure they are things you want them to be reading and learning about. A great book review site is <a href="http://www.squeakycleanreviews.com/" target="_blank">Squeaky Clean Reviews</a>.</i></div>
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-41369572026589136672012-10-31T08:15:00.000-03:002012-12-03T12:25:17.324-04:00How Much Does Homeschooling Cost? Part 1We have been homeschooling for about 4 years now and have moved beyond the "curriculum-in-a-box" method and have been enjoying the "build-your-own" approach. I never knew I would ever get to this point. When we started "formal" homeschool, I relied on packaged curriculum because I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to teach everything my daughter should be learning. Packaged curriculum is a wonderful blessing and we are fortunate there are so many great options available today. Having said that, I also have to say that it can be very expensive (especially if you are schooling a number of children). Some packages can be hundreds of dollars per child per year and often the materials are not reusable.<br />
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So, what should you do if curriculum is outside of your budget? Should you not homeschool? Certainly not! I've thought of a few options but, first, let me say that you do not need a complete prepackaged kit in order to homeschool. You can mix and match curriculum as well as piece materials together to create your own. First of all, lets look at some options for curriculum:<br />
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1. <b>Get curriculum from your school board/school district</b> - Now, this is obviously not an option for folks who dislike the public school curriculum (or find it lacking in some way), but I'm going to throw it out there. I could see this being a good choice for, say, mathematics, especially if you aren't much of a math person. Here in PEI, you can get textbooks and other resources from the Provincial Learning Materials Distribution Centre. They require that you pay a $50 deposit per child per year (I'm fairly certain it is refunded when the materials are returned).<br />
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2. <b>Buy second-hand/used curriculum</b> - Keep an eye out at thrift stores and yard sales for homeschool and academic materials. This may be difficult if you're not in an area where homeschooling is popular. However, if you can find a local homeschool support group, often families are selling (or giving away) items that they no longer need or want.<br />
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3. <b>Borrow curriculum - </b>If you know some families that homeschool (perhaps through your church), ask if they have some materials that you could borrow to try out before you commit to buying anything.<br />
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4. <b>Free curriculum available online</b> - Free, of course, providing you have access to a computer, the Internet, and possibly a printer. Many public libraries have computers with Internet access available for their patrons to use. Some examples of curricula available online are:<br />
<a href="http://www.amblesideonline.org/index.shtml" target="_blank">Ambleside Online</a><br />
<a href="http://oldfashionededucation.com/" target="_blank">An Old-Fashioned Education</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm" target="_blank">Mathematics Enhancement Programme</a><br />
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Of course, there are tons and tons of free resources (books, worksheets, lapbook materials, copywork pages, etc) available online on many different sites. <a href="http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/" target="_blank">Homeschool Freebie of the Day</a> is a great site for free materials. <a href="http://dltk-teach.com/" target="_blank">DLTK</a> is a good site for all sorts of education, craft, and colouring stuff for younger children. Honestly, there are too many places to list (you should see my bookmarks in my "Education" folder!). Do a Google search for "free homeschool curriculum" to get you started.<br />
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As, you can see, there are many options for low cost curriculum and home education does not have to be a costly venture. I hope this has been helpful to you and thank you for visiting!<br />
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Linking to the <a href="http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2012/10/hip-homeschool-hop-103012/" target="_blank">Hip Homeschool Hop</a> today<br />
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This post is also linked to <a href="http://lookwhatwedid-homeschool.blogspot.ca/2012/11/november-link-up.html" target="_blank">Look What We Did!</a><br />
<br />Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-44783978429190838882012-10-24T21:29:00.001-03:002012-11-01T19:29:01.665-03:00A Quick Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here are a few cards I made for Thanksgiving, which was a couple of weeks ago for us Canadians. I love Thanksgiving and fall colours!</div>
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Everything I used was from my stash and some items were quite old (like the patterned paper). The newest item I used was the Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint on the chipboard pieces. I have wanted to try some of the Tim Holtz products for a long time, but they are pricey! I got these two pots of paint on clearance at Michaels for $2.99 each (regular price $7.99). There is a brush attached inside the lid of the jar which make these really easy to use. The paint adds a really cool, antique looking texture to your project.</div>
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Thanks for visiting today!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cardstock - Recollections</span></i></div>
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-45418033172939397422012-10-10T22:39:00.001-03:002012-11-01T19:29:34.135-03:00Adventures With MeatI hope you get a chuckle out of this ...<br />
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Last week, my in-laws gave us a bag of game meat (deer and moose) that a hunter from Nova Scotia had given them. My mother-in-law has no experience cooking this type of meat (even though she is a fantastic almost-gourmet cook, they are not common foods here on PEI as we don't have any wildlife of that sort). I was excited to have this to cook because I love deer meat especially and it has been years since I've had any.<br />
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So, I cooked up 2 huge steaks last Saturday night. I think they were moose as the meat was really dark, almost black. It was delicious, but as we were eating it, my husband commented, "I'll bet this is what horse tastes like." YUCK!<br />
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Monday was Thanksgiving here in Canada. We were invited over to my husband's parents for dinner - lunch for those "from away" :) When we arrived, we found my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, and one of the other guests huddled around the beautifully roasted farm chicken. My mother-in-law turned to me and said, "Have you <b>ever</b> seen anything like that before?" I looked where she was pointing. There were two lime green patches in the breast meat! We ended up throwing out the chicken, the dressing, and the gravy. We had a vegetarian Thanksgiving this year. (By the way, I found out later that this is what was probably wrong with the chicken - <a href="http://ps.fass.org/content/85/10/1843.full" target="_blank">deep pectoral myopathy</a>)<br />
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Last night, I cooked a roast (either deer or moose again). Laddie walks into the kitchen, smells the meat cooking, and says, "What kind of animal is in the oven tonight?"<br />
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Eating has become an adventure...Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-5359591313552823092012-10-01T18:56:00.001-03:002012-11-01T19:29:49.515-03:00Getting A Start On Christmas Cards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Like I've said before, we're not big on "celebrating" Christmas (see <a href="http://eclecticpapercrafts.blogspot.ca/2011/12/do-you-hear-what-i-hear.html" target="_blank">this post</a>), but we do send out cards every year. It is a great time to touch base with people and let them know we are thinking of them.</div>
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The last few years, I have made our cards ... or bought cards and personalised them ;) When I saw the October challenge over at <a href="http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Christmas Cards All Year 'Round</a>, my creative juices started to flow. The challenge is to:</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">"Create a card using a non traditional image with traditional Christmas colours </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">OR</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Create a card with a traditional Christmas image using non traditional colours."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It just so happened that I picked up a couple of sheets of GORGEOUS paper on clearance at Michaels last week. I love aqua and red together. They aren't "traditional" Christmas colours, but they seem to be trendy the last few years.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh2eq1652Qc/UGoGvAHqtiI/AAAAAAAAAjw/rk8oHfK8rxc/s1600/1oct2012+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xh2eq1652Qc/UGoGvAHqtiI/AAAAAAAAAjw/rk8oHfK8rxc/s320/1oct2012+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I made a 6 x 6 inch card out of Medium Awesome Aqua cardstock, and then layered the patterened papers in gradually smaller squares (5x5, 4x4, 3x3, & 2x3). I then stamped the 2x3 inch piece with a snowflake clear stamp and the "Warm Wishes" sentiment. I gave the snowflake image a few dots of iridescent glitter glue for a little glitz. Very quick and easy card but I really like how it turned out. I think I'll make a few more and I may have to go searching for some more of that paper...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for dropping by today! My supply list can be found below this post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i><u>Card Details</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Cardstock - WorldWin Papers Colormates cardstock (12x12) in Medium Awesome Aqua</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Patterned paper - My Mind's Eye "Brocade" (double-sided, 12x12) </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>My Mind's Eye Bohemia Bliss "Love of My Life" Tiny Dots/Blue (double-sided, 12x12)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Clear stamps - Snowflake medallion and "Warm Wishes" (Michaels $1.50 bin)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Ink - red Color Arts pigment ink pad (Great Canadian Dollar Store)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Glitter glue - studio g (Michaels $1.50 bin)</i></span></div>
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Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-25528826755173892712012-08-24T17:33:00.003-03:002012-08-24T17:33:38.087-03:00AWOLSo... I've been on hiatus, I guess! It's been almost three months since I wrote anything at all. This is what our late spring and summer have looked like...<br />
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<li>renovating our kitchen/living room (ripping out and replacing the floor due to a huge leak from our hot water heater)</li>
<li>picking out paint and getting ready to paint our front deck and the living area inside (We're using <a href="http://www.boomerangpaint.com/" target="_blank">Boomerang paint</a> inside. I've never used it before but I'll report back on what it was like when we're finished. We're using <a href="http://www.homehardware.ca/en/cat/search/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN?Ntt=Fisherman's%20Paint" target="_blank">Fisherman's Paint</a> on the deck.)</li>
<li>2 weeks of Vacation Bible School, one in Upton and one in Montague. I was in charge of crafts for both places this year.</li>
<li>Lassie went off to a week of Bible camp by herself for the first time. She loved it!</li>
<li>Our entire family went to work camp at the Bible camp as well.</li>
<li>Robbie went away to Quebec for 10 days to preach and also spent 3 days in Nova Scotia visiting and preaching.</li>
<li>we've just been very busy!</li>
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We still have to get our flooring down and the furniture back in place before I can really get things organised for our homeschool. Lord willing, that will happen next week! It will be so nice to have everything back where it belongs again. I'm looking forward to getting back to blogging regularly again.</div>
Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-31350657377282102692012-05-26T17:39:00.003-03:002012-05-26T17:39:59.954-03:00I am still alive!I just realised that it has been over a month since my last post. Things have been so crazy around here with finishing up schooling, church meetings, kids' activities, and gardening. I hope to get back to making regular posts SOON!Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-5538817311210036122012-04-23T14:36:00.000-03:002012-04-23T14:36:33.922-03:00Published!I was invited to write an article on Prince Edward Island's home education regulations by the <a href="http://www.canadianhomeschoolsociety.com/" target="_blank">Canadian Homeschool Society</a>. It appeared on their blog last Friday. Go <a href="http://www.canadianhomeschoolsociety.com/2012/04/canada-homeschool-laws-prince-edward-island/" target="_blank">HERE</a> to read it. This is the first time I have had a piece published online somewhere other than my blog. Exciting!Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-21099589628719896472012-04-16T18:01:00.000-03:002012-04-16T18:01:18.381-03:00Just a Photo...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhxoNQOFXQE/T4yFob4kwhI/AAAAAAAAAi4/_KiLg0RJarI/s1600/16april2012+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhxoNQOFXQE/T4yFob4kwhI/AAAAAAAAAi4/_KiLg0RJarI/s400/16april2012+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Blue Monday" ;)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Click <a href="http://www.vintage-homemaking.info/2008/04/monday-laundry-day/" target="_blank">here</a> for an explanation...</div>Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571443906086790622.post-44846081721328724302012-04-11T06:00:00.001-03:002012-04-11T06:00:07.780-03:00Honey SubstituteMy husband has many allergies. One of the most dangerous ones he has had to deal with is his allergy to honey. In 2000, he had an anaphylactic reaction to honey and nearly died. We never have any in the house and I try to avoid buying foods containing honey. Many recipes, especially "healthy" ones, call for honey as a sweetener. Molasses (fancy type) is usually my substitute for honey, but I have found sometimes molasses is too strong of a flavour. It's usually fine in something like bread.<br />
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After some online searching, I came up with a substitute for honey. If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of honey, I take a glass (liquid) 1 cup measure and put 1/2 cup of either brown or white sugar in it. Then I carefully add enough water to bring the mixture up to the half cup line on the glass measure, stir, and use in the recipe.<br />
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Originally, I thought I could just replace honey with an equal amount of sugar. This doesn't work, though. Honey not only adds sweetness to your product but it also adds moisture, since it is a liquid.<br />
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Thanks for visiting today!Jacquelinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02836123669119523269noreply@blogger.com0