Get Out Your Magnifying Glass

My daughter and I found this very beautiful and amazing book at Barnes and Noble last weekend; it was bargain priced under $7.00! It has photos of REAL snowflakes, and talks about the history of photographing and studying snowflakes. That is all I have read so far, but the pictures are amazing! Some are what you would think of when you see a snowflake- and the detail is astounding the way they form, let me tell ya, and others are much different than one would expect, but make sense if you have lived where it snows. I can't wait to finish it. I thought it would might be too technical, but have found it very nice to read.
I really hope if you are in Barnes and Noble you will check it out! Now if you will excuse me, I have to go get the snow off of my van so I can go to the store for some ice melt and warm socks! :)

Video Games to Stay in Touch?

Do you miss family who lives out of town? Mario Kart for the Wii might just be the thing to keep your family close. I am absolutely horrible at it. Seriously, I fall off the track, slip on dropped banana peels, use my power boosts at all of the wrong times and come in dead last. So when we were invited to play Mario Kart by family hundreds of miles away on the East Coast I didn't exactly jump at the chance to lose some more. However, the rest of the family wanted to play. They were on the speaker phone and when I joined the game it was a blast! We all just laughed when goofy things happened and it didn't matter how awful I was. The game made the nations capital seem right next door. Who's getting the pizza? My daughter told me it's just about participating. She's right! :)

If you have ideas on other ways games can bring families close, please comment. There's got to be something to video chat (like iChat on the Mac), I mean you could at least play Battleship right?

Take care and stay warm,

Suz

Image source: www.mywii.com.au

Cake in a mug?

Eric found a recipe to Make a Cake in a Mug and Emily baked one the other day for a snack. She said it was really good. Comment if you try it and share what you think. She thought you could try flavored cocoas. The cocoa she used had marshmallows. Get the recipe

Suz

Gobble, Gobble...

With Thanksgiving just around the corner get in the spirit by sending a thank you note to someone who deserves it!

1. Think of 1-2 people who have really helped you out over the last year. It could be a teacher at school, a family member, brainstorm on this a little and decide who you want to send the note to.
   
2. Write down the top 2-3 things that express your gratitude to this person. For example: they made sure you got to soccer practice, they came to your games, they made sure you had something to drink.
3. Get a piece of scratch paper (or open notepad or Word) and write your note. Remember your note doesn't have to very long - it's the thought that counts.
4. Create a thank you card. Bend a 8 1/2 x 11 (regular paper size in the US) into thirds then open it up - this will make sure it'll fit into an envelope when you're done. Write your message on the page (Creative Tip: write your message in pencil first then write in pen over the top and erase the pencil when you're done - felt tip works best for this as it soaks into the paper and doesn't smear usually) There's no reason this has to be boring, try drawing a large spiral on the page and write your message on that line - the more creative (as long as it's readable) I think the more fun it will be for both you and the person you're sending it to.
5. Use stamps, stickers, your stapler and colored pencils to deorate, then fold it up, put it in a standard size envelope and send it "snail mail".

Please comment on how this goes, share links back to your blogs if you post your letters. If you just have something you're thankful for that you want to share that would be really great too!

Suz

PS - And yes, that's a turkey in the pic. We make it out of butter mixed with honey. A little goofy... just sharing a little holiday spirit. :)

Capturing Fall

Fall is here and the leaves are changing, which means families are heading to their favorite locations to find fall leaves. Here is a great way to capture their spectacular colors forever!

With your parents' permission, use your flatbed scanner and place your leaves color side down in interesting patterns, or perhaps more natural ones, as if they were falling from the sky. Make sure if you have an option to preview the scan that things are the way you want them to be before you finish. The more you play with it, the more ideas you might come up with. Maybe animal shapes or flowers, an autumn butterfly perhaps?


Don't worry if you can't go into the mountains to find leaves, there are many beautiful shrubs and trees in your neighborhood or even your own yard or a neighbor's that have wonderful fall colors. Look around and see what catches your eye, just make sure you have your neighbor's permission before you cut across their yard, and always see what has fallen on the ground first before picking any off a tree or bush, especially after a big gust of wind. That way the color stays a little longer for everyone to enjoy!


Here are some Maple leaves from the mountains, as well as some leaves from a vine in my mother's yard. Both are equally lovely if you ask me. Notice the leaves with some green still in them have a few nibbles taken from them from some lucky bug - don't pass over imperfect leaves, they add interest and authenticity to your collection.
After you are done with the leaves, if you don't want to dry them in a book (these are still fresh) you can add them to your compost pile if you have one! As far as your scanner goes, maybe Suzanne has a suggestion to keep it protected from the leaves. I didn't think of that when I did these and there were some spots I had to clean. Again check with your parents for permission and how best to clean up afterwards. Suzanne may have a good suggestion for that as well as she is more computer savvy than I!

Hello there!

Hi, this is Emily. I am a new editor on Tween Craft. I am a tween and know some cool ideas! I'm Suzanne's daughter. I thought for my first post I would do something interesting...sort of. It is getting chilly in the evenings now, so i thought that it would be cool (Get it, cool? Lame joke sorry.) to have some hot chocolate. So stick a peppermint candy stick into some really hot chocolate. Let it melt, and enjoy!!!
Em

Today is a Beautiful Day...

This video is food for thought about how 1 person can make a difference. (Thanks for sharing Dad and Eric!) Please check out the video, then read the throw down (trust me)

Step 1: Click Here to Watch: The Story of a Sign

Step 2: Tweencraft Throwdown... Did you think I could resist? No way! This isn't crafting, cooking or journaling, but it's life. For 1 week, lets pay attention and try to make a difference at least once.

• hold the door for someone else
• invite someone sitting alone to sit with you at lunch
• find a family member and give them a kiss
• go out of your way to check in on a friend you've been out of touch with
• if a friend or family member has been blue, ask what's wrong and really listen
• smile at the grocery store clerk and ask how they are
  

You have an amazing power to do good. Acting with compassion may mean taking a deep breath and finding your courage - your friends may not think it's cool - and what if someone rejects you when you try? In either case try to remember the compassion that made you want to try, your heart is in the right place. A great take away from my favorite comic book heroes is "I use my powers for good" - Comment on how this goes, okay? The good, the bad and the ugly.
image source: http://en.dcdatabaseproject.com/Diana_of_Paradise_Island_(Earth-One)

Easy Peasy Cookies

Here's a cookie "how-to" that would probably make your Home Ec teacher cringe, but if you've got busy parents, and a busy you - these might be just the thing when you need a quick fix for comfort food! Buy freezer dough sugar cookies that are cut in squares. Place on the cookie sheet (in staggered rows of 3's and 2's) and press M&Ms in. (Peanut or plain M&Ms will work fine, we used a small package of each) Then bake as directed on the cookie package. See what I mean? M&M cookies in minutes, warm from your own kitchen.

Back To School Crafts

//familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/backtoschool_craft_sf/

I was invited to be an author of Tweencraft and have been trying to think of something cool to share. I am a fan of Family Fun Magazine and came across Home Made School Supplies tonight. Click on the hyper link to see some fun ideas! I noticed that some of them have video instructions. You can copy theirs or make them your own.

LetTer wRitIng

You've probably heard people say "all we get in the mail are bills" well on my birthday, that changed. My great uncle, it turns out, is a scrapbooker! I recieved a handwritten letter with a "scrapped" letter. I can just imagine him putting it together. It made me smile and I felt like "wow" I'm important enough to him that he spent some of his time hunting for just the right words for his greeting/letter.

heRre's An iDeA wE cAn ShAre
Make a cut-out word letter and mail it old-school style. Ask for old magazines from your family and look for words that you want to use in your letter. It'll be fun to make and it will give whoever gets the letter the warm fuzzies. (if you don't know what to write with your words, try a quote (try: blessings or friendship) You can add stickers, tie it closed with a ribbon. Note: Post a comment on how your letter writing goes - and how they are liked by the recipient.

P.S. If you have a hard time finding all the words you need, just handwrite the word you need!

International Photography Contest for Kids

Do you like National Geographic Kids? They're holding a photography contest! Visit the Contest Page for the details like the rules and how to enter.

Here are some easy photo pointers to remember:

• Watch for things in the background. You don't want a telephone pole sticking out of somebody's head in their picture. Or a flower arrangement growing out of their ear. Look before you snap the photo and adjust where you are standing as needed for a clear picture.
  
• My Dad taught me to frame my pictures. If you're looking through a grove of trees use two tree trunks on either side of the picture to frame it in, maybe a branch on the top - what are you framing? Maybe a house, a mountain, your friend an interesting window. Be creative. Look for lines in the landscape, buildings, your surroundings to use as frames.
  
• Look for lines and patterns that draw you back toward the point of interest in the picture. Like the line between the grass and dirt of a flower bed bringing you toward a flower. The curve of a sidewalk, road or stairway curving into a photo rather than away from it. Someone's head tilted so they're leaning in toward the center of the photo.
  
• The rule of 3rds. Some cameras have a "tic tac toe" grid on them. Why? This is to help you organize your photo as you're taking it. Try and line things up on the grid. Try to capture a point of interest where the lines intersect. For example: Someone's eyes, the center of a flower, the land below a rainbow and where it begins to curve up could follow an intersection. I will try to post some examples.
• Horizon's... play with dividing up land, sky and whatever's in between look for a pattern in what you're working with.
• Digital cameras let you try more than one time to get the best photo. If you have something you really want a good photo of try 4-5 photos of the same thing then pick the best and toss the rest.
  

Good Luck (let me know how you do!)

Suzanne

Back to School!

As you sharpen your pencils for the new school year, don't forget to make a note or two about what back-to-school is like for you. Fill a couple of lines in your journal with the details...

• Did your new shoes give you blisters?
• Did you have classes with any of your friends?
• Was school lunch actually kind of good?
• What is your favorite subject?
  

Even if you just think of your "happy's" and "sads" for the day that's enough to write about.

Suz

Chalk Art Miller Style

Here's some very cool chalk art from the Miller's in Idaho! Very creative! Very cute! Looks like you had a good time! Thanks for sending in the photos! - Suz
(edit 8/20: the first 3 images were created by Lauren then there's Libby's submarine and Ivy's snail in the grass with flowers.)

Journaling: Summer Vacation

It's been a while since I've issued a journaling "throw down" but I thought it would be fun to kind of kick things up a bit. Here it is:

Jot down an entry in your journal about your summer trip(s) and outings. Even if you just answer the following questions you'll have captured the cool.

1. Where did you go? (art museum, state park, camping, etc.)
2. Describe what your trip was like (show it through your words - paint the details)
   
3. Who went with you?
4. When did you go?
   
5. What was the best part?
6. What was the worst part?

If you have a photo or ticket stubs throw them in your journal too (there are no rules against it, just tape them in and you're set)

Feel free to share one of your outings as a comment!

Here's something I did this summer...

1. Farmers Market, Salt Lake City, Utah
2. The Farmers Market feels like a carnival. Cross the city street, enter Pioneer Park and you are immersed in people, tented mini-stores of all sorts, fresh vegetables, music and dogs of all kinds on leashes. Everybody seems to have taken a collective breath of relief leaving everyday life in a different place. Music floats in the air wherever you are, from blues on the guitar to a kid playing the flute. There are $6 mini-back massages, breakfast vendors (our favorite is the strawberry lemonade and crepe vendor) and tons of things to see like hand crafted jewelry, soaps, pottery, garden art, pressed flowers, fresh vegetables, etc.
3. Emily
4. Saturday, August 9th, 2008 (Eric dropped us off and went to work)
5. The best part of the morning spent at the Farmer's Market? Taking our time and not rushing anywhere, just getting to explore and see everything at our own pace, feeling the sunshine, smelling the good things cooking, and seeing the hand crafted art and the dogs hanging out all over the place.
6. We learned the hard way that we'd leave the scooters in the car the next time we go.

I bet you have more than one summer outing to capture! Whether it's an afternoon running through the sprinklers, a dip at the local pool or a vacation. I think it's important to remember what was good about it, for you!

Suz

Falling Stars

If you like star gazing don't miss the Perseid meteor shower. Em and I went out around 12:30 ish and watched the sky for about 30-45 minutes. Even though there was a lot of "light pollution" from the city we still caught about 10 shooting stars from our back porch.

- Suz

Mona Lisa and Mickey

Drawings outside our house, on the 4th of July by Em and her friend Kiani.

It's a Bit Chalky

Feeling Creative? Share it with the sidewalk! We saw a very cool Chalk Festival in downtown Salt Lake City, sponsored by the Utah Foster Care Foundation. We were down there around 7a.m. and the artists were already out working to avoid the heat. Try having your own mini-chalk fest:

• Get permission before you take over the sidewalk with your masterpieces!
  
• Pick a day and time to invite your friends (check the weather, and ask everybody to bring their own chalk, water and sunscreen)
• Ask your parents if they'll provide popsicles, frozen treats, or a meal.
  
• Gather as much chalk as you can so you can have different shades to choose from. (if everybody shares you'll all have more colors to choose from.)
• Save your knees! Use an old towel folded up under your legs so you don't get sore knees.
• Select one of your favorite pictures you'd like to re-create. Maybe from a birthday card, or a favorite movie character, enjoy the freedom of picking whatever. *or just make up your own as you go!
• Work from the top to the bottom so you don't smudge your picture.
• Early morning or evening won't be so hot (i.e. when you can't fry an egg on the surface you're drawing on)
• If you work on this during the day, try using an umbrella for shade. Be sure to use a strong sunscreen!
• Keep water to drink nearby.
• The chalk should wash off the sidewalk when the chalk-fest is over with the rain, or garden hose, but first take some pictures!

I hope Em and I'll try this too! Send me a couple of pics of your chalk fest and I'll post a blog about this at the end of August! Have fun and, stay well-hydrated!


Suz

Summer Reading 2008

The library opens up before you like a magic carpet - it's just waiting for you, especially during the summer when you have a few extra minutes. It's pretty neat to walk for a while in someone else's shoes.

At our house, Emily just read (and is rereading) the Twilight vampire series. I'm working on Tarzan of the Apes, and re-reading The Two Towers.
What are you reading? (Comment to respond)