Bird and Little Bird

Alphabet Glue Summer Sale!

I realized today, while wandering around the post office lobby with a small bowl of chocolate chip ice cream in one hand and a couple of nearly belated birthday cards ready for mailing in the other, that this is the time of year when I normally do the Alphabet Glue Summer Sale.

It isn't that I forgot, per se. I've just been a little bit busy! So, let's get on with it, shall we? Enter "summer" at checkout for 25% off between now and next Friday evening. And hey, while you're at it, tell a friend! Everybody needs a few new book recommendations for summer library going, that much I'm sure of.

Alphabet Glue: This Year's Summer Science Special is Here!

Good Monday morning, folks! It is shaping up to be a busy one around here, but I did want to pop in and let you know that the 2013 Summer Science Special is officially available! Those that enjoyed last year's science themed mini-issue should find plenty to love in the new special as well, especially if you and yours are looking to add a little bit of extra science to your summertime routine.

As many of you already know, this last month has been a really hectic time at our house, so I didn't even attempt to pull off the publication of this issue on my own. Instead, I asked my crafty and clever friend Dawn for help in creating the Science Special, and I am ever so glad that I did. She was great fun to work with, and additionally, she was gracious enough not to express any sentiments of shock or horror when she got the behind the scenes view on how this little magazine actually comes together (and the timeline on which it happens).

All this is to say: hop on over to the Alphabet Glue site to learn all about the new Summer Science Special, and to download a copy for yourself. Like last year, it is available for only $2.50, and is filled with enough great kid science to last at least a handful of summer afternoons.

Enjoy!

Yarn Along (Picking it Up).

I should begin by saying a thank you to everyone who left encouraging commentary last week on the idea of redoing the bind-off on my crewneck sweater. Weirdly enough, the box containing that sweater hasn't surfaced in the unpacking process just yet, but when it does, I think I will indeed summon my courage and fix it right up. Or at least try.

In the meantime, I continue to work along the bottom edge of my Tea Leaves at a preternaturally slow pace. I'm close, actually, to binding off the bottom of this sweater as well, but I keep making the mistake of doing late evening knitting. After a full day of dog chasing and baby wrangling and house organizing, late evening knitting is the ultimate recipe for disaster. So, my biggest accomplishment for this week thus far? Learning how to pick up dropped stitches in garter.

In my defense, I must say that I have not historically been a stitch dropper. But something about the hem of this project has been causing me to drop stitches like crazy and then not realize it for eight or so rows. I had tried on a couple of previous stitch dropping occasions to dutifully pick up my dropped stitches, but really struggled with the garter, and kept making things so much worse that it ended up being better to frog back to the end of the body section of the sweater. But then, yesterday morning, I finally figured it out. The process is a little persnickety, and I wouldn't suggest doing it for row and rows and rows exactly, but it is definitely better than frogging a dozen rows of sweater width stitching. Goodness.

So, I may not have figured out where to keep anyone's shoes, or managed to unpack any of the boxes piled up in Mariam's room. But I did get something done. That is the official party line anyway.

Yarning along with Ginny today.  Oh, and speaking of Ginny, check out her post from yesterday to download a free project PDF from the latest issue of Alphabet Glue, and to find a coupon code good for 20% off all this week. Good stuff for summer!

Budgies and Birdseed.

Towards the end of last week, as the pile of boxes appeared to be magically multiplying itself everytime that I turned my back on them, we decided that we very much needed to do the one thing that made good sense: ditch the entire operation for a few hours and go to the zoo. I have complicated feelings about zoos, if we are being honest, but I also think that sometimes there is nothing in the world that will make you happier than feeding a parakeet with birdseed stuck to a popsicle stick.

Additionally, the word "budgerigar" is remarkably difficult to pronounce properly. Go ahead, try it.

 

This guy, on the other hand, has no complex relationship with the idea of animals in captivity. He knows exactly what he thinks and what he thinks is that it is the most amazing idea. This was his first zoo experience, and when he caught on to what was actually happening there, he very nearly lost his ability to function. He just stood with his feet firmly planted in place, waving his arms and yelling at tree kangaroos with an unbridled joy so intense I thought he might fall over. It was something to see. Total strangers shook their heads with laughter and said things like "Wow. He is excited!"

 

Oh, and did you know that you can do more than feed parakeets with leftover popsicle sticks? True story. You can also make harmonicas out of them. The baby is somewhat less impressed by this trick than the bird thing, though.

Alphabet Glue: Volume Thirteen

Believe me when I say that no one is more surprised than I am to hear the news that in spite of all the packing and the sorting and the moving across various state lines and then unpacking and sorting some more, there is a new issue of Alphabet Glue ready. Right this minute. Indeed, in the midst of all the madness (and I can assure you, it really was madness), I put the finishing touches on Volume Thirteen of Alphabet Glue. It probably helped that I started working on it the very day that I launched Volume Twelve. And after I finished this newest installment, I proceeded to engage in all sorts of internet wizardry to make sure that it could launch itself this morning, even if I found myself without internet, or coffee, or shoes. Or all of the above.

 

Volume Thirteen is simple summer fun at its finest. Cool kid science activities, fun printables, four fantastic new themed booklists, basic bookmaking projects for storytellers and naturalists alike. Good, good stuff. And from freezer-free ice cream to handmade insect encyclopedias, you can find it all right here.

Which, of course, I hope that you will do.

 

On Friday Morning: Some Sparkle (and a Sale).

Oh, Friday! I am happy to see you.

Before I get distracted by rambling about boxes and packing tape and what to do with rainboots that don't fit anymore, I should mention that I have a fun post up on the Sparkle Stories blog this week. It is a really easy project created with Mother's Day in mind, and I think that if you are fans of Alphabet Glue at all, you will really like it. You can find it here. It is also the first in a series of weekly posts that I will be doing to accompany various Sparkle Stories, and I'll be sure to keep you all posted when the next project is up and ready to go. I'm so happy to be joining David and Lisabeth in their wonderful work over there!

 

In other news, we have obviously known for days and weeks and even months that our big move would be coming in no time at all. But, I still feel like it has snuck up on me just a bit. I don't know if it is because the weather has warmed and we would all rather be outside playing in the grass, throwing the frisbee, and blowing bubbles than packing, but somethng has shifted in the last few days and I think that we are all feeling like our time here in Vermont is running pretty short. Indeed, there is now talk of taking a first load of stuff down to the new house in Massachusetts as early as the middle of this month.  Which, if my calendar is to be believed, is not very many days away from now. Ack!

This is all to say that it is very much time to start hauling boxes up from the basement and filling them with books and muffin tins and the quilts off the couch. And the sorting through of small people clothes that may no longer fit is probably also going to need to happen. Mariam is wildly uncooperative in this department, so that ought to be good fun. The girl is not a fan of getting rid of anything that has potential to be useful; this much is true. I guess the upside of this personality quirk is that she can also construct pretty much anything out of cardboard if given enough tape. 

I have decided that having an Alphabet Glue sale is probably an excellent way to create a false sense of downsizing for the big move. Granted, the magazine files are digital, so I'm not really getting rid of anything at all. But I will feel like I am, and that will be awesome. So I think we should go for it. And, I think we should make it kind of a big sale. So, 25% off all issues of Glue through May 15th by entering "may25" at checkout.

There. I feel better already.

Thoughts on Plan B (and a Free Activity from Volume Twelve).

So. Not a lot is happening at our house this afternoon. Mariam is at school. The pets are napping in their usual preferred locations. We have all kind of gone quiet while we check the news and try to make decisions about what to do next. The idea was to drive down to Cambridge to look for a house this weekend. We were planning to be there by this evening. That plan obviously doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now. So, Plan B. Not sure what that is yet, just working on letting go of my anxiousness around the fact that it is even necessary. What a world this one is sometimes.

In happier news, there is an activity from Volume Twelve of Alphabet Glue available as a free download on Ginny's blog right now. It is the "wave in a bottle" activity, and it is easy kid science at its best. Try it. You'll like it. Oh, and it comes with a sea-centric book recommendation list, which is pretty fun as well. So this weekend you can go get a stack of books about pirates and sailboats and ocean waves and remember that the world is actually vast, beautiful, and facsinating. And really, pretty wonderful too.

Hey there, Friday!

People! Friday is here, and that means one very imporant thing: this week has been nearly survived. Insert loud exhaling noise here.

Between the stuffy noses and the crying because teething is miserable and the househunting from afar and the tax refund check that is maybe lost in the mail? Well. What is that saying about just keeping your thoughts to your very own self unless they are nice ones? Right. But I did feel that I should explain myself if I was going to post a picture of my kid digging wax out of a candle holder with a coffee spoon. Which I found that I had to do because, basically, it was the only photo I took all week long. And really, it is kind of his favorite thing to do. If we are being honest.

But there are other bits of news worth sharing, too. I've been working behind the scenes on a handful of little projects and posts for other people's internet homes, and coincidentally, they all seemed to appear in their finished form around the same time this week. Here they are, in the event that you want to take a peek.

 

- I am pleased to announce that the first Sparkle Stories ebook has made its way into the world, and that I have teamed up with the ever wonderful David and Lisabeth to provide easy, practical (and yes, fun!) games and crafts to include in their books as they release them. This first book is full of some of our family's favorite Sparkle: a collection of stories from the Junkyard Tales series. You can find the book on Amazon here.

 

- There is a new post up at Playful Learning today. I think that it will be of particular interest to any of you fellow bird nerds out there because I made you some printable birder's notecards. So go print them already!

- There is an Alphabet Glue giveaway going on over at The Crafty Crow through Saturday evening. You can enter to win copies of the two newest issues of Glue, and there is a 20% discount code there, too- enter "crafty" at checkout through Sunday evening.

- I know that I mentiond it earlier in the week, but the red paper canoes tutorial on The Crafty Crow can be found here.

 

- And lastly, there are just a couple of days left to purchase the Learning Through Play ebook bundle. The kids' gardening resources that are included are fantastic, and are worth the price of the bundle just on their own. Also, it is about 28 degrees here today, so reading through those ideas on gardening with the small people is basically like getting a really cheap therapy session. Totally recommend it.

Learning Through Play: Super Book Bundle for Spring!

So, as of right about now, the incredibly fantastic "Learning Through Play" spring book bundle is officially available. Organized by Melitsa of Raising Playful Tots and Cathy of NurtureStore, the bundle is available between now and April 14th. Melitsa and Cathy have put together a package of e-books and resources worth more than $130, from sixteen different authors. It is all based around the theme of "learning through play," which is kind of the perfect idea as we head into warmer weather and longer days.  The bundle includes books, resources, and an online course, and covers sensory play, outdoor play, art and crafts, positive parenting, learning to read and write, math and lots more. There is tons of great inspiration to keep busy and get creative with your kiddos all spring and summer long.

How to buy and download the bundle

The book bundle has officially gone on its way. But not to worry! The individual authors of the books included in the bundle all have their very own webpages and blogs where you can find their contributions. To track down any of the included ebooks that you were particularly hopeful about getting your hands on, simply click through to the author's site below.

The Garden Classroom by Cathy James of NurtureStore:

The Garden Classroom brings you fifty-two creative and playful outdoor activities, giving you a whole year’s worth of garden-based projects to enjoy with your children. Value $9.99  

ScienceArts by MaryAnn Kohl of Process Art & Treasures of Childhood:

ScienceArts inspires children to explore the world of science through art with open-ended experiments. 141 pages of art experiments amaze & delight children as they discover the magic of crystals, light, constellations, plants and more. All scientific reactions and concepts explained. Value $9.99

The Playful Family by Shawn Fink of Awesomely Awake:

The Playful Family encourages and challenges busy parents to slow down and spend quality time together with their children, regardless of their age. With nearly 100 ways to connect, engage and play together this easy-to-read e-book is a must-have resource for any parent interested in becoming more playful and happy while raising children. Value $4.99  

Connecting Family through Creative Play e-Workshop by Gina Kimmel of Connecting Family & Seoul and Katherine Lockett of Creative Playhouse:

Connecting Family through Creative Play is a 30 day e-Workshop designed for families who wish to connect with their children on a daily basis through simple, creative play. These ideas are perfect for parents looking to find a balance between the everyday responsibilities and connecting with your child in meaningful ways that fit into your family’s daily rhythm. You will receive daily messages from us in your inbox with inspirations to play, ideas for connection, and resources to help spark your imagination, including access to a private Facebook community. {Please note this course is running April 29th 2013 to May 28th 2013 only and you must register on the course before May 15th 2013} Value $25  

Alphabet Glue: Volumes Nine through Eleven by Annie Riechmann of Bird and Little Bird (Hey! I know her!):

Alphabet Glue is a downloadable e-magazine for families who love books, and aims to help more families to incorporate creativity, imagination and all things literary into their everyday routines. Each issue contains leveled book recommendations organized by theme, bookmaking tutorials, story-building activities, and hands-on projects that complement favorite titles in children's literature or teach basic elements of science. Value $11  

Alphabet Summer Learning Pack by Erin Wing of Small Types:

The Alphabet Summer Learning Pack is a collection of flexible summer learning ideas organized around an "A to Z" theme. Use these resources to prevent the dreaded "summer slide" and build fun learning routines into your summer plans. Ideas are simple and flexible, so families can pick and choose the activities that work for their particular child and schedule. They provide opportunities to practice key literacy and math skills, and they leave plenty of time for lemonade stands and sand castles. Value $7  

Pink and Green Mama Crafts: Backyard FUN by MaryLea Harris of Pink and Green Mama:

Backyard FUN brings you 13 Art Lessons and Craftivities to create your own Backyard Fun Camp at home or in your classroom with step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and full color photos. The supplies for these fun and easy projects will come from your own art and craft stash, garage, hardware store, and recycling bin! Value $10  

Alphabet Crafts by Allison McDonald of No Time For Flash Cards:

Alphabet Crafts lets you create the alphabet from A-Z with fun crafts that promote more than just letter recognition. Kids will love making their own alphabet and forget that they are learning in the process. With 5 exclusive crafts never published on No Time For Flash Cards. Value $8  

Alphabet Games by Malia Hollowell of Playdough to Plato:

The Alphabet Mega Pack includes 12 hands-on games that teach children to recognize the names and sounds of letters - skills that are important for learning how to read. Each activity includes easy to follow parent instructions and helpful photos. The games are addictively fun for kids AND their families! Value $6

Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing that Creative Spark by Jillian Riley of A Mom with a Lesson Plan:

Raising a Creative Kid will help you raise a creative thinker by simply setting up a creative environment, using intentional language, and nurturing mistakes. This easy read is full tips and tricks that will help you transform your environment into a creativity growth center. Value $7.99

5 minute reading tricks for raising rockstar readers by Amy Mascott of teach mama:

Fifteen 5-minute reading tricks that cover everything from teaching names to what parents should say during read-alouds, from learning sight words to reading fluently. It’s about rolling out the red carpet for our rockstar readers. Now. Whomever you are, wherever you are, no matter how busy you are. Value $10  

Parenting with Positive Guidance: Building Discipline from the Inside Out by Amanda Morgan of Not Just Cute:

Parenting with Positive Guidance gives you the tools for understanding your child’s behavior and effectively teaching and guiding your child toward increased self-control while fostering a healthy parent-child relationship. 100+ pages of information you can start using today! Value $9  

Treasure Basket Play by Melitsa Avila of Raising Playful Tots:

Treasure Basket Play lets you learn step by step how to make your own natural sensory baby play activity with a Treasure Basket. Includes case studies and interview with a sensory play expert on using Treasure Baskets. Value $8.95  

Play Grow Learn Issue 2 by Christie Burnett of Childhood 101:

Issue 2 of Play Grow Learn is packed full of playful fun with 55 pages and over 100 activity ideas. Includes ideas for creating family stories with internationally acclaimed author Hazel Edwards, an exclusive full colour, printable sea themed bingo game, 12 pages of active and outdoor play ideas, recipes, art, literacy, creativity, construction, imaginative play, books and more! Value $4  

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games by Christine Lanyon of Scribble Doodle and Draw:

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games includes 15 fun learning center ideas. Skills worked on include, addition to 8, patterns, counting to 20, measurement, number sequencing, abc order, writing 3 letter words, rhyming, syllables, compound words and more. Value $8

Kind of a ridiculous amount of good stuff, eh? Click on the magic button below and it will all be in your inbox pretty much immediately. Oh, and tell a friend!

Sneak Peek: Learning Through Play Spring Book Bundle!

Some of you might remember the ebook sale organized by Melitsa of Raising Playful Tots and Cathy of NurtureStore last fall. It was incredibly fun to be a small part of the whole affair; I had a chance to meet other writers, and to be a part of a really cool and innovative group of creative teachers, authors and parents. Cathy and Melitsa have now organized an even bigger book bundle for the spring season, and it will be availabe through the blogs of the individual participants beginning this coming Monday morning. The Spring Learning Through Play book bundle will be available April 8th to April 14th only, so you'll definitely want to pop back in next week and download your copy. I'm just having a chance to look through everything that is included myself, and I'm amazed at the amount of  great stuff inside. The interwebs are full of awesome folks if you just know where to find them!

Here is what Cathy has to say about the special:

Learning Through Play Spring Book Bundle

This special bundle of books is available for you to buy only between April 8th and April 14th. I’ve read the books (and written one of them!) and I’m so happy to recommend this offer to you. These ladies really know their stuff and the books and resources are packed full of fantastic creative and practical ideas that you can use with your children. There are sixteen different authors joining in, bringing you over $130 worth of resources. And, guess what – you can buy the lot for just $9.99! Read on to see all the items included in the spring special offer – and start looking forward to getting your copies!

The Garden Classroom by Cathy James of NurtureStore:

The Garden Classroom brings you fifty-two creative and playful outdoor activities, giving you a whole year’s worth of garden-based projects to enjoy with your children. Value $9.99

ScienceArts by MaryAnn Kohl of Process Art & Treasures of Childhood:

ScienceArts inspires children to explore the world of science through art with open-ended experiments. 141 pages of art experiments amaze & delight children as they discover the magic of crystals, light, constellations, plants and more. All scientific reactions and concepts explained. Value $9.99

The Playful Family by Shawn Fink of Awesomely Awake:

The Playful Family encourages and challenges busy parents to slow down and spend quality time together with their children, regardless of their age. With nearly 100 ways to connect, engage and play together this easy-to-read e-book is a must-have resource for any parent interested in becoming more playful and happy while raising children. Value $4.99

Connecting Family through Creative Play e-Workshop by Gina Kimmel of Connecting Family & Seoul and Katherine Lockett of Creative Playhouse:

Connecting Family through Creative Play is a 30 day e-Workshop designed for families who wish to connect with their children on a daily basis through simple, creative play. These ideas are perfect for parents looking to find a balance between the everyday responsibilities and connecting with your child in meaningful ways that fit into your family’s daily rhythm. You will receive daily messages from us in your inbox with inspirations to play, ideas for connection, and resources to help spark your imagination, including access to a private Facebook community. {Please note this course is running April 29th 2013 to May 28th 2013 only and you must register on the course before May 15th 2013} Value $25

Alphabet Glue: Volumes Nine through Eleven by Annie Riechmann of Bird and Little Bird:

Alphabet Glue is a downloadable e-magazine for families who love books, and aims to help more families to incorporate creativity, imagination and all things literary into their everyday routines. Each issue contains leveled book recommendations organized by theme, bookmaking tutorials, story-building activities, and hands-on projects that complement favorite titles in children's literature or teach basic elements of science. Value $11

Alphabet Summer Learning Pack by Erin Wing of Small Types:

The Alphabet Summer Learning Pack is a collection of flexible summer learning ideas organized around an "A to Z" theme. Use these resources to prevent the dreaded "summer slide" and build fun learning routines into your summer plans. Ideas are simple and flexible, so families can pick and choose the activities that work for their particular child and schedule. They provide opportunities to practice key literacy and math skills, and they leave plenty of time for lemonade stands and sand castles. Value $7

Pink and Green Mama Crafts: Backyard FUN by MaryLea Harris of Pink and Green Mama:

Backyard FUN brings you 13 Art Lessons and Craftivities to create your own Backyard Fun Camp at home or in your classroom with step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and full color photos. The supplies for these fun and easy projects will come from your own art and craft stash, garage, hardware store, and recycling bin! Value $10

Alphabet Crafts by Allison McDonald of No Time For Flash Cards:

Alphabet Crafts lets you create the alphabet from A-Z with fun crafts that promote more than just letter recognition. Kids will love making their own alphabet and forget that they are learning in the process. With 5 exclusive crafts never published on No Time For Flash Cards. Value $8

Alphabet Games by Malia Hollowell of Playdough to Plato:

The Alphabet Mega Pack includes 12 hands-on games that teach children to recognize the names and sounds of letters - skills that are important for learning how to read. Each activity includes easy to follow parent instructions and helpful photos. The games are addictively fun for kids AND their families! Value $6

Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing that Creative Spark by Jillian Riley of A Mom with a Lesson Plan:

Raising a Creative Kid will help you raise a creative thinker by simply setting up a creative environment, using intentional language, and nurturing mistakes. This easy read is full tips and tricks that will help you transform your environment into a creativity growth center. Value $7.99

5 minute reading tricks for raising rockstar readers by Amy Mascott of teach mama:

Fifteen 5-minute reading tricks that cover everything from teaching names to what parents should say during read-alouds, from learning sight words to reading fluently. It’s about rolling out the red carpet for our rockstar readers. Now. Whomever you are, wherever you are, no matter how busy you are. Value $10

Parenting with Positive Guidance: Building Discipline from the Inside Out by Amanda Morgan of Not Just Cute:

Parenting with Positive Guidance gives you the tools for understanding your child’s behavior and effectively teaching and guiding your child toward increased self-control while fostering a healthy parent-child relationship. 100+ pages of information you can start using today! Value $9

Treasure Basket Play by Melitsa Avila of Raising Playful Tots:

Treasure Basket Play lets you learn step by step how to make your own natural sensory baby play activity with a Treasure Basket. Includes case studies and interview with a sensory play expert on using Treasure Baskets. Value $8.95

Play Grow Learn Issue 2 by Christie Burnett of Childhood 101:

Issue 2 of Play Grow Learn is packed full of playful fun with 55 pages and over 100 activity ideas. Includes ideas for creating family stories with internationally acclaimed author Hazel Edwards, an exclusive full colour, printable sea themed bingo game, 12 pages of active and outdoor play ideas, recipes, art, literacy, creativity, construction, imaginative play, books and more! Value $4

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games by Christine Lanyon of Scribble Doodle and Draw:

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games includes 15 fun learning center ideas. Skills worked on include, addition to 8, patterns, counting to 20, measurement, number sequencing, abc order, writing 3 letter words, rhyming, syllables, compound words and more. Value $8