The rule I stipulated with my kids is that the card is the boss. In other words, if they are so bored with all the toys they have and cannot possibly be bothered to find their own entertainment and must resort to the Boredom Jar, then no matter which card they pull out, they have to do that activity. This served two purposes: 1.) when thinking of activities to write on the cards, the kids actually tried to be creative and choose things they’d like to do and 2.) it stems the, “I don’t like that activity, I’m still bored!” routine.

The activities my kids chose?

• read
• ride bikes
• sew
• play outside
• walk the dog
• work on training the dog
• make a movie (I let them use my Flip camera and my computer)
• write a book (you have no idea how my heart flutters to know that my children love to write!)
• play with Imaginext/K’nex/Lego
• plan a meal (including grocery list, making the meal, and serving the meal)
• draw (my son has developed his own comic series–he blows me away)
• knit (my daughter loves to knit and, once I explained how it makes your hands strong for video gaming, my son was on board too)
• pool (obviously I have to take them, but hey, I love the pool)

So far this summer we’ve done a few of these, but for the most part, my kids are entertaining themselves. I think they like to have the jar available to them just in case, though. I’ve caught them fiddling with it a time or two.

Another thing you’ll notice about this list: it’s populated with things that are, for the most part, free. Yes, the pool costs money, but we join every year. Yes, if they plan a meal I have to spend money on groceries, but I’d do that anyway and this way they’re helping and practicing a skill. The benefit outweighs the bit of money.

Primrose School offers these other inexpensive ideas to help jump-start your kids’ creativity this summer and bust those boredom blues:

1. Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer. Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life.
2. Art Treasure Chest: Gather basic art supplies (child-safe scissors, glue, markers, tape, and construction paper) and put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines, and bits of aluminum foil. Occasionally add a special surprise like chalk, stickers, or stamp pads so there’s always something new for the children to find. Even if you normally have these supplies around the house, it‘s fun for children to know that the Art Treasure Chest is just for them. They’ll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.
3. Family Performances: Break out old clothes or costumes and encourage children to make up characters and create a play to act out.  They are the directors, actors, and producers.  They can also make musical instruments out of pots/pans, wooden spoons, empty canisters and have a parade; or everyone can play along to your family’s favorite songs. Record or video the performances, and enjoy the replay.  You’ll also be capturing a bit of family history everyone will enjoy for years to come.
4. Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures–from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house: some chairs, cushions, blankets…and of course adult supervision.
5. Summer Scrapbook: All you need for this project is a spiral notebook. Encourage everyone in the family to draw pictures of favorite activities and collect mementos from special events throughout the summer.   Children love to go back through scrapbooks and albums and tell about what happened at each occasion.  They will also be building their storytelling skills at the same time.
6. Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den, or at the park and listen.  What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.
7. Camping Out: Pretend to camp out in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack, and set up a campsite. You might even decide to spend the night!
8. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. Invite friends or neighbors to join in the fun to make it a competition.

“It’s important to keep children’s minds active during the summer, but it doesn’t take an expensive activity or big vacation to capture their attention,” said Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose. “After all, imagination is free . . . Keeping children engaged with open-ended activities that stretch their imaginations during the summer months helps them develop their independence, creativity, and thinking. We want to help parents keep the ‘brain drain’ at bay while their children play.”

You can find Dr. Zurn’s monthly tips online at DrZandMe.com.

No trip to Target would be complete without spending 20 minutes in the Dollar Spot so I decided to get that out of the way first. And? I found the cutest placemats (they were $2.50, btw, so what were they doing in the DOLLAR Spot?). I had been thinking of making some placemat purses and decided these were just the ticket.

When I returned home I quickly found Scribbit’s placemat purse tutorial, found some ribbon and some handles I had and got to work. If I weren’t so OCD about the alignment of the ribbon holding the handles, the whole thing would have taken about 30 minutes, I think. Perhaps less.

Here is my finished product:

The total cost for the purse was about $8 (placemat $2.50 + handles $5 + ribbon $.50). I’ll be keeping an eye out for inexpensive handles from now on. These purses are fun to make and they look great.

I’ll post the winner on Monday. Cross your fingers!

But now I have a few minutes and I’ll post my give away. It’s a flowerdy, pink tote bag with a green lining and green handles. It’s bigger than a purse, but perfect for toting stuff around in (thus, the name: tote bag). Yes, I made it myself just for you.

And I am holding a drawing for this bag on Friday. You want a chance to win it? Well, then, leave me ONE comment on this post some time this week. I’ll hold a random drawing on Friday. If you leave more than one comment, I’ll have to delete it, and then I’ll be annoyed. So just one, OK? Thanks. Air kiss. Love ya. Mean it.

Oh, and good luck!

First, she’s hosting a little (who am I kidding? Does anything she hosts turn out little? I think not.) bloggy give away carnival starting on Monday. I’m going to play, so if you want a chance to win one of my tote bags, come back on Monday and leave comments. Don’t forget to play along yourself and offer up your own give away. Winners will be drawn on Friday, July 26.

Then, Shannon came up with five questions for the interview meme (which I’ve already done). I couldn’t resist answering them.

1. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Well, iced tea for a drink. For food, though? I just don’t think I could limit myself. If I had to or they were going to release large spiders on my body, I would pick popcorn, I guess. But only in the scenario with the spiders.
2. What’s the most nerve-racking "close call" you’ve ever had? Well, I thought I was going to marry the guy I dated long-term before I met Husband. I’d say that was a close call.
   
3. Name five features your ultimate dream house would have.

• Matt Damon (as Jason Borne), Hugh Jackman, or any other eye candy for this job.
• Sound-proof sewing/craft room so I could disappear completely and not hear the wails of my family as they try to claw their way to me. This one would be fine.
• A wrap-around porch so I can hide from my family and read in a nice rocking chair while sipping iced tea. As the family tries to find me, I can just keep moving. It’ll be like hide-and-seek around a tree. Fun for everyone and the kids get exercise.
• An infinity bathtub and a lock on the bathroom door.
• A three-car garage so Husband would have a place for the muscle car he’s always wanted. Yeah, I’m throwin’ him a bone.

4. Who has been the most influential non-relative in your life? Actually, I am lucky enough to have had two influential non-relatives in my life: RmB and Emily. I owe much of my writing development to RmB (too bad I’ve been losing it slowly since I graduated) and much of my surly smart-aleckness to Emily.
5. What one non-physical feature would you most like to change about yourself? I would like to be the benevolent ruler of the blogosphere. You will all hail Chili and don the glasses. And you will like it.

In answer to a question several of you had: I have thought about selling my bags, but didn’t know if there was anyone who’d actually buy them. I think I may have the courage to make a few and try out etsy or just sell them here. It will be a few weeks, though, as I’m on vacation right now and then I have some family business to attend to before I get back to sewing. I’ll let you all know when they’re up and ready!

In answer to the second most popular question: The pattern I used is a Kwik Sew pattern (don’t know the exact number right now as I’m in Iowa and the pattern is in Oklahoma). I like the Kwik Sew patterns because they are made of a sturdier typing paper instead of flimsy tissue paper. These patterns also have very easy-to-follow directions with pictures. Because I used an actual pattern, I’m not comfortable with giving out the instructions (copyrights and all). When I return to Oklahoma, I’ll find the pattern number for you. MmmmmmK?

Thanks again for all of your encouraging words. You have no idea how thrilling it was to read your comments!

(NOTE: You can click on all photos for larger views.)

The inside is funky, just like Aunt M.

I also made this tote for my step-mom.

The inside is swirly and a nice compliment to the flowers with swirly middles.

Look at the wunnerful things I bought, though! (I’m still getting used to my camera and not using flash–long story for another day–so please forgive the blurriness.)

Above you see the stack-o-stash. That’s what $40 of sale fabric looks like, folks. Next to it you see what will be several bags. The large pieces of fabric are the outside of the bags, the smaller fabric sticking out will be the liner. Aren’t they beautiful?!?

Above you see close-ups of some of the fabric. That yellow fabric is not my style, but I bet somebody will love it. It’s so happy and citrus-y!

Above are two bags I’m currently working on. They just need their handles and they’ll be done! Beside them is more fabric I bought tonight, but I didn’t look for liners are handle fabric. Some of them (like the pink) will be liners for other bags when I find the right fabric.

What prompted this splurge? Well, I’ll tell ya. Jo-Ann’s is having a sale like none I’ve seen before (but, then, I don’t always pay attention because I’m like that). We are talking 50% off the lowest clearance price, people. That fabric you see? Most of it was $1/yard or $1.50/yd. Mmmmmhmmmm. That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout.

I’ll post pictures of the bags as I finish them!

You’d never know it to look at me, but I have a high standard of production for myself. I need to have things produced juuuussst right or I have a conniption fit. This doesn’t usually hold true for my evaluation of others, but when I evaluate myself I am my worst critic.

This is a problem because with the knitted bags I actually ended up tearing them out and starting over. Oh yes. I did.

With the sewn tote bags I didn’t have to rip too many seams, but figuring out how to line them without directions was a bear for me and I didn’t like the way one of the bags turned out and promptly went back to the fabric store and re-bought the same fabric so I could re-make the bag correctly. However, I used an iron that was too hot and melted the fabric as I was pressing a crease.

I quit after that. I said I was a perfectionist, not stupid. Why keep knocking my head against the wall?

Here are the fruits of my labor.

Last month I worked on felting four purses:

The first one turned out a) too big, b) too ugly, and c) too misshapen to use.

The second one turned out to be felted fine, shaped fine, but I just didn’t like it. I’m done making those purses. Bleh.

The third one turned out great! I thought it wasn’t going to felt correctly because of the yarns I chose to use together (realizing it, of course, after I’d made the darn thing), but it turned out great! Now I just need to sew on the strap and she’s ready to go! I’m currently knitting a green version of this purse. It’s looking great!

The fourth purse just wasn’t big enough. I knitted and knitted and knitted and after I felted it, it was a teeny little thing. I think I’ll use it as scrap material to make some catnip toys from this book.

Wild Thing was bored the other day and looking for some excitement. As you can see from the pictures I asked her to add some dazzle to the bags with her beading machine. I was hoping for a little more bling, but I guess she was going for subtle. Who knew?

This month I moved on to sewing bags. I haven’t been able to make as many as I would like because I’m swamped with, you know, life and stuff, but I plan to sew some more soon.

I made the for the kids’ teachers. This week is Teacher Appreciation week. The one on the left is for Wild Thing’s teacher and the one on the right is for Max’s teacher. We’re filling them with desk supplies for each teacher.

And they’re even lined!

I just love making these. Well, I’m off to help the kids make catnip toys for Oscar. Pictures to come!