Winter Concert

Today the children had a piano concert at Dynamic Rhythms music school. Sorry the videos are not brilliant but have a look anyway.

Printed Fabric Bookmarks

This week's Summer of Colour challenge was lime green and Purple. R was keen to have another go at the sewing machine so we chose to make fabric bookmarks. First we decorated the fabric using a Gelli plate print.

It gets really messy so make sure you have everything ready before you begin.

• A Gelli plate (or home made gelatine slab).
• Paint - we used acrylics but you could use fabric paint if you want to wash the item
• Rollers (brayers).
• Fabric - we used white cotton.
• Items to make marks with or to use as masks. We used cotton buds, bubble wrap, bits of net and fabric, buttons, card shapes, a paint scraper, paper flowers. Anything!
• A brush to slap the paint on and water to clean it.
• A washing up bowl and lots of baby wipes.
• A place to put the prints down - you'll make quite a few. 

First you need to roll your lightest colour all over the Gelli plate, don't put too much.

Make marks in the paint and/or mask some areas off.

Place the fabric over the paint and either smooth with your hands or a roller.

Pull the fabric off and you have your print. Let it dry a bit and then do another colour over the top.

Next we got sewing on top of the dry prints. You can sew randomly or try to follow some of the patterns in the print. Try all sorts of straight and machine stitches. 

Once they are all decorated stick 2 prints back to back (right sides showing) using Bondaweb fusible webbing. Then cut them into bookmarks using scissors, a rotary cutter or pinking shears. Sew either around close to the edge (if you cut a zig-zag edge), or sew right over the edge (for the straight ones). If you have an eyelet setter you can insert and eyelet and a ribbon. 

Bookmarks side 1 by R

Bookmarks side 2 by R

Bookmarks side 1 by L

Bookmarks side 2 by L

Bookmarks side 1 by Mum

Bookmarks side 2 by Mum

As you can see below, lots of reading happens in this house so the bookmarks will get lots of use.

Colourful Portrait Photography

Today our art session was based on photography. The children dressed up and took some colourful portraits of each other and of Mum and Dad. Here are some of the photographs we took.

Colours of India

Today we went along to the National Maritime Museum in Sydney for their "Colours of India" family fun day. The museum is currently displaying "East of India"; an exhibition about trade between India and Australia. Today they had lots of fun activities on. We got to see Indian dancing and had a go ourselves. We heard Indian drumming, and listened to Indian stories and folk tales. The children also had their hands painted with henna and made some Indian inspired crafts. We just about had time to visit the exhibition too.

Treasure Maps

This term we are working on a unit study about maps from Intellego Unit Studies. One of our first activities was to make a treasure map. We discussed what the map would need; such as a grid, scale, key and symbols, and what it would show; such as physical features, roads and buildings. We used tea bags to colour our scrunched maps to make them look old.

Desert By R

Monkey Island By L

Nan Tien Temple

Today we joined some friends for an amazing excursion to Nan Tien Buddhist Temple. Our guide was fantastic and we learnt all about the temple, its buildings, shrines, saints and stories. Our tour include a Tai Chi lesson and a delicious, authentic, Chinese, vegetarian lunch.

Tai Chi lesson

Tai Chi lesson

L rings the huge bell

Incense pot