Easy Dinosaur Fossil Casts

Oh! This project is supereasypeasy and lots of fun. Visit That Artist Woman for a lovely, photo-detailed tutorial.

Science-Sassy Matchy Music: Fossil I mp3, by a very bjorkish-sounding Sky Larkin (via Hits In The Car.)

"...Between the layers of earth we sit, two small creatures caught in grit, we saw sky, we will again, when moved by glacier or hand of man..."

Dog-Friendly Toothbrushing Techniques

Just like with us humans, doggy dental work can be shockingly expensive, which is all the more reason to make sure your pup gets used to getting her teeth brushed while she's still youngish. The trick to making this a calm, fun, and well-received ritual really all lies in the introduction.

Unfortunately, many well-intentioned pet parents approach toothbrushing in a way that's actually quite terrifying for the dog. It goes something along the lines of this: 1) Chase dog, 2)Grab dog, 3)Hold dog down, 4)Shove toothbrush in dog's face, 5)Force dog's mouth open, 6)Struggle while dog flinches and squirms. This is not fun (not fun for the human, and not fun for the dog, either!) Can you imagine if you were chased, grabbed, held down, approached with some freaky object, and had your mouth pried open? That's some scary stuff!

Happily, toothbrushing doesn't have to be a struggle. I like to introduce toothbrushing in baby-steps. In the beginning, it's as simple as putting a blob of dog toothpaste on your fingertip and letting your puppy lick it off while you praise. Find a toothpaste your dog thinks is yummy (they come in lots of flavors like beef, chicken, peanut butter, etc.) Stick with the simple licking once a day for a few days, or even weeks, depending on your dog's temperament. Once your dog is comfy with the routine, start to gently touch the teeth and gums a little. Remember, there should be absolutely no forcing, holding down, and whatnot. Keep things really casual and easy breezy. Work your way up to gentle circular massage movements for a minute or two. This daily practice on it's own will be a great help in preventative care, but if you want to, you can gradually work your way up to using a small washcloth or a little dog finger brush (you can buy them at pet supply shops, and they look like nubby, rubber finger puppets.) Lastly (if you want to), you can baby-step your way into using an actual dog toothbrush (also available at pet supply shops.)

Daily (or even just weekly) at-home toothbrushing can help cut back the amount of times your dog will need to get professional vet cleanings, and it can help you avoid more costly surgical dental work, too. My very favorite perk is actually behavioral: if your dog is used to being touched kindly in the mouth every day, it helps to build a bond of trust between you and your pet. A dog who is familiar with having her mouth touched also finds vet and groomer visits much less stressful. Such dogs are less likely to snap at curious, face-poking kidlets, too. It's a win-win-win-win situation!

Recycle-Savvy Rain Sticks

Kidlets love sound-making rain sticks, and these are brilliantly simple to make (& ecohappy, too!) They're made from old cardboard wrapping paper tubes! Take a peek at the ever-adorable FlipFlops and Applesauce for directions, tips, and tricks.

Kid-Friendly Matchy Music: Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head mp3, (cover version) by Shonen Knife (via cover freak.)

BUSTED! For Flowers!

So yesterday I got pulled over by a cop for the first time. Want to know why? Speeding?... No. Ran a red light? ...No. Rolling stop at stop sign? ...Don't be absurd.

Quote: "I pulled you over because of your lei. It's a windshield obstruction."

Yes, I was... Busted! For flowers!

The officer was referring to the (apparently illegal) scented lei I BOUGHT AT THE CARWASH which hangs (um, excuse me, used to hang...) from my rear-view mirror. And. He actually gave me a ticket.

I've learned a hard life lesson: flowers and driving don't mix.

I dream of a day when the children of tomorrow can live safely in a world free of dangerously pretty car accessories...

Gravity

Matchy Music: Gravity Rides Everything mp3, Lenka's (Modest Mouse) Cover (via I Hope Your Ears Bleed.)

Butterfly Bits

Did you know that butterflies have delicate wings that are covered with supertiny, fish-flake like scales? These tiny scales can be easily injured. When a butterfly injures her wings, it's more difficult to fly from flower to flower for yummy nectar. This is why I recommend a "Use your eyes, not your fingers" approach to fluttery friend interaction.

At some point you may come across a dead butterfly (she will likely be found on her side, on the ground, very stiff and dry.) Dead butterflies are ideal for close-up investigating. But even if all the butterflies you encounter are still alive, you can always collect memories, by using a camera, or by drawing the butterflies you see together.

I was HORRIFIED last week when I stumbled across a newish kids-and-nature-themed typepad blog. It had a really disturbing butterfly stretching board post. They recommended an especially scary parent/child project: KILL JARS. I'm not kidding. There was even a handy kill jar tutorial link, with cheerful little tips about how to effectively kill various other insect species, too (the pros and cons of drowning, etc.) Maybe I'm just a total wimp-naturalist, but I have a problem with encouraging children to kill things ...("hey kiddo, grab your sweater and handy KILL JAR... let's go outside and find things to kill!"...)

Some very young children do initially want to squish bugs (this can be part of a normal developmental stage: they're practicing motor skills, learning cause and effect, realizing that they can make things happen...)

As nature-loving grownups we can:
1) Set clear rules ("In our family/class, we don't squish bugs.")
2) Discuss why you don't squish bugs (a great book is Hey Little Ant.) In your family/class, if you do squish some bugs, but not others, discuss your reasons behind that, too.
3) Redirect the behavior towards something else ("Let's look for yellow flowers.")
4) Give squish-sensory-inclined little kids opportunities for more appropriate squishy activities (like play dough, flubber, finger painting, helping break down recyclables for the recycle bin, etc.)

Matchy Music: I Box Up All The Butterflies mp3, by The Boy Least Likely To (via indiepaws.)

*For more gorgeous butterfly photos like those shown here, please visit SoCalButterflies.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Yummies

This is such a fun, bright, colorful book! It's been a favorite of kidlets for generations now. And The Masked Mommy has come up with an adorable snacky tie-in: a muffin tin meal with "caterpillar munched" finger foods. Look how she made clever little caterpillar holes! Visit her site for all the creative details :)

Looking for more tie-ins? Take a peek at the author Eric Carl's site, which is filled with all sorts of fun teacher resources, activity ideas, and worksheets (most are especially suited for kinders.)

Other fun things to try:

* Create a fuzzy clothespin caterpillar craft (from Skip to My Lou)

* ...Or a classic egg carton caterpillar (from dltk kids)
* ...Or a fingerprint critter (from kiddio.)
* Decorate some wearable wings (from Oriental Trading Co.)

* Whip up some easy coffee filter butterfly art.

* Sip nectar through a straw (the way a butterfly uses her proboscis.)

* Design a shrinky dink story bracelet (like this one, from Serendipity.)

Yay for caterpillars, yay for butterflies, yay for snacks!

Matchy Music: Caterpillar Playground mp3, by Nurses (via mbv music.)

Happy Memorial Day!

Matchy Music:
Love Vigilantes mp3, Laura Cantrell's (New Order) cover (via FuelFriends)

Me and the Major mp3, Dream Bitches' (Belle And Sebastian) cover (via Both Sides of the Mouth.)

More Funny, Furry Friends

...and...

Matchy Music: How Deep is Your Love? mp3, The Bird And The Bee's (BeeGees) Cover, (via World in a Paper Cup.)

Pure Imagination

This is one of my very favorite songs of all time, from one of my very favorite movies of all time, based on one of my very favorite books of all time. I love Gene Wilder's gentle, hopeful-yet-slightly-melancholy take on the lyrics (he totally gets it!)




Pure Imagination

"Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination
We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in the world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy explanation
If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There's nothing
To it
There is no
Life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there you'll be free
If you truly wish to be..."

Beautiful Bangle Bracelets

How cute is this crafty idea from I Never Grew Up?... They're little-people-sized bangle bracelets made from cardboard tubes & modge-podged tissue paper scraps (visit the site for a lovely, photo-detailed tutorial.) This is a wonderful open-ended-artsy activity, and it's also planet-friendly, great for building motor skills, and well... the bracelets are just plain puuuurty, too :)

Funny, Furry Friends

Take a peek at these adorable oddball buddies...




Matchy Music: Like A Dog mp3, by Annie & The Beekeepers (via Ryan's Smashing Life. )

Kid-Friendly Photosynthesis

"Photowhhhat?"

Kid-Friendly Matchy Music: Photosynthesis mp3, by The Hot Toddies, (via strangerdance.)

Moth's Wings

The IO Moth has spooky eye-shaped spots on her wings that scare away predators ...



The Poplar Hawk Moth has wings that look like leaves to help him hide.

The Hornet Moth is just a harmless moth... but he looks dangerous (a great example of mimicry.)

*For more cool bizarre moth species info (and gorgeous photos just like these) visit the awesome neatorama site.

Kidlet Moths VS Butterflies Fun Facts:

Most moths have a chunkier, fuzzier body than butterflies.

Most moths have feathery antenna, while most butterflies have dots at the tips.

Most moths usually prefer being out at night, while most butterflies like daytime.

Matchy Music: Moth's Wings mp3, by Passion Pit (via Whale in A Cubicle.)

Big Jumps

Cane Toads can grow to be quite portly fellows. They're native to South & Central America, but are currently overrunning Australia in creepy numbers. Silly Australians introduced the Cane toads to Queensland in the 1930s in a well-intentioned effort to cut down on their beetle population. The toads have since spread out all across the country, and now there are an estimated 200 million toads!

Australian scientists have discovered that these freaky critters often travel about a mile's distance overnight, as if on some sort of quest. However, because toads aren’t traditionally built for long distance movement, many of them have begun to get arthritis of the spine!

Oh! The toad drama!



Identification Photo via NSW.gov

Matchy Music: Big Jumps mp3, by Emiliana Torrini (via Carl Sandburg Visits.)

Cabin Song Sunday

Matchy Music: Cabin Song mp3, by T. Nile (via The Late Greats)

Grown-up Giggles

Oh this is funny (but, please note, NOT for kidlet ears...there's a couple of pottymouthish words towards the end part...)

Crafty Cat Hammocks

Who doesn't love a hammock? Supervolunteer Irene Sheehy knows how to whip up comfy, cozy, cat-sized ones using old pillowcases... purrfect for cuddlesome naps. They're pretty easy to make (and I love the planet-friendly reusing of the pillowcases idea!) Olderish kiddos (girl scouts, church groups, etc.) could easily stitch some up and gift them to cat shelters (I'm thinking ferrets would lovelovelove these hammocks, too...) Click here for all the dets and an adorable photo gallery of happy, hammock-lounging felines :)

Free Adorable EcoArt Wallpaper

Take a peek at the cutest planet-friendly wallpaper ever (the kind for you computers, not the wall kind.) It's free for the downloading at Jinjerup (and there's several other really adorable designs to pick from, too.)

Besides sharing her supercool wallpaper, Jinjerup also has a really darling (and free!) tree-shaped notepad tutorial (& template) @ Folding Trees. Gotta love that Jinjerup!

Pretty Frozen Place

Antarctica mp3, by The Weepies (via Carl Sandburg Visits.)

Wings and Things

I just love these floaty, breezy, bird & butterfly hanging adornments from Martha Stewart. How perfect for girly, springtime parties and showers...

Matchy Music:

Butterfly mp3, by Pamela Martin (via The Blue Walrus.)

There Are Birds mp3, by the Ruby Suns (via la underground.)

Surprise Street Musicals

These street art music projects are awesome.

The Food Court Musical ca-raacks me up! With lyrics like "Boy, my left foot sure is sore!" how can you resist? I can't decide what's funnier, the musical itself, or the faces of the innocent, bewildered bystanders...





The Sound of Music Project @ Central Station Antwerp (Belgium) isn't really funny, it's just somehow...sweet and magical. Over 200 dancers got together to pull this one off (wow!) This is exactly what the planet needs... grandiose acts of joyful wackiness... I wish I was there...

Happy Mother's Day

Matchy Music: Love Song For My Mom mp3, by Moby (via Indie Paws.)

Lovin' in the Oven

Celebrating a superspecial day? Whether it's Mother's Day, Valentine's, a Birthday, or an Anniversary, ...why not shower your very favorite loved-one with edible, yummy hearts like these Martha Stewart pancakes (just shape the batter heartsy-shape-style, or grab your kitchen scissors...)
...or use a fancyshmancy shape cutter (or cookie cutter, or even your own impressive knife skills) to transform normal foods into happy, heart-shaped french toast, sandwiches, brownies, rice krispy treats...

...or fruit & veggie nibbles (like these from cumberfest...)

...or shape dough & bake up cutesy heart pizza, pretzels, or crescent rolls...

Yumtastic!

* Reminder for Pet Parents: Please remember that many human foods contain ingredients that can be tough on a pup's tummy. If you're looking for a special way to treat your dog, there are lots of great cookbooks these days with appropriate recipes made especially for canines :)

Upcoming Puppy Classes

I'm teaching another round of group puppy training classes at PETCO in Long Beach (off of 2nd Street and PCH.) Group classes are a great way to help socialize your dogs in a healthy, safe environment (and many private-taught clients sign up for these group classes for this specific purpose.) These classes may also be repeated (which is a fun way for your dog to brush up on his or her skills.) Curriculum is positive-reinforcement based, and includes basic commands such as sit-stay, down-stay, etc. The new Saturday morning class for Puppies will begin Saturday, November 14, 2009 @ 10:00am. Register directly through PETCO (just go up to a cashier and ask how to sign up.) Space is limited, and there must also be at least 3 students enrolled ahead of time in order for a class to go forward... so early registration is recommended. Hope to see you there!

NEW! Canine Good Citizen Class

This particular six-week course was designed specifically to help dogs prep to take the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test.

"What is the Canine Good Citizen Test?"

The CGC Test was designed by the AKC. It tests a dog's behavior in distracting environments, in an attempt to identify exceptional dogs who are truly well-mannered and polite. Dogs who pass the test have both obedience ability and a congenial temperament. These dogs earn a special AKC certificate. This certificate is often used as part of canine qualification requirements for volunteer work (visiting hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) The certificate can also be used as documentation of your dog's demeanor (for instance, rots and pit bulls are often judged based only on breed, so earning this certificate can be quite helpful in putting others at ease. It can also prove useful in potential lawsuit situations.)

"How Does the Class Work?"

Each week in our class, we'll go over one portion of the CGC test. The test does not require that dogs do superfancy tricks (no playing dead, rolling over, or jump-flip-combos.) It simply requires that basic commands (like sit-stay) are solid, and that dogs can maintain these commands in very specific real-life scenarios (while greeting strangers, being groomed, etc.) It may be simple, but... it's not easy! We'll be practicing the scenarios that are found on the test, this way both dogs and owners will know what to expect if they choose to go on to take the actual exam. After our six-week class ends, dogs and owners should be able to better identify which areas to work on and improve, if needed. All dogs can benefit from this role-playing practice, regardless of if they wind up taking the test or not, and dogs are welcome to repeat the course multiple times.

"When is the Next Class?"

The CGC class is scheduled to start at the PETCO in Long Beach (off of 2nd Street and PCH) Saturday, November 14, 2009 @ 9am.

If you and your dog are interested, please enroll at one of the store registers before the start date. Class size is limited for this course, so early registration is recommended. Hope to see you there! Please note that this specific advanced class is open to dogs who have completed puppy and/or basic training only.

Last-Second, Kid-Crafty Mother's Day Gifts

It's no secret that most girlygirls love getting a heartfelt, handmade somethingorother. Wondering what you & the kidlets can make using materials you already have at home? Try whipping up some of these supersimple gifties (perfect for Mother's Day, Grandparent's Day, Birthdays, Unbirthdays...)

Fingerprint Fairy Flower Jars, from Amanda Formaro @ Kaboose (toddler tip: have those wetwipes ready!)

Pretty Painted Pots, from That Artist Woman, and Gussied-up Picture Frames, from Plum Pudding (go extra-gussy by gluing on buttons, shells, etc.)

Easy Peasy Bead Coasters, from Ramblings of A Crazy Woman (be sure to supervise those tiny fingers & curious mouths...)





Family Photostrip Bookmarks, from Marie @ Make and Takes.



other awesome ideas:
*Certificates of Time and Love, from Martha Stewart (use her free printable template, then decorate with markers, crayons, stickers, stamps, & whatnot.)
*Baby Sock Drawer Sachet, from Wondertime (an especially sentimental sweetie for Grammies.)

*Tiny Teacup Votives, from Zakka Life.

*Big, Bold, Model Magic Bead Necklaces, from Four Crazy Kings (Oh how I love that Model Magic stuff!)

Cuddly, Cozy Canine Moms Count, Too

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and it seems like some of us were really, truly... born to be moms. Jasmine, the lovely rescue greyhound pictured here, works as a surrogate mom at the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary. As of last year, she's volunteered herself as an adoptive mommy 50 times over, not just to pups, but to fox, bunnies, birds, and even deer! She's never been trained to take care of these orphaned, abandoned, and often-ill little ones, it simply seems to be her natural calling. Click here for Jasmine's entire story, complete with all the supersweet, smile-inducing details.

Senior Weiner

Happy Birthday to Chanel Shaughnessy, the world's oldest dog. Today this spunky dachshund turned 21 (that's 147 in people years!) Wowzer!

Jury Doody

Enough Said...

Mother's Day Naturey Books

Kidlets just love hearing about baby animals, and who can blame them (baby animals are quite possibly the cutest things on the planet!) These are two of my very favorite "moms & babies" nature-themed books:

Safe, Warm, and Snug, by Stephen Swinburne. I mean, the title alone is adorable enough, right? You'll love the cozy illustrations, too, of various mommy (and daddy) animals protecting their babies, each in their own, unique ways (snakes coiling around their eggs, kangaroos with joey-filled pouches, etc.) Besides snakes & roos, kids learn about bats, sloths, fish, toads, insects, and seahorses, and some of their wonderful adaptations. Fun (and educational!) A sweet, sweet book.

Owl Babies, by Marin Waddell. Another truly sweet, sweet book, with really lovely illustrations. This one's about a family of owls (three babies and a mom.) While Momma Owl goes out to fetch some food, the babies get nervous ("I want my Mommy!" is the refrain, here.) In addition to being a great introduction to owlish topics (What are nests? What do owls eat for food? What does "nocturnal" mean?) this book is a great starting-off point for discussing how families are different (there's no mention of a daddy owl in this book.) I especially like to use this book at the start of the school year, when some kidlets are feeling apprehensive about being away from Mom for the first time (Momma Owl comes back at the end, and the kids make that connection.) After reading the book, and without prompting, the "older, wiser" 5-year-olds always, without fail, comfort the younger ones by sharing their feelings with anecdotal stories along the lines of "when I was little" (heehee) "I was so scared whenever my mom would leave me, but she always comes back, and now I don't get scared at all!" Reassurance from peers speaks louder than anything grownups come up with. This book is great on many levels :)

May Day Heys

It's May Day! Why not get the kidlets together and conspire to surprise someone with an unexpected, little bouquet of flowers & a happy hello? Imagine your loved-one finding flowers on their porch, doorknob, or desk... how very sweet! Tie your blossoms up with ribbon and slip them in a paper cone, recycled can, mason jar, or basket. Skip to My Lou even has pretty card & cone templates for sharing (shown here.)

...here's one more (from Celtic Lady, made with a simple paper cup, yarn & pipe cleaner...)


...and another from Old Fashioned Living using a napkin-lined thrifted basket...

...now go spoil your friends, moms, neighbors, pastors, coworkers, teachers, trainers (ahem...) Traditions like these are so very sweet, and make childhood especially special... Yay For May!