Quick and Easy Rewards Chart

I am pleased to announce that I am done with school for the semester! Only two classes left until I finally get my degree.

That being said, I apologize for the lack of posts on here lately. After school wrapped up for the year, I went a little craft mad. I currently have eight new projects to share with you. It's just a matter of getting the posts typed up. Without further ado, here is one of them.

Making a Quick and Easy Rewards Chart

I found a really cute idea for rewards on Pinterest that was designed for a classroom.The basic premise was to have a reward for the class, which would be earned over time. The students would earn letters, which they could affix to the chart to spell out the name of their reward. Check out the original post on An Educator's Life here.

Okay, so I don't have a full class. I have one almost first-grader and a three-year-old, but I loved the idea. Not wanting to spend any money on a rewards chart that might not work, I got out the paper and markers to make a super cheap version.

Materials (per chart)

• 1 12 x 18" sheet of paper
• 4 sheets lined paper (or graph or copy)
• 1 permanent marker
• glue stick
• colored markers

1. Brainstorm reward ideas. 

You'll need about 15-18 per chart. We came up with some pretty neat ideas.

Educational Outings: Science Museum, Art Museum, Children's Museum, Zoo,  Airplane Park, Nature Park, Botanical Gardens
Free But Fun: chair tent in the living room, playtime on the top bunk (which is still off-limits until the little one is a bit older), Rose Garden
Parties: tea party, painting party
Treats: favorite fast food, smoothie date, sushi dinner, apple pie, cheesecake
New Stuff: outfit, shoes, sketchbook, Matchbox Car, playdough, book, Playmobil toys
Just for Fun: summer movie program, movie date, carriage ride 

Wording is important here. The longer the name of the reward, the more effort it will take to earn. For example, if a trip to the zoo would be very cheap and easy for your family to accomplish, just spell out "zoo". If your zoo is expensive and/or difficult to get to, you might write "zoological park". I knew our oldest really wanted a couple of new movies, so I spelled out "Rise of the Guardians" and "Hotel Transylvania".

2. Make the rewards boxes.

Now, to write the rewards for the charts. I just did mine freehand since this was an experiment to see if the girls would respond well to this type of reward system. On lined paper, I drew square boxes and wrote the name of the reward with capital letters, one per box. To make life easier on myself, I used a black permanent marker for all of one girl's letters and a blue permanent marker for the other one.

You'll need two identical sets of letters, one for the reward chart and one to draw out of a bag. I made a second set by laying a blank sheet of paper on top of the first, tracing the same boxes, and writing in the same rewards. 

For the rewards I would be pasting on the chart, I let the kids decorate their own. (The second set needs to be either left plain white or colored differently enough to distinguish when the reward has been earned). The three-year-old used three markers in each hand and scribbled all over the papers. The six-year-old meticulously colored each of her rewards with a different color. After they were finished, I cut out the rewards in blocks of words and pasted them to the large piece of paper. I had the girls organize their charts by priority. What they wanted to earn first went at the top of the chart. Then I added some decorative flourishes.

3. Make the letters to be earned. 

To make the letters to be earned, I cut apart the second (uncolored) set of letters. Each letter should occupy its own square. With luck, the squares will be the same size as the ones on the chart. Discard any blank boxes, such as those between letters.

Note: this picture is of the six-year-old's letters, not the three-year-old's. They are written in black, not blue. It prevents any confusion if there happens to be a random letter on the floor.

4. As letters are earned, paste them on the chart. 

So let's say the three-year-old puts away her laundry. She gets to pull a letter from her baggie. Then she matches it up and glues it onto a matching letter on her chart. When she has earned all the letters in the word, she gets the reward. At first I thought this would only work with the six-year-old, but the three-year-old is surprising me with both her desire to earn letters and her ability to match the letters she earns with the words on the chart.

5. As rewards are redeemed, mark them off the chart. 

Our preferred method has been to write the date in large numbers and letters over the name of the reward (which I had not yet done at the time of the pictures on the left). That way, the kids see when they earned that reward and when I fulfilled my promise to give it to them. Although right now, the three-year-old has earned three rewards that I have not yet been able to do with her.

So there you have it. It's cheap and easy, but seems to be working well for us.

A Room for a Special Lady

I think I may have the best mother-in-law in the world, just so you know. Well, for a while now we have been making plans for her to come stay with us for an extended period of time. We bought bunk beds for the two girls and moved them into a room together. Then we bought a TV for our spare room. We moved in a dresser and a small bookshelf. But the room looked really bare, more like a sad corner to shove an unwanted guest rather than a tribute to the wonderful woman who raised my husband.

I spent a few weeks collecting pictures of inspiration items on Pinterest and Etsy. I decided the room should be turquoise and red, her two favorite colors. Also, it should have a very international feeling since my mother-in-law is from Colombia. When we lived in New Mexico, she visited and absolutely loved the colors and the climate. Finally, I wanted the room to have some birds in it as well.

Okay, a disclaimer. I LOVE Etsy. I have a shop on Etsy (which I would love for you to visit, please). But I don't have an Etsy Budget most of the time. So here is how I made a nice room on a modest budget.

Step 1: Curtains

Probably the easiest thing to change about a room. We had some pretty lavender gingham curtains in there before, but lavender gingham would not match the international red and turquoise theme I was going for. I found these adorable Retro Plaid Curtains on Etsy. But the $29 price tag with $12 shipping was a bit much for me. I bought some plain dark red ones from the base for only $8 instead. Not as cool, but $33 in savings.

Step 2: Bedding

Restored Vintage Quilt

Since the bed is usually the largest piece of furniture in the room, changing it will make a big difference. I am still looking for an awesome daybed frame in my budget, but for now I wanted to change the bedding. Finding the right bedding for the right price was harder than you might think.  For $43 (not including shipping) I could get this Scroll Comforter Bedding Set from Target, but I thought it might look a little cheap. Then I found this Esprit Spice Bedding Set on Overstock, but it was only available in queen size and it was $110. Of course if I was going all out, I could spring for the Azaba Duvet Set from Anthropologie, which would be $422. Okay, so not really an option. Then I turned to Etsy where I looked for a simple red quilt twin-size quilt. Certainly more character, but not really much cheaper. Check out this amazing Red and Aqua Quilt from Etsy, but with a price tag of $295 with $20 shipping, it was a bit out of my budget. Saying we went with a handmade quilt, a dark red sheet set from Overstock ($29), and a turquoise skirt from Bed, Bath, and Beyond ($30), the total would be $374.

Then I found on Etsy a vintage quilt in need of repair. It was only $40 with $10 shipping, right in my price range. It would need some major repair work, but that is the topic of another post. After six weeks of intensive care, the quilt was once again beautiful. Partnered with a sheet set from the base ($8) and a turquoise bed skirt from Tuesday Morning ($2.50), my grand total was $60.50.

Step 3: Throw Pillows

"Betsy" Pillow

The quilt by far was the longest part of this project, but I did take several trips to different stores in search of the perfect throw pillows for the bed. Again, that's the topic of another post, which I will try to publish soon. First, I saw this pillow and knew it was central to my theme: Betsy Pillow. What is $60 online was only $15
at Garden Ridge. Hooray!

Turquoise Pillow

Now for a turquoise pillow. I could pay $125 on Ebay for a pair of shams from their Rivulets Bedding Collection, but I only needed one turquoise pillow. A pillowcase we already had stood in for the second. I found a beautiful turquoise satin pillow for only $13 at Garden Ridge.

Three Pillows for $8

The remaining three pillows were inspired by this rug, this pillow, and this pillow (a cheaper alternative to third is this one, which is similar to mine and would cost $31 with shipping). Similar pillows to the first one go for about $26. The second pillow was $49, and the third $47.50. The second and third pillows do not include pillow inserts, which run $9 apiece at Hobby Lobby. Total for all three pillows: $140.50. My total? $8 for all three. Yep, you read that right. Not $8 apiece, $8 for all three. I'll tell you how I made them in another post.

Step 4: Canopy

Canopy

We've had a mosquito net canopy in that room since we moved in. Over time, we have adapted it to a toddler bed, a queen size bed, and now a twin bed. I wanted to change the look of the canopy, but that will have to wait until we actually have the bed in the room. For now, I made a new rod with a decorative flower to hold up the middle of the canopy and make it look a little cleaner. A new canopy would be $65, plus another $21 for a wrought iron curtain rod. Mine was free, with $5 in supplies for the new rod.

 

 

 

 

Step 5: Finishing Touches

I tend to obsess over the details, but sometimes that works out well. I raided the clearance section at Hobby Lobby and got some fantastic deals. First was the wrought iron bird rack on sale for $10 rather than $20.

Turquoise Mirror

Then there was a large turquoise mirror originally $90, but I got it for $18. Not bad, considering this inspiration piece from DENY Designs runs $299 and this tiny mirror would be $32.25 with shipping.

On Etsy, a white shabby chic chair will cost $60 with shipping. I found a white folding chair at IKEA for only $17. Toss in a comfy throw for only $18 from the base, and we are still way under budget. 

Antique Swedish Bird

I fell in love with this little bird from Colombia. Considering that it's only $19 with shipping, I may still snag it. However, I found an alternative from Sweden in a local antique store for only $4.

Turquoise Lamp

Finally, the lamp base we found at Dollar General for only $8. Compare that to this vintage cutie that runs $64 with shipping. I love vintage, but I love cheap, too. The lampshade was taken from a different lamp in the house, but a new one would be around $12.

 

 

 

Step 6: Work with What You Have

Cabaday

All of the artwork in the room was either painted by my husband or myself. The bookshelf and end table are part of an antique suite we bought in England. We just keep moving the pieces around the house to suit our needs.

The little chair pictured is my dad's rocking chair from when he was a child. The girls can now have a visit with Abuela in her room. 

Now, a word about Cabaday. Cabaday is the vintage horse you see in the photo. I've been told she was mine at some
point, but she's been passed through all the cousins and brought back to me. There really isn't any other place for Cabaday in our home, but fortunately she happens to be red and turquoise! I've seen similar horses range in price from $80 to over $400 (when some artist attacked one and "improved" it). If I had to purchase a horse like Cabaday, the closest one I found to her condition, size, and age was $250.

And Put it All Together

Sorry to send you all link diving today. Soon I'll be detailing some of the projects I did.

For now, here's the grand total. I'm not adding in the bed, dresser, bookshelf, or end table (which were all repurposed from another room or given to me).

Curtains

Inspiration: $41
Mine: $8
Savings: $33

Bedding:

Inspiration: $374
Mine: $60.50
Savings:  $313.50

Pillows:

Inspiration: $325.50
Mine: $36
Savings: $289.50

Canopy:

Inspiration: $86
Mine: $5
Savings: $81

Details:

Inspiration: $474
Mine: $75
Savings:  $399

 

Grand Total:

Inspiration: $1300.50

Mine:  $184.50
Savings: $1116.00

Next Steps

I'd really love to get Abuela an actual bed and some under bed storage. I'd also like to paint in there. But for now I think I'll let her get settled in and enjoy her new room.

Making a TARDIS Jewelry Box with Wood Panels

I haven't been posting lately because a.) I'm completely swamped with school and b.) all my craft time has been dedicated to a new custom order request. I'm pretty excited about this one and I'm sharing it with you today.

I apologize in advance, this is not a tutorial with the level of detail you might expect from my blog. Since I was trying out some new techniques, I decided to skip most of the step-by-step photos as they do take more time. Don't worry, though, I have learned a lot from this project and already have plans to ramp it up to the next level (more on that later).

TARDIS Jewelry Box with Wood Panels

Picking the Panel Materials

At first I thought I would be buying a thin sheet of balsa or other overlay wood and using a saw to meticulously cut the pieces down to size. Then I wandered over to the wood crafts section and discovered the myriad of precut wooden sticks available. Most are the same thickness. Check out the pics below for all the sizes.

And conveniently, the 2nd stick down in the top photo was the right width for the door panel crossbars. Voila!

Finding TARDIS Blue

Then it was on to picking the right TARDIS blue. I really loved the Americana True Blue I used for my other 2 TARDIS projects, but it didn't look right in pictures. I am thoroughly convinced TARDIS blue is the most difficult color to accurately photograph. I tried a couple of darker blues, but they looked too purple. Finally I decided to go back to True Blue and go for accuracy in person rather than in photos. When I walk in my friends' house, I can spot the TARDIS in the room almost immediately because the blue catches my eye. Next time (which I hope will be mine to keep), I want to try distressing the exterior like I did on the Distressed Gift Box.

Assembling the Panels

So here comes the tedious part. Basically, measure, cut, try it on the doors. Then get frustrated with the fit. Pry off half of what you put on. Cut new pieces. Accidentally crush a delicate window made of toothpicks. Re-glue tiny window. You get the idea. Spending hours fiddling with little pieces...and loving it (to quote Maxwell Smart).

Window and Door Assembly

The picture above shows the unpainted window mullions. To get them exactly right, I glued them directly onto the template I used for my cardstock panels. The assembly was very similar to the other two TARDIS projects which you can check out here or here.

Trim and Paint

If you look back to the various stick sizes photograph, you'll notice the longest sticks are pretty wide. In order to get the right length, I had to glue on extra and carefully trim it off. Then for some sanding and touch up painting (including the little narrow bits of the door panels). If you're wondering why there are white plastic toothpicks in the photo, I was thinking of using them for the window panels, but I couldn't get them to hold together and I fortunately found the wooden ones instead.

Interior

I didn't change much on the interior of this one from the other wooden one. In the photo below, the light bulb is jutting more in to the interior than it does in the final version.

Finishing Details

At this point, it was nearing completion and I was on a roll. So no pictures of the last few steps, sorry. I will tell you the drama of the light and casing, however. I had the auto bulb already, but had no idea how to adapt the casing from my previous TARDIS. On that one, I used a little bit of card stock to make a small box for it. For this one, I struggled for days trying to figure out how to replicate that one piece while making it sturdy enough to match the rest of the box. Then my sister came over to paint. She happened to have a mini canvas in her kit which I immediately seized. So that is what you see on the top of this TARDIS.

I also replaced the latch system. My other sister, who owns TARDIS 2, says the latch system on hers sticks and makes it hard to open. And by latch system, I mean a small piece of wood that holds the box shut with pressure. For this one, I upgraded the latch to a brass latch that matches the hinges. I also find some mini hooks which allowed me to put more hooks in the box (6 small rather than 2 large). With a box like this, some of the latch screws may poke in to the interior of the box. I used my trusty Dremel to file down the ends for safety and painted over them.

And without further ado, here it is! Okay, one more further ado. Remember my complaint about the color not photographing well? These pictures are all of the same box. That's what you get when you try to photograph something with a chameleon circuit, working or not.

The Door Panel

The Top

New Latch

The Back

The Interior

So What's Next?

Well, at the moment, house cleaning, home schooling, and completing my school projects. In terms of a TARDIS 4.0, doing one with a beacon that lights up, maybe adding the iconic sound when you open the door, installing glass in the windows and painting the back of the door panels like the back of the actual TARDIS doors, maybe making a plinth. Who knows? Coincidentally, all three of my TARDIS projects have been completed in April, so maybe by next April I'll have a TARDIS 4.0 tutorial up for you. Thanks for reading.

Backyard Visitors

One of the nice things about living near the edge of a large city and homeschooling is that we can pause our day to observe a rabbit for about half an hour and count it as science. Check out some of the critters who have visited us recently:

We found this poor little guy stuck in the chalk box. He was quite happy to crawl out and onto our fingers.

And here's our bunny friend. The cat spotted him first, but we didn't let him outside. The bunny happily hopped around the backyard munching on various weeds for quite some time. The girls thought it was amazing and were excited that he let me take his picture.

Shared on Friday's Nature Table- The Magic Onions