Family Ghosts!

Watch out! It's a family of ghosts! Keep your eye on Baby. She's sneaky!

Crafty Valentines

Sometimes I feel like crying when I have to do something hard. Like make 20 valentines for everyone in my class. Mommy helped me out for this. I picked out pretty pictures on the computer. I picked out the type of letters to use in the writing. She printed a bunch of them out on paper and cut them out. Then I decorated them with homemade heart stickers that Mommy cut out. I wrote all the names on the happy green origami envelopes (also made by Mommy--she's crazy). I put more stickers on the envelopes. Then I put all the cards in the envelopes. Now they are ready to pass out at school tomorrow!

I love science!

When I grow up, I want to be a scientist that draws. I practice a lot of art and science. A couple days ago Mommy and I did a sciencey-art project. We grew our own crystals! You don't plant it like a seed. But it does use water.

First, get some pipe cleaners. I used red, pink, and my favoritist blue! Criss-cross them over the middle and twist around to make a snowflake shape. Make a loop in one of the ends of the snowflake. Tie a wire through it. Wrap the wire around a pencil.

Heat up 3 cups of water to a temperature of very, very hot. I think it's 100000000 degrees. Pour it into a container. Put 9 tablespoons of Borax powder into the water. I love measuring cups and measuring spoons. I especially love to level stuff off by running a butter knife across the top. Fun! Where was I? Oh yeah, borax is what Mommy uses to clean things. She puts it everywhere... the laundry, the dishwasher, the hole in the sink that eats everything, the toilet... Maybe I should put it in my room and see if it will clean my room for me....

Stir very carefully ('cause the water might splash and burn you. Ouchie.) the borax until it just about disappears. Some falls to the bottom of the container. Then put the pipe cleaner snowflake in the water. Be sure that it's not touching the container at all. Then wait.



Waiting is hard. That's why I did the project right before bedtime. When I woke up, it was ready!


How do the crystals stick to the pipe cleaners?



They look like sparkly boxes. So pretty!

Valentine's Day

Sunday was Valentine's Day. I woke up to see a hanging paper heart with a lucky penny dangling down from the ceiling. Daddy made it for me. I love him.



Then I opened up a heart pop-up card that Mommy made me. I told her to make me a Valentine a few days before. Because I didn't know if she knew I wanted one.

Mommy made one of my favorite breakfastses. It's an apple pancake pie thing. So yummy! I set up my room for an indoor picnic. We only eat meals in my room on special days. Like my birthday. I made name cards so Mommy and Daddy would know where to sit.

Then we went on a hike with some of my school friends. We had lots of fun. The grownups could barely keep up with us. We walked two and a half miles! After that we ate ice cream and then went to a really neat playground made out of wood. Did you know that wood comes from trees? I just learned that.



Valentine's Day was also Lunar New Year. On the same day! Mommy cooked homemade potstickers that night. She wanted me to help, but I decided to say no thank you instead. They came out really yummy. They taste like the ones you buy at the store.

A great day for everyone! Especially me. I love my family.

Birthday paper fun

Mommy made me a beautiful birthday banner. It's so happy! I like the circles. I like the colors. I like that it spells out "Happy Birthday Yoshimi!" Mommy even used my favorite blue for the ribbon. She said we can hang it up every year for my birthday!

Here's my name up close.


I made the invitations that I gave to my friends for my sleepover birthday party last Saturday.


Mommy made birthday hats for me and my team (my two best friends). We wore them at the party!


Birthdays are so fun!

My new craft

Mommy taught me how to sew. This is my first project. I call it a Hanging Bear because it's flat. You have to hold it up and the bear hangs there. I only poked my finger once with the needle. I didn't cry because I'm very brave. And I didn't really poke the needle very hard. I'm giving my bear to my friend Z tomorrow.

Mommy made me a tiny pincushion out of a bottle cap. It looks like a mushroom. I picked out the fabric and let her use some of my red ribbon I had in my dress up box. I have pretty pins and my needle in my pincushion.



I love sewing because I can make neat things! I'm now working on a sheep.

I love you egg!

Tomorrow is Easter. It's a day when you play hide-and-seek with colored eggs. The eggs hide, and then you go and find them. I colored eggs today with my neighbor who is 2 years old. She liked it but seemed to enjoy trying to drink the colored water more. I liked squeezing the food coloring out of the bottles and mix up different colors. But my favorite part is pulling out the eggs after they have been sitting in the colored vinegar-water for a couple minutes. I'm always surprised how pretty they are! Do you think rainbow chickens would lay rainbow eggs?

I'm famous on Knol

Mommy and I made some step-by-step holiday craft guides on the computer. My wreath project is featured on Google's Knol homepage today! Check it out!


I also made a step by step guide using crayons. Fun!

Arts and crafts project - birthday style!

Today I helped make invitations for my upcoming birthday party. Mommy printed out the inside, boring part at her work.


I did the front cover of the card using Mommy's hand Gocco screen printer.

Here's my original drawing in black crayon. The drawing is a girl holding a balloon. She is next to a birthday cake. I wrote my name across the top. There is grass on the bottom. This picture is used to create the screen by using lights and magic.


I add lots of special paints in pretty colors to one side of the screen.

Then we put the card on the grey thingy.

I push the handle thingy down.

Then there's a great painting of my art!


Yay!

I make lots and lots of invitations:


Double Yay!