March 3-9, 2014 (Mardi Gras, Embroidery, Three Pigs, Saint Patrick's Day Swap)

All my kiddos know about Mardi Gras is what they have learned from The Princess and The Frog movie. I decided to change that a little when I noticed Mardi Gras was approaching. I gave them a brief history of New Orleans and the celebration of Mardi Gras, we drew a picture in our main lesson books, and then we made masks for our own personal celebration!

Sugar Bear and his main lesson book.

Rainbow Girl drawing a picture for the month of March.

After exploring sewing a few weeks ago with such success, we decided to give embroidery, following a drawn on pattern, a try this week. Sugar Bear was less than interested in a pattern, while Rainbow Girl loved it and requested four more smaller shamrocks be drawn on her fabric.

While they worked on sewing, I worked on finishing up these lovely Spring wall hangings for a swap. I think they turned out delightful!

My mom and I also finished up another big swap project this week. One of the groups I am part of is working on making sets for different fairy tales. The first story is The Three Little Pigs. 

There were five spots for pig sets, five spots for each of the different houses, and five spots for wolves and scenery sets. 

My mom very kindly cut out fifteen pigs for the swap and three pigs for us to keep. We worked on rounding them down and making them ready for play- and I was going to add eyes and more possible details but I just love how they turned out and decided to keep them this way. I also decided that they deserved a photoshoot before I mailed them on their merry way.

Then...after a very productive week...we were struck with a yucky stomach virus. (To be exact, a majority of the Daisy troop was struck with a stomach virus.) It was yucky and terrible and I am glad it did not last too long, but boy did it do a number on the kids and I. 

The day I was at my worst, I received a package full of gorgeous items from my swappy friends. This one in particular was for the Saint Patrick's Day swap. You may recall that I made dancing ribbons and window stars for this swap. 

I was so thankful to get that package- especially right then when I was down in the dumps. 

The following day, we were all feeling a little better and needed to get out of the house. We decided to take a trip to the mountains to enjoy a Maple Festival that we heard about. The festival was horribly overrated and more like a pork rinds festival (not very appealing to a vegan...) but I did manage to score some beautiful yarn for finger knitting and the scenery was gorgeous.