Clock Tower Castle Play Mat Playscape

The clock is about to strike twelve.

I think that I look at a piece of fabric like a carved might look at a piece of wood. I think I have an idea and then...organically it becomes something more whimsical than I imagined.

That's what happened with this Clock Tower Castle Play Mat Playscape. I was thinking castle. Then, I found a vine curving. Then, I spied a clock medallion and it all seemed to come together.

I create best when I Have background noise going on. I like the hum of talking or music. Then, I just...create.

See all my playscapes in my etsy shop

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Are you thinking about the holidays yet?

Are you thinking about the holidays yet? I know it's 123 days away. But I think it's only 123 days away.

I have been stocking my etsy shop for the holidays. I am going to see and create and imagine.

Above is a sampling of my work.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

I believe in fairytales

I believe in fairytales. I believe in unicorns and fairies and elves. I believe in imagination. And I believe in childhood.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

The thing about childhood is...

The thing about childhood is...it is a very short window of time.

It may not feel like it some days. Those days that dinner burns and laundry is piling up and the kids are screaming. But it is true.

Parenthood is not easy. And day in and day out is hard. But at the same time, it is amazing and an adventure and the best and worst job at the same time.

New in my etsy shop is this whimsical hollow log playscape play mat. Purple trumpet flowers on their vine arch over the doorway. Two circular Windows greet guests and a veggie garden is behind the home. Imagine the play possibilities!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Unicorn Terrarium with a Twist

Check out this terrarium kit. Everything you need to make this whimsical small world terrarium is included in the kit. Everything! Unicorns, moss, twig, gems, glass jar. All you add is the imagination. :)

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

Over the weekend, I made this Pumpkin Patch Play Mat Playscape. My husband came home with these Schleich Charlie Brown figures and said, "You should put these on you pumpkin patch play mat." Ah, I love this man!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

BlackBerry Fairy House Hollow Log Playscape Play Mat

When I was a little girl, my house was surrounded by a forest. I spent many days, exploring the woods, looking for Smurfs and elves, and picking blackberries. Those are fond childhood memories.

Those memories from the blackberry patches of the rolling hills of Ohio are the inspiration for this newest playscape.

BlackBerry vines are climbing up the hollow log home. A whimsical garden grows just behind the log. A stone path meanders through the front yard pass teeny tiny mushrooms and up to the front arched door.

See all my playscapes in my playful shop at www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Terrarium Kits - creating enchanted small worlds

I think there's something magical about a terrarium. I have added several terrarium kits to my etsy shop.

Terrarriums can be used as a literacy, storytelling tool. They can be used to explore habitats for science.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Rainbow Hamster Imagination Kit

I was a preschool teacher for 12 years. I am now a nanny. I have two almost grown children. I am Auntie Mel to 6 nieces and nephews. I am an early childhood educator at heart.

I designed these imagination kits with early childhood development in mind. "Play is the highest form of research."-Albert Einstein

Play is how children learn, test theories, make observations.

Albert Einstein also said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Who are we to argue with Albert Einstein, right?

Each kit comes with movable parts. Maybe the cave is surrounded by trees. Maybe the garden is lakeside. Maybe the animals want to swim in the lake or take a nap in the cave or tend to their garden. The play possibilities are endless.

This Rainbow Hamster Imagination Kit is now in my etsy shop.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Play With Your Food - Garden Math

It's totally okay to play with your food.

Today, Roo, age 2, is doing Garden Math. "I count. I count." play! At her own request, we decided to count cherry tomatoes from Daddy's backyard garden.  We counted 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7!

Then, we did some one to one correspondence. I got tiny bowls ( enough for each tomato). I have simple instructions. "Please put one tomato in each bowl." I modeled for her what I wanted. Them, she did it on her own, counting aloud.

Math is easy. Just use whatever you have on hand...even if your hand has to pick it from the garden first :)

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Imagination Kits Bear and Blue

NEW to my etsy shop are Imagination Kits.

This one is Bear and Blue. They are best friends. They explore the woods together, tend to their garden, swim in the lake, take long naps in their cave.

I designed these kits with imagination and play in mind. All the parts are movable. Maybe the cave will be lakeside. Maybe the cave is surrounded by trees.

All the items shown - Bear, Blue, Cave, lake, garden, mushrooms, play mat, trees, fish, moss rock, twigs included.

This kit was in my shop only 5 hours before it was snatched up. I will add another soon.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Panda and Tiger Terrarium

Talk about cuteness overload - panda and Tiger are wild about this new terrarium kit in my etsy shop. Everything you need to make this whimsical small world is included.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Faries and Pumpkins

Kiddos come up with crazy play combiinations all the time. A dinosaur in a dollhouse. Princess is friends with a bear. What about Tinkerbell in the Pumpkin Patch? Why not? Anything goes in the imagination!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Purple Princess Terrarium Kit

It has been a whirlwind kind of weekend. I have not stopped. Go. Go. Go. Today, at 7:41, I realized that I hadn't stopped to eat. Oops. Dinner was a bowl of cereal. :) ha! Being an adult.

I have been listing like a crazy lady, stocking up my etsy shop for the holidays. This purple princess terrarium kit was just listed.

I have many more things to list AND I am working more hours this week and I Have the map themed bridal shower this weekend! Yikes. All fun stuff though and I am really looking forward to this week.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Happy Forest Trees

Seriously, I am in love with these trees! My friend Carol and I collaborated on them. They are going to be part of some upcoming projects for my etsy shop. I couldn't resist sharing a picture of these. I mean, cuteness overload. They would be perfect accessories to a play mat or in the block area or...the play possibilities are endless.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Making Fairytales Tangible

One day, when I have some free time (I couldn't even write with a straight face!), I am going to get my PhD in child development. My thesis will be that children retain more information if there is a tangible aspect to the learning.

In this terrarium kit in my etsy store, tangible and storytelling and imagination is what I had in mind. Make the story come alive, capture a piece of a fairytale in glass, capture a piece of childhood.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Fox Boho Necklace

Okay, I admit it. I have a problem. I do. I went to Joann today to pick up a couple things to finish a couple projects and...one thing lead to another.

I found these adorable ceramic Fox beads. Light bulb! Bono chic Fox Tassel necklace! If course, right?:)

No, Fox boho necklaces were not on my to do list today but...they are totally cute. I made one for myself!

I just listed this one in my etsy shop. I will be making more in different colors this week. I am stocking my shop for the holidays!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Pumpkin Patch Play Mat Playscape

Yes, it's been a whirlwind kind of day. I am adding lots of items to my etsy shop today - stocking it up for the upcoming holiday season.  But if you like something, don't wait. It may not be there. I make everything by hand and sometimes only have the supplies to make one of each item

Newly listed is this felt wool Pumpkin Patch Play Mat Playscape. Oh, the play possibilities on this one!

See more at www. mybigworld2015.etsy..com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Blue Gnome Terrarium Kit

New in my etsy shop this whimsical gnome terrarium kit. Everything you need to make it is included in the kit - moss, twig, gems, miss rock, gnome, deer, skunk.

Your kiddos can create magical little worlds to keep on their bedside table or playroom. Fun. Easy. DIY.

More terrarium kits coming soon.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Welcome to the Happy Forest!

Welcome to the Happy Forest!

Acorn and Mushroom have been best friends since Acorn fell out of his tree, rolled, and landed right next to Mushroom.

New in my etsy shop today this pair of hand painted wood best friends.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Etsy Love - Positive Reviews

It warms my heart to know that something I made with my own two hands is inspiring imagination all over the country.

See all my playscapes at www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Sneak peak

This tiny, ivy-covered castle is just one thing that I have on my list of things to complete this weekend. I have lots to share with you on Monday. Stay tuned And have a get weekend.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Such a gem

I think I am part magpie - I love shiny, sparkly things. My husband always rolls his eyes when I say this, but it's so true.

When I saw these gems at the craft store today, I just HAD to have them! I know exactly what I am going to do with them, too!

I have so many ideas, so little time. I said to my family, "Make no plans for me tomorrow. I HAVE to get stuff done!" they laugh, because they know me. I am planning a day in my craft room and may not come out till Monday!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Hello, Sweetpea

I adore these pea pods and have lots of ideas how I am going to use them in my upcoming projects. Stay tuned. And check out my etsy shop to see all my playscapes www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

A magical place

We have been visiting the Conservatory for 5 years - usually weekly but sometimes more often than that.

Every time we come, we have a new experience. It is just a magical place for us. The volunteers and employees have witnessed my nanny girls grow up and know us by name.

Maybe that's part of the magic...or maybe it's the miniature woodland train set. Whatever it is, we love it.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Bear & Blue coming soon to my etsy shop

I have been working on an idea (okay,not just one!) for a while. I am ready to reveal new items in etsy shop on Thursday!

Stay tuned

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

The Power of a Toy

Let me tell you a story about a very shy - very, very shy - 5 year old starting her first day of 5 day a week preschool today. She was anxious and excited but mostly anxious.

This morning, as she gathered up her backpack and shoes, she held onto Honey the Horse. Out of the 100s of horse (yes, she has that many!), Honey is her favorite.

Honey went on a family trip to California this spring and now to preschool. Honey, tucked carefully in her backpack, have her courage to face this new, unknown experience. Honey made her brave today.

The Power of a Toy.

We love Schleich animals - especially their horses - in this household. Today, one special horse gave this preschooler the courage to face the day and even ask a classmate to be her friend.

Thank you, Schleich, for being there today.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

(photo from Schleich website?

Frozen Fever & Disney Shorts out tomorrow

Disney is releasing a new DVD of shorts tomorrow August 1848th, including Frozen Fever! We are sooo excited. We will be at tomorrow when it opens!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Oh Deer Me counting with toddlers

Oh deer me!

I found these teeny tiny deer over the weekend and knew what I wanted to do with them, but Roo had other ideas! "I count. I count. One...two..."

Lesson learned. Toddlers will count anything - even craft supplies!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Martha Stewart does it again

Found this open concept dollhouse on Pinterest by Martha Stewart. I love the openness of it. You know that saying 'think outside the box'? Well, I think this is exactly what they meant.

When we are thinking gender neutral play, we want it to be as inviting as possible. Boys might shy away from the traditional dollhouse, but this...this could be a fireman's house or drape a cloth over and it could be a pirate's cave. The possibilities are unlimited. Thank you, Martha.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Sophie the Mouse

I started something about 6 weeks ago. I put little sister Roo down for her nap first, then Greta and I read a couple chapters of an early chapter book - a chapter book with a lot of illustrations to capture the attention of young readers. I read the book aloud and Greta listens intently. It's our time together - without little sister :)

Today is Greta's first day of preschool. I found Book 2 of Sophie the Mouse at the library over the weekend! I know she will be sooo excited.

I brought some other books for Roo, who is 2. But she saw the Sophie book and said, "Read this?" okay, I thought. I will read one chapter then she will grow bored.

Nope.

Snuggled in the porch swing, together we read and read and...I paused at the end of each chapter. Roo egged me on with big, hopeful eyes, saying, "Read more?"

We read ALL 119 pages! She listened to each page intently. Wow! Guess we will read some chapter books together while big sister is at preschool.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Don't Procrastinate

 I saw this inspirational message and thought, "Wow! Becky Higgins of Project Life is talking to me."

The thing is...I have been noodling around with an idea and need to just get to it! Hint: Near and Blue will be seeing you soon!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Terrariums for Kids

Okay, you gotta give it to Martha Stewart. Everything she does looks perfect. I mean, just look at this kid's terrarium that she did. This photo is from one of her kids magazine's that she used to put out every couple of months or so. Do you remember them? They were small - about the size of a tv guide.

I have something in common with Martha. Ready? My initials. M.S. Martha Stewart. Melanie Shanks. Also, we have a love of crafting in common. They used to call me the "Martha Stewart of the preschool" as I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to presentation.

I actually made a couple of these terrarium in my preschool classroom to show habitats. The kids loved them. Very educational. A real conversation starter.

It's back to school season. It's the only time of the year that I kinda miss being in the classroom - the setting it up, the arranging, New toys and lesson plans. The science center was my favorite center in my classroom. Science and preschool go hand in hand.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Trr Stump Playscape Play Mat

Welcome all gnomes and fairies, woodland animals and forest folk.

My newest playscape is a tree stump or hollow log for imaginative play.

I have to admit to you that both of my wrists are killing me over this one. It took over 7 hours to hand stitch this play mat. ALL hand-stitched.

It is now in my etsy shop
see.mybigworld2015.etsy..com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Hedgehog Party

Yesterday, G threw me a hedgehog themed birthday party. Simple but it still had all the elements of a good birthday party. Invites. Check. Decorations. Check. Festive paperware. Check. Goodie bags. Check.  I simply cut leaves out of felt and scattered them around a wood slice. A blue mason jar of flowers and 3 hedgehogs from Safari ltd completed the look.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

It's my Birthday Week

It's my birthday week!

To celebrate, everything in my etsy shop is FREE shipping!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Play

I found this tonight on Pinterest and loved the colors and the message.

Play is the engine...the engine. Think of an engine, lots of moving parts, lots of things happening at the same time - just like the brain.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Horse Birthday Party cupcakes

To carry out a theme, it can be very easy. Our combined 2 &5 year olds party was horse themed. To make the cupcakes, we simply added Safari ltd horses to the cupcake tops. Easy. Not expensive. But it so cute!
Have a fun and playful day
Mel