Fairy Log House Playscape

 This one might just be my favorite Playscape to date.

 I was dreaming up a new castle play mat when I saw this brown felt rolled like a log. An idea sparked.

This wool felt playscape is a landscape of play possibilities. 12 inches around, the hollow log house is all hand-stitched. Ivy is climbing up the side with shades of purple trumpet flowers blossoming. A stone path leads to the front entry. Mushrooms sprout up in the grass. A small vegetable garden is tucked away behind the hollow log house. It's whimsical.

See it at www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Baby Food Jar Terrariums

 Remember this hint from yesterday?  No, there will not be a new baby in our house.  We are making mini terrariums with baby food jars!

 It's sooo easy.  Layer pebbles then potting soil then plants.  I used a plant called "baby's tears" available everywhere.  I went to my local nursery and they had tons of it.

 Now, comes the fun part.  Add in any small animal, rocks, gems, fake mushrooms, etc.  Use your imagination or "borrow" some of my ideas.  I used these teeny tiny mushrooms that I found at Micheal's Craft Store - a bundle was $2.99.  The deer is a button from Dress It Up buttons. You can find them at Hobby Lobby, JoAnn, or at shellysbuttonsandmore.com

 The rabbit above is from a Safari Ltd Toob.  Very woodland, right?  AND just in time for Easter.

 The blue butterfly is from Safari Ltd as well - it's in a "good luck" pack found at Michael's.  They also have dragons and unicorns and animals - very tiny not recommended for kids under 3. :)

 I call her Cinderella, but she is a princess button from Dress It Up.  There are 3 princesses in that pack - purple, yellow, and blue for $2.00

This bear is also a button - how cute are these??? - from Dress It Up.  I cannot get over the cuteness level of their buttons!

The fun thing about terrariums is...1) they are easy to make, 2) kids will enjoy making them, 3) it's creative and imaginative, 4) if you can out the animal or button, it's a whole new scene!  I love creating terrariums, because you don't need much of a green thumb to keep them alive.  They cost very little to make.  And it's like you are creating this tiny new world.  Plus, it's science.  It's nature.  It's fun...and kinda messy, too.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Rainbow Forest Done (for now!)

Well, it looks like the Rainbow Forest project is done for now.  There is a proud look of accomplishment on her little face and a smile that speaks volumes.  All her little animals aka "the animals of the world" are in place and settling into their new home.

I took photos in sections, so you can see the amount of animals that live in this Rainbow Forest.  "They are happy and all get along.  The trees are very branchy and give them shade and make them cozy."

"They monkey just has to stay in that tree.  He loves it so.  Oh, hello my pretty deer, come see me.  I will put you in a special place.  You and Bear are friends."

"I think maybe my horses will come for a visit, but they won't stay.  They live in the barn.  It's cozy for them.  Maybe one or two horses will live here."

I am not sure if this project is complete or not.  But, for now, it is sitting in a prime area on the buffet, where it is easy to access by G when she needs to rearrange the trees, but out of reach of little sister Roo.  Location, location, location. 

to be continued...?

Have a fun and playful day.
Mel

Once Upon A Time in a Rainbow Forest

"Once upon a time, there was a Rainbow Forest.  It was a cozy play, where lots of animals live.  I wish I could live there too.  It's sooo cozy..."

"...lot's of animals live in the Rainbow Forest and make it their home.  There's deers and hedgehogs and skunks and a whooole lotta birds..."

"...sometimes a baby dragon is in the Rainbow Forest and needs someone to take care of him.  He is a tiny baby dragon..."

"...the fairies take care of baby dragons and alllll the animals.  They are good at taking care of animals.  If I was lost there, they would take care of me.  No bad people are in the Rainbow Forest.  If bad people did come, the fairies would hide everyone..."

"...foxes are in the Rainbow Forest too.  They are onry sometimes and play tricks on the other animals.  Look, there are owls, too!"

"...we can take care of hedgehogs and deers just like the fairies, but first we have to catch them.  Where is there a forest here?  I do want to find a Rainbow Forest big enough for me to stay in.  I think they eat and drink and sleep and play alllll day in the Rainbow Forest.  It's a happy place and cozy, too..."

"...lots of birds live in the trees but one lives on the ground.  The red bird is flying.  I can fly too.  Watch me..." (running about with arms flapping)

"...the fairies take care of alllll the animals then they go to sleep.  The End." - G, age 4

I do love the imagination of this child.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Math Games Mondays - Buttons make great counters

I am not reinventing the wheel here.

Preschool teachers have been using buttons as preschool math counters for a looong time. But I recently discovered Jesse James Dress It Up buttons and my mind started spinning with the possibilities ~ themes and games and sorting.

I first found these adorable buttons at Joann stores then Meijer and Hobby Lobby. Dressitup.com has many many irresistible varieties. I am planning some Math Games Mondays with these cuties. 

Preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers tend to use themes.  Trust me, you will be able to find buttons to fit your theme with Dress It Up buttons.  No, I don't work for them and no, this is not a paid advertisement.  I just love these adorable buttons.  More ideas coming soon.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Buttons make great counters by melanieshanks featuring garden gnomes

My Big World Etsy Shop Launch Today!

 I launched the reopening of my Etsy shop today!  I am so excited to share this with you.  It's been a labor of love (and some crying, too!) for the past several months.

 There is a saying that goes something like, "there is good in the bad."  When my father in-law was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer in September 2014. that's all we could think about.  I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off this.

 I needed a project.

 So in between visiting them and helping out and working, I started sewing.  It was therapeutic and a good distraction.  I am passionate about early childhood education (as most of you know) and I am a self-proclaimed geek when it comes to small toys like Schliech, Safari Ltd., Papo, Peter Rabbit, Tinkerbell, etc.  So why not combine the two?

 Playscapes are landscapes for imagination.  All hand-stitched with tiny details, these wool felt play mats are designed to encourage children's imaginations.  Maybe Peter Rabbit is in Mr. McGregor's garden again or...

 Maybe the fairies are hiding their treasures in this cave or the animals are having a camp out or...

 Maybe Hello Kitty and her friend are tending to their garden in the forest beside a stream of lily pads.

 Or maybe Mama Bear is watching her cubs play with their toy boat by the stream.  The possibilities are endless really.  Each whimsical playscape is all hand-stitched and filled with tiny details like tufts of grass, enchanting gardens, caves, twisting streams, hollow logs, stone pathways, 3D bridges, mossy patches, ponds, etc.  I have 4 to 6 hours in each playscape, but I love how they turned out.

Each one is approximately 15 inches by 15 inches.  Ready to ship. Ready to play.  There's a link over to the right hand side that will take you to my shop.

Have a fun & playful day!
Mel

Craft Day Tuesday - Small Shadowboxes

 Do you remember making dioramas as a kid?  I used to love getting an assignment where I could make a diorama instead of writing a book report...more fun and creative.  Well, on this cold and snowy day, I decided that we would do a mini version of a diorama.  Instead of a shoebox, we are using 3x3 jewelry boxes (found at Michael's for $.99 each but 1 box makes 2).

 Just a few supplies are needed: scrap paper, cotton, felt, stickers, glue, scissors.  I found these adorable fox and polar friends sticks by Sticko at Walmart.  Greta was so into this project.  She could do most every step.

 We lined the bottom of each box with a scrap of paper that I had.  Then, we just added tree cutouts, the stickers, felt or cotton, and a few plastic flowers that I had laying around.

 They turned out sooo cute.  You could hang on a wall, but we decided to tape ours to the frig.

 It's a beautiful little display of art, don't you think?

Do you believe in fairies?

I am working to create a new Fairy Land event and decided to get some inspiration.  Thank you, Pinterest.

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Source: indulgy.comhttp://indulgy.com/post/MhukdmUwA1/fairy-tree#/search/fairy/page/5">indulgy.com

> viahttp://pinterest.com/featherbed1" target="_blank">heather on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest

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Source: sixtyfifthavenue.blogspot.comhttp://sixtyfifthavenue.blogspot.com/2010/03/fairy-gardens.html">sixtyfifthavenue.blogspot.com

> viahttp://pinterest.com/featherbed1" target="_blank">heather on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest

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Source: madsmousehouse.wordpress.comhttp://madsmousehouse.wordpress.com/">madsmousehouse.wordpress.com

> viahttp://pinterest.com/featherbed1" target="_blank">heather on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest

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Source: http://pinterest.com/featherbed1" target="_blank">heather

on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest

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Source: beautiful-portals.tumblr.comhttp://beautiful-portals.tumblr.com/page/3">beautiful-portals.tumblr.com

> viahttp://pinterest.com/featherbed1" target="_blank">heather on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest

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Source: whimsicalfairygarden.comhttp://www.whimsicalfairygarden.com/Fairy%20Doors/FR2604.htm">whimsicalfairygarden.com

> viahttp://pinterest.com/featherbed1" target="_blank">heather on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest

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Source: http://pinterest.com/hinistrozamom" target="_blank">Ashley

on http://pinterest.com" target="_blank">Pinterest