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Tissue paper flowers

Week Four of #52crafts was actually a lot of crafts at a Girl Scout Leader/Daughter Camp I went to with Biscuit. My favorite craft was the super simple tissue paper flowers. I want to make more!

Other crafts included: beading, rock painting, silk screening, origami, collage and  more. The theme was traveling around the world so each craft was associated with a country. It was a great weekend. Of course, as usual, Biscuit's favorite part was the kitchen, and mostly the industrial dishwasher. I enjoyed the short hike in the beautiful weather and a chance to finish the book I was reading. (The Book Thief).

Two days, eight girls, one city

Our Girl Scout troop spent the weekend in San Francisco! It was a long anticipated big trip for these fifth graders and a great way to spend their cookie money. After MUCH debate the girls decided they wanted to visit the Academy of Sciences and Chinatown. Both were wonderful.

We arrived Saturday and went right into the Academy for a fabulous afternoon. We spent the night at a Girl Scout property in the Southern part of the city. It was a bit rustic but the price was right for a big group. Sunday we headed into Chinatown and after photos at the Dragon Gate we visited the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory and had dim sum at City View (both were fabulous). The girls did some shopping along Grant street and it was 3 pm and time to head home. Tired and happy after many new experiences.

(Oh, and this was cool, we got off the bus and they were filming a car commercial so we stayed and watched. It was quite exciting and the background actors were nicely dressed)

It rained all night but both days were sunny and gorgeous. Totally lucky.

Paid $0.50 for this photo--they asked for payment for photos. Fair enough the machine was so cool!

Camp

it was dusty! and dry!

Some of our Girl Scout troop went to Girl Scout camp this weekend. While they were riding horses, learning archery, making recycled paper, playing games and singing us adults were in training to learn how to camp the Girl Scout way. To be honest, it sounded terrible but it was actually quite informative and reasonably fun. We cooked lunch using not just the Coleman stove but also a solar cooker (fail); a box oven (amazing); and a Dutch oven with coals (surprisingly effective). We also learned about outdoor education, ceremonies, knots and fire building skills. If you need to know how to use a pocket knife, give me a call. I'll be over here trying to plan an all-troop camping trip.

We came home dusty and tired but it was a weekend well spent.

8 girls, 1 kitchen, 2 hours, 4 dishes

So that was hectic!

I don't write about it much anymore but I am still the leader of Biscuit's Girl Scout Troop. This year they are JUNIORS (4th Grade) which is nearly impossible to believe.

it's hard to take photos and lead a hectic meeting. I should have a photographer follow me around a la Joanna (who I think is a great blogger but it cracks me up that everything in her life seems to be professionally photographed)

This year the girls are taking over running meetings but I like to kick off the year with earning a badge so I ran the first few meetings and we worked on the Simple Meals badge. It wasn't all that simple.

Last week the girls made a mango coconut pudding, learned to cook eggs (fried or scrambled) and made blackberry jam.

This week we needed extra time! The girls made spring rolls followed by brown rice and chicken and veggie stir fry with English trifle for dessert. I'm not sure how much they learned other than the fact they should appreciate whoever cooks them dinner every night. Oh, and chicken splatters when added to a hot pan. Nobody got burned or cut so I figure the whole thing was a success.

Despite it being about 4 trillion degrees in my kitchen it was a super fun evening!

Little voices

Last night our Girl Scout troop sang at a senior center in town. It was a service project our girls decided on and planned mostly on their own. I'm trying to transition troop leadership to the girls and it's an interesting process--this was their first project that took planning meetings plus execution and it was great for it to be a success. The moms did jump in with some help (inviting other troops--we ended up with about 30ish girls!), finding a piano player (a lifesaver for a group that has never practiced together) and organizing cookies to share with the residents (a huge hit). But overall I was really proud of the girls and it was fun to see them sing and pass out cookies.

Tonight was Biscuit's choir concert. She joined choir this year and after months of practice it was the big show. Unfortunately she has a cold and felt and looked kind of awful but she stuck it out. They did an opening number with the lights out and flashlights and I caught the photo above.

I'm starting to understand why parents enroll their children in activities. I have honestly seen most activities as a scheduling hassle and often an added expense but it was a real delight to see her up there showing off the hard work of the entire choir and having a lot of fun. Between songs (when the band was doing songs) she looked like she was about to keel over all red and sniffly but as soon as they started singing she was totally into it and looked like she was having an awesome time. It was so sweet.

Speaking of sweets all four grandparents were able to attend the concert and then came by for dessert. We had these shortbread bars (found via Angry Chicken). I recommend. I made them with some leftover plum jam with cinnamon and they were a treat.

Camp Fleming

Last weekend Biscuit and I were at Girl Scout camp. The event was just for Girl Scout leaders and their daughters--something special for the women who run the troops and the daughters who put up with it. It was, of course, planned by fellow leaders who really went above and beyond creating a spectacular event.

On Friday night, just before lights out at 9 pm I looked out the window and realized it was snowing! All the girls ran outside in their pajamas to celebrate.

Wouldn't this photo have been adorable if I'd opened my eyes?

The following day was crafts, crafts, crafts. Ten tables each with a unique craft that each girl and mom could create. It was amazing how much work went into prep. Biscuit and I did everything except the salt dough ornaments. Which reminds me I should get some photos of everything we made!

Crafts included: paper bag memory books, shrinky dinks, copper wire jewelry, mason jar lanterns, braided headbands, fleece eye covers (for napping), metal washer necklaces, perler (fuse) beads, screen printing and even glass fusing! (with an artist who volunteered her kiln and expertise).

Biscuit finally learned to braid (I can't believe I never taught her) but her favorite thing of the weekend seemed to be helping with dishes and running the industrial dishwasher. She's the granddaughter of two people who met in the college dishroom so maybe it's in her genes?

It was my first time being away from Oscar two nights in a row but I'm glad Biscuit and I participated in this event. It was fun for me to get to know other leaders. Fun for her to play American Girl dolls with friends (when she wasn't working in the kitchen) and fun for us to have one-on-one time. Oscar and Mr. H got on just fine except for the fact Oscar kept waking up at night. One more reason it was good to be away. I probably slept more in a sea of bunkbeds housing more than 60 people than I would have at home with a restless Oscar.

Maybe next year it'll be just a little warmer and we can take a hike and have an outdoor campfire!

Felt and buttons

Rings and hair elastics with felt and buttons.

It was Daisy Girl Scouts tonight. After struggling with implementing the Daisy program as designed I finally set it aside and tried to make the meeting more fun. After all, they'll never learn anything in Girl Scouts if they get so bored they drop out. Tonight we made applesauce and learned to sew on a button with this little craft project. Biscuit made the ones above. I made the ones below as samples.

Found this project on Pinterest via Claire's "Girl Scoutin" board. Lots of great ideas collected there!

The girls did a great job (with plenty of parental help) stitching up one or two little baubles. Most made rings (glued onto a dollar store Princess Tiana ring). At least I had a lot more fun at the meeting. Hopefully they did too.

Girl Scouts and cookies (but not Girl Scout Cookies)

 Girl Scout Cookies aren't until January (sales) and February (delivery). But, Girl Scouts.

I'm having my post-Girl Scout Meeting glass of wine. It might be two glasses. And I'm wondering how anyone could be a kindergarten (or first grade) teacher. Only 8 girls tonight, only for an hour and I'm d.o.n.e. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I volunteered to be a leader and I'm happy to do it it just isn't really my strong suit and it exhausts me. Trying to keep the girls focused for 10-15 minutes is MORE than enough and then they have to dance it out so to speak.

Given the nice weather I sent them to the yard for a dance party. Of course that also meant a lot of "no, we're not going on the tire swing." "no, you can't 'skate' on the funiture dolly" etc etc. Our yard isn't first grader proofed. In the end, the dancing was a success and I was grateful to the wonderful parents who stayed around during the meeting and helped with kid control. I sometimes feel self consious to have the other parents there during the meeting as though they're watching/judging my lack of troop management skills. But, tonight, they helped take the clothes off the line and laid a soothing hand on a girl who needed a bit of extra help focusing and generally were awesome. So, Daisy Girl Scouts, fun, but phew, glad it's every OTHER week :)

Cookies.

I was involved in recent a Facebook debate with a local friend and blog reader and my cousin from PA about cookie and brownie recipes. I'm a devout follower of Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa cookie recipes and I admit I have developed a bit of a cookie reputation (as in, I make good chocolate chip cookies). I use Ina's recipe faithfully except for a chocolate chip switch (I use only Guittard chips, half milk, half semi sweet). ANYWAY FB friend, said that the infamous Neiman Marcus cookies BEAT Ina's cookies. I didn't believe her so I had a taste off.

I followed the recipes precisely except for the chocolate chip ratio described above. I used the AMOUNT of chips called for but mixed up the TYPE of chips. And, for Ina's recipe, I left out the walnuts. I LOVE walnuts but, in cookies, they're divisive and I didn't want anyone's vote to be swayed by nuts.

First test group was Mr. H's poker night crowd. (not so blurry in real life but I loved the double fisting it of cookies)

Seven men, one woman. Vote was 5-3 in favor of cookie #2 which was Ina's. Those voting for #1, Neiman Marcus, all liked the coffee flavor. The recipe calls for 1.5 tsps of espresso powder and I used a Starbucks Via packet. The next day I took the cookies to a family event and the votes were 5-0 in favor of Ina. Now, I admit that's a crowd that is very familar with the Ina cookie since I make it a lot. Also, for the poker crowd the Ina cookies were a bit warmer since they were the second batch cookied. STILL I think Ina wins this one. Next step, add 1/2 tsp of espresso to Ina's recipe and see what happens....

Too bad I used all that cookie dough in taste tests. A cookie would go well with my wine about now.

PS Is this the funniest thing ever or is it just me?

Images of a Daisy

Since January 1 I've been challenging myself to take a photo a day and post to Flickr. Who knows if this will last through all of 2011 but I've made it to February 24 at least. I've got a lot of Daisy (Girl Scout) photos of late. It's cookie season, you know. And World Thinking Day was this week.

She pulled the wagon for a lot longer than she sewed on patches ;)

Tropical fruit for a discussion of Bolivia as part of our Thinking Day activity/celebration (there was a connection in there somewhere--it involved coconut cookies). Oh, this recipe was so easy and SO good. Perhaps the best macaroons cocadas I've had (or maybe I was just hungry?)

 

Fun times!

P.S. Could Biscuit's shoes be any funnier? Her cousin gave her those sandals and she is obsessed. I won't let her wear them to school so she changes into them every day when she gets home. Over socks!

Monoprint(ish) Valentines

I should start by noting my complete lack of art training but I had a vague memory of the term "monoprint" and a random desire to try it so I googled and then faked it.

I cut up an extra piece of bamboo flooring into 4ishx5ish inch pieces and quartered some nice, heavy art paper into 6ish by 7ish pieces. I also found some mailing tags and acrylic craft paint in the craft room.

Biscuit (or I) used a paintbrush to cover the entire smooth side of the flooring block with a thin, even coat of paint.

Then we used a q-tip to remove some paint and make a design. (q-tip worked far better than alternatives we tried including: dry paintbrush, other end of paintbrush, finger, other color of paint)

Then we pressed the paper (or tags) on top and rubbed really hard with our fingers trying not to move the paper at all.

Voila! Biscuit will write From/Love, Biscuit on the front and tape a Trader Joes mini chocolate bar (28 bars for $1!) to the back and call it a Valentine.

Sadly, the project didn't scale well. We tried it with nine Daisy Girl Scouts and encountered problems such as: slow painting and delays=>too dry paint; frustration with the inherent imperfect nature of the print even in best circumstances; a general desire to just paint directly on paper. Oh well, I had a great time!