Black Friday - Post Thanksgiving Fun!

The day after Thanksgiving and my family is still sleeping. There is snow on the ground, blue skies mixed with morning coastal fog and a warm fire blazing.

We had a wonderful holiday, from great-grandma Blanche to little Zora. Everyone worked together chopping and dicing and baking. Now, today, it is time for relaxation, family fun, and left-overs. For most Americans the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. SHOPPING!  Here in the country, two-and-a-half hours from any mall, it is more fun, cheaper, and far less hectic as we enjoy our view, our family, and some Kitchen Art projects.

My daughter Sage wants her daughter to be an adventuresome eater, so yesterday 7-month-old Zora ate organic yams with cinnamon plus tasted organic fresh pineapple, organic persimmon, and a quick suck on an organic onion.

I realized onion tasting might become all the rage after this past season of Dancing with the Stars when coach Tony had his star munching on an onion---the object to reduce stress and add levity to any situation.

Anyways, watching Zora eat, I realized she will be the perfect candidate for The 'Nose' Guessing Game a few years from now.


Nose Guessing Game:
This game works to  stimulate your child's senses. It increases their visual memory (seeing) and encourages their sense of smell.

Ingredients: hard boiled egg, lemon wedge, swiss cheese, pickle, onion slice, peanut butter, chocolate cake, paper muffin cups, blindfold.

Tools: knife, two or more children, cutting board.

Instruction: This is a creative game. 1. Prepare foods and cut into slices. 2. Place individual portions into muffin cups. 3. Play game: blindfold child and hold individual cups up to their nose. Have them guess what is in your hand! Object of the game: to stimulate your child's senses!

Additional Ideas: This game can be played to increase and stimulate the other senses. Blindfolded, have the children taste or touch the food. Or increase their hearing. Place objects in baby-food jars (corn puffs, nuts, tin foil balls) shake and have them guess! Try additional food and kitchen items and happy guessing! Or this game can be played with teams and become competitive!


Over the weekend I had the pleasure of Zora's nap time.  Realizing she likes music, sound, and a good beat, I knew my Oatmeal Shake Drum was the perfect project. I created the drum to play with her and help her fall asleep.


Oatmeal Shake Drum:

There are lots of different types of homemade drums. Originally Native Americans hollowed out dried logs and stretched deer skin across one open end to make their music. Today your child will use oatmeal containers or tin cans.

Ingredients: One large recycled oatmeal container (circular type), one cup dried legumes, tin foil, glue.

Tools: Scissors, glue brush, recycled jar lid.

Instruction: 1. Place dried legumes into empty oatmeal container. 2. Squirt glue into jar lid and put layer of glue around open end of cylinder and glue on top. Dry. 3. Cut designs from tin foil (stars are nice). Glue and dry. 4. Place under arm or between thighs, bang on top or shake. Make rhythm and dance!

Additional Ideas: Before you glue on top, stretch long string of bottle cap jingles across opening. Then adhere top. OR cover entire container with tin foil and add painted napkin as decoration. Beat to the music.


These two projects are fun for all ages. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving. Look forward to my next blog for more family fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fallen red, yellow, and brown leaves are dancing with the howling wind, as crisp autumn air reminds us the seasons are changing.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the Winter Holidays--a season of expectation and family fun.  KITCHEN ART has a ton of projects to keep parents, grandparents, and children occupied for hours!

Remember in my last blog I wrote about my friend in Tarrytown who recycled brown grocery bags to create fire-people costumes for her class?  Tarrytown is also know as Sleepy Hollow.  Remember the Headless Horseman? Perhaps next year she'll stuff a small lunch bag into a pumpkin shape use food coloring to paint the scary face, attach the pumpkin bag to the bottom of a recycled grocery bag after cutting small eye holes then slip over the child's head.  Voila' recycled Headless Horseman KITCHEN ART STYLE!

I live about 170 miles north of San Francisco.  My house is fifteen minutes up a dirt road off Interstate Highway 101.  Now that my children have grown creating a venue to present my KITCHEN ART projects requires organization, driving, and networking.  Each town and school district is about thirty minutes and twenty miles from the next.  We live in the West and I am often reminded of the Wild West and the Pony Express.  Twenty miles was a day's ride in those days.  There is lots of history and much Native American appreciation in this area. 

Anyway, as I am organizing my classes and schedules I am reminded of the time I was involved with my Touchstones Discussions Group.  We had a great idea but organizing was the hardest part.  Everyone loved the concept --- discussion to create better communication.  DISCUSS not debate---wonderful.  But then the leaders would drive two hours and a class test was suddenly rescheduled or there was an impromptu assembly!  We were low man on the totem pole! 

Well, while I solve this battle with KITCHEN ART and classroom activities let's think about Thanksgiving and totem poles and your recycling bin!


ACTIVITIES FOR THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS:

TOTEM POLES

Totems are the symbols (usually plant or animal) of  a certain Native American family or tribe and their ancestral relationship.  Totem poles originated as tree posts carved with these motifs (one on top of the other).  Some Native American tribes decorated the entrance to their dwellings with these poles.  Today your child can make their own totem pole with recycled ingredients.  For additional expression they can choose an animal or natural symbol that best represents their family.

INGREDIENTS:  recycled egg cartoons, recycled paper towel tubes, large oatmeal container, glue, tin foil, tape, nine inch paper plates.

TOOLS:  Scissors, glue brush, recycled jar lid

INSTRUCTION:  1. Tape several tubes or circular containers together, standing end on end. Tape bottom tube to paper plate for base. 2.  Squirt glue into jar lid.  Cut egg carton and attach different forms to totem pole using glue or tape.  Egg cartoons make good eyes, ears, nose, even wings.  3. Cover with tin foil for extra zest!  Use your imagination!


DEVILED TURKEYS

This is an appetizer your children can make and serve.  Tasty and easy to make, your family will love 'deviled turkeys.'

INGREDIENTS:  one dozen eggs, two carrots, one cup mayonnaise, four black olives, two pickles, mustard to taste, dash of salt and pepper, water.

TOOLS:  knife, cutting board, saucepan, stove (adult supervision required), mixing bowl, fork, spoon, large plate.

INSTRUCTION:  Adult supervision required.  Prepare turkeys.  1.  Wash hands. Boil eggs for 10 to 15 minutes until hard boiled.  Cool in cold water. 2.  Peel eggs and place on cutting board. Slice in half, lengthwise.  3.  Place yolks in a bowl, add mayo, mustard and seasoning.  Mix together.  4.  Carefully spoon deviled egg mixture into white halves making mounds with yolk mixture.  5.  Cut pickles into thin, short pieces.  Cut olives into tiny pieces. Slice carrots into circles and cut each circle in half.  Make jagged line along straight edge, like a crown.  6:  Assemble your turkey.  Carrots for gobbles and crown, olives for eyes, pickles for beaks.  7.  Serve to you guests and enjoy!

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Be creative.  Turn your deviled eggs into other animals. Sprinkle with paprika for added color.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!