Children's Books Pre-K Through Eighth Grade .49 Cents Shipped

This looks interesting! Supposedly .49 cents a book shipped. I haven't tried them, but it looked like a good deal for children's contemporary best sellers. See here. I'd love to visit this place. The store in located in a North Carolina.

DIY Rustic Pedestal

Saw this over at Pinterest. I am going to try this! Link is here. I will share it when it's done. I have a candlestick like this, but I'm not sure the top is wide enough. I'm working on some upcycling distressed pieces now for Etsy, so this would be an easy project to work in.

Free Printable Christmas Village

So cute! See here 

for pdf download.

Walter Cranes's Painting Book Free Download

Click here.

Free Vintage Beowulf Text Ebook 1913 Translated From Anglo Saxon

This is readable online or for download. Interesting introduction.
Click here.

Discover Kids Free Homeschool Resource Grades Five Through Nine

Discover Kids has some free content which is helpful as a supplement across subjects. The site is not interactive and is for reading only. Offers three reading levels for grades five through nines. Sign up is free. See here.

Christmas Home Tours 2015

These are fun to watch at YouTube. I jump off suggested videos in the margins for more.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

We are keeping it simple this year, staying home and enjoying the mild weather. I haven't gotten as much crafting done this year, but I've been enjoying all the ideas over at Pinterest and Etsy.

A favorite at Etsy. Totally do-able.

DIY Gift Wrap Caddy

We make a lot of our own rustic-modern-industrial furniture, and everything has wheels on it for easy cleaning.

This is a great idea for organizing, storing, and accessing all your wrapping accessories. See here for tutorial.

Tip: save money on wheels by using the ones off an inexpensive moving caddy.

Upcycled Message Board

I keep forgetting that I can do this with trays that I find at thrift stores. Not enough time and so many ideas! This is just an old tray with chalk paint applied to the flat surface.

Credit for picture.

DIY chalkboard paint tutorial here.

DIY Candy Wreath

DIY candy wreath with clearance candy.Very clever!

See here.

I saw one of these for sale on Etsy. Excellent way to make a little holiday cash.

Decent Savings Site: Hip2Save

Just got two great online deals via Hip2Save on kitty litter and a plugin charger. I downloaded their app onto my Kindle, so very helpful for not missing savings at Target and Amazon, among others.

Highly recommended.

Free Physics Lectures

The Feynman Lectures...here

Cool Weather, Smores, and a Homemade Fire Pit

It finally cooled off and stopped raining, so we were able to build a fire in our homemade fire pit and make smores.

It's not as aesthetically pleasing as it was ten years ago, but it functions beautifully.

It's a pit lined and stacked with broken concrete from my neighbor's driveway demolition. I have a thrifted oven rack that I lay across for cooking outside, also a big outdoor thrifted roaster pan with lid.

We burn off found and salvaged fallen tree limbs, twigs, leaves, and paper recycling before we buy any new wood.

I burned off a lot of ivy on the bed behind it, so it's looking dismal. I'm thinking of adding some native berry bushes there instead.

Happy autumn to my northern hemisphere friends.

Hay for Natural Garden Fertilizer in the Fall

It's almost that time of year again. Time to cover your garden beds for the winter with hay, and you'll be ready to combat spring weed emergence, and the hay breaks down naturally for fertilizer.

Simply turn it into the soil in the spring, or make spaces between it for mature plants.

Save some money and check out Craigslist or other local used sales listings for hay. We usually get ours for half price or free from community organizations after they are done with bales used for hay rides in October.

Bookshelves Overflowing!

Putting more books in my Etsy store. We have to weed out some books and make room for new ones, especially since I'm heading to a book sale on Saturday.

I've got a few academic books to list: spelling, English, and history. I should get those up to tomorrow.

It's so hard to part with them, but we need to work on some new skills. We've been using apps and ebooks quite a bit for school, but nothing beats a real book!

We've always had an interest in different cultures, so those items will be listed as well. As souvenirs from the states and other countries are used for studies, I'll be passing them on in my shop.

These knick-knacks, tourist books and pamphlets are so useful for creating interest and extended learning, and helpful for memory when covering history and social studies.

How to Fix Loose Book Pages

I'm learning how to repair books with acid free glue and book tape. Great way to extend the life of our children's books and/or repair ones I pick up secondhand.

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=rsNaFga-RQY

Children's Books at Etsy

Working hard at getting books listed in my Etsy Shop. Please stop by and have a look. I still have a bookcase full of educational books to list!

See sidebar for shop.

How to Repair Book Spines

For everyday books, not high value collectibles.

Interactive U.S. History for Students

Just discovered this site and thought I would share.

Interactive history, online and free:

Click here.

Anne of Green Gables Free Audiobook With Cast of Narrators

Surprised to find a quality audiobook with a cast at Librovox(free and public domain audiobooks)! Very well narrated, and all character voices are well matched except Diana Barry who is narrated by a person with the voice of a grandmother, haha. This is only a minor issue as Marilla Cuthbert  and Anne are fabulous.

See here for download and playback audio.

Free Kids/Children's Storybooks Online

Cute stories at this site. I just read through The Brave Little Pirate...funny. Stories for young children, older children, and young adults. See here.

The SAG Foundation has created some free read-along/read-aloud versions of popular children's books here.

Vintage illustrated children's books in color here from The Rosetta Project.

Aligned with Common Core standards, free contemporary online books here.

U.S. Library of Congress free books.

Young Explorer National Geographic free books.

Value Tales Children's Book Series

I stumbled upon these 1980's value tale books a few months ago when my young daughter wanted a book on Helen Keller. This series which covers over 40 values, as told through the lives of historical figures, was published in the 80's. The target audience looks to be early elementary as either a read aloud or independently by good readers.

They are fairly long with over 50 pages and large illustrations that take up much of the page, perfect for a young child with limited attention, or one who is still developing the confidence to read. The short paragraphs on each page aren't as overwhelming when broken down on single pages with large illustrations.

The biographies are detailed and the value repeated often, but in a mild effective way and not condescendingly so. Positive and uplifting for young children and highly recommended for an introduction to historical figues and positive values.

We've read The Value of Honesty(Confucius) and The Value of Determination(Helen Keller). The other books in the series are listed on the last page of every book. My daughter just asked for another, The Value of Kindness(Elizabeth Fry). I think we'll end up with them all.

I found mine on Amazon for a penny plus $3.99 shipping. Good deal. Ebay may have them even more cheaply in a lot.

Complete list of tales.

Vintage Children's Party Invitation Instructions

INVITATIONS

First of all, for the invitations. Choose your prettiest note paper, and don’t forget to write very plainly the date of the party. If you are just going to have a little afternoon tea, you can simply write,

Dear Daisy,—

“Will you come to my house to tea on Friday afternoon, June sixth, at three o’ clock? I hope you can.

“Lovingly,
“Dorothy.

“19 Elm Street.
“June first.”

Or if you are going to have a larger party, you can write:

“Miss Dorothy Manners requests the pleasure of your presence at her home on Friday afternoon, June sixth, from four until eight o’clock.

“19 Elm Street.
“June first.”

Be sure to send your invitations in time for your friends to write replies. Mother will need to know just how large a birthday cake to bake, and how much ice cream to freeze.

All free to use and in public domain. From: Project Gutenberg's When Mother Lets Us Give a Party, by Elsie Duncan Yale, 1909.

If you have a party and don’t bother mother,

I'm sure she'll allow you to soon have another

Vintage DIY Children's Instructions for An Indoor Garden Party

INDOOR GARDEN PARTY

For the indoor garden party, you will need a large sheet for a screen, and plenty of pictures cut from magazines and catalogues. These pictures must be of houses, barns, stables, trees, animals, anything that will have place in an outdoor scene. You will also need a paper of pins, some large sheets of white paper, and, if you like, a couple of little gifts for prizes, such as a box of crayons or a box of paints.

After your friends have come, arrange the sheet in place, and pin in the center a large picture of a house which has been cut out. Now let your guests help themselves to the pictures which you have cut out, each taking one. For example, one child may have a barn, another a rose bush, another a dog kennel. Blindfold each in turn, and let him pin the picture on the sheet. When all have finished you will have a queer-looking landscape, for a dog kennel may be on the roof and a rose bush growing from a lawn mower!

After this game, get out your sheets of paper, scissors, and pictures which you have ready. Let each one try making a garden with his eyes open! Paste a house in the center of the paper, and arrange trees, bushes, fountain, etc., about it as[20]tastefully as possible. Then after mother has decided which is the best, you can give the prize which you have bought.

You can serve your refreshments from a little table just as you would at a garden party.

Public domain, free to print and use. From Project Gutenberg's When Mother Lets Us Give a Party, by Elsie Duncan Yale, 1909.

Free Online: Five Little Peppers,The Stories Polly Pepper Told by Margaret Sidney

Newly available. Click here

.

Vintage Children's Book: Ten American Girls From History by Kate Dickinson Sweetser/ Free Download

Project Gutenberg here.

Vintage Children's July Nature Study, Free Download

See here.

Free Downloadable Vintage Speller, Grades 1-3

See here. Handy for extra lessons.

Title	New-world speller, Volume 1 New-world Speller, Julia Helen Wohlfarth
Authors	Julia Helen Wohlfarth, Lillian Emily Rogers
Edition	revised
Publisher	World book company, 1921

Free Beginner Sewing Machine Lessons

This sewing machine tutorial looks helpful, and there are links to videos.  See here.

Extra Etsy Pictures

Needed to host some extra Etsy pictures here, so if you are following my blog, please just disregard. Etsy listing.

Planning for College Already!

Gahh, I can't believe we are at the end of the road for homeschooling my son. What a journey it has been, and since Kindergarten no less.

He'll be eighteen soon, so he decided to study for and take the GED during his senior year this fall. College tuition is ridiculously expensive, so he'll start off at our community college studying for an A.S. in computer science. I remember working part-time in college and earning enough to cover tuition. Tuition was very inexpensive in the late 1980's.

Other things he'll be working on are getting a driver's license and setting up some volunteer work for job experience. We'll be sharing a car while he goes to college and works.

Still Listing at Etsy

I've picked up some older classroom games that I'll list after my daughter has some time with them, and more books. Most of the older classic collections of children's stories are really high quality. I hope someone selects those for their home library.

I haven't decided whether I should open a second shop just for my vintage collectibles, or just mix them in with the books. I'll probably just have to experiment. Meanwhile, I stick to what appeals to me and hope others out there have the same taste. If not, I'll have an awesome library for keeps! Haha.

Brain Pop Junior App

Loving this app for K-grade 3. Brain Pop Junior covers six subjects. We began with the free app at Amazon, and liked it so much that we paid for full access, $9.45 per month. I stepped away from my frugal ways(find it free) for this one. The quality was very good, and covered quite a bit from English, Science, Arts & Technology, Social Studies, Math to Health. It is worth it for my wiggly third grader...really captures her attention. This is a super informative high interest supplement.

Thrift Finds - Educational Games

Picked up a vintage Spill and Spell last week,  some state flash cards, and a 3D Taj Mahal puzzle. The Spill and Spell was a hit. We have not yet put together the huge puzzle yet, but it looked like fun. I'll be doing a little unit study along with the puzzle next week.

Very inexpensive items. I think I spent about two dollars. Check out yardsales this summer for good deals on educational items. I'm always surprised at what people pass up at yardsales, and eventually donate. Even later in the day after they have been picked over, check the yardsales out. You might find some useful learning items at reduced prices. Thrift stores are the same way. I found my items 15 minutes before closing. The place had been picked clean, but these were found right on top of the bins, like they were waiting for me.

Frogs in the Pond

Apparently April was National Frog Month. Save the frogs! We've got a frog living in our tiny pond now, and it took up residence with us in April. I added rocks to the bottom and anchored some floating driftwood which seems to be ideal. I just ordered some tadpole friends to join him/her in the pond.

I found a really long early elementary unit study on frogs. So much to choose from!

See here.

Bedtime Math

I just ordered the book after using the website for free math problems.

A question a night keeps the math fears away - Bedtimemath.org Math problems are divided by skill level, so can be used across ages.

Thrift Finds for Math

Picked up a making change game today, and six or seven BBC Earth Life nature puzzles all for .59 cents a pound!

We'll check this game out tomorrow.

From the Manufacturer

Exact Change combines an excellent teaching lesson with fun, fast paced action that the entire family will love. The goal is to play all of your cards first. You can discard cards by matching the color of the last card played, by matching the currency value (play a penny on a penny), or by making EXACT CHANGE. Making exact change allows you to discard multiple cards that add up to the value of the last card played. If the last card played shows a quarter, you can make exact change by playing two dimes and a nickel…allowing you to discard three cards in one play

DIY Decoupage Resin Tray

I had no idea how easy it was to work with resin, but I'd definitely do this outside because of the fumes. Check it out. I'll be picking out a tray at the thrift for this. Fun!

Frugal DIY Math Games with Dice

Just pinned a few to Pinterest

DIY giant dice game.

Connect Four

Final Count Down

10,000 Dice Game(Farkle)

By the way, I see dice all the time at the thrift store for pennies a piece when sold together bags. These are very inexpensive math games for home learning.

Recycling Plastic Plant Containers

I just noticed that Lowes will recycle your discarded plastic plant containers. I always hated throwing those out when I purchased new plants. See here.

Thinking about Altered Vintage Clipboards

Via Pinterest from here.

My daughter made one with some thrifted paper, and now I'm wanting to try it too. Clipboards are always at our thrifts for under a dollar, and they are the vintage sturdy type. I think I'll try vintage public domain images and/or vintage wrapping paper.

I'm not a table person, so these are great for lap boards on the couch.

Etsy Store Update

I am trying to list every day, but the weather has not been cooperating for pictures. The house is too dark, so I take my Etsy pictures outside. I ordered a light tent for inside, but it must be coming from overseas because it won't arrive until May 20th.

I received the lights though, but they are too bright without the light tent to diffuse.

Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, so I may try to take as many pictures as I can while the husband takes care of business here at the house.

More items will be added soon! I've got more books and other interesting stuff coming.

Lights and tent.

Book Storage Cart and Managing Book Collections

Things here are much less organized than they used to be. My daughter is a high energy crafter and hands-on learner. Things are constantly cluttered, but learning is happening, so I roll with it.

I've cleared the house of extra furniture, and there are open spaces for play and crafting and art projects. Clean up is much easier this way. Books have never gotten put back into the bookshelves, so I gave up, and stacked them.

Lately, it has been getting out of hand...too many books. Bookshelves weren't working for us. The books fell out or over, and it was a hassle squishing them inbetween each other. Titles were hard to read, and often books that did make their way back were put in backwards, so the title couldn't be read.

I saw this library cart on Amazon and thought it would be easier to load up the cart with books by category. It rolls out of the way and to and from rooms for quick pick up, and it's angled back, so books stay and don't fall out. It was pricey, but I think it will be the perfect solution.

I'll get more in the future, but this is a good start to reaching sanity with the book situation. We try to use the library and ebooks to cut down on storage as much as possible, but there is nothing like the feel of a real book and long term access. Some books we keep for reference and because they are favorites.

Seeds Have Sprouted!

A mix of wildflowers and vegetables - cucumber and green peppers. I used this bed as a kitchen compost heap and added used grounds from Starbucks in the winter, then  covered it with straw and leaves in late winter. Once spring came, new soil was added on top.  There are numerous of worms in there...good nutrient soil for plants.

Spring in my Garden: Perennial Mayapples and Dutchman's Breeches

Illustrated Storymaking in Elementary School - Blank Hardcover Story Books

White Blank Books with Hardcovers 6"W x 8"H (6 Books / Pack)

My daughter(third grade) asked for a hardcover blank page book to make her own illustrated storybook. I found these(pictured and linked) on Amazon. They've got 16 bank pages and a blank hardcover. She has since asked for more, and I got a set of six. Short stories with illustrations can be done easily in this 6 x 8 hardback.

I've been collecting art supplies from the thrift for years, so we have a huge stash. I also noticed you can purchase supplies in "lots" off ebay. This is so much less expensive than building your art center with new items that tend to be overpriced.

Thrift Store Curriculum Finds for Third Grader

I've been finding very inexpensive items at one of our local thrift store for my children's education. Thankfully, the "pickers" pass by the children's education books and activity kits. Thrift stores, yardsales, and church sales all potentially have things you can use for science, English, math, geography, home economics, you name it.

A few items I picked up this week for my third grader:

I think I got this for under dollar.

Ancient Egypt Mummies; More by Creativity For Kids (1153)

And we watched this video on Queen Nefertiti on YouTube while putting this together. She loved it!

The other day I found a covered wagon kit. I found this for a quarter in the bargain bins. We worked on it today and  listened to this read aloud book, Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails on YouTube.

Covered Wagon Wood Craft Kit