Making tactile (sanpaper) letters

I made some sandpaper letters! Only, I didn't end up using sandpaper. But I got the nice bumpy texture and the shiny contrast color!
Non-scissors-dulling Tactile Letters.

I used:

wood tablets I found in the wood craft section of Hobby Lobby. One for each letter of the alphabet, or two for each if you want to do upper and lower case.
gold glitter glue (if you do it my way; if not, you'll need to buy sandpaper and cut the letters out of it to glue on the tablets)
blue tempera paint
red tempera paint
an alphabet style to copy

How I did it:

First I had to remove the sticker from the back of each wood tablet. Then I painted the consonant tablets red and the vowels blue. Right now, at this stage in my son's educational career that doesn't matter, but later on it will help things according to the Montessori ideas of teaching reading/writing. When dry I carefully traced an outline for each letter on the tablet, aiming for correct formation and similar size. Didn't turn out perfect but I got it close enough! :) Opening up the gold glitter glue I trace each letter outline. Finally I let the tablets sit on the counter overnight so the glitter glue would set.
In the morning, I found as I'd hoped: the glitter glue had set leaving a nice bumpy letter T can trace with his fingers (and later copy). He enjoys them and I'm very happy with the result. :)

Paint Visualizer!

I went to Lowes and Home Depot the other day to get more paint. While there I picked up a ton of brown and tan, beige family color chips to see what might work for a bedroom. I narrowed it down to 5 out of, oh, I didn't even count. Way more than 20 choices though.

This is the greatest thing ever! I was able to "paint" a picture I took of a corner of my room using different kinds of paint. I think I'm narrowing it down to 3, all by Valspar this time.

^Toasting Tan

 ^Kabuki Clay

^Irish Cream

I was also looking at Mimosa by Olympic, but I think it's too peachy. I also think that Crepe by Behr is too dark. I guess I'm reaching the point to get a couple actual samples to paint on the wall and see which I want to finish the room.

Picking Paint!

This week our theme was supposed to be "farm" but in a way it's really turned into "paint"!

After 3 long years of being disatisfied with paint colors in the house- some the original, others I played with and never finished- I'm actually doing something about it. Painting the entire house.








Dining room in original color- that dark raspberry was on 3 walls and the mauve you see in the 2nd picture on one. Combined with the forest green counters it looked very, very outdated. I don't know how I managed to live in it so long, but I didn't attempt to start painting it until last winter.  Now, after painting several samples on the walls, I've found my color! It's Lightweight Beige by Behr.




The tablecloth is pushed back thanks to the room still being a work in progress and I have paint supplies sitting on it. But there's my new color!

I also had my husband paint the 2nd bedroom. Before it was gray-blue with construction trucks wallpaper border around the middle. The pictures on the border were cute, but the room didn't work for us. The room also appeared very dark. Now, take a look! The spring green is very nice. 

Yesterday I also worked on "finishing" painting the stairwell. I put finishing in quotes because I merely painted as high as I can reach with a ladder. My husband will have to finish the rest- I couldn't reach! Will post before and after pictures later after he finishes. :) Oh, the color there is Olympic's Crumb Cookie. In the picture below you can see my work on the living room.

 Most of the walls (as seen on the right of the picture) will be Behr's Honeysuckle White. The wall behind the sofa will be Valspar's Fresh Bread. Look how much warmer it is than that used to be (seen on the top of the picture).


 Oh, and I'm still working on choosing the color for the master bedroom. More will follow!

Desert River Nature Walk

 Poking at some footprints left by some animals on the pathway. The treeline you see in the back marks the river.


Most of the water is actually underground. To eyes used to rivers elsewhere it looks like a mere stream (when it's even flowing).

 Walking

down

for
a
firsthand look.

Enjoying an ancient cottonwood tree.

Wordless Wednesday: Puppy & Toddler Love