So, we
finally got our bed! It is wonderful. And, from all of those flat-packed IKEA boxes, we have
lots of cardboard and blank newsprint. This is not a joke. I've been swishing about knee-deep through the stuff for two days now in my Living Room trying to piece the bed and side tables together. I put in the last screws to the tables tonight and thought it a shame to waste what I saw as all that crafty goodness...
Soooo...after making ginormous paper airplanes and beautiful drawings on some of the paper, and swords from some of the cardboard and duct tape, I was inspired by the busy bag swap activities, in particular the
Number Wheel, over at
money saving mom, who was, in turn inspired by the Brenda over at
unsolicited advice, (so simple, yet...so...brilliant...). Not only did I want to use up the corrugated treasure trove filling my living room, but, cute though it is, when I saw the printable number wheel, all my thrifty heart could picture was the ink draining from my printer cartridges. We can make this ourselves with what we have in the house. I traced our laundry basket and cut out 2 large circles.
My next thought? Why not just have the kids make the wheel? Crazy, I know, but I was feeling a bit reckless tonight. I got out my 1inch circle craft punch and a handful of construction paper. Why not just a regular old hole punch, you say? Well, 2 reasons, really. The first was that I thought that the craft punch would not only intrigue them, but take them longer to use. I was right! Yay! Second reason? The visions of a confetti-strewn living room that looked like it was left over from a rather raucous New Years party. I mean, not that, upon close inspection, my carpets don't have that 'I had a party last night' feel most days. I just didn't want it to be so obvious.
Maybe I've taken a blow to the head that I can't quite remember, but I think that tomorrow, I'll let them paint the circles and maybe even let them glue those dots...If no one hears from me in a few days, send in reinforcements.
