How to Make Pig Snouts from Egg Cartons
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Ever wonder what to do with your egg cartons after you’re finished with the eggs (besides recycle them, of course)? How about reuse them to make... pig snouts! Great for make-believe, dress-up, Halloween costumes, or just... for creative FUN!
What you will need:
- Cardboard egg carton (you could also use pink Styrofoam and skip the painting step… but I recommend buying eggs only in cardboard in the first place – for environmental reasons!)
- Non-toxic (& washable is a plus!) tempra paint in pink (or mix red & white as we did)
- Black marker
- Scissors
- Hole punch
- Lightweight elastic (we used 1/8” soft stretch “baby elastic” for comfort on the kids’ heads)
What to do:
1) Cut the top off of the egg carton
2) Flip over the bottom of the egg carton (where the eggs rest) and start painting! Depending on the opacity of your paint & the absorbency of the cardboard, you may need to apply more than one coat. I can say for certain this was the kids’ favorite part; aside from WEARING the snouts! Allow to dry completely.
3) Use the marker to draw nostrils on each of the snouts.
4) Cut apart each of the individual egg holders, using care not to cut the snouts too shallow.
5) Punch 2 holes in each snout. Make sure the holes are in line with the nostrils… so you don’t end up with a “sideways” snout once you thread the elastic through! (This part I had to do myself – it was beastly trying to get our hole puncher to go all the way through the painted cardboard!)
6) Cut the elastic into strips of approximately 22” each in length.
7) Thread the elastic through one hole & double knot; then repeat on the other side. You may want to try the snout on for size first before double-knotting the second side.
8) Put them on & act cute! :-D
9) Recite some fun piggy poetry & pig rhymes:
This Little Piggy
This Little Piggy went to market,
This Little Piggy stayed home,
This Little Piggy had (vegetarian!) roast beef,
This Little Piggy had none.
And this little piggy went…
“Wee wee wee” all the way home!
(Author credit: Mother Goose)
Ten Piggies
Two mother pigs lived in a pen, (thumbs)
Each had four babies and that made ten. (fingers of both hands)
These four babies were pink and white. (fingers of one hand)
These four babies were black as night. (fingers of the other hand)
All eight babies loved to play. (wiggle fingers)
And they rolled and they rolled in the mud all day. (roll hands)
(Author credit: Traditional)
Pig Limerick
There was a sad pig with a tail
Not curly, but straight as a nail.
So he ate simply oodles
Of pretzels and noodles,
Which put a fine twist to his tail.
(Author credit: Arnold Lobel)
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We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
~Native American Proverb
Honor & celebrate our Mother Earth every day, Dear Readers. She's the only Earth we have.
Happy Earth Day!
-kelly
Wordless Wednesday: InstagraMania
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A few days ago I discovered Instagram. I know I'm late to the party, but where has this party been all my life? It's an instant gratification salve to my no-longer-in-art-school-and-don't-have-enough-time-to-make-art-anymore blues. I can turn any so-so snapshot into something closer to remarkable - instantly. So, for this Wordless Wednesday, the fruits of my recent infatuation:
Me, in the sun.
Happy sprouts on our windowsill.
My son's curls.
Beautiful spring blossoms.
My daughter, peeking.
Spring rain on daffodils.
Adam, contemplative.
Have you discovered Instagram? Is there another iPhone photo app that's even cooler? Please let me know!
Ten Things To Do While Breastfeeding
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Breastfeeding is the perfect opportunity for true multitasking! Here are ten things you can easily do at the same time as you are nursing your baby:
1) Read. This is always my favorite thing to do while nursing! With my first baby, I finished many books in our marathon nursing sessions from the rocking chair. Clever pillow arrangement allows your hands to be free, or if you need a hand to support baby or your breast, you can get a book holder. Set up a little table right next to your rocking chair, set the book in, and you only need one hand to turn the page! You can also read in the side-lying nursing position – just prop the book on a pillow, behind baby, and you’re golden. I don’t think I’ve read as voraciously as I did those first couple of months; I used to hope my daughter would KEEP nursing a little longer so I could finish my chapter! :)
2) Sleep. Make sure your bed is baby-safe, and get yourself & baby comfortable in the side-lying nursing position. The hormones released during breastfeeding are naturally relaxing and sleep-inducing. What better way to catch up on much-needed rest than while nurturing your little one? Behind reading, this was definitely my favorite thing to do while nursing. If you can get older siblings to nap at the same time, fantastic! I found the best way to do this was to side-lie nurse, and have my then 2-year old cuddle up against my back. She could reach over & snuggle me, and her movements (if she wasn’t sleeping) didn’t disturb baby.
3) Play Poker. Yes, I have breastfed my newborn at the poker table! Really, with the right pillow or sling, you can nurse anywhere, doing pretty much anything. I’ve nursed while playing board games with friends, and I don’t think anyone knew the difference – not even my little one. He was just happy to be with Mommy.
4) Get on the Computer. Just bring a comfy pillow to put below baby for support, latch baby on, and voila – both hands free to surf the web, work, or blog. The first few months of both of my childrens’ lives, when I was working from home, I did a lot of my computer work with a nursing (or sleeping) baby on my lap. With the dawn of smart phones, getting out on the internet while nursing is simple – you can do it anywhere – one handed!
4) Have a Snack or Drink. I’ve always felt it is so important to have a drink of water with me while breastfeeding – I even kept a bottle in my bed, behind my pillow, for those nights when baby was asleep on me, and I’d wake up thirsty, but didn’t want to move (and wake baby!). In the early days, a healthy snack (or snackS for those extra-long nursing sessons) next to my favorite chair was just what I needed to keep me energized. Fresh fruit, whole grains, veggies are always the best choice. Try oatmeal – tastes great, is nutrient-dense, and helps boost supply!
5) Cuddle Baby’s Siblings. If you have older children, nursing presents a unique opportunity for cuddling ALL your babies! There’s always an extra arm (or hand or leg or foot) available for snuggling up to while Mom is nursing. You can read to older siblings. Or play simple games – like Go Fish, or Memory. Or watch a movie together. My oldest used to pat her brother on the head while he was nursing and we were reading together. I know this quiet time helped their bond – they are still so close!
6) Eat at a Restaurant. Breastfeeding has never kept me home. When we wanted to go out to eat, I’d just grab my sling, and hit the road. In a restaurant, you can arrange baby in your sling, latch her on, scoot into the table, and hands are free for your fork & knife! If you don’t have a sling, you can support baby with one hand (or use your diaper bag on your lap like a Boppy pillow). If I was ever feeling self-conscious, I always found a cloth napkin tucked & draped at just the right angle to be a perfect solution!
7) Attend a La Leche Meeting. If you’ve never been to a LLL meeting, I strongly suggest you try it – at least once! I was nervous to go at first, having heard some strange things over the years about LLL. But once I went, I was so very glad I did! Being able to breastfeed around other women who are all breastfeeding, all going through the same things, having the same worries, and the same questions as I did, was so comforting, and empowering! It also helped me to learn to be more comfortable with nursing in public. You can find a local group by visiting La Leche League’s site:
8) Go Shopping. Once I learned to nurse on the go – in the sling, life became so easy! You can place a fussy baby in the sling, latch her on, and continue down your grocery shopping list, without having to stop to find a place to sit (and keep toddler occupied at the same time). There’s always online shopping too! :)
9) Write, Paint, Draw. Get those thank you cards finished! Channel your creative energy! Breastfeeding is a perfect time to do those one-handed tasks that may not otherwise get finished in the whirlwind of new parenthood. Take advantage of the quiet downtime, and keep your hands & mind busy!
10) Gaze at Your Baby. Particularly in the early months, when baby nurses quietly, without too much motion or distraction, gazing lovingly at baby increases the bond you have with baby. Gentle touches, stroking her hair, talking or singing softly, are all wonderful ways to get to know your baby better… all the while reveling in the miracle of her being and your breastfeeding – you’re the reason your baby is here, and you are the reason she’s growing! Yay mama!