Mom

     My mother's menu consisted of two choices: 
Take it or leave it ~ Buddy Hackett

     My mom was quite a character. She was the anti-TV sitcom mom, for sure. Just when I would think I had her all figured out, she'd prove me wrong. She was a bit of a human m&m, hard shell on the outside, but deep inside there was a sweet surprise. It's been about six years since she passed away and I think I'm still learning things about her. As I become older, I find myself identifying with her in interesting ways. I now share her debilitating migraines, love of coffee and night owl tendencies. I find myself understanding and appreciating her more and more and thinking of things I'd like to ask or tell her, but sadly those conversations take place only in my imagination. 

     Thankfully, my mother-in-law's strong presence in my life provides me with lots of motherly love (& then some!). So, with Mother's Day approaching, I hope you and yours have a great day together next Sunday.
    Now, if you are reading this and thinking, "Wait, what? Mother's Day is NEXT Sunday?" Never fear, I have a last minute Mother's Day craft to share with you. One of my teammates found this idea and I just love it! Super cute, inexpensive and unique. These are sun catchers made from glue and clay and don't take much time at all.

 First, add liquid food coloring to bottles of white glue and shake until it's mixed well. Then, have students use clay to create an outline. Give them a small ball and have them roll it into a snake and pinch it closed to make a circle. Place the clay circle on waxed paper. Then, use the colored glue to make a design inside the circle. You can let the kids complete a free form design with different colors or you can do as these teachers did and place an outline of a heart or other shape under the waxed paper to give the students something to follow. You can use a paintbrush to move the glue around and get it to meet the edges of the clay. They also added glitter glue for some sparkle.  These were just completed on Friday and are still wet, but when they are dry and peeled off of the waxed paper - voila! A sun catcher!

      I did see a completely finished and dry example and it totally works. They're not quite as shiny as these when they dry. I'll post a few more pictures after these are completely finished, but I wanted to pass this along so you could try it for yourself in time for Mother's Day if you're interested. Now I just have to take my own advice and get busy gluing!