Sophie's World

Help! (Vote for us!)

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Let me be the first to say that I’m not someone who likes competitions, especially popularity ones where people have to get all their friends to vote for them. However, I’m putting aside my own personal, painful high school memories to ask -- no, plead -- no, BEG for your vote!

My little website, Sophie’s World, has been entered into Staples’ Small Business Push contest, and it could really help us out if we win! Voting for us is easy. You have to either already be a Facebook member, or join Facebook. Then, click this link. If you’re not logged in, you’ll be prompted to do so. Then you’ll be taken to the Small Business Push app; click “Go to app” to be taken straight to our video. Then click “Vote for Us!” That’s all there is to it! I know it’s a bit of time out of your day, but it could help Sophie’s World continue to bring you tons of crafts, games, and activities for some time to come -- and that would be sooo awesome.

Okay... Have you voted? Now I can tell you the story behind it all.

About a month ago, I got an email from Staples announcing that they were holding a contest where the Grand Prize was $50,000 in free advertising. All of us here at Sophie’s World got excited. A free ad -- of any kind or size! -- is worth competing for. We quickly formulated a funny little 15 second plug as per the contest’s rules. Our plan was to show how creative one could be with almost anything -- even office supplies. Freda and I brainstormed ideas, and she created the most amazing props out of office supplies. This included a birthday cake made from Post-It notes and highlighters, a hat made out of a file folder, and a happy birthday banner made out of various envelopes.

We came up with what we thought was a cute and clever little commercial. But then there was our first obstacle: we had to find a place to shoot it. Our offices are just too jammed with stuff, and we needed an empty space. Luckily, our next-door neighbor said we could shoot in his offices, which are in the process of being renovated. He agreed to give us a half an hour on a Friday morning. We were stoked.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. As it turns out, our neighbor’s contractors were actually installing cabinets on the morning we were supposed to shoot. When he saw our disappointment he begrudgingly agreed that we could have 15 minutes, and sent his team off on a coffee break. We raced in and started shooting, only to have a huge CRASH! ruin our first take. Evidently not everyone was on their coffee break. The rest of the shoot was a race against the clock. We raced through as quickly as we could, finally calling it a wrap when the cleaning team came through for the third time, and the foreman started holding an incredibly loud conversation just outside the door. I was a frazzled mess, but I prayed that the video would be good enough to at least get us into the competition.

My husband Scott edited the piece and Simone tried to submit it, but the system kept rejecting it. It kept saying the video was too long! Scott, who makes films for a living, was certain the piece was under 15 seconds (the allotted length of the video), but the Staples entry system just kept kicking it back. Finally, Scott took a machete to the video and shaved off a full second, and Staples finally accepted it. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief... until two days later, when we got an email saying that the video was rejected on content grounds. They said we hadn’t followed the guidelines, which were vague, and after viewing a few of the other participating videos we couldn’t determine what we had failed to do...

Our first attempt at an entry video

We had to go back to the drawing board, and re-shoot fast. Time was slipping away, and we only had five days left to enter. Luckily, we had a regular webisode shoot scheduled, so we decided to combine the two shoots and redo our commercial. We rewrote our script to follow each and every contest rule to a T, and I rehearsed and timed myself over and over and over until I could hit 14.03 seconds every time.

It was nerve wracking. Even when I was a young actress, 25 years ago, learning lines was always hard for me -- and here I was, having to spout an extreme amount of dialogue in an incredibly short amount of time. It probably took us 10 takes, but in the end we got something pretty good...

And now we just have to get everyone we’ve ever met to vote for us. I swear, I feel like I’m back in high school, running for student counsel!

If we could get this, it would be a huuuge boost for Sophie’s World, and give us what we need to keep going. It would mean the world to us. So please, tell all your Facebook friends! We’d really appreciate your support. I can’t promise we’ll be crowned the homecoming queen, but I can promise that we’ll make the best-looking tiara.

Packing materials: Special delivery for your creativity!

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:02:00 +0000

I love getting stuff delivered through the mail. Not only is it fun to open up whatever new game or toy or supply we’ve ordered, but there’s also the way these things are shipped. It’s amazing how there’s an entire industry based solely on shipping things safely! Everything from those air-filled plastic bags to vacuum-formed plastic and cardboard inserts to crumpled newspaper (especially the ones that come from other countries)... As a crafty person, I sometimes find the packaging more interesting than the actual product!

Take for example our office favorite: packing peanuts. These things have so many uses! Nowadays they come in they come in two versions, which we call toxic and non-toxic. The non-toxic ones are made out of a starchy material that melts when it comes into contact with water. I realize now that this kind might not be good if your package is left out overnight during a hurricane... but when it comes to crafting they are super-cool! I love using them with kids at “magic” and “wizard” parties. All you have to do is swipe one end of these babies over a slightly damp sponge, press it into its brother, and voila! Like magic, the two bind together. Not only is it a cool trick, but you can actually make things with them. My sister Freda is incredibly creative, and she’s made an entire dollhouse worth of furniture out of these little guys. The best thing about these peanuts is that they’re so easy to use. Even very small, young hands can make them stick together, and if those fingers then accidentally stray into a mouth, well, it’s not the end of the world. These things can be ingested almost without issue -- a serious step up from the paste my next door neighbor used to eat by the spoonful...

You can get our full how-to here.

The “toxic” ones, which I believe are made out of Styrofoam, also have amazing crafting potential. They’re great for stringing like necklace beads, pasting onto paper, drawing on, and making sculptures. They make great feet for a lil’ pipe cleaner person, and super cute farm animals. With just a few swipes of a Magic Marker, you’ve got a wiggle worm. Add a piece of clear monofilament (fishing line), and he can scoot across the table and tease your cat!

Make this cute skeleton yourself!

Bubble wrap is another great supply. We all know how fun popping the individual bubbles can be! In fact, we’ve played games with it where we place the large-sized bubble wrap on the ground between two players, one of whom is blindfolded, and have the other person try to sneak up on them without too many pops! You can also make really neat prints with it by painting a thin layer of acrylic paint onto the bubbles and then laying a sheet of paper over the painted bubbles. When you lightly rub the paper and then lift it off, you’ve got a really cool pattern transfer. Finally, you can cut off individual, large bubbles and turn them into cute space-helmeted heads or funny eyeballs -- just be careful when cutting them out to not nick the side of the bubble, or you’ll end up with a sadly deflated face!

The ultimate crafting tool -- cardboard boxes!

Then you have boxes. Sooooo many things can be done with boxes! You can cover them with paper or duct tape and turn them into magazine racks (those skinny boxes from Amazon.com book boxes work really well for this!). You just cut a triangular section from one side of the box, cover it with fun colored duct tape, and you’ve got a cute and functional magazine holder (cereal boxes also work really well for this). Boxes make great building blocks, dollhouses, and treasure boxes. You can cut them up and use them as a craft base for a mini-skateboard park, or an insert for a T-shirt as you decorate it... Depending on the size of the boxes, you could even make them into kid-sized playhouses. Cardboard is one of the ultimate crafting tools!

Our super-simple magazine holder from a cardboard box!

Last but not least there are the specialty packing materials. They’re the things made just to hold and protect a specific item, and there are so many different kinds! I can’t begin to describe all that I’ve seen. Clear plastic swoops and bowls, which can be turned into robots and mini-skateboard half-pipes... Molded paper mâché corner protectors that make awesome volcano bases... Cardboard shoe inserts that are a perfect duck beak... It makes me swoon! If I were ever invited to a plant where they design and manufacture these brilliant bits of packing material, I’d explode with excitement! They’d be picking pieces of me from the machinery for months...

So the next time you get a special delivery, open it with new eyes. You might just find that the packaging speaks to you and says, “Use me!”

Packing peanut art (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:11:00 +0000

If you've been shipping or receiving lots of packages, you might have piles of packing peanuts lying around your home or office. Well, if they're the new bio-degradable kind, those peanuts are good for more than just protecting your shipments. They can be used to create fun and funny sculptures! The starches in the peanuts, when wet, bind together. This allows you to stick them together to form chains of peanuts, sheets of peanuts, all sorts of shapes and sizes! In this week's featured video, we show you some of the possibilities for your Packing Peanut Art.

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In search of a good towel...

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:07:00 +0000

I have an issue to discuss that’s really causing me some serious grief. I’ve been searching in vain for almost a year now, and I’ve yet to find a good quality, absorbent, attractive, long-lasting bath towel.

I know, I know. You’re probably saying to yourself: Well this is silly! You just need to spend the money and get a good towel!

Not the case!

I have gone to the expensive home and bath shops. I have mail ordered from high-end companies. I have even gone to department stores like Nordstroms and Macy's. Noooo luck. The towels I have chosen, regardless of cost, end up doing the same things:

A. They pill and shed upon washing and drying, making the poor lint basket in my dryer look like a snowdrift in Tahoe.

B. They repel water instead of absorbing it, leaving the body wetter than when it actually stepped out of the shower. Seriously! I believe that jumping up and down on the bathmat for one minute might actually do more for me than drying off with one of these repellent towels. It’s almost as if there is a silicon coating on the material or something. It’s really bizarre.

C. They are so thin that although they absorb water well, they end up like those Sham-Wows you see at the car wash -- the ones that need to be wrung out continually.

D. They partially absorb the water from your body, but they have this almost anti-thermal quality, where they seem to extract your body heat and then freeze it, making the towel more and more frigid the longer you use it.

Now, you may wonder what exactly makes a good bath towel, and why for heaven's sake this has become such an issue. Well you see, about six years ago I furnished my home with some very nice, very absorbent towels. They came from Target, and they were wonderful. They were substantial in size, they absorbed every ounce of water on my sodden body, they dried quickly after being used, and they came in nice, solid colors that went well with my bathrooms.

Unfortunately, six years later, they are finally starting to give up the ghost. One by one, I am forced to place them into retirement (aka the cleaning bin), which means I need replacements -- and fast! I swear to you, I'm not exaggerating: I've been looking for over 18 months for good replacements, and I've yet to find them! I'm not sure if in the six years since I stocked my condo that the towel manufacturers all got together and decided to start a conspiracy to drive the American public crazy, or if it's just that the cotton manufacturers started changing their "formulas," but whatever it is… it's making me nuts!

I feel like I used to pick up just any old towel, and it would be a winner! Now it’s become a Sherlock-esque adventure to find one that will suffice.

I keep asking my friends, family, neighbors, postmen… But no one seems to have an answer for me. But when I do find the perfect towel, no matter what the cost, you can count on me proclaiming it to the world!… or at least pinning it on my Pinterest board.

And since we're on the topic of towels, I have to show you a cute mini-craft I learned while on vacation! I'm sure you've seen nice hotels or cruise lines fold their towels into fun animals for their guests -- now you can make a swan of your own to welcome houseguests, or to just dress up your home!

Odds and evens

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:18:00 +0000

I have the utmost respect for teachers. How they can take information and knowledge and impart it to another person leaves me in awe! I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to see when the “spark” of understanding hits a child, and it’s always one of the most wonderful sights to witness. You can see the light bulb practically turn on! That “Aha!” moment, when everything falls into place and makes sense. Sometimes it almost knocks you out with its force.

Case in point, the other day when I was playing a game with a bunch of six-year-olds. It was a dice game, and really pretty simple -- unless you don’t understand the notion of evens and odds. Then it gets tricky.

I realized that I was in trouble right away from the blank stares I received as I explained the game. I knew the kids would enjoy the game, but the question became how to explain what was an odd number, and what was an even number. The notion that 1, 3, and 5 were odd and 2, 4, and 6 were even, was confusing to the guests. I could see them shifting from foot to foot in anxiety. I sensed that I was about to lose them, but then I pulled out my dice and it hit me: odds have “belly buttons” (on dice), and evens do not!

I was able to explain this concept easily by using the dice itself as a prop.

“Look,” I said as I held the die to my stomach so that the number one side faced them. “The odd number is a belly button!” The dot that adorns the “one” side of the die did indeed look just like a giant belly button on my tummy. I saw the glimmer of recognition in the birthday girl’s eye. I pushed on.

Turning the die to first 3, then 5, I showed them how each of those sides also had a “belly button” dot smack dab in the center. To explain further, I rolled the die to the 2, the 4, and then the 6, explaining how the straight rows of dots lacked one in the center, in other words -- no belly button. I saw it click. They got it.

I quickly changed the game from “Odds and Evens” to “Belly Buttons and Straighties,” and it became a huge success. We’d roll the giant dice, and the kids would scream out “Belly button!” or “Straighties!” in glee as they hopped forward a step.

I must pause a moment to also applaud the learning abilities of children. Their minds are so flexible and absorbent! It’s unbelievable how much knowledge they can suck up from something as simple as a game.

If you want to try out “Belly Buttons” (as it’s now called) it’s quite simple to play. You will need a die -– we use a big giant foam one that we bought at Oriental Trading company, but you can use a little one if it’s all you have -- and a playing field.

1. Divide your group into 2 teams, the “belly buttons” and the “straighties.” Designate a starting line and have the teams line up, shoulder to shoulder, behind it. You may want to mark the teams with bandannas or hair scrunchies (we use these around the wrist to designate team members), just so you can keep track of each team’s progress.
2. Designate and mark the ending point. You may want to mark this with cones or boxes, or simply make the ending point a big tree or chair. The ending point should be at lease 10 to 15 feet away from the starting line.
3. Kids love to roll the dice, so make sure you let everyone have a turn. Don’t have the kids come to you to roll the die, just take the die to their place on the field so they don’t lose their spot.
4. Have the first child roll the die. If it’s an odd yell out “belly button!” Everyone on the belly button team then gets to take one leap/jump/hop/step forward. If it’s an even yell out “straighties!” and those on the even team move forward.
5. Keep playing until one whole team has made it over the finish line (this evens out those players that have larger strides and jumping abilities).

It’s a simple game, and once the idea settles, a simple concept. All I know is that once that connection was made, the kids had a great time.

So to you in the teaching profession: I salute you, because that one little experience has made me realize just how hard you work day in and day out to make the magic of learning special and real to our children. Thank you -– from the bottom of my belly button!

Foam ninja nunchucks (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

You might recall a while ago on this here blog, we showed you how to make "no pain" ninja gear. Well, our safe, foam ninja weapons were such a hit I wanted to bring it back for a video segment with my dear friend Connor! Check out the video above, and for full instructions, you can also read our writeup here.

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Lego Piñata!

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:56:00 +0000

I’ve got a fun little Lego-inspired party coming up this weekend, and it’s the birthday boy’s wish to have a brick-shaped pinata. Normally when it comes to pinatas, I just take a trip to my local party store and pick one up. But a brick-shaped pinata was a little more difficult to find. So, I decided it might just be easiest to make one of my own, and since I’m going to make it, why not share it?

The Lego brick is an iconic toy, and the best shape to represent the theme of the party. I mean, it’s the foundation -- literally! -- of all that Lego has built its empire upon. Plus it’s really darn simple!

To start, I needed a thin cardboard box big enough to hold all the candy bags loosely, instead of jamming them in tight. You see, when you have what I call a “whack ‘em” pinata (the traditional kind that is hit with a stick), there tends to be candy breakage. That’s one of the reasons I advise against having hard candy such as Ring Pops, candy necklaces, and lollipops in a standard pinata. Those candies are fine in a “pull-string” pinata (where you pull ribbons from the bottom to open a trap door, releasing the candy), but I try to stick with chewy and chocolate candies for my more man-handled pinatas. I should also let you in on a little secret I’ve learned over the years: place all the candies in baggies. That way everyone gets the same candies, and there isn’t that elbow-to-the-eye mad scramble that usually leaves at least one child in tears, one child hoarding every Snickers bar, and more than one dazed child left with an empty goodie bag. It also saves you from that scary moment when kids try to grab the few premature pieces of candy that drop while your eight-year-old slugger is still swinging away, bat in hand. Any of you who have witnessed this know exactly what I’m talking about -- the carnage is worse than a pileup on Interstate 75.

But back to the pinata itself...

I chose a good-sized, thin-walled, rectangular box, about 18 inches by 24 inches by 12 inches. To make the hanger from which I would string up the pinata, I punched a hole in the middle of one of the long sides of the box using an awl (although you could also use a Phillips head screwdriver or ballpoint pen). Using some wire (heavy twine also works), a few taped-together tongue depressors, and some duct tape, I created a hanger for the pinata. I twisted the wire around the depressors, then fed it up through the hole in the box and taped the tongue depressor into place on the inside of the box with some more duct tape. The tongue depressor helps to keep the hanger from ripping through the cardboard box top. I twisted the loose ends of wire to form a hanger loop and taped them with duct tape to ensure there were no sharp edges.

To make my life easier, I made the candy bags ahead of time and placed them in the box, then taped it shut with packing tape.

I then glued on two rows of “studs” (yes, that’s the official term for those little bumps on a Lego block) using my glue gun and 4-ounce plastic condiment containers. We use these containers for everything, so I always have them on hand. I get them from Smart & Final in packs of 100, but you can find them at delis, taco stands, and other takeout places that have things like salsa or condiments. You only need a few, so I bet it you’re pleasant and ask nicely, they’d let you have six or eight.

After the studs were set in place, I spray painted the whole thing. I opted for a bright, bold blue, keeping with Lego’s primary color scheme.

When the paint was dry I covered the entire pinata in layers of blue tissue paper. I used a mixture of glue and water (one part glue, one part warm water) to adhere to the paper. I just cut the paper into big strips, painted a bit of the mixture onto the box, put a strip of paper down, then painted over it with more mixture. On the studs I used smaller strips so they didn’t become bumpy and lumpy.

I gave the pinata two coats of this decoupage, and when it was thoroughly dry, it looked great! I have no doubt in my mind that this pinata is going to be a big “hit” at the party!

Always test the product first!

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Recently, we were helping entertain 150 children at one of our local synagogue’s “Tot Shabbat.” Shabbat is a Jewish ceremony held every Friday night at sundown. “Tot Shabbat” is a special gathering that the synagogue’s preschool does every January. We’ve been a part of this for about seven years now, and it’s always fun. We choose a couple of crafts to make with the kids, we play some games... it’s a great time for the families to come together, mingle, and get to know one another better.

This year we made Challah covers. A Challah cover is basically a cloth that covers the sweet, braided ceremonial bread before it is broken and shared with everyone. We’ve done this craft in the past, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. In preparation for the event, we ordered 200 cloths, a whole bunch of stencils with Judaic designs, and stocked up on our supply of fabric markers and stamps. All the supplies arrived in time, and we were all set for our event -- so I thought!

The morning of the event, as I was loading the truck, I picked up the basket of cloths that Freda had arranged in a beautiful display. Immediately I was struck by something: the material, which had always been a lovely, soft, matte cotton, looked sort of shiny and stiff...a wave of panic hit me. The company had changed the integrity of the fabric! On closer inspection it appeared to be made of a polyester blend. My heart started racing. I had no idea how this product would compare to the one we had used in the past. What if our markers didn’t work? I had to make sure they would, otherwise we’d have a serious fiasco on our hands.

I stopped packing the truck and pulled out our intended marking supplies. Thank God I did! The fabric markers we had bled! And not just a little bit! I’m talking a full two inches out from the original line! It was like trying to stop the ocean from rolling in; the color just kept seeping and bleeding into the fabric. It was horrible. Right away I knew this wasn’t going to fly -- we needed some other sort of marker. Thank goodness we have basically every marker and writing implement known to mankind at our fingertips, all neatly organized by brand. Without wasting a minute, I grabbed every box we had and began testing them one by one. I was getting anxious as I watched my usually dependable markers fail me. Sharpies bled... Crayola markers bled... Watercolor markers seeped into the fabric like a sponge... Nothing was working! In complete desperation I tried crayons. To my total disbelief, the crayons worked, as did colored pencils. I was floored. Who would have thought that crayons and fabric would work so well? I was saved!

All in all, the event went great, and I’m sure no one at the temple ever realized my momentary panic attack had even occurred. However, it does bring me to a serious point: always test your product! Even if you’ve used it a hundred times before, you can never tell when the manufacturer is going to switch things up on you…!

Behind the scenes - Mardi Gras shoes! (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

We've got something really special for our featured video this week! I'm taking you behind the scenes and into our warehouse. My sister Freda's been working really, really hard on over 150 shoes to be giveaways during Mardi Gras -- and we've got the glitter in every nook and cranny to prove it! Take a look at our glam shoe workshop, and if you want to make one of your own, check out our shoe-decorating how-to!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos like these, and friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and see what I'm pinning on Pinterest!

Bessie goes to the big house

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:36:00 +0000

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: the phone rings... you pick up the receiver... and on the other end you hear those haunting words: “Mrs. Maletsky, Bessie is in the Big House.”

Okay, so that’s not actually how things happened the other day. But the ultimate result was the same. Bessie, my beloved, beleaguered van, was dragged away, cuffed to the back of an uncaring tow truck, and locked up in the vehicular version of jail, the impound lot. Poor Bessie! I can only imagine her shame at being hoisted up by her backside, nose to the ground, weaving in and out of San Francisco traffic. She was given, in essence, a perp walk. Ohhh, the humiliation she must have felt!

I have to admit, it was all my fault that my beloved had to suffer such slings of outrageous misfortune. Granted, I had my excuses, but none of them could erase the pain inflicted upon my dearest motorized friend (or my pocket book).

Let me explain...

On Thursday afternoon I began a new series of classes for the local Chinatown YWCA. The class is a combination of games and crafts meant to inspire fearless creativity in sport, art, and thinking. It’s something that I believe in strongly, and I am offering this to the community because I feel drawn to the need for such after-school programming.

Because it was my first day there, I was a tiny bit nervous. I was all on my own and in an unfamiliar surrounding. Whenever I do the Chinatown Public Library program (which I’ve been doing for some time now), they graciously provide me with a parking space. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case with the Y; they have no spots to offer up, and if you’ve ever tried to park in San Francisco’s Chinatown, you know my concerns. There are hills that easily start at a 30 degree angle, streets congested with traffic (both human and vehicular), very few parking spots to begin with, and construction zones that take away at least four spots on every other block. On top of all that, add in the hidden signage that proclaims the area a car-free zone from 4:00 - 6:00 every weekday, and you might begin to understand my accidental error.

Oh, and did I mention that it was pouring rain? And that I had four large boxes of supplies, and five wiggley pool noodles to transport from the van to the Y? Just trying to load the wheelie cart was worthy of a viral YouTube video. There I was, in the pouring rain on top of this incredibly steep hill, trying to brace the cart with one foot while stretching and loading with the remainder of my body, my footing slipping with each back-wrenching box. I was so scared of accidentally letting go of my loaded cart and taking out half a dozen umbrella-toting grandmothers at the bottom of the hill that I was literally sweating. The pool noodles were flinging around in the wind, slapping me in the face, and threatening to take flight. It was just a little but crazy. So please, excuuuse me darling D.P.T. if I didn’t see the parking sign that was halfway down the block, behind a leafy tree.

Anyway, the load-in aside, the event went swimmingly. The kids were amazing. They were funny, inquisitive, excited, charming, you name it. In fact, the one hour lesson easily spilled into two as we explored the joys of paper, pipe cleaners, and beads.

The tragedy didn’t hit until I was loading out.

One of the sweet Y staff members was helping me with my wayward pool noodles when we crested the hill and I spied the empty spot where Bessie had previously been precariously perched, emergency brake pulled hard as possible, wheels turned at a 45 degree angle to prevent any slipping in the rain. Bessie was... gone. As were the 15 or so vehicles that had been behind her two hours before! My stomach bottomed out... and it hit me. Bessie had been towed. I asked the young man, Patrick, to hold the cart, and crossed the street to discover the hidden parking sign. (It took me at least a minute to even locate it!) Oh, poor Bessie, I thought.

After returning to the Y and learning where Bessie was being held captive, I hailed a cab (no small feat in itself, but that’s another blog entirely!) and made my way to the impound on 7th Street between Bryant and Harrison. After following an almost yellow brick road-esque series of twists and turns, I was directed to the payment center... a place which I can only describe as one of the saddest places on earth. The interesting thing is that even though people were in various stages of anger and outrage, the underlying feeling was one of defeat and hopelessness -- basically because everyone knows that no amount of screaming, yelling, crying, or gnashing of teeth is going to do any good. The placidly smiling folks behind the bullet-proof glass hold the key, sometimes literally, to your car’s freedom. To their credit, the folks who take your money were pretty friendly, and guardedly sympathetic, acknowledging that it’s a bummer what happened to you, but not releasing the city from any honest claim to have done what they did. “Did you see the sign?” the slight-of-build, clear-of-skin, bright-eyed, and rather cute teller asked me. “Not until I came back to get my van,” I said.

After explaining that it was halfway down the block and hidden by trees, he nodded sadly and replied, “Yeah, Chinatown is a tough area to park. Gotta keep your eyes open.” End of discussion. I knew it was pointless to bring up the pouring rain, the fear of granny-bowling with my cart, or the fact that the class was a donation of my time and energy.

After receiving the proper paperwork, I was shuttled into a paddock where we offenders were issued forth, one at a time, to claim our wayward wheels. Once ushered into the compound I immediately spied Bessie. She looked to sad and remorseful, and I swear there were tears in her headlights. I was just so happy to see her in one piece, without having succumbed to the jailhouse pressure of tattoos or piercings, that I nearly cried... Although that could have been from the sight of the sodden $75 parking ticket clinging to Bessie’s windshield.

All in all, the ordeal cost me about $530. It sort of reminds me of that credit card commercial: “Cab ride, $20. Bail, $439. Parking ticket, $75. The smiles on the kids’ faces at the Chinatown YWCA, priceless.”

Mardi Gras Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:28:00 +0000

If I haven’t extolled the artistic talent and sheer brilliance of my sister Freda, and how incredibly blessed I am to have her working with me day in and day out, please let me do so now. At the risk of sounding over-the-top, she is simply the most creative individual I know. Case in point: Mardi Gras.

If you’ve ever been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you know there is no other energy like it in the world (except possible Carnival, but I’ve never been to Brazil, so I can’t really speak to that). Mardi Gras is an explosion of color, sound, culture, food, and drink. It’s an amazing week-long party with parades, outrageous costumes, and my personal favorite: specialty giveaways. Most people know about the beads that are tossed from floats and balconies all over town, but did you know people also give away doubloons, coconuts, and shoes? Yes, shoes! I’m not talking little plastic Barbie shoes, I’m talking the most amazing, hand-embellished shoes you ever did see. Each shoe is a work of art!

We are lucky enough to be involved with the process of making these shoes for a beloved client, and thought we would pass on the tradition for your next Mardi Gras event.

Personally, I think these shoes go way beyond the status of “craft,” and into the realm of high art, but they would make a great activity at any glitzy, glamour-filled event. Basically all you need are some fun shoes (high heels are always great, but boots, wedges, sandals, even flip flops or baby shoes can work). The main ingredients for making Mardi Gras shoes are glitter, glue, and fun.

The shoes can be found in any discount shoe place (such as Payless), but for variety, I like to hit the thrift stores. The great thing about thrift stores such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army is that you’ll get an unbelievable variety of shoes to choose from, and all the money goes to a good cause. I always think it’s much more fun to have tons of different shoes, as opposed to one repeated style. You know what they say: “variety is the spice of life...” or in this case, the “variety is the glitter base for these amazing shoes!”

I must warn you that this is a messy craft, and your workspace may just end up looking like Tinkerbell and her friends went to war. But if you cover your floors and workspace with plastic or tarps, it shouldn’t be too bad. Still, it may truly test the suction power of your Dyson vacuum cleaner! I also have to warn you that glitter is contagious. My sister calls it the herpes of all craft supplies. You will unintentionally pass it on to your friends and family. Like the norovirus that is shutting down schools here in San Francisco, it’s merciless. You’ll find it in your bedsheets, your laundry, your pores... Yes, gross but true -- my sister has actually had glitter-filled zits! I won’t go there...

Here's a peek behind the scenes at our Mardi Gras shoe shop!

Anyway, if I haven’t frightened you off, you are going to have the time of your life!

The steps to making a Mardi Gras shoe are really easy, and the supplies are so varied that once you’ve got your base, anything from paperclips to bottlecaps can make a cool decorating element.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your shoes:

1. Assorted shoes (any size, variety, or style)

2. Modge Podge (my sister has tried every type of glue out there, and this is the best)

3. Sponge-tipped paintbrushes (cheap ones are fine, just make sure you have plenty as they do tend to disintegrate with usage)

4. Standard glitter (you’ll need a good sized jar, 4 oz. at least) Don’t get the expensive, ultra-fine glitter, you want the regular type. (As many colors as you can find!)

5. Hot glue gun and glue sticks (stock up on the sticks!)

6. Cardboard box (like a shirt /gift box, with a smooth bottom and no folded flaps) -- 1 per glitter color

7. An assortment of embellishments: trims, laces, puffballs, old toys, bows, old Christmas ornaments, things you find under the seat cushions of your couch, etc.

8. Scissors

9. Plastic tarps to cover your working area

How-to:

You will want to make these shoes over the course of 2 or 3 days. The first day or two will be the preparation days, meaning, getting the shoe base ready for embellishment. The following day will be spent in a glue-gunning frenzy.

Day 1: Prep your area/prep the shoes

Make sure to cover your work area with plastic, tarps, etc. Trust me on this one.

1. Take your shoes and give them a gentle cleaning so they are dust and dirt free.

2. Using your sponge brush, liberally apply Modge Podge to one area of the shoe at a time (you may want to start with the insole, or possibly the toe portion of the shoe).

3. Hold your Modge Podged shoe over your shirt box and liberally shake on one color of glitter. You will only want to work with one color at a time, letting that color dry before adding another color. In this way, you can actually make patterns with your glitter.

4. Make sure that your glitter adheres to all of the Modge Podge. Don’t leave any white spots. If need be, place your shoe on a piece of newspaper, and pour the glitter contents of the shirt box back into the glitter container. Repeat step 3 until the shoe is completely covered.

5. Set your shoe aside to dry.

6. When the shoe is dry, repeat step numbers 2 & 3 on different areas of the shoe. Keep repeating these steps until the entire shoe is covered in glitter. This is your base shoe.

7. Let your base completely dry (may take 24 hours).

Day Two: Decorating the shoes

8. Now, go to town! Using your glue gun, add whatever kind of crazy embellishments that you can gather. Don’t be shy; the crazier and wackier the shoe, the better it is!

9. That’s it! Now display your shoes for the world to see.

As I mentioned above, I think this would be an amazing craft for a party, event, or fundraiser. The host would need to prep the shoes ahead of time, but once the base is done, then the real fun can begin. Invite your friends over for an evening that is bound to create memories. Just like a quilting bee, this is the kind of craft that engages lots of people at the same time and invokes that wonderful feeling of sharing. I can almost guarantee that if you get a group of friends together around the table decorating these shoes, the stories will fly (just like those glitter-bombing fairies)!

If you want inspiration just check out some of the amazing creations my sister Freda made for our client. I hope you, like me, can appreciate the utter genius behind each shoe, and although these boots may not be made for walkin’, they certainly (as the Cajuns say) laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll)!

Singalong: "Shake, Shake, Shake!" (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Sometimes you've just gotta shake it out! In my latest singalong, get out your bells, tambourines, shaker eggs, maracas (like our T.P. Tube Maracas), or just clap your hands while you shake your cares away with my song, "Shake, Shake, Shake!"

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos like these, and friend us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and see what I'm pinning on Pinterest!

Whimsical Valentine's Day flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

I was always an inventive kid, and I loved using that creativity to make gifts for my friends and family. Since my family encouraged that sort of behavior, I could often be found taking over the kitchen table, or spreading out my supplies on the living room floor. Unfortunately, the furniture in our house bore the marks of many such projects, as my parents will confirm: accidental paint splotches on the carpet, X-Acto knife gouges in the tables, floors, and sometimes my flesh, Sharpie streaks on the couch... I was a bit of a disaster when it came to organization and control back then! But my parents were always patient and supportive, even if it did mean turning the living room into a sweatshop.

I could never seem to do things in moderation. I suppose that even at an early age, I was preparing for my life as a party planner. Where most people would be content with making one craft, I’d make 20 -- you know, so everyone could have one.

One such project that just screams to be shared for Valentine’s Day is stocking-face flowers! I remember making these for all of my friends, and wrapping each one in tissue paper with a handmade tag. Each one had its own personality, and I tried to match the flower to the person as best I could. I’m not exactly sure where I got the inspiration for these guys, but it was during the introduction of the Cabbage Patch Dolls -- not the plastic ones made by Mattel, but the handmade ones that had sewn faces. I think I must have seen one in a stationery store; remember, this was in an age before the Internet, so the only way these sort of images were shared was through magazines, newspapers, books, and stores. In any case, I must have seen one somewhere, and it sent me into a flurry of action. It’s a pretty simple craft once you get the hang of it, although if you go for the sewn version, it will take a bit of practice.

Supplies:
Silk flowers (any kind will do, but those with a flat center, like a daisy, work best)
Nylon stockings (nude and tan work best)
Small rubber bands
Stuffing (or cotton balls)
Scissors
Small beads, googly eyes, or buttons
Assorted embellishments: tiny puff balls, sequins, etc.
Hot glue gun and glue sticks (or thick white glue)
A needle and thread (optional)
Embroidery floss (optional)
Acrylic paints and paint brushes (optional)
Fabric or Sharpie markers (optional)
Tissue paper, ribbon, and note cards (for gift wrapping; optional)

Step 1:
Cut a 4-inch section from a pair of nylons, leaving you with a tube of stocking material, open on either end.

Step 2:
Cut one side of the tube so that it opens up to form a rectangle of nylon stocking.

Step 3:
Depending upon how big you want to make your flower face, take a bit of stuffing and roll it into a tight ball. Start with one the size of your palm. As you get more practiced, you can vary your sizes, but it’s better to start larger until you get the hang of it.

Step 4:
Place the ball of stuffing into the middle of your stocking and wrap the stocking around the ball. Pull and stretch the nylon stocking around the ball of stuffing and gather all of the fabric in your fingers so that you end up with a nylon fabric "stem." Twist the stem a couple of times to secure.

Step 5:
Use a small rubber band to close off the stocking stem or sew it shut with needle and thread. If sewing, sew through the stem to secure the thread, then sew half-circles around the stem (push the needle through one side - "Side A" - and exit Side B. Loop the thread halfway around the stem from Side B back to Side A, push the needle through at Side A. When the needle exits on Side B for the second time, loop the thread around the opposite side of the stem and sew back through Side A again). Sew about 4 or 5 half circles to secure. Don't worry if there's a bit of stuffing in the stem!

Step 6:
Cut off the excess stocking.

Step 7:
Embellish your flower with eyes, puff ball noses, etc. You can attach them with a glue gun. You can even draw on the face with a fabric marker, or paint a blush of color with thin acrylic paint; apply with a brush, Q-Tip, or sponge.

Step 8:
Once your face is done, simply hot glue it into the center of a silk flower. Instant personality!

If you are feeling handy with a needle and thread, then consider sewing your face!

Step 1:
Thread a needle with about 3 feet of thread, and tie the ends together so you have a double thickness of thread. Sew side-to-side through the closure stem at the back of the head to secure your thread. Always remember to be gentle with your thread until it is secured, because the thread wants to pull through the nylon. This is why I suggest securing the thread through the base of the head; there's more layers!

Step 2:
Once the thread is secure, sew up through the head and into the face. In this manner you can sew features like mouths, dimples, noses, etc. Just make sure that you are always sewing through the head from back to front and back again to secure the features (when sewing features you should always end up at the back of the head where you can sew a security stitch through the stem).

Step 3:
If you wish to add beads for eyes, stitch through the back of the head, up through the face, slide the bead over the needle, then stitch down back through the head.

Step 4:
Repeat with the second bead. Once both beads are sewn onto the front of the face, secure with a couple stitches at the back of the head. The tighter you pull your thread through the face will equal the amount of depth and dimpling you will see in the face.

Step 5:
Making a puffy nose is a bit tricky. But the more you play with your needle and thread, the better you will get. You can make a sort of straight line nose by sewing two lines down the middle of the face. To make a longish nose just sew a stitch connecting those parallel stitches. You can even try a "V" shaped nose.

Step 6:
Ball noses are a bit harder to get the hang of, but basically you want to sew a box. The ball nose will then need additional stitches around and around to form a ball. Practice and playing with stitches is the key to making stitched features. Don’t get frustrated... just keep playing with it! You also may want to try using embroidery floss instead of thread to make the features. It works really well for the mouth.

Grand finale:
Your friendly flower is ready to brighten someone's day! Make a bunch and place them in a flower vase, or wrap them in tissue paper like a floral delivery! You can also add a hand made note card for a very Valentines effect. You can also check out our one-at-a-time step-by-step over at our main site, Sophie's World.

For another style completely, you can do what my sister Freda did this past Halloween. She’s one of those people who can take an idea and just run with it, so when Halloween rolled around and we needed a creepy and cool centerpiece for our Haunted Royal Tea, Freda made her own variation of “evil” flowers. Instead of using nylon stockings, she actually sculpted all the little faces using Crayola Air Dry Clay. The end result was really fun, because people didn’t realize right away that the flowers had faces. It was exciting to see them discover the flowers, and then examine all the different personalities.

Basically, my feeling is, anything with a puffy face is going to be fun!

I love my measuring cup!

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:39:00 +0000

I’m one of those people who becomes completely devoted to things. It can be an idea, a person, a vision, a book, a movie, an object... It doesn’t really matter what it is, but once it captures my attention, I feel like I need to share it with everyone I see! I’ve been known to chat with my supermarket checkout guy about “The Hunger Games,” or regale my bank teller with stories about how my new Square credit card reader is changing the way I do business. As my husband Scott aptly pointed out, I “gush!”

So please indulge me as I gush about my newest love: my Oxo brand measuring cup!

You have to understand, this is no normal, boring, writing-on-the-side measuring cup. This is a state of the art, take it to the next level, simple yet beautiful and practical work of art!

I know what you’re thinking: a measuring cup is a measuring cup! But you are wrong, my friend! What’s so amazing about this particular cup is that it’s designed to let you see how much matter (be it liquid or solid) is inside from the top of the cup. You can look down into it as you are adding more, and see exactly how much you have. No more lifting the cup to eye level and (if you are me) slopping half the contents out onto the counter or down your front! (If I haven’t mentioned this before... I’m not the best cook in the world.)

It’s a very simple invention, but one that revolutionizes the measuring experience. All they’ve done is create an angled ½ inch lip on the inside of the measuring cup. Along this lip, in bright red, easy-to-read font are the standard measurements: one side in cups, and the other in ounces. (Which is brilliant; it saves my math-impaired brain from having to strain to remember that one pint is two cups or 16 ounces!) I can’t begin to tell you the number of paper towels and sweatshirts I’ve saved since purchasing this puppy.

It was also a complete accident that I bought it in the first place. I was shopping for party supplies in one of my favorite stores, Target. Scott and I keep an ongoing list of things that we need, so whenever I’m out shopping (which is at least three times a week!), I can pick up whatever household items are needed. On this day I noticed he’d written “plastic measuring cup.” I zipped into the cooking aisle grabbed the first cup I saw. I was in a hurry (another constant in my life!), and it wasn’t until two weeks later that I discovered the grace, beauty, style, and practicality of its nature! The measuring cup was meant for our little kitchen in our home in Mexico. On an earlier visit we discovered that Mexicans must not use measuring tools when they cook, because we couldn’t find one in any of the stores.

That’s why it wasn’t until I was instructed to squeeze one cup of lime juice for a pitcher of margaritas that I made my discovery! I was so blown away that I didn’t have to change my outfit after helping in the kitchen that I promptly escorted every arriving guest through the kitchen like a seven-year-old showing off her new bike. Thankfully, the margaritas softened our guests’ patience levels, so they indulged my soapbox antics.

Now, I may not have a margarita to offer you, but the next time you are in need of a measuring cup (or you’re just tired of investing in aprons), check out the Oxo brand measuring cup. There’s room on my soapbox -- I’ll scoot over!

Tuesday Links: Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:06:00 +0000

With Valentine's Day coming up, it's important to remember that the holiday isn't just about romantic love. You don't need a boyfriend or girlfriend in order to celebrate -- if you have someone in your life that you care about and are grateful for, show them with a small token of your appreciation! If can be a parent, grandparent, teacher, friend -- even your little brother or sister, if they're not being pests! I've collected some really cool ideas to help celebrate Valentine's Day; check them out and see if they spark your imagination!

This sweet candy airplane from Family Fun is a cute way to wrap up a simple gift for any high-flying sweetheart! It kinda reminds me of our Candy Sleigh -- both are cute and fun to eat!

Another sweet treat comes in floral form! Homemade Simple shows you how to make a flower lollipop. Make one for each of your friends, or a whole bouquet for that special someone! (And if you like this craft, check out our Beaded Lollipop Butterflies!)

This is a really adorable craft that's perfect for a child to give to a parent (and vice versa!). Crafty Lowri from Papervine has a tutorial on making a "52 Things I Love About You" book out of a deck of cards.

Finally, if you're looking for some soft and frilly decor, try these tissue paper pom-poms from Amy at Our Daily Obsessions. They look gorgeous hung from the ceiling in bunches! They're also really easy -- it's very similar to our Tissue Paper Flowers, but with a few extra steps.

Pool Noodle Swords and Foam Laser Swords! (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

En garde! Avast! It's time for a swordfighting adventure! Whether you're pretending to be a pirate, a knight in shining armor, or a sci-fi warrior, all of those characters have a trusty sword at their sides. But when you're dealing with kids instead of adult stuntmen with years of training, you might want to make sure those swords are safe! There's nothing that'll spoil an afternoon of fake battles like a real injury. So this week, our featured YouTube videos are how to make a Pool Noodle Sword, and a Foam Laser Sword. Check 'em out, and read the full write-ups at the links!

Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can see our new featured video every Monday. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

Skit night

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:01:00 +0000

When I was a kid, I was involved in the youth fellowship group at my church. I was one of those lucky kids whose parents were actually group leaders, which meant that even though I was technically too young for the group (which was meant for high school students in grades 9 through 12), I was allowed to be a part of it from grade 7 on.

I say lucky, because that was an amazing group of people. Every now and again, a group will come together and will just have the right combination of people: people who have energy, spirit, and creativity. It just so happened that this was one of those groups, and it came at a very important time in my life. Those middle school years are just plain rough on a human being!

Possibly one of the best things about being part of the group was going on retreats. There was one in the fall, one in the winter, and one right before summer began. The church would rent a bus, and we’d take off from Friday to Sunday. The weekend would be full of team-building games, local trips, Bible studies, and my favorite: Skit Night!

Skit Night was on Saturday night, and during dinner on Friday night the show announcement would be made. The sign-up sheet was placed in a prominent area, and by 3:00 the next day there would be upwards of 20 acts on the sheet. Those who had been involved in the fellowship group for a while would plan ahead and come up with scripts, bring along specialty props, and sneak off to rehearse a musical number or two. It was 30% theatre, 30% improvisation, 40% talent show, and always 100% fun!

Some of my favorite skits were the Saturday Night Live “Weekend Update”-type acts. There would be two news anchors who’d read very funny “news articles” that were about things that had happened within that group since the last retreat. To this day I can still remember one of the lines about our counselor Skip and his girlfriend Chris Mayo (I think that was her first name, but I can’t really remember after 22 years -- so if I’m mistaken, forgive me!). It went something like this...

Announcer 1: Well Jane, did you hear the happy news?
Announcer 2: No Jeff, I haven’t, please fill me in!
Announcer 1: Well, our dear friend Skip and Chris have just had a baby.
Announcer 2: Oh, that’s wonderful Jeff. Is it a boy or girl?
Announcer 1: It’s a boy. And wanting to carry on the family lineage, they’ve named the boy after his father.
Announcer 2: I know that Chris is quite a feminist... Didn’t she keep her last name?
Announcer 1: Yes she did. In fact, given that point, they decided to give the child the middle name of “The”... meaning the child’s name is...
Both at the same time: Skip The Mayo!

Seriously... I still remember that scene vividly!

The other skit I remember with an amazing clarity was the shadow play they did one Halloween. It was awesome!

Some of the kids strung up a sheet, put lighting behind it, darkened the room and put on a shadow play. It was one of the coolest, cleverest things I’ve ever seen. The entire play was built around the premise of what you saw in the shadows on the sheet -- not what was in actuality. The scene was a doctor’s office with an operating table. It was just a table with a sheet over it, but in shadow it looked like the real thing. (Later I would learn that it was imperative to have that table to hide all the props!) The doctor escorted a patient in, had him lie down on the table, and proceeded to “knock him out” -- with a hammer! The shadow made it look so realistic; the way the patient jerked their body was perfect. I can’t remember exactly everything that happened, but I remember the doctor opening up the patient with a hand saw and pulling out lots of crazy stuff: for example, an alarm clock (which he declared to be a “bum ticker”), and the contents of an entire meal (including a whole chicken, a head of celery, the plates, silverware, and a lit candelabra). They also pulled out lengths of “intestine” (which was really rope) that had funny things tied to it like a clothesline - a few triangular pennant flags, socks, baby-sized onesies, and finally a giant pair of granny panties. It all ended with a “gusher” in which the doctor said he hit a vein, and someone squeezed a bottle of water straight into the air behind the sheet. At the same time, two “nurses” appeared in the back of the room brandishing squirt bottles filled with warm water, which they then sprayed over the audience. It was a hoot!

Those years were really magical ones, and I know they helped me get through a particularly hard part of my childhood. I think that whenever it’s possible to find a group of individuals that can come together week after week and have fun it’s a blessing. That’s why things like scouting troops, church organizations, and clubs are so important. I just hope in this age of Internet and isolationism that people have this type of outlet available to them. There’s nothing better than connecting with other people through laughter and fun. At the risk of sounding like my grandpop, those skit nights were powerful good times!

Fearlessly Creative

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:46:00 +0000

I come from a fearlessly creative family.

What does that mean? In a nutshell, it means that I come from a family that never said “No,” when creativity was involved.

For example, my uncle was a college professor with aspirations of being a playwright, my aunt was an artist and actress who had become a stay-at-home mom, my mom and dad were (and are!) amazing artists in their own right who were struggling to make ends meet, and my grandparents, well -- they just knew how to get things done! So what did we do, as a family? We formed a Christmastime puppet theatre. Every year my uncle would write the show (often with musical numbers), and then we’d sit around my grandparents’ kitchen table and record it on a reel-to-reel player that my pop had picked up somewhere. I can clearly remember passing around the little plastic microphone so we could tape our lines. Later, Pop would splice together the tape. My grammy and I went to the library and got a book on puppetry, and we built our own stage, complete with dimmable lights and interchangable backdrops. We used lightbulbs as bases to make plaster of Paris heads for our puppets. To this day I remember cutting them open to remove the bulb and the plaster going everywhere. There would be dust for days!

Once the puppets and scenery were completed, we’d rehearse and rehearse, throwing in special effects like Santa’s sack exploding like a magical pinata (in truth it was a balloon filled with treats that we popped with a little pin from backstage). I was always in charge of taking the tickets, and we’d pack the house with two shows every Christmas. It was a family tradition that eventually became a full time job for my aunt, my cousin Greg, and eventually myself. I so wish we had owned a home movie camera back then, it would be a hoot to see those old shows now!

Another example was when the youth fellowship at my church needed a guitar player. All the kids who already played were graduating from high school that year, and none of the leaders played. So I borrowed a guitar, and my parents paid one of the high school kids to teach me how to play the songs. I practiced, and by the time September rolled around, I was leading the singalongs. Now, I must honestly admit that I’m not a great guitar player, and although I play a mean “Hokey Pokey,” you’d never want me playing at your wedding. The point is no one ever said, “Oh Sophie, that’s a stupid idea. Do you know how hard it is to learn the guitar?” I saw a need, and I filled it.

A final example is my sophomore year in college, when I was offered an opportunity to go to London for ten days. It was the chance of a lifetime for a gal who didn’t even have a passport. The only problem was it cost a lot of money. But instead of saying “No,” my family sat down, brainstormed, and got creative. Our solution? A Christmas boutique where every member of the family made something. My dad made these amazing owl ornaments out of walnut shells and epoxy, my grandmother went out into the woods and collected hundreds of prickle berries (they’re actually called sweetgum seed pods) and made teddy bear decorations. My mother sewed countless Merry Christmas banners with hand-quilted leaves. Even my pop made beeswax ornaments. Everyone in the family worked tirelessly for months, and when it was all said and done, they had raised enough money for me to go on my trip, and let me tell you... it was amazing!

The greatest thing about my family is we never give up. Instead of saying, “We can’t do that,” they’d say, “We can do it!” Just like Rosie the Riveter in those old World War II posters, we’d roll up our sleeves and figure out how to make it happen.

To this day I’m grateful for the childhood I had and the life I have now. I’ll admit it’s never been easy, but it’s always exciting and always challenging. Every day brings something new, and isn’t that what makes life worth living?

I know what you must be thinking: “Well sure, that’s easy for you... You grew up in a creative family. I live with a collection of lawyers, accountants, and bankers.” And you know what? You’re right! But just because you didn’t grow up as I did doesn’t mean you can’t start to think creatively -- all it takes is the desire to try.

I see it all the time in the craft programs I hold in the public libraries. Folks come in, nervous that they’re going to do something “wrong” or create something ugly. More times than not I’ll hear, “I’m just not the creative type,” or “This isn’t my thing, it’s for the kids...” For some reason many adults don’t seem to feel they have the permission to play and be creative. Once I’ve convinced them it’s okay to participate, and that there is no “right” or “wrong,” they begin to loosen up and enjoy the journey. And what’s most gratifying to me is that to a one, they always make amazing stuff! The look of pride on their faces... it’s priceless.

So I want to give you a challenge. I want you to let go of your fear! I want you stop thinking that you have to invent some Martha Stewart-esque creation (because trust me, even I can’t do that, and I’ve been making art for years!). Grab your kid’s hand, a pencil or pen, and start making squiggles on a page. See where it leads you. Doodle. Let your mind wander and lead the pencil where it wants to go. Still nervous? Think it’s not good enough? Want to really loosen up your grip on perfectionistic creations? Try another one of our games, Blind Drawings.

I want you to realize that you too can do it! You are a creative being! You can be fearlessly creative! You just need to give yourself the permission to do so.

Tuesday links: Construction party, homemade climbing wall, duct tape fashion, and surprise lanterns!

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:47:00 +0000

Something I really believe in is being fearless about having fun! We worry too much about what other people will think of us and what we create. I think it's time to take a step forward and declare that if you have fun doing it -- do it! Below are some of my favorite brave n' bold links from this week to inspire you!

Sometimes it can be hard to think of a fun birthday party for little boys, but a construction party is a tried-and-true winner. Let little boys' adventurous sides come out, just as Ode to Inspiration did with this party! And it was held at a Home Depot! I would have never thought of that. It's the kind of construction party where you build a box, and then you think outside of it! (Via Amy Atlas.)

If your kid loves to climb (something I know a lot about!), a home climbing wall could be a great way to let them safely play under your supervision. Find out how to build your own wall for your fearless tykes over at Apartment Therapy.

I LOVE duct tape! But I have to say that it takes a brave soul to walk out of the house in a head-to-toe duct tape outfit! Babble's Family Style blog has a roundup of the craziest, most over-the-top duct tape fashions, including the one above, which is a replica of the costumes from the TV show "Firefly."

Open up this DIY lantern for a surprise shower of confetti! It's a fun and silly way to both decorate a party, and to cap off the end of the event. From Oh Happy Day!

Treasure hunts! (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:54:00 +0000

Treasure hunts are the perfect big-bang finale to any kids' party. They get all the kids involved in solving the clues and running from hiding spot to hiding spot, searching for the treasure at the end. But they're not as complicated to put together as you think! All it takes is a little advance planning -- and also working backwards! I'll show you how (and give you some tips!) in my latest YouTube featured videos.

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Family game night

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:36:00 +0000

I love games! The bummer is that I never really had the opportunity to play them as a kid. I was an only child up until I was fifteen years old, and my parents weren’t big on games. However, my grandparents were, when given the time. My cousin Greg would come over when we had snow days or when the summer humidity was unbearable. We’d all sit down at the big, glossy wooden kitchen table and play Parcheesi, Chinese checkers, Rummikub, Triminoes, or Rook. We were limited in our choice of games, but that didn’t make it any less fun. Those were some of the best times I can remember.

Today, the toy shelves are filled with games -- everything from mental games like Apples to Apples, to silly games like Operation. There’s an entire fifty-foot wall at Target devoted to games. It’s enough to make my hands shake with eager anticipation.

As I grow older, I realize that family game time, uninterrupted by phone calls, homework, soccer games, and piano practice, is really important. It builds connection, teaches valuable life skills (such as when to let your little brother cheat, or finding out how competitive Dad really is), and is just plain fun! I remember one Christmas when my family came to San Francisco. We were all gathered together in our little living room playing Cranium. My dad doing his imitation of Barbara Streisand singing “Memories” will never be forgotten! It gave me a completely different perception of my dad, one that I will always treasure.

My fear is that time spent as an “unplugged” family are becoming fewer and farther between. The siren song of the iPad, video game, computer, and phone have just become overwhelming. It makes me long for some sort of daily power grid shutdown, just so folks can use their hands and brains instead of electronics. I know that families are overwhelmed and stressed out, which is why I think taking half an hour once a week to play together is worth the effort. Even if you have to put it on the calendar and make time for it, I really think that the benefits from that brief weekly encounter can make a huge difference in the family dynamic.

Of course, depending on your family, you may have to set some ground rules and choose your games with great care. The last thing you want to do is start a family feud between siblings or set up rivalries that end up on Maury Povich one day. But I think the challenge is worth it. Try playing a game one night a week for the next two months. Choose a game from the store, one from our website, or even make up your own -- it doesn’t matter. The goal is to hang out with your family and enjoy their company. Let’s fact it, it’s your family -- you’re going to be stuck with them for a long time... you might as well enjoy them!

My sister Freda has created her own version of family game night with her friends here in California. Wish I lived closer!

I bow before the bow!

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:39:00 +0000

The other evening, my assistant Kendall and I were hosting a “Duct Tape and Karaoke Slumber Party” for a group of fifteen teens. That’s right: fifteen highly excited gals singing Bruno Mars, Adele, and Lady Gaga at the top of their lungs for three hours, while the family’s dogs remained sequestered in a little room off the kitchen, howling in harmony. It was controlled chaos at its best.

The event was actually a lot of fun, with the girls making amazing duct tape projects for two and a half hours straight. Their ideas ranged from one gal who covered her high top sneakers, to others with iPod holders, iPad jackets, a working belt, and my favorite: hair bows and bow ties.

After a brief demonstration of how to make the basic duct tape fabric (the base for all duct tape creations) the gals were off and running, once again leaving me in the dust, shaking my head at the ingenuity and creativity that fills young people.

I’ve been making duct tape crafts for awhile now, and I’ve got a certain way of making a bow... But as I was working with one of the guests, I noticed she had a completely different type of bow. It looked like the type of bow you would find atop the head of a 1900s curly-headed ward from the novel Vanity Fair. It was, in a word, perfect! It was unlike my original design, with its fan folds to give it shape. “How did you make that?” I inquired once I’d unstuck my Band-Aided thumb from a wayward strand of flame-embossed tape.

“Kendall showed me,” she said, with a nod over her shoulder to my assistant. I was very impressed, and of course asked that she teach me as soon as there was a bit of down time -- which finally occurred between renditions of Beyonce’s “Halo” and Rhianna’s “Umbrella.” (I believe by this time the dogs had finally passed out due to exhaustion or hyperventilation, as they were finally quiet.)

As it turns out, the bow is pretty easy and suitable for those 7 and up. They may need a tiny bit of help ripping the pieces, and laying one piece on top of the other, but it’s really pretty straightforward once the basic duct tape skills (i.e., making fabric -- see our video) have been mastered.

First, you figure out how big you want your finished bow, in terms of the overall length. We’ll work with a bow that’s 3 inches from side to side.

1. Take that number and multiply it by 2. Ours will be 6 inches.
2. Measure out one piece of tape 6 inches long.

3. Measure out a second piece of tape, 1 inch longer than the first piece. In our case, that’s 7 inches.

4. Place the 7 inch piece of tape on your work surface, sticky-side up.

5. Line up the short side of your 6-inch piece of tape with the 7-inch piece, and adhere the two pieces together, sticky side to sticky side. There will be one inch of extra tape sticking out from the 7-inch piece. You’ve made a strip of duct tape fabric. (You may embellish further with accent tapes at this point if you like, just remember you will eventually be folding that extra inch over one of the edges).

6. Fold the short, sealed edge of the fabric to the opposite edge, and use the 1-inch flap of extra tape to secure into a loop.

7. Trim any overhanging sticky tape from the edges of your loop.

8. Cut a ½ to ¾ inch strip of tape (this can be of a contrasting color if you like).

9. Find the center of the loop and pinch it together to form the bow shape. I find that it works best to fold the bow in half then fold each of the sides down to the middle to make a letter “W” in the middle. Secure with the strip of tape (you may want to add a second strip for strength). Tah dah! You’ve got a bow!

10. The bow can be secured to any number of things (headband, bobby pin, pipe cleaner, etc.) with a second (and possibly third, depending upon the thickness of the other item) piece of ½ or ¾ -inch tape.

The resulting bow is really, really cute, and I have to definitely recommend this as a great accent to any other duct tape crafts.

I just love it when I learn something new from kids and assistants, especially something that simplifies a project. It makes my job exciting -- and just reiterates how much I still have to learn!

Tuesday Links: Fun reuse ideas from Pinterest!

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:40:00 +0000

You already know how much I love being inspired by other people's creativity! Well, now there's a website that's all about finding inspiration in others: Pinterest! I know I complained before that these social networks are getting too confusing, but I think I'm getting the hang of this Pinterest thing. After all, it's worth it when there are such great ideas on there!

Follow me on Pinterest, and in the meantime, take a look at some of the awesome things I found! This week I'm really into pins about recycling household items into something new and fun!

My sister Freda is an amazing painter (as you probably already know!), and this foam noodle paintbrush holder might be something she could get some good use out of! I thought that I had already come up with every pool noodle use under the sun -- but Instructables user Mole1 has shown me otherwise!

Marble racetracks are something that I did include in my long list of things to do with pool noodles, but I just have to share this version with you! My Homespun Threads has made a perfectly cute track, complete with a finish line flag and a box to catch all your racing marbles.

Eeee! Aren't these champagne cork mice the cutest? Russian-language site Iiiopox shows you how to make them (with the help of Google Translate!). They're also included The Crafty Crow's uber-long list of crafts you can do with corks -- you should definitely check it out!

Finally, this adorable jellyfish costume is something I would have never found without Pinterest's help! Originally uploaded in the comments section of BabyCenter's Halloween post by reader Julieteenie, it would have been buried and lost if it hadn't started floating around on Pinterest. I'm really glad I was able to see how a simple umbrella and crepe paper can be used to make this really fun costume.

Singalong: "Froggy Went A-Courtin'!" (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:50:00 +0000

Froggies make some silly sounds, and kids love making them too! In our latest featured YouTube video, I lead you on a singalong of "Froggy Went A-Courtin'." Kids can sing along as Froggy tries to woo Miss Mousey!

You can check out the rest of my videos on my YouTube channel, and be sure to like Sophie's World on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Skating on thin ice

noreply@blogger.com (Simone Chavoor) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:42:00 +0000

The other day I had to send my sister Freda to the ice skating rink in Alameda to pick up some kettle corn. I know: odd place to get kettle corn! But we were putting together our “Taste of the Bay Area” welcome baskets for a bunch of Bar Mitzvah guests and needed it before the weekend, which is when Peter’s Kettle Corn appears at the Oakland Farmer’s Market. It turns out that Peter also sells his wares at a little upscale food stand in -- you got it -- an ice skating rink.

So Freda, who lives in the East Bay, generously volunteered to pick up eighteen bags of the tasty corn. Around 3:30 I got a text from her; it just said, “OMG!”

I immediately thought, “Uh oh, tragedy with the kettle corn!” My mind started racing... The delivery truck turned over on the highway, sending little kernels of candy-coated fluff buffeting and bouncing between SUVs and Honda Accords... I envisioned a snowstorm of popcorn sticking to windshields...

But my angst was for naught. What had caused the “OMG!” was the sight of dozens of little children learning how to ice skate. Evidently, a widely-recognized technique for teaching young skaters how to fearlessly glide on the ice is to use an overturned five-gallon bucket. The buckets are used as a stabilizer for little bandy-legged students. The great thing is that the buckets can be stacked on top of each other to whatever height is necessary.

I assume that this is a technique primarily used for kids 4 to 6 years old, meaning those too short to hang onto the outer railing for dear life. The buckets’ surfaces appear to glide along pretty smoothly, and allow the passengers to find their balance and master the act of moving their feet across the ice in a fluid movement. (As opposed to the choppy tip-toe clomping, arm-flailing, slide-and-crash technique that I myself employed as a child.) Once the kids master finding their balance, the buckets, like training wheels, are ditched.

But how did the idea come about? It makes me wonder if some instructor just got tired of having their shoulders yanked out of joint by slipping and sliding students... or if some industrial engineer’s kid was anxious to learn how to skate, but terrified of falling... or the Zamboni driver’s kid wanted to follow his dad around the rink and grabbed the nearest thing he could to find to help him cross the ice... Who knows? All I know is that I’m constantly amazed by the ingenuity of the human race!

Now if I can just find fifteen buckets to stack on one another, I might go give ice skating a try again... It’s much better than the alternative: hanging one-armed off the railing, legs akimbo, hat askew, and dignity totally out the window.