Pin it Do it: Something yummy!

I am back with another Pin it Do it Challenge! (sorry for all those who came by for the last two weeks looking for the challenge.. we were on vacation!)

The pin I used this week was from my recipe board which I originally found here. It was a recipe for Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf. Remember,  I have a love of Italian food so this one sounded right up my alley! And it was. I followed the directions exactly and if I made it again there is nothing I would change. It was the right blend of seasoning, a great texture and SOOOO easy to make! You can even make it ahead, freeze it and then bake it when you need it. It got 5 out of 6 thumbs up from the family so that means it makes it into our regular rotation.

from "What's Cooking Chicago"

We'll I have to go... I'm in the midst of changing over wardrobes for all four kids... ugh!

Link up below and show us all the great ways you brought Pinterest into real life this week! Happy Pinning!

Pin it Do it Challenge Week 3

 Welcome to week 3 of the Pin it Do it Challenge!

While I was planning Eden's All About Me week for our introduction to preschool, I found 2 ideas that I knew I had to recreate.

First, I love sensory tubs... I love putting them together, and the kids really enjoy playing, discovering and learning with them.  The Totally Tots website has a "What's in the Tub" feature where they put together sensory tubs each month around a specific theme.  It is a great resource and it is where I found this sensory tub:

Totally Tots- What's in the Tub

 Here is my version.  I had fun putting this one together.

• The filler is abc pasta (first week of school, letter review) lentils (for some colour) popcorn seeds and wagon wheel pasta (that's what else I had in the cupboard!)
• Next I took a picture of each person in the family.. even Marcus cooperated! After removing the background with Photoshop, I cut them out and laminated the pictures.  They stood up nicely in the filler.
• I added name cards so Eden could match the name with the person. (name recognition)
• Foam and wooden letters which spelled out her first and last name (she fished these out with a spoon to practice spelling her name)
• magnetic numbers- the numbers in our phone number to practice.
• magnets from our Melissa and Doug calendar (My Birthday, Ballet & Gymnastics- Eden's activities)
• plastic star shape (star was our shape of the week)
• wooden flower and leaf beads (to add some more colour and texture).

I like how it came together and Eden enjoyed playing with the tub (even Eli asked to have a turn a few times).  Eden's favourite part was the cutouts of the family.  One day she spent almost an hour playing with them! 


The next project I pinned  was from my dear friend Mari-Ann's website Counting Coconuts where I always find some great ideas (she is amazing!)

This "Me on the Map" book is a circle shaped book.  Each circle of the book from smallest to biggest represents our home,  neighbourhood, parish (city), island (country), continent, and planet.  The circles are decorated with pictures and held together with a brad.  Eden enjoyed putting each piece together.. we did it over 2 days and the highlight for her was sticking a little star on each page approximately where she would be.  It is a great visual for how we fit in the world.

Here is our version which didn't stray too far from the original (Hey, why recreate the wheel!)

Well, that's how I brought Pinterest into real life this week!  What about you?  Link up below, I'd love to see your great projects and  ideas!

Pin it Do it: Week 2

Welcome to week 2 of the Pin it Do it challenge. It has been quite a week around here with the first week of school. It feels good to have some routine back. I managed to fit in a couple of easy Pinterest inspired ideas.

My favourite was this clever idea to use a magazine type holder to hold kitchen items.  I have been frustrated with the loose boxes of ziploc bags that get tossed around the cupboard.  I can never find the size bag that I need when I need it.  I didn't have any magazine holders laying around and a trip to town with 4 kids to look for one was not and option but I did have a perfect size cereal box that I managed to recycle in to the perfect solution!  My plastic storage bags are now neat and tidy and in one place!  Here's my cereal box version:

The original was pinned  from Chica and Jo who have lots of great ideas.


OK, your turn....Come on, link up!
Read here to see how this challenge came about and the posting rules and then feel free to link up using the linky below. You will have until Friday evening to link up. I can't wait to see how everyone is bringing Pinterest into real life!!

Pin it Do it : WEEK 1

 

Here we are!  Week one of the Pin it Do it challenge!  

Read here to see how this challenge came about and the posting rules and then feel free to link up using the linky below. You will have until Friday evening to link up.  I can't wait to see how everyone is bringing Pinterest into real life!!

For this first week I going to show you some of the things I have done with ideas I found on Pinterest over the summer and then starting next Saturday I will post about one (or more) Pinterest ideas I plan to implement this coming week.

We made this  finger paint from Easy Peasy.  It is a great recipe, easy to make and easy to use.  The kids enjoyed mixing the colours and it is safe to use even for Marcus who will inevitably put some in his mouth!  GO ahead and try it.. I am sure you have all the ingredients in your cupboard!

I saw this idea for a fun water bomb using sponges and just had to try it!  Again, they were easy to make and the kids had tons of fun.  (the original site was onecharmingparty.com )

We had a few broken pool noodles which I put to good use when I saw this idea for a marble run on Homespun Threads Kids Craft Camp (which by the way have some awesome ideas!)  And yes, my kids are still in their PJ's...hey it was summer break!

When I saw this beautiful playhouse I knew I had to make it! (it was for sale on Etsy but it doesn't appear to be available any longer)

My version is not as cute but the kids love it.

And lastly, I didn't get any pictures of our version but I did this cool craft with the kids while we were studying caterpillars and butterflies. 

from Somewhat Simple

So there you have it! Some of our Pinterest inspired activities!

See you next week with another great idea!

Don't forget, Pin it, DO it, blog it, link it!!

Bringing Pinterest into Real Life

Does the blog world need another meme? Probably not, but I am going to start one anyway and I hope you will join me! I told you about my love of Pinterest right? Well I started thinking about all the things I had pinned and how it was so easy to spend my time pinning instead of actually taking the ideas and implementing them. In order to keep me accountable to actually use the ideas that I am pinning (and thus justify the time I spend pinning), I have decided to pick {at least} one pin a week and DO it! It could be a recipe, a craft with the kids, a teaching idea, a printable, a home decorating or organizing idea... whatever!! So what about you? Do you need to bring Pinterest into your real life? Do you want to join me each week?

Here's how it will work.

• Each Saturday I will post about something I made, cooked, used etc. from one of my Pinterest pins. 
• There will be a linky at the bottom of the post for you to link up your post. 
• You will have until the following Friday to add your post.  
• It should include a link to the pin on Pinterest. 
• It should give credit to the website it was pinned from. 
• There should be a link back to Island Mama's Adventures (you can include the button provided in the side bar. )

Interested in joining? Leave a comment letting me know. The first post will be up on Saturday.