What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Her school is having an International Festival this Saturday. My class teacher (as always) is such a procrastinator. I’ve been staying back but the room mom got fed up and sorta quit on her. So I was thrown in to help figure out our class Country.

Given that AJ an another student are of Chinese Decent, she chose China. I would have preferred England! LOL.

Of the things I’ve had to scramble to do this past 3 weeks is to think of the décor, food and student projects.

We will have a peony tree (her idea) so she’s been having the kids make light and dark pink ‘flowers’ and put them on real branches then sticking those branches on the wall to make a ‘tree’. She also thought pandas were a good idea so they have a bamboo wall and pictures of pandas. I call this ‘her side’.

My side has the great wall of china. Which is wall segments drawn out on brown paper (her idea) and then brown rice glued to it (my idea) by each kid. Chinese flags made by each kid. One big star and four small stars on red fields.

Then the big thing.. their country presentation. Last year it was a dance. This year it’s the Dragon Dance. Ok, NOT my idea. But I went with it because really couldn’t think of anything else. So I had to figure out how to make a dragon on a budget. Then half way through the planning she changed her mind and asked for two. So instead of one big long dragon two much smaller ones. I kind of agree but now its only 8 out of 24 kids holding the two dragons. Mostly the older kids, meaning AJ won’t be one of them.


So one in red and one in yellow. How to make a dragon on a budget.

Buy material when its discounted and on clearance. Found a funky pattern that sorta looked like scales to me. Got another mom to sew the pieces together.

Buy 10inch cake round cardboard bases. LOL

Paint Home depot stir sticks

She got me some thick poster/foam board. Pain the butt to cut (made easier with an exacto knife) then she asked that I keep the pieces separate so they could paint and glue sparkles on them. BAD IDEA but I did it.

I made the bodies first and they were practicing with that. As miss procrastinator held off on the heads for a while. Then she lost two of the pieces.

I got the colored / decorated pieces last night and the bodies back. I had to finish them off. Let me tell you. Having your hot glue gun die on you is NOT cool, plus running to Michael’s for another only to have THAT one die! Ugh!

The stupid sparkly thingies kept falling off because the glue wouldn’t hold to the paint. Before my glue gun died I tried to put more sparklies on. I had to create new pieces for the missing ones. I had to try to rebend the forms because paint warped them. Then with a dead glue gun had to make up an alternate secure system. It involved sticks and stuff. Then to attach it to the body and add ribbon.

By midnight I was barely able to thread a needle.


Finally got them both done around 12:30. So tired. Then because I figured why not, this morning I let AJ parade one into and around school. Afterall if she can’t be one of the dragon holders during the event, the least I can do is let her play with it before its ruined.


Here it is: (one of the two. I didn't photo the other one cause it was 1am and I was sleepy)



pardon my brother's messy room, its been my staging area.




For a girl who never drinks coffee, I'm on my second cup. soooooooooo tired!

Message edited 5/17/2012 2:05:03 PM.

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

That's pretty cool!

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Great job! You are so creative !!

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

I think it looks fabulous!

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Awesome job! The teacher sounds like a flake

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Your DD is lucky to have such a crafty Mommy! That dragon is awesome!

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Posted by kahlua716

Awesome job! The teacher sounds like a flake

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

You did an awesome job!

Late night well worth it. I can't wait to see what DD will come up with when we have to do projects like this - she's half Asian and half Irish.

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Wow!! Great job!

Re: What we do for our kids – I’m so sleepy now (yes its craft related but not alpha)

Super cool!! You're an amazing mommy!!