It’s August 2.  Summer vacation is winding down.  I think I am more excited about the start of the school year than my kids are, but that is just because I *loved* school when I was a kid.  Loved it.  Every grade K - 12.  Except for 3rd grade when we had to learn the multiplication tables.  Hated that.  It was a major struggle.  Those timed tests sucked, and I had to take them over and over until I could do 50 problems in a minute making 96 or better.  That really sucked.  I managed to survive it, and after that, I turned into something of a math whiz until Calculus in college.  That kicked my ass all over again, and I quietly bowed out of the math scene at that point.  Why am I telling you this?  No idea.  But I love school and August is the official month for back to school activities.

If you missed the Back To School bash at K.D.’s Treehouse on Saturday, you missed a good time.  There are still some great (and I mean GREAT) deals to be found there, which you can take advantage of this weekend at the Devine Street Art Stroll & Sidewalk Sale.  Saturday, August 7th. 9am - 6pm.

Mark your calendars for August 14th at 10am for the next installment of the Nickelodeon’s Family Film Series hosted by local kindie rockers, Lunch Money!  This month’s theme is Places: Africa!  The half-hour film being shown is called My Pen Pal: An African Adventure, which tells the story of a 10 year-old California girl who travels to Tanzania to meet her pen pal. Lunch Money will fill the other half hour with songs and silliness.  Join us!

Friday, August 20th is a Back to School PJ Party at Tag It Art.  Call today to reserve a space for your child(ren) while you get out for the evening.   6:30 - 9:00pm.  $26.  Space is limited.  Ages 5+

Finally, add another note on your calendar for Saturday, August 28th at 10:30am for a Matilda Jane trunk show.  These clothes look interesting and funky.  The show is open to the public.  Trunk shows are a great way to actually put your hands on clothes that you would otherwise only be able to see online.  Check it out at 1517 Heatherwood Drive, Columbia, SC 29205.  Tell them Columbi-Yeah! sent you.

No Comments »

We are back at the “grow your own food” thing.  I love the process of planting seeds and checking the ground daily for the first signs of sprouts.  This year’s crops include:

- pumpkins (5 sprouts)

- watermelon (1 sprout - need to plant some additional seeds)

- scallions (numerous sprouts)

- squash (6 sprouts that must be thinned to 3)

- cucumber (2 sprouts)

- heirloom tomatoes (2 plants - not from seed)

- jalapeno peppers (2 plants, not from seed)

- cilantro (2 plants, not from seed)

- basil (3 plants, not from seed)

- strawberries (12 plants, not from seed)

If we’re lucky, I’ll invite you over for homemade salsa…

Are you planting anything this year?  I’d love to hear about it, however large or small.  Get your kids involved in growing their own food at a young age.  Children are much more likely to try foods that they see growing in their garden or that they helped plant.  Gardening also presents a great opportunity to talk to your children about feeding the hungry.  Turn your gardening project into a community service project through Harvest Hope’s Plant a Row for the Hungry.  So many great things can come from planting a garden.  I hope you’ll give it a try.

No Comments »

www.flickr.com columbi-yeah’s Columbi-Yeah! January 2010 photoset

No Comments »

So, you probably haven’t even gotten this far in your December yet, but your kids are going to be out of school after next week.  For two weeks.  While that is loads of fun and all, I am sure you might have a day or two or six when you might need something for them to do!  Well, worry no more.  Tag It Art would be a perfect option!  Owner Jackie Humphries has planned a series of one-day or multi-day art camps to coincide with the school holidays!  She also has other fun December plans including extended open studio hours, a holiday pj party, and even a Ladies’ Night!  Check her website for all the details, and get in there for some messy holiday fun!

No Comments »

We just finished holiday activity #2.  Love, love, love the way they turned out!  First, you need to save some of your empty food boxes, like cereal or pasta boxes.  Or find some cardstock you have stored in your cabinets.  Any sort of stiff or heavy paper would work.  You just don’t want to use construction paper or anything lighter, as it will be too flimsy.  (Isn’t flimsy a fun word?)  The idea is to recycle something, so I chose to cut up cardboard boxes - the kinds that can’t be recycled here in Columbia.  Cereal boxes, pasta boxes, kleenex boxes, anything that has one side that has no printing on it.

Now that you have all your stiff papers/cardboard in front of you.  You will also need some scissors, sponges or potatoes, washable paint, a hole punch, and some ribbon.

Step 1: Cut the boxes into rectangles approximately 4.5 inches x 2.5 inches.  Trim two corners on one of the short sides so your tag looks like the ones in the pictures!

Step 2: Cut shapes out of sponges or out of potatoes.  I used both.  Kids will find it quirky and fun to paint with a potato, but a sponge would work just as well.

Step 3: Paint one side of the sponge or the cut side of the potato with the paint colors you want.  I used a paintbrush to control how the colors blended, but you could just dip into the paint.  I chose green and brown for my trees, and yellow and red for my stars.  Red and green would be cute for the stars as well.

Step 4: Press the painted side onto the card.  Don’t worry about placement.  As you can see from the photos, I made each one different.

Step 5: Once your cards are dry, punch a hole in the same end that has the trimmed corners.  (again, see pictures for clarification)

Step 6: Write your To/From or holiday message on the card.  Attach to gifts with ribbon!

So very cute and really really easy.  Note that you could do these anytime of year, with any shapes you like.

1 Comment »

I am super excited about the fun holiday crafts and activities I have planned.  I am trying really hard to be realistic this year.  Here is my first idea: Handprint ornaments.  You will need:

Plastic ornaments.  Available in lots of great colors at Target.  Be sure you do NOT buy the glass ones!!

White paint (I used Crayola washable)

Paint brushes

Hooks/Hangers

Cord or rope (hang across the room or outside for drying the ornaments)

Step 1: Paint your child’s palm and fingers with the white paint.

Step 2: Have your child place hand on the ornament firmly enough to make hand print.  Basically, they just have to hold the ball for a few seconds. (Let me say again…do NOT buy glass ornaments for this craft!)

Step 3: Hang painted ball up to dry.

Step 4: When dry, write child’s name and the year on the ornament, then tie a ribbon around the hook.

Very inexpensive and simple.  If you have any left-over ornaments, let your kids paint them for their friends.  My daughter made a few with polka-dots and a few with snowmen.   I will confess to you that I am very proud of myself on this one.  It was as easy as it seemed it would be, but more importantly, I actually executed on the plan!  I am notorious for thinking of an idea and either never following through or waiting until I am out of time.

Happy holidays!

No Comments »

I can’t even believe there are only 30 days until Christmas.  Yes, that is right!  30 days!!!  Unbelievable, especially since I am not even close to having my act together in the gift department!   You better believe I will be swinging by the Treehouse in the next few weeks.  There are lots of great sales and events happening there, so be sure you go, too!

Yea for sales! Friday and Saturday (November 27 & 28):

• Pajamas are buy one or two get 15% off…  Buy 3 or more and get 20% off.

• All other regular price merchandise 15% off including jackets, sweaters, dresses, diapers, bedding, bath, laptop lunch boxes and accessories, and toys! (Excludes all artists consignment merchandise.

Yea for parties! Mark your calendar for December 4 when Columbia’s Devine Street merchants open their doors for A Devine Evening from 5pm - 9pm.  During the Devine Street event, K.D.’s Treehouse will co-host:

• A Little Holiday Party from 4pm - 8pm.  This festive gathering of family-friendly fun will take place at K.D.’s treehouse, Jot and In the Loop (2900-B & 2900-C Devine Street) inside the eco-chic kids boutique, stationery store and local yarn shop and across the outdoor patios and parking lot located directly behind the stores.  The evening’s merriment will include LIVE music by Zach Siebert and Friends; outdoor holiday portrait photography for children with Natural Wonders Photography; festive treats including Christmas cookies and apple cider; late-night holiday shopping and driving support for The Children’s Trust of South Carolina. This event is FREE and everyone is welcome.

Yeah for generosity!  Between now and December 23, the lovely shop will be making a donation to The Children’s Trust of South Carolina for every toy purchased. Donations of 50 cents will be made for each toy up to $20.00 and $1 donations for toys over $20.

See you there!

No Comments »

Christine Discoe is offering two new kid-friendly sewing classes.

• Beginning Mom and Child sewing class.  Saturday, December 5th from noon until 2:00pm (or so).  Class will cover the basics of how to thread, wind a bobbin, use basic stitches, and clean the machine. Also, as time allows, you will work on a simple project that can be completed at home. This is a very beginning class for those who own machines in good working order (machines must be brought to class). Ages 7 and up. Class size limited. ($30 each parent/child).

• Christmas Merry Mittens ornament studio!  Saturday, December 12th from noon until 1:30pm. This class will be a fun continuation of hand-sewing techniques!  This class is open to younger students (ages 5+), but if kids need extra adult supervision, a parent should be available during the class time.  $15.

If you want to sign up, please contact Christine at 708-2591.

1 Comment »

Here are a couple of new Halloween activities I just found out about:

Friday, October 30

• Pajama Painting Pumpkin Party at Tag it Art!  Drop your children (ages 5-10 only!) off at Tag It Art for some Halloween art fun.  6:30-9:00pm.  Reservations required.  Call 782-6990.  Hurry - space is limited!  Tag It Art is an awesome addition to the children’s entertainment scene in Columbia, so make sure you check it out…if not Friday night, then soon!!
• Costume contest at Starbucks at Trenholm Plaza.  Stop by anytime between 4 and 8 pm to register your costume.  Multiple age categories from infant to adult!  Winners from each category will receive prizes.  (You must donate $2 to enter the contest, but all the money goes to Children’s Hospital!  Win-win!).

Saturday, October 31

• Trick or Treat on Devine Street.  Noon - 3pm.  Trick or treat with retailers on Devine Street.

For the rest of the activities going on around town this week, check out my previous Halloween activity post.

No Comments »

11 days and counting!  Lots going on in preparation for Halloween.  I am only listing things that are for all ages and that do not require any sort of registration.  Here are some options (sorry about the spacing issues):

Saturday, October 24

• Wallace & Gromit’s The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.  Nickelodeon Theatre. 10:00 am
• Tricks & Treats!  Games, crafts, balloon art, face painting, and more!  Wear a costume to get $1 off admission!  SC State Museum.  10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Monday, October 26

• Boo at the Zoo!  Riverbanks Zoo.  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Tuesday, October 27

• Boo at the Zoo!  Riverbanks Zoo.  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Wednesday, October 28

• Puppets with bite: Spooky puppet show at RCPL, Main Library, Children’s Room.  4:00 pm
• HalloWonka!  Tricks, treats, games, crafts!  Edventure Children’s Museum. 5:30-8:00 pm.
• Boo at the Zoo!  Riverbanks Zoo.  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Thursday, October 29

• HalloWonka!  Tricks, treats, games, crafts!  Edventure Children’s Museum.  5:30-8:00 pm.
• Boo at the Zoo!  Riverbanks Zoo.  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Friday, October 30

• HalloWonka!  Tricks, treats, games, crafts!  Edventure Children’s Museum.  5:30-8:00 pm.
• Boo at the Zoo!  Riverbanks Zoo.  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Saturday, October 31

• Tricks & Treats!  Games, crafts, balloon art, face painting, and more!  Wear a costume to get $1 off admission!  SC State Museum.  10:00 am - 4:00 pm
• Stories, crafts, costumes encouraged!  RCPL, Eastover branch.  10:30 am
• Ghost stories and ghastly crafts to celebrate the season.  Costumes encouraged!  RCPL, Southeast Regional branch.  11:00 am
• Halloween in Five Points.  Trick or treating, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, live music, magicians, and more!  3:00 - 10:00 pm

2 Comments »