Around the new year I saw this tutorial for making a calendar using paint chips.  I thought it would fill my need for a cute new calendar, but I thought it needed a partner. 

I got the calendar done the last week of January, had to rearrange it for February, then March.  That’s when I got the clock finished– sometime during this crazy month of March which is nearly over.  I’ve got to squeak this post in before the month is out.  I did take pictures of the whole clock making process, but I think I’ll leave that for another post.

These projects came about as part of our rearranging and trying to get our family room and learning spaces organized and beautiful and useful for how are family lives and learns.

We’re definitely getting there.

We’ve had small tables with little chairs for years and years, but this is a new addition.  Since getting a new dining table (which I will show you soon) we’ve been able to move our old beat up table in here for the bigger kids to use, work, and create out of reach of little grabbing climbers.  And, I’ve finally got a  place to keep library books separate from all of our books.  One or two inevitably got shelved with all of our books and racked up fines before I could find them.  Hopefully keeping them accessible in a different room will save us a little headache, and money.

Here’s a bigger view of the kids’ creating, learning, and mess making area.  Now that everything has a place, clutter is much easier to control and clean up goes pretty fast.  We actually get it to look (almost) like this on a daily basis!  (If you click on the picture you can see all the notes I put on it in flickr.)

We used the built in shelved alcove on the left of the fireplace for school binders, math toys, science supplies, with the wooden blocks down low for Hunter and Ian to play with.  To the right we’ve made it our “office” with the computer, printer, small filing cabinet, and camera stuff.

(I just have to add that I hate the mauve paint above the fireplace and in our kitchen, but we are renters and the landlords don’t want us to change paint colors.  Apparently, they’re in love with the mauve.)

I took an idea from Wildflowers and Marbles learning spaces and rigged a map hanging system.  I taped my world map and US map together and just use some 3m hooks and binder clips to hang them over the fake fireplace.  This is SO much better than rolling out maps on the floor!!  I wish I had thought of this years ago.  It gets used constantly as we read and play.  If we ever do want to use the fireplace we can just roll it up and put in it a closet for a little bit.

Just had to stick this last photo in.  I love 5 year old hand writing.  I’ll probably keep these label sticks forever.