Mosaics Out of Paint Sample Cards

Ah . . . so little time; so many, many ideas!  But once in awhile I get to do something creative.  I have been meaning to try out making mosaics using snipped-up paint sample cards from the hardware store (I do have too many of these accumulating in the house, what with two vacation rental condos to decorate and a need to be really, really sure I'm picking the right color for a room).  Well, as my darling daughter and I are studying Ancient Rome in history at the moment, making a mosaic design fit in well as an enrichment activity; so I got to hit the proverbial "two birds" today.

So above is Emily's (using this project as an opportunity to make a "Get Well" card for her Grandma.  And here is my effort.  (Not sure why we both felt inclined to make a fish.  Still it's a nice little subject to start out on.)

Watch Your P's and Q's - Montessori Sandpaper Letters

Well, for my next trick . . .

How to make your own Montessori-recommended Sandpaper Letters! Over the past few years, my daughter and I have been working on reading. One of the challenges for many younger kids is being able to tell the difference between the lowercase letters b & d, and p & q. Lots of early readers get confused by these, and I've been told that it doesn't mean dyslexia but is often grown out of eventually. Still, I've been advised that giving the little reader some tactile opportunities can help.

As usual, I didn't feel like spending $30 on a ready-made set. And, on the morning I decided to make my own sets, I couldn't find any fresh sandpaper around the house (When presented with some free time, sometimes I cannot wait till I have all the pieces, or I'll never get around to a project). But, I did have tons of those little paint sample cards that you get from the hardware store (I just cannot bring myself to throw those things away).