A Make-Up Magnet and . . . a Quiet Book?

Wow, I guess you would have to see my make-up basket to
truly understand how much I appreciate this.  

I just had to share this creative, simple, and relatively cheap make-up container with you. Thanks, Laura, for sharing it with "the world."

http://laurathoughts81.blogspot.com/2011/03/make-up-magnet-board.html

HOW I FOUND THIS MAKE UP MAGNET and/or 
THE JOYS OF SHARING

I happened on Laura's blogspot as I was searching for Quiet Book ideas.  Laura has made some terrific ones that she shows on her site.

Blogs, and Pinterest*  are wonderful ways to learn and to share.  I am very thankful for all who take the time to do so. I learn so much.

(*even though I don't know how to use it; even though our daughter, Heidi,  showed me how to use it, and  even added a few of my things; even --- in spite of all that---I quickly and completely forgot how to use it!)

In case you are not familiar with Quiet Books, let me describe.  It is a cloth book, usually made from felt, that contains quiet self-entertaining activities for toddlers and tots. Activities that teach as well as entertain. The books are not everyday books but kept for  special times when the child is required to be still, both body and mouth, like in Church, a meeting, a waiting room, etc.  Quite a challenge. Quiet Books can be a life saver for the child as well as the parent.

I made them for our children many years ago.

These days many of my friends are busy knitting or crocheting afghans and baby blankets, or quilting....quilts, to leave, carefully stored away,  for their great-grand posterity---Those that will still be coming after they have long gone.

What a great idea. Something I had never even thought of doing. Probably, at least partly, because I don't know how to knit, crochet or quilt. Even so, unless I am reading (which I love) I don't like to sit still. My new undertaking will solve that.

MY/OUR POSTERITY PROJECT

I know there will be many ways Dave will be able to help so it is our project.  Putting in grommets comes immediately to mind!


Back then, and still now, the books had bows to tie, shoes to lace, ribbons to weave, buttons to button and zippers to zip, etc. Also, back then they had clocks that had hands you could move and telephones with a cord and receiver so the child could dial the numbers and pretend to talk  Ooops! What kind of clock has hands these days? What is a telephone with a dial and a cord? The dawning of technology, as far as quiet books are concerned, was an eye-opener---maybe even a page-turner, if I can be so corny.

One daughter-in-law encouraged me to still include the clock.  I declined. We already know junior and high school kids that can't read an analog clock NOW ---- they will be ancient history in the futures of these quiet books. One of the sites' quiet book had a cute cell phone page and another had a microwave page.  Great for today and tomorrow.  Probably not great for the in-the-future tomorrows I am working towards.

I have purchased/found/adapted/repurposed most of the materials for 12 quiet books!! Yep, 12!  I figure the practical way to do it is to complete each page, 12 times.  Then move on to the next page.  Doing it that way will keep me from getting so bored I won't finish 12 complete books (I know I will get very bored before each group of 12 identical pages are done.

and

if I die before they are finished, each family will have at least a few pages, rather than a few families having a full book with others having none. I'm not anticipating this but I am a realist, today is my 71st birthday, and you just never know.

I have decided to make a sample of each page first so I can work out the kinks, and list and obtain the items still needed.

I will probably post them as I go along. As I have used ideas from sites and adapted them to fit my needs; hopefully my pages can be helpful to others.

and

I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT. . . 

Sometimes, Simply Gail gets carried away.  As I've mentioned before, our oldest son, Romm, suggests I refer to myself  as Simple Gail.  (what a difference "ly" makes!) Maybe this project is one of those times.

I hope not.