Making Plans

Can I show you something?


This is why we send Sebastian to school. I may have some hesitation about his school and schooling in general but I have no doubts about giving him the chance to work with and love other children. And, he's learning a whole heck of a lot of Japanese these days as well which is the primary reason for his regular attendance.
At home though we are building a Montessori environment. It is not easy. I work full-time and Jason has his hands full with the boys and keeping up with the household duties (though lately it has been more about keeping up with the presidential campaign). I want to make most of the materials because I believe in craft over consumerism (also, it is a tad cheaper) and found some really cool sites like:
Homeschool Resources
Montessori Materials
Montessori Mom
Montessori for Everyone
And, the flickr group: Handmade Montessori Materials

All that aside, there are some items at Kid Advance Montessori that I would really prefer to buy since they would be study and durable such as a pink tower, a movable alphabet, dressing boards, and number rods. I know I could make these things but they would be out of cardboard and paper and not as effective for the kids in the long run (ahem, hint hint doting family members thinking of holiday gifts for two particular boys).

But, speaking of cardboard, I came across this over at Uniform Studio. Jason had quite a fixation with cardboard furniture a few years ago but nothing came of it. Now though we have something to do with our upcoming 3 day weekend. And luckily Friday is cardboard recycling day so we can raid other people's discarded stash.
Something else we may be trying this weekend, this chandelier. Isn't it amazing? And Sebastian's origami skills are soaring so it is something we can do together.



I also hope to finally finish some pants for the boys and my dress(es). It is my plan to make quite a few of the dresses from the 'Adult Couture Stylish Dress Book' (ISBN 978-4-579-11185-5) that Melissa mentioned. I really don't have much of a choice since I purposely didn't buy many clothes on my last visit to the city with the intention that I would force myself to sew my clothes. Of course, I also forget to factor time or the lack of it into my schemes. But this weekend we have three days with no school activities or other commitments (besides for visiting the Mister Donut that recently reopened in the now defunct City Mall-which was actually just a supermarket with a few restaurants, an atm machine, and a 100 yen shop on the second floor). 3 days, my friends. Of course that is peanuts compared to what awaits me in December: 22 days off. Paid. Think of all the dresses and origami and cardboard stools we could make then. Oh, the possibilities.