Homestead Blessings: The Art of Sewing DVD WINNERS!!!

The winners are:

Amy said...

I would want The Art of Cooking


Missional Mama
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Mrs. White said...


I am already a follower of your blog on GFC.
Thanks for this chance to win.

blessings
Mrs. White
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homeschooling mom of 4 said...


I just started following through GFC and I seen your blog from your tag on MFW Families group. Would love to have the canning, or sewing, or gardening, or quilting video. I ust love to learn from them.

thanks,
Kim
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Congrats guys!  Please email me your address so that I can have them shipped out to ya!
Thanks so much to everyone that entered.  I will be doing another Homestead Blessings DVD Review/Giveaway real soon.

TOS Crew: Artistic Pursuits

We love anything artsy.  My kids love to draw, color, paint, and all the other fun and messy things that art can be.  This year I have kind of slacked a bit with a true art curriculum, the kids do so much coloring, cutting and drawing on their own that I haven't really worried about it.

Once we were given the opportunity to review Stories of Artists and Their Art, by Artistic Pursuits, I realized how much we had been missing!

I really like Artistic Pursuits and the way it is laid out, the lessons are a mixture of art history as well as an art lesson.  Each lesson starts out with a factual story about an artist or a particular piece of art (think Mona Lisa).  Next the student gets an lesson on a project similar to the the one they just learned about. 

Here is an example, after learning about Michelangelo the students are taught how to do a Carving of their very own, OUT OF APPLES!!  The girls are doing this project, but we aren't quite finished yet (the apples take a while to dry out).  I would love to post a picture of the process that they are making but I am having computer issues again, so I will have to post the pics later.  Sorry. 

We also learned about the artist Cimabue, and then we painted just him, with water colors.  Again, I would love to post the pics but, I have issues.  Computer issues that is : )

The kids really enjoyed learning about the different artists, as well as their famous paintings.  I think even more than reading about these masterpieces, they really enjoyed trying to recreate them.

 

Artistic Pursuits offers 10 different books that take students from Pre K to 12 graduation.   We reviewed Artistic Pursuits - Stories of Artists and Their Art, grades K-3 Book 2, which has 32 Lessons/ Projects which would take you through the whole school year if you did one lesson per week.  

The materials that are introcuded in Book 2 are:

• Pan Watercolors
• Tempera Paints
• Oil Pastels
• Printmaking
• Stamping
• Papier-Mache
• Mixed Media

  The Artists/ Masterpieces that are studied in Book 2 are:

1. Cimabue
2. Madonna Enthroned, with Saints and Angels
3. Giotto
4. Lamentation of Christ
5. Limbourg
6. August (Departure for the Falcon Hunt)
7. Van Eyck
8. Jean Arnolfini and His Wife
9. Leonardo da Vinci
10. Mona Lisa
11. Michelangelo
12. Delphic Sibyl
13. Raphael
14. Portrait of a Young Woman
15. Anguissola
16. Three Sisters Playing Chess
17. Durer
18. Flight to Egypt
19. Bruegel
20. Hunters in the Snow
21. Parmigianino
22. The Conversion of Paul
23. Rembrandt
24. Abraham's Sacrifice
25. Vermeer
26. The Artist in His Studio
27. Fragonard
28. A Young Girl Reading
29. Turner
30. The Fighting Temeraire
31. Millet
32. The Gleaners


The Artistic Pursuits books cost $42.95.  They are non-consumable, meaning once you buy them you can use them over and over again.  Many of the books can be used for multigrades, like the book we got is for K-3, but my 4 year old, 2nd and 4th graders can all use it. 

I would recommend this art curriculum.  It is much more thorough and far beyond the standard arts and crafts taht we are used to.  Children get to learn art history and how to do art like the pros! 

If you are interested, you can purchase your own Artistic Pursuits book directly from Artistic Pursuits. 

Please take a moment and check out what others on the TOS Crew are saying about Artistic Pursuits.

We recieved Artistic Pursuits free of charge for review purposes.  The opinions expressed here are my own and I was not influenced by the company or the free product.

Menu Plan 3/21/11

Here's what's cookin' this week:

Monday
Slow Cooker Kielbasa & Potatoes with Onions and Green Peppers - This is super simple.  I just threw it all in the crock pot along with Chicken Broth, Salt & Pepper.  We also had Green Beans (also cooked in Chickie Broth) and App Sauce (as Lil' Bits calls it)

Tuesday 
Breakfast Night - Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Waffles and Orange Slices.  Really fancy, right!


Wednesday
Crock Pot Sloppy Joe's, Mac & Cheese and Broccoli  - Haven't made this in a while and I think The Hubs is having withdrawls. 

Thursday
Supper Yummy Taco Bake- Another something that I haven't made it a while. I like to have mine on top of romaine lettuce along with fresh tomatoes, sour cream, quac and tortilla chips.  Big Yummy!!

Friday
Pizza!!


Saturday
Amazing Chicken -  I haven't make this yet, but I was told it was AMAZING.  I was also told to use Panko Bread Crumbs instead of regular.  It seems to be similar to one of my favorite chicken recipes.Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken. 
I am thinking I might make a Cold Veggie Pasta Salad to go along with this.  The way I make my pasta salad is I add noodles, any veggies I have on head like green peppers, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and onions.  I mix all that along with Italian dressing OR Newman's Own Parmesan & Roasted Garlic dressing along with Hellman's Mayo.  Using the dressing makes the pasta salad very flavorful and the mayo makes it creamy and oh sooo- good! 



Sunday
Spaghetti w/ Salad and Italian Bread

Jesus, Thank You

by Pat Sczebel/ Sovereign Grace Music

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me


Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You

By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Lover of my soul
I want to live for You
______________________________________________
This song is short and sweet but gives a great presentation of the gospel.  We all
deserve God's wrath because of our sin but, for the believer,  the holy sacrifice of Christ on the cross, God's wrath is satisfied. 

What a gift of grace the Lord gives the believer, not to have to face the wrath of God.  Christ drank the bitter cup that was reserved for me.  Jesus, Thank You!!

You can listen to a sample of the song and even buy purchase the song if you want to on Sovereign Grace Music's site.

Homestead Blessing: The Art of Sewing Review & GIVEAWAY

We have been given the opportunity to watch and review the Homestead Blessings Video Series, the most recent video that we watched was The Art of Sewing.

I was thrilled to be able to watch the Art of Sewing because my sewing skills are pretty minimal, at best.  The West Ladies really do have a gift of making you feel that you REALLY can do what they are doing, and do it well.  When I watch their videos I feel very encouraged and they don't make me feel like I have to be a perfectionist to make something beautiful.

The Art of Sewing Video had several sewing lessons that teach you basting, cutting, straight stitch.  The projects in the video included a doll quilt, pillow cases, layered skirt and a RAG QUILT!  I have been wanting to make a quilt but never felt qualified to be a quilt maker, you know what I'm sayin'!  BUT the west Ladies explained that a RAG Quilt is a little more forgiving, i.e. It doesn't have to be perfect!  That sounds right up my alley.

So, I have decided to make a rag quilt for Lil' Bits for his birthday (I have until July), but I am going to wait until we finish up school for the year to start my quilt project.  I have lots of fun kids flannel prints that would make a really cute quilt for a little boy.  Plus, I have made all the other kids a blanket, you know those no sew fleece blankets and I don't want him to feel left out : )



The Homestead Blessings Videos would make a wonderful Home Education Series to do at home with the kids.  The West Ladies have a wide variety of life skills that they teach, the videos in the series are:

• The Art of Quilting
• The Art of Sewing 
• The Art of Dairy Delights
• The Art of Canning
• The Art of Gardening
• The Art of Herbs
• The Art of Cooking 
• The Art of Soap Making
• The Art of Candle Making
• The Art of Bread Making
• The Art of Crafting

You can purchase your own copy of Homestead Blessings: The Art of Sewing or any of the other Homestead Blessings videos directly from Franklin Springs Media.  While your there be sure to check out all the other AWESOME Family Friendly videos that they offer.

If you would like to WIN your very own copy of The Art of Sewing, here is your chance!  I have 3, yes THREE to GIVEAWAY!  Here is how you can enter to win Homestead Blessings, The Art of Sewing:

Please leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each way that you enter and YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! Here are the ways that you can enter:

• You must be a Follower or Subscriber of LSG to Win! Please leave me a comment and let me know how you follow.
• If you have just become a new Follower or Subscriber please tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• Spread the Word!  If you have a blog and post about this contest please come back and leave me a link to your post.  
• Please visit the Franklin Springs website, let me know which other Homestead Blessings videos you would be interested in.  
• Facebook or Twitter about this giveaway and leave me a comment to let me know about it.
• Like Franklin Springs Family Media on Facebook.
• Like Homestead Blessings on Facebook.

PLEASE NOTE:  One of my wonderful ATTENTIVE readers reminded me to give an END DATE for the GIVEAWAY (thanks!).  Oops, sorry I have forgot, told ya'll I've been slackin' lately : ) 

The GIVEAWAY will END on March 23th.  Thanks for entering!


Please note that the Art of Sewing was given to us free of charge for review purposes.   The opinions expressed here are my own and i was not swayed buy the free product.