[Nfb-krafters-korner] Hello everybody!

[Dixie]

Dick, I just love reading your posts.  

I also love virtually crafting along with you and Willy!  An easy thing you
may want to try this week...  With a needle and thread you can thread a
chain of cranberries.  You can get a bag of fresh cranberries in the produce
section of your grocery store.  Then your beaded cranberries can either hang
as a garland on your Christmas tree, or outside for the birds' Christmas
tree.  You can also do this with popcorn, but I find that a bit more
challenging.  Then again, you could start with patterns, and maybe put 2
cranberries, and then a popped corn, then 2 cranberries and then a popped
corn, etc.

For the cranberries, the needle should go in from one end to the other as
opposed to through the sides of the cranberry.  This can be a lesson in
orientating as the stem end and the bottom end, or blossom end of the berry
have tactile points.


Another option would be paper chains.  cut strips of paper about 1 inch wide
and 6 inches long.  Then glue one end of the paper, make a circle with the
paper and stick the other end to the glued end.  Then for the next link in
the chain, feed a second strip of paper through the loop you have made
prior, and glue the two ends of the second strip together.  I used to have
the girls make these and then we would hang them on the wall, the chains
would be as long as there are days left until Christmas.  Then each day they
could take off one link.  When they got to the last link, it was Christmas
day.  So, this chain if made today would only be 4 links long.  But, you can
also make them very long and decorate the house or the tree with them.


As for the walking with his cane?  Well, I think that you are doing a
fabulous job.  Your walking along and talking with him, snapping your
fingers, clapping are all orientation points for him.  He can get a sense of
the correct direction as he can hear where you are through those sound cues.
Then he can explore the world without that feeling of being lost out in
space we can get when we aren't sure where the other people around us are.
I would think that in itself will make it enjoyable and encouraging for him
to use his cane.  
Merry Christmas to you and Willy!





 Dixie
~  @-> ~ <-@  ~



-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dick Carlson
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 5:50 AM
To: List for blind crafters and artists; 'List for blind crafters and
artists'
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Hello everybody!

Hello everybody!!

I bring you greetings not only from me this time but also from a pretty
happy six-year-old who is sound asleep...has been for a few hours.  He's
going to be staying with me for a few days, as he's off from school this
week for Christmas.  I have the week off as well.  He came this morning.

First, I want to let whoever gave the recipe for those brownies know that
they were fantastic!  I thought I'd make them for the two of us, and they
were a hit.  In fact, he might have eaten one too many, I think.  He was
sitting down in the kitchen keeping me company while I attempted to make the
brownies.  They sure smelled and tasted good.  Other than that, we're
getting ready for Christmas in a few days.

We did end up going outside to the near-by park today, and it was great
because a few other kids were there.  Willy rode the swing and was talking
to another kid on the swing next to him, which is great.  He has school
friends but could stand to have more kids his age around him.  I was
thrilled that he was being social and wwanting to be outside.

I don't know what has happened lately, but today was the first time Willy
took his cane with him without me having to remind him or talk him into it.
He used it, too!  In fact, he used it a lot and at one point, he was not
holding on to my arm, and I don't think either of us realized it but we kept
walking.  I didn't want to spoil his moment so I just kept next to him
talking to him.  We noticed that his cane had a cool tap to it and almost
had a rhythm to it.  I got him laughing because as we walked along the
sidewalk and he was tapping his cane, I was being silly and snapping my
fingers along with his cane tap and I sometimes just clapped along as we
walked and we had fun.  Willy finally did realize he was walking next to me
by himself.

So, now that we know he can use his cane, I have a question for you.  How do
I continue to encourage it?  How often should I continue to make him use it
and take it with him now?  And, should we continue to see if he keeps it up?

Well, since this is a kraft list, I should let you know that we tried one of
those things one of you suggested with the apple and cloves.  Thanks for the
suggestion.  It smelled good and we did a couple of them but for some reason
I guess Willy wasn't as interested.  He's been really excited and wanting me
to show him to make and do new things that are exciting and I think he
personally wants a challenge.
We played with his blocks today, and he enjoyed that, but again, I'm
thinking Mr. Willy wants a true kraft, so we'll just have to give him one!  
We're definitely going to do the popsicle stick things too, just as soon as
I get them.  LOL  We'll just see how things go.
Happy holidays!
Dick





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