DISCOVERY BOTTLES PROVIDE NEARLY FREE FUN!

Discovery bottles seem to be all the rage lately! I have years of experience working with children and adults with varying degrees of special needs and developmental delays so I was familiar with the use of items like these to soothe a tantrum or relax someone. I recently learned that for babies, these bottles provide a beneficial sensory experience, and depending on what you put inside them, can teach observation skills, predictability, cause and effect, scientific concepts, thinking skills and more. The best part about these though, may be the fact that you can make them yourself at almost no cost, with things you have around your house already.

The first thing I did was gather literally anything and everything around my house that I could feasibly put into these bottles. I raided the pantry for lentils, beans, noodles, quinoa, couscous, rice, and grits. I went through my office and gathered paper clips, rubber bands, staples, and thumb tacks. In my sewing kit I had snaps, yarn, pins, buttons and more. My craft bin held pipe cleaners, ribbon, glitter, jewelry wire, and lots of beads. The rest of my kitchen provided tooth picks, tin foil, food coloring, oil, wooden skewers, plastic wrap and more. Anything that is non-perishable that can fit through the mouth of a bottle can be considered. 

I used bottles from drinks I consumed myself as well as having a friend save a few for me. Tear the labels off and wash them out thoroughly and make sure they are bone dry before you start this project. If you place dried goods such as rice or couscous inside a bottle that is even slightly damp you will end up with mildew and mold. If you are leaving the bottles to air dry, this can take several days-I was impatient and decided to use my blow dryer on a low setting. 

As I was looking over my supplies, I began to piece together some ideas for the theme of each bottle. The first one I made was the "beach" bottle. I used couscous for the "sand" and added a few faux pearl beads, a couple cowry shells that I use as hair embellishments, and a few pasta shells. Obviously, you could use real sand or rice for this as well. Feel free to throw in anything else that seems beach-related such as nautical buttons and such. Here's how mine looked inside:

I also knew that I wanted to make a bottle that mimicked the sound of a rain stick and would be soothing to look at. For this I crammed as many wooden skewers and rice noodles into the bottle as I could fit, and then added about a half of a cup of multi-colored couscous. Because the skewers were taller than the bottle, I cut the tips off and put them in around the edges.You could also use quinoa, sand or rice. The sound this makes as you turn it around and around is very relaxing:

The next bottle I wanted to put together was a liquid one. I dropped a random assortment of about 15 beads into the bottle and then added about a half of a cup of mineral oil, before adding some glitter and then finally filling it with water. I've read that adding glycerin to the bottle will keep the beads from clumping with the oil but, glycerin isn't something I keep around the house and, in my opinion the clumping effect made this bottle look kind of like a lava lamp, which I think is cool:

For my next bottle I wanted to make something that would serve as an obstacle course of sorts for beads, rice and couscous to work it's way through. I started off with a dollar store beaded necklace in the bottom and then added rubber bands and toothpicks. I would do a layer of jumbled rubber bands and then add several toothpicks, making a point of throwing them inside in every direction so they would become as entangled with each other and the rubber bands as possible. I alternated between rubber bands and toothpicks throughout the whole bottle and I would also randomly stick in pipe cleaners or jewelry wire here and there. (I curled the pipe cleaner around a pencil first to make them into little corkscrews.) The last thing I did was to add about a tablespoon each of couscous and pearl rice and about ten very small beads; It's really fun to watch them make their way through the bottle from one end to the other as you turn it:

At this point, I didn't have any other specific ideas in-mind for my remaining bottles, so I let my daughter play with the ones I already made, while I fiddled around with the empty bottles I had left, and handed them to her as I went along.

The last few bottles were pretty simple. For my final large bottle I decided to cram it full of a random assortment of a bit of every single thing that I had. So, literally everything that I listed in the beginning ended up in this bottle in some quantity or another. Sia spends lots of time looking through this one now. No matter how long you turn it in your hands, you're always bound to see something new between the grains, dried goods, unusual beads, sewing pins, yarn, tin foil, rubber bands and more:

For the final small bottles I had, I kept one very simple by just putting a bunch of beads of the same color, but varying sizes and textures inside, for a monochromatic look. When my daughter shakes this one, she loves the sound it makes. For another one I simply put a few curled pipe cleaners inside along with some ribbon, glitter and couscous. One contains just sports beads and some small noodles and beans. Lastly, I filled a bottle with water and glitter and just a few super-sparkly hair beads.

The final steps for me were to get the last sticky part of the label off of the bottles and of course, to seal the tops. I used a flat razor blade and very carefully scraped the label residue off of each bottle. I've heard of people using "Goo Gone" as well and I tried this but it didn't work well for me. To seal the tops I used clear super glue from Gorilla Glue but I'm pretty sure that any super glue or nail glue would work. Follow the directions on the bottle for drying time. Before handing them back to Sia I gave them all another wash on the outside with soap and water and dried them.

We keep them in a plastic tote basket that I got from a dollar store, so that we can easily carry them around the house, or take them with us on a road trip. Sia just loves them:

TIPS AND TRICKS:

*Keep safety in-mind. Obviously, my bottles are filled with some items that, were they ever to come out of the bottle, could harm a baby. Make sure your little one is supervised when playing with these, or, you can opt to only fill your bottles with items that are baby safe such as cotton balls, yarn, water, ect. Having said that, I tried my hardest to get the cap off of each of these after the glue had dried, and I had no luck. These bottles are also really strong and I am personally not worried about my daughter playing with these.

*Everyone has items around the house that can be used for this project. If it's small, and not perishable, add it to the list! Whether it be old barrettes, sequins, craft items, grains, noodles, beans, seeds, jewelry chains, rubber bands, old earrings, coins, string, yarn, tissue paper, tin foil, cotton balls, hair bands, soda can tabs, Ect.

*Get older siblings involved; Older kids will have a blast helping you put these together, and it encourages bonding when they can help make something for a younger sibling. They can also make some for themselves! The bottles I made here are tailored for a baby up to two years old or so. But older kids will also enjoy more sophisticated bottles such as ones with hidden letters of the alphabet inside courtesy of alphabet noodles or beads. 

*Google the phrase "DIY discovery bottles" and there are no limits to the amount of ideas you will find on so many variations of this project for every age and developmental level. 

*Consider making a set of these as a companion baby shower or birthday gift. Make it look a little more refined by being sure to use all of the same kind of bottle with the same color caps. Put the set in a small basket and glue on a label with the child's name and the phrase "Adventures in a Bottle." You could even buy a stamp of the first letter of the child's name so that you can put their initial on the cap of each bottle. 

TIPS FOR TAKING GREAT PICTURES OF YOUR KIDS

I think I speak for most Moms when I say that preserving memories of our children is something very important to us and photographs are probably the most popular way to do that. I don't know any Mommy that doesn't love having lots of pictures of their kids. As a professional photographer, I am in a position to give some helpful hints as to how you can get the best shots so you'll have really interesting images to keep, display, and cherish. You don't have to have any experience or fancy equipment. Whether you're using your camera phone, a point-and-shoot or an expensive DSLR, these tips will help you take better pictures of your little ones.

1. Pay Attention to the Light

I recommend using natural light as often as you can. By natural I mean using flash only when necessary and relying on what's there. Shooting with no artificial light at all (lamps, and overhead lights) is best but at night and in certain indoor situations of course, you will need them to an extent. Here is a good example of flash versus natural light:

Both of those images are completely unedited. In the first one (top) a flash was used. The picture looks harsh and there are hard shadows. In the second image (bottom) no flash was used. The image looks much softer, more flattering, and natural. 

Some ways that you can increase the light in a setting so that you don't have to use a flash is by keeping shades and curtains open, bringing your kids closer to windows and doors or having them get close to white walls, mirrors, water and other light-reflecting surfaces.

If you're shooting your kid outdoors, the most flattering light is going to be in the morning before 10am or in the evening after 5pm. Between those times, the sun is overhead and can cast harsh shadows on your child's face and put a lot of contrast into your images. There is a easy fix though-Bring them to some shade. You can move them under a tree, up against a wall, beneath playground equipment, ect. 

My last note about light is that it is also fun to play around with shadows when you photograph your child. Below is a picture of my daughter in the shadows of her window blinds:

2. Get Down on the Same Level as Your Child

When you get down on the same level with your child, you see the world from their viewpoint and you can capture their faces head-on, as they would see themselves when they look in a mirror. Next time you are taking snaps of your little ones, go ahead and get right down on the grass or floor with them; It changes the whole shot. Here are some examples:

3. Shoot from Directly Above Them

Yes, this is in direct opposition to the previous rule but, getting great shots of your kids is more likely to happen when you try all sorts of angles and while we are usually already shooting them at a slightly downward angle because of the height difference, I'm talking about standing very close to them ad aiming the camera directly down so they have to look way up at you. This also makes for interesting shots. Here are some examples:

4. Seek Out More Than A Smile

Kids have a wide arrange of emotions just like all of us and they come with many faces. A good picture isn't always about catching the perfect smile. After about two years old, most kids that I shoot have trouble giving a natural smile on-command. When shooting kids, try to get them to laugh instead, but even if you can't, lots of other expressions are worthy of a place in our hearts, even if it's a crying baby or one who's irritated. We will still look back at these and be glad we took them, because these emotions and faces are a part of who our kids are. A client of mine has a young son who has a dashing go-to expression when he's asked to smile. He calls it his, "handsome eyes." While it may not be the traditional portrait smile, his Mom and I think it is adorable and it puts a smile on our faces every time he does it. Here are some examples of some not-so-smiley keepers:

5. Make Sure You end up in Some Shots Too

Moms are so bad about this one. We take tons of pictures of our kids because we want to preserve those memories. But so much of their childhood revolves around the most important person in that part of their lives-US! Mommies are a huge part of childhood memories and yet so many of us neglect to take pictures WITH our kids. My mother passed away three years ago. While I certainly enjoy seeing pictures of myself growing up, the percentage of the pictures she left behind that actually had her in them was almost negligible. When I ask Moms if they're going to be in any of their kid's portraits too, oftentimes they scrunch their faces up and say things about being overweight, or not having makeup on. In the grand scheme of things, when we pass on and leave these images to our children, they are not going to look at pictures of us and say , "Gosh Mom was chunky" or "She really should've swiped on some lipstick." One day, your kids will want as many images of you as they can get their hands on. I really wish my Mother would've allowed herself to be photographed more. Make a point of taking at least one picture with your child every time they are in front of the camera., even if you've gained weight, or feel like you don't look so hot. This goes for Dads too. Put the camera on a tripod or hand it to someone else. This is especially important at Holidays and birthday parties.

6. Shoot Some Extreme Close-Ups

Go ahead and get close-Very close! Get right up on your kid's face and shoot away! Also, be sure to shoot all the little details like hands, feet, noses, Ect. Many people do this for babies, but it's great for older kids too. Think about shots like their shoes while they ride on  a skateboard, or their hand wrapped around a pencil while they do homework. Getting a close crop of your child also helps to eliminate background clutter. We have kids-There's gonna be stuff laying around our homes, and in our shots. That is a fact of life in homes with children and all the stuff in our rooms can really clutter a photo. By keeping a shot limited to your child's face, you save yourself from having to straighten-up before you pull your camera out. Details and close-ups really round-out a photo collection:

7. Integrate Some Color!

I like lots of color in general but for pictures with children in them, I think the more color you have the better. I think we naturally think of kids as being colorful and vibrant anyway so it just makes sense to me to infuse my shots with color. Dress your kids in colorful clothes, and place them in front of a painted wall, on green grass, in front of a colorful fence or hand them something with a standout color, like a vibrant toy, or a nice orange to eat, or a pretty flower. Don't be afraid to have many different colors in one shot-Matching is not necessary when photographing kids! 

8. Have Your Camera Ready

This one seems like common sense right? But how many times has your kid been in the middle of doing the cutest thing ever and you realize that your camera is on the other side of the house, or the batteries are dead, or the card is full? By the time you get it ready to shoot, the moment has long since passed. Keep your camera in the room with you at all times. Keep it charged, and empty the card as soon as it gets even close to being full. Bring it from room-to-room with you and throw it in the trunk wherever you go, even if you don't plan on using it necessarily. The more shots you take, the better you'll get at shooting, the more images you'll have to choose from, and the greater the likelihood that you'll catch amazing, once-in-a-lifetime moments. People always talk about how I have so many amazing pictures of my daughter. Yes, part of that is because this is what I do for a living, however, as of today, my daughter is a couple of weeks shy of one-years-old, and I have over 8,000 images of her. When you take that many pictures, you're bound to have lots of good ones. Having your camera on-hand is crucial for capturing those candid moments that are just more interesting than posed portraits:

9. Do Something With Your Images

Now that you've put all that effort into making sure your camera is always nearby, shooting tons of pics, trying new angles, hopping into a few shots yourself  and more, you have to put the images to good use. Take them off of your card and put them on your computer. Share them online, order or make your own prints and frame them or put them in albums, order a custom photobook, ect. So many people take al these pictures and then the images stay on a camera or on a hard drive in their computers. It is so easy and cheap now to order prints online at places like Shutterfly or to walk into Walmart or CostCo. Almost any printer on the market today can easily print up to a 5x7 and usually 8x10 as well with enough quality that they can be framed and hung on the wall. There is no end to the number of custom items that you can put pictures on, from tote bags to mugs, mouse pads, shirts, pillows, keychains and even laptop and cell phone covers. It is very easy to upload images online, print them at home, order custom items and more. Please take the time once a month or so, to use the images you've shot so that they can be enjoyed! 

10. Always Use Backup

Take images off your camera in a timely manner and immediately create a second set to be saved on CD's, flash drives, external hard dives, cloud-sharing, any separate location apart from where you already keep your images and access them. Accidents happen, devices can be damaged or stop working, and it would be devastating to loose all your family images because there is no backup. Pictures are the first thing people talk about saving when a house is on fire. Be sure you have duplicate images in case of something happening to the first set, and you may even consider storing the backup somewhere outside your home.