The Laurie Berkner Band Blog

Baby Food Candle Holder!

We've been brainstorming a lot about ways to reuse common household objects.  Baby food jars are the perfect object to make use of in all kinds of fun ways!

Here is a great craft idea that can be given away as a beautiful little gift or used to brighten your home.

Make a Baby Food Votive Candle Holder!**

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

What You'll Need:

• Baby food jar - washed and dried
• Ribbon
• Temporary tattoos or stickers
• Jewels, gems, etc
• Fun piece of fabric
• Craft Glue
• Rubber Bands
• 1 votive candle
• Sand/small stones (to keep the candle in place)

Step 2: Attach your stickers/tattoos

Our dino tattoo got a little crumpled, but the "Laurie Berkner Band" one came out great!

We used Laurie Berkner Band temporary tattoos - just place the tattoo on the glass like you would on your skin, wet a sponge or paper towel, hold it on the paper part of the tattoo, and then carefully peel the paper away.  If you mess up, scratch it off (or use rubbing alcohol) and try again. 

If you're using stickers, just place them on the outside of the jar in any place you like!

Step 3: Tie ribbon around the top - Be Careful!!

The trick here is to make sure the ribbon is tied tightly and isn't overlapping with the top of the candle - you don't want to accidentally burn it!!!  Cut any excess ribbon and double check that it's safe.  It's very important to be sure this is safe!

Step 4: Cover your lid

We used a piece of an old LBB t-shirt - BUZZZZ!

Place the jar's lid on your fabric (lay the fabric upside down) and trace the lid with a pencil.  Then, cut about 1/2" outside of the line so your fabric is a little bigger than the lid.  Glue it onto the top of the lid, and use your rubber band to secure it

Step 5: Add flair!

Add sparkle glue, glue-on ribbons, sequins, scrap-booking stickers, letters, and anything else you like to make your candle have some extra flair! We added pink ribbons using glue.

Step 6: Fill with a little sand or small rocks

You only need enough to keep the candle in place.

Step 7: Add your candle

Simply place your candle in the sand.  You can add more sand if you need to make it more secure

Step 8: Add lid and share!

Put the lid back on the candle and give to a friend/family member or display for yourself!

 

**Note: Please be sure a GROWN-UP lights the candle and to never leave a burning candle unattended!  Keep an eye on your candle the first few times you burn it to be absolutely sure your ribbon is not in the way.  Also, never use flammable materials (glues, etc) on a candle project!  If you are in doubt, just use the candle as decoration or place a battery-operated bulb candle in your holder instead :)

New York City Family Fun

NYC Family Fun

   Laurie lives and works in New York and knows how many fun activities there are to do in the city. Here are a couple of family oriented ideas for New Yorkers and visitors. New York has so much educational value that has to be taken advantage of!

Animals and Nature
➢    New York Aquarium- With exhibits featuring over 8,000 animals, the Aquarium offers diversity, superb viewing, and the scientific expertise that assures a rewarding experience and the knowledge that people can make a difference in the ocean world around them. http://www.nyaquarium.com/
➢    Bronx Zoo- With world-class exhibits such as the Congo Gorilla Forest, the Wild Asia Monorail, and Tiger Mountain, the Bronx Zoo is a great way to learn and interact with animals. http://www.bronxzoo.com/
➢    Central Park Zoo- From a steamy rain forest to an icy Antarctic penguin habitat, the zoo takes visitors through tropic, temperate and polar regions to see fascinating animals. http://www.centralparkzoo.com/

Education and History
➢    Statue of Liberty- Although you have to make reservations in advance to visit the crown on top, even going to the base and taking pictures is well worth the trip. http://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm
➢    Empire State Building- The Empire State Building has been named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The 86th floor observation deck offers impressive 360-degree views of the city. http://www.esbnyc.com/index2.cfm?CFID=39025385&CFTOKEN=57960116
➢    Hayden Planetarium- I'm sure it would turn any kids into Buzz Lightyear wannabees! The Hayden Sphere is the largest VR simulator in the World and there are shows on in the Space Theater, which will fly you round the Universe!
Museums. http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/index.php
➢    Children’s Museum of Manhattan- This museum inspires children and families to learn about themselves and our culturally diverse world through the arts, literacy, media, science, the environment and early childhood education. http://www.cmom.org/
➢    Children’s Museum of the Arts- Exhibitions at the Children’s Museum of the Arts are designed to create dialogue among museum visitors young and old. Each exhibition is selected to inspire children and their families in their art-making. http://cmany.org/intro.php?pn=home
➢    South Street Seaport Museum- This museum is home to the nation's largest fleet of privately maintained historic vessels as well as the incredible Bodies exhibit, which educates everyone on how the human body functions. After the museum, it is always fun to hang out on the pier and enjoy the view. http://www.seany.org/

Outdoors and Sports

➢    Chelsea Piers- A 28-acre sports village on the Hudson River, consists of The Field House, Sky Rink, The Golf Club, The Sports Center, and Chelsea Piers BlueStreak. Each of these venues offers something exciting and fun for the family. http://www.chelseapiers.com/
➢    Riverside Park- This park is enjoyed by New Yorkers and tourists of all ages. There is a free kayak rental at the lower tip of the park that is available during the weekends. Filled with fields for all kinds of sports, Riverside Park is a great getaway from distracting city life. http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/riversidepark

These are all fantastic ways to spend a family afternoon in New York. For all you children out there, what is your favorite way to spend a day with the family?

Magical Music

"The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band" has been receiving a slew of reviews and blog entries about it.  One of the most flattering comments we've received a few times has been the description of the songs as "magical":

• "...simple catchy guitar riffs, easy sing-along choruses, and silly/sweet lyrics -- and with a touch of magic (how else to explain it?)" - www.ParentDish.com

• "The Laurie Berkner Band are just as much magicians as they are musicians" - www.NextKidThing.com

That got us thinking - what is so magical about a song?  We all have those certain songs that just touch us in such a big way that our world seems a little brighter when it's playing.

Laurie used to sing the song "Good Day Sunshine" for Lucy when she was just a baby.  This was Lucy's "magic song" - here's a little story about it from Laurie:

"When Lucy was 9-months-old and the band was filming the first season of Jack's Big Music Show, we brought her to the set everyday.  Brian was still in the band at that time, and Susie was one of Lucy's two primary babysitters.  Late in one of the filming days, all 3 of the band members had to be on set at same time, and Lucy started crying while a scene was being shot.

Everyone was trying to quiet her (she was in the control room where the monitors were) - Producers, assistants, EVERYONE was holding her and trying to calm her down with no luck.  So, the whole band stopped filming and we all just played "Good Day Sunshine".  Lucy watched through the monitors and she immediately stopped crying!"

We want to know if your kids have any "magic songs" - what songs make them feel happy, special, and/or magical inside, or calms them down?  What song is a "must-have" in the car?  What about at bedtime? Bath time? Etc.

We had a grown-up fan write and tell us that while he was between jobs and having a bad day, "I'm Not Perfect" always seemed to speak to him and make him feel better. 

Parents - do you have any songs that touch you, too?

Billboard!

We are beyond thrilled to be on not one but THREE of the Billboard Charts this week!

Our new CD, "The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band", has charted on the Kids Chart, Folk Chart, and Heatseeker's Chart!

On the Kids Charts, the CD appears at #6 - and, as a fan pointed out this morning, is the only album by a band in the top 10!

We were also thrilled to find "The Best Of..." at #6 on the Folk Charts - an honor that feels especially flattering because we're the only kids album on the folk charts at this time!

We've come into a respectable #11 on the Heatseeker's chart, which charts top-selling albums from new/developing acts. 

All in all, we're just so honored to be here right now!  Thanks so much to everyone who has been writing to let us know how you feel about the new album!

Clean and Creative

We just cleaned our office, and we need your help!

We found a whole bin full of craft supplies, and we'd love some ideas for projects we can do with them.  Anyone who posts a craft idea that can incorporate these items will receive an autographed postcard!

Here's what we found:

• Tons of 8 1/2" x 11" felt (in many colors!)
• Some silk flowers
• A few bags of Polyfill (cotton-like filler for pillows, stuffed animals, etc)
• Lots of magazines to clip from
• 10-12 rolls of different colored ribbons
• Sewing machine (yes, we know how to use it!)
• Small pink bows
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Cardstock
• Silk rose decorations
• Black and white sparkly letters
• colorful pom-pom puffs
• White puffy fuzzy garland

Roses and bows

Ribbon!

Black and white sparkly letters

Pom-poms and garland

Can't wait to hear your ideas!

Homemade Chipwich!

Homemade Chipwich!

There are few cold treats that are better than a chipwich on a hot summer day. Try this simple recipe that is both fun and fast! Don’t dismiss this as an unhealthy snack. There are certainly healthy ingredients that you can incorporate into you chipwich to make it tasty. 

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. You will need: 1) two cookies. Oatmeal Raisin are delicious, and so are chocolate chip. The cookies will need to be hard so they do not get soggy from the ice cream. Also, homemade cookies are just as good, just make sure they harden first. 2) Any kind of ice cream you desire. If you want a healthier treat, go with frozen yogurt instead. 3) Any type of toppings you crave! Some examples include:
➢    Raisins
➢    Craisins
➢    Chocolate Chips
➢    Crushed peanut butter cups
➢    Any kind of crushed nut
➢    Bananas

Step 2: Scoop out the ice cream/frozen yogurt into a nice spherical ball shape. Place this ball of ice cream/frozen yogurt onto the bottom of one cookie.

Step 3: Take the other cookie and place it on top of the cookie with ice cream on it. Gently push down, but be careful! You don’t want to break the cookie!

Step 4: If you are satisfied with your chipwich, dig in! If not, you can still add any toppings you desire to the side of the chipwich. My favorites include raisins, chocolate chips, and any kind of nuts.

Now you can enjoy your treat!

Tilles Center

For the second year in a row, August 18th was a day well spent at the Tilles Center in Long Island.

We had 2 great shows with an incredible audience.  Energy was high and we loved seeing everyone's special animals (for "Pig on Her Head") and awesome birthday hats. 

We also received a record number of cake pictures - and they are absolutely beautiful.  Thank you so much to everyone who colored a cake picture for us to see!

One of the things that was a bit different about the show was that we were followed around by a film crew.  They spent the day documenting what it's like for all of us to do a show.  The behind-the-scenes footage will most likely appear on our DVD that we're hoping to release in winter/spring of 2011!

We will post photos on Facebook soon.  If you missed out on this show, come rock with us on August 15th in Staten Island!

Also, check out this great article about Adam's Jazz Mindfulness Program: Click Here!

New Nick Jr. LBB DVD Sept. 28th!

We have received hundreds of e-mails like the ones below:

"[L]ast July we watched your special that aired called "Let's hear it for the Laurie Berkner Band".  I think it was the best children's show I've ever seen.  We recorded it on our DVR and have watched it too many times to count over the months since July! ... Well the DVR got full and deleted many saved old shows including your special from July!  I am so upset.  A few times lately when she has been upset I have said to myself, only if we had the Laurie Berkner episode to put on!  So I decided to write you and to write Nick Jr to see if anyone call help us.  Is there any chance we could purchase a copy of the show?  I sincerely hope so."

and

"Help! My daughter is totally addicted to the concert that ran in July on Noggin "Let's Hear it for the Laurie Berkner Band"...we have it on our DVR and are about to move. The problem is that we'll lose our current DVR...is there a way to get it on video. We already have some of the bands DVD's and music CD's but it's just not entirely the same! Please help! I just don't know what we'll do without it!"

Not to worry!  Nick Jr. just announced that it will be releasing the special that aired last July ("Let's Hear It for The Laurie Berkner Band") as a DVD on September 28th! 

The DVD includes 17 Laurie Berkner Band videos seen on Nick Jr. throughout the years.

We'll keep you updated about where you can find the DVD.  Hoorah!

The Importance of CFL's

We all have heard by now how changing out regular incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL's) can make a big difference.

We recently had a friend break down exactly how much energy we are saving by switching out our old bulbs.  We were impressed by the amount of energy - and money! - we're saving:

Main Room:
2x100W to 2x23W = saving 154 Watts

Bathroom:
1x100W to 1x23W & 175W to 1x18W = saving 134 Watts

Workroom:
3x60W to 3x13W = saving 141 Watts

Kitchen:
1x60W to 1x13W = saving 47 Watts

So, judging by past habits, we will be saving 1kWh of electricity for every 3 hours the lights are on.  That's $1 in savings for every 24 hours use the lights ($0.13/hr electricity rate).  That saves us $5/month (conservatively, probably it's a bit more) and reduces our carbon footprint.

Good news!  And such an easy step in helping our planet AND our wallets.  We really hope you'll take a moment to switch out your old bulbs and start saving, too!

Busy!

It's a busy time for Laurie and the gang!

Laurie and her family have spent the last week or so painting Lucy's room with an outdoor scene - complete with butterflies, a sun around her light fixture, a beautiful rainbow above her bed, hills, and sheep.  They just need to paint a sunset on the far wall and install some green carpet to look like grass, and the transformation will be complete!

In the meantime, Laurie has been busy busy busy with lots of other projects. 

This morning, Laurie and the Two Tomatoes Team had a meeting with the director of our upcoming DVD to discuss ideas!

We're also packing away for the Tilles Center show in Long Island this coming weekend.  We will be having two shows, and we will also be filming much of the day for something special (we can't say too much yet!)