Halloweeny Fall Favors

Taking some favors for Micah to hand out at his class fall party today. We made bat finger puppet with felt and attached a small bag of colorful M&M's and a cream pumpkin.

The bats were easy, but I admit tedious to make 14. I simply used a bat shaped cookie cutter to trace and cut bats from black felt. I cut out 14 then I placed each on another piece of rectangle felt. I sewed them together before cutting the back side out (to make them without sewing, just use a hot glue gun to secure the edges). Once secure, leaving a hole for little fingers, I cut the back out. Then Micah glued on the googly eyes with my craft glue. To attach them to our little M&M bag, I folded down the top of the small cellophane bag and used a hole punch to punch 2 holes through it. I used ribbon to tie through the holes and on a craft stick where I placed the bat.

For his teachers I made these spooky votives. I found the tutorial here. They are super cute when lit up. I included a battery votive candle as well. I don't normally do fall teacher gifts, but I saw these and just had to make some for somebody! ;)

For the party they let the kids all dress as a community helper. Micah wanted to be a fireman. Luckily we had the hat already and I got him some boots (he LOVES these boots and has hardly taken them off since I bought them yesterday...wore them to bible class last night too). I didn't want to go full out with the costume since this is not what he is being for Halloween. So I found a fireman badge on the net and printed it, then cut it out and used my Xyron to make it into a sticker. :)

Tomorrow more parties and 2 kids dressing up as story book characters...need to get sewing those costumes!

Boys can sew too!

Zachary (8 years) wanted to make a bed and pillow for his new Snoopy. I decided to encourage and show him how to sew one. After all Kalla was learning to use my machine. So we picked out some fabric I had on hand and I cut it out for him and sat him at my machine to sew it. He really enjoyed what he had once labeled a 'girly activity'. So much that when Kalla had finished drawing a tote for Maressa and didn't 'feel' like sewing it, he asked if he could sew it. :) It's nice to start empowering the kids to do things for themselves instead of asking me to make them stuff all the time.

Oh then he fashioned a bed to put the mattress on from a shoe box in the kids recycling craft box. I have no idea where his Snoopy is at this time so it appears that Woodstock is keeping it warm for him. :)

Play kitchen makeover

Sort of. We got this kitchen (the stove and sink were originally sold/made separate, no corner unit at that time and we didn't get the fridge) for the kids several years ago. I wanted wood, but inexpensive...also wanted one that was NOT pink. Anyway, I have to admit the gift was kinda a flop. They never really played with it. However, since I still have a couple of little ones in the house I've been reluctant to get rid of it.

Once I painted and redid my dining room (that is over sized because it used to be the kitchen before the previous owners put on an addition) I decided to spruce up the little kitchen area.

And I had this old thing in the garage ready to be given away. Then it dawned on me that it would be fabulous for storage and play area (aka a 'counter') for the kitchen.


So I painted it dark brown to match my table and chairs and the kids table. Added the cool Target Orla Kiely placemat I got from Goodwill and some fun orange buckets from Big Lots to store food stuff in and recycled some soup cans for the spatulas, whisks and whatnot. And an old phone for making calls to their friends.

Above the kitchen I hung my old Coke crate I bought at an antique store many years ago and displayed their teapot set.

It's amazing, but these simple, 'real' touches with the added room for making dishes has made quite a difference. Especially with the littlest 2. Maressa especially likes making her stuffed animals and babies food. :) Not to mention it now looks kinda nice in my dining room. I plan to make some dish towels and oven mitts to put on hooks by the kitchen soon.

Organizing jewelry in a pretty way

A while back I was going through a bunch of magazine pages I've torn out that I've collected over the years. I found a picture of a cool way to organize your necklaces and bracelets using cabinet knobs. I don't remember all the details (that picture is probably buried in a pile of torn magazine pages), but I sort of remembered the general idea. So this is how I made one.

I used:
8x10 old frame
scrapping paper
mod podge
5 pretty cabinet knobs (these are from Target)
1/2" screws to replace the ones the knobs come with

I used an old wooden frame and piece of a thick foam sheet (not the floppy kind sold for kid crafts, but those thick sturdy ones that come in poster board size). I spray painted my frame white. Then I placed the frame front size up and traced the back of the frame onto the board. Then I cut it out. It should then fit firmly into the frame. If your frame has a back to it, you can use that to trace as well.

Now that you have a backing, trace and cut a piece of printed scrapping papers to the size of your board. Use mod podge to glue it to the board. Once that is dry, coat the front with mod podge as well (I used matte for this project).

Now mark your spots where you want your knobs (I used a ruler to measure mine evenly). Then I used a sharp pencil to poke a hole in the paper/foam board. Now use your shorter screws to screw your knobs to the front of your paper board. Push your foam board into the back of the frame. If your frame comes with a finished back you can place that on as well.

Now hang it up and you can put your fav bracelets and necklaces on.

Another way I organized my jewelry is using this melamine tray and mini bowls (from Target) to put my earrings and a chunky bracelet and my pearl necklace in. :)

Easy & Quick Bruschetta

Here's my fav way to make a quick bruschetta that I enjoy for snack/appetizer or part of lunch. I like tomatoes, but only in a marinade or something, never plain and not so much just sliced onto a sandwich. We had a few leftover tomatoes laying around so I made some bruschetta.

Here's how I make a quick-use-what-you-have-on-hand bruschetta:

Dice some tomatoes and put in a bowl.
Add some olive oil, but just enough to toss
Sprinkle on some crushed basil leaves and minced garlic (I use dried stuff if that's all I have, but it certainly would be better with fresh basil and garlic).
Toss.
Slice some bread (sweet italian is my favorite) and toast lightly.
Pile on your tomato mix.
Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top.
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Patch Pics

Just my usual annual display of pumpkin patch pics. This year it was SOOO cold. And wet and windy. So much for cutsie handmade pumpkin clothes like I do every year. Lots of pics of the backs of hoods and jackets.
I did get these pants made for Maressa above which I put leg warmers underneath.

It was the coldest out in the pumpkin patch field...they weren't really in the mood for picture taking.

However, it wasn't so bad on the hayride...maybe because we were all huddled together.

The corn crib is always very popular, but more so this year as it was out of the wind and a tiny bit warmer.

Especially if you buried yourself!
Or was actively wrestling your brother.

Or hugging your friends.

And we briefly pet the animals with our frozen hands. Those poor little baby bunnies were so cold they were all in one big heap trying to stay warm.

Coming projects

Just a little preview of stuff I'm working on. As soon as I can get a few more things made for the girls to wear for this fall/winter, I plan on getting straight to some crafting tutorials (making lots of stuff for Kalla for Christmas this year).

Oh and a little something for me!

Stay tuned!

Oh and just a little tip if you don't already do this. Scour your favorite stores for clearance bed sheets and fabric shower curtains to use for sewing projects. You might find some cute prints for practically nothing! I just got a twin sheet set on clearance from Target for about $6. I'm making the girls pants and dresses and myself some pj pants! :)

Winner Announced!

The name drawn for the Melissa and Doug cookie playset is:

ELIZABETH!

You can email me with my email button or I'll email you later this afternoon!

Thanks to everyone who entered!


Thinking of doing a handmade giveaway soon! :)

Super Simple Sewing & Crafting Tote Tutorial

Make a sturdy tote to carry your crafts and sewing projects in. This project features lining, heavy weight fabrics to avoid using interfacing, easy no-turn straps and specialty pockets to hold your scissors and supplies.


What you need to make this tote is:
*heavy weight fabrics like canvas, twill, denim or home decorator~combine prints/fabrics for outside, lining and pockets as you wish
*coordinating threads
*soluble marking pen or chalk

Cut:
2 17"x17" for outside
2 17"x17" for lining
2 9"x17" for pockets
2 4"x24" for straps

On the 2 bottom corners of the outside and lining pieces cut 3" squares.

If you want to embellish the outside with buttons, embroidery or applique, do that first before sewing together.

Now lay outside pieces right sides together and sew down each side and along the bottom. Do NOT sew along the corner cut outs.

Do not sew the lining together yet. First make your pockets.

Take your 2 pocket pieces (I used 2 different fabrics so it is easier to see down my pockets since I used a dark, busy print for my lining) and lay right sides together and sew along the long seams.


Turn it out and press.


Lay your pocket on the lining of your tote lining up the short sides with the sides of the lining leaving about half an inch above the corner cut out. Sew down the bottom of the pocket only.


To make a special pocket for your tools, lay down what you plan to use them for on the pocket. Trace around with a soluble pen.




Now follow your pen marks and sew down leaving the tops open. Make a few specialty pockets, then sew a few straight ones starting from the bottom of the pocket up for misc things.


Now sew together your lining pieces as you did the outside pieces EXCEPT leave a generous opening in the middle of the bottom.

Now make our straps.

I use a hot iron to help me make these simple straps so I don't have to turn them. Take your strap piece and fold in half and iron.


Unfold and now iron 1/2" fold along the edge.


Turn over and fold in the middle and iron 1/2" in along other side so both raw edges are tucked neatly in. Iron entire piece down.


And pin it.

Sew along the seam. If you are using light colored fabrics and can see your stitch well, you might like to topstitch down along folded side.

Now back to your outside and lining pieces.

You need to square your bag. It's really easy to get it right with the cut out squares. You simply lay your bag on it side and line up the side and bottom seam and press flat and pin.

And sew it up. Do this for all corners of the outside and lining piece.

Now we are ready to attach the straps.

On the front of the outside piece pin the straps as seen above 4" in from the side seam. Be sure that they are not twisted.

Sew them on going over them several times to secure them. Do this with both sides.

Now we will attach the lining and outside.

With your lining turned right side in and your outside piece turned right side out, insert the outside bag into the lining.Pin and sew. Then pull your entire bag out through the hole in the bottom of the lining. Be sure it all fits together nicely.

Now pull the bottom of the lining out and find the hole. Fold in the edges and pin up the hole.

You can slip stitch your hole, but I am lazy and machine stitch an edgestitch along the hole to close it.

Push your lining back in and straighten up your bag. Now you want to topstitch the opening so turn your entire bag inside out.

Topstitch along the opening. Sometimes it's nice to use a contrasting stitch here...but if you do be sure to get it really straight (unlike mine...I should have lengthened my stitch..oh well). :)

****LAST DAY TO ENTER TO WIN THE CUTE COOKIES SET~CONTEST CLOSES TOMORROW MORNING!!***