Oh the Hair Ties

 
A while back I got some really cool hair ties online.
I thought from the picture I knew what they were made of and confirmed upon arrival.


FOE otherwise know as fold over elastic.
Back in my children’s boutique designing and selling days on eBay FOE became a trendy item to add colorful and stretchy elastic in clothes.
Most commonly FOE is used in trim in panties.
Comes in a wide array of colors and is soft and stretchy.

One day I was wearing my new pony holder and a friend asked about it.
Apparently I was trendy and didn’t even know it. :)
 A local day spa were selling them (for like $3 a piece!!)  And the local high school girls all wear them.
So went to eBay and found 17 colors and 70 yds for about $20.
They take seconds to make.
Nine inches and tie in knot.  Melt ends with lighter.
I made me a big batch (though honestly brown is my fav since it’s the color of my hair.)
And I have so much I make them for friends and their kids.


My girls wanted some of their own as well. Pink please. And lime green.

Fun fun!

Kids Art: Magazine Collages and gift

Over summer break the kids and I did this art project.
I was inspired by a picture my nephew did for my mom that hung in her guest room while I was there recently.
Actually I was there to pick up my nephews and niece to come visit us for a week. 
We did this project while they were here.
I love many things about this project.
I loved that even the 5 yr old could do it all by herself.
I loved that it kept them busy for a long time…some of them a few days even.
I loved that it involved lots of cutting and pasting…not too messy, but messy enough for the kids to enjoy. 


We used my old magazines, old kids magazines and catalogs.
They poured over all of them finding just the right things that interested them.
It took Micah the Perfectionist a while to really get into it.
I even tried helping him and making suggestions when I came across a picture. 
I even found a big green bean (family joke…he didn’t think it was funny).
After they glued down all their pictures onto a canvas with mod podge, we glued down letters to spell their name.
They love their new artwork and they are all hanging in their rooms.


And it was the daddy’s bday.  So we collaborated and made him his own.
I’m thinking this will make great grandma and grandpa gifts as well.
We’ll be doing some more for sure!

Mommy n Me craft: Little Bear in a Box

Maressa and I made this little Bea the Bear in a box for a friend's birthday.
Maressa drew the bear with fabric markers on a small piece of white cotton.


We added a tiny bed in a box and a tiny blanket and tiny bunting  for decoration.
Bunting is just some washi tape and bakers twine.


This idea was mostly inspired by a drawing she made the day before of all these adorable colorful bears.
Also inspired by this kids art stuffies project and putting bear in a box by this adorable project.
So first I had Maressa draw and color a bear on a piece of fabric.


Now she wanted me to take a picture of her with her picture...lol


Then I put the drawing face down on another piece of white fabric and sewed around the outline of the bear.  I didn't want this super detailed so I just went widely around the corners and curves.


I left a hole in the bottom and then pulled the bear right side out and stuffed it.
Then I hand sewed up the bottom hole.


Course after the gift was made, everyone wanted a tiny stuffed friend.
Maressa made 2 bears...one for her one for big sister.
Micah wanted to draw his own and of course made a dog.
Zachary made himself a lizard.

No boxes for their friends yet.  I may surprise them with one soon.  :)

Make some simple cute coasters

 
I’ve been crafting away.  But most projects are still in process.
Here’s a quick little project I was able to start and finish quickly this afternoon.
I picked up these cork coasters from Hobby Lobby the other day.
Decided to spruce them up with a little paint.


All you need to make your own is above.  Craft paint, foam paint blotters and this cute little zebra print stencil…also found at Hobby Lobby.  I simply took each coaster and held down the stencil on top and blotted fun colors on top.






I think they’d make cute gifts.  I have a greater purpose for my crafting.  More on that to come…

Christmas Cowboy Cookies

I've heard of the cowboy cookie before, but never made them.

Intrigued by the hearty ingredients, I finally decided to try them.

We had a church thing this past Sunday of which I volunteered to make cookies for kids for after we went caroling so this was a perfect opportunity to bake them.

I used this recipe and altered it slightly.

Instead of chocolate chips, I used red and green M&M's and omitted the nuts.

They turned out thick and chewy just like I was looking for.

Coconut was just enough for me to enjoy, but not enough that small children shall detect it.  ;)

I would probably add just a bit more next time.

I may have enjoyed some leftovers with my morning coffee.

They do have oatmeal after all.  ;)

Kids Art Ornament

Maressa, 4 yrs, wanted to make a special gift for a very good friend of hers at school.

They've been bffs since meeting in 3 yr old class last year.

I guided her into making a cute ornament.

I figured that way, her friend can remember her early friendship even when they will part ways.

I was inspired by these adorable ornaments

 (will do the self portrait idea with all the kids for grandparent gifts too).

I had gathered these mini embroidery hoops maybe last year?

So we had all materials on hand...the best kind of DIY.

Maressa was set on making a fairy.  And something sparkly with glitter.

Before we started I had her practice her fairy drawing on a piece of paper.

Then I cut some soft white twill fabric.

Then I traced the inner hoop with a fabric crayon on the fabric and taped it down.

I gave her fabric crayons to draw her picture and color it in.

Then I used a paint brush to brush on fabric glue and let Maressa sprinkle on fabric glitter.

Then I used fabric markers to add the Merry Christmas and the to and from.

It was a simple and quick project and turned out just adorable.

She can't wait to give it to her friend tomorrow.

DIY Gifts your kids can make

I rounded up some of my favorite projects we've done over the years that kids can do with a little help.

I love to have my kids help make their teacher gifts and they proudly tell their teachers of their part.

And sometimes my kids want to give their friends a gift.  I don't mind, but we do homemade gifts in those cases.

FOR TEACHERS

Handmade soap

Mod podge pencil can and hand sanitizer

Gourmet candy apples and marble magnets

Peppermint sugar scrub

Stamped dish towels

Stamped sticky note cubes and notepad covers

FOR FRIENDS

Glitter horse art

Personalized tin lunch boxes--fill with art supplies or small toys

Fridge magnets

Beaded bracelets

Art pillows

 I was thinking this idea could be turned into a cute 'Best Friends' shirt or something else cute and tween girlie.

Glitter playdough.

Simple stamped kids apron.

Mod podged blocks.

Mod Podged mini notebooks

Backpack buddy.

Jingle bracelet.

Decorated wooden frame.

Fairy wand.

Young sewers can tackle a pencil case with help.

Or a tote.

Art can be added with fabric markers or use a cute printed fabric.

FOR THE GRANDPARENTS

Blank books can be filled with kid art.

Hand painted plates.

Could be cute Christmas dessert plates.

Maressa made an adorable ornament to give to her very best friend this afternoon.

Will share on Monday.  :)