Bean Bag Boogie

While much of Utah has been sand bagging, here, we've been bean-bagging.

I found this CD on Amazon.  The entire disc is about moving around with a bean bag.  Believe it or not, there are a few other discs about bean bags as well.  

I've been listening to the songs to find out what each one tells you to do as you move.  It's one of the things I've collected to help with my home pre-schooling efforts.  It's fun.  For me, even.  I can't help but dance around when I hear it.  My favorite is #7, "Bean Bag Boogie."

I made a few bean bags here.  My husband said they were baby bean bags. 

I made more using nice, thick, home decor fabric from JoAnn.  My husband said they were better.

I used 5" squares of fabric to make them.  I think I only used 3 1/2" for the other ones.

It makes me wish I had a bean bag toss to play with. 

Stuffed Turtles

I have a list of crafts I'm planning to make.  Occasionally, a simple project comes and jumps to the front of the list.  I saw a tutorial and pattern for these turtles at Make it and Love it.  

My two-year old son was standing next to me when I was looking at the pictures in the tutorial.  I asked him if we should make one for the baby.  He said, "Yes, and for me too."  So we made two.  He even helped me pin the pattern pieces on the fabric.

He hasn't really played with his turtle much since, which isn't a surprise.  The big stuffed body is quite the wrestling playmate for my 7 month-old, though.  She gets a hold of those little legs and swings it around and tries to catch it.  I think she'll like it even more when she gets a little bigger.

I made the pattern exactly as stated and it all came together perfectly.

I could see using minky soft fabric for this project and making it the most cuddly turtle ever.

i am momma hat

Cheri at I am Momma, Hear Me Roar made a tutorial for an upcycled boys hat.  I originally decided not to make it because I thought I'd never be able to make one that cute, and then I'd be disappointed.  She's so good at embroidered embellishments.  I keep seeing other people try to copy her too, and no one has made one quite as awesome.

Last month, my husband decided to take our 2 1/2 year-old to a fathers and sons campout.  There was a possibility of rain and chilly weather in the evening.  It was too warm for a winter fleece hat, and the only other hat he had was lost at Home Depot the last time he'd gone with his dad. I decided to overcome my crafting jealousy and give this hat a try.  It's made of knit so it's perfect for Spring weather.

Cheri made a hat for a one year-old and a 5-7 year-old.  She gives pattern pieces for each one.  I figured my son was in the middle of the two, so I made a hat that was in the middle of the two sizes.  He must have a big head because it was tight on him.  I ended up making the 5-7 year-old width and kept it to the shorter lengths she suggests.  I also recommend doing the double layers.  It just looks better than one, I think.

I was sewing the last button on about 5 minutes before they walked out the door, so I didn't attempt any other embellishments.  I also snapped these pictures quickly before he left in case the hat didn't make it home.  

He's so happy about my taking pictures instead of heading out the door to go camping with dad...

Tissue Box Cover

A few years ago, I lamented that I couldn't find a tissue box cover that matched our bathroom and fit the bigger boxes of tissues.  My sweet husband measured the tissue box we had in the bathroom and made me a cover out of a light, thin piece of plywood.

I sanded it, filled in gaps, sealed it, painted it and varnished it.

I then proceeded to never find that size of tissues again.

Doh!

For three years, we have had tissues that were either too tall or too short for the cover.

My sweet husband again made a tissue box.  It's been sitting in the bathroom, unfinished.  I couldn't decide what to do with this one.  It sat so long I almost forgot that I hadn't meant to leave it like that.

I decided to paint it to match a few little decorative plates I have on the wall in the bathroom.

I painted a solid layer of blue paint.  It wasn't the exact color I wanted, so I used crackle medium and painted a closer-to-the-desired shade on top.  Then I dry brushed some brown paint on there too.

I used vinyl to make a stencil and painted my design. When the paint was dry (okay, kind of dry), I peeled off the vinyl.  It worked really well.  I used my Silhouette, but you could do the same with an Exacto knife and some elbow grease.

Blowing my nose has never been so enjoyable. :) 

I mod podged fabric to this tissue box for our bedroom.  You can see that it too, has a few height problems.  It was made pre-buy-all-our-tissues-from-Costco times.  I think I'll put some ribbon or lace along the bottom to take care of that.

Pillow Fight for a Cause

Last week, I found a link to this posting about pillowcases for Primary Children's hospital.

I have been feeling a little lacking in the service area and wanted to squeeze in time to make a few pillowcases.

I used my super guy stick figures because those brave kids are pretty much as super as it gets.

The contest for the best pillowcase goes through Wednesday, June 22, but I bet they'd take pillowcases after that.

Did you know about Textile Medium?

For several years, I've known about textile medium.  I don't know for sure when I learned about it, but it was probably 15 years ago or something.

Usually when I know something, I assume others do too.

I'm learning that's not the case.  With anything.  But also, with textile medium.

 Textile medium is made to mix with acrylic paint to make it fit for other mediums.  Like fabric. You can by it in the paint section where they sell the varnishes and crackle mediums.

I love to have some on hand because it means I'm not bound by the colors of fabric paint available.  Instead I have hundreds of choices over in the acrylic paint aisle.

It's great for free-hand painting or stenciling.  I used freezer paper for the words on this onesie.

When I was 16 or so, I made a Kermit the Frog flag for my girl's camp group.  I didn't know about fabric medium.  Kermit was all crackly by the end of our three day adventure.  Sorry about your face Kermit.  I know better now.

And now, if you didn't - you all know too.

A headband for family pictures.

My friend Kathrin Paul recently took some family photos for us.

These are just a few of the precious family photos we now have.  Thanks Biph!

Wait, don't tell me you didn't notice the headband?

Here it is, right here:

I promise, she's not pouting about her headband.

I made mother/daughter headbands, but didn't wear mine.  That's why you might notice two in the pictures below.

The headband.  Foldover elastic is my favorite thing I've found for baby headbands (see here for another post using it.)  I usually give it a few quick stretches before cutting the length I need.  I tell myself it helps it loosen it up so it doesn't get too loose on the head.

To make the flowery part, cut two ovals out of felt that matches your elastic.  Cut one oval slightly smaller than the other.  Out of the "petal" color, cut several circles.  Mine were varying in size (not on purpose, but it looked good in the end).

Take a circle and scrunch it in the center. 

Sew it onto the larger oval. I sewed an 'X' on each bunched center to hold it tight.

Repeat this step until you have the oval as full as you'd like.

Glue (I used hot glue) the back of the sewn oval to the headband where the headband is sewn together.

Glue the smaller oval to the back to cover your threads and glue.

You're done!

Stick Figure T-shirts

To fill art credits in school, I took drawing.  I always loved drawing when I was a child and heard several compliments on my art.  I soon discovered that high school teachers are not as kind as mommies and daddies.  Teachers aren't really supposed to wear love blinders like parents, and it's not like they told me to give up or anything.  I just realized that there was more to drawing than a casual effort when I felt like it.

I decided that if all I wanted to give to my drawing skills was a casual effort, I should stick to stick figures.  Since coming to terms with the idea, I have had a lot of fun with stick figures.  

These swimmers are from my student teaching semester in French level 1.  "Nager" - to swim!

One of my favorites ever is my super-guy stick figure.  He's easy to draw, but hard to get onto t-shirts in a more "bought it at the store" kind of look.

This shirt has been in the back of my mind as a possibility for a few years.  Now that I have a Silhouette machine that can cut close, even lines for me, it's a reality.  Yay!  Just a little dream come true.

I made a shirt for my son, husband, and a neighbor.  A few days later, I made a onesie for a baby shower.  

I kind of think it would be fun to see stick figures (and those of us who are limited in our drawing skills) have a little time in the t-shirt limelight.  I have plans to make a few and try selling them this summer at our local farmer's market.  Just to get the "stick figure" word out.

This week, I made a runner stick figure for a friend in my neighborhood who graduated from high school.  I took it over to her before remembering to take a picture, but here's what it looked like on the Silhouette program:

I'm open to more ideas.  What stick figures would you like to see on a t-shirt?

72 hour kit - kid "fun" bags

Sometimes, when more than a month has gone by without posting, I wonder if I'm kidding myself when I think that I can make the time to craft AND tell people about it.

And I've been feeling bad I haven't done my second giveaway yet.  To tell the truth, I've tried twice to make prizes and couldn't bring myself to use them as prizes because they didn't really turn out.  I still plan on doing one one of these days.

I'm glad you're all nice so that I can tell myself you'll all forgive me for being a lame blogger.

One of my recent projects has been to make a fun bag to go in my kids' 72-hour kits.  

The idea started when I saw this post about a 20 minute tote from the Purl Bee.  I've made at least ten of these bags.  They really are quick and easy bags.  I made a bag for my son's library books.  I made a few for his cousin.  I made a more with the 72-hour kits in mind.  

I'm planning on putting together kid backpacks my children will be able to carry in the event of an emergency.  I have a list of emergency items I need to pack for them.  It's safe to say that my kids will want something happy and comforting mixed in with the clothes and food.  I wanted the "fun" part to be in a separate, lightweight bag that could be taken out of the bag and played with and not get all mixed in with the other things.

I used freezer paper and fabric paint to embellish my bags.

This is what I put inside:

Crayons, coloring books, a story book, an activity pre-school book, lacing cards, I spy bags, and card games.

And these:

These little critters come from Aranzi Aronzo's "The Cute Book."  A little softness goes a long way in comforting during scary times.  Big stuffed animals are bulky.  These little guys can play together and have some fun.

The bags aren't very heavy, and should provide at least a little entertainment in emergency situations.

What do you have in your 72 hour kits?  (Not just for the kids)