Summer Project List

Life has been busy which has been great! That also means blogging has been on the back burner. I decided to just make a list. 

This is a random post of everything I have done approximately the last 4 months. No tutorials. Just a picture list. Enjoy! x

Baby/toddler bandanas.

Doll quilt.

Black cowl neck top.

Fabric houses for imaginative play. 

Buntings.

Infinity scarves.

Bow ties.

A copy cat cardigan. To the left is from the store. The pinkish one on the right I made.

Toddler Aprons.

Skirts. Simple ones and a tiered ruffle skirt.

This dress for my beautiful friend!

Ties. All the ones pictured.

Kimono top. I wear this a lot. 

Elf Hats for Santa's Workshop

A while ago I was talking to a friend and she told me how she and her kids had gone to a Santa's workshop. They had elves and the kids could help the elves "make" toys and brought one home with them.

I thought that was the cutest idea ever and decided to surprise my kids by turning our dining room into a Santa's workshop!

I measured my four year old's head....

and with scraps I made these hats for them:

1. Cut 2 pieces of 5x4 inches of the cream/white knit fabric. Be sure the stretch of the knit is sideways. Alternatively you could also make one long band but I did 2 pieces.

2. Fold into triangle, 5x12inches, so the base is 10 inches. Again check the stretch of the knit.

3. Just another view.

4. With right sides together, sew the two side seams. Leave the bottom one open.

5. Take the 2 pieces of cream, right sides together and sew the edges together to make one long band.
6. Fold over.
7. Place inside the hat, match the raw edges and pin.
8. Sew.

Some easy tassels for the top point of the hat:

Just cut 8 strips of the same cream/white knit fabric and hand sew on the tip of the hat!

In Santa's workshop they were to paint some toys ($1 at Wal-Mart and the Dollar store), and then after they went to bed, Santa picked up those toys and left a thank you note for helping!

Axel wouldn't keep his hat on so Daddy, the Head Elf, wore it instead :)
The kids favourite part was actually the hot chocolate with marshmallows (which was actually cold!). 

Hope you are enjoying Christmas activities with your kids!

Thanks for stopping by!

xx

Christmas Decorations Box: Advent Calendar Bags

I have been wanting to make an Advent calendar for years and I finally got around to getting it done!

For several weeks I worked on making 25 different drawstring bags.

Note: I did not want to buy new fabrics for this project. I knew I had plenty of fabric to complete the project but I would have to get creative and perhaps even repetitive. Feels good to be frugal and resourceful :)

For the drawstrings I used different ribbons, cotton lace, and also made my own drawstrings using the same fabric as the bag.

Once I started making several bags I began pegging them on the curtain in my sewing room so I could see if I needed more white, more red or more green.

After I sewn and sequenced them, then I was able to number them. I just painted the numbers freehand, but of course you could stencil or stamp.

I did make some extra small bags for a reusable form of gift wrap.

Inside each bag has a treat, but it is not chocolate or candy. I don't think I want them having that everyday! So I put a fun cereal that they rarely get (fruit loops) in small baggies and put them in there.

Hope you are enjoying the beginnings of Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by!

xx

Turquoise Necklace

I came across this Cherokee proverb and loved the message:

There Is A Battle Of Two Wolves Inside Us All

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life...

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

"One is evil- he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, lies, and ego.

"The other is good- he is joy, peace, love, hope, truth, humility, kindness, compassion and faith.

"This same fight is going on inside you- and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, 

"Which wolf will win?"

The old chief simply replied, 

"The one you feed."

I combined this with my love for turquoise and decided on a necklace. All beads from Joann Fabrics, wolf pendant from Etsy. All strung on white elastic thread.

Thanks for stopping by!

xx

Lined Paper Fabric

I have seen these all over Pinterest and decided to make my own! I haven't decided yet to make it a pillow or clip it somewhere or what but it's sitting here waiting for my decision!

Maybe I will write a message with a sharpie too. 

I thought these are cool enough for the boys too.

Cutting a big piece of the thicker muslin and using some red and aqua thread, I had fun making this!

I only sew when the Axel naps so it feels good to start and (kind of) finish something in a few minutes! :)

Thanks for stopping by! x

Christmas Decorations Box: Tree Ornaments!

This month, I am adding a set of five Christmas tree ornaments to my decorations box.

Originally, I wanted to stamp white snowflakes on the tea stained muslin with my toddler but that just turned out to be a big mess! Using paints or glueing something on would be fun. I love having a blank canvas to be freely creative with.

I have to admit, these were done in haste, the kids have been sick with croup cough, one night spent in ER for a few hours, last week I wanted to actually start and finish a book before returning it to the library (it has been 4 years since I read one) so I am VERY inconsistent right now. But at least I stop by once in a while and visit my own blog! ;)

These would also make a lovely handmade gift for someone.

Materials used for Tree Ornaments set:

Hemp string

Tea stained muslin

Ribbon

Thread

Stuffing

More lovely ideas for making your own Christmas tree decorations...

From this blog. I love the mixture of nature and words.

Found these here being used as gift tags but I think they'd be so cute on a tree!

Aren't these adorable? Found on Pinterest.

Also found on Pinterest, RED, STRIPES, BELLS on stockings! I'm dying of the cuteness!

From one of my favourite blogs, applesauce ornaments! This is definitely on our Christmas activities list for this year! I LOVE cinnamon! This brilliant girl adds glitter to hers!

Thanks for stopping by! x

Christmas Decorations Box: Burlap Wallhanging

Hello!

Remember my Valentine's Burlap Wallhanging from last week? Here is my Christmas version and it is going into my Christmas decorations box for this month! Yay!

You will notice I made a number of mistakes along the way. I view this project as a symbol of my life. I think I know what I'm doing, I think I am making the right choices, only to kick myself later realising I was rushing. I need to slow down, meditate on life and not always try n rush the clock!

Here is what I did:

Measured and cut how big I wanted the fabric face to be. The Valentine's one is 6inx6in, this one is 8inx8in. Then I marked the halfway points with a pencil.

**MISTAKE!!! Should have used fabric pencil or chalk!

Next, using cream thread on my cream fabric, I matched up the points giving me 4 perfect squares to work with. Change cream threads to green.

Just a quick note, we moved from England to Ohio just two months ago, so this sewing machine is still new to me. My lovely mother in law gave it to me and I LOVE the embroidery features on it!! Using one of my favourite options for the border, I sewed around and through giving me 4 smaller squares.

In the top left hand corner I wanted the word JOY and had used my pencil:

**MISTAKE!!! I should have waited until after I finished my border! Oooops. Live and learn I say! I slowly used the handwheel to do the letters and then hand stitched on the button.

Change threads again! Green to cream.
Using zig zag, I finished the edges and then I threw it in the washing machine hoping the pencil would come out! Another note to self- get a fabric pencil!

The fun part is deciding what goes in the squares! I used what scraps I have (lots of Christmas fabric scraps) cutting out shapes and wanting also to add texture I decided to stamp on a snowflake with some green paint.

After I cut off all those loose threads, I layered the green plaid fabric behind the face, and using a straight stitch sewed those two together.

Change threads again from cream to green and using zigzag, I sewed the green onto the burlap. Changed threads again from green to cream and zig zagged the burlap edges.

To hang it, I used ribbon and sewed it to the edges. I thought I could just hang it on two widely separated nails or hooks, but you see how it's not flat?

There are more options on how to display. When my mom makes wallhangings, she uses these little rings:

One can also fold the top (and maybe bottom too) of the fabric to sew a tunnel and put a stick through, the top with a string, that will keep it flat when it hangs.

Like this:

(yes I was at Joann's!)

Another idea? Put it in a picture frame without the glass! Which I am seriously considering because it sounds the easiest! ;)

Although this project is left a tad incomplete, I am declaring it finished! Please tell me I'm not the only one who does that. I kind of just want to move on to the next thing because there is still so much I want to do and otherwise get done! :)

Thanks for stopping by! x

(PS I REALLY NEED TO APOLOGIZE FOR HOW YELLOW SOME OF THESE PHOTOS TURNED OUT. IT WAS A GLOOMY, SUNLESS DAY AND MY INDOOR LIGHT MAKES EVERYTHING YELLOW- SORRY!)