Valentine Topiary

Last year I wanted to make the ladies I visit a Valentine's Day gift. Here's what they got:
I used broken toothpicks to stick gummy candies on to styrofoam balls which I had painted pink. I used more painted styrofoam balls in painted clay pots to stablize the topiary. Long popsicle sticks worked perfectly to bring it together. Everything is better with a bit of tulle! I found most of the gummies at Walgreens with some gummy frogs and mushrooms from World Market. Sweet to eat!

Ginormous Stocking!

Merry Christmas! A few years ago, I thought it would be fun to make my kids some ginormous stockings. They, of course, love them! (I'm not sure that Santa has found the same love and respect for the stockings.) From top to bottom is 32 inches and across the top measures about 15 inches.
In any case, they were sew fun to make and hopefully the kids have some fond memories of them. (That's the point.) If I decide to discontinue their use, they would make great toddler sleeping bags!

P.S. Ideas for big poofy inexpensive kid stuffer-type things are most welcomed!

Shaggy Raggy Rugs

Remember me? It's been a while and it may be a while before I post again. I try not develop a serious relationship with my computer because I'd rather be crafting or doing the mom thing. kwim?

My grandmother used to make rugs. (wish I had a picture!) I saw one of her rugs recently that got the wheels in my head spinning. I came straight home and started cutting scrap fabric. The result was this:

Here's how to make your own. I used canvas for the back side of my rug. Cut canvas to desired size. You can serge the edges of the canvas or just turn them. I used a pencil to mark 1 inch lines all down the canvas.

Cut strips of fabric 1"x5". Fold the strips in half (short sides together) and press with fingers to make a crease to mark the middle. Overlap fabric pieces slightly with right side to canvas and sew them on the folded creases on to the marked lines. I place the fabric as I sew. I like to start from the middle of the rug and work my way out.

Machine wash and dry for raggy results! It's a great way to use up scraps!

Be sure to wash and dry for full fluffy effect!

Yet Another Princess Book

Every time I get finished with one of these books, I say, "Never Again!" And yet, I keep making them. And I have another book idea (a boyish one) nudging just waiting to be created. I think most of the time spent in these books is just thinking about how to make them work and trying to use things I have on hand rather than purchase fun new things which is most tempting! This one is very similar to the one I have posted previously but here it is:

It is so satisfying to have finished!

Checkers!

My daughter wanted a Checker's game for Christmas. I thought it would be fun to make our own unique set (which the kids have loved)! The one I made for the kids is an over-sized floor mat that I pieced together with fleece and felt. It has wooden stars for the game pieces and the whole thing was way too much work! :) However, I've made several sets since then after finding checkerboard fabric. Here are a few:
Alien invasion!

Mickey Mouse :)

Princess and the Frog!

The Play House

My daughter begged for a tree house, but there are not trees here that would support much of a tree house. The alternative? We found that there was dead space just through a wall in one of the bedrooms and thought that it would be fun to make a little play house in it. Luckily my hubby was just as excited about it as I was and he made it all happen. We cut a small hole in the wall to see what we were dealing with. It was workable space however smallish it was! My daughter wanted it to look like a sea cave from the bedroom.
Come look inside! The green and red walls have magnetic paint on them so they can be used for magnets. I sewed some magnets into a piece of flannel so it can hang on the wall and be used for flannel board stories. I cut up practice, stitched-out embroideries as story board pieces.

We painted chalkboard paint on the wall through the opening. We painted glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling too. Originally I'd hung seaweed looking fleece streamers in the opening but it repeatedly came down so I put them away.

It's a great reading spot too. I often escape to this play house to read at night after the kids are in bed.

Cloth Tea Sets

I have been loving making these tea sets...all from my own pattern! This orange one is my favorite.

Polka-dots...another love!

A softer touch.