I couldn't resist...

Last week, the old lady who swallowed a fly lost her nose.   

                                         

 Little E's teacher asked me to sew it back on.  Before I return her, though, I couldn't resist adding a little extra touch.

   



A felt band-aid and embroidered scar

 

The band-aid has a cotton-batting rectangle sewn on the underside.  Both have velcro for easy stickin'.





 

                                            All better!



                            

Hope you are finding humor and whimsy in your day!

Handmade Butterfly Valentines

 I love Valentine's day for the simple celebration of friendship.  I can't resist paper doilies and have such fond memories of making Valentine boxes for school.  So, with a little one now in school herself, what fun to help her create some wonderful tokens of friendship, and hopefully warm memories as well.

Here is what we did:

1. gather materials - heart-shaped paper doilies, glue stick, felt sticker hearts, construction paper and Tootsie pops

2. fold one piece of construction paper in fourths (half and half again) - use plastic packaging from doilies to trace heart (this makes the heart just a bit bigger than the doily)

 3. cut out heart on fold

 4. glue on doilies to hearts - you'll need two hearts for each Valentine
     it is MUCH easier to smear the glue on the construction paper heart rather than the doily!

 5. make lots of hearts

 6. place two hearts right sides together and sew a line across the pointed end - just a bit off straight up.

7. sew lots in a row!

 8. open and press seam open at back - see your butterfly emerging?

 9. make two snips from the back through all layers as shown below.  We found the bigger, the bettter.  Otherwise, the lollipop stick would stretch the stitching too much.

 10. open butterfly again and slide lollipop stick through slits.  Stick on hearts to embellish wings.

11.  we made labels that said "Happy Valentine's Day from your friend E" because writing them out would have been torture!  We stuck them on the back of butterfly (which helped hold down the points and secure the lollipop a bit). 

Wishing you friendship this Valentine's Day!

Party Prep

Last Thursday, little E turned FOUR!  In some ways, she has seemed like a four-year-old for a while, and in other ways, she seems suddenly so grown up!  Either way, we had fun planning and scheming for her birthday party. Here are the highlights of the party prep.  Photos of all this in action to follow soon. 

1. It all started with this book.  I love that she isn't a Disney Fairy Princess - just a spunky, creative, opinionated girl (sound like anyone we know???).

Alice the Fairy by David Shannon

2. The "farty pavor" collection: a wand, tattoos, stickers, pixie dust, a fancy ring, and a frog.

 

3. All wrapped up.

 

4. Decorate your own crown.  Sure, I could have put out paper crowns, but where's the sewing stress in that?  (I only had to sew ten!) 

 

5. A close-up of the crown - made out of simple muslin.

 

Dress-up Crown tutorial from The Long Thread

6. Create your own magic wand.  Thanks to my dad for cutting, sanding and drilling holes in the dowels.  And, try as I might to undo my pack rat ways, I had to smile to think those jingle bells are at least 5 years old.

 

Magical Wand from Angry Chicken

7. Felt broccoli and strawberries for the food toss game.  In the book, Alice is convinced broccoli is poisoned and strawberry jello would make a good bath.  I thought it would be funny to throw these into a cardboard cut-out of her mouth.

 

Felt Broccoli and Strawberries

8. Finally, the dress to sport at the party.  I actually had this fabric in my stash and was so happy to find a good use for it.  Little E wanted short sleeves, but I didn't want to rush the alteration.  And...even with glittery fairies all over it, I think it still need a little something.  Maybe a red ribbon sash, or trim at the bottom? 

Everyday Dress by ManiMina Studios

As you can see in the blurry dancing shot, she didn't seem to be missing anything! Love the pink tights with silver hearts to complete the ensemble!


 

Hope you have lots of reasons to celebrate and be happy today!

Popping in




"Too many project ideas, not enough will power to say no!"

 

It feels like ages since I've posted anything.  While I haven't been blogging, I have been busy - scattered, actually.  The holidays may be over, but that means birthday season in upon us in our house, and I can't resist the temptation to make things for birthdays. 

So, in the works are:

 - felt broccoli and strawberries for a party game

 - fabric crowns for kids to decorate

 - beaded fairy wands to put together for kids to make

 - party favor bags

 - cookies to decorate

 - a party dress

 - finish my aunt's birthday gift (just a few weeks late)

 - Valentine's for little E's class

I really don't know how "real" craft bloggers do it all - the creating, picture-taking, photo editing, blogging, etc.

Happily, there are a few completed projects to report:

 - bibs for a friend's niece-to-be

 - new bag for me (oops!  how did that happen?)





"For Pleats Sake" bag courtesy of U-Handbag

  

 - birthday gift for friend





Another "For Pleats Sake"

  

 - same bag (different fabric) for sister-in-law (no photo)

 - new dress for little E - I actually made this first one from old fabric b/c I was worried about the fit of the pattern, but the fit was perfect and little E was soooo happy - you can just tell how good she felt in her new dress.

 Thank you, Ruby, for sharing a dress pattern even I could make!  ha ha

Hope to be back soon with photos of more completed projects (preferably the ones listed in the above "in the works" section!).
Happy weekend!