This has been a long awaited decision and we are so pleased with how it has turned out. As of October 10th we will be Texans! We are going to PCS to San Antonio to Ft. Sam Houston.
This is such a wonderful thing, and though it was relatively expected, we weren't sure if the Army was going to go for Ft. Sam since Kevin is in artillery (there are seriously no artillery jobs in San Antonio). We don't know how we got it, but we are just feeling very very thankful.
Abbi will be able to go to the hospitals she needs at any time, rather than driving 8+ hours each way several times each year. The primary care facility that we are moving for is BAMC at Ft. Sam.
(photo courtesy TroyTurner from Flickr)
As a bonus, our move will open up more opportunities for respite care for Abbi, work for me, daycare for Anna, and time spent with family (my dad, my grandma, my aunts, uncle, and cousins).
We couldn't be happier!
We have been incredibly busy around the Rose Household, painting, ripping up carpet, installing new flooring, hanging curtains, and replacing towel racks. The list seems to never get shorter, however, and so we carry on. As a result, I have been lax in posting, and I hate that about the busy times, but it makes the days I find a moment to write all that much sweeter, especially when it includes such tasty goodness as this!
I made fruit juice gummies today! I tried this recipe, found over at epicurious. I didn't have the cute little molds, but I went ahead and made them anyway, pouring them into an 8x8 pan sprayed with cooking spray just before pouring, and then cutting them into small cubes after 2 hours of setting time.
The texture is a bit different from your traditional gummy but it is still very tasty, and a WONDERFUL way to get fruits into your little ones in place of artificially flavored, dyed, and sugar-packed gummies you'll find at the store.
There are only two ingredients in these gummies: juice and gelatin. To get the most punch per gummy in vitamins I chose to use V-8 V-Fusion juice. There are vegetables in these gummies, and even better, my children will eat them!
The general review by children is that Abbi thinks they are the best thing since pickles (which, if you know Abbi, you can certainly understand what a big deal this is. We go through a gallon of pickles every 2 weeks). Anna seems to think they are just okay. Probably a little splenda or added sugar would go a long way in making these more appealing to kids who have tried and/or are used to the flavor in the sugar packed gummies available at the supermarket.
One thing I would like to experiment with, is using fruit juice concentrate in place of "regular" juice. I think that would give the expected flavor punch that storebought gummies have, but without compromising fruit as the main ingredient (aside from gelatin). As it is, the flavor is there, but subtle. Concentrate would also add to the sweet factor without having to add in extra sugars. If you give this a try, let me know what you think.
Since we are doing so much packing and preparing, we have been sure to include the fridge and pantry in this effort as well. As a result we are creating some unique concoctions, trying to find ways to use up what we have on hand before the move.
The above photo is of an experiment we did tonight altering this recipe to make something we hoped would be similar but wound up as a dense, ooey gooey loaf of deliciousness instead.
Darn. ;)
Essentially we cut out adding sugar and fresh fruit to the batter, and instead supplimented 1 1/2 cups of homemade blackberry freezer jam. Its not what we expected, but the best things rarely are.
It isn't something delicate or pretty to serve to company, but if you are up for a night snuggled with the family on the back porch, watching the fireflies dance around your children as dusk settles.... well, there isn't much that can top this, I think.
Gifts for MEN!
It is so hard to find just the right thing to make for the men in our lives, don't you think? My goal with this list is to lay out some ideas from the traditional to the unique to be able to choose from for the male-folk.
There are projects for all types of crafting from scrapbooking to sewing to knitting and crocheting and then some! They will be scattered throughout this list, and I will try to specify what type of craft they are in listing so that it will be easy to determine if it is something you are interested in.
Please, if you have ANY ideas to share, let me know in the comments, and I will gladly add them to the list, and give you credit for the idea here on the blog! Thank you!
MISC:
1. Salve (recipes here and here and here)
2. Camping Kit (cut a piece of 2-3" thick foam to the size of a bed, cover with a sewn fabric sleeve, and attach ties at one end so that when the bed is rolled up, it can be easily secured for carrying. include a travel sized pillow with a matching pillowcase, a blanket, socks, cap, scarf, mittens, and basics like matches, for example!)
3. Chess or Checkers from unique materials (nuts and bolts chess set, bottle cap checkers)
4. Bread of the Month Club (this can be done with anything - brownies, candies, etc! To do this, print up a "certificate" on your computer, or even make up 12 coupons redeemable once per month by the recipient. Include the first "installment" of the baked goodie with the coupons or certificate!)
5. Baked Goodies (even without a "__ of the month" club, you can shower your loved ones with yummy goodness, and lets face it - the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Try cookies, fudge, peppermint bark, peanut brittle, candies, etc!)
6. Walking Stick
7. Indoor Herb Garden (This is great for the man who likes to cook, or grill! Start the garden in the fall, or make it into a "kit" with seeds, soil and a pot to plant them in. Include with some recipes for using fersh herbs!)
8. Fire Starters / Kindling Bunches (simply gather sticks, pine needles or pine cones and gather them in an attractive basket or bunch, tied up with twine)
9. Family DVD's (burn your home movies on to DVD's to share with your loved ones)
10. Man Soap (You can make your own soap with manly scents like pine, or cedar, or you can melt down a good basic soap and add exfoliants like oatmeal, and then pour into a soap mold or yogurt container)
11. Handprint Craft Gifts (What dad doesn't love something made by his kids?)
13. Lip Balm (non-frou-frou in a basic tin or case)
14. Iron-On logos, phrases, or fun images to tee shirts or sweat shirts
15. Shrinky Dink Key Chains (trace over his favorite logo, band name, phrase, or just draw something fun and funky! Make sure to punch a hole in the shrinky dink before baking, and then bake away until you have a key chain customized for your recipient)
16. Make a Painting of an image, person, or character that means something special to you both.
17. Cocoa Basket (quite simply, a mug or two and cocoa packets in a basket. Dress it up with marshmallow snowmen, chocolate dipped spoons, etc)
18. Etched Glasses (high ball glasses are a great idea for this, as are beer mugs and wine glasses)
19. Mixed CD's
20. Plant Cuttings (Share some of your favorite house plants in the form of cuttings! You can do the same thing with garden plants, if prepared ahead of time in the fall)
21. Shadow Box (perfect for military medals, collectibles, awards, or any other memorabilia!)
22. Home-brewed beer (thanks to Diane for that tip!)
23. Flashlight organizer (thanks to Diane for suggesting this!)
24. Grilling Spices (try some here and here and here)
25. Linda suggested this awesome tip: "One thing I did for hubby was to make a "Daddy" box with a photo of dad and son on the front. Inside I add small strips of paper reminding him of special things we have done together. Or, before my son had speech, I would add things I noticed he loved about being with his dad. By far, it has been one of Daddy's favorite gifts. I try to update it yearly."
PAPER AND PHOTO CRAFTS:
1. IOU Coupon Book (write, print, or stamp IOU coupons. Some ideas: "Good for One Back Rub" or "Good for One Car Wash")
2. Journal Jar (Print or write out journalling prompts on sheets of paper, rolled up and placed into a jar. The recipient will take out one prompt each day and write about it in their journal)
3. Encourager Jar (Similar to the journal jar, but simply for the purpose of encouragement. Include favorite quotes or verses to take out each day.)
4. Framed Photos (You can go classic with this buying frames from the store, or you can make your own frames! Do a quick search on Picture Frame Crafts and you will have endless unique ideas for making your own photo frames.)
5. Photo Albums (You can go incredibly simple with 4x6 or 3x5 photos in slip-in photo albums, but these are much loved as gifts by family members and friends. You can go more in-depth and make a scrapbook too!)
6. For a book lover, try Book Labels. (make your own using stamps, hand writing them, designing your own on your computer, or print these free ones)
7. DVD photo slide shows (try this free software from Microsoft called Photo Story 3!)
8. Book of Love (kinda mushy but the guy's seem to like it! Write love letters to your sweet, and have his friends and family write a letter each, as well, discussing all the things that they love about him, and how he has impacted their lives. Put all this into a 3-ring binder)
9. Manly Magnetic Message Board (go to the local hardware store and pick up a piece of galvanized metal cut to the size you want. Pick up some nuts and bolts while you're there to use as magnets by supergluing or hot-gluing magnets to the back. Drill a hole in the top of the steel to use to hang it {you may want 2 holes - one on either side of the top edge - to balance the weight}. If you want to personalize it, spray glue on the back of several photographs and stick them onto the steel. You now have a very manly message board)
10. Make your own perfect edge journal.
11. Bookmarks
SEWING:
1. Cool Ties (sewing) (and yes, I know it will be winter for those of us in this hemisphere, but bear with me - its the gift that keeps on giving LOL)
2. Mosaics (this can be a fun craft, with almost any possibility. You can cover almost any surface in mosaic tiles, broken dishes, glass, beads, buttons, marbles, bottle caps... you get the picture)
3. Fishing Vest
4. Make a remote control caddy (sewing)
5. Make Record Bowl (a bowl, made from old vinyl records!)
6. Insulated Lunch Sack to take to work, hand sewn
7. Back-of-seat Car Organizer (sewn)
8. Christmas Stocking sewn from Jeans
9. Clutter Collector from old jeans (perfect for the office, workshop, bedroom, or garage!)
10. Sew a Garment Bag (with or without Monograms)
11. Tote Bags (very simple, or silk screened / ironed on with favorite band logos / team logos / name. Sewing pattern here.)
12. Homemade boxers are a classic. Check out this tutorial on how to sew them from pillowcases!
13. Toiletry Bag
15. Men's Travel Set
16. Quillow (combination quilt/pillow) for the traveling man
17. Sock Monkeys (because who doesn't need a sock monkey?)
18. Darn-It Doll (for those tense moments when you need something to throw at the ref on TV)
19. Make a fleece blanket (some of these ideas are no sew! TONS of ideas for finishing a fleece blanket)
20. CD Visor
21. Bathrobe (lots of great patterns that you can get inexpensively for this - try Easy Stitch and Save!)
22. PJ Bottoms (more awesome patterns with Easy Stitch and Save!)
23. Duffel Bag
24. BBQ Apron (you could even embroider "kiss the cook" on there, or some other cutesy saying.)
25. Bi-Fold Wallet
26. Gator Neck Warmer
27. Autograph Quilt (this takes some planning, but essentially you would send out requests for autographs with squares of quilt fabric to his favorite stars, be that sports fanatics, a favorite band, or even politicians, and then hopefully you will receive some back, autographed. Then, you simply work the squares into a quilt, for a keepsake!)
28. Drawstring Bag
29. Fleece Scarf
30. Hemp Bracelet or Necklace (patterns here and here and here)
31. Quilt
33. Rice Pocket Warmers (same thing as the heating pads, but smaller to carry in pockets to keep hands warm on cold winter days)
34. Camera Strap
35. Camera Bag
36. Quilt made from men's ties (thank you Robyn for the idea!)
FIBER CRAFTS:
3. Felted Bowl (knit, crochet)
4. Knitted Guitar Strap
5. Hackey Sack (knit, crochet)
9. Ponchos
10. Knit Ruana (its a unisex pattern, so don't be thrown off that the model is female) (Crochet Pattern here)
VARIOUS:
12. Neckties (Sewn, Knitted, Crocheted)
13. Eyeglass Case (Sewn, Knitted, Crocheted)
14. Ipod or Phone Cozy (Sewn, Knitted, Crocheted) (mini ipod sewn cozy here)
15. Team Colors (make anything in the colors of his favorite team! Socks, mittens, scarf, hat, afghan, blanket, fleece tie blanket, the options are endless!) - Thanks to Robyn for this idea!
16. Slippers (you can knit, crochet, felt, or sew slippers! Check out these fleece ones! Hint: to make slippers non-stick on slippery floors, use a little bit of puff paint on the sole of the foot!)
Its that time of year again. The temperatures are changing (albeit slowly), and the calendar is marking down day by day, closer to the holidays.
By now I have prepared for most of the birthdays coming up (okay about half), with the presents I will be giving and making for people for the rest of the year, and that means that it is time to focus on the items I am making for Christmas.
I can't give you a definite list of crafts that I am making for each person because a few of them check this blog, but I will however be sharing a large, generic list of crafting ideas that I will pull from throughout the rest of the year, and that you are welcome to pull from also (just be sure to link back to show me your goodies!).
Since it is such an incredibly long list, this first batch will be gift ideas for children. Ideas for men and women to come next!
If you have any homemade gift ideas to share, leave a comment and let
me know about it so I can add it to the list and give you credit! :)
Children:
1. Costume jewelry for dress-up (either thrift it or check the dollar store, or use found items to make some crazy bling for your little one to play with)
2. PVC pipe building kit (go to the home improvement store and have them cut down PVC pipes to manageable sizes. be sure to get some connectors and corner pieces so that they can build different shapes! You can paint them or leave them their original color for fun! One really fun project might be to include a package of permanent markers for use with adult supervision to decorate them, themselves!)
3. Teddy Bear Kit (These kits would be very similar to the bears that you can buy in the specialty bear stores in the mall that children help to put together! The easiest way to do this is to find a stuffed animal - new or thrifted - and cut open the back to pull out the stuffing in the body and legs. If you want you can make your own bear from a pattern. It is probably best to leave stuffing in the head if you are re-using a bear, but you can take it out of there too if you wish. You can then either keep the old stuffing or get new stuffing to include. Make a felt heart to include inside your bear, and include a tapestry needle with matching embroidery thread to sew up the back when you're through stuffing the bear. Go through the process of making a wish and giving your bear a kiss, and all of that. Include a birth certificate, and clothing if you like!)
4. Sock Monkeys (instructions here)
5. Blog-Me Creatures (These would be similar to some of the popular Webkinz and other such creatures that are so completely adorable right now! The difference is that while they don't have an online "life" where you train them or feed them, they do have the capability of having a blog all their own. The child could receive a stuffed animal of some sort, and with it a certificate of life, telling the child that their creature is alive and wants to have an adventure with them. Include a cheap child's digital camera or a throw-away camera if you like, for them to take pictures of themselves with their creature, doing different things. They can then blog about it on their blog that mom and dad set up and monitor on a free site such as blogger.)
6. Painted Canvas Play mat (To create a canvas play mat you would first need a piece of canvas! You can find them at any good hobby or craft store, usually by the yard. Get whatever size piece you want to work for your play mat. I like about 3-4 feet square. Then paint your favorite scene on the mat for your children to use their dolls or cars on. You could paint the inside of a doll house, or a racetrack... a train track, or a forest. The options are endless! The best part is that there are two sides to the canvas, so this could really be two gifts in one! One nice thing about the mat also is that it folds down nice and compactly when you are through playing with it.)
7. Book of Love / Advice (To create this gift, ask friends and family members to write a letter to the recipient - usually handwritten is best, but typed is okay too. You will want to guide them to write out a love letter or a letter of advice to this person. When all of the letters are received you can put them into a nice 3 ring notebook with page protectors to keep them looking nice. This is a keepsake that will last for years and years, and be a true treasure as time goes on.)
8. Piggy Banks (You can use almost any container to create a piggy bank! Be creative!)
9. "Grown-Up" Kit for a Child (For a girl this would be a purse with an old deactivated cell phone, fake credit cards, fake cash, photos, a wallet, etc. For a boy, or a business minded girl, try a briefcase with a cell phone, business cards, fake credit cards, fake cash, notebooks, a calculator, etc.)
10. Vintage Suitcase "Dress-Up" Storage (You can use a vintage suitcase as is, or paint it for a unique holder for dress-up clothing found at garage sales or thrift stores, or hand-sewn by mom or dad!)
11. Tire Swing (So this one is mostly self-explanatory, though there are some variations on the classic that can be lots of fun too!)
12. Altered Wooden Name Letters (You can find the wooden letters in the craft department of most stores. Then simply paint or decoupage them to create whatever design you like.)
13. Play Canopy (This is very easy to make by tying long strips of tulle to an embroidery hoop and creating a tulle "hanger" to hang the canopy with.)
14. Balance Beam (A balance beam is fun and wonderful for building coordination and motor planning! It is very easy to make one using a 2x4 and a couple of sideways slats of wood underneath for support and very mild height, a few inches off the ground)
15. Craft Supply Box (Put together various craft supplies into a pretty or decoupaged box and include instructions for a few favorite crafts, or just let the child use their imagination to create their own masterpieces)
16. Scientist Kit (include a magnifying glass, various things from nature, etc)
17. Geometric Designs Kit (Frame a piece of felt in a dollar store or thrifted frame, being sure to remove the glass, and then cut out geometric shapes to arrange into different designs on the felt.)
18. Photo Phone Directory (Create a phone directory using photographs next to phone numbers to post next to the phone for your child, so that they can easily access the phone numbers of people they might need to call such as family members, friends, and emergency help)
19. Gift Balloons (blow up small balloons and place little gifts inside such as coins, chap-stick, etc. The child will have to pop the balloon to get the prize out)
21. File Folder Games (TONS of ideas here and even more here!)
22. Play grocery store set (include play money, felt food, saved food boxes that you glue back together, cloth grocery sacks, a wicker hand basket for shopping, laminated coupons, etc)
23. Advent Calendars (Check out this awesome flickr group!)
24. Homemade Stick Horse (This is actually quite easy to make if you include a fabric head on a stick. You can use an old broom handle or a sanded down piece of tree branch. You can also use a store-bought dowel. Here is a fantastic pattern for a fabric hobby horse head).
25. Cloth Dolls and Doll Accessories (there are a TON of patterns out there on the web for cloth dolls. These are some of my favorites. Accessories can include but are not limited to doll diapers, wipes, sling, clothes, blankets, doll sized moses basket, etc).
26. Paper dolls (There are TONS of print-ables for paper dolls online. You can also create your own paper dolls using a photograph of your child in their bathing suit as the "doll" and then creating or printing paper clothing to fold over your child for dress up. One idea is to create all white clothing and include a set of crayons or markers for the child to design the colors and patterns of the "fabric")
27. Books on Tape/CD (One of the best gifts you can give you to a child is the gift of reading. For many families these days it is not possible to be together every day. Even for those who are, it is nice sometimes to have a resource like this, where the child can hear your voice whenever he or she wishes to, and listen to their favorite book. You can read the book and record it using a tape player, or if you'd rather do a CD, use a microphone hooked up to your computer, and a free program such as Audacity to record your reading onto a CD for your recipient)
28. Print your own stickers on sticky-backed paper
29. Ribbon Dance Streamer (There are two ways to make ribbon dance streamers. The first is attaching a single long ribbon to the end of a dowel to make dancing movements in the air. The second is made by attaching long ribbons around an embroidery hoop so that the child can grab the hoop and run or play with it, watching the ribbons dance)
30. Photo Books (Take a 4x6 photo album and on the left pages include a photo of the child as he or she is doing something such as reading a book or eating an apple. on the opposite page, include a 4x6 index card telling a story about the child. In the end, have all of the photos and cards tell a full story about the child so that they have their own "book" to read about themselves.)
31. Make a fleece scarf or poncho
32. Knitted or Crocheted Scarf, Hat, Mittens or Poncho (TONS of free patterns on Ravelry)
33. IOU's for teaching a skill or a hobby to a child
34. Box of textures (include various fabrics, or items from nature for a fun sensory experience)
35. Make a tee pee
36. Make a play house
37. Quilts (the ones pictured below are just two solid pieces of fabric, quilted together to look like a pieced quilt, which is a very fast and efficient way of doing it. You can get as detailed as you like though!)
38. "Spices" for the Play Kitchen (save candy sprinkles bottles or old spice jars, and fill with glitter and beads, then glue the lids shut for make-believe "spices")
39. Popsicle Stick Puppets (Glue photographs or magazine cutouts onto cardboard, and cut around people's faces or bodies. Glue these onto Popsicle sticks to create personalized puppets!)
40. Doorway Puppet Theater (Sew up a puppet theater to hang on a tension curtain rod in the doorway)
41. Crayon Rolls (Sew cute rolls of fabric with compartments for crayons, markers, or pencils to help organize art supplies)
42. Make Treasure Rocks
43. Super Hero Capes
44. Block Puzzles (Very simply, you will get 4 or 6 wooden blocks - you may need the hardware store to cut them down from a 4x4 block of wood - and then you can take magazine photos or photographs of your family and glue them to the blocks. In the end you will have 6 arrangeable puzzles for your recipient to play with. Here are some instructions)
45. Mobiles
46. Cats in the Cradle Kit (For this kit simply include several sets of pretty string/yarn and instructions for different Cats In the Cradle type games)
47. Unique Bubble Wands (Use deconstructed wire hangers, or use other types of wire such as jewelers wire, to create unique shaped bubble wands. Add beads or other goodies to the handle for decoration if desired)
48. Flash Cards (Use Index Cards to put a photograph or a math problem on one side of the card, and on the other have the answer or the word that represents the photograph)
49. Afghans (Tons of patterns on Ravelry. The one below is a "sensory afghan" made using a fun eyelash fiber to stimulate tactile sensation for Abbi, who has sensory integration disorder. It was made using a simple double crochet stitch and a P -hook)
50. Hair Clip or Scrunchie Holder (This can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Most are made using a wooden base that is hung on a wall, with ribbons streaming off of the bottom to attach hair-bows and scrunchies to. Paint or decorate it with the child's name, photograph, or favorite colors)
51. Make a growth chart.
52. Scooter Board (This is probably one of the simplest carpentry items that can be put together but it is so much fun for the child. Simply find a square piece of wood and attach 4 rotating wheels to the underside to create a "scooter" for them to sit on or lay on. Paint the base and/or add padding and fabric in their favorite color for personalization and comfort)
53. Dancing Bracelet (attach jingle bells to a bracelet for a fun dancing accessory. You can also make a fun tambourine-type instrument by attaching jingle bells onto an embroidery hoop using ribbons and beads for decoration!)
54. Toy Soap (melt down your favorite soap, and add oatmeal. While the soap is warm and soft, mold around a favorite small toy that will go into the bath well. This makes bathing fun!)
55. Wonder Bottles (fill an empty plastic bottle with 1/2 water and 1/2 oil. Add food coloring, beads, glitter, and any other goodies you'd like to add in to the water before adding the oil. Close tightly with non-water-soluble adhesive to secure).
56. Personalized Pillow Cases and Sheets (Use fabric paints, embroidery, or iron-on's to create personalized sheet and pillow case sets! For a DIY kit, include a white pillow case and a set of sharpie markers for kids to draw on their own pillowcase or write notes on them)
57. No - Sew Tu-tu's (Instructions Here)
58. Lacing Cards (Use illustrated book pages from children's' books that are falling apart, and glue them to cardboard squares. Use a hole punch to create holes to "lace" shoelaces in and out of. This builds fine motor skills and motor planning skills, as well as cognitive skills!)
59. Wooden Scroll Saw Animals (The nice thing about these is that they don't have to be perfect, and they leave much to the imagination, which is such a wonderful exercise for children. Some patterns can be found here)
60. Memory Games (There are endless possibilities for memory games. You can recycle by placing matching photos inside of used plastic caps from soda or water bottles for a matching game, or simply use card stock to create a matching card game)
61. Make a rope swing on a tree outside
62. Fastener Board (Use a scrap piece of lumber and cover with batting and fabric. Attach various types of closures such as buttons, snaps, zippers, etc, for a fastener board)
63. Nail and Screw Board (Use a scrap piece of lumber and start to hammer in nails and screw in screws to the wood. Include a small hammer or rubber mallet along with a screwdriver for hours of entertainment for the hands-on little one. Use parental supervision of course!)
64. Floor Pillows (Cover square pieces of foam with fabric for comfortable floor pillows to sit on while reading, playing games, or watching a family movie)
65. Homemade Play Doh, Gak, Etc.
66. Tree Blocks (Make blocks out of sanded down pieces cut from a fallen tree branch. The uneven pieces make for interesting building structures, and are fun to hold and play with)
67. Knit or crochet play food (tons of patterns here: knitting - crochet)
68. Make costumes
69. Quiet Books (Quiet books are little books that children can play with in places like church or on the bus, where they won't be making much noise, but will still have fun. Ideas here and here )
70. Play Mail (laminate old post cards, letters, etc for children to pretend to deliver to one another. This is also a fun way for children to read over the cards they have received throughout their lifetime so that they don't just get thrown away)
71. Newsprint Roll (You can call your local newspaper and see if they have any roll ends that they are getting rid of. These are wonderful because they are usually filled with LOTS of paper for drawing, writing, murals, etc, and are usually free or very cheap. Include with some crayons or markers and you now have hours and hours of fun)
72. Clothespin Dolls (fun and easy to make as gifts, and also fun to give as a kit for the child to make themselves! Ideas here)
73. Cardboard Doll House and Furnishings (ideas here)
74. Paint a mural on particle board to hang up on the wall. You can also paint the board with chalkboard paint and give the child a place to create their own mural!
75. Journals (Cover composition notebooks with photographs or scrapbook paper to make personalized journals for your recipient)
76. Mini Pinatas with small gifts inside
77. Child sized apron, potholder, oven mitt, and chef's hat
78. Pajamas
79. Tote Bags
80. Tee shirts with iron-on images or sayings to personalize them to the recipient's tastes
82. Shrinky Dink Pendants with ribbon "necklaces"
84. Cocoa packets and a mug hand-painted and fired for the recipient at a pottery shop.
85. Finger Puppets out of a single leftover knit glove
86. Washcloths in their favorite colors
87. Mixed CD's with their favorite songs
88. Cozy Rice Stuffed Animal (sew up a stuffed animal pattern, or cut open a current stuffed animal, removing all of the poly filling. Fill the stuffed animal with rice and sew up. On cold evenings, microwave the stuffed animal for a few minutes to warm them up and take to bed for a cozy pal)
89. Reindeer Candy Canes (classic but a goodie for stockings!)
90. Bookmarks (use fabric, felt, photos, magazine pictures, scrapbook paper, punches, stamps, stickers and your imagination to make wonderful bookmarks!)
91. Book Covers (make your own fabric or paper book covers to help keep your special someone's books looking nice!)
92. Make your own coloring pages by drawing pictures of their favorite character or animal. You can also use Photoshop to make coloring pages using a specialized action downloaded from here.
93. I-Spy Bag or Bottle. (I-Spy bags or bottles are filled with rice or polly filler pellets, and small items such as army men, Lego's, beads, etc, that the child can look for through a window in the bag or through the plastic of the bottle. There are many games and exploratory activities for this toy! Instructions here and here. )
94. Pretend Magic Wands (Sand down sticks for fun magic wands. You can paint them, cover them in fimo clay for durability and color, or leave them looking natural!)
95. Play Silks (Possibly the easiest crafty gift on the list. Cut up squares of silk about hankie size. Finish of edges with Fray-Stop or hem. Let the child have at it with creative play!)
96. Fairy Wings (using wire hangers, panty hose, paints, ribbons, flowers, and whatever else you would like to decorate your wings with, you can create a unique pair of realistic fairy or bumble bee wings for your little one! Instructions here and here too)
97. Sew up a cute bunting garland for their room (such as this one)
98. Sew up a quilt with a treasure map on it like this one
99. Sew up a quilt with a doll house on it like this one
*edited to add some awesome suggestions from the comments!!!
Robyn from Craft With Me, suggested an I-Spy book with examples on her blog!
Sarah from Sarah's Kids, Cakes, and Crafts suggested a fishing game with little paper or felt fish and magnets
I was so pleased to discover as I was blog-surfing through my favorites the other day, that I received an award over at Firefly Nights! To me, doing my best to make this blog something interesting to read, and maybe even inspiring creatively, is what its all about for me. She wrote the sweetest note about me and the blog over at her blog, and I am just blushing thinking about it. Thank you so much. If you haven't seen her blog yet, you definitely should! Stop on by and check it out when you get a chance. So much inspiration to be had over there!
Here are the rules for the award:
1. Put the logo on your blog;
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you;
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs;
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog; and
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.
Angry Chicken is one of my favorite bloggers, and has been for years. Her creations and photographs are consistently inspiring and I never seem to leave her blog without an inkling for a new project or idea.
Robyn over at Craft With Me is inspiring to me also in that she is a good mom to three little ones, crafting and creating and always learning something new. I think that's something that anyone with young children especially would find inspiring! (its also her birthday this week so stop on by and say hi to her if you get a chance!)
Rachel over at Simply Abundant is one of my oldest friends, though she is more like a sister to me in so many ways. She inspires me constantly with her creativity, class, and strength. (its her birthday this week too so be sure to go if you have a chance to, stop on over and share some birthday love!)
Turkey Feathers is another blog that just leaves me constantly inspired, and has for years. One of my favorite projects of hers is the blanket statement, where she refashioned an entire wool blanket into useful projects that she and her loved ones now enjoy. With her blessing, I am going to be working on a similar project here, totally inspired by her, on refashioning a wool blanket I thrifted recently. You absolutely have to go check out her projects, and more importantly, her blog. I know you'll be just as inspired as I am.
Notes from a Cottage Industry is another that leaves me constantly in want of more. The incredible sense of decor and creativity over there will capture you immediately. I always leave there feeling like I've just been home.
Similarly, The Cottage Gals are filled with cottagey goodness. Every time I visit that blog I leave feeling inspired to go "treasure hunting" at the thrift store or garage sales, in hopes to find 1/10th of the amazing goodness they seem to find, restore, and alter for their shop.
I wish I could sit here and list every single blog that inspires me. There are SO SO many. I would like to nominate every single blog on my blogroll, and then add in those in my bookmarks that have yet to be added to the blog. (soon!) Know that every time I visit each of you I leave inspired... you all amaze me, and fuel my creativity in so many ways.
*thank you*
We are still getting ready for school to start in a few weeks, and still preparing for the possibility of a move soon, packing unnecessary things away, and getting the house ready to sell. In the moments between the hustle and bustle I find some peace when I sit down at the sewing machine, focusing only on the movement of the fabric beneath my fingers, working the math for measurements, and seeing a creation come to life.
This particular shirt used to be a sheet that I picked up at the thrift store with this exact shirt in mind. I absolutely loved the print, and was so happy to see that it translated even more beautifully in reality than it did in my imagination. Full credit goes to the awesome fabric and to the incredible tutorial over at Just Tutes as well. I simply left the elastic out of the sleeves and added a button in the front from the stash to give it the slightly different look.
Have you been creating anything lately?
I seem to be full of tutes lately! :) Hope you all enjoy this one as well.
As you know, I'm making a lot of clothes for the kids. This is a shirt I made for Abbi for summertime wear, but it could easily be adapted for school wear by putting a cute coordinating tee shirt under it.
(note the use of fabrics from the fat quarter challenge!)
There is also a skirt that I made using this same process, but with wider strips. You may recognize the fabric from another outfit I made a couple of weeks ago. This will be added to the school clothes stash.
On to the tutorial! (click for full size to read easier!)
Have fun and let me know if you give this fun and easy tute a try! :)
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