My girls made these stickers for Cory’s guitar case last Christmas, but I think they would also make a wonderful Father’s Day gift, so I’m putting this out there for those who might need some last minute ideas.
It’s a very simple gift, perfect for our little ones, and there are a couple of ways you can go about making them:
I purchased some printable sticker paper from an office supply store (which continue to come in handy!) and printed a scanned image of the girl’s artwork onto the paper. Sometimes my kids make very light marks, so I wanted to be able to adjust the brightness and contrast of their work so that everything stood out well.
You could also have your child use markers to draw directly on the sticker paper.
You can cut your shapes out first and have the child draw within the confined space, or you can cut the shapes from an existing piece of artwork.
So many ways to make one sweet and simple gift for the musician in your life! Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day! We kept things pretty low-key around here, but I enjoyed being able to slack off on a few things and let the hubby pick up the slack! I received the most adorable photo card from Cory and the girls. It was very sweet and I’m wishing more and more that I had a card box (or old shoe box) to keep all of treasures.
As for my mom, I decided to print off a photo I took of her birds a couple weeks ago that I really liked. The colors on the print came out so vibrant and it really looks so much better framed then on the screen. I think she really loved it…but then she always loves anything I make for her. Even the unfinished latch-hook snowman I made for her a few Christmases ago.
I never remember to buy things like giftwrap at the store and anyways it’s seems like such an unnecessary purchase when I’ve got an entire craft room full of stuff. So, to wrap the framed print, I ended up trying an idea I recently saw in a Kath Kidston book. The woman can apparently do anything with fabric, and to make pretty wrapping paper she said to scan it and print it out. So I did.
I really couldn’t believe how pretty it turned out given just how easy it was to generate. I used two peices of standard-sized paper to wrap the frame then finished it off with a bit of ribbon. You can see the pillowcase I used under the gift…a perfect match! I totally love the fact that I can tap into my fabric stash without actually having to cut into anything or part with my favorites. So, the next time you have a smallish gift and no suitable wrapping paper, just break out your scanner! Try it. You’ll love it. Promise.
I’ve been meaning to make these for a while, and since we’re so close to Easter, I decided to throw them into the basket with whatever other goodies I can pull together.
If you’re thinking they look a bit familiar, you’re right. They are the cuffs from the same sweaters that I used to make the heart-felt scarf. There’s so much left of those sweaters and I’m determined to use as much of it as I can!
I had originally intended to make some simple purses for the girls, but the more I thought about it, the more a pocket seemed like the right direction to take. They love pockets! I figure this way they can have a pocket handy no matter what they’re wearing. Plus these were super easy to make. Just lop off the cuffs, turn inside out, sew the ends, add a handy strap, turn the right way and you’re done!
I really think they’re going to go over well and can’t wait to give them to the girls. I’m thinking about adding a little something to them. Perhaps a flower or butterfly applique? Any thoughts?
I said I would post this Thursday, but I changed my mind. You don’t mind, do you?
First, I have to give a little background about my inspiration for these. I’ve been seeing alot of mustache crafts around the blogosphere lately, and they always make me smile. Not long ago, I saw these and immediately thought, “Oh, how cute, a pencil topper!” Upon close examination, I realized they weren’t pencil toppers, but tiny little staches on sticks. Still cute, but I really liked the pencil toppers, so I decided to make my own!
I had a blast making these pencil toppers for my school-aged nieces and nephews. They’re a snap to make and tons of fun. If you’d like to make your own, just download the template and follow these steps:
Gather materials craft foam
glue gun
scissors or exacto knife
pencil or marker template (printable PDF)
Cut two mustaches (or lips) and one rectangle
Apply thin beads of glue along the two long sides of the rectangle
Smash together, making sure not to let the glue spread to the center.
You should still be able to open it nice and wide.
Apply more glue to one side of the folded rectangle
and attach to one side of the mustache with the whole facing downward.
Add another bead of glue to the open-facing side of the rectangle
Position the second mustache piece on top of first so that all of the sides match up.
Add more glue to the ends so that both sides are attached securely.
I had to pull the plug on the baby booties I was trying to knit. The hat apparently gave me a huge confidence boost so when I read “make this pattern when you feel very comfortable using round needles” I figured I was golden. After all, I used them once with no problems so I must be an expert. I have been humbly put back in my place and will attempt said booties at a later time.
Instead of the booties, I turned to JC Handmade’s Best Bib pattern, available on Etsy. Hers are gorgeous. Here are mine (plus a little hat I threw in):
Aside from a sad attempt at free-motion quilting, I was very happy with how they turned out. I’ll definitely use the pattern again. Actually, the girls didn’t want me bringing these bibs to “the baby” so I might go ahead and make some for them.
Oh, and the B on the hat is for Brian, which will be the baby’s name. Can’t wait for the little guy to get here!
Teaser: I will have a tutorial up some time this week. Probably Thursday. This poor blog has been neglected lately, so I’m really excited about having a few things to post about this week. See you soon!
With Spring-like days becoming more and more common, we’ve had some especially blustery days. On a whim, I decided to “try” to make a kite with the girls. It was very spur-of-the-moment and I had no idea how it would turn out, but it ended being a wonderful way to spend our morning.
The photo at the top is the original kite. I took pictures of a step-by-step later using a brown paper bag…both flew just fine, but I think I should have made the width a little longer on the latter.
Materials Paper (I used cardstock and brown paper bag) Scissors 3 Straws Ruler Twine Tape
First I marked the same distance from the corner to either side of the paper (7-8 inches is probably best). Then I used the ruler to meet both marks down to a point. It figures I don’t have a picture of this step…but you’re making a diamond, so I think you can figure it out.
Then I taped two of my straws end to end.
And attached the last straw with tape and twine. Eyeball on your diamond-shape to see where the straws should intersect. Leave a long tail on your twine…this is how you are going to hold your kite.
Tape to your diamond shape….and you have a kite!
Now wait for some good wind to come along and watch your children delight in the physics of nature!
That was Annabelle after my first demonstration of the kite…dying to have a turn!
And the kite DID fly…although it was hard to get a picture.
Of course, nobody wanted to come inside after such a fine morning, so we had a picnic!
And then I pretty much had to drag two very reluctant toddlers inside for their naps.
But, the kites have held up and they still ask for them sometimes when we go outside…we just need some more windy days!
I am celebrating tonight, not only because I’ve completed my first knitting project, but because I actually finished a gift project!
I have more unfinished projects that were intended as gifts than I care to admit. It’s truly embarrassing. Thankfully, this little hat had alot going for it: It was quick and easy! The pattern is from the Stitch N Bitch book which has to be the world’s best “how to knit” book ever written. After videos and classes, I was still clueless until I read that book. I just checked the book out on Saturday and learned how to knit in the round using round needles and multiple needles, how to bind off, how to increase and decrease, and how to read patterns.
The hat was quickly whisked away to its new home and will rest atop newborn Baby, Eli’s sweet little head. The parting was bittersweet, but I know little Eli needs it more than I do.
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My next project will likely be for an upcoming baby shower. Think I can whip up a whole blanket in about two weeks?
As much as I’m loving sharing my finds on OCP, it’s a huge timesuck…so much so that my creative time has been cut back dramatically. I think this is why I found myself letting loose with the sprinkles last night after my daughter finished decorating her cookies. I had a blast and it was just the fix I needed….Ahhh. Back to work now!
Last week, The Toby Show posted about a domino game she recently purchased for her son and mentioned how easy it would be for someone to recreate it. I’ve been wanting to put something together with textures ever since I saw this, and I happened to already have some pre-cut wooden boards cluttering up my crafting area. So, I set forth to see what other textures I could gather.
It probably took me less than an hour to find the supplies and glue the pieces onto the wood.
For the textures, I used:
red craft foam
green felt
corrugated cardboard
corkboard
rubbery shelf-liner
chenille stems
I just cut the pieces into 2 inch squares and hot-glued them onto the wood….soooo simple!
I only had six boards, but it ended up being just right for my toddler. Enough to be fun without being overwhelming. She can play by herself or with a friend (aka Mommy) and she can finish the game quickly with a feeling of accomplishment. As she gets better and is no longer challenged, I’ll pick up some more wood and add more textures to the mix.
Sandpaper would be nice. Maybe something spongey. Really, there are so many possibilities. Any other ideas?
