Project 52? How about Project 24 instead?

Soooooo I didn't make it to 52 Projects.  I tried.  But with the move and travel, and I guess, just LIFE, that was as many things as I could make.  It was fun, and I liked having a little goal so that I would actually attempt to set aside time to craft.

And I hope to do that this year as well.  (My year begins with the school year:)

However, I will change the format and I think I am going to set aside one night to make whatever I want.  Tuesdays have always been good for me, since I am not as tired as later in the week and well, it isn't Monday.    I won't focus on the number of things completed, but more so just enjoy the experience.  And if I make nothing, but set that night aside to just rejuvenate, well, that works, too.

I think I will start tonight with organizing my craft area...

Project 24: Moving Kits

We are moving to Norfolk, VA for a year.  We sold the house on the day the moving truck arrived!  I will miss our yellow house with the great covered entrance...  We spent a lot of time out there, and I hope the next family loves it as much as we did. 

Wayyyy before the moving truck arrived, I somehow had a moment to throw together these little kits for Soleil (age 3.)  Inside are little activities that are simple and easy for her to do on her own while we are in the hotel or even in a restaurant. 

Here is what is inside:

1.  Stickers and Circle Cardstock

2.  Little cardboard squares (cut from a diaper box) and artist crayons and sharpener

3.  Matching game made from foam shapes

4.  Pony Beads and Pipe Cleaners

5.  Blank Card, Glue Stick, Scraps of paper, more stickers. (not pictured)

 For the trip, and for the multiple days in hotels, I also put together these boxes.  The Snapware ones are particularly genius.  I put activities for me, and the little kits for Soleil in the bottom, Toys and Bedtime books for Soleil in the top, and Tate had his own box with whatever he chose to put in it.  We can bring the boxes in easily, and the kids know right where to go when it is time to play.  They both also have one small canvas bag that they filled before we left, with whatever they wanted.  (Those are easy to get into while they are in the car.)

My section contains a variety of felt, needles, small scissors, embroidery thread, small ruler, as well some magazines, a small sketch book, and pens.  (I think the pens have been lifted by my children, but they were in there when we started this trip!)

Project 23: Weaved Yarn Basket

My mom gave me these "Yarn Basket Templates" from Clover.  I wasn't really sure about it, but after my first basket, I was hooked.  Ok.  The pink one is really ugly (so ugly, that I left it at my parents' house!) but it is so soothing and meditative to weave the yarn to make these.  

I tried a second basket on the way home from Michigan with prettier, chunkier yarn.  (GREAT cartrip craft project!) After changing yarn, I loved them for the look, as well as the process.  Soleil is using this basket for her stuffed kitty, but there are tons of things you could use it for.

Basket Tutorial

1. Glue fabric or felt on both sides of the bottom of the basket. (in blue)
2. Weave the yarn in and out of 6 holes, then return the other way all the way around the basket.
3. Continue weaving all the way to the holes.
4. Sew the in and out of the holes to secure. Knot and cut yarn.
5. Wrap, with the assistance of clothespins, more yarn around the basket until nice and thick.
6. Sew around the wrapped yarn (from the top to the next hole, as opposed to sewing side to side) and gather the wrapped yarn until it hugs the circumference of the basket.

Once I made one, I realized that you could trace the template on a cereal box and make as many as you want. I have the square basket, and the oval, and the link I attached is for a 3rd style, which looks great as well!

Project 22: Cake!

I used to think that I preferred boxed cake mix to homemade cakes.  I realize now, that I just had the wrong recipes!!  I have made 2 cakes in the last week that have been positively yummy!

The first is a Chocolate Guiness Cake, which I used to eat at the Jika Jika cafe in Bath.  I have been meaning to make it forever, and finally had occasion.  I am glad I shared it with others, because I really, really could eat the entire thing.  I recommend making vanilla buttercream (softened butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, tiny bit of milk) instead of the cream cheese frosting, as we thought it was too tart.
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_guinness_cake/

The second cake is my neighbor, Janice's recipe.  She told me that it is so easy, she makes it whilst on vacation because you don't need anything special.  The only addition to the recipe, is that I sprinkled cinnamon on the top before baking.  You basically mix all of the ingredients together and sprinkle with topping.  Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes.

Project 21: Reusable Gift Bag

I love a pretty, wrapped package, but I do hate how much waste it creates.  My son, Tate, had a birthday party to attend, and I had a few spare hours, so I made a reusable gift bag.  I love it!!

I used StayzOn ink and stamped the cupcake on the twill ribbon, and hemmed the edges.  I know there is a company who makes these and you can track where in the world they travel to!!  Here is where you can find them.  Or, if you ask me, I might make one for you:) 

Inspired by... SPRING 2013

Some days, I walk around and am inspired by lots that I see.  Thank goodness for the iPhone....I take a ton of pictures to remember later.  When I need some ideas and feel the need for creative vibes, I go window shopping, go to Barnes and Noble and leaf through new magazines, or seek out a cute bakery that I have never been to before.  Luckily, I have a very cute sidekick who loves these types of trips. 

Since we have been showing the house, and we need to be out and about, we have had been out A LOT.  So much, in fact, that I just want to settle into my craft room and not leave for a few days.  I shouldn't complain... I want to sell our house, but I am realizing that I am more of a homebody than I realized.  

 Angel Food Bakery. AMAZING.  The staff was ridiculously attentive and very nice, and there is a long glass counter where you can watch them make all of the day's treats.  I had to pull Soleil out of there!

 Coffee was really good.  (It is Peace Coffee, my favorite.)

 My pretty writing materials for "Ease into Spring" by Bella Cirovic.  She sends daily emails with activities, inspiration, thoughts to think about, etc. She has another ecourse scheduled for June and you can find it here.  I am loving her current course!

Oh and I made this.  Another Apron... I am not claiming it as Project 21, as you guys have seen 2 other aprons already!  (I love making them....) 

Project 20: Random Kiddo Activities

I guess this is Project 20....I have been horrible about blogging lately.  This is where 2 kids is wayyyy more than1 kid.  I look back when Tate was the age Soleil is now, and I think I may have been blogging daily!  

It is Spring Break here and we are chilling at home. I am grateful that I am not sitting on an overcrowded plane with overtired and/or overexcited kids!  I think with the move coming up, I like to hunker down in my home and just feel that cozy homey feeling.  

This woman I found on pinterest makes themed baths for her kids.  They are totally cool.  I  thought they were just for the toddler set, but every time I copy one of her baths, Tate (age SEVEN), loves it and requests one for the next day.  Here is what we did for St. Pat's day, with some help from our local dollar store. 

Food color, green toys we already had, foam shamrocks that stuck to the side of the tub, and green bath safe molding sand (Baking soda+food color+teeny bit of water).  

This is an idea from Family Fun magazine and inspired by the toy Perplexus, one of Tate's faves.  You make a maze out of legos for a marble.  Pretty cool until your little sister decides that she can improve the design...

And I didn't make this, but I am going to!  We were at Minnesota Children's Museum and they have the greatest animal costumes that the kids can don while they play.  Tate loved this bird costume and it was really cozy.  I should start NOW for Halloween...

And lastly, a project that I actually DID make myself.  Tate's friend, Sebas, loves Narwhals.  (Whale +horn=pretty cool.)  His dad asked me to make one, and I was honored!  This was my first time making a 3D stuffie, and it was not easy.  I loved that I learned a new skill, and made a kid happy.  Of course, then Soleil wanted me to make her animals of all sorts, now that she know that I can make them.   

This guy was my 4th attempt and he looks like he ate a few too many plankton and has deformed flippers, but he was wayyy better than the first few attempts.  

If you want to make your own Narwhal, the pattern can be found here.

And since I am being random....anyone else completely tired of being cold?  I am very ready for spring.

Spring has Sprung! Project 19: Felt Bunnies

I feel it right around the corner!  I love the seasons and doing things differently for each season, as suggested by my friend, Bella.  Firstly, I needed a bathroom update.  Soleil and I went to Homegoods and pretended we were on a HGTV show, and got everything we needed to change the bathroom into a spa.

 While we were there, I found this amazing Amy Tangerine ribbon collection!

Paul needed some quiet time this weekend to handle some important business, so I took the kids to the Minnesota Arboretum to get out of the house.  The temperatures were not that bad (above 32F!), and they were featuring Fairy Houses and Maple Syrup tapping, and we were dressed for the weather.  Tate just loved launching himself into the giant piles of melting snow.

....And Project 19:  Felt Bunnies!  I can't stop.  Version #1:  Find Bunny template online, cut out, stuff, and sew together, by hand or by machine.  Version #2: Needle felt little bunny shapes.  Google it.  It is soooo easy, and perfect for one if you have been just exhausted lately with moving plans, and buying houses, and etc etc etc.  

Project 18: Easy Child's Apron

I thought the last apron was pretty do-able.  I was quite surprised at how that all worked, to be honest!  

Soleil wanted an apron as well, and this one was even easier!

Ok, here is the quick overview.  

1.  Trace apron shape from another apron-FABRIC 1.  (Or just draw your own on newspaper)

2.  Trace same shape as the top half of the apron on FABRIC 2

3.  Make small rectangle of fabric for pocket on FABRIC 2

4.  Cut ties from ribbon.  Judge your own length--enough to tie around neck and a set for around body. 

Now how do you sew it together?  It isn't perfect, but this is what I did.

5.  Sew pocket on.  (Fold & iron edges in all the way around and top stitch on.  Easy Peasy.)

6.  Hem the bottom and the 2 lower sides of FABRIC 1 (Pink stripe).  Leave top and top sides (shaped like a trapezoid) unhemmed.

7. Hem botton of FABRIC 2 (Pink damask) top section.  

6. Trim FABRIC 2(Pink Damask) top section to match size of top section of FABRIC 1 (Pink stripe).  

7.  Pin RIGHT SIDES together, with straps sandwiched in, on top section (for neck straps) and sides (for side straps) and sew around sides and top. **Look at finished product to see what I mean**

8. Flip right side out.  

9.  DONE!

And while Soleil was waiting, I gave her some dried out markers, a little bowl of water, and a coffee filter.  When it was dry, I used a pipe cleaner and made it into a flower!  You could also make it into a butterfly.  

And later that day...  we had science experiments.  To start, we had a science kit from my friend, Claudia.

After the "real" science,  I gave the kids each a muffin tin, and they could mix whatever they wanted from food color (that I added), corn starch, salt, baking soda, vinegar, and water.  I used little condiment bottles and spray bottles for the liquid.  This was a hit!!! 

I also saw something on pinterest where you fill cake pan with baking soda, and give them many containers of food color dyed vinegar to add as they please.  I might do this next time :)

Project 17: Upcycled Sock Hearts

My mom knits me socks.  They are awesome.  But the socks from her first batches may have been a tad too small... and I may have worn holes in them.  I know that it takes A LOT of work to make them, so when they became unwearable, I couldn't throw them away.  I added them to the pile of clothes made from good fabric/patterns that I don't wear anymore that are stashed in my craft room because I know I can use them some day....

That "some day" was this week, when my little one looked me in the face and said "Craft, mama?"  I almost died of happiness.

The (clean) socks are almost felted, because of being washed so many times, so when I cut them open to make useable fabric, it didn't unwind.

This is what I did:
1.  Made heart shape from magazine paper as pattern.
2.  Pinned to flattened out sock.  Cut 2 hearts out of sock material, using pattern as guide.
3.  Put Right Sides together and pinned.
4.  Sewed around 3/4 of heart.
5. Turned right side out.
6.  Stuffed.
7.  Hand sewed shut.
8.  Gave to baby to play with. :) :) :)

This took less than an hour.

Project 16: Modern Penmanship

In the past, I have dabbled in a little self taught calligraphy. So when a friend of mine, Crystal, set out to teach a course in Modern Penmanship, I didn't hesitate to sign up! I loved it. She is a font designer for Tart Workshop (see her button to the side) who creates beautiful letters, and I was inspired.

I love the practicing. It is so relaxing and therapuetic. I ran out of ideas of what to write, so I grabbed this month's Martha Stewart Living and started to write the titles, advertisements, and random words that spoke to me. I ended up with this little sampler. Oprah is another great magazine to get some beautiful and inspirational words to copy.

 Our final preject was super fun. We chose a (chocolate covered) fortune cookie that was themed for love or for friendship, and wrote the sentiment on paper doilies! I loved mine. I cannot wait to write and write and write! If you write me a real snail mail letter, you will definitely get one back from me :)

If you want to try, just grab a basic calligraphy pen set and some ink and have a go.  It was wayyyy easier than it seems.  We used a Speedball calligraphy pen and the Speedball Basic Black India Ink.  Just dip your pen and PLAY!

Project 15: Valentine's Day Bunting

The kitchen is a mess, and the baby is falling asleep at her meal, but see the pretty bunting hanging above her?

Here is how you make one: 

**NEXT STEP**
No photo, take each the 2 TRIANGLES that you cut, turn them so the pretty sides face each other.
PIN so they don't move around.
SEW ALONG sides of triangle, leaving top of triangle open.
FLIP INSIDE OUT, so that pretty side is showing.
IRON FLAT

Yay!! You are now done. Hang up wherever you want!

This tutorial helped me a lot, but there is a little measurement confusion at one point. (To clear up, she asks you to mark 11cm on top and 22cm on bottom.  Each of the marks should be 11 cm away from one another, but on the bottom, starting at the 22cm mark.)  Again, I love the youtube videos.

As I type this, my sick baby just fell asleep on my arm.  She never ever ever does this, but the snuggly spot and the repetition of the typing must have done the trick!  Keep warm and stay healthy everyone.