27 posts tagged “craft”
From Craftzine
- A new lunch tote pattern from Clouds and Cotton
- Chez Beeper Bebe made some awesome birthday (reptile) goodie bags, and these fun kid gifts - must remember both and think of making these drawstring bags for gifts...
- Lovely Designs has a gift bag tutorial (as if you really need one, but ..) and she made some sweet home books. She has a beautiful blog and design aesthetic.
- Ric Rac posted a cute free PDF tutorial for one-hour softies. PDF here.
- Howtoons on making ice cream - no ice cream maker involved, but a lot of tossing.
- Tree shelves
- Bed idea, and check Gothic Cabinet Craft
- Great space party and blog to check
- Mothers Day Every Day - place to donate, somethign to look into. One woman dies in childbirth every minute.
- Feeding my desire for Frye boots, they are even mentioned on CMP.
- My coworker Kelly is going to do thirty minute circuit training in her living room using circuits from Sports Fitness Adviser
- Mommy Track'd lost its apostrophe and is now Mommy Tracked. A lawsuit??
- I love this coat rack from Second Drafts found via Sweet Sweet Life
- I love this post from Matsutake (had to post it below, short and so worth a laugh!). Check out too here Halloween craft #1 (wait for #2, and #3).
Halloween Ideas for meWednesday, August 26, 2009
Whew!
I thought that my butt was getting too big, but it turns out that I just have my shorts on backwards.
at 9:20 AM
- From Martha Stewart: Birds Nest, Woodland branches, and Bat headband
From Craftzine
- Make poppies with a tutorial from Grosgrain. These are very similar to the ones selling for $70 or so over at [enter later]
- Newsboy cap and mittens from a felted sweater tutorial from Simple Up
- From the Motherload, Spiced Pumpkin Waffles
From Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh
- Zebra felt rug tutorial at Etsy Storque from Dorm Decor
- Entertaining after the kids are asleep
- Tufted headboard tutorial from Nest Decorating
- Dinosaur lamps! At Think Geek.
- Barefoot in the Kitchen is having a giveaway of an Anthropologie inspired (copied) top - very cute (via A Room Somewhere). This is the same woman who posted the jeans hemming tut I linked to a couple of weeks ago. See also How to Use Elastic Thread, and this cute red shirt (using eleastic thread), ok this black shirt, and this white shirt. Must get some elastic thread!
- Clothed Much - a very cute Koren girl blogs about how she makes multiple outfits from basic pieces. Good for some inspiration. Use those scarves and belts! (More indication that I have to get new belts! Shoes and belts my new obsession as mine are lacking.) Ended up perusing a bunch of clothing post a day blogs and this place called Weardrobe. Interesting. Links to Shade Clothing (I've linked before), and Ruchi
- Fab learning letters idea at Filth Wizardry - letters coloring game. This led to this great post about making a font from your kids (or your own) handwriting. How cool and fun is that?! They used FontCapture.
- Flower pin tutorial on My Mama Made It
I've been thinking about making T a superhero cape for quite a while. Last year I had one made for my nephew Max for his fourth birthday, and my sister said he LOVED it. This weekend the zoo is having Superhero weekend - something T has been excited about. I decided now was a good time to try it out.
While I should have been working I found some tutorials on the web:
- The Long Thread - Reversible Super Hero Cape
- Puking Pastilles - Super Hero Cape
- Creative Kismet - Super Fast, Super Easy Super Hero Cape
After a late dinner I started working on the cape. I used the pattern and instructions from The Long Thread, and the instructions for the emblem from Puking Pastilles. I consulted with B about what emblem to put on the cape. Although I was very interested in using the lightening bolt from The Long Thread, or some flames similar to the ones on T's flame shoes, I ended up doing a simple T. While it is a little crooked on the blue side, I am fairly happy with it. On this emblem I used some silver lame along with the blue satin. I also used super sparkley thread.
I finished late and posted to Facebook:
Just finished cleaning up and making T's superhero cape for Superhero weekend at the zoo. Not perfect and didn't manage a lightening bolt or flames, but it is cute. Can't wait to see him play in it! (and oh I hope he does!!) Sat at 2:09am
This morning I was about to burst to see what T's reaction was. It was a little disappointing. At first he was a little shy about it - perhaps it didn't meet up to his expectations - and was quite. Then he dutifully put it on, ran, and smiled for me.
So, we had breakfast. Hot cooked millet with honey and raisins for me, fried egg on whole wheat for him.
[edit T has been coming around a little on the cape. As you'll see in later posts, he wore it at the zoo. He also has been playing Tickle Man and Superman in B's office and having a great time with it. He jumps off the couch and either knocks over Tickle Man or Tickle Girl (he then becomes Superboy as I refuse to have him a man and me a girl.) His favorite is to have the blue side out.]
How to make Silly Putty at home. T asked me to do this, and low and behold it came up on WikiHow. (See also How to make play dough.)
From Craftzine
- Whole Grains 101 at Chow - info and recipes.
- House pouch from the Long Thread
- Back-to-school cloth lunch bag from the Purl Bee
- Easy pennant roller stamp from Just Something I Made
- Volunteer Spot for easy organizing of volunteers with out a million Reply Alls
- Very amazing and doable (?) dragon cake at Dabbled. Check out her blog for more fun stuff.
- Great posters for kids rooms under $20
- Tey another blog to peruse for pretty inspiration and recipes, Sweet Fine Day. Make sure to look at their Etsy Shop and online store. I htink some gift boxes of their confections could make very nice birthday or Christmas gifts!
- Harmonie Interieur wall decals
- A very cute book idea for T - pictures of his favorite things spelled out and bound - from Say Yes to Hoboken.
- Polka Dot cookies from SweetAmbs Etsy shop
pretty flower clips from Old Soul, New Heart - Wool felt laptop sleeve from Byrdnbelle Etsy shop
- Blaire at Wisecraft made this fab ruched center pillow. I really need to figure out what I want to do pillow wise in our house!
- Organic yumminess for babies at Dress Me Up via SouleMama
- Rediscovered Distressed and found this skirt, with this three part tutorial: #1, #2, #3.
- Leisle also had a free download for this adorable popover sundress with this comment on how to make it reversible
So I link to a TON of projects that I think would be cool, fun, or easy to do some day. While I would love to do many of them, the reality is that I have very rarely managed to actually do it.
Until last night/today. Thursday I linked to this swim cover up from Creative Kismet, and the stars aligned. It was an easy project, I had all the materials, I made some time, and I kind of need it. We're going to the beach for a long weekend and I need to cover up my thighs. My once muscular thighs, while not devoid of muscle, are covered in fat and are not something I am looking forward to exposing on the beach. The cover up I got from Lands End last year doesn't fit that well and I always feel frumpy in it. Oh to just be able to whittle myself back to my former weight and fit body!
Anyway, back to the project. It required two t-shirts, something I have plenty of even if I haven't been participating in rec sports, doing 5Ks, or volunteering lately, and even with giving a bunch away, and making lounge pants for T. I chose two I have very fond memories of, ones that were ten years apart in age from each other - 1988
and 1998, a L and an XL.
I was very nervous to take scissors to them, especially the one that would make the main part of the dress. It is one of my beloved rowing shirts, and one of only a few from my days with the club at Lehigh (founding member number 3 and first women's team captain, though I have barely helped the team since I left - certainly not to the degree of some of the other founding members, and not like the real founders Ed and Tom). I was worried I would do something stupid and ruin the shirt.
And of course I did do something dumb in haste to get to bed. I cut the back much lower than I intented making the front and back the same depth, which cut into the back graphic and cut off the part that said Lehigh University Crew. Uhg!! Fit wise it is fine and as designed, but I think that the back being a little higher would make it a little more comfortable. The gathers around the neck feel odd on my back.
Last night I made all the cuts and today I did the sewing. Happily I only had to take out
one bit of seam and was with it enough not to forge ahead without trying the project on. The seam issue came because T really wanted to help me (really, really) and pushed his little foot on top of mine sending my machine at full tilt and croockedly through the basting for the ruffle. That put a halt to sewing until he napped and then I discovered why for me using a size L wasn't the best bet for the top. I didn't want the top to be a tent, but I forgot that a L is not that long on me, certainly not on a 20 year old t-shirt (oh my!). When I tried on the project with the ruffle just pinned on me it was like I had on a bad tutu. Remember I want this to give coverage to my thighs - tutus do not do that!
I pulled out another t-shirt. One I always felt awkward about that also had great memories. It was from a bar that I went and danced at EVERY saturday night for a two years (Ok, maybe not every, every, but practically - my name was on the 'wall of shame' for both their first and second anniverary parties). I cut a 9 inch swath from it and tacked it on the bottom of the crew shirt. I contempated keeping the coverup with this straight look, but in the end added the ruffle about 3 or 4 inches (didn't measure) up from the bottom of the addition (which I didn't trim in case I change my mind).
I'm not sure it looks that great on me, and it certainly didn't photograph well on me, but it is done. I made something, completed it, did not majorly flub it up, and can use it. Hooray! I also made a second pillowcase for T's small pillow out of the remains of the shirt that created the ruffle. He is sleeping on it now. :-)
Until last night/today. Thursday I linked to this swim cover up from Creative Kismet, and the stars aligned. It was an easy project, I had all the materials, I made some time, and I kind of need it. We're going to the beach for a long weekend and I need to cover up my thighs. My once muscular thighs, while not devoid of muscle, are covered in fat and are not something I am looking forward to exposing on the beach. The cover up I got from Lands End last year doesn't fit that well and I always feel frumpy in it. Oh to just be able to whittle myself back to my former weight and fit body!
Anyway, back to the project. It required two t-shirts, something I have plenty of even if I haven't been participating in rec sports, doing 5Ks, or volunteering lately, and even with giving a bunch away, and making lounge pants for T. I chose two I have very fond memories of, ones that were ten years apart in age from each other - 1988
I was very nervous to take scissors to them, especially the one that would make the main part of the dress. It is one of my beloved rowing shirts, and one of only a few from my days with the club at Lehigh (founding member number 3 and first women's team captain, though I have barely helped the team since I left - certainly not to the degree of some of the other founding members, and not like the real founders Ed and Tom). I was worried I would do something stupid and ruin the shirt.
And of course I did do something dumb in haste to get to bed. I cut the back much lower than I intented making the front and back the same depth, which cut into the back graphic and cut off the part that said Lehigh University Crew. Uhg!! Fit wise it is fine and as designed, but I think that the back being a little higher would make it a little more comfortable. The gathers around the neck feel odd on my back.
Last night I made all the cuts and today I did the sewing. Happily I only had to take out
I pulled out another t-shirt. One I always felt awkward about that also had great memories. It was from a bar that I went and danced at EVERY saturday night for a two years (Ok, maybe not every, every, but practically - my name was on the 'wall of shame' for both their first and second anniverary parties). I cut a 9 inch swath from it and tacked it on the bottom of the crew shirt. I contempated keeping the coverup with this straight look, but in the end added the ruffle about 3 or 4 inches (didn't measure) up from the bottom of the addition (which I didn't trim in case I change my mind).
I'm not sure it looks that great on me, and it certainly didn't photograph well on me, but it is done. I made something, completed it, did not majorly flub it up, and can use it. Hooray! I also made a second pillowcase for T's small pillow out of the remains of the shirt that created the ruffle. He is sleeping on it now. :-)
From Craftzine
- Tiered linen skirt tutorial from Amazing Mea
- Road trip pillow cases look fun. I also want to look further into bucket gardening and some of her other posts.
- MakcC Creations posted a doodle satchel tutorial
- Wee Wonderfuls is selling her Ollie + Archie Make-A-Long pattern for two dolls (girl and boy) and various accessories (13 of them)
- Etsy How To Tuesday, and from yesterday, make a log cake stand
- More from Maya Made - a very easy backyard pavilion - though I don't think we have the required trees do would need additional stakes.
- Chalkboard tees from Class Atire (and also via Inhabitots). Cool stuff - has a pocket for chalk and won't wipe off until you use a wipe/damp cloth.
- A pillowcase market bag at Jordynn Mackenzie
- Maya Made is now selling her pattern for the burlap buckets (made from old coffee bean bags she gets from her coffee roasters); $7
- Kidishes - tempered glass cups, plates, and bowls at Zoe B Organic. These are made by Duralex just like the cups I grew up with and will be an excellent alternative to the plates etc that t uses now.
- Very cool body puzzle - several layers describe what is in and outdie the body, available at Uncommon Goods
- Cut Out + Keep, a craft site with projects and much more
- New stuff over at Moleskin, including new planners
- Common Sense Media - reviews and alerts about movies, games, videos, etc to help you decide if your child is
ready to watch something. Gives suggested ages, but more importantly areas to watch for so that you can decide based on your own moral or whatever code.
- Ty Pennington stuff at Kmart and Sears - like these bamboo towels
- Lolligift for pooling gift money!
- Neat little table (and more) from a Dad in Corvallis
- I like this chair at Urban Outfitters!
- Wiki How to make a cluster ring
- On blogs.com, 10 Green Mom Blogs
- Piggy (and other) banks at Elegant Baby
- Someone posted on Facebook about Camp Gwynn Valley. I don't know if this camp my niece went to and loved, but it looks fun!
- A picture rail for hanging child art at MS (lots more crafts here)
- Fun activities for sensory integration at the Crafty Crow and Roots and Wings Co. More at a Crafty Moms Life (here too)
- Via Alpha Mom, some travel helpers - Chalk and Doodle, I-Spy-Bags from Those Great House Women, and a compilation of Where's Waldo books
From Craftzine
- Wrap around mailing labels at a Very Chocolate Wedding
- Easy 4th of July pom-poms at Make and Takes
- Threadbanger posted a video on making a $10 wedding dress from T-shirts. It's a bit thin and best suited to a skinny frame, but I think the idea could be adapted for a cute summer dress.
- Awesome paper rockets from Alpha Mom. Could be a lot of fun with T.
- From the Long Thread, firefly lanterns ala Eric Carle. This is a great blog and she has lots of good links.
- Ric Rac posted a pattern for cutie mousie twins, and see Jodie's great pattern for boy dolls with clothes
- Red Hot Pottery has cute vases with love birds
- Pretty tops and dresses at Lirola's shop
- Cinnamon ice cream recipe
- Waste Not Want Not bags for sandwich and snack bags
- Spin art in a salad spinner from Scrumdilly-do
- Lots o 4th of July crafts at the Crafty Crow
- Child's travel pillow with pocket tut at Maya Made
- A round up of goodies at Luv In The Mommyhood
- At Make It Do, a lavender bottle (lavender wand) tutorial
- Make panties with Belle and Berger
- Thirty Handmade Days posted about car travel books to make for kids
- Personalized and affordable jewelry at Simag on Etsy
- Cute little brag books you print and stick from ZoomAlbum
- Neato reverse alphabet t-shirt at Milalu. Another cool alpha T, and this cute number T are other options, and all are affordable at $18!
- Energy Bank bath and shower gel
- Cool cardboard plane to make and play with
- Check out the photo of the cool sailboat sandbox - great cover.
- cute baby project (laminate phots for your baby to look at and chew) on MSL
- Gorgeous shawl on Soule Mama, found here.
- Red, white, and blueberry trifle on MSL
- "Egg Free" Royal Icing (it's not egg-free) uses meringue powder - check Micheal's and similar for this.
Cool Mom Picks
- Doodlebook Picture Frame at the MoMa store
- Operation Shower, an online baby shower for Military families - especially for those with one spouse deployed.
- I haven't listened yet, so this might disappear, but Recess Monkeys latest CD
- Funny and pretty gift tags for wine bottles - letterpress no less. Little on the expensive side but very cool on the design side: Popptags
- Bags for green living at Green Street Bags on Etsy
- Polypro bags from Neela bags - look good for toting.
- Wear Your Music - expensive guitar string bracelets from your favorite artists. Donate to charity at the same time.
- Eco cuteness at Sprout, like this Sprout Peace shirt.
- Dry erase clock for helping little ones learn when stuff is happening - eliminate the 'when are we going?' question? This one is pricey, but it could be done with a clock kit and the new white erase paint.
- Adorable picture and interesting idea - plastic cup chair
- Rose branch curtains over at *Delias - chocolate on white. Pretty for the guestroom?
- There are many things I like about this nursery Nancy put together for her soon to arrive son
- Modern, fun, childrens furniture and accessories at P'kolino
- Felt food roundup and a suggestion. Felt food patterns on Etsy, plus where to buy more and felt - Lillybean.
- Organizing digital files - how to delete the millions. Read comments.
- You-Mix-It Spray bottles and recipes. Safe, economical.
- Where the Wild Things Are dolls at Crocodile Creek (check also at UO.)
- Bookmarks from ad-magnets on Craft Chi
- A quick sketchbook over at the secret private journal of Susie Gherahmani
- Lino-printing with kids on the Long Thread
- Felted beads with kids - Mother's Day gift necklace or bracelet - from Kleas. Looks like a blog to peruse as well.
- Gluton-free play clay beads - more fun for kids and adults.
- Free pattern odwnloads at Wee Wonderfuls, including this bunny.
- Outdoor chairs for under $99
- Organizing from Martha Stewart - my desk is getting out of hand again.
- Several cute outfits over at Ann Taylor Loft
- How to Play Hopscotch
- Photo tips at Kodak Gallery
- Fresh strawberry treats on Make and Takes
- New bath products at Boon
- A collected list of great sewing projects from How About Orange - check the link for LOLcatz and nomnomnom4fud - total fun time wasters (HAVE to send to my Dad.)
- Spray bottles (natural plastic or tin) for make your own bug spray and more.
- So I have been thinking about Heather Ross' book Weekend Sewing for awhile. Thought I would buy it, flipped through it, wasn't so sure. But I keep seeing bloggers I like rave about it and then Amanda posted this pic of a lovely skirt she made from it. Love it!
- Craft Sanity has a bunch of interesting posts - crochet rag rugs, crochet recycled bags, pot scrubies, felt, and more....
From Craftzine
From Cool Mom Picks
- Adorable baby Clochette knit hat pattern (free) from Sock Pixie
- Petite Spring Nests on Indie Fixx
- Mimi Kirchner felt doll pattern at the Purl Bee
- From Stardust Shoes, the Baseball Stitch tutorial.
- Reusable GreenSewing Produce Bags
- Like I really need instructions for yet another craft i don't seem to have time to do, here is a bunny to make for someone special.
- From Handmade in PA and Lilith's Apothecary, a 101 tutorial for natural face cream.
From Apartment Therapy, Ohdeedoh
- JuiceBoxJungle - parenting advice in the video/YouTube age.
From Other
- Egg carton flowers based on the egg carton flowers lamp
- Coffee table play mats! So wonderful! Course ours is round which is a bit challenging...
- ZRecs/The Tranquil Parent:
- Make Fix, Hack, Mend, Create, or Recycle for mere pennies - great links and ideas.
- Raising Boys
- TV control
- ZRecs: Great mosaic toy to inspire and teach
- Moody Mamas and Fierce Mamas maternity and postpartum clothing.
- At Craft Stylish, upcycling a t-shirt into a cardigan - not sure I can do the crocheted edge, but how about a ribbon edge?
- How About Orange has a bunch of last minute Easter crafts to make
- includes this baby bunny and binky pattern (see Wake up bunny! post as well) from mmmcrafts
- I added a new favorite seller to my Etsy account - Joom.
- Spikey star
- Kids Easter crafts round up
- Got to remember to check TrueUp more often!
- Any chance I could make this happy chicken for T? probably not by Sunday... and he does have a huge pile of animals already...
- I like this matchy corset belt from LaCost and Angry Chicken.
- Brown paper packages
- We are heading to the library today, and I will be carrying a list from Inchmark.
- WikiHow, How to make stick deoderant
I finally got around to making T a painting smock from the oilcloth I purchased at the hardware store last fall. As I made it however I relized T will roast in it and probably hate it.
