Talking Pea Puppets

I love this! Tutorial here.



I might have to make Mama, Papa and Little Pea.



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Moon Apples

I'm in the middle of a big project right now, so just a quick snack that my son likes. Cut your apples width-wise to make large circles and then use a small cookie cutter to cut a shape in the middle to remove the seeds. You can leave the slices as they are or cut out matching shapes out of cheese or another food item to fill in the hole. I got the small cookie cutters at Michael's, they were a halloween set.






Another fun apple snack we make is to cut the round circles, cut a small circle to remove the seeds and then use peanut butter and raisins to make happy faces on the apples.

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Superkid

I made this for a little girl who is into superheroes. I tried to make the t-shirt look deconstructed and stylish but it came off pretty homemade-y ;) I used acrylic paint mixed with textile medium to put a line of messy number 4s stamped down one-side of the shirt, then set it with the iron. I carved the stamp out of a potato. Good thing she is just turning 4 and not 14. There is a matching wristcuff and headband around the top of the hanger. The shiny material is cool but tricky to sew.







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Banner Tutorial

Stitch. Rip. Repeat has a banner tutoral on her site: Sew a festive banner. I have been meaning to make a Happy Birthday banner for parties.



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VeganYumYum- Knit Night Cupcakes

Whoa! See post here.



If you go to VeganYumYum's main page you will find a tutorial to make these amazing cupcakes.

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Sunhats

I have wanted to try sewing sunhats for a long time and finally gave it a go with Kwik Sew 3309. I am charmed with the results and by how easy they were to sew. I have some ideas I would now like to try with the concept. The one on the right is size 12-18 months and the left one is 3-6 months, both made with cotton and interfacing.



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This Week's Work

A couple bibs and placemats:





A pencil crayon roll. I love the ribbon used for the tie, it is marked like a measuring tape.



and another cross stitch for my friend, this one is based on a Subversive Stitching pattern.



Any suggestions what to do with this old piece of embroidery I found? I really like it, but am not sure what to make with it. The stitching is about about 6"x 6" and it was made from a vintage pattern.



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Kid's Cardboard Camera

You can make a simple cardboard camera with a small box and a toilet paper/paper towel tube (or roll your own tube from another peice of sturdy paper or cardboard). Trace the end of the tube onto the front of the box. Do not cut the circle out but instead cut from the centre to the edge of the circle, making a star or pie shape in the centre. When you insert the tube triangle shapes will invert and help hold the tube more snugly. Cut a viewfinder hole in the back and the front so you can see through the box. Use pieces of the cardboard you cut out for the viewfinder to cut out buttons to glue or tape onto the box. Cut out a picture and glue or tape it onto the back for the preview screen. Let your child decorate further, or you could make a strap to carry it around their neck if they'd like.



Look at the goodies I got in the mail this week! A chocolate lollipop fat quarter bundle. Yay!



I have already had some fun with the fabrics, more photos later!

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Tidbits from the Weekend

I finished the embroidery piece I was working on and sewed it into a bib, along with 2 other bibs:



I also did a tiny cross stitch for a friend, this is just 1" x 1.25".



I was sorting through some old craft materials given to me by my MIL and her mother, and found these sweet embroidery patterns. I can't wait to use them, maybe on a clothespin apron. I love using my clothesline now that the weather is warmer. I do think though that you must get more sentimental when you get older because 10-15 years ago I'd probably rather wade in pirahna-infested water than wear embroidered kittens on anything.





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Baby Blue Onesie

A onesie for a gift for an online friend who just had a baby. I have been wanting to try monochrome colour embroidery for a while and really liked the blue on this onesie so used a matching colour of thread. The pattern is a vintage pattern from http://needlecrafter.com/.





Stitches used: split stitch, french knot and lazy daisy.




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Toilet Paper Tube Snake

An easy craft to make with kids. Have them paint the toilet paper or paper towel tubes and then punch holes in the ends to tie together with small peices of string. I tied a longer string on the end so my DS could pull it around behind him. For small children if you are making a pull toy either use a very short string (7 inches or less) or very fragile yarn that will break easily so it is not a choking hazard.



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Baby Gift

My Wednesday tennis instructor is obsessed with tweety bird..so I made a tweety bird snap T for her baby due in the Fall. As well as a wrap. Melissa

Picnic Placemat Roll

We go on lots of picnics in the summer but I am always a bit skeeved by the picnic tables which have had who knows what on them (squirrels, people's bums, old food) so I sewed this placemat roll today during naptime. I can throw it in the wash when I get home if it gets dirty and it's more environmentally friendly than paper napkins (I am going to sew a cloth napkin to tuck in there too). K, you can stop teasing me about wanting to bring my tablecloth because now I have these!





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Update- These are so easy to make and will be so useful! I made another for me tonight and I used a stitch I hadn't tried before on my machine to finish the edges. I will be taking these camping, they can be wiped with a damp cloth and hung to dry. If you fold the top half over the silverware they fold up quite tidily.

A Bag Only a Parent would Need

I wanted something washable I could bring with me when we are out and about, so I whipped this together during naptime today. I was going to use some embroidered courduroy, then I was going to use rainbow ribbing to match the red courduroy but both times I remembered that DH said if he is carrying a bag remotely feminine people look at him like he might have stolen it.





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17 Bags Plus One

I just finished this big order for 17 tote bags. They are unlined and have a pocket with a badge on the front.



A summer bag. I couldn't resist the prints at the fabric store. I did something new and used wide ribbon for the handles, doubling it and sewing seams on each edge with a pretty stitch.





My newest addition in my quest for an organized sewing room.



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Do you have a craft blog?

If you do, comment below and I will add you to our links on the right.

I am almost done a big bag order and then I can't wait to make some summery things!

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Updated my tags

phew, I finally went through all my old posts and tagged them. You can click on a word on the right and see all the posts tagged with that description. For tutorial I also included posts with links to off-site instructions.

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What to do with a book your kid rips up

Thankfully this time it was not a library book but an old book about airplanes we bought at a garage sale. Won't the mailperson be impressed!



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Ribbon hair clips

I just got my hair cut again yesterday and made these to have a cute way to keep my hair out of my face while playing tennis and volleyball! melissa

Work in Progress

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