More Halloween

 Last week we made more Halloween decorations!  Some of the supplies came from Aunt Sissy's Box of Fun.

The kids enjoyed reading I'm the Scariest Thing in the Castle by Kevin Sherry,  so we made bats like the one in the book.  This is a great book to read with little ones.  It's not really scary at all... it's cute!

I did this a few weeks ago with my homeschool art classes- we made the giant squid from Kevin Sherry's book, I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean!  All the kids have enjoyed this project.  Idea from Deep Space Sparkle.

Next we used pipe cleaners & eyeballs to make spiders!

I looked at the cute press on nails that are out for Halloween & didn't want to spend the money, or they were in kids sizes.  So I decided just to do crazy nails with a monster eye.  Unfortunately, I lost half of my polish while trying to remove green Sharpie scribbles from my painted white kitchen cabinets.  I'll redo them this week, though.

Skeletons are not scary at our house.  After all, everyone has one!  We have a couple of skeletons that I picked up at Halloween time for homeschool purposes.  : )  Gotta learn how the body works, you know!  The kids really enjoyed making these Q-tip skeletons!  Idea from Boredom Busting Mommy.

Rebekah's skeleton is in purple.  Hers looks a little like it was in an accident!

Aunt Sissy's Box of Fun, Part 1

Last week we received a fun box that the sender called, "Aunt Sissy's Box of Fun!"  Aunt Sissy wanted to see what we might do with some of the stuff, so here's a peek at what we did this afternoon after our field trip to Legoland!

We made a pipe cleaner mustache and glasses.

Earlier in the week, we made white glue ghosts so today we stuck them on the glass.  Elizabeth's was made using a different type of glue and it all pulled into the middle instead of the shape that she drew.  So we went with that and just gave it lots of eyeballs to compensate for the strange shape. (Hey look, Sissy, you can see the dog through David's ghost's mouth!)

I made a little bunting out of the black pom-poms and the SPOOKY letters.

 

I also made a big black spider out of the pipe cleaners, but forgot to take a picture.  I guess that's ok, though, since Aunt Sissy and other aunts hate spiders.

Elizabeth has been drawing some jack-o-lanterns for decorations and I've got her flamingo wings in progress with one week remaining to finish her costume!

The Girly Curtain

When my best friend was building their new house, she sent me this picture of the first room painted - the older girls' room.  I decided I wanted to make some cute curtains for them and her reply was, "Of course, I haven't thought about window treatments!" 

They were planning on having mini-blinds, so I decided on a valance for the top of the window.  I searched for the perfect fabric for a couple of months and when I saw this, I was smitten!!!  It's pink, it's purple, it's princessy, it's fairyish, it's got a frog prince and Elizabeth was pleased to see that it also had ponies and puppies!

 As if that's not girlie enough, I used pink sparkly tulle to make a tu-tu-type ruffle along the bottom of the curtain.  I am in love with this curtain!  I wish my room was pink & purple!

I had an extra curtain rod, so I had to see how it would look all bunched up & it was even cuter than when it's flat.  Elizabeth & Rebekah gave their hearty approval and played limbo under the curtain while I was photographing it.

My BFF & I play Santa for each other, filling each other's stockings.  This will be going into her stocking box this week.  I wish I could see them open it & I hope they love it as much as we do!!!

The spider you are about to see is not real...

That disclaimer is specifically for the Aunts:  Aunt Sissy, Aunt Wee and Aunt Jana.  (Aunt Jana griped at me one time for not warning her that a spider picture was coming.)

Now... how cool is this?  I recently discovered that you can cut a paper spiderweb in the same method as a paper snowflake!!!  Why did I never think of this before?!?!

 Just to reassure that it is not real, here it is with the flash on:

Fake spider courtesy of a Halloween spider ring that the ring broke off of.

When I turned around from photographing the spider snowflake, Rebekah grinned really big and said, "CHEESE!!!"  So of course, I had to take her picture!

Why I'm thinking about stockings...

For four years now I have wanted to make some new stockings for Christmas.  We had 3 plush stockings that matched that I loved, then I couldn't find any more that I loved.  They weren't the right plush, they looked cheap, or they were not the right color.

That meant when Elizabeth came along, we were one short.  Her first Christmas was in my parents house, so we used their stockings.  Since then, we have used the cat's stocking for a kids stocking, and last year I just gave the 3 stockings to the 3 kids and Mom & Dad went without.

For the last 2 years, I have had the stocking pages from a Pottery Barn catalog hanging up above my sewing machine to inspire me.  Finally, I realize that now I have to make 6 - SIX - yes 6! stockings to be all caught up!  So... I'd better get started...

Last Christmas, I left one of the stockings out by my sewing machine as another inspiration for me to get them made.  So I traced the stocking onto newsprint to make a pattern.  I love these plush stockings because they're so roomy.  Plenty of room for an orange down in the toe.

Then I took some fabric and let the kids pick soft red minky or sparkly red.  David & Rebekah preferred the minky and of course, Elizabeth gasped with excitement when she saw the shimmery fabric.  (Side note: The shimmery fabric is actually an old shirt of Great's!)

I knew I wanted to do some ribbon on them, kinda like what I'd seen in the Pottery Barn catalog, so I got David to help pick out his ribbons from my ribbon stash.  I wanted to do one set of 3 ribbons either running down the side or across the toe, but he insisted on both.

I could deal with that and it made him happy.  And yes, that is camouflage ribbon!  Manly, huh?

They'll all have a white chenille cuff on top and coordinating ribbon loops for hanging.  Of course David's will be a camo loop.  I'll post pictures as I work on them between now & Christmas.

Now that I've gone public, I'll have to get them finished for Christmas this year!

Welcome to Christmas Week!

For the first time ever, I have dressed 2 little girls in matching dresses with matching bows. They were sooooo adorable!

We've been getting ready since Thanksgiving! The tree is decorated,


the wreath and lights are up outside,


the porch is decorated and ready to welcome guests,


the bathrooms are decorated,

(my toothbrush tree)

presents are almost done.

I should get Mom of the year for this one!

OK, seriously, I am so proud of myself for coming up with this one! A few nights ago upon getting out of the tub, David said he wanted to wear his Wall-E under-wear. Then I had to remind him that he didn't have any. (I had looked & couldn't find any!) He was sure they were in the washing machine & I reassured him that he did not own any.


That night after he went to bed I had this idea to get some iron-on transfer paper and make some! I had previously thought of doing this on a t-shirt, because I haven't seen many of those either. I found a website that had some Wall-E clip art and downloaded the images. Tonight after bedtime I ironed the drawers.



I think they came out so cute! I was almost tempted to go wake him up to show them to him! I'll let you know how they go over in the morning...

Making Christmas, Part 3

By the time this posts, my family will have finished (or is probably still be in the middle of!) opening Christmas presents! Now I can show the rest of our creations!

David & Elizabeth got in on the act this year & helped make ornaments for MawMaw & Grandma! These are Elizabeth's drawings:

And these are David's - a blue Christmas tree for Grandma and a purple Christmas tree for MawMaw:


Food gifts were also given this year. You've already seen many of them, but here are the drink mixes I made:

Included are English Breakfast Tea, Hot Cocoa (regular and sugar free), and several flavors of coffee: Bavarian Mint, Swiss Mocha, and French Vanilla (decaff).

More aprons were created for my family, but with some special meaning, too. My Grandmama had scads of clothing. We gave away tons of stuff after she died, but I kept several items with the intent to make something that might last a bit longer. This year, I came up with an idea. The floral fabric used for this apron I made for my sister was one of Grandmama's house coats. (click photo for a larger picture) The denim and embroidered design on the pocket was from one of Grandmama's many denim shirts.

Getting the fabric from a house coat into an apron was a little more challenging than I expected, so for my sister-in-law's apron, I used one of Grandmama's broomstick skirts for the dark fabric and the pink accents came from one of her shirts.


I think they'll like them. I wish I could have made them full aprons, but the fabric I was using was limiting. This was an emotional project for me. I've washed the clothing numerous times & it still smelled like Grandmama. I hope I was able to create something that she'd have been proud of.

Making Christmas, Part 2

Merry Christmas to all!

I have been so eager to post pictures of things I've been making this Christmas, but I was afraid that the recipient would see it! MawMaw has no Internet at her house, so I know I'm safe now! These gifts will go to Dad's family on Christmas Day. Here's the apron I made for MawMaw:

This pattern was so easy! Here's the one for Aunt Jana - same pattern, but completely different look:

And I made a little tag blanket for my new nephew, Mason:

The back is made out of that super soft minkie stuff!

There are a couple of other things that will be given on Christmas Day, but I can't show them yet, because my family will be getting similar items a few days later! (and I know they'll see this before then!) Hopefully I will get pictures of everyone with their gifts, too!

Crafters Beware

Have you heard? In an effort to protect our children's safety, the US Government is taking away freedom from the hand crafter.

Here's a quote from the article at Cool Mom Picks, a site that features cool stuff for moms & kids:

We're all for strengthening the safety standards of mass-produced toys, clothes, and accessories made in China, and banning toxins like phthalates and lead. But this year, congress passed the ill-conceived Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, a law which goes into effect in two months and will absolutely decimate the small toy manufacturers, independent artisans, and crafters who have already earned the public trust.

With this act going into effect February 10 2009 so many people we love will be affected: Moms who sew beautiful handmade waldorf dolls out of home, artists who have spent decades hand-carving trucks and cars out of natural woods, that guy at the craft show who sold you the cute handmade puzzle--even larger US companies who employ local workers and have not once had any sort of safety issue will no longer be able to sell their goods. Not without investing tens of
thousands of dollars into third-party testing and labeling, just to prove that toys that never had a single toxic chemical in them still don't have a single toxic chemical in them.

Some are reading the act as if it doesn't just stop at hand crafted toys - but other hand crafted children's items as well: clothing, hair accessories, shoes, diapers. This would effect a lot of people I know - people who sell at small online shops, people who sell on Etsy, people who sell at craft shows. And myself even, as I have been a crafter & seller of children's items in the past (blankets, play silks, felt sets, diapers, bibs & other baby accessories) & had hopes of getting some stuff back on Etsy after we get settled in.

Click on that button at top right to go to Cool Mom Picks' entire article, which also includes suggestions & links for how you can take action, and lots of other resources for more information.

Here are a few mentions I've read recently on other blogs I follow:

• Don't Let Handmade Toys Become Extinct
• Auf Wiedersehen Selecta (…Good-Bye Hand-Crafted Toys?)
• Love Handmade? A Call to Action for All of Us

Advent Calendars

I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, but bear with me for just a moment...

I've been wishing for a kid-friendly advent calendar for a few years now, but have never found one that I just fell in love with. Growing up, we made a countdown chain out of construction paper every year. Here's the chain we made last year, but with preschoolers, it usually end's up being Mom's chain. Making it & tearing off just one loop every day didn't seem to hold their attention.

This year, all these great homemade ideas have just fallen into my lap... so I may start thinking about making one! Not sure when I'll do that with boxes to unpack, Christmas presents & curtains still needing to be made, decorating & baking to be done! Here's a few links for those of you that may be wondering what you're going to do for yours:

• Kids Craft Weekly has ideas for advent calendars you can make with little ones.
• The Crafty Crow shows a sample & links to 17 beautiful calendars, most obviously mom-made, but kid-friendly.
• Martha Stewart, of course, has some ideas, too.
• My sister made a cute one last year using matchboxes & family photos. I keep thinking maybe she'll post a tutorial... hint, hint... Hers was published in Somerset's Holidays & Celebrations magazine this year! Here's a picture of it with my niece pointing to Elizabeth & me on one of the matchboxes!
  

So what does your family do for advent / countdown to Christmas?