Our presents are wrapped up in simple brown paper and string, but I also included some bits of vintage fabric and other embellishments. I used some smaller crochet pieces, and cut pieces from old table cloths and handkerchiefs. As much as I love brown paper packages tied up with string, I think they still needed a little something extra. Plus, now I think they match a bit with our crochet tree skirt (it’s really just a crochet tablecloth wrapped around the bottom).
I’m a simple gift wrapper. I would love to be able to paint paper and do other pretty present toppers, and get all super fancy with my present wrapping, but this lady ain’t got no time for that. Know what I’m saying?!
I shared about these doodle books by Start Creative Studio a few months ago in a weekend link up. I said they would make great stocking stuffers, and here we are at stocking stuffer time, and I have these little books ready for the girls. It’s pocket size, so besides being a good stocking stuffer, it’s a sketch book to take on the go.
These little doodle books are intended to spark creativity in kids. There is a little scribble (swirl or line) on each page, and your little artist continues their doodle from that. I love the concept; they provide the start and they let you get creative. I can’t wait to see what the girls turn their swirls and scribbles into! If you want to grab a couple, use CAKIES10 for 10% off orders through December 14th.
Supplies:
1 yard of plain fabric
1 yard of patterned fabric
Coordinating thread
Fabric paint
Paint brush
Poly-fil
Hand sewing needle
Scissors
Sewing machine
Seam allowance: 1/2″
Directions: 1. Paint your designs on the plain fabric. Allow to dry completely, then iron to heat set design in place. Note: I find it best to iron the image with some scrap fabric on top, just in case some of the paint comes off.
2. Cut about an inch around the entire perimeter of the drawn image. Place on top of the backing with their right sides together, and cut out the backing fabric.
With the right sides of the image and backing fabric together, sew around the perimeter, but leave a 2″ – 3″ opening for turning. Clip any curves and corners, and turn right side out. Fill with poly-fill and slipstitch the opening closed.
My girls drew the images, and I did the sewing. I love how striking the black and white images are, but if you want more color, just used colored fabric and colored paint. We made these for Christmas gifts (for each other and friends). I think this is a simple homemade project that kids would love doing, and they would be proud to give something they made to others!
And if you want more ideas for handmade projects to do with (and for) kids, my book, Let’s Sew Together, is filled with them! It would also make a great stocking stuffer or Christmas present for someone who wants to learn how to sew.
Directions:
1. Using your template as a guide to cut out the triangle portions of the house roof. For the body of the house, cut out five 5″ squares from your wool felt fabric. For the side of the house roof, cut out two 4″ x 5″ wool felt pieces. For the windows, cut out three 2″ squares, and for the door, cut out a 2″ x 4″ piece of wool felt.
2. Hand sew your door and windows onto four of the 5″ squares, set aside one to be the bottom of the house.
3. Pin the four walls of the house to one of the four sides to the bottom of the house. To attach, use a blanket stitch to connect each piece together. Go around sewing the all four sides of the bottom of the house. Continue sewing together the corners of each house. Then, sew three sides of the top of the house. Leave the top back of the house free of stitching.
4. To make the roof of the house, pin together the long side of the two 4″ x 5″ pieces together, then pin the ends to the two sides of the triangle (the 5″ side of the triangle should line up with the bottom of the roof. Blanket stitch all sides of the roof together, but leave the back bottom of the roof free of stitching. Then, pin together the back bottom of the roof to the top back of the house, and blanket stitch those two edges together.
Cut out a 1″ x 8″ piece of wool felt, sew each short end 3″ down from the top center of the roof with a blanket stitch, and continue to blanket stitch all the way around. This is the handle of the house. Using fabric glue, add the felt flowers and balls to decorate the house. This can also be hand sewn on as well.
Sew on the snap buttons onto the top right and left of the house; one stud on the bottom center of the roof, and one socket on the top center of the house body.
Wee Felt Mouse
Directions:
1. Cut out the felt pieces for your mouse using the template. Stitch on the inner ears onto one of the mouse body pieces; this will be the front of your mouse. Place the front and back mouse body pieces together, with the right side facing out, and stitch all the way around the edges of the mouse to create the mouse body. Leave a small opening, lightly stuff with Poly-Fil, and then continue to sew the opening closed.
2. Sew a strand of floss up through the bottom for the little legs of the mouse. Sew on a little felt foot on each end and knot. The bottom of the feet end up dangling about 1″ down from the base of the body. Sew another strand of floss through one side of the body and out the other side for the mouse arms. Sew felt hands on each end and knot. The arms and hands extend about 1″ out on each side of the mouse body.
3. Embroider on the face of your mouse and add any additional touches you may like. I added a tiny bow tie on mine. With your embroidery floss, add on a tail at the back of your mouse.
4. Line up the three cheese block sides with a triangle and stitch all the sides together to the triangle. Continue to sew the sides of the cheese block, and then add the bottom triangle and continue to stitch all the sides of that piece on. Before stitching the cheese block closed, add a tiny bit of Poly-Fil, and then stitch the cheese block closed. Make sure that all the sides, edges, and corners of the cheese block are stitched together. I had made all the pieces for this tiny mouse when I felt like he was missing something. Then it dawned on me: this little guy needs a cheese block. I think it was the perfect addition!
Isn’t this wee house and little mouse so cute?! He’s the perfect little friend to tote around with his wee house. You could also use the template to make a whole family of mice! There is certainly room for more to live in the house. This tiny house from a small box could also be used for the mouse (or mice) to live in. It’s a present for one of the girls, but I’m tempted to give it to her already. To help fight the temptation, I better wrap it up for Christmas and put it under the tree. This project is a fun one to make and would definitely be a good present to make for Christmas. It’s also a great project to do with older children, and they could make little mice for friends.
Supplies:
Cans (or even a box)
Ping pong balls
Fly swatters
Duct tape
Non-stick scissors
Directions:
Decorate the cans.
To play the game:
Set out the cans on it’s side, give the each player a fly swatter, and the objective is to get the ping pong balls in the can. Another variation, is to gather a few more cans, sit them upright and have children walk and maneuver the balls around the cans.
My girls wanted to draw arrows on the ground so they knew where to aim, and they took turns pairing up trying to get the ping pong balls in the cans. It’s a good activity for developing their hand and eye coordination. I love how something as simple as tin cans, ping pong balls, and fly swatters (we don’t use these to swat flies, but to play games like this) can provide children entertainment. The game was taken from their book Unplugged Play, and this was an activity they picked out to do. I shared about the book here, and it’s one of their favorites to flip through to find projects and activities.
I would totally wear all their outfits in these photos, well, except maybe not the fox tights. I love those tights, but on an adult, I don’t think they would be as cute, at least not on me. The personalities are so evident in the outfits they choose for themselves. Brave is rockin’ that flannel, of course in red and blue (always check the boy section at Old Navy, lots of good stuff for girls too!). Soul, the most girly dresser of them all, must wear a dress (or a skirt), and True likes to mimic the styles I’m into. She knows I love my leopard boots (and sneakers), so this is her way of matching me. I wish her leopard sweater came in my size, so maybe it’s the other way around, and I want to be like True. Glow has started voicing her thoughts on what she wants to wear, so it will be interesting to see how her style evolves since she has three older sisters she can mimic.
This post is sponsored by Old Navy. Thank you for taking the time to visit this space as I’m very thankful for the support you give me and the brands I partner with.
Directions:
Print out the cards onto cardstock and cut it across the middle horizontally. First, paint any design you might want behind the words, and allow that to dry completely. Then, fill in the words with paint or marker (or fill in lettering with paint).
I used watercolor on most of them, and others I used black paint, with a very fine paint brush, to fill it in. Using marker would work to fill in the lettering too. Honestly, I just enjoy making my own cards, and you don’t really need much direction with these. Just print them out and have fun! I prefer homemade cards over store bought ones. Once upon a time, I wanted to make my own line of cards (way back in college when Ben and I just started dating and I was even making my own paper!).
I don’t think I let the people in my life know exactly why I’m thankful for them, so this week the girls and I are going to sit down, and write out thank you cards for our loved ones (and mail them out too!). I’ll let them decorate their own and write their own messages. They are always sending letters to their Grandmama, so I’m sure they will love this challenge.
I have a large growing pile of fabric scraps. I refuse to throw them away because I am sure they can be used for something. I have been seeing different types of interesting necklaces made of buttons, beads, and fabric. Then, I figured why not make one out of my scraps...
I think it made my white shirt a little less boring. This was so quick and easy to make.
How to make a recycled scraps necklace (which is very similar to the straps on my braided tablecloth bag):
1. Take your scrap fabric, I cut a .5''-1'' snip and tear the rest of the fabric down for a nice frayed edge. Used 3 different fabrics for each strand.
2. Take 3 of the torn pieces and tie the ends together with a rubber band.
3. Braid the 3 pieces together and tie ends together with rubber band when done.
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for more strands. Remember you can make the strands any length you want, if run out of fabric, just weave more into the braid.
5. Once all the strands you want are braided, gather one end of each strand together and straight stitch together with sewing machine. Repeat for the other ends of the strands. Snip off any excess.
6. Gather ends of the necklace and sew together (snip excess) or a ribbon can be sewn at the ends to be able to tie the necklace closed, but I just sewed both ends together.
7. Voila! A nice way to make use of all your lovely scraps.
Sorry if the directions get you a little lost, but it really is easy. I promise. Maybe I should put some in the shop. Please share any other good ideas you may have of things that can be made with scraps. I would love to hear (read) them!
Our presents are wrapped up in simple brown paper and string, but I also included some bits of vintage fabric and other embellishments. I used some smaller crochet pieces, and cut pieces from old table cloths and handkerchiefs. As much as I love brown paper packages tied up with string, I think they still needed a little something extra. Plus, now I think they match a bit with our crochet tree skirt (it’s really just a crochet tablecloth wrapped around the bottom).
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