Angry Bird Costume

My neighbor wanted to be an Angry Bird for Halloween this year so I made him a costume.

 

I found this tutorial using a pumpkin pattern and copied what she did for the most part.

Like her, I used our Angry Birds stuffed animal as a guide.

I used the pumpkin Simplicity 2788 Toddler Costume pattern.  The pattern went up to 4T and I was making it for a five and a half (that half is important to him) year old so I added four inches to the length and two inches on each piece around.  I started with red fleece, tan fleece for the panel, yellow fleece for the beak and felt for the facial features.  I eyeballed the shapes and cut them out.

I lined it with a silky polyester of some sort so it would slip on and off easily.  I glued on the face shapes with Fabri-Tac.  That stuff never comes loose.  Then I stuffed and hand stitched on the nose and the tail.  I didn't use the hat pattern.  Instead I made a fleece beanie with the feathers on top.  I stuffed it more full than the pumpkin pattern called for so he was nice and round. 

I finished off the look with a green pig trick-or-treat bag.  I eyeballed this one as well.  I sewed a strap out of green felt then stitched the two faces together.  The eyes, brows and nose are glued on with Fabri-Tac.

Now that he's done with the costume, we'll be putting it on eBay next fall.  If you're interested in it, let me know!  It would easily fit a child from 3 - 6 or 7.

Handmade Christmas Gifts

Last year I read on Design Mom's blog her tradition of having her children make Christmas gifts for each other.  And I looooooved the idea.  I'm always thinking of ways to scale back at Christmas time and not make it about more toys and more toys and more toys.  My children are two and four so they needed help but they made their gifts for each other this year.  Not only were they so excited to keep their secret, they each have really enjoying using their gift.
My daughter is two so I let her pick out some fabric to make a pillow case for my son.  He's often asking for character sheets and bedding and I'm just not interested in that.  At. All.  But, I can deal with a pillowcase.  We used flannel and made a tube pillow case.  Just google it.  Quick, easy and all the seams are enclosed and don't need to be finished.  I sewed the sides and back up with french seams and called it good.  So, okay, I made this one but she's pretty young.

My son is four and when I told him we were starting a new tradition he knew exactly what he wanted to make her.  A bag.  A "Tinkerbell" bag to put things in.  I took him shopping to pick out fabric and he came home and helped me cut and sew the bag together.  He loves to sew.  I let him work the foot pedal while I sewed the bag then gave him scraps to sew on while I ironed.

The most exciting part was seeing both faces as they opened their gifts.  They were just as excited to give their gift as they were to receive their gift.  And that's what it's all about.  (You thought it was the Hokey-Pokey, didn't you?)  We just found a new Christmas tradition.  Thank you, Design Mom.

In that spirit, they also made some hand made ornaments and bracelets for their cousins out of puzzle pieces and I crocheted little doll blankets for them. 

Easter Carrots

I saw these on pinterest.com (my new addiction...are you on there?) and wanted to make them. They made the perfect hostess gift for our friends who invited us to Easter dinner. I cut out several to make for myself and others but only whipped up five this weekend and threw them in a basket I found at Goodwill. I saw the pattern and tutorial here. I blew off making those "leaves" and just cut strips of the green fabric with pinking shears and sewed them on like that. Then I tied green ribbon around each one. They were simple but kind of tedious to make.

Superhero Cape

I'm in between homes right now and in the process of moving to a new state. Most of my craft things have been packed, loaded on a truck and are awaiting my arrival in my new home town. However, I did have a birthday to celebrate this week so I picked up a few things at JoAnns and made my son a superhero cape. Here I am sewing at my mother's dining room table.
He's just getting into more imaginative play and he has a cheap Superman cape that was left over from an old dog costume but I wanted a generic cape for him to make up whoever he wants to be. I didn't use a pattern, just cut a semicircle and a smaller one for the neck. I made a "J" out of felt and a lightning bolt for the other side. I used fabric glue to glue them on then zig-zag stitched around them. I lazied out and used quilt binding for the tie. It came together quickly and easily and I'm happy with how it turned out.

And it makes him fly really fast!

Other than this and a crochet project I kept out, my things are all packed and my creative juices are all just floating around in my brain until my life get settled.

Mike Wazowski

My son LOVES Monster's Inc so we went with that theme for our costumes this year. He dressed up as Sulley. I found the costume on eBay as well as blue Monster's Inc construction hats for my husband and I. I whipped up this Mike Wazowski treat bag this morning out of colored flannel.
Here he is trick-or-treating with it.
Here he is with his Mike Wazowski pumpkin.
Here I am with my Monster's Inc. hat on and a shirt I added iron ons to. My husband and I wore the construction hats and a white t-shirts with jeans. I printed the Monster's Inc logo for the fronts of the shirts and this saying for the back then I ironed them on. Oh, and my baby girl was "Boo."

More Baby Gifts!

I've posted about some of the creative hand-made baby gifts I've gotten for my baby girl over the last three months and now I have even more to post about! I'm lucky to have such thoughtful friends.

My friend, Becky, made this cute hooded blanket for her.

My friend, Linda, made this beautiful quilt and the colors match the nursery!

My friend, Shannon, made these binky chains for her upon my request. She also made this one for my son when he was born.

My friend, Heather, crocheted these dainty booties and this afghan. I'm not sure what kind of yarn she used but it is so soft. Again, love the lavender! She sewed this ragged quilt and some matching burp cloths for my son when he was born.

Last, but certainly not least, here's a bootie that my dad crocheted.My dad crocheted and he made afghans, stuffed animals and all sorts of booties. He died when I was five so the things he crocheted have become coveted items among my siblings. We each have a pair or two of booties that he crocheted. My mom divided them up a few years ago and I picked out this pair of "Converse High Tops."
I used them for my son but they didn't fit his big feet very long. When all of the booties had been given out, there was this lone mary jane with a pink sock. I took it because I thought it was cute and because I thought maybe I'd try out his patterns one day. I SO wish I had the other one because it actually fits her chunky foot. But, I just have the one and I'll treasure it just the same. My mom actually found his patterns recently and told me I could try them out so we'll see if I get around to it. What a wonderful gift to leave his grandchildren.

Here's my first post about baby gifts and a post about some booties a friend made when I was still early pregnant with her.

Burp Cloths

So I did finally get around to buying some coordinating flannel receiving blankets and I made these burp cloths with them today. More flannel & chenille....just like the previous few I've made. These were from Carter's and came in a 4 pack. They were half price so that made them $10 for four blankets which I can use for other projects as well.

Creative Friends

I had a baby girl last month and have been very blessed with many gifts I've received. Diapers, clothes and practical things were plentiful but I thought I'd share with you the creative gifts I received that people made.

My sister-in-law, April, gave me some cute summer dresses on these hangers she altered.
My mother-in-law made this beautiful, bright quilt with butterflies on it.
My friend, Jen, made these cute burp cloths and this altered wipes case. How cute is pink and brown?
My friend, Jeni, had someone make these cute little bracelets.
My Aunt DiAnn made this cute ragged quilt. She actually made it last fall for my sister who had twins. She made a girl one and a boy one but my sister ended up having two boys. Since I was the next in the family to have a girl, I was the lucky recipient of the quilt.
My friend, Barbara, made these cute burp cloths.

Burp Cloths

I made a few more flannel and chenille burp cloths for a baby shower this week. The gal had twins, a boy and a girl so I did several colors. I used the flannel I had around the house but think I'll buy some coordinating receiving blankets and cut them up for a gift next time. I've made ragged burp cloths in the past and crocheted the edges of some hemstitched ones but after making these for myself, they are my new favorites. They are soft and very absorbent.

Baby Girl Nursery

I'm having a baby girl this week and had much more fun decorating the nursery for her than I did for my son. Girly stuff is just more fun. I kept the nursery walls green from his decor and added in lavender toile and white. Here are some pictures of the finished nursery.
I painted the "Paige" letters lavender and then sprinkled them with crystal glitter.

I painted a wooden frame from the dollar store lavender, added white polk-a-dots and a flower.

I covered a lamp shade with the lavender toile fabric to match her bedding and valence, then added dangling beads and the fuzzy fringe. I bought the lamp shade from a craft store. It was sticky and had a template to cut your fabric to. Then I glued on the fringe and beads with fabric glue. Super easy and very fast! I bought the white base at Wal-Mart for $10.

I made the bed skirt and a few blankets for her crib. I paid someone to make the bumper after taking advice from several friends about how much pain a bumper was to make. The inside is a green and white minky fabric and very soft. It's hard to tell from the picture but the outside of the bumper is lavender "Central Park" toile. I love toile! I bought the "chamois" sheets from PB Kids in lavender.

I had left over minky fabric so I backed it with some flannel backed satin, threw on a satin blanket binding and made this blanket. My son LOVES his blankies that are satin & minky like this.

I made a window valence from the lavender toile and added the same beading and fringe as I did on the lamp shade. I hung white sheers beneath it and it really softened the look of the room.

This is my favorite part of the nursery but have to give full credit to my friend, Donna. She had a display like this in her massage room once upon a time and did another one above her baby girl's crib. When I asked her about the details so I could copy her, she offered to come put it up for me if I bought everything. I purchased the flowers and butterflies online at BugsNBlooms.com then sewed them to strips of white, lavender and green organza. She hung them with clear thumb tacks and made them look beautiful. FYI, that website has every shape, size and color of bugs and flowers you could imagine for reasonable prices. They also have tutus and other girly things. Check it out.

I made some wooden blocks again like several I've made in the past. I just mod podge scrapbook paper on, distress the edges and add glitter.

I recovered a wooden picture from with papers to match her colors and added some glitter and ribbons.

Lastly, I put this vinyl saying up on her wall. My sister gave it to me and I thought it was very sweet.


Now I can relax, right?