Tag Archives: family

headwear how-to

Posted on by

 

Here’s another free project I’ve moved over from my old blog, original post date was 12/22/09.  Enjoy!

DSCN1201

Today’s quick kids’ gift is actually three – the construction is so similar, I decided to lump them all together. There’s a superhero mask, a crown, and a pirate eye patch. As always, read through the instructions to the end before you begin! I show the project on the sewing machine, but this could be done by hand sewing. You’ll need some pieces of felt and elastic, a fabric marking pen or chalk, and of course thread.DSCN1162

And here’s your pattern, to print. Since the size is rather critical on this project, I’ve included a 1″ square on the page so you can make sure it’s the right size.

IMG

This project is easily made reversible, as each is two layers of felt. Just use different colors for the front and back, and it’s like having two of each! Layer your two pieces of felt (wrong sides together, if it has a right and wrong side) and pin on the pattern. Also pin the fabric together outside of the pattern area. Trace around the patterns using your favorite fabric marking implement. Don’t cut it out yet!DSCN1163

Remove the patterns, but not the pins holding the two layers of felt together. Stitch just inside the lines you’ve drawn, as they are your cutting lines. Leave a gap in the stitching at the areas marked “leave open” on the pattern. This is where your elastic will go.DSCN1165

It should look like this after stitching:DSCN1166

Now we cut. Trim on the drawn lines, being careful not to cut your stitching. Also cut on the lines at the spots you left open for the elastic.DSCN1172

Now measure and tuck your elastic into the openings. Ideally, you should try it on the child; but if it’s a surprise, you can’t do that. Bev’s Country Cottage has an excellent reference page with all sorts of measurements that should help. Remember that elastic needs to be a bit smaller than the actual head measurement to fit well.

A note if you are using elastic cord for any of these, such as shown on the eye patch: since even when you knot and stitch this stuff, it tends to pop out, I recommend you run the cord all the way through the piece, tie the two ends of the cord together with a square knot, and pull the knot back into the center of the felt piece to hide it. You can see the knot in the cord of the eye patch in the photo below, before it was pulled inside. And a tip – sometimes when we buy shoes, they are attached together with elastic cord – always save it! I use that for projects like this.
For small children: To reduce the possibility of strangulation, you may wish to cut the elastic, apply a bit of hook and loop fastener such as Velcro to the cut ends, and use that to fasten the elastic back together. The fastener should give way under pressure.

DSCN1192

Once you have the elastic cut to the proper length and tucked into the openings, take it to the sewing machine and stitch back and forth over the opening to secure the elastic.DSCN1193

And done!DSCN1194

And here’s the reverse side:DSCN1195Feel free to embellish as you like, especially the crown!

 

cupcake in a jar

Posted on by

I may have said this before, but my girls and I are really sensitive to artificial ingredients in food. So I often bring along substitute cake or cupcakes to birthday parties, so we don’t have to pay for it for the next 48 hours. Well, tomorrow is one of those days. So then I thought, “Hey! The current cupcake-in-a-mason-jar craze is perfect for this!!”

I decided upon this cupcake recipe, because it only makes 6. We really don’t need 2 dozen cupcakes sitting around, when we really only need a couple. I didn’t try the frosting recipe, because I already had some left over in the fridge. As utterly delicious as the cupcakes turned out, though, I’ll bet the frosting is good too!

Here’s my 6 little cakes, baked right in the half-pint jars. When they were cool, I turned them out and cut them in half. I put the bottom half back in the jar, squeezed in some frosting, and put the top half in. Then I piped the frosting on top all pretty, and added some pink sprinkles. (I didn’t think about how much grease and crumbs would stick to the side after baking, so if you need them to be really really pretty you’ll want to wash the jars, as in the next photo.)IMG_2881

And here we are! One cupcake ready for traveling, soon as it has a lid. Isn’t it cute?IMG_2884

And for future reference: One half-pint regular mouth jar will fit in a pint single bag along with a Capri Sun and a fork. Just be sure to put the Capri Sun in first.IMG_2893I keep intending to make the 8yo a half-pint 2-jar bag – that would have been perfect for this! She could have brought a drink in a jar too. I really need to do that when I have a minute.

Hey, she knows how to sew now! I’ll just get her to make her own! 😉

 

Batik and Red’s First Outing

Posted on by

IMG_1201

Remember Batik and Red?  My family talked me into keeping it.  So sweet of them!  I do adore it, and just couldn’t bear to let it go.  Anyway, on a beautiful spring day a couple weeks ago, I decided the time had come for its first adventure.  We didn’t go far, and it didn’t carry any fancy foods.  But it was a picnic, and therefore was fun.  We packed up, and off to the backyard we went.  (Odd assortment of containers there on top, but the mason jars are in there somewhere!)

IMG_1205

The menu:  Annie’s mac and cheese, clementines, bread, and juice or tea.

IMG_1210

Under a blooming dogwood tree, no less.

IMG_1215

The girls sat in their hammocks to eat – not sure how we managed that without disaster…

IMG_1219

After a bit more exploring and swinging and whatnot, it was time to go back inside.  Beautiful day.  🙂

IMG_1223

in which kim apologizes profusely for her long absence

Posted on by

IMG_1271

 

Let me say up front that I really do not like blog posts beginning with “Sorry I’ve not written a blog post in such a very long time!” or something to that effect.  But it looks like I’m going to have to write one of those.

I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say that 2013 got off to a bumpy start for me and mine.  Though I love my little shop and my blog, and the friends and acquaintances they’ve brought my way, I had to take a break from all that and just be wife and mommy for a while.  Not an excuse, just an explanation.  But things are (hopefully) settling down for a while, so I can turn my attention to making fun things again.

First up are some jar cozies.  You may recognize these from the free pattern I offer here.  I normally don’t make them to sell.  But we took a long trip (that hopefully I’ll have time to tell you about, because it was great) and I needed a project to take along.  Because if you know me in real life, you know that I don’t sit quietly very well without a project in my hands.  And what I felt like making was jar cozies.  Since I doubt I’ll have time to make them to sell ever again, Maya suggested I call them a “limited edition”.  Here they are in the shop, if you’d rather buy one than make your own.

Speaking of Maya, she has a fantastic new endeavor!  Take a look at her new shop:  French Honey  She’s making pendants, and I think she really has an eye for it.

I’ve also listed a few bags, and there will be more and different things to come.  Thanks for your patience!

 

resting and readying

Posted on by
wild plum

wild plum

;

blackberry

blackberry

thistle

thistle

ferns

ferns

I love to wander outside this time of year. In the cool and damp, where the bright green moss and lichen stands out in stark contrast to the dull, dormant grass and trees. We don’t have much of a winter in the tiny forest; maybe a little snow, but hardly enough cold to slow down the growth for a season. Even though most of the leaves are gone, if you look closely you will see signs of life everywhere.

My wild plum has buds, preparing to burst out in leaves and blooms in late winter. I fear it may have some kind of blight, though – waiting to see what happens. These do not transplant well. It took several tries before we got one to live, so I hope it makes it.

This blackberry already has new leaves, even before all the old ones have fallen. And the thistles really stand out from the dead grass now. They look like big green snowflakes to me at this stage. My sweet husband tolerates them because I love them. I may have to thin them a bit this year, though. With blackberries and thistles everywhere, it’s a very thorny yard!

And the ferns are coming along nicely. It’s getting a bit crowded in those sheltered areas; I may have to pull some of the other plants to give the ferns room to grow. The weeding never stops here, not even in winter.

As I look through the trees, though, I see a sad sight. The house next door burned over the weekend. No one was home, so thankfully they were not hurt. Still waiting to hear how much of the house and possessions will be salvageable. Such tragic events make my heart ache for their loss; but simultaneously remind me how very, very blessed I am, and remind me to never stop being thankful.

One of the things I’m thankful for is you! I am cheered by your visits and comments, here and on Facebook, and this little business has grown in the past few months beyond my wildest, craziest dreams. And it would not be possible without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Here in the tiny forest, we celebrate Christmas; if you do, too, then Merry Christmas! And to all of us, I wish a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

DIY cupcake picks

Posted on by

 

20121024-131712.jpg

I run a 100% natural kitchen. I also find myself making a lot of cakes and cupcakes for events. So I’m always on the lookout for decorating ideas that do not use artificial colors and flavors.

Today I’m decorating about 80 cupcakes for a class promotion reception. I was asked a couple of days ago, so I’m scrambling a bit. I decided to try foam stickers to make cupcake picks, and I rather like how they’re turning out. You can use stickers in any shape that’s symmetrical. Peel off the back, stick on a toothpick, and stick the back on again, but flipped over so the slick side is on the outside. They seem to not stick well if you don’t flip it over- that’s why it has to be symmetrical.

Hope that helps someone in a predicament similar to the one I’m in today! 😉

Missed getting a photo of the whole lot; but here’s a photo “in action” on the 7yo’s plate.

one reason I love my family

Posted on by

So the other day, it became apparent that my 7yo needed a refresher on the concept of “BC” and “AD”. I quickly sketched a timeline, a pyramid way back in BC, baby Jesus at 0 (approximately, we know) a castle at about 1000, and her at 2012. So she promptly grabbed a pen to add to my drawing (as she always does). She drew some guys with a catapult outside the castle. And Doctor Who over the whole thing in the TARDIS.

Exactly right. My family is a perfect fit for me. 🙂