Doorway Puppet Theatre Finished

I have some creative bones. But, as referenced earlier this week, I question whether I have sewing ability within. I do not. Confirmed. I even tried channeling my mom and my nana (whose machine I was using). No success. But, with much determination, I finished the girls' doorway puppet theatre. It passes the laugh test. Barely. There will be no up-close inspections allowed. Ever. My husband says its gorgeous and the girls will love it. That's one of the reasons I married him. No more sewing for me. Ever. Okay, well, maybe not ever. But, not until I get some lessons.

Look What I'm Giving the Girls For Christmas

What? You don't recognize this?

Sigh.

I had great plans of making a doorway puppet theatre for my girls for Christmas. They love to give puppet shows....and who doesn't want to encourage that?

Here it is,  the 20th of December, and I haven't started it. I have exactly one hour (one hour that isn't committed to work or kids) to make it. Right now. The thing is....I don't really know what I'm doing or how to sew.

Can I do it? Stay tuned.... (man, I just really put the pressure on myself, didn't I?).

4th of July Style

Perhaps you already known Betz White? If you don't, you should. Betz is a super creative designer, blogger, author and crafter. You can find her on her blog or via my Blog Favorites list.

Just look at what she's made for Independence Day! Oh, how I want one of these! (And, I love her idea of using them as awards/medals for 4th of July activities.)

{photo via Betz White}

She calls it the Libby Brooch and she's shared the how-to here.

Like craft books? I recommend Betz' books. The books are fun to read and the projects are not only cute and original, but have easy-to-follow projects. I personally own Warm Fuzzies: 30 Sweet Felted Projects -- it has some great projects. I (and I'm not a sew-er) have even made a few of the projects.

 

A Birthday Tribute to Etsy

As I mentioned the other day, Etsy's birthday is this week -- June 18th. In celebration, they are encouraging crafters and aspiring crafters alike to host or join in a Craft Party on the 18th. Learn more here.

In my own little tribute (have I mentioned how much I LOVE Etsy?),this week I am going to feature some recent Etsy finds I love.

Tell me, what have you found on Etsy?

A Birthday Crown for My Birthday Baby

Today, my littlest daughter turned 1!

To think, 366 days ago, I had no idea who this little being in my belly was...and, now, well, I just can't imagine our life without her.

Sure, it has been a year of many, many sleep deprived days/nights. But, the joy of watching our little flower bloom makes it all do-able. (Remind me of this the next batch of sleepless nights....)

In keeping with tradition (a tradition I sometimes curse in the wee hours before birthdays) in our little family, last night I made her a birthday crown--her 1st birthday crown. Her big sister helped me think through what exactly should be on this crown ("roses, of course!")...and I set to work while the girls slept.

I "felt" (which is a key component of my crowns), but, I do not know how to sew -- and, well, sewing is required. I am what my friend Barbara calls a "wild woman sew-er". I just turn on the machine and start creating. No patterns. No rules. No idea what I'm doing. Consequently, each crown is unique--not only in its details, but in its construction.

Last night, while making the crown, I seemed to have more sewing challenges than ever. But, amidst my frustration, I had a happy heart. I was sewing with my newly-acquired sewing machine. It belonged to my Nana who died last year, just a few months before what would have been her 90th birthday -- April 29th--the day my sweet baby Rose was born. Life can be so bittersweet sometimes.

Anyhow, back to the crown. If you are interested in making a crown, I just discovered that Juicy Bits and Balancing Everything have great tutorials (In fact, now that I've found these tutorials, I just might try to follow one next time...hmm, theirs are way more professional looking than mine!)

A few of my own tips/suggestions:

• Use 100% wool felt for the base of the crown. I prefer to either use extra thick felt to give the crown enough stiffness to stand up. Alternatively, sew two pieces of felt together (I noticed the tutorials use this approach and use interfacing to stiffen). Great sources for wool felt include Weir Dolls and Crafts and A Child's Dream. (You can also purchase needle felting supplies from these sources if you are inclined to needle felt a design on the crown.)
• Use 3/4"-1" elastic (I cover the elastic by sewing a "tube" out of some scrap fabric.) as the back half of the crown -- it works wonderfully to keep the crown in place.
• For adorning your crown, consider ribbon (I have a great stash of vintage ribbon that I love to use for these.), buttons, flowers, etc. Check out this collage for some really adorable crowns (kinda make mine look lame).

Want a felted crown, but don't want to make one? Check out Etsy. There are SO many adorable ones -- even personalized!

Crafternoon: Felted Bowls Oh My!

Although I come from a family with generations of knitters, I have somehow missed the knitting bandwagon.

Truth is, I've tried to learn --but it has never clicked. Until last month. And from one month to the next I've gone from a non-knitter to a knitting fanatic. I'm hooked (Too bad I didn't learn to crochet, that would be a great line!).

Now, don't get too exited, I'm not knitting anything fancy yet. But, I'm knitting almost every day--and each day my stitches look a little more consistent and I get a little more ambitious. And, the production is significant--I'm cranking out finished projects lickety-split.

Sweaters? Scarves? Mittens? Socks? No.

Bowls.

Yes, bowls. 

I found this very simple pattern from a book called One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit or Crochet. The bowl is knit (much like a hat pattern), then felted in the washing machine. I've now modified the pattern some to create the depth of bowl I prefer (Aren't I fancy having the confidence to alter a pattern?).

A Knitted Felted Bowl: Before and After

The knitted/felted bowl is a great quick project (I can crank one out while watching an episode of Brothers and Sisters, for example!:)) and a great way to use up miscellaneous skeins of yarn.

When I tell people I'm knitting bowls--and even when I show them a finished one they are a little perplexed. "What would I use this for," they ask.

C'mon...what wouldn't you use this for?

A place to put your shell collection, a top-of-the-dresser catch-all, a gift basket, a planter, a coffee table decoration....use your imagination! (The collage below -- a collection of SOME of the ones that have been made by my aunt, my mom and me in the last month--might give you some ideas of how to put these bowls to use!)

Crafternoon: A Felted Rose

A couple of years ago, my mom invited me to come with her to a short needle felting class. Needle felting? "Yes," she said, "we'll needle felt a doll".

I had no idea what she was talking about.

But, the idea of an evening out with my mom and, well, a break from my toddler was so appealing that it really didn't matter.

So, I joined her.

And, I am so glad I did.

From that night onward, needle felting became "my thing" from then on.

It is a relatively simple craft (all you need is barbed needles, a piece of foam to protect your lap and some wool roving) -- and, moreover, incredibly forgiving (the fact that I'm not good at details, or following directions for that matter, doesn't affect what I'm working on). I've been surprised at what I've been able to make -- from 3-dimensional figures to appliques.

Not a big fan of kits (remember what I said about not being good at following directions?) -- and considering myself a bit of a purist -- I was surprised to find myself considering a needle felting "mold". But, I just had to.

The kit/mold made by Clover (a company that makes all kinds of handy little crafty kits) promised to help me create a 3-dimensional rose--and the potential for use of roses in my life is huge thanks to the addition of my baby Rose.

I bought the kit. But, quickly I learned that I also need to purchase a felting pen and a felting mat.Suddenly, this project was intimidating me (the bigger investment I make in tools always intimidates me)...and I was wishing I'd just stuck to my simple piece of foam and barbed needle.

Finally, with all the tools in hand, I sat down to make my rose. It was SO easy (except that someone should have advised me that I'd need replacement needles for my needle pen....)--and in just 20 minutes I had cranked out a really cool looking 3-dimensional felted rose.

So, now with Bay Rose's 1st birthday just around the corner, I'm busily cranking out roses...brooches for the grandmothers, decorations for her crown...ah the possibilities!

 Here are the materials you'll need for this project.

Crafternoon with Mom: Hot Water Bottle Cozy

A few years ago, a friend of mine (who also lives in a cold 160+ year old Maine home) told me she fills a hot water bottle and places it in her bed about 15 minutes before bedtime. She claimed it was just what was needed to take the edge off those cold sheets without cranking up the heat. I thought it was odd, but decided to give it a whirl. I was hooked the first night. So, now I'm frequently placing hot water bottles in all of our beds. Not only does it take the edge off, but it also warms up the toes! I've been admiring some of the cute hot water bottle covers on the market (Yes, if you aren't already aware, there is a big market of cute hot water bottle covers out there.) and decided that crafting one was surely the way to go. I have plans for making one out of upcycled felt (I felt old sweaters and use as fabric.), but just haven't gotten to it, so I put my Mom to work knitting one. She used some old chenille that had been lying around (what a great way to use up yarn!) and this free pattern available from Lion Brand. Now, our beds are cozier than ever!

Post Easter Recycling

So, I'll admit, despite growing my own Easter grass and coloring eggs with natural dyes, I still did manage to have some eco- no-nos. Among my no-nos was purchasing plastic eggs. Well, thanks to Craft Test Dummies, who posted ideas for recycling those plastic eggs, I'm not going to lose too much sleep over this no-no. Brilliant (and fun!) plastic Easter egg recycling ideas include make-your-own egg-shaped sidewalk chalk and a egg rattle snake.

Crafternoon: Egg Dyeing at A Whole New Level

About a week ago my super creative and crafty friend Jeanne started posting photos of beautiful eggs on her Facebook page. Each day her posts included photos revealing more and more beautiful eggs.

If you've been following me you know I have a thing for eggs...so, naturally I was intrigued. 
I asked Jeanne if she'd teach me this technique -- and she agreed to teach me today. I just returned from this late morning/early crafternoon with Jeanne and -- WOW I am totally hooked.

First, a little background…
A pysanka (plural: pysanky) is a Ukranian Easter egg, decorated using a wax-resist method (think batik). The word pysanka comes from the verb pysaty, "to write", as the designs are not painted, but written with hot beeswax. are a symbol of life. Great care is taken in making these eggs—each color, symbol and design carrying great significance (read more about the symbols, colors, etc.) According to Wikipedia, a large family typically creates 60 or more eggs by Holy Thursday, takes them to church on Easter Sunday to be blessed, then gives them away to family and respected outsiders. A bowl full of pysanky is typically kept in the home, serving not only as a colorful display, but also as a protection from dangers.

Now, back to crafting—making psyanky.
The process, in a nutshell, involves using psyanky tools (metal pen-like tools that are “filled” with beeswax and heated) and beeswax to “write” designs (we used a catalog of samples as our inspiration) on white eggs. The eggs are then dipped in dye (one or more colors, depending on your design)—the dye affixing to the egg wherever wax hasn’t been applied.

I picked what I believed to be a relatively simple design and began by drawing grid lines to help guide my drawing. (I just read a tip that you can put elastic bands around the egg to accomplish this without pencil marks.) Then, using the psyanky tools, drew my design with wax. I first dipped my egg in yellow dye to create yellow flowers. Then, I put wax on the yellow flowers and dipped my egg in orange dye. Before dipping into my final color (blue), I put wax over the orange areas in order to ensure they remained orange. After letting the dye dry a bit, I melted the wax off the egg by candle flame.

And, ta-da, my first psyanky egg.

Okay, it is far from a perfect work of art, but I still think it looks pretty cool…

I was lucky to have a wonderful and creative (oh, and very patient) teacher. But, I’m convinced, based on reviewing some of the materials that my teacher had on-hand, that this technique could be learned by book. A kit which includes everything you need to get started is available at Magic Cabin. But, a Google search reveals a lot of other resources, too.

A big thank you to Jeanne for adding another fun craft to my life. If only Easter wasn’t yesterday, I’d be gearing up in full force (and gladly ignoring my huge to-do list) to start cranking out psyanky eggs.

Eco-Eggs Gets My Vote

On Saturday we put the Eco-Eggs Easter Egg kit to the test. The whole effort was great family fun--an experiment for all. We loved watching how blueberries, paprika, purple sweet potato (among other things) colored eggs.

The verdict? Pretty, softly-colored eggs. The blue was amazing. The yellow sweet. The other colors were very pale, but together they all looked beautiful.

If you are looking for bright eggs, Eco-Eggs is probably not the dye kit for you. But, I'm sold. And, I was especially sold when my 11 month old picked up one of the eggs and put it in the mouth...it felt good knowing she was sucking on dye that was as natural as it gets.

Easter Grass Centerpiece

Well, it worked...(Why is it that I always seem so surprised when my projects actually work?) the Easter grass I planted a few weeks ago grew in time to be the perfect centerpiece. I'm quite pleased. Simple. Elegant. Natural.

Forcing Spring Update

Well, it worked. I "forced" Spring into my home. If you've been following my blog, you already know that a little over three weeks ago I cut some cherry blossoms in an attempt to "force" them into bloom. It worked. The result is glorious and just what the doctor ordered to help bridge that gap between Winter and Spring.

One of the extra highlights for me was the my father-in-law, known by many as the gardening guru, had never heard of such a thing...and was so impressed with the result that he called me for advice on how to implement!

Try it. Surely there are some branches within your reach just waiting to be "forced".

Crafternoons with Maine-ly Home

I betcha didn't know that March is National Craft Month (who declared this, I'm not sure...)! Well, it is! And, in the spirit of this, I am going to start having "crafternoons"--an afternoon spent making something. (By the way, I can't take credit for this very clever name--but, I sure do love it!) Don't get too excited, it's not like I'm a craft maven who is going to rock your world with the most exciting crafts, but I hope to occasionally inspire you to craft. Stay tuned.

Grow-Your-Own Easter Grass

A few years ago, I started (with the help of my daughter) to grow my own Easter grass. I haven't totally abandoned the commercial Easter grass in its oh-so-fun colors (though I only buy paper grass, not plastic), but I've begun to grow my own grass in festive containers to use as centerpieces. Someday I hope to be organized enough to grow the grass IN the girls Easter baskets and even possibly in some baskets to deliver to others. But, for now, I'm sticking with a few festive containers sprinkled around the house. It's an incredibly easy project -- and a great project to embark on with kids of any ages. Here's the scoop:

What You Need

• Potting soil (and a small shovel unless you want to use your hands)
• Containers (Get creative -- pots, buckets, baskets, Easter baskets, egg shells, etc. Note: If you choose to use a basket or something that doesn't hold water, you'll need to line with plastic or cellophane.
• Grass seed (I use either rye or wheat grass seed/berries which you can typically buy in packets at a good garden supply store.)
• A spray bottle
• A sunny spot

How-to

• Prepare your containers (e.g. if you use a basket or another container not designed for water, line with cellophane or plastic).
• Fill your container(s) with soil.
• Top soil with seeds. Add another 1/4 inch of soil on top of seed layer.
• Use a spray bottle to moisten the soil.
• Place in a sunny spot.
• Over the next few days, keep an eye on your containers, misting soil as needed in order to keep it moist. 
• In a week(ish), you'll have a container of grass. These containers of grass make a simple and beautiful centerpiece all on their own--but also look cute decorated with eggs, chicks, ribbons, etc.

Forcing Spring Update

Today is the official day of Spring. Where I am standing, however, Mama Earth seems to have forgotten.

In anticipation of needing Spring before it comes into full bloom, I have been attempting to "force" or rather "invite" Spring into my home with some forced blossoms.

The blooms are SO close, but not in time for the first day of Spring. Boo.

Eggs-axctly What I Was Looking For

I know, I know, it's that egg theme again. :) Crazy egg-obsessed woman.

This time, however, it's all about Easter eggs.

We love decorating Easter eggs. We are not, however, crazy about all those creepy dyes that seem to stay on your hands for weeks. Imagine my delight when I discovered via one of my favorite blogs Soulemama that a new eco- and kid-friendly egg dyeing product has hit the market.

This new product, Eco-Eggs, is an Easter egg coloring kit that uses natural ingredients (e.g. purple sweet potato, paprika, red cabbage and blueberries) to color eggs. The kit also includes soy-crayons for decorating. As if this wasn't exciting enough, I have learned that the kit comes from a Maine company called Eco-Kids

Needless to say, I have ordered the product and I am happy to report it is on its way. Stay tuned for our 2010 egg dyeing adventures...

Caving to the Green

In my last post I mentioned that I had "skipped" St. Patrick's Day. Well, I'm taking that claim back. There will be no St. Patrick's Day Craft Basket, but, I have caved, there will be green.

I have my daughter to thank for this shift in attitude.

In fear of the dreaded St. Patrick's Day pinch (clearly a big topic at school yesterday), my daughter carefully picked out today's outfit -- green from the inside out (I'm wishing I'd taken a picture of her at the bus stop this morning.) But, much to my surprise, she insisted on going to bed in this outfit, "Mama, it will be St. Patrick's Day at midnight while I'm sleeping, and I'm not going to risk getting pinched." And, so, she did. She slept in green from head to toe. Over breakfast she drew pictures of leprachans, shamrocks, rainbows, pots of gold and the word "OUCH". :)

After she loaded the bus with a big smile from behind those green sunglasses, I thought, "How could I not catch the spirit?" I wondered what I could do to surprise her this afternoon. I just couldn't stomach the idea of green food (though I'd glady take a green beer if one was handed to me.) And, then, it donned on me. Play dough. Green play dough. Perfect.

So, I promptly set to work to make some green play dough for her to play with this afternoon.

Play dough is great. (I remember with great fondness that on my daughter's first day of montessori preschool her teacher had made a bunch of playdough and said with a very serious face, "Play dough is a great ice breaker." So true. I vowed at that moment, I'd host a party someday with loads of play dough on hand.).

If you haven't tried making your own play dough, I HIGHLY recommend it. It is economical; it lasts longer; it contains real stuff; and it is much smoother to play with (oh, and it doesn't make crumbs the way the commercial stuff does) -- and, I'll admit the process of making it, including using food color and kneading is great fun for me.

If you Google "play dough", you'll find lots of homemade playdough recipes including ones that are entirely edible (e.g. peanut butter play dough). My favorite recipe is below. (If you like the idea of homemade play dough, but don't actually want to make it, I encourage you to look on Etsy.com. There are many crafters making and selling homemade play dough, including gluten-free versions . There's even a few "play dough of the month" clubs--how fun!)

Homemade Play Dough

Materials

* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup salt
* 1 tablespoon cream of tartar (This makes the dough last a long time.)
* Food coloring
* Saucepan
* 1 cup flour

Directions

1. Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm.
2. Remove from heat and add flour.
3. Stir, then knead until smooth.
4. Store this dough in an airtight container or a plastic bag.

Forcing Spring

Spring. The transition period between winter and summer. It inspires images of green, blooming flowers and earth's re-birth.

But, in my life (except for the decade I lived in Washington, DC where Spring really is to die for), Spring is that season that never really comes on time...and rarely ever clearly defines itself.

We see signs. A warm day that inspires us to shed those many winter layers. A crocus poking through the earth. But, those warm days are more often than not followed by a chilly March wind. And, those crocuses, often get suffocated by a Spring snow.

Still, Spring gets under our skin. We look for change. We anticipate growth. And, well, when necessary, we help coax it along. Some call it "forcing". I like to think of it as an invitation.

This year, I'm inviting Spring into my home by forcing blossoms from a nearby cherry tree.

How-To Invite Spring into Your Home

• Cut blossoms from a tree or bush (apple, cherry, forsythia to name a few) when buds are just beginning to swell.
• Split bottoms of stems -- or, in my case, use a carrot peeler to take a little of the bark off.
• Place in a vase or container of your choice.
• Fill with water.
• Place in a warm place (but not direct sun).
• Change water every few days.
  
• Wait.
  

In just a few weeks (maybe four weeks for cherry blossoms), Spring WILL be in your home, ready or not.