Backpack Baby, oh yeah

I am so proud of this project. I made my little girl the characters, Backpack, the Map and a star, from Dora the Explorer. Dora (she says Dee-uh) is my 19 month old daughter's favorite show. I hope that she will love this cute little trio. I love to see her little face light up when she is excited. Christmas should be fun (if I can wait that long to give it to her).

I machine sewed most of the project with only a small amount of hand stitching. I used a standard stitch with no frills so this is, by far, an easy thing to create. Freehand drawing means no pattern, so one step is eliminated. The faces are painted on by hand with washable/dryer safe Tulip paints. (The kind of paint we made t-shirts with in middle school.) This entire project took about two evenings. It takes a while for the paint to dry and, well, I have a 19 month old who requires ...demands attention. Honestly, the cutting and sewing took only a couple of hours.

The bag is lined with pink flowered flannel. It makes the bag soft and ready for a bit of a beating. This was helpful when I ironed the bag (which should be done BEFORE painting on the face) to smooth out the folds. The star and the Map are both stuffed with basic fiberfill and hand stitched closed.

The best part about it is that the whole project is washable. The instructions call for a painted garment to be turned inside out for washing. I simply drop it in a pillow case (trusty old laundry saving friend) and tie it closed for a normal wash. Drying is up to you. Machine drying of a handicraft item is for the brave of heart. I find myself being the "lay it flat" type for something I put alot of time into. Give me a few years, though. With a few kids around, I'll be saying, "Who cares how it gets dried, they're lucky its clean!!"

Halloween furfest

Unga-bunga.

I have (just in time) finished our costumes. We're cavemen! I made a smock type for him and a dress for myself. Our shoes are covered in fur to look like boots and also to add some warmth to our costumes since it will be freezing tonight! I made a cute little purse as well since I have no pockets for my id and things.

For the purse, I used:

one bank bag, rectangle with zipper
fabric cut large enough to fit around the bank bag wth a 1/4 to 1/2 inch seam allowance ( i used fur to match my costume)

Fold fabric and sew up sides (right sides facing). Turn project right side out. Place bank bag inside (pocket) that you have just sewn. Tuck the edges in to give it a hemmed appearance. Use sewing maching to stitch around top edge to attach the fabric to the bag (like sewing in a liner). It is kind of tricky to maneuver the bag around since the zipper is already installed, but have patience. This is the easiest way to "make" a bag. No zipper to sew in, no liner to measure.

Its cute, simple, fun and the most original addition to my costume. Buttons, flowers, or other small items could be glued or sewn on to add some flavor. Match or contradict your fabric. Make it original! I glued a bone on the corner of the front side. Its Cave-chic.

Have fun, Kiddies, don't eat too much candy.




****Whoo-hoo to Walmart's fabric counter for having the perfect Woolly Mammoth fur for our costumes. Only $6.97 a yard I think.

Begin at the beginning...

(pssst...thats me in a new hat I made for my kiddo)

I am not at all original in this idea. I saw a crafter's blogspot and thought "what a great idea". She uses this as her motivation to finish projects. So, I steal. I stoly-stole the idea and ta-da...

I have an illness that shakes up my emotions quite a bit. Crafting is the best way to deal with it, for me. I create something with all the energy that the worry stirs up. I grow tired alot, so projects are usually quick, easy, or done in steps so I can return to it later. (I hope to post exact directions so you can stealy-steal the projects, too.) I knit, paint, sew, sculpt, decoupage, build, and just generally make something out of something else. I would love to learn to crochet, but I'm all thumbs when it comes to that. (Is there a craft using all thumbs? That is your first homework assignment.)

Some projects will be my own creations, some will have been dreamed up by others. All crafts will be attributed to the right creator and I hope you will do the same if you choose to repost in anyway. (I know you crazy kids will do that.)

Craftitude is about attitude. The stranger is no danger here. Strong, fun, crazy things are waiting to be dreamed up by anyone willing to think outside the box. So, grab two things and glue them together, hey you made something... now, figure out how to get the remote unstuck from the dog.