My new 'therapy' w.c.!

I had been collecting sayings I like on Pinterest for ages and had no idea what to do with them. At the same time I was trying to think what to do to make the downstairs w.c. more interesting. I was hoping to go eccentric and then it struck me I could put them on the wall. I drew frames around the print outs with a permanent marker.

I love the result. It serves as a place to escape and read some phrases to 'restock' me for my next few hours with the mayhem that is looking after three young boys. I also hope it serves to 'indoctrinate' the children with positive messages. And I also love finding out which phrases have stuck in guests minds. It doubles up as a good excuse for however long they have spent in the loo!

Things that entertain a 1 year old - part 2

1. Feeding pipe cleaners into colander holes

2. Joining two colanders together

3. Picking up cut up bits of pipe cleaner with a big magnet

4. Putting all the little bits of pipe cleaner in a bottle

5. And emptying them all out again!

Home Sweet Home. Wool wrapped wall decoration

Following a Pin - spot (see here) for a kids DIY Yarn Font. I decided it was just the thing for a blank space in the dining room just as you come in the front door. I have been wanted to do something like Home Sweet Home or Welcome to our Home and this seemed like just the thing.

I didn't do it exactly the same way. I didn't have any wire and I knew pipe cleaners would not be long or strong enough so I used my new found, favourite, lightweight, modelling material..... scrunched up aluminium foil.

Then super simple - tied on scraps of wool/yarn and wound it round and round. I then stuck it to the wall using command strips. And I LOVE it. It is my new favourite thing in the house. It is so colourful and homespun, it can't help but raise a smile and make me feel all warm inside everytime I see it.

Tank top to Xmas Tree

This is a tank top that all 3 boys have worn and outgrown. Rather than throwing it away I decided to make it into a festive decoration. So I cut up a vague tree shape and sewed it together and stuffed it and stitched a stick in as a stem. I decorated with some of the buttons from Nan's old button tin. I just want to finish it by drilling a hole into a log round so the stick has a base.

Hama Bead Christmas Tree Decorations

We whiled away a Saturday morning making these festive tree decorations with the Hama beads. They would make great little presents but I can't bring myself to give them away!

Milk bottle Ghost Lights

These decorative lights were made simply with repurposed empty (and clean) 4 pint milk cartons. A hole cut in the bottom to feed fairy lights in (about 5 per bottle) and black paper spooky eyes and mouths stuck on with pritt stick.

We got a LOT of trick or treaters and loads of comments on the cool ghost lights!

Personalised papercut wedding gift

Although I am very happy to buy a gift from a wedding list, I think if you are a key participant of the wedding party (like the best man) it is important to give an additional gift which is a bit more personal. I know some of our most memorable gifts where the ones with a home made element.

So I decided to have a go at doing a papercut in the style of Rob Ryan who is one of my current favourite designers. I have been meaning to have a go at papercutting but was sure it would be super tricky. Turns out it is simpler than it looks all you really need is a nice sharp scalpel & a bit of time!

I am quite happy with the result. I hope the bride and groom like it. I have put it in a frame but I don't mind if they just put it in a scrapbook or photo album.

After we have moved I am very tempted to use this technique for the family tree I have been wanting to make for ages. We will see!

Strictly Come Dancing Party Glitter Ball Pinata

 The last item I made for the party was a Glitter Ball pinata.

In retrospect should have sprayed silver under the squares as if you looked carefully could see  the newspaper)

You can just about see the pull string at the bottom (attach the string inside to a wide bit of card so pulls the whole base out)

Punch balloons covered in 2 layers of newspaper dipped in flour and water - drying outside (as drips!)

Boys playing with the punch balloons first

I thought about this for a while and did some online research. This is the youtube clip I found on how to build one. I didn't follow it exactly. I wanted it to be a pull-pinata rather than a bash one so I made a trap door as shown here. I made the squares a ruler width as that was easier and quicker. I ended up using no more nails to stick them on because that was all I had to hand. I filled it with metallic foil wrapping paper that I cut into little square/rectangles, glitter and a few sweeties (though not too many as I was worried about how strong the trap-door would be!) I made it with the image in my mind that my sister would pull it open at the end of the night (after it had served it's dual purpose as a glitter ball decoration) and get showered with confetti and glitter.
It worked well except that there was no where to hang it!

Strictly Come Dancing Surprise Party!

This weekend was my sister's surprise 30th birthday party. So now I can post freely without fear of giving the game away! 

As usual I had a few creative ideas up my sleeves that I just couldn't stop myself making! 

First I made some judges paddles. I envisioned everyone holding them up as she walked in. A bit cruel but as the older sister I feel I am entitled! So I made these out of cardboard, spray painted the fronts gold and silver with a bit of extra glitter. I painted the backs black and then using a homemade template sprayed the number 30 on the front using black spray paint, for speed. They didn't have the most perfect finish but they got the point across!!!

They also doubled as fans for the entire evening as a bonus!

More strictly party posts to follow...

Monster mouths

What a super cheeky monster1

I just realised there is a load of stuff I intended to post from Max's party that I never finished. So here is one about some special straws I made, to make the monsters that came even more monstery! Inspired by another pin. This one in fact. I made them from foam sheets like I used for the feet, just glueing together with pritt stick and making up some mouth shapes.

Monster teddies

As there are only a few kids coming to Max's Monster birthday party I thought I would make them each a Monster stuffed toy to take home instead of a party bag filled with crap they don't need and stacks of sweets!
So here they are...
Meet the Monsters!

The idea came from a stuffed toy a friend bought Ollie 6 years ago. I think it was called an Ugly Doll.

The ones I made are made from acrylic felt and the hollow fibre stuffing from a pillow. I just hope they hold up to the battering they get. Surprisingly all three of my boys love them. I was sure the 6 year old would think they were too babyish but he wants me to make him one too!

There will be a few more 'monster' posts over the next couple of days as plans for the party come together...

Drawing frames

We made these ages ago, but a friend commented on how much she liked them the other day and that she was going to copy the idea, so it made me think it might be good to post about them to pass the idea on to others.

We made three (one each) and the picture of their choice goes in until they choose another one. It helps them make decisions about which of their work they are most proud of. 

It also keeps down the volume of pictures I need to keep. The ones they choose for the frames are the ones I then scan into the computer to save for prosperity (I have included a drawing section in their annual photo books - see here). I do love kids' drawings. It's not even that they are my kids' ones. There is something so wonderful and free about them. I love seeing how they see the world and the stories they make up within them are fabulous.

We made them with cardboard. Simply cutting out a frame shape and then layering up with twiddly bits to make it look a bit more like an ornate frame.

Then, on the back I stuck thin strips of card about 1-2cms wide, onto 3 of the 4 sides of the window, then stuck a full card rectangle on to this. This leaves a slot for the paper to fit into on one side There is a piece on the back and a slot to put the picture into. It is stuck to the wall with bluetack and so can be either way up. We painted them and then went crazy with the glitter to make them extra special. 

Addition: I saw this idea the other day on Pinterest. It is a company that turns children's drawings into soft toys. I love it. Maybe one day?

Bedtime Quiz or 'You've got to pick a pocket or two'

For a good year now, we have added Quiz-time to our bedtime routine. After bath, pyjamas, milk, reading stories, brushing teeth, tucking in, talking about our day we added 6 questions each before lights out!

The idea was to help Ollie with his mental arithmetic but it expanded out to all sorts of things; Adding, subtracting, counting backwards, forwards from higher number, tens and units, counting in multiples, reading a clock, days of the week, months, seasons, the words for specific baby animals, male and female animals, adding money, giving change, letters. Basically anything and everything just to keep variety and stop me going insane!
When Daddy is home in time for bedtime, the boys get very excited about Daddy doing their quiz. Unfortunately Daddy struggles to think of questions. So that got me thinking about making a hanging that will help us think up questions.
Daddy came home tonight and said "Oh look, Mummy has been at the felt again!" and I had!!!

I made a hanging with 9 pockets for pictures/things I had written on a word document, printed and then laminated (on my birthday laminator!). The pockets are animals, money, sums, time, words (flash cards & letters), numbers (so can do sums with bigger numbers), times tables, shapes and other.

It seems to work well. It certainly helps my brain when it stubbles around trying to think of new things at the end of the day!

The good thing about it is it can evolve as they get older and have different things to master.

More felt food

I didn't quite manage to finish everything I set my heart on making in the last felt food post but I did quite well.
Here are some pictures.

Felt sesame seed bun and burger

Felt bourbon biscuit

Felt Pizza components

Felt four seasons pizza

    

Felt hot dog bun with sauces

Felt tomato slice

My felt food addiction!

My name is Katy and I am an addict! I am addicted to making felt food. Why didn't anyone tell me it was so dangerous. I just can't stop. It takes a hold so quickly. It was only 24 hours ago that I tried it for the very first time and now.... what will become of me!?!?!
So far I have made;
2 fried eggs
2 streaky bacon rashers
2 sausages
4 mushrooms
2 slices of bread
2 pieces of lettuce
1 slice of cucumber
2 slices swiss cheese
1 slice ham
1 jammie dodger biscuit
1 chocolate chip cookie
1 fairy cake with a cherry on
and a small bowl of macaroni!

 

 
 
And this is what I intend to make between now and the end of the weekend;
more macaroni
2 slices of tomato
a hamburger
a hamburger bun with sesame seeds
a hot dog bun
a swirl of ketchup and mustard (for hot dog)
a custard cream biscuit
a bourbon biscuit
some slices of pizza
some bits of pepper (for pizza topping)
some bits of ham
some pepperoni
a lamb chop (?) or maybe a chicken drumstick?
some broccoli florets
some bits of carrot
some new potatoes

Then maybe it will be out of my system. I am trying to stick to things that the boys can then do something with to make a meal, rather than just making fruit or something that you can't do much with. Although I did see on the internet a really cool Fab lolly here, and these really cute dolly mixture and creme egg here. Maybe the boys might like to play sweet shops one day...