A Handmade Christmas (My budding superstars loot)

Well I appropriately made my budding superstar (her idea not mine) with a bunch of dress up clothes. I wanted to make a dozen more but well I regained my sanity and she was none the wiser. So without further ado

Bird Wings (pink of course)


And of course what bird doesn't need a bird nest, this was seriously her favorite present. She has a tendency to become attached to plastic and chalk eggs creating nests and what not the she lovingly cares for I decided to make her one complete http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifwith little birdy.


I created a veterinarian kit for my animal loving little Is. She has a little vet coat, stethoscope (a real one), syringes, bandages, face masks, a little cast, a nebulizer mask and hose (we had an extra), animal vitamins, and an awesome dog for a patient!


Of course Rapunzel (she loooooves Tangled)
A soft and cuddly nightgownish costume & some really loooooong hair that she wraps around her self and tries to climb with.


The next 4 are my favorite I created a under dress and then created reversible dresses to wear with it.

The under dress:


The Moon & Sun Princess (she picked out the fabric and I had to create some reversible theme she likes the sun but not the moon, go figure!)





And then of course Cinderella
In rags:


And at the ball:


She also has a She-ra costume which I will post when we find the sword!

A Handmade Christmas (My Big Girl)

So for my growing up way to fast big girl I have had a vision of a Christmas present for her since February 2011! A real (grown-up) sewing machine and a box full of projects! And that is exactly what that girl got!


The sewing machine I bought back in April, I made a hard cover for it and refurbished my grandmother's old sewing table and chair for her. My father-in-law made a new top and I took a can of spray paint to that bad boy! It turned out so AWESOME! Really I know I am tooting my own horn a little but I really even surprise myself sometimes!

Inside the refurbished chair is all the goods she needs

including a sweet little roll of personalized tags for her creations, and a mushroom pincushion

And the best part was the box full of projects all the supplies and pre-cut fabric in individual labeled bags with two books of instructions.

She has already made about 4 projects (as seen in the picture) and is driving me kind of crazy but her confidence is growing and I am really excited to see how creative she gets.

I still have to post my Is-a-belle's presents but seening as how she is throwing up, she doesn't make a good model of all her pretty little costumes. But I did get a picture of her little hand sewing kit. She always likes to be like sissy so I thought that this would keep her out of sissy's stuff.

She has fabric with an embroidery hoop, plastic mesh & embroidery floss to practice sewing. Apple pincushion, scissors, and needlebook and of course a few projects. She is already following in her sisters foot steps and created this little felt garland for her room, and let me tell you she is a natural!

A Handmade Christmas (The Baby's Loot!)

So I didn't make much for the baby, she is number 4 and really we have toys from the 3 kids before her and she is not even 1 so I try not to beat myself up! But what she did get she LOVED!

Aside from a tutu and some lacing beads that I have not documented this was her loot.


My very talented father-in-law made the baby doll high chair which turned out spectacular! We got her a classic baby doll which looks like her! I made the baby a blanket which matches her blanket. A felt banana and fruit & veggie pouch (her personal favorites)and a little diaper which baby is wearing! She has been toting her "mama" (baby) around swaddled in her blanket (which she loving refers to as "mine") and sits her in the high chair to feed her all her favorite foods!

Seriously, I love it!!!!

A Handmade Christmas (The Boy's Loot)

I've been silent because I have been busy but I really have some great handmade goodies to share! And if you ever let handmade gifts scare you thinking your kids would miss out, balance is good and my kids never fail to clean up!

My boy got one of my favorite gifts (I had a lot of favorites but you know)he was also the most difficult he is a boy and getting bigger everyday and because I can't make legos I struggle with what to make him. But I came up with this little number after several lists of not so good ideas.

This is his utility belt - the boy has a passion for carrying a great many things on his person, I wanted to offer a little something to help. (please ignore the spot, it won't come out of the carpet!)

So I got two leather belts, one for around his waist and one for a shoulder strap. Then I made all sorts and types of pouches and pockets and implements for carrying an arsenal of weapons and a fair amount of do hickeys and nick-knacks.
Including but not limited to: long sword, short sword sheaths (those short swords are technically daggers but for little man work great as short swords and they high impact polyurethane), six shooter holster, bandoleer (holds rubber bullets), shield hook, light-saber hook, quiver for his arrows, and a variety of pouches for compasses, pocketknives, flashlights, and the like.
This is a gift were I loved the balance of store bought and handmade. We purchased some really awesome weapons from a great store and ministry called Visionforum.com if you are looking for some great boy toys this is a fantastic place to look I was quite impressed with there products and you can't find their high quality items anywhere else! I also learned a fair amount about leather and picked up some new skills as I wanted to make the belts and pouches leather for durability but making adjustments to create a gift that grows with him. He was one happy boy with his new getup.

He also got a fabric Pokemon game mat.

Needs little explanation but I did add a pocket for a stack of cards and a coin, it also has a little drawstring pouch that he can attach to his utility belt

To go along with his game mat he needed a Pokemon ball of course.

I found this dude on youtube it worked but took a load of coats and after a few days if play is showing its tennis ball under belly. But he loves and these are great and a few friends got them too.

And this was a last minute stocking stuffer but I think well worth it.
A Detective kit it has all a budding detective needs to solve this house full of crime and suspect!

My System

So we have been enjoying My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures this year we are in entering Week 9, beginning a study of our 2nd continent and 3rd country. I was starting to get really overwhelmed with the group time. My kids are not fans of it in general though by the end they are digging into the material it is like pulling teeth to get there (complete with crying and tears) It didn't help if I didn't have everything well planned, trying to find pages and referring to the teachers manual I pretty much lost them. So three weeks ago I came up with a new system for the breadth of read aloud group time info.

Now at the beginning of each week I sit down with my teacher manual and go a little post-al!

I put post-its on the pages I need to read and with the day I need to read it.
When I finish a page I pull out the post-it and put in the front cover to reuse the next week.



It works really well and we move through our group time much more smoothly. And also at the end of the week I get the satisfaction of my bookself clear of post-its (accomplishment!) and if I missed anything I can break it out and finish before the end of the week.

1 week down 35 to go!

This week actually went well I was far from ready but decided to jump in and wow! My Father's World you rock! I will tell you more about that later but for now our week in pictures.

This just cute and she is so clever with her little book road.


We learned why some countries on maps are larger than they appear on a globe


Daddy even got involved because I don't like peeling oranges.


Each of the kids made a John 3:16 poster to remind them to pray that people around the world would hear the Gospel and come to know Jesus. The pictures they clipped from the magazines where just so cool. Of course Isabelle's where all of mass destruction but maybe she just has a heart for hurting people : )


We also studied our front yard habitat




I have to get my workboxes in order and my schedule worked out a little better but I am praying for another good week.

Write a little something...

I found this tutorial a while ago, I am planning on making more but I made this one for my mama for her birthday. It turned out so cute, I am considering heading back to Micheal's for a couple more of these pendants.

Our First Day of School

4th Grade, 1st Grade, Pre-K & Tot School

Here are my four little pupils ready and eager to start their day.


Well that is except for Trenton who doesn't like group time Isabelle who doesn't want to do anything but worksheets and wants me to be her teacher only and Cordelia who was already trying to shirk her required school work.
Piper liked her school work she played on her little blanket with her little plastic eggs full of little puff balls in her little plastic jar for 30-45 minutes seriously I rarely see this child still anymore. But as you can see she loved it!

It is beginning again

We are starting school next week or maybe the week after, I am reluctant. I admit it as excited as I am to start I am still nervous. I want to do better and doing better isn't one of my best qualities. We will be using My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures for Trenton and Cordelia and a Letter of the Week curriculum with Isabelle. On top of school we are doing co-op, baseball, softball, dance x 2, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Keepers at Home. I am still making a handmade Christmas and great many other things. I feel a little like I am drowning and it all hasn't even started yet.

Exrtreme Makeover! Playhouse Edition

So really it wasn't much of a makeover, but it was a hit. I found this Barbie Playhouse on Craigslist for $50 a gift for my Is-a-belle. But of course I hate Barbie and thought a fairy abode would be more appropriate. So after a trek through Michael's clearance racks and a tube of glitter I had a perfect little fairy house with it's very own magical fairy door(bottom right).



I also added a little table in the back window where a table once was


and a pretty awning and matching folding stools that I made using this tutorial


It is taking up our entire playroom for the next few days hopefully the weather will clear up soon and I can make its permanent residence outside.

Pottery Barn Inspired Beach Decor Tutorial

I saw this hibiscus garland at pottery barn kids. I thought it would look lovely in the girls beachy room unfortunately I couldn't afford it and it wasn't the right color for there room so I made my own version



and a quick tutorial on how too. I spent about $5 on mine I had most of the materials except for raffia and some decorative wire to attach the flowers too.

I copied the pattern I made you can make it as big or small as you like I did a small and a large flower in each color fabric that I had.


Items you will need:
Fabric of your choice (I can't say how much it depends on what size you make mine all came from my scrap stash)
Stiff Fusible Interfacing
Small hole punch
Sewing Needle
Coordinating thread
Raffia
Decorative Wire

1. Cut two hibiscus flowers from fabric and one of interfacing. You will also want to cut fabric for the center of the flowers, I used a coordinating fabric and cut with pinking shears.


2. Iron the three pieces together (follow interfacing instructions).



3. Punch two holes near the center of the flower. And two holes the same width apart on the flower center piece.


4. Next you will need to sew a large running stitch around the center circle of the flower then pull to gather the flower and tie off.


5. Then I used a large plastic crochet needle and thread the raffia through the flower and center circle and onto the decorative wire and tied it tight with a knot. Once it is tied on I frayed the raffia a bit and adjusted the petals.


Then repeat with each flower until you have a garland the length you want. You can also add some hot glue to the back to keep the flowers from moving down the wire when you have them all were you want them.