Colors Quiet Book- {Sewing & Craft Project using scraps from your stash}

Confession: I made this back in January. It has only taken my 8 months to share it with you.  I had the letters for about 2 years before I finally  used them. Yes it is taking me a long time to get things up on the blog to share with you these days- - but I'm still here. :)

Today at church, my 2 year old, went through this book a few times, and named all his colors! I have never had a two year old know all their colors when they could just barely talk. The color songs, have really helped, along with this little book, and - I confess- an awesome DVD called Preschool Prep. Colors.

This is a really fun little book, and I put mine together a little differently from some I've seen, so I'll share that with you.
First, here are all the pages:

HOW I MADE MY COLOR QUIET BOOK:

I bought the letters from Everyday Celebrations Etsy shop. You could make your own if you have a cutting machine. I attached them with Wonder Under- any iron on adhesive will work.  Then I used scraps from my stash. I just cut scraps- no hemming - just zig zag the pieces onto the pages.
The pages- are fabric cut from a sheet- but you could use muslin. I put some lightweight batting in between the fabric. The pages are two cut together- so that they form a large rectangle. I zig-zagged around the edges, attaching the pages together with the batting in between. BEFORE doing that, I sewed all the color scraps to the page.  The cover: I added scraps to the back, and front, and then made some binding (very unperfectly) from some scraps. I did this before sewing the pages together. To make the book, I laid all the pages on top of each other (two pages were attached together already by the way I cut the pages) and stitched down the center, turning it into a book. If you have ever made those pre-printed fabric books, it is very similar to that. The book tucks easily into a diaper bag or purse. My boys have loved it, and I think it has really helped the younger ones learn their colors.  The finished size is about 5 by 7 inches.

What fun things have you made lately for your kids?

Thanks for reading!

DIY Patriotic Wreath {for about $5}

Happy Fourth of July this week! I wanted something new and fun for my front door. After searching pinterest, I was inspired by this wreath from Tidymom.

 

I did mine a little bit different. I used embroidery hoops from the thrift store- I usually find them for about 30 -90 cents, and I pick them up for projects. This is a lot more affordable than buying a wire wreath form from the craft store, but it does take a little more work. I also used plastic table cloths from the Dollar Store! I only spent $3 on these- and almost have enough to make another wreath.

DIY Patriotic Wreath for about $5:
3 hoops- I used rings from embroidery hoops. It is best to use the inside part, but you can use the outside, just remove the screw, and extra wood piece and tape it together. Don't worry about if they are not the same size- after you tie on the pieces of plastic, you won't even be able to tell!
3-4 plastic tablecloths from the Dollar store- you need the most of red- so you may need two of these. Open the table cloths and keep them folded. I folded them one more time, so I had a long piece about six inches wide. I took my scissors and cut 1 1/2 to 2 inch strips, and then cut the ends apart. It was quick and easy to cut the tablecloths while they were folded up. Simply tie a knot for each piece, and push them close together. I'll be honest, this took me HOURS! It looks so easy and it is, but I think I may have spent up to 10 hours tying knots- which is why I'm only getting around to posting this now....and not sooner.

 Wooden Stars- I had some on hand-but you can pick up a small package of stars from a craft store (Hobby Lobby, Michaels) for a few dollars- or less with a coupon! I painted some and covered some in washi tape- I also had on hand. I attached them to some twine and tied the twine on either end of the wreath.

Wire- I had some wire, and carefully wired the hoops together in four spots around the wreath. This is a very lightweight wreath- so you really could just twist some wire, or twine, at the top and bottom so that all three hoops stay together.

 Hang it up and admire all those stinkin' knots you tied!! Because it does look kind of fancy...and no one will know you only spent $5 on the entire thing! Plus- since it is mostly plastic- it is water proof! We'll see how "heat proof" it is here- in the 100 plus degree desert!

Happy Fourth of July!!

DIY Patriotic Washi Tape Frame 5

Since the 4th of July is this week, I thought I'd share a few of the fun things I did this year. Granted, these took me a lot longer than normal-- as I have less energy and it takes me longer to do everything lately...that is being pregnant with two for you!

Here is a little craft I made-- just for the love of washi tape! I love this stuff! I use it for everything!

 HERE is what I did:

I bought one wooden plain frame with a 5 by7 opening at Hobby Lobby. If you use a coupon, it is only about $3.
I spray painted it white. Then, I applied washi tape- in no particular way or order. Then, I hot glued some small wooden stars that were spray painted blue- which you can also purchase at Hobby Lobby or Michaels, for about $2-3 for a small package. You could modify this a little and it would be a fun craft for kids. In fact, you could do something like this for every holiday... I'm thinking a black and white one with a little orange and purple would be fun for Halloween.

Of course the best part if the cute little face inside the frame! I love that kid!!
Happy 4th of July! I have a few more little projects I'll post this week!
Thanks for reading!

Washi Tape Pendant Banner

This is one of those posts I started LAST YEAR- yes last year...and never finished or posted! {I have lots of those posts...} In fact, some of these photos are over a year old...oops.

Since I am trying to get back into blogging....I thought I would share it with you.

 I purchased several wooden pendants from pick your plum, or some other craft deal websites. I also have a little love for washi tape. If you haven't discovered washi tape, you must! It is so easy to use, so fun, and the clean up after a project is like zero. Love it.
I covered the pendants with washi tape. I cut off the edges with scissors, so it does not wrap around to the back. In fact, I could use the other side and have two banners in one. I strung them together using baker's twine.  Here are a few of the ones I have made:

 This one I used chipboard letters.

 This one is vinyl lettering. I use this one for preschool-- in the photo below- notice the stuffed monkey/gorilla...well that is our preschool class pet. He was just attending our little celebration. :)

And if you are wondering why on earth it took me a year to post such a simple thing...well I don't get much free time these days. In fact, for Mother's Day my husband surprised me with this, a Cameo Silhouette. It is still in the box. Still in the box. I need to do clear some space- as in clean up some junk- so I have a spot to set it up. Hope that happens soon!

If you have a Silhouette- PLEASE send me your best links to projects or ideas! I am not sure where to start.
Thanks for reading....

The Christmas Tree 2012 with Ball Fringe Trim

 

Here is the tree for this year. I added a new trim- giant ball fringe instead of ribbon. I am a big fan of polka-dots and I think this kind of looks like really big polka-dot trim-come-to-life.

 It was a bit of a splurge, but I love it so much. I twisted the white and red together a little and strung them up together. It is a lot of fun, and unexpected. 

 

Merry Christmas!

Star Wars Bunting and R2D2 Quilt and Ornaments

This awesome girl...made this incredible Star Wars Bunting/Banner on her blog. Check it out here! It is amazing!

She also made this super cute R2D2 quilt. Clever clever... now I might have to make up my own version. My boys would LOVE it.

 Afterall, they are a little obsessed with Star Wars. We decorated our memory tree, and they only were concerned about finding these ornaments I made last year....Made them up..and now need to make 4 sets- one for each of them. I hope the force is with me. You can see this post here.

Happy Holidays!

Ric-Rac Burlap Christmas Trees

 

Is it Christmas Time already?? I am so not ready for the madness. This year I really want to sit back and watch lots of Hallmark and ABC Family  Christmas shows...and sip some cocoa with my kids. But I do have a few projects I want to finish this year....first up my little colorful centerpiece....

 I have seen lots of super cute Styrofoam cones turned into adorable trees. Here is my super easy and quick- not at all perfect trees.

Here is what I did:
Ric-Rac Burlap Trees
You need:
burlap scraps
Styrofoam cones  Tip: get the Styrofoam cones- not the green ones used for floral arrangements.
ric-rac and ball fringe scraps {I tried to find more ball fringe...but I have to drive 40 miles to get some...so what I had on hand had to do}
hot glue
straight pins
 I just hot glued some burlap scraps to the cones. I knew I was covering it up with ric-rac and some scrap ball fringe, so it did not need to be perfect. I'm sure there was a better way to glue on the burlap, but I did not care as long as it was on there. :)
Next, I hot glued some ric-rac. One some I cut it in pieces, and on others, I actually just pinned it on using straight pins. I tried to match the color of the head of the pin to the ric-rac so you can't see it as much. That was it!

I found some small ornament balls at Target, in the dollar section, and threw those on the tray along with some other beads I had. I know the colors are all over the place- no color scheme here- but it is pretty and bright and makes me happy. See the old table runner- I am finally making the throw quilt from the same fabric line- that I started like...4 years ago. I think it may be time to go on a fabric buying fast. I love this fabric line.. {Merry & Bright by Moda Fabrics}....which is discontinued of course.

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season and having fun making or doing something enjoyable!

Crafting with Kids: Puffy Ghost {using shaving cream paint}

 I know Halloween is in a few days, but I'm going to attempt to finish posting the fun Halloween stuff we have done this month...in a few days. These ghosts were so much fun! We made these using paint we made mixing shaving cream and Elmer's Glue.

 PUFFY PAINT GHOST USING SHAVING CREAM:
You need:
Heavy paper (we used grocery bags)
3 parts shaving cream to one part Elmer's school glue (just regular glue)
**or measure 3/4 cup shaving cream and 1/4 cup glue - I did not measure- just looked at it and judged the amount and it worked fine.
Sponge brushes
Mix the glue and shaving cream. Apply to ghost shape. You can add eyes and mouth at that time and most of them will stick. A few will not stick and will need to be glued on later.
Allow to dry all the way. Your ghosts will be smooth and velvety soft!

 

 

This was so fun- a little messy- but it is mostly shaving cream-so it washes up very easily. When these are dry they are so so soft!  Have Fun!

Trick or Treat Burlap Banner

 I made this little trick-or-treat bunting a few weeks ago. After looking through magazines and pinterest, I had a vision of having a little black and white bunting for Halloween. I had the black burlap already, and the white paint. I cut out the shape I wanted, stamped the letters using the white paint, and darkened them with more paint, hot glued them to some baker's twine, and that was it! The candy corn bunting- I'm sure you have seen everywhere- was made with burlap also. I'll share that one later.

It makes a nice addition hanging above our shelves, which contain many Halloween decorations.
Easy peasy, very cheap, and  great little decoration-- that is my favorite kind!

Happy Halloween!

DIY Halloween Decor using Burlap and Wood Blocks

 Here is a little project I did this weekend. Super easy. I used things we already had-- making this project FREE! I had wood in the garage, burlap in my craft room closet, and some acrylic paint.
I had my sweet husband cut some wood for me first.

 After painting I just free handed the faces and burlap cutting. I'm sure it could look a little nicer, if I used a stencil or something..... Everything was put together with hot glue.

 Owl- is covered in brown burlap. The beak is a small piece of craft wood cut into a triangle.
Ghost- easy- just painted black circles on the white painted block of wood.
Witch-black burlap hair and hat. The hat is stuffed w/ black burlap and glued together. The nose is a piece of wood from a tree. Ric-rac added for more color.

 Frank- hair was painted black, then covered with black burlap pieces.
Mummy-painted white, then covered with burlap- that I painted white- but you can buy burlap in white too.
Jack- the stem is from a tree, and ribbon and ric-rac added to stem.

My kids love these! So I guess it was a success! I like having a fun decoration- we made and that cost  almost nothing.

Happy  Fall!

DIY Halloween Wreath & a fun photo

Finally I finished this little wreath. Last year I had all the supplies to make this and just never got around to making it. Yep, that is how it is sometimes.

 Here is what I did:

Foam Wreath (4.50 at Walmart)
Socks from Dollar Store
Old Wood/vinyl sign
Small broom from Target 2.50
Cardboard
Fabric Scraps
Baker's Twine
black yarn
black pipecleaner
googley eyes
First, I cut off the feet of the socks and thread the foam wreath through them. I cut an opening in the wreath so I could do this. I hot glued the ends in place. Next, I drew a shoe pattern on some cardboard and cut it out. I covered it with some black scrap fabric, and cut gold buckles from felt.
The wooden sign would not really stay attached to the broom and the wreath- since it was kind of heavy. So here comes the Baker's Twine. Let's pretend it is a cobweb....so it can hold everything in place better! Since it is a cobweb, I made a small spider using the same twine and some black yarn, added pipecleaner legs, and googley eyes. (Or maybe my 5 year old made the spider....since it kind of looks that way.:))  With the fabric scraps I made a tassle, and added a big fat fabric scrap to hang it up on .

 It's fun, it is different, and it was pretty easy. I'm not a big wreath making girl, so I was happy with it.

And I'll probably keep it inside for now....

 

 And just because you were nice enough to check in and read this post, I'll share my sweet little guy's current hair- do with you. It is really long, and rather mullet like- but I shall not cut it just yet. Cutting my baby's hair has always been a sign that my baby is growing up way too fast...so I put it off as long as possible.  It hangs in his face- and I have already cut the front just so he could see, but it is still very very long. He is oh so darling, and quite the little dude. I just love this little guy.

Thanks for reading! And Happy October!

Nine Halloween Crafts & Activities for Kids

Here are a few of the fun Halloween Crafts from the Archives of My Little Gems. Most of these cost less than a dollar, and the kids will have a ton of fun!
 1. Frankenstein Feet
2. Pipecleaner Pumpkins
3. 5 Little Ghosts Story
4. Glow-in-the-dark Spiders
5. Cardboard Tube Creatures
6. Silly Little Bats
7. Pipecleaner Skeletons & Stories
8. Lego-Jack Game
9. Halloween I-Spy Search-n-Find Tub

Preschool First Day Prep Kit

In my "former" life- before I had children- I taught elementary school for about 10 years. I loved it. I especially loved getting ready for school to start. Now I do preschool from my home a few days a week.  I had my preschool back-to-school Open House, and I always want to give the little ones a little something to get them excited, and let them know everything will be O.K.
Here is what I did...

I used baby food containers, and patterned kids tape ( which is cheaper than washi tape, and kid friendly tape). I also tied them up with twine. I gave one to each child at the Open House.

    Here is a little peek of what was inside:

I had seven little things inside, and a note folded up on top,  with what all the items meant.
Here they are:
1. Smarties- We are going to learn lots of fun things this year and become real smarties!
2. Penny- You are a very valuable to our class!
3. Eraser- It is O.K. to make mistakes.
4. Hershey's Hug- I am here is you ever need a hug.
5. Star burst-You are a shining star!
6. Lifesaver-I am here to help you!
7. Sticker- We will stick together and help one another!
I am so excited to have you in preschool!
Love,.....

This can be adopted to any grade. My son brought something similar home from school, and he loved it. This was so easy, and I think the little containers really made it a little extra special for the kids.

Thanks for reading!