Some recent crafty projects.

I like to do crafty things. It feeds my creative urges. I've been meaning to put some projects on here, but some were Christmas presents so I had to wait. This first one is a blanket (can I call it a quilt? that sounds too fancy for what it is...) I made for Ezra's bed. It fits the top of a toddler bed perfectly. I love it because he can make his own bed easily and he loves it because the flip side is orange, a color he is obsessed with! I didn't use a pattern or anything, I just measured, cut and sewed.

This is the Black Apple etsy doll. I found the tutorial she did on Martha Stewart. Here's the link.

They are really easy to make. I've made four but I forgot to take a picture of the other one. On the later dolls I decided it would be better to sew on the face instead of paint it on so they would be easier to wash.

The top two I gave to our Polish neighbors who moved back to Poland. We miss them already!

This is a pin cushion. I found the idea here.

Flip side

These are bean bags I made for the kids. I just sewed up three sids, put in black beans and sewed it up by hand. They really like to throw them around and their daddy teaches them lots of funny games to play with them. 

I stole this idea from the nieniedialogues. 

I used thick wrapping paper and glued it to the back of the the bookshelf. I like how it turned out. You might have to click on the picture to see it better.

The Fort

As many people may know, Christina's parents have moved from Wyoming to Utah. When Christina was in Wyoming helping her parents pack their stuff, she really wanted to find the little fort she and her brother Alan received as a Christmas gift when Christina was about 5 years old. Christina's mother and grandmother made the fort themselves, and Christina wanted to make sure Ezra and Annika could play with it. Unfortunately, nobody could find the fort when they were packing.

Luckily, we got a surprise package a few days ago from Christina's mom that had the fort inside. We immediately went to the store and bought a card table. Unfortunately, however, the card table (like everything else in America) got bigger over the past 20 years or so. So Christina spent the past few days taking the fort apart, sewing on an expansion, and making sure everything fits just right. She just finished tonight and Ezra and Annika will be so excited when the morning comes and they can play in their new fort!

ICE CREAM TEST RESULTS:

Christina :

You are passionate, creative, and inspired. Black raspberry ice cream is an unusual color and flavor, so some people might consider it strange, but your exciting personality is what makes you so delicious. You bring a juicy burst of flavor to everything you do, and your life is packed with one memorable experience after another.

3% of the people who took this quiz got the same evaluation.

Jonathan:

You're as popular and relaxing as vanilla ice cream. You go with the flow, and get along with all sorts of people. You appreciate peace and simplicity, so you sometimes find crowds and loud noises overwhelming. You are a chilled-out, calming influence on the people in your life, and your friends appreciate how supportive and flexible you are. 

32% of the people who took this quiz got the same evaluation.

All of this "ice cream personality" stuff really makes me want to have some ice cream... is there anyone out there who has an ice cream maker we could borrow? We're going to try some black raspberry ice cream--it sounds interesting!

Quiet Book, Part 2

Quiet Book

I started this project about a year ago and I finally finished it. My sister in law gave me the instructions and materials to do this. I was excited to do it, but then my sewing machine died on me. Now that it's up and running again I can finish all my old projects.. so here is part one. (I am really hoping that this will help keep Ezra quiet in church!)

Valentine's Day Crayons

I saw this project in a magazine that I wanted to try. It turned out really cute so I thought I would share. Here is the directions:

Heart-Shaped Crayons

You'll need: 

Crayons, heart-shaped mold pan or tin

To Make:

Use crayon scraps or break up full crayons into 1/2" bits. Use a single shade or mix several together. Fill the mold about 3/4" high with crayon fragments. Bake at 250 for 10-15 minutes, or until crayons are just melted. Remove and let harden. Tip: Put in freezer for a few minutes and the crayons will pop out easily.