"" sewing tutorial | KIDS | crafts | handmade gifts | bread bags | fort kits | diy hang tags | saltwater-kids

12.12.2010

file folder gift boxes

 These gift boxes are made from items found around our house.


While rummaging though our office supplies, I came across a big box of red file folders. The color was not my first choice, but in the spirit of giving simple gifts, I thought it best to use what we have instead of buying new. 

I discovered that 3.5"x3.5"x2" boxes are a great size for the bird seed ornaments.

Materials:
file folders (cardstock, cardboard, etc. will work too)
ruler
scissors
glue gun
ribbon
First, make a template (like the one below).
TIP: be sure to make it as "square" as possible - this will save you a lot of heartache and frustration down the road.  

Trace your template on the file folder, and cut out around the perimeter. 



Fold along all of the lines.  Then, cut along the flap lines on two sides (yellow marks on template). 


Hot glue the flaps together.
To make the bottom of the box: follow the same instructions, but cut 1/8" off the length and width of the template, so the bottom of the box will be small enough to slide into the top of the box.

 And finally, DECORATE!

Happy Holidays . . . celebrate every day!


12.09.2010

thrifty gifts:: bird seed ornaments (for outdoor use)


 My boys spend hours perched in our front window, just watching birds.

They especially love putting out treats for their feathered friends.

It is amazing how quiet and still a three & five year-old can be - completely memorized. 


So, for gifts this year we are keeping it simple - giving an experience rather than just more stuff.  We are giving the experience of spending a few moments watching nature - a few moments to slow down, and relax.


These molded bird seed ornaments are a lot of fun to make, and very inexpensive. You may already have all the materials you need in your home - we were able to make gifts for all the wonderful friends in our life for around $3.

I found this recipe here, and it worked great!

You'll Need:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp. corn syrup
4 cups birdseed
molds (muffin tin, cookie cutters, etc.)
nonstick spray
drinking straw
waxed paper
ribbon/twin

1: Combine the flour, water, gelatin and corn syrup in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well-combined.

2: Add the birdseed to the mixture, stir until well coated.

3: Spray your mold(s) with cooking spray, and spoon birdseed mixture into each mold. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it down, and make the top smooth.


Poke a hole through top of each birdseed mold using a drinking straw, making sure it goes all the way through.

4: Leave the birdseed mixture in the molds for two to three hours. Then, remove the straws and lay out a sheet of waxed paper. Gently remove the hardened ornaments from the mold, and place them on the wax paper upside down. Allow them to dry for at least two to three more hours, or overnight.
5: Cut your ribbon and carefully put it through the hole. 


6: Package them up!

I made gift boxes from materials around the house - check out the how-to!

Happy Holidays!


12.06.2010

thrifty gifts:: fort building kit

I had one of those "where the heck have I been" moments last week, when my nephew brought his Build-A-Fort kit to Thanksgiving - complete with sheets, clips, rope, suction cups, and more.  

The kit was a handmade birthday gift from his friend Joli.  When I emailed her, she sent me a link to this tutorial over at BLOOM - thanks Joli! ...How did I miss this?

 

Fort building is a wonderful open-ended activity, because it can be played with in a variety of different ways.

I did make one adjustment to the tutorial to cut down on time, and added an accessory bag, but for the most part, my kit is the same.

Oh yeah, and I made a custom tag to explain the gift, as well as a matching birthday card using this tutorial.

This particular kit was made for a little girl in my son's preschool class.  It was a lot of fun to make, and I was able to use up the pink fabric in my stash. 


Now to the Thrifty part of the gift...

Here is the breakdown:
Thrift Store:
2 sheets - $1.25/each
pillowcase (for the bag lining & accessory bag) - $.50 
Dollar Store:
clothes pins, clamps, and rope ($1/each)
Home Depot: 
flashlight & suction cups - $2/each
My Stash:
The bag and ties were made from thrifted fabric & shirt in my stash - free!

... so if my math is correct, that comes to $10.00!


to check out the mini-tutorial click the button below:



------------------ UPDATE ------------------
  more kits & a great tip!






Here is a great tip from a reader: Littel Holts suggested that instead of (or in addition to) sewing ties on the sheets, create casings for the rope. Fold down each corner, and half way between each corner, about an inch, and sew.  This is a simple, but sturdy, way to thread the ropes through.



fort kit in action!





Thanks for stopping by! 

 



Check out the Fort-Kit tutorial at BLOOM HERE!



12.05.2010

new love

 
My new love arrived in the mail yesterday, in the form of a knitted cardigan.  
I love the fit.
I love feel.
I love the color. 
I but most of all, I love that it is handmade.

Thank you Jesska! 


You can find more of Jesska's beautiful designs in her Etsy shop, Woolibear.
Also, visit her blog which is full of handmade goodness. 

  

11.22.2010

snow



I made myself a snow ball as perfect as could be
I thought I'd keep it as a pet and let it sleep with me
I made it some pajamas and a pillow for it's head
Then, last night it ran away
But first -- it wet the bed.
- Shel Silverstein

 

11.19.2010

stormy weather soup

The stormy season has officially arrived around here - howling winds, driving rain, and power outages.  Which means baking and soup making are in full swing at our house.

I thought I would share one of our favorite soup recipes just in case stormy weather is headed your way as well.


 little hangs making bread to go with our soup



Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup 
 (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients:
(I usually double it, so we have leftovers.)

5 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 celery
1-2 minced garlic cloves
1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long-grain and wild rice with seasoning packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1.5 cups heavy cream/whole milk

This is how I cook the chicken: brown it first in a pan over medium-high heat, then add it to a pot of boiling of for 20 minutes, remove and shred.

1. in a large pot, sauté the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and 1/2 T. butter until the onions are translucent. 

2. Add the broth, water, and chicken to the veggies and bring to a boil.  Then, add rice (reserving the seasoning packet), cover and remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl, combine: salt, pepper, and flower.

4. In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in the contents of the seasoning packet until bubbly.  Reduce heat to low, then stir in the flour mixture, a little at a time.  Then, whisk in the cream/milk a little at a time until smooth, (not thick). 

5. Stir the cream/milk mixture in to the pot with the broth, and cook over medium heat until heated through, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!


A soup dinner at our house would not be complete without bread from this book - Delicious!  Do you have a favorite stormy weather recipe? 

11.10.2010

maintenance

I am currently doing a little maintenance on this blog... so if you are having trouble finding what you are looking for, I apologize.  I have switched over to blogger from TypePad, and in doing so I have a lot of formatting to fix, and links to reestablish - sorry for the inconvenience, I should have it back to normal soon. 

In the meantime here are a few fall photos from the past week

11.01.2010

halloween fun

Harbor halloween 2010 2

We had a fun (and dry!) Halloween this year.  Harbor halloween 2010

And aparently everyone else in the town came out to enjoy the beautiflul weather as well - WOW!

Harbor halloween 2010 4

The folks downtown are very gratious (and brave) to come out and share treats with SO many costumed kiddos. 

Toothless 5

I think the sheer number of people was a bit much for my boys...


  Toothless collage

but I was able to get a few pictures amongst the chaos.

Toothless 4

Cowboy collage
My little cowboy really got into character by yelling, "Howdy Partner!" to everyone he passed. 
George
And he was thrilled to meet a few celebrities along the way (so thirlled infact, he asked if he could go home with them).


 

But I have to say...

Dots

Dots 2
these moments were by far the most wonderful.

 

Happy November 1st!