Fred&Toots

Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Well I wasn't planning on a blog break but it just kind of happened.  We've got a no TV/no computer rule going on in our house when the kids are awake.  I can check emails or look up something but replying to emails and making my rounds in blog-land has to be done when the kids are asleep.  So without the ol'boob tube to entertain the kids I've been filling in leaving me with no energy to post at the end of the day. 

It all started with my son's strong desire for a WebKinz (they are all the rage right now and every one of his friends has one - even three year olds in my daughter's preschool class!)  A stuffed animal that comes with a code so you can look after it in a virtual world on-line, ugh.  I told him 'never', 'they're a waste of time & money', 'you have your own real-live pets you can play with and look after' and the list goes on.  Well, J.T. (softie!) said he'd buy the kids each a Webkinz if they could do no TV/no computer for 3 weeks.  It has been a couple of weeks now and my kids are getting along better then ever and their play is so much more creative.  We are on a roll but unfortunately part of the fun of a Webkinz requires going on the computer.  I'll definitely be controlling 'when' and 'how long' much more then I used to.  As for TV, the kids don't miss it a bit.  Before the TV/computer ban Mister C was asking me like one hundred times a day if I would buy him a Webkinz.  I'll be interested to see how great he thinks it is once he's got one.  I don't remember wanting any toy that badly.  I don't think I had lots of toys (my mom may beg to differ?)  I guess I would of liked an EasyBake Oven and there were Barbie things I would of loved but nothing I begged for...you?  Was there a toy or something you just had to have? 

True Loves Wednesday: making stuff

Ever since I can remember I've always loved making stuff. Everything I look at I'm thinking, 'what can I make with that?'. When I'm making something I don't get that twitch in my eye I normally seem to have and my head feels clear. One day I'll have that dream studio, for now, clear off the kitchen counter, here I come.

On the go:

This guy is just about ready for his new home, arms needed.

Thinking about making some egg cozies. A hard boiled egg is one of Miss Z's favourite meals so how cute would one of these be to keep it warm for her?

These ones are very vintage, from J.T.'s Gramma:

and then these ones found via Stylehive.

And more on the speedball rubber stamps:
The Small Object for mucho inspiration & things to buy.
and a how-to here.

Off to ski on this snowy day (pulling the kids out of school!). The wind has died down and things are feeling pretty peaceful at the moment. Feels like a nice night to get cozy and make something.

What's up?

Not much going on around here. A couple power outages this weekend (about 26hrs. in total) which spurred me to clean out my fridge...

and on a crafty note, the kids are working on some 'thank you' cards for all the goodies they received this holiday season...

On a recent trip to the local art store I saw this speedball rubber stuff for making prints. The kids drew a picture for their cards and I transferred it to the rubber and carved away and voila. For Miss Z's card we rolled out just some black tempura paint and stamped away. Cam's picture stamp was just the perfect size for a stamp pad we had on hand.

December!

Here we are...December!  I have a few Christmas decorations out but not many.  This weekend I'll 'haul out the holly' and such and speed up the crafting. 

One craft project I have completed so far is a button advent tree.  I got the idea from a friend whose mother-in-law quilted one for her.  There are 24 buttons and you hang a small ornament (leaving the top for last) each day in December until Christmas Eve:

While crafting up this appliqued/quilted tree thing Miss Z was busy 'creating' as well. 

Before starting a project I always make sure the kids are either a: out or b: set up with a craft of their own.  On this occassion I set up the kids with a selection of 3D objects (like boxes and wood) and paint to decorate them with:

The more I got 'lost' in what I was doing the kids moved on to other things and when all got a little too quiet I thought I better check on things...

Miss Z had gone from paint to scissors.  The sides got chopped off and there was a big chop off the back and one off the front.  She was very proud of her work - what could I do but pull out the camera.  One of the first things that popped into my head was 'thank goodness school photos have already been taken'.  It's only hair, right?  It will grow back.  I did take her to the professionals to get it tidied up a bit...

(please excuse the lens flare blur)

I love how she loves her new cut!  I've always had my hair on the long side so I just naturally assumed that it would be an adjustment for her but she loves her hair.  She's only been mistaken for a boy once (as far as I know) but my little tomboy took it as a compliment.  Go figure.

Other crafty things on the go:  felted snowmen

Here's one Miss Z & I worked on together.  She said that the snow'lady' needed purple lipstick and a pink scarf.

Here's a closer view of her head.  It kind of reminds me of one of those fancy flower swim caps:

* my apologies to the MAC users out there.  Every now and then my site does something wonky and the text appears as one giant link.  I don't know why this happens but I'll see what I can do - I have to think back to how I fixed it last time??? Any ideas?

Instructions as promised

Woven Strap

Materials needed:

• 2 or more 'sticks' (depending on desired width and how many can be held comfortably in one hand)
• yarn (for a belt you would probably require 2 50gram balls)

For the sticks I used pre-cut dowels bought from a dollar store in the craft section.  They are pencil length and one centimeter thick.

• with pencil sharpener, sharpen one end of each stick.  (no need to be too pointy, just angled enough that it's easy to wrap and slide yarn around)
• on the other end whittle with a pocket knife to create two flat sides to the end.

• now on the flat end carefully drill a hole, as large as the dowel can handle without splitting (you may need to sacrifice one)

Now for the threading and weaving:

• measure out a length of yarn (the length would be the actual length of your project plus about 8 inches for knotting off at either end) for each stick you'll be using.
• * thread each stick and knot it in place

• with the yarn that is attached to the sticks, gather the ends and do one big knot leaving a 4 inch tail.

• now with your master ball of yarn, knot a loop and slide it on the first stick then begin weaving back and forth on the sticks sliding your weaving down gradually as you go.
• when you've reached the desired length, cut off the sticks and knot it off.  Add pom poms, tassles or beads to the ends and voila! a strap, belt or scarf!

*  to make it easier to thread the sticks one can use dental floss or fishing line or thread.

make a loop of thread and put it through the hole in the stick, bring your yarn through the loop of thread and then pull the loop through bringing the yarn through as well...

craft idea

Still working on getting back into the swing of things...took me forever to get a new header up and now my head kinda hurts.

but enough rambling for now

Thinking back to school these days I was fondly remembering my first grade teacher.  Mrs. Irving.  She reminded me of Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island.  We had a huge maze of gerbils in our classroom as well as a baby rooster (would that be a chick too?)(just looked it up, it's a cockrell) and a chick.  The gerbils would roll around in their balls while we sat at our tables and the chicks would hop along the top of the tables visiting us all.  If you were lucky one might even drop a little gift for you on your paperwork.  Mrs. Irving was a square dancer and I remember seeing her in her dress one time.  Blue and white gingham with a big, fluffy crinolin.  What can I say, she rocked!  What got me thinking about Mrs. Irving was a craft I remember doing in her classroom.  I tried it out with my niece who is 8.  It's like weaving and the results come quickly.  It's a great way to make a belt or strap for a purse or maybe even a guitar.

Next post:  Instructions (started typing them out but they didn't make sense at all)

In the meantime, another link for inspiration from a friend who is concerned with the decline of my posting: dirty car art

Greetings from Toronto!

I'm in Toronto!  My Mom & Dad just moved here in May so I've brought the kids out for some grandparent time.  I've been playing in a baseball tournament with my Dad last night and today which has been fun. I had pre-game jitters because it's been a long time since I've played ball but just like riding a bike!  I've also had a chance to wander off on my own already.  I've had a little shopping spree at H&M which we don't have out west - a bit overwhelming, there was just too much to choose from.  Another place on my list is Urban Outfitters (which is also not in Vancouver) and I'd love to get to a few crafty places on Thimble's list.  J.T. is at home holding the fort (hey babe!) so I won't go into too much detail about how much fun I'm having! 

I was a bit anxious about the 4 1/2 hour flight out on my own with the two kids but we all managed just fine.  They definitely needed a good run in a wide open space at the end of the trip but all in all a smooth journey.  Before I left I just had to make a few little goodies for the trip.  This one has come in very handy - a pen roll-up so I wouldn't have to be bending over too much on the plane to retrieve roll-away pens... 

and I bought some horse figurines and made a little bag for them...

My new best friends...double-sided iron-on interfacing and SpeedSew.

What to make?

I just recently finished a poncho for Zoë (pics to come) and I made a little beaded

pouch to give in the Secret Santa exchange at the Knaughty Knitter's Christmas party and just recently knit up several small squares.  Last week at Gwen's for Knaughty Knitters we all were quickly knitting up squares for a blanket for Nicole and Eric's baby whose birth is imminent.  There was one point in the evening where the only noise in the room was the clicking of our needles.  Two very sweet babies were in attendance that evening, Emelia and Phoebe, sending along their good baby vibes to the squares.  Anyhow, my hands are idle right now!  I need to find a knitting project so I've been going through my huge stash and all my patterns.  I have a few ideas but I wouldn't mind starting fresh but my yarn stash keeps calling out, "use me! use me!". hmmm

Christmas is coming...

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny then a ha' penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha' penny then God bless you!

Growing up, this was something my family & I would start singing around this time of year.  Whenever Christmas was mentioned someone would start singing this and we'd join in singing in rounds.

Another Christmas tradition was making our own ornaments for the tree.  I remember making these beer tab ornaments with my Grandma one year:

Must make some ornaments with the kids...for a 2 and a 4 year old baker's clay is always a hit.

Where does the time go?

I must admit I haven't felt like posting lately.   I can't say I've been all that crafty lately but creating daily.  Whether it be making supper or doodling with the kids I'm using my creative energy...must start taking pictures so I can share it with you because it's always fun to see what so and so is having for dinner etc.  Also inspire me to work on my presentation.  uh huh.  Anyhow, before I go a couple places I look at for inspiration...

Hanna Werning - love the layers and the colours and the images she chooses!

Nanalan' - this is one of my favourite kid shows.  The sets are full of interesting crafty things to look at.  It is a puppet show that always has a puppet show within a puppet show...if that makes sense...you can watch the videos on the website to help get the idea