Valentine's Day 2016

I love making creative and fun Valentine's for my boys to give out to their friends at school.  Each year they pick out the item (I like to go non-candy items if we can) they want to give out and we find a talented blogger who has made a free printable for us to use to go with it.

This year son #1 choose little Valentine rubber ducks and son #2 chose Valentine gliders.  Both items came from Oriental Trading.  Both ideas for the printables came from The Crafting Chicks.  The airplane/glider printable is HERE.  And the duck printable is HERE. 

I had some difficulty getting their printable files to download - and I was in a hurry to get them done - so I created some simple paper strips with the words on them myself.  Cut them in to long strips - tie or staple them on, and boom, Valentines are done.

For boxes to take to school, son #1 chose to re-use his Football box from last year.  It was a classic and I was very happy not to have to make another new one for him this year.

Son #2 saw a Hot Air Balloon box as I was perusing the internet - so we grabbed a $3 basket from Target and a mylar balloon - tied them together, and there you go.  He loved it.  This idea came from Tatertots and Jello - HERE. 

Fabric Covered Notebooks

The end of school means a stack of teacher gifts need to be thought of, made, and wrapped up.  Fortunately there are some great crafters out there who provide lots of great ideas (and tutorials).  I happened upon this Fabric Covered Notebook idea over at Ameroonie Designs and fell in love.  Her tutorial is easy to follow.  And just to make sure I didn't have to mess things up with sewing math, I made sure to get notebooks that were the same size as hers (5"x7" - thanks Walmart!).  I even ordered in the same fabric that she used - it couldn't have been cuter!

I used the pastels, boy, and primary colored main fabric for variety, since I had to make six of these.

My boys each chose the coordinating fabrics, ribbon, and elastic colors for each of their teachers.

I loved each of them - the dark blue is so pretty.

This pink one on top may have been my favorite, if I had to choose.

There are endless possibilities with all the coordinating fabric choices in this line (Riley Blake Hexis).

The notebooks are simple lined notebooks and can be changed out as needed.  The old one slips right out of the sleeve and a new one slides right in its place.

And here is the finished product, with a pen in the pocket and all.

We added a polished geode slice necklace that the boys helped make to go with each notebook and along with a handwritten thank you note from the boys, we called it a great school year.  It's always so wonderful to have great teachers that are patient and help your children become better at everything they do.  

I love Amy's tutorial - quick and easy.  

The boys each wanted a notebook of their own, so with some BOY fabric (they each selected their own fabric from my stash) and larger notebooks, I made summer writing journals for each of the them.  I didn't think to take a picture of those, but I will and will add the picture later this week.  

Valentines 2014

January seems to fly by so quickly and Valentines will be here before I can blink.  So I try hard to work ahead and get the boy's Valentines ready to go before the end of January.  I've had these done and ready to go for about a week and a half now.  The best part is that they come from other crafter's blogs -  great people who are so willing to share their great ideas.  

And actually, neither of these are new ideas for us.  We've used them in the past.  But they are so great - and the boys are at a new campus this year so the vast majority of the kids in their classes haven't received these from them before.

Son #1 chose to do bouncy balls again this year.  These come from Paging Supermom.  She has some great ideas.  I've already printed out some Valentine's worksheets for the boys to work on this week and next.  These are so easy - print out the labels, sign your name, put the balls in a plastic bag, and staple everything closed.  Simple and cute - can't beat it!

 Son #2 picked these great bug jar Valentines.  I truly LOVE these!  They are from Dandy Designs and they were a huge hit with son #1's class last year.  Print the jars on brown card stock, have son #2 sign his name, and pop the bugs on with removable glue dots.  

I love hunting down cute boy Valentine's ideas on the inter webs.  So many great people out there are willing to share their hard work and great ideas.  And they make my life easier.  Is it crazy to say that we already have ideas and maybe even a few supplies picked out and packed away for next year?  

Or maybe I don't!  

Reusable Christmas Bags

Another craft that's been in the "to do pile" for at least a year ~ ~ ~ Done, Check!

So yes, I finished these the late afternoon of Christmas Eve, but that still counts.  I had seen these reusable Christmas Bags over on the Riley Blake blog a year ago and decided I needed one for each of my two boys for their Christmas pajamas.  Honestly, the bags were for me . . . but I did find a really fun Christmas scavenger hunt printable (wish I could remember the source now!).  I set up the super easy hunt with these bags hidden at the end and they loved figuring out all the clues and finding new pajamas at the end. 

The link for the tutorials (bag and fabric name tags) are HERE at the Simple Simon & Co blog.  Super easy sewing.  The hardest part is making the buttonholes for the tags - but my sewing machine makes those quick and easy too.  I used the same Alpine Wonderland fabric as in the tutorial.

The fabric name tags really make it, I think.

 I added a string of pom poms on each bag - because really, pom poms make everything cuter!

And away they go until next Christmas Eve. 

A Quilt for My Little Camper

Well son #2 had to grow up, at least a little bit, some time.  This summer we finally took the leap and got him out of his toddler bed into a "big boy" bed. And I've struggled.  Not with the big boy bed part, but with the "how to decorate his room" part.  Son #2 is not picky . . . at all.  Son #1 was a tad bit picky but luckily he went a long with my insightful guidance and agreed to decorate his room in an outdoors/wildlife theme.  We found the most amazing bedding that really inspired the theme at Target quite a while ago.  And knowing that son #2 would someday need his room to be more grown up, I've been on the lookout for something just as cute for him ever since.  Though Target discontinued carrying the bedding line I got for son #1, I was able to find various sets on eBay and I thought about just getting son #2 matching bedding - since there was really absolutely nothing else nearly as cute.  But as cute as it was, I couldn't talk myself into giving them matching bedrooms.  They are completely different people and I want them to each have their own identify.  I wouldn't want son #2 to feel like he is just a miniature son #1.

 

So when we took out the toddler bed and brought in the beautiful, gently used, Pine bed that I found in the local online classifieds, it was time to get serious.  Son #2 and I spent hours looking online at all the bedding options that would steer his new room theme.  Nothing worked.  OK, remember he's not all that picky - so let's just say it - nothing worked for me. 

 

Then, a started seeing a vision.  We are all about the outdoors and wildlife around here.  And some of the wall decorations that will stay in his room are of that same genre.  I remembered a cute line of boy fabric that had been out but wasn't sure if I could still find it.  I could and I managed to put together various cuts from all across the internet.  I drew out a quilt for my little guy along with a pieced backing and a matching curtain - thank you to whomever invented graph paper.  Quilting math is truly far more difficult that Calculus - and I would know, I took two years of Calculus! 

 

Anyway, the fabric arrived, I triple checked my quilt math, and finally I started cutting all the pieces.  It always makes me laugh just a little when I'm piecing a quilt - you buy this great fabric, then you cut it up into little pieces and sew it all back together again.  Fortunately, my mom happened to be in town over Labor day weekend and I talked her in to manning the ironing board.  I sewed and pieced and threw chunks of fabric upstairs for her to iron.  We had the top pieced in under 24 hours.  I had done the curtain a few weeks ago, just to see if I liked it.  I finally finished the pieced back this weekend and now, it's all ready to take to the long-arm quilter.  Son #2's camping quilt is just about ready to go into his camping themed room.

 

I know the pictures are awful - at night, in the house.  But at least you can get the idea.  The cotton fabric is all Fox Trails from Riley Blake.  It's an adorable line that I just love.  Husband kept saying it was a little girly for his tastes . . . until I got the lightweight corduroy and lightweight denim borders added.  That helped "man it up!"  The colors are light blues, light greens, creams, and tans.  It really is great fabric!

 This is a little better view of the top.  The coordinating fabrics includes some plaids, argyles, stars, and dots. 

And here's a shot of the back.  It's more of the denim and corduroy with some strips of cotton pieced in.  

 

I'll drop it at the quilter's soon and after I get it back and get it bound, I'll show the finished product.  There's starting to be a nip in the night air so it will be finished just in time to keep my little camper warm.

Catching Up - Bags and Car Carriers

Ah - summer is flying by.  I've been having too much fun playing with the family.  Oh that and maybe a little work thrown in here and there.  But I have been doing a little crafting over the last few weeks.  So here's some catching up.

A foldable reusable bag.  Easy to make - thought I'd like it better than I do.  The straps are not nearly long enough for my liking.  But it is cute. 

And we were in need of another little boy present.  So I went back to a favorite - the car carrier.  Only problem is that the tutorial I've relied on for these has been taken down.  Thank goodness I have a couple of samples lying around to take measurements from.  Love this fabric!

So for future car carrier making - here is my own (picture-less) tutorial.

Outside and inside pieces 14 x 14 inches

Car pocket 14 x 9 inches (fold in half)

Ribbon tie 36 inches

Sew folded pocket to lower part of inside fabric.  Sew in center at 7 inches and then on each side of that 3 1/4 inches from center seam.

Sew on road (oval or figure 8).  Add in lane line with floss. 

Place ribbon in seam and then sew inside and outside pieces right sides together leaving a 2-3 inch opening in side for turning. 

Turn and top stitch. 

Burn ends of ribbon to seal.

ADORABLE!

I do have some more very cute projects lined up - time, now I just need to make some time!

By My Valentine

Oh how I love blogland! There are so many great ideas out there and so many wonderful people willing to share.

I found these great bouncy ball valentines over at Supermom and printed up a bunch for my boys. They signed their names on all of them. I've been stalking every Hobby Lobby I passed for the last few weeks and ended up with plenty of super balls . They worked up to be about $0.20 each. Plus they're just so darn cute, I can't stand it. My boys are SUPER excited to pass these out at school this week.

Heart Attack: I saw this idea HERE at 71 toes a week or so ago. We decided to give it a try and it has been such a great thing in our house. We each did four or five hearts the first night and then one heart every day until Valentines. We all love to see the hearts all over the kitchen and the boys love to read them and remember all the different ways and reasons that we love each other. It's a nice way to focus on the positives!Happy Valentines!

ABC's & 123's

I've obviously known that one day my boys' rooms would be changed as they started to grow up and get real furniture. So a few months back when I saw this post over at Someday Crafts, I downloaded her cute posters and then sent them off to Costco to be printed. I choose the all white background.

So now the day has come when they can finally find their home - son #2's bedroom. Two frames and a couple of nails later, and here they are. Husband thinks they should be lower and touchable to be quality learning tools (ah, ever the elementary teacher he is!). I like them just as they are - cute art for a little guy's room.

Soccer Bags

It's official . . . I've turned in to a "soccer mom". Hopefully not the stereotypical one but rather one that enjoys watching her son(s) play sports for the fun of it . . . and doesn't over think the coach's choices and number of minutes played and boo the referees, etc. Today was son #1's first team practice. He did G R E A T! Knowing that today was looming, I wanted to make something soccer related just for him. I've seen Noodleheads' great tutorial on Drawstring Backpacks and decided to make a soccer bag for my little man. I changed it up just a little bit - I used all soccer fabrics and since I have the luxury of a grommet tool I added grommets in the bottom corners instead of using tabs to hold the cording.The zippered compartment in the bottom section of the bag exterior is pure genius! I have no idea what we'll actually put in here for soccer purposes, but for me it's all about the "cuteness factor"! I think I have to search around for a fun soccer zipper pull just to add another point of interest.Since I still had some leftover black oilcloth laying around from my hair clipper boxy bag, I decided to line his bag with it - - - whatever stinky socks or grassy shoes get thrown in won't damage it at all. Since most of the sewing for the lining is on the wrong side of the oilcloth, it sews like a charm.

And then today while sitting in a day-long meeting, I started feeling bad for son #2 who wants desperately to play soccer like his big brother. It's already going to be hard enough for him to sit on the sidelines and watch big brother play. Maybe he needed his very own soccer bag to put his little ball and water bottle and snacks in to take practices and games. Besides, he'll be playing on a team within the next 2 years. Of course, I always buy too much fabric which means there were plenty of leftovers. So I hurried home and grabbed my mat and rotary cutter and decided just to make this a simple, easy bag -no zipper pocket, no oilcloth lining. It did have to be "cute" so I patched together a few pieces to make the front interesting instead of plain.
And it literally worked up in all of about 15 minutes. I didn't have a long enough piece of leftover cording so I'll have to zip by a store later this week to grab another piece. But it worked for him today and he loved it . . . and he didn't feel left out. That makes my heart happy!