Cookies, Crayons, Classes, & Chaos

Converting discarded packaging into useful storage

Another great idea from Indietutes!! She shows us all how to sew plastic packaging into easy-to-make pocket storage.

From this....

To this!

How clever!

See more ways to use fabric scraps and remnants....

Kids Sewing and Crafting Projects

Sewing Curriculum

Sewing lessons and projects for boys and girls are available from Kids Sewing Projects. Lessons start at pre-K and proceed through various stages of beginner projects to intermediate levels.

Kids Can Make This!

The expansive site for all types of crafts, You Can Make This, has a special section devoted to kids projects.

Teaching Children to Knit at Home or in School

A list of useful teaching resources is available for adults wanting to teach children to knit at home or to incorporate into educational curricula.

There are helpful rhymes for teaching knit and purl stitches that I think I'll use for myself! I still wish I could figure out finger knitting though. Grrr...

Handmade Dolls

What a delight it is to peruse the many different whimsical dolls by etsy Black Apple artist and blogger Emily Martin!!

She has incredible sketches and some of her sketches make appearances as dolls.

Even better is that she has free patterns and tutorials for Black Apple Dolls that you can make at home!!

A couple of quick finds today...

The Scientific Homeschool Blog with lots of resources, lessons, and ideas.

Expert and user-created database of math and science activities at How To Smile. Look up ideas or contribute your own!

The dreaded grocery store conversation....

Okay, homeschoolers, raise your hand if you've been at the grocery store during school hours and had the "Why aren't you in school?" look or conversation.

Here is one mom's interesting discussion in just such a place and many humorous comments from other readers.

My favorite part of the article is her summary of what secular homeschooling is and is not. It's a useful piece as it seems many folks have a misconception about secular homeschooling.

Freebies and Fun with Fabric Fragments

Do you want to try your hand at something creative but don't want to commit a lot of time or money? The projects in these three books will let even the beginning sewer find success. Experienced sewers can use up left over scraps and fragments to make new treasures. Enjoy!!!

One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Fabric Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric! by Rebecca Yaker & Patricia Hoskins

This highly regarded book (by the likes of THE Amy Butler of fabric designer fame) comes in a convenient hardback spiral-bound version and the Kindle version.

Sewing Bits and Pieces: 35 Projects Using Fabric Scraps by Sandi Henderson

Find pattern freebies at the author's blog. She also has a beautifully illustrated reference guide to different hand stitches on her blog.

Small Stash Sewing: 24 Projects Using Designer Fat Quarters by Melissa Averinos

Click on book image above to learn about the book and download a free pattern! Visit her blog to see luscious samples of fabrics she has designed.

Easy sew costume: Max from "Where the Wild Things Are"

Here is a fabulous tutorial from Mad in Crafts in how to sew this Max (Where the Wild Things Are) costume using some simple dollar store supplies. Too cute!! (I can't say the same for the book. It terrified me as a kid and gave me nightmares!!)

Easy Projects for Crafting Kids' Hideaways

Fabric and a little imagination can go a long way on a warm summer day or a cold rainy indoor day. As an added bonus these hideaways are able to be compacted for storage.

This simple shade tent is likely to grow into other uses as kids grow! One or more of these can transform into tents, tunnels, canopies, and building materials for all sorts of creation.

A fabric tent or teepee is not only fun to use, it can be fun to make with the kids as well. This free tutorial treat comes from Sew, Mama, Sew! and uses simple canvas that kids can help paint. How fun!

It doesn't get any simpler than this free tutorial for a no sew easy canopy from Homemade Mamas. This is so easy and fun you'll want to make a bunch!

Sew a gift to encourage kids' creativity and compassion

This beautiful gratitude wrap from Souleful mama is an inspirational way to keep thank you cards and writing supplies in a handy kit.

This free tutorial from author and blogger Amanda Blake Soule shows you how to easily make this kit and encourage kids to be creative and kind.

Free patterns for easy to sew pants for boys

Easy sew pants tutorial from Handy Home Projects -- So easy she can whip up 20 of these in a day!

Here are free instructions for easy sew cargo pants for boys from Modern Sewing Patterns

Cultivating Home has some great tips for sewing for boys, where to find patterns and inspiration. It seems there is a dearth of patterns for boys. She suggests looking for vintage patterns. I hadn't thought of that!

Kids Sewing Project has a tutorial for sewing boys shorts (or long pants) using a comfortable pair as a pattern.

Instructables offers this lounge pant tutorial.

Essortment provides a simple formula for making a pattern and sewing kids drawstring pants but if you would like an actual pattern to follow you can purchase this Kwik Sew Pattern or try this highly rated book!

Check out the fun collection of boy craft and sewing projects available at Someday crafts and Sew Chic and Unique.

Easy sew skirts for girls and their American Girl doll friends

Twirly Skirts

Twirl Skirt from Indietutes - This tutorial is very easy to follow. All you need is a few strips of fabric!

Twirly Skirt from House on Hill Road - Another simple tutorial using larger fabric swatches.

Matching patchwork twirly skirts. Follow the easy steps for a girl-sized skirt at Indietutes and for a doll-sized skirt at Twirls for Girls. It can fit an American Girl or similarly sized doll.

More Easy Skirts and Dresses

Skirts from dishtowels from Grace Violet.

Solar dress - Super easy, super adjustable fluid dress from Indietutes. The delightful model is wearing the dress while coloring the pattern for the dress.

Recycled sweater gore skirt from Martha Stewart - Make one for a little girl and follow the same instructions to make a pattern for a doll

For general resources for sewing for kids check out the tutorials at Whip up including this kimono wrap.

Or try this highly rated book "Sewing Clothes Kids Love."

No sew Fantasy Fairy Wings and Skirt

Halloween costume? Winter Sugar Plum fairy? Birthday princess? Lots of reasons to make your own fairy wings for gift giving.

Here's an easy way to make no sew fairy wings from Kids Sewing Projects.

Now...to add the skirt! Here is a tutorial for a no sew tutu skirt from Plumtickled.

Great lighting advice

The dark days of winter are on their way. Who am I kidding? Here in mid-Michigan we have the dark days of spring, summer, fall, and winter.

And with a house that does NOT take advantage of ANY natural lighting, I'm always searching for good lighting solutions.

Here are some great lighting tips from Diana Vreeland at In My Own Style. It also includes a link to some freebie magazines!!

What can you do with discarded plastic VHS cassette tape boxes?

Responding to a craigslist add for some storage boxes made me the lucky winner of an overflowing shopping cart full of old VHS cassette tape boxes. Technically they were for audio tapes so there are small prongs inside to make the small cassette fit into the large box.

Savvy 'n Sassy Ribbon was excited to get them too...her stash below is considerable smaller than mine!

My initial idea was to use them to make the zillions of learning game kits and materials for centers like Ms. Powell (now Mrs. Watson) from Cornerstone Teaching uses. She uses zip top baggies but I thought these cases would be much more sturdy and perfect for the job!

I figured I would also be able to use them for storing small crafts like Materials for the Arts has done.

But with this abundance I need to tap into some more creative juices. Here are some ideas others have already found:

The librarians had the most ideas!
- Detective kits for reading program "Get a Clue" theme
- Book safes
- Decorate for treasure box
- Pencil and school supply holder (and can be checked out for use at the library)
- First aid kits
- Zoo in a box kit
- Scrapbook kits
- Travel game box

Here's a mini-book, photo holder, craft kit from Savvy 'n Sassy.

You can make an impressive cover for your logic analyzer or project boxes. Unfortunately I have no idea what that is. I clearly have no need for this but it looks really cool!

Now this is more like it! Here's the tutorial for turning the VHS case into a purse!

How about a "dummy" key holder?

Back to School Crafts & Projects

A pile of things I'm itching to create and make to capture the end of summer, embrace the new school year, and think ahead to Christmas gifts:

Kicking off the school year

Marking Milestones. This modern take on paper cut-out silhouette and the painted growth chart, from the crafting chicks, let you capture the unique attributes of your child at the beginning of each school year.

Making back to school wardrobe accessories. Here are some fun craft projects to enjoy making together before the back-to-school crazy schedule begins. The washer necklace and flower hair clip are from the crafting chicks, and the recycled ruffle headband is from instractables.

Enjoying fun food treats. Capture the essence of summer with these faux watermelon jello treats or tickle their funny bones making these edible crayons from Gourmet Mom on the Go.

Looking ahead to Christmas and winter birthday gifts

Toy Kitchen & Laundry. These spectacular DIY projects, including a toy refrigerator, sink, stove, and washer/dryer, are from the amazing Ana at Knock-off Wood who makes every wood working project look super easy with her fabulous plans and drawings. There are also plans for a little library, post office and others to complete the little city. There are more play kitchen designs from the Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh website, many from repurposed furniture.

My current craigslist project...restoring vintage chaise lounge chair set

Thanks to the generous craigslister I am the new owner of these soon-to-be-gorgeous vintage chaise lounge chairs!! She received them from a friend several years ago. The friend had purchased them at an estate sale.

These appear to be Woodard Ionian chairs made in the 60's and 70's.

CRAZY CRAFTY IDEA #1 - TAPE IT

Looking for a low-cost immediate fix for the chairs, I momentarily (or longer) considered using duct tape! It comes in so many wonderful colors, you know! Hot pink and purple would look really cheerful especially with winter doldrums ahead, right?

CRAZY CRAFT IDEA #2 - WEAVE IT

Well, it's not so crazy, exactly. It may be a tad less "metropolitan" but it does speak to my country roots. Yes, it is macrame!

If you've been to a craft show you've probably seen an old lawn chair frame refurbished in macrame cord with [insert your local team] emblazoned on it.

There are many more cool ideas and free patterns out there!! And there are loads of colors to choose from including some glow in the dark cords and some variegated varieties.

Actually, here is a very sophisticated macrame option that actually imitates the old caning and accentuates the architecture of the chair beautifully. Plus I love that the crafter needing advice finished this project super quickly!

~~CRAZY CRAFT~~ PRACTICAL IDEA #3 - STRAP IT

To really "restore" these I would need to use replacement vinyl straps and j-clips. Here's the typical color palette available by the roll (or in pre-cut strips) including clear: