Tshirt crafts part one

Well a couple of weeks ago I saw a great post on CRAFT Magazine. They took old t-shirts and foam and made a Big Bean Bag. Well I loved the t-shirt idea - but wasn't crazy about finding foam - has I didn't have enough just laying around. I got thinking cap and remembered an idea I saw about filling pillows or bean bag with STUFFED ANIMALS. Well K had my old animals, plus animals people have given her and animals that other family members didn't want. What is great about this idea - is she has a number that are big animals and they take up space.

Well I ran with the idea. I had about 10 tshirts already put aside for a quilt - but I recently put a concert quilt together (that still needs a back and border done) - so I didn't need another quilt. I also found a craft for the scraps (another post, but check out the spring issue of Petite Purls for great ideas). Besides the shirts (you need 12) I found a couple of more shirts and I had a 24" zipper that I hadn't used. Their design doesn't use the zipper - but I wanted to be able to let the kids play with the animals.

So I made the template with wrapping paper and went to town. I used my fake overlock stitch on my sewing machine. And I cut up my shirts and put them together. I idea and making happened so fast that I didn't even get pictures of the process. I put the zipper in when I was sewing two sections together (but not as the last seam). These helps so you don't have to whip stitch the bag close- you use the zipper to help turn the bag inside out the last time. Just make sure before you sew the last seam - that your zipper is OPEN. :)

Here is one side of the shirts.

Here is the other side

And here is the opening with one animal peeking out.

I wish I had before and during pictures - if you have done a zipper before - you can add the zipper no problem.

I'm happy with the results and we will just have to see as time goes by - how the animals survive. To some it might not be the softest bean bag ever - but it is the best way to hide the excess animals we all have.

birthday party wrap-up

What a party!!

Note many pictures to come here today

Above is the new birthday banner I did for K. I had one done for her 2nd and 3rd birthday, but I did it in primary colors and this party called for purple and pinks. I did this one on my Cricut, with Plantation schoolbook. I did the letters at 6 1/2 inches on shadow. I put eyelets in and ran ribbon through the holes. This way I can switch out the age each year.

I also did a fun backdrop!

This Castle is made of a tv box and two shipping boxes. I used a big sponge for the bricks and I tried use a foam stamp for the ivy. I was using wall paint that I had - with out buying more paint - so the colors didn't stand out. The flowers were from my wedding (7 years ago) They were in a box in the basement, and I pulled out what I needed. The flower will get out away, but the kids will still play with the boxes. The kids had fun playing around it and it gave me a great backdrop for taking pictures of the presents in front of. I wish I had a shot of all the kids with their crowns and shields.

Here is the carriage in use.

The mobile up - the funny part is my daughter's 2 girlfriends who came were dressed in Snow White, complete with the shoes. K started the day in her Halloween costume and went to Snow White later. Unfortunately I could only get a picture of a couple of Snow Whites together, not all 3.

The Princesses on the Wall. These will move to K's room later

The goody bags all filled up.

One of the guests with his crown and shield all put together. I did make my life easier but precutting items (the kids ranged in ages 18 months to 4 yrs). I precut construction paper to fit the shield. Then I Xyroned the dragon and swords so they were ready to use. I put out extra foam pieces that I had that were sticky backed for them to add more details. The boys got swords in the goody bag to finish the outfit, the girls got wands. The girls did picture frames and foam tiaras, with princess foam pieces I got from Oriental Trading.

The princesses working on their crafts. I also had jewels with sticky back to dress up the girls.

And the cake!!

 I used the Wilton Princess towers to dress up her cake. Turns out you really need to have big cakes - mine didn't bake high enough even with two layers). I didn't use about 4 towers. It wasn't bad to put together. I did the flowers ahead of time out of royal icing, the "recipe"of the cake called to use fondant flowers, but I didn't want to buy the tools to do that. The cake was enjoyed by all.

And here is the backdrop being used. While K was opening presents a couple of the kids were playing in the castle.

I think K enjoyed her birthday - she certainly was spoiled and has been playing non stop with her new toys.

I'm happy with the results and I look forward to what I can come up with later. I'm also waiting to see, if I need to make some of these items for her friends later :)

Thanks for looking :)

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The first views of the birthday party

Before I start getting things set up for the party on Saturday - I'll give a sneak peek at the Cricut items I made for the party

First the invites -

These were made with one of the Disney Cartridges and the Alphalicious Cartridge.

I did the princesses at 4 1/2"  and the words at 2". The card themselves are the 5x6 1/2".

What was nice through most of my cutting I was able to use some old paper I bought when I first started scrapping (most were 8 1/2x 11" paper). I did purchase some Bazzill for the Princesses and Beast (as I didn't have good browns).

The carriage - My plan is to use plastic cups in here and display the silverware and napkins and such on the buffet table. The carriage was cut at about 11 inches. Again some old paper, the light blue is actually "marbled" looking paper from Westrim.

These ladies will hopefully be standing up around the birthday cake. I have some chipboard "stands" holding them up - if that doesn't work, I'm raiding my daughters games. These are at about 7 1/2" high

These ladies are at about 11 to 11 1/2" depending on the paper size. I had to make a beast because my daughter keeps telling us that Daddy has to dress like the beast. I'll be hanging them around the room.

Snow white - has a special place (if you were wondering where she was). I did these at 5 1/2" (I only have the orginal cricut and borrowed my friends for the rest). I did these guys over a couple of nights. I used the design studio to create a flip of each dwarf as well as a regular cut. Also using the software - allowed me to get the most for my cuts. I had a lot happening at once since some of the dwarves shared colors.

The shield will be something the boys will be decorating (it is a Knights and Princess Party).

I used the Paper Doll Dress up for the dragon and swords. I did the Dragon at 5 1/2" and the swords at "real size" 5 1/2" from the princes accessories.

And the goodies bags.

I used Paper Doll Dress up - Princess, knight, and castle. All at 5 1/2"

The tags are George and basic shapes

The names on the tags are Simply Sweet.

I didn't dress these up - since they are for 2-4 yr olds. I did put a little piece of paper in a couple of towers to make the castle stand out a little.

I'll have more pictures after the party. I know I'm going to be picked on for doing to much, but I LOVE being creative.

Birthday crazy

Over the next week I'm going to try and post a little more. My daughter's fourth birthday is coming up and I have a lot of fun things planned for her and her friends that I want to feature.

Today I want to remember her past birthday cakes.

For her first birthday I did the cupcake tower above. I went through my pictures and printed wallet sizes of her from each month that I liked. I tried not to choose her professional photos, but those that showed what she was like each month. I used the party pixs from Wilton to hold the pictures. The pictures were mounted on white paper and I labeled how old she was in each picture. I did a simple striped frosting, piped with a star tip and sprinkled with pink sugar. For a first birthday it was cute.

Her second birthday was all about Elmo. I live in Fort Wayne IN and I have an excellent cake supply store in town. I made a basic 8 inch two layer cake with buttercream frosting. I used an edible image of Elmo and bright sprinkles to decorate. I loved how easy the image was to work with. Since my family loves cupcakes I also made small and large cupcakes decorated Elmo icing heads and Sesame Street picks. It was a fun theme for a two year old.

For her third birthday, we went to the jungle. I made the lion cake from the Wilton yearbook 2008. It is made with the daisy pan and the soccer ball pan (very high cake). I made chocolate curls out of orange (white chocolate) and chocolate. I also ended up making cupcakes at the last minute when my brother was worried there wouldn't be cupcakes (like I said earlier - they love my cupcakes). We laughed because when I striped the bag for the cupcakes I wasn't thinking - I did orange and green for the colors of the party goods, they looked more like the Irish flag (good since St. Patty'y Day was a couple of days away). I enjoyed how they turned out.

I won't list the party theme for the year yet - just enjoy what I did for the cake yesterday out of royal icing.

I have a lot to do in the next week.....

Enjoy

S

St. Patrick's Day

Well as I am writing this, I get to drink a Shamrock Shake. Fitting don't you think?? I know there are a lot of St. Patrick's Day ideas floating around. I wanted to post quickly an idea I had for my decor this year. I'm hoping to do a recap of anything I try after the holiday.

I like the idea I used with the Christmas clearance garland and Valentine's Day. Well when I picked up the red I also picked up green (planning ahead and hoping maybe to add Easter to the green as well.) I cut out from my Cricut a bunch of shamrocks. I used my new Designer Calender cartridge. I did about 12 at 5 1/2 inches on my cricut and when I borrowed a friends to do party things I did more at 8 inches. I took the idea I got from Skip to my Lou Blog to sew through the paper again. This is a great way to get more dangleing items. I took 4 of the small shamrocks and made a string together and then did the larger ones by themselves. If I'm smart someday soon I'll get some invisible thread when I buy thread (or double check my christmas present - my grandmothers old sewing box full of thread). I think it worked out well again. I have to enjoy the St. Pat's decor for a little bit since I'll be decorating for a princess party shortly, with many pictures to come.

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