Flower Easter Egg

Want to do a fun little Easter project with a few supplies that you probably already have among your craft supplies?  Pastel felt scraps, pearls, pins, an egg Styrofoam shape, and a small flower shaped die.

 I don't know about you, but it is so much fun to get out a few basic supplies.....with a general idea and see where it goes and how the project develops.  

 I just bought this Sizzix lilac flower die recently, just for the shape and size of these flowers.  I know this is old school, but I have been using these dies lately to cut felt or wool.  It is so much fun and it cuts it so well.  Here I am using up some scrap pieces to get a few more flowers cut out. 

 I just cut up a bunch of these flowers in both sizes....in several different pastel colors that I had in my felt stash.  A couple of them are wool felt, which I love.  I don't have much of that because of the cost.....but it is wonderful to work with and has a more beautiful look to it.  Aren't they sweet?

This is what I ended up with....adding little pearls with pins and a piece of ribbon for the hanger.  I dip the ends of the pins in a little craft glue before inserting them into the Styrofoam to secure them well.  You could leave the ribbon off, if you don't want to hang it.  I think doing one all in the same color-way would be wonderful too.   I included Miss Chicky in the pic too....this is a Mill Hill kit from a couple years ago.  She is a hoot!!!  I often take something like this to work on when we travel.

We are enjoying an unbelievable spring here in the Midwest....so I hope this little project brings some "spring" into your life.  Isn't this Easter postcard wonderful?  ....as always right click on the image and you can save it to your computer.  I just saw a garland made from postcards that are machine sewed to a piece of rick-rack.  It was wonderful, I haven't gotten to that yet.....so many projects, so little time.......

Felt Easter Baskets

I bought these adorable Easter Buckets last year at Target on clearance after Easter.  I had planned to make something similar for the grand kiddos......but when I saw these at 75% off.....buying was a lot easier!!!!

To personalize them, I embroidered their names out on felt, cut them out, and sewed them to the handle of each bucket.  How easy is that!!!!

Aren't these colors wonderful?  .....they would make a great quilt palette.

I haven't looked in Target or any of the other stores to see if you can purchase anything similar this season.  I would think you could find something like these.  Let me know and I will pass it on.

I am so excited to have the kids use them in a few weeks.

Felt Puzzles

I have been working to complete this series of felt puzzles for the grands.  They love these things and check out which one I have out when they come.  I just finished August and September.  They were the last ones I needed to finish.  Woo -hoo!!!  The September one has a school bag theme.....very cute.  You can find out more about these designs at My Fair Lady Designs. http://www.myfairladydesigns.com/whatsnew.asp?ItemID=37

Father's Day

Doesn't he look warm and cozy in his hand knitted snowsuit?....I am sure made by his mother.  My dad was born on his mother's birthday on a terribly cold..... winter day, during a snowstorm...such a happy guy and he still is.  He is kept busy fixing things and making furniture and repurposing furniture for our entire family.  He and mom, pop in and out during the week, out here on the farm and it is always a joy to have them stop by.  Thanks, dad for everything!!!  I love you.

I am still keeping up with making a felt puzzle every month for the grand kids.  June's has a Father's Day theme to it.  The puzzle has all these sports themes to it, which really is not my dad.....although he does enjoy watching the Cubs and the Vikings. 

His "fun" of choice would be fishing or working in his wood shop and being around his family.

Here is the cute pocket all ready for all the puzzle pieces.

Here is the puzzle page....with the puzzle all put together.  I must say the grand kids look for these as soon as they hit the door and are so excited when it is different.  :)  I hook the two pages together with a binder ring decorated with various colors of ribbon.

Here is the link for you, if you are interested in purchasing these puzzles designs.

http://www.secretsof.com/content/4288

Draw String Bags Tutorial

A couple months ago, I wrote about making seasonal felt puzzles with my embroidery machine....the designs come from My Fair Lady.  Any how, a couple of them do not have pockets big enough to accommodate the puzzle pieces, party because I add an extra piece of felt on the back to make them heftier.  So I decided to make small draw string bags to keep part of the pieces in...so hopefully they won't get lost.

These are so easy to make and have a ton of applications for use.  They can be made in any size too.

I selected two different novelty fabrics to go with their appropriate monthly puzzles and ribbons to match.  I like grosgrain for this application for sturdiness.  Cut out 2 pieces of fabric the size you want your bags to be plus 1/4" seam allowance around each piece.  Also allowing an extra 1 " at the top for the casing, if using 1/4" ribbon.

Press the top of each raw edge under, then press the edge down again a little larger than the width of your ribbon...probably about 1/2" .  Take some seam sealant and go over the drawstring openings.

Edge stitch along the casing edges on both the front and back of your bag.  Then stitch the bag together around the outside edge with right sides together.  Starting just below the drawstring opening and back stitching to secure, continue to the other side and back tack at that drawstring opening....otherwise you won't be able thread the ribbon through the casing.

  Then I did a zig-zag stitch around those seam allowances just to strengthen them and keep them from raveling, also starting below the casing and stopping before the next casing on the other side.

I have laid the ribbon out to show you how it needs to be threaded in both directions to make a drawstring.   To determine your length, just lay out some ribbon and allow for some extra to tie a knot in the end.

Turn the bags right side out and use a bodkin to thread the ribbon through and then tie a knot in both ends to keep them from being pulled out.

Here are the bags with each puzzle.

Felt Puzzles

Several years ago I found the designs for the felt activity books from My Fair Lady.....to see the cover of the Easter Book check back to my Easter Tree Post for a photo.  If you want me to post the pictures of that book let me know.  These books are absolutely darling.  When I have taken them for show and tell......let's just say fav project ever!!!!

I also got a couple of these monthly puzzle designs free when I bought the Seasonal Book designs, but since the puzzle set was a monthly premium and I did not come across them until late in the year, I was only able to get a few of them for free.  This year I decided I wanted to finish that set and stitch out each month the puzzle for that month.  These are very popular with the Grands.....




April Showers Puzzle





This view shows the puzzle put together.



March St. Patty's Puzzle

The only issue I have with these puzzles and it is partly my fault.  I added another piece of felt on the back of the puzzle as I stitched out the puzzle pieces.  I wanted to make them heftier for the wear and tear of my tribe, so that makes them thicker.  The designer's "little" basket & coat are really not big enough to hold all the pieces.  I still like them and overlook that problem.  :)

http://www.secretsof.com/content/4288

Here is the link to purchase the Puzzle Designs.  I chose to not put them in a book.  I put each month together with a binder ring usually decorated with ribbon and trim.  And I keep out only the current month.  The Grands love a surprise when they come visit & what I have out is different each time.  :)