Christmas Traditions: Advent Tree

In our home, we try to bring the meaning of advent into our daily lives.  My favorite tradition is our Advent Tree (aka "Presents for Jesus").  This was inspired by a lenten cross my mother would put up every lent with a bowl of stickers next to it. The idea behind this is that when one of the children does something that is kind for someone else, is helpful, or makes a sacrifice for others - these are the presents that Jesus wants.  So, when they do these things, they get to take a "present" and place it under the "tree" or put an ornament on the tree.  The goal is to have as many presents under the tree and as many ornaments on the tree as possible - inspiring and rewarding selfless acts.

I made the tree out of Kraft Paper.  I just painted it with some leftover paint I had from another project.  This was a fun project for my then 5-yo to help.  I stapled it to our CORK DISPLAY BOARD, but you could just as easily tape one to the wall.

I love that this Advent Tree not only has a significant teaching and religious aspect to it, but it also makes a high impact eco-friendly decoration for the Christmas Season.  Everything can either be recycled or saved for next year's use.

You can make your own Advent Tree.  

How about you?  Do you have any Advent traditions that you love?

Cornucopia Bulletin Board

My husband built me this wonderful bulletin board next to our kitchen table.

It is just some chair rail framed around some cork panels.  We use it to display our children's art work that they bring home from school.

During the holiday seasons, however, we like to dress it up a bit.  So, I got out my trusty roll of kraft paper and some paint.

The boys came up with fruits and vegetables and I free-handed them onto the paper for them to paint.

 

 

Sometimes it is hard to get this quality time together.  This time is what I was feeling most thankful for.

Look at all those amazing fruits and vegetables!

Meanwhile,  I painted the cornucopia.

A few snips and staples later we have a bulletin board cornucopia.  We can take it down and reuse for next year, too!

ReCre8 a Shoe Organizer into Yarn Storage

If you are a knitter or crocheter, you may appreciate this.  I needed some good storage for my yarn in the guest room.  It had to be easy-to-find what I am looking for and aesthetically appealing.  These hanging shoe organizers TOTALLY fit the bill.

ReCre8 Fabric Scraps: Stuffed Turtle

I have one little boy in my life who always has a creative project idea for me.    Some of them are not practical (such as a giant remote control gorilla).  So, when he asks me for a soft stuffed turtle, I can say "yes"!  I loved making this little fabric-scrap turtle for my son.  When you make a one-of-a-kind gift for a child, the payoff makes it totally worth it.

Supplies

• A piece of thin cardboard
• One piece of scrap fabric for the body.
• One piece of scrap fabric for the shell.
• One scrap of batting.
• Thread to match
• Embroidery thread
• Stuffing

Instructions

1. You start by cutting out templates from a piece of scrap cardboard.  You can just free-hand it or you can use this image as a template.
   
    
   Here is what some of the template will look like.
   
   
   
   
2. Double your scrap fabric for the turtle body.  Arrange the body template pieces (see picture below). Trace around them with a pencil or pen.  
   
   
   
   
   
3. Double the fabric for the shell. Trace around the shell template.
4. Trace the shell template onto your piece of batting.
5. Cut the shell fabric and the body fabric leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.
6. Cut the shell batting with no seam allowance.
7. At this point you should have 2 pieces of fabric for body, 2 pieces of fabric for shell, 1 piece of batting for the shell stuffing.
8. Assemble the Shell
• Place fabric with right side facing each other.  Using your sewing machine, sew around the shell with a 1/4" seam leaving a 2" opening.Stuff the batting into the shell and then hand-stitch the opening.
• Stitch the shell in spiral or desired pattern to give it a quilted effect.
• OPTIONAL: Using a backstitch with embroidery thread, make a design in the
9. Assemble the body
• Sew around the body with a 1/4" seam leaving a 1" opening.
• Stuff the body with stuffing and then hand stitch the opening.
10. Tack the shell to the body at four or 5 points around the turtle.
11. OPTIONAL: Embroider on a face or a smile.
    
    

Enjoy your stuffed turtle!!

Little Boy Clutching Beloved Little Turtle

Bringing joy to my little boy with a few left over scraps of fabric? That is a finer thing.

This post is a contribution to Finer Things Friday at Amy's The Finer Things in Life.

ReCre8 Old T-Shirt Projects: Memory Pillows (Epsiode 1)

So, this is my "5 minute" attempt at creating a t-shirt pillow.  I had this 12x12 pillow form sitting in the craft closet, so I thought I could throw together a pillow case for my 7-yo with his old T-Ball t-shirt.

I didn't want to mess with fusing and such, so I dealt with reinforcing the t-shirt material by using squares of an old sheet to sew underneath them.

Supplies

• 2 13x13 squares of old sheet or similar cotton fabric
• 1 t-shirt
• 1 12x12 pillow form
• Sheers
• Sewing Machine

Instructions

1. Pin the 13x13 square of fabric to the front of the t-shirt, taking care to place any graphics in an appealing place.
2. Cut around the 13x13 square.
3. Repeat for the back of the t-shirt.
4. Layer your squares with the t-shirts pieces sanwiched inside the cotton fabric.  (the part you want to show should be facing each other in the middle.

5. Using your machine, sew around the edges leaving a 1/2" seam.  Leave a 5" opening for stuffing the pillow form in.
6. Turn the pillow form right side out.
7. Stuff your pillow form into the pillow case.
8. Hand stitch up the seam.  (Here is where I tried to take a short cut and use the sewing machine.  You can see from the picture that it does not look pretty!  I don't recommend it!)
9. Ta-Da! now you have a soft comfy pillow.

ReCre8 Old T-Shirts

T-Shirts.

I have WAY too many T-Shirts. I rarely wear them, but I love the memories of special events and times in my life that the T-shirts represent. Being the beginning of the New Year, it is time to clean out some of these unused items from my closet. Rather than just trashing them, here are a bunch of projects to ReCre8 these t-shirts.

1. T-Shirts as Rags. (Instructions: Just cut them up - any shape or size)
   
2. T-Shirt Handkerchiefs/Wipes (Instructions)
   
3. T-Shirts as Reusable Napkins. (Instructions)
   
4. T-Shirt Pillowcase: (Instructions)
   
5. The T-Shirt Quilt. (Instructions)
6. T-Shit Laundry Bag/Tote Bag (Instructions)
7. T-Shirt Memory Scarf (Instructions)
   

I plan to try several of these. What about you? Do you have any ideas to add?

What to Do with Old Pants: Travel Pillow Cases

Adult-sized non-tapered chinos or Jeans are just perfect for very simple pillow-case for a travel-size pillow. I love to have travel pillows with us for naps in the car or to use with sleeping bags on overnight trips to Grandma’s house. However, things get so dirty in the car being accidentally stepped on with muddy shoes or ending up with popsicle sticks melted into them. I needed a cover for these travel pillows that I could just throw into the washer with everything else – and I didn’t have too much time toi spend on this project.

So, after making my “coloring bag” (also good for travel in the car), I took the left-over pants legs from my husbands old chinos and made them into a nice little pillow-case. Here’s how I did it:

1. Get a travel pillow (you could make one from scratch - I found these at CVS).
   
2. Cut off a pant leg from a worn pair of chinos. Choose a 15 in section of the pants that is wide enough to fit around the pillow.
3. Sew: Sew up the side at an angle so the top and bottom end up the same width. Sew down the bottom of the pillowcase.
   
4. Fold under the top of the pillow case twice and sew around.
5. Turn right side out.
   

Once I was finished with the sewing portion, I wanted to personalize them for the kids. (They do love to have their own, personal items. So, on our trip to the beach in the car, here’s how I did it:

1. I had them each choose a picture they wanted on them.
2. Using a ball point pen, I wrote out their name and drew their respective fish, shark, and turtle
3. Then using a back stitch I hand-stitched around my free-hand drawing. Then I embroidered on their names. With such a thick material for the pillow case - I didn't find any need for a hoop.
   
4. Voila – no they each have a one-of-a-kind very special travel pillow.
   

These get a lot of use around here and can easily just get thrown in the laundry for cleaning.

ReCre8 Profile: Design*Sponge Before and After

I am certainly no designer. I've always been missing that capability to put all the pieces together in such a way that they just look good. But, I do love getting inspiration from good, talented designers and artists in the world.

One amazing source of ReCre8-ive inspiration is the before and after series on Design*Sponge. Grace Bonney, a Brooklyn-based writer, puts together a beautiful collection of makeover projects that can't help but make you want to go to the thrift store the next time you need something!

Cre8 a Knitted Baby Hat - Episode I

I love to knit. Most especially, I love to knit baby hats. I think it is because of the speed and simplicity of the projects. I am always in need of baby gifts and I can whip up a hat in a night or two while I'm watching Top Chef.

I usually make up the pattern as I go, but lately I've been trying to write them down so I can share them. This little baby hat is probably best for babies ages 3 months - 1 year (depending on their head size).

Supplies

• Yarn: 2 colors (your choice) Baby Weight DK Yarn (I like Sirdar Snuggly Baby Yarn, which they do not make any more). You will need 1 skein plus a scrap for the second color.
  
• Needles: Size 4 circular needles and set of Size 4 double-sided bamboo needles
• Small Cable Hook

Gauge (Understanding Gauge)

• 6 stitches/in

Instructions
Don't know how to read a knitting instruction? Check out "How to Read a Knitting Pattern" at WikiHow or the excellent resources at About.com.

• Cast On 80 stitches with Color #1 and join to work in the round.
  
• Rows 1-3: in Color #1 (K2P2)*20
  
• Row 4: in Color #2 (K2P2)*20
• Rows 5,6: in Color #1 (K2P2)*20
• Rows 7,8: in Color #2 (K2P2)*20
• Row 9: in Color #1 (K2P2)*20 -- NOTE: continue in color #1 for the rest of the pattern
  
• Rows 10-15: K35 P2 K6 P2 K35
  
• Row 16: K35 P2 C6F P2 K35
• Rows 17-22: (repeat 10)
• Row 23: (repeat 16)
  
• Rows 24-29: (repeat 10)
• Row 30: (repeat 16)
• Rows 31-36: (repeat 10)
• Row 37: (repeat 16)
• NOTE: While decreasing, switch to your 4 double-sided needles whenever the hat becomes too small for your circular needle.
• Row 38: (K2 K2tog K3)*5 P2 K6 P2 (K3 K2tog K2)*5
  
• Row 39: K30 P2 K6 P2 K30
  
• Row 40: (K2 K2tog K2)*5 P2 K6 P2 (K2 K2tog K2)*5
• Row 41: K25 P2 K6 P2 K25
• Row 42: (K1 K2tog K2)*5 P2 K6 P2 (K2 K2tog K1)*5
• Row 43: K20 P2 K6 P2 K20
• Row 44: (K1 K2tog K1)*5 P2 CF6 P2 (K1 K2tog K1)*5
• Row 45: K15 P2 K2 K2tog K2 P2 K15
• Row 46: (K1 K2tog)*5 P2tog K5 P2tog (K2tog K1)*5
• Row 47: K10 P1 K2tog K1 K2tog P1 K10
• Row 48: (K2tog)*5 P1 K3 P1 (K2tog)*5
• Row 49: K5 P1 K2tog K1 P1 K5
  
• Row 50: (K2tog)*7

Using a yarn needle work the tail of the yarn through the 7 stitches, removing them from the knitting needles. Pull the top of the hat closed and work the yarn into stitches on the inside of the hat. Work in all your yarn ends to complete.

ReCre8 Frosting Jar: Crayon Holder

This is a very simple project I did for my boys' birthday party. It was useful and I had to assuage my plastic guilt for buying the Betty Crocker frosting. Here's how I did it (as if directions are required):

• All I did was wash the frosting containers
• Cut a strip of card stock to fit around the container and tape it in place
• Add the crayons

At the party, I used Kraft paper as the tablecloths (like you'd find at a crab shack) and put the crayon containers in the center so the kids could just color on the tablecloth. Now I am enjoying having these on-the-go crayon containers for the car, church, or visiting a friend.


Any other uses for frosting jars?

Cre8 an Eco-Friendly Pre-School Birthday Party

I've been struggling this year with putting together a birthday party for my three boys that is simple, fun, and a minimal impact on the environment. This year, no cheap plastic goody bags from Oriental Traders and the like. But, I have been struggling with what to do as an alternative.

In the end, I think I'll only partially meet my goal, but I'll document the party on the blog and let you know how it goes.

In the mean time, I found a great resource over at Kiwi which provided some good ideas - some of which I think I'll use.

Does anyone else struggle with this? Any ideas to share?

What to Do with Old Pants: Sketchbook Pouch

I saw this great project over at Fun In the Making. Make a protective pouch for your sketchbook or journal using an old pair of jeans. This one looks SUPER easy. I love the idea of reusing that button. The approach is so cleverly simple. You know I'll be making my own and posting up the results... It would look great with a little patch or even some beading.

Re-Cre8 Profile: TerraCycle Inc.

TerraCycle Inc. is a really cool concept for a business. The co-founders Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer, begun with the idea for a profitable yet eco-friendly and socially responsible business. Their first product turned food waste into plant food sold in re-used soda bottles. Now, they have a suite of products available at major retailers, such as Target.

The company actually pays you to send them your trash (specific trash) and uses that as the raw material for their products. You could get a cork board from waste corks, a Capri-Sun pencil case, or many others - you get the idea.

So, check it out...

What to Do with Old Pants: Coloring Tote

This project involves making a bag just the size for some activity books and coloring books along with crayons out of the butt of a pair of men's chinos. These are size 36 waist pants. Anything smaller might not yield a bag that can hold coloring books, but might be fun just the same.

Here's how you do it:

1. Cut down the side seams of the pants, so you are left with just the back side.
2. Fold in half (top to bottom) and cut off any excess on the sides to make sure it will be square.
   
3. Cut across the butt allowing the height of the bag you want plus 1-inch for a seam allowance.
4. Sew across the bottom of the pockets (on the inside) so that they are at a desired length. (I like them just tall enough to hold some crayons, but so that the crayons can still pop out the top).
   
5. Fold in half side-to-side and inside-out.
6. Sew across the bottom of the bag.
7. Sew across the open side 0f the bag. The top will be very thick, so be careful there.
8. Make the strap:
   • Cut a strip from one of the legs that is ~4 in. across.
   • Fold in half long-ways and sew up the side leaving 1/4" in. seam
   • Turn the strip right side out and sew up both sides with a 1/4 in. seam to keep it nice and flat.
9. Now attach the strap to the bag by sewing at the waste-band.

Now you have a nice kid-friendly tote. Get's dirty? Just throw it in the wash with your clothes. Decorate it up however it seems interesting to you. If you try this yourself, send me some pictures or techniques.

What to Do with Old Pants: Special Bags

My boys all have to wear khaki pants as part of their school uniform. Three of my oldest son’s pants had been worn through the knees (or cut with “safety” scissors). Rather than just getting rid of them, I thought I’d alter them in to khaki shorts. No problem… just snip, snip and hem. I hated to just throw out the bottoms of the pants, but I couldn’t justify adding to my “scrap fabric for creative projects when I have the time” pile.

I got the idea to turn the pants legs into a “special bag” for each of them. Kids, especially ones with siblings with whom they must share everything, love to have something “special” made just for them. Here’s how I did it

1. Turn pant leg inside out.
2. Sew a Seem down the un-hemmed side
3. Optional: (to give it more depth) Rotate to the side and sew a line forming a triangle (do the same on the other side.


4. Flip right-side-out. Cut 2 slits in the existing hem on the inside of the bag
5. Using a yarn needle, take some scrap yarn and work it all through the hem and out the other slit. This will form your draw string
6. Tie a knot in the string and voila, you are done!

You could also finish them off by needlepointing their names on the bags – or even just writing them with a fabric marker.

These bags can be used for snack bags or storage. They are a great reusable alternative to Ziploc bags for that kind of thing. But, when we are going somewhere and the kids want to bring toys, I like to tell them “Get your special bag and you can bring whatever can fit in there.” They love to spend time choosing the toys they want to bring with them and gathering them all up. Last time we went hiking and rock climbing as a family, they brought their special bags full of dinosaurs. My 5-yo did not like to have to carry the bag, so he had the idea of getting a stick and hanging the bag on the stick while resting it on his shoulder. Of course, as soon as he had done this, his little brothers wanted in on the action. Before you know it, we had a parade of boys Tom Sawyer-style hiking up the mountain with their sacks. We got a lot of adoring looks on that hike!



USES:

• Keep Puzzle Pieces Together - Those cardboard boxes don't last long in my house. Using these little bags lets you throw multiple bags of puzzles into a drawer or a basket without getting all the pieces mixed up. Plus, it looks nice.
  
• Lunch Sack - this is a great reusable little lunch bag for bringing on hikes or to the park or even to school.
• Toy Sack - Let your little ones stuff as many toys as they can into the bag to bring with them to a friend's house or their brother's soccer game or rock climbing!
• Travel Organizer - When packing for a big trip (or even a little one), these little drawstring bags are great for putting like things together. For our annual trip to the beach this year, I packed up one bag with all the spices we would need (so I could save $$ on shopping while I was there). I put all the kids toiletries in another one.
• Gift Bag - Rather than buying a gift bag at the store, these make excellent gift bags for smaller items. And it is something that the new owner can reuse or re-purpose.
  
• There are infinite uses. Do you have some other ideas?
  

What to Do with Old Pants: Uniform Shorts

So, my son had worn through the knees in most of his school pants, what to do? I know it is pretty obvious to say "make some shorts". It is so much better than giving them or (gasp!) throwing them away. All it takes is an easy hem on the sewing machine and it saves me plenty of money for buying summer uniforms for my three boys (who can all wear the same size shorts). This was project #1 with old pants.

Here is my method:

1. Cut straight across the legs right above the hole or worn part of the pants (making sure that both legs fall even). This will ensure that the shorts would hit right at or above the knees.
2. Fold 1/2 inch under and iron around for the hem. Fold under again 3/4 inch and iron (this way, you don't have to use hem tape or fray-check or anything.
3. Using your machine, stitch straight around1/2 inch above the bottom of each of the legs and you're done. (If you prefer, you can hand stitch it as well).

Don't throw away the bottoms of those legs, there are great uses for those as well!

What to Do with Old Pants

After seeing how much of the clothes that we donate still end up in landfills, I was reluctant to just get rid of all the outgrown or torn khaki pants without a fight.I started with thinking about some of my simple living goals and what I needed to meet them. One was to buy less clothing and household items. Another was to really cut down on my use of plastic bags. So, my remaking of old khakis turned into four small and easy projects.

1. Uniform Shorts
2. Pant Leg “Special Bags”
3. Personalized Travel Pillow Cases
4. Pocket Activity Bag

I’m sure there are more great projects out there for pants. Anyone have ideas to share?

Reusing Tissue Paper as Gift Wrap

I love a beautifully wrapped gift, but I hate all the expense and waste that goes along with it. Much of it goes directly into the trash within a few hours of wrapping the gift. Many of us reuse gift bags as long as the hold up rather than throwing them out, but what about reusing the tissue paper that invariably goes with them?

Tissue paper as gift wrap is so easy because it is already cut for you. If you can’t find scissors or tape (a typical situation in my home as was the problem when I wrapped this gift), you can use tissue paper to wrap a gift without these. Just fold the tissue paper to the size you want, wrap it neatly around the gift you want and secure with a pretty piece of raffia, ribbon, or even a piece of twine or yarn. It makes a colorful and beautiful presentation with little effort. Also, it’s recreating something that may just have been trash otherwise. By skipping the tape – you also allow for it to be reused again.

What goes great with a tissue paper wrapped gift? A homemade card. My boys were very into sunflowers at this time since they had been growing their own in the garden. I just took a scrap of card stock and drew a simple sunflower on the front. My 5-yo colored it in to make it a personalized card for his cousin’s 1st birthday present.