Hiatus

I'm on a mini crafting hiatus due to a wonderful week-long getaway. Now I'm catching back up in real life. In the meantime, you can craft a Word Cloud at www.wordle.net - anyone can do this craft!! Hopefully I'll have something to post in the next day or two. Enjoy the Wordle addiction!

Baby Sling

A few years ago I fell in love with a baby slings while checking them out through HotSlings. But I'm thrify and couldn't see spending $35-$60. And so hunted for patterns on making my own. There are several out there, but I have used THIS ONE numerous times. I make them using the reversible instructions, so it is lined and so I don't have to hem it (just sew it and turn it right side out.) This is very doable, demonstrated by my cousin-in-law who is a novice sewer and whipped one up in about an hour. The pictures are of the sling with a hip-sitting toddler and a front-sitting 4-month old. It can be used and worn various other ways.

Wool Dryer Balls

For about 6 months now, I've been using Homemade Laundry Soap. I'm now going a step further with reusable Wool Dryer Balls. Use them instead of Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets. Just throw them in with your laundry and they'll take out the static. There is an excellent tutorial HERE. I actually had my wool yarn at my aunts' house and she whipped mine up for me - big thanks to Jennifer! I'm excited to use them.

If you're interested in the Laundry Soap Recipe:
5 cups water
1 bar fels naptha soap
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
3 gallons hot water
melt the soap (chopped or grated) in the 5 cups water, keeping just below boiling. pour 3 gallons water in a 5 gallon bucket. add borax and stir until dissolved. add washing soda and stir until dissolved. add melted soap and stir. let sit until cool, stirring occasionally. decant into containers.
this is a thick, gelatinous mixture. before each use, mix together, as it seperates. use as much as you would normally use of laundry detergent. is safe for high-e machines, as is a low sudsing detergent.

Yet another pair

My baby needed some black shoes. So I thought I'd whip up a pair. The only black material I had laying around was thick and furry, but it made for super cute baby shoes!!

Girly Star Wars

I know this isn't a project most people can do since I used an embroidery machine, but I still wanted to show it off. It's a Star Wars shirt, but much girlier than you can usually find. Stitched in purple, surrounded by stars with some of those stars bedazzled. Bling Bling. I was thinking of selling these - for all those girl Star Wars fans out there.

More Baby Shoes

I could easily get addicted to making baby shoes - the possiblities are endless. I made these to match a shirt, and stuck fabric yo-yo flowers on the toes for added interest. You can do an internet search on making yo-yos: I looked super quickly and found this one (click "enter gallery"), but I'm sure there are tons more. I have a yo-yo tool which is why I could mine to look like flowers. So grab some scrap fabric and get creative.

Beautified Sanitizer

So easy! Peel the ugly labels off your hand sanitizer, wipe the excess goo off with de-solv-it or goo-be-gone type cleaner, and stick on something way cuter. My 4 and 2 yr old daughters created this masterpiece. You can check out even fancier examples HERE and HERE. So hop off the computer, grab your sanitizer and some stickers, and be crafty!

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

In about 45-60 minutes, your cinnamon rolls can be ready to eat. I've had better cinnamon rolls, but you can't beat this recipe if you're looking for something to make fast. Enjoy.

1/3 C Sugar
3 Tbsp Yeast (yes, that's right - I know it's alot)
1/2 C oil
1 1/4 C water

mix above ingredients, let sit 15minutes

Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 tsp salt
4-5 C flour

knead for 5 minutes; let sit 10min

divide in two - roll each into a rectangle; cover with inners (1/4 C melted butter, 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 C sugar); roll and cut into cinnamon rolls

bake 425 for 10-15min

Hair Turban

This is a hair turban - the easy way to wrap your hair up in a towel. It is made out of a handtowel and small piece of elastic.

To make, cut a handtowel in half lengthwise. Then cut a diagonal taper from the top to the opposite corner (as shown at left). Place a loop of elastic at the seam and sew it up. Turn inside out and you're done. Another beginner sewing level project. Takes about 5 minutes.

To use, put flip your hair upside-down, place the wider part of the turban at the back of your head, twist your hair up in the narrow part, then flip back over and tuck the narrow part into the elastic (show in top picture).