Nesting Bags, or all purpose kid storage

With young kids at home I often have problem finding storage for all of the little pieces, precious treasures and tiny characters/animals/rubber ducks. Or in reality, my darlings aren't quick to clean up the little worlds they create in every corner of my house. I had some duck cloth left over from two other projects and plenty of fun fabrics that when I bought them had a project that I have since forgotten about...

Soule Mama posted a link about fabric buckets and I did a few google searches for fabric buckets/boxes/baskets. I decided against round b/c I'm not the best circle sewer. I wanted to be able to make them in three sizes with out spending my afternoon doing math.




After a few searches I figured out my approach (similar to here) and made three patterns out of a paper bag. I started with the largest base and made the sides as high as I thought would hold plenty of "stuff" - then made the next pattern an inch or so smaller, and the final pattern even smaller.

I cut out from the canvas and fabric. Made some rectangles for the straps out of the canvas. I skipped the batting b/c I didn't have it on hand and the fabric seemed sturdy enough. Sewed up the sides, made the handles (ironed them and did a top stitch to close), basted the handles on one the canvas lining, put the bags together (right sides together), sewed, flipped and top stitched. Voila!

As an after thought, b/c I had some extra squares of fabric from the cutting process, I added a pocket on the inside for the medium and large baskets.

 The kids love them and use them for all sorts of things, usually not storage.

Few more hats...

Knitting: my excuse to skip the laundry and watch some tv, but yet feel like I'm doing something very productive. I highly recommend it.


Introducing the "cookies and milk" hat! A customer on etsy asked if I could make this baby hat for her new grand daughter. She like the idea of a cookie to go with the "milk." I used a smaller needle size than the boobie beanies and it had a satisfying smoothness as a result. 

The next special request was for a boobie beanie but with a tan skin color and dark chocolate nipple. Same 3-9 month size as my original ones but again, fun to play with the colors a bit. 

Rainy Day Collage

 
Seems like these days most of my art is either with my kids or about my kids. I know it won't always be this way, but I do dream about working on a project for more than a few minutes at a time!


We've had some rain and time when the youngest is sleeping. I pulled out two board frames that I rescued from our "swap shop" (a shed at the town transfer station where you leave/take items). They were dark brown "art" from Target, but they boards had mounts and were in good shape. I stashed them for some yet to be determined project.


Also in my stash was some collage paper. A pack of assorted papers that I used two Christmases ago to wallpaper my girls' doll houses.

I had the kids paint the boards with sponges and they picked yellow and orange acrylic paint. The back ground still feels a bit dark, but the color really helped. 

Then we (I mostly) cut all sorts of shapes and while the paint dried we built flowers on the floor. It was fun to make patterns and layer. Once we had our ideas in place we stuck them to the sticky drying paint. We did use a glue stick here and there and later that evening I did a light layer of modge podge. 

Breastfeeding Thank You Cards

Breastfeeding is dear to my heart. I have had wonderful (not always easy) relationships with my babies through breastfeeding. The snuggles, sighs, squirting milk has been a remarkable part of my experience of motherhood. 


After knitting the boobie beanie, I started thinking about breastfeeding in public. I've been lucky and had some kind words said to me by strangers. It can really help boost your confidence if someone just smiles and nods when you're in public trying to feed your hungry, tired little (or big as the case often is) baby. 


What better way to say thank you, or good luck, or I remember when my kid did that then to hand someone a thank you card. A business card size with a pro-breastfeeding message. I don't really have anything to say to a stranger, just would like them to know that it makes me happy and sentimental. 


I took a look around and found these cards, and these, and ones from the State of Texas. I'm working on trying my new drawing pad for the computer and here is what I've come up with so far. 

My plan is to keep drawing, put them in pdf files and then people can print/cut them at home. Spread the thanks!

Drum Stick Bag

I find it challenging to make handmade items for my husband. I haven't tried to make him much in our ten years together. A year ago I attempted to make a carrying case for his drum sticks. Took the idea of child's crayon/colored pencil holder and expanded the size. I can't remember which sites I looked at but I know there are lots out there - some adorable ones on etsy too.

I went with felt on the inside, canvas on the outside and bias tape for the sides - it was hideous and showed EVERY flaw. I also picked a tan canvas thinking my kids would paint/decorate it for him but that didn't end up happening. We had the canvas on hand after a place mat making project (with polka dot fabric on the back!). Trying to put wool felt and canvas together was tricky given the nature of two different materials.

This time around, I made the whole bag a bit larger, used a dark color for the outside and for my lining found an old hexagonal, brown corduroy table cloth that was my grandmothers. The corduroy was fabulously soft and worn but not in use since it was for a table long gone in the 80s. I also had found a large ball of trim that turned on the wrong side matched the burgundy and the brown in a delightful way. 

The kids loved that when it was done we could bundle it up, tie it with the bow and it looked like a wrapped present.

Yoga Strap

My 5 year old started a yoga class with her very own mat and not with me. I'm jealous, which prompted me to finally buy me, um, her a yoga mat. I've needed one for a long time, but I usually borrow from a generous friend or pay $1 at the studio.

Given the new mat, a new carrying strap was in order. After a few searches I found this and decided given my time (and helpers) I could skip velcro, buttons, clasps and just make two button holes.


Instead of using interfacing, I cut the fabric extra wide and ironed it to the desired shape rather than having to turn it right side out. 6" wide, and either two 36" (stitch together) or one 70" super long piece. Fold in half, iron as you go. Then turn each edge into the middle line and iron again. Fold again and iron again! You end up with four layers of your fabric for the strap. Sew all the way around, two button holes and voila!


The most challenging piece is getting your head around how to thread it through to make it fit your mat... I am working on a tutorial for that because it is a bit tricky. So far I've made a strap for all the children in her class and maybe I'll manage to get a few up on etsy.

Tuesday Fairies

Tuesdays are now our official art class day when the little one is napping. The class originated after our 6 week session of yoga ended and I asked the 3yr old what she'd like to do next. Art. I looked into programs at a museum school but I simply couldn't afford the price tag. 

Then I pitched the idea: Tuesday afternoons would be art class. I would officially teach and get materials together. I would stop doing "mommy things" (all the never ending chores are now titled in our house) and sit with the girls while they worked. The class would start as soon as baby E (15months) went to sleep and there would be snack. 


Last week we checked out a fun art book at the library, I may need to track it down for our collection but you can look at it here. It is a sweet spiral bound book of drawing and painting techniques that the kids can do with very little help from an adult. The book inspired us to learn how to paint and draw some fairies. 

We started with watercolor shapes. Basic head, triangle body, two wings, hair and a dot for the top of a wand. I brought out the hair dryer to speed up the drying a little and once the paint was dry we added our detail in pen. 


Tracing the head, dress, adding feet all made for fun conversation and a very satisfying product. I think I may have to go back and dabble now that the girls are asleep.