Handmade Christmas for Boys - Lego Play Mat

Here is the next handmade present.  This one is for an 8 year old that LOVES lego and has an amazing imagination when it comes to making stories, scenes and scenarios.  With some lots of help from a fantastic friend, a large (1 . 5m square) hemmed piece of fabric and some fabric paint I made this.

I thought that with a farm, an airport, a forest and a series of roads there would be plenty of play options.  The boy loves it and couldn't wait to get home and play with it.

Handmade Christmas for Boys - WALLETS

Today I had Christmas with my family - I made presents for all the nephews this year, using stuff from my cupboard.  I was determined not to buy anything new.    I almost made it but ended up buying some elastic - not too bad.  I made a wallet for the two oldest boys.

 One loves everything tractor and farm so John Deere fabric I had left from another project was prefect.

The other used to have some shorts made of guitar fabric and was sad when he out grew them so I used the last scrap I had to make his wallet.

I'll show you more tomorrow...
Have you made any Christmas presents for boys this year??

A Three Year Project

When I was pregnant with Eli (who is now 2!!) I started knitting a cotton throw blanket.  I didn't have a pattern, my friend had one that I liked so I borrowed it and counted stitches and rows etc.  I cast on 150 stitches and started my moss stitch.  Each row took me about 45mins to knit!!  I was cruising along alright but after awhile, as you can imagine I started to lose a little interest and get a bit bored with it (and started other knitting projects). 

Every now and then I would get it out and do a bit more. Then Eli joined our family and then the desire  and the need to have a blanket decreased each day.  

Then 2 years on, my sister announced that she was pregnant.  Out came the blanket again - I was on a mission to get it finished for this baby.  After running out of cotton and then going all over town to try and find more that matched, I finally got the knitting all finished!  BEFORE Jimmy arrived.

It then sat in a pile on my sewing desk for a few months till he actually arrived and I was gently prompted by my sister to finish it.  I was going to try and make binding till I discovered blanket binding. How cool is this stuff.  Once I had this it took me all of 15 mins to finish. 

Now it is used and loved by my newest nephew and his mum.  Isn't he CUTE?

3 Things Thursday - Boy Blue

~ blue paper balls (hospitals can be so dull but these brighten the walls)
~ name flags
~ meeting my new nephew (he came 4 weeks early so glad we got that baby shower in first)

Terrific Two!!

Our youngest had his second birthday today.

 He was much more interested in the bottle of balloons than the new duplo!!

 We made 'Frank' the header for the cake - he loves riding on 'Frank' with dad.

Having fun playing trains with Pa.

This kid is so special - he brings so much joy to our family.

Happy Birthday Eli!!

Yellow and Grey

On the weekend I hosted a baby shower for my sister - I chose grey and yellow for the theme as we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet.  (We like the surprise).

Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of the table all set out or of me and my sister together.  It seems that once the event started I was too busy enjoying it to remember my camera.  

Anyway here are some of me preparing.

We had bottled water with the labels covered by grey paper with a yellow punched circle.  

I also made the hanging circles using a large punch and simply sewed them together at random intervals.

I found yellow and grey straws and made traditional lemonade

A lemon and sour cream cake with cute little bunting (that's a bit hard to see) 

This was the present table.

I happened to find a perfect pack of singlets with grey and yellow for the 'clothes line'.

I made grey and yellow bunting.

This is going to hang in the babies room (so are the hanging circles)

I first saw this on Sewliberated and have wanted to do it ever since.  

This was the perfect excuse.

We had a great day and I had heaps of fun preparing all the little details.  Did you notice the piece of farm equipment?? Apparently it is a foot valve, that goes over the end of a pipe, to stop stubble & rubbish from getting into the pump.  I think it makes a great drink dispenser stand.  I'm not allowed to keep it so I told the farmer that is fine, as long as he isn't using it when I want to have a party.  We can share it!!

Happy Baby Shower Jen - feel free to have the baby anytime now.

My new 'door'

After inspiration from bbeingcool and Country Style Magazine, I turned this old door into this new 'command centre' in my kitchen.

 The top two panels became a space where the next two weeks plans are clear for all to see.

The bottom six panels are magnetic blackboards for the kids to play, create and learn on.  The middle was so pretty I didn't want to change it at all.  Since it has been in my kitchen I've discovered that this space is the prefect spot for me write anything that I need to remember - phone calls to make, shopping lists or jobs to do, and to write fun messages to my husband!!!

Glitter

Let start this by saying I am not a big fan of glitter - but kids just LOVE IT!!!

After an incident with glitter this week, (read half a bottle upended on the carpet in the lounge and run through to 'make pretty patterns') I decided that perhaps an organised, semi-controlled glitter activity might be in order.  I got a sheet of contact facing sticky side up, trays with glitter and eager boys.

They had a great time making feet patterns and getting 'stuck' on the contact, then to finish off we stuck a sheet of coloured paper on, folded all the edges in and ended up with a fun, glittery piece of art.

My favourite part of this whole activity - it used up all the glitter!!! YAY.  And no, I'm not going to buy any more.

Happy Shiny Art

We recently did some combined art with some special friends.  When Grace put a link to this on facebook I made a cheeky comment that I would love to do it - as long as it was at her house and she could direct my boys.  She said sure and so we did!!

Well the whole process went surprisingly smoothly.  With clear direction, and others following the guidelines each of the boys did a great job of drawing on their canvas.  Then with some help, limited paint and a controlled environment they painted within their own drawing.  

One week on, we returned and re-drew our drawing to re-define the picture and then painted it with a shiny vanish.

These are now displayed proudly above each of the boys beds!

Sometimes I worry about setting too many limits on our kids but then I see them create something wonderful like this that they love and enjoyed doing.  This helped me to remember that there is a time for directed play as well as free play.  

Easter 'Advent'

Easter is pivotal in our faith and we want help our kids understand this.  So I am aiming to do an activity with them each day and gives us an opportunity to learn more about why it is so important.  We have very active, hand-on boys so doing physical things with them helps them learn, rather than just talking about it.  Here's yesterdays activity.

Oh how I wish I could share the smell that came from my oven as these cooked with you.  It was so good.  My boys thought this was the best lunch we've had in a long time!  We are definitely going to make these again.  My husband reckons they were as good as ones from the bakery.  Yay!!!!

Celebrating

• Birthday flags went up
• Cape made (the night before and still doesn't have a hem)
• Super hero stance mastered
• New scooter loved (and coveted)
• Cake chosen, made and eaten (he is in love with tennis at present)

Oh how fun the last three years have been.  So worth celebrating and making memories.

Washing - Fun & Scary

This week I washed a clothes line full of fabric I've recently added to my stash.  

I finally used a voucher I was given for Christmas and some other fabrics that my wonderful mum brought me from South Africa.   Some of it has plans, others just dreaming about all the options.  

Oh the fun, imagining all the things that it could be.

I also washed the first of my spun wool.  

I finally went for my second lesson last weekend and learned how to ply the wool.  

Then apparently the next step is wash it so that it binds together and doesn't knit on the bias. 

How scary.  

I also have some beautiful hand-spun blue wool that is for a cardigan for me.

You can see the difference between my beginner spinning and the consistent 'she's been doing it for years'  spinning.