{American Girl Backpack}

My 6 1/2 yr old is really getting into her American Girl doll these days, and I have to admit that I love creating homemade things for her! My kiddo of course wants EVERYTHING in the AG catalog, but if you haven't seen the prices, let me tell you...it's not pretty. We are so fortunate that one of her grandpas is really good at woodworking, and as a result, she's been hooked up with a cool doll table and chairs, a balance beam, a 4-poster bed, and most recently, a school desk. (Isn't it cool?!)

So she's been playing school for 3 days straight with the doll and the need for a doll backpack came to my attention...as well as a couple of other things but we'll get to those later. :) After writing up little worksheets for her on scrap cardstock, I got to work on a backpack.  After one failed attempt due to measuring waaaaaaay too small, this is what I came up with. I'm SOOO pleased with it!!

Isn't it darling??!  You need very little fabric for this. I modeled the pattern after the Valentine Mail Pouches 

(tutorial here ), just altered the measurements and actually attached the straps to the bag instead of using snaps or buttons. Just last week I had to cut off a pair of my old jeans that had finally torn beyond repair, so I used denim scraps for the body of the bag, and hot pink leopard scraps for the lining and straps. The flower on the front is another post! :)

I would think these measurements should fit any 18" doll. 

Here's what I did:

For the bag: 7"  x 6.5" - (2) outer, (2) lining, (2) fusible fleece

For the flap: 4" x 6.5" - (1) outer, (1) lining - round the corners freehand

For the straps: 9" x 2.5"  (2) 

I boxed the corners at 3/4".

Some lessons I learned...make sure to attach the straps BEFORE sewing the outer pieces together - AND - mine just has a flap closure which is great, but you could also add a snap if you wanted.

It's so stinkin' cute and the best part is that it cost me nothing and my kiddo loves it! It even fits on the back of her little school desk. :)

Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I thoroughly enjoyed making this! :)

Take care,

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{Valentine's Countdown Clipboard}

My kiddo has been begging me to put up a Valentine's Countdown this year! I didn't see a printable that I liked, and I didn't really want to do a treat thing with it (although those are so cute!). We'll be doing a scavenger hunt for her to actually FIND her Valentine this year, so I wanted the countdown to be just that...numbers.

So since I love Mod Podge, and I could make clipboards all day with it, I decided to go with a cute and basic clipboard countdown. It's easy!

YOU NEED:

Mod Podge and foam brush

clipboard

heavier patterned paper

ink (optional)

printer

scrap ribbon

cardstock

sticky strip or other strong adhesive

Start by cutting down your paper to ABOUT the size of your clipboard. You could also cut it smaller, leaving the clipboard as the framing around the paper. Apply mod podge generously directly onto the clipboard.

REALLY press your paper down, smoothing from the middle outward. If you have a brayer, this helps, but you don't need one. Just KEEP RUBBING OUTWARD. Then wait a couple of minutes and rub AGAIN. I have had bubbling once or twice, but only when the paper I was using was really thin -OR- if I didn't press it really, really well.

When you think you're done, rub it out one more time! :)  Trim any long edges, then take a sanding block and sand all around the edges. (You can skip this step if you make your paper smaller than the clipboard.) Distress the edges when you're done sanding.

Now apply mod podge again, even sealing over the edges, too.

Set it aside to dry, and print off your numbers on cardstock. Also print a final day sign and "...days 'til Valentines" for the bottom of your board. Trim to desired size and distress the edges if you want. (I have to distress edges. It's a sickness.)

Once it's all dry, add your strip to the bottom with a strong adhesive. I used sticky strip from Walmart.

I stuck my last day sign to some coordinating cardstock, but the rest of my numbers were on white. Clip them on in order, then tie scrap ribbon around the edges of your top clip for the cuteness factor. There you have it! Put this in a tabletop easel or hang.

Whatcha think? If you have any questions, feel free to let me know!! :) The hardest part of this was deciding how big I wanted my numbers to be. I had a brain lapse when I started it, but that might have been because it was 1AM...., ya think?

This would be cute for a vacation countdown, or other special event, too. (I'm seeing Disney paper on the clipboard and countdown numbers 'til vacation??) 

Enjoy!

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{Valentines for Grandparents}

I don't know about you, but we always do a special Valentine craft for the 2 sets of grandparents in our family. My daughter is 6 1/2 now, and I've always tried to do this with 2 requirements: a)it includes a photo of her; and b)it's something that she makes almost exclusively without me.

This year we wanted to try something with conversation hearts, since they're so cute but nobody really wants to eat them (at least we don't)!  :) So during our second consecutive snow day today, she got busy on these little cuties.

THINGS YOU NEED:

recycled food boxes or cardboard

conversation hearts

scissors

Valentine themed photo (or any photo)

hole punch or Crop-A-Dile

jute or yarn

patterned paper

Aleene's Quick Grab Glue  (or Elmer's!)

First go through your recycle basket for food boxes. I usually cut these up before I put them in and file in my craft room. They are the best FREE chipboard! Then choose some patterned paper to cover it.

Cut your cardboard and paper to size, then glue it to the picture side with glue stick. Punch holes with your Crop-A-Dile and tie on yarn or jute for hanging.

Have your kiddo write a Valentine's message on the back, and date. Cute nails, huh?

Now you have your hanging background, a photo, and your conversation hearts ready. We have 2 of each. We used a photo of her in a Valentine's tee next to our "Love Tree."  (I got this idea here. )

Last year it was her and a Valentine Build-A-Bear. :)

Center your photo and glue on, then start adding hearts all around the picture. I used my Aleene's Quick Grab because I thought in the end that it would be stronger than Elmer's.

In no time it's finished! You could also distress the edges, but my kiddo didn't like that look so she won. :)

Let it dry. They are a bit heavy, so if you mail yours like we do, be sure to bubble wrap or put in a padded envelope.

The best part is that my kiddo loves how it turned out. She sang the whole time she worked, which is always my favorite part. :) Grandma & Grandpa can hang this anywhere and feel the love all the way from our house!

Take care,

{Recycled Valentines}

I've made a TON of treat bag Valentines over the years, but there's nothing like the ones in a tub, jar, or container of some kind. There's just something about using a container that gives it a really finished look. You can spend $$ on cute containers, and by all means, have at it! But I've found that I can get the best containers right out of my recycling baskets.

These are Ragu spaghetti sauce jars. After washing the jar and lid, I used Goo Gone to remove the sticky label, soaking and scraping with my trusty Pampered Chef pan scraper about 3 times. Then I primed and painted the lids red. The date on top still wouldn't cover completely, but I knew I'd be covering that anyway. Sorry I don't have before pics. They turned out super cute, and will be a Valentine treat for my daughter's teachers.

My hubby has to use Visine eye wash wipes religiously, so I have a stash of leftover containers. I use them for storage, but never for treats, and now I'm wondering why? They were perfect and no prep at all!

The labels all the way around and on top, and are REALLY stuck down tight. But honestly I knew I would be covering them up so I didn't even bother to work on removing them. I'm sure it would come off with Goo Gone, so go for it if you must. :) I just measured my belly band to make sure it would cover the label. Loving this one, too! I'm envisioning Halloween treats in these...maybe spray painted orange or black? Hmmmmmm...

Now I may have to make one for the paper carrier, the mailman, my hairdresser.... :)

Enjoy. And go through your recycling. It's full of cute potential, I guarantee it!

{Framed Burlap}

I'm a huge fan of signs...mostly antique ones...displayed in my home. When I saw this project at one of my favorite blogs, Brown Paper Packages , I had to try one for myself.

I changed it up a bit to make it something I could leave out all the time. So now I have a super cute "Est. 1998" sign on my antique hutch in the kitchen! It must be pretty cute because even hubby commented how much he liked having it there!  :)  I used a square frame that I  no longer have a photo for, re-painting it black and distressing it again.

I used Staz-On black ink, and a set of my el-cheapo foam alphabet stamps from Hobby Lobby. LOVE those things at 50% off. I use them for everything and they work just as well as pricey wood mounted.

After cutting my burlap the right size, I got a general idea of letter/number placement mostly just by lining up the stamps and eyeballing it. It didn't take long at all, and I think it's a great rustic look.

Check out Kierste's project here!

Take care,

Deanna

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{She's a Musketeer!!}

My daughter is waaaaay into being a "girl superhero", primarily a Barbie Musketeer, so last spring when I accidentally came across this great Kid's Superhero Cape project over at The Long Thread I had to try it!

I'm now addicted to her projects!!  I was new to sewing then, (I still feel like I am!) and am completely self-taught, so this was my very first time using a pattern. I was soooo cautious! You can find the tutorial here.  It's an easy project to follow and complete, so if you're new to sewing don't be afraid!! If I can do it, so can you!

My kiddo helped me pick out the fabric, and we decided to go with felt for the logo on the back of the cape.

I used felt for the mask as well. It was the trickiest, just getting the eye holes large enough for her eye but not TOO large. I also used sequence to add a flash here and there. It was very simple and she LOVES it! She is always playing in it, and even considered it for Halloween (although she ended up going with Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz).

 She decided on a butterfly for her cape logo, so I found a template online (somewhere!) for both the large butterfly and her "N". The little butterfly on the logo and on the mask I die-cut with my Cuttlebug using a Stampin' Up Sizzix die. This is a pic of it before I sewed it on. I actually used the machine for that, and I remember going VERY SLOWLY and being scared of ruining the whole thing! :)

Don't you like the lining? 

I really think anyone with a machine can make this so easily. I copied the pattern onto brown packing paper and have it in my files now. I'm not sure how other people store/keep sewing patterns, but that has worked well for me so far. I think I have it traced on muslin as well.

Take a look at the tutorial if you've never seen it. Once you make one, you'll want to make more!

Take care!

Deanna

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