Big Cuddly Bunny My hometown has an agricultural fair every August that I rarely miss. My brother watches the oxen pulls for hours and my mother lingers over the prize vegetables, but I always head straight for the rabbits! I totally love them: their blinky eyes, their fat bellies and their ridiculous ears. And so when it comes to Easter and its wonderful cast of characters, for me, the bunny wins. Our Big Cuddly Bunny gets its shape and inspiration from this winter's Big Snowy Owl. With a couple of key modifications a wide-eyed owl turns into a floppy-eared rabbit, full of sweet, earnest personality. The Materials Main Yarn: 6 skeins of Blue Sky's Bulky, 50% Alpaca and 50% Wool. The Pattern Gauge 2 1/2 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette Finished Size 15 inches from ground to top of head 38 inches in circumference The Bottom With the Main Yarn and the double pointed needles, cast on 8 stitches. Place a stitch marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist your stitches. Round 2: Purl. The Body
Crayon Pressing the ingredients into the crayon mold. Processed nuts, sesame seeds…and moistened with melted marshmellow. The consistency should be somewhat dense and clump together with a squeeze. Another color set, processed corn, nuts, yellow fruity pebbles, bee pollen, super healthy. Before it was powdered, here are the whole ingredients..I used freeze dried corn as well (this stuff is SO good as a snack…SO GOOD..better than popcorn..it tastes like real corn but just dried…but super light not like normal dried corn), I also used peanuts, bee pollen, dried bananas Each crayon was made with color divisions. This was the brown color, it had almonds, black sesami, wild sesame, and some other ingredients…You can use whatever you want, even prunes.. Bee pollen is really good for you as well. These were the green crayon ingredients, peas, green beans, dried kiwi, green fruity pebbles, dried pumpkin seeds. The purple and blue are least healthy, they have more candy and sugar in them haha. Check here
Geek Chic iPad Case Hello, everybody! I'm back from my travels. I hope last week's orange round-up didn't scald the retinas of those who prefer other hues. I've got a freebie for you today, and you can make it in any color you like (though I do recommend orange). The Geek Chic iPad Case is a sewing project from Lisa Lam's book A Bag for All Reasons. Download the Geek Chic iPad Case tutorial here. If you dig it, you can purchase the whole book here. (Photos from A Bag for All Reasons.)
Wool Alphabet DIY Dec 5 I saw these felt letters in Copenhagen and fell in love. I really wanted to figure out how to make them. Material Needed: Wool Roving, Bubble Wrap, Soap, Rolling Pin, Scissors, Hot water, Bowl Step 1: Lay your bubble wrap (bubbles up) and tear small strips of wool roving and place on top of the bubble wrap creating the shape of the letter. All photography by Heather Zweig for Oh Happy Day Art Directed by Jordan Ferney Crafting by Stacy Wichelhaus Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time. solid perfume pocket watch locket Try as I might, I cannot seem to grasp even the most basic of feminine beauty rituals. I’m constantly struggling to master rudimentary hair and makeup techniques, and my one-time foray into the “subtle” art of perfume left everyone in the room with burning nostrils. This DIY solid perfume locket from artisanal perfumer Mandy Aftel is something I can definitely stand behind, though. Read the full how-to after the jump! Creating your own solid perfume is extremely satisfying. Materials Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
A sweet little dress up book. Right before we moved back to Washington, I made this sweet little busy book for my girls. I think I need to make a second one because it's been causing fights around here! The book features four different animals and a pouch full of clothes for them to wear. Cutting little outfits out of felt is kind of addicting! I've created downloadable instructions and templates, which you can find over at Playful Learning.
Heart-Shaped Bird Feeder DIY Jan13 by Cindy Hopper For the love of birds Homemade bird feeders not only help our feathered friends, but making them is a fun family activity perfect for cold winter days! Supplies for Homemade Bird Feeders 3 cups birdseed 2 – 1/4 ounce unflavored gelatin packet cookie cutters twine Sprinkle two packages of gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Allow mixture to cool until gelatin is thick and coats all the birdseed. Wrap a piece of foil along the bottom and up the sides of a cookie cutter. Pack birdseed mixture inside cookie cutter. Allow mixture to harden and then remove from cookie cutter. Add a piece of twine for hanging. A perfect treat for the birds! Update: please see author’s (Cindy’s from Skip to My Lou) comments below on how to tackle any issues you may be having with this recipe.
Children’s Artwork Collage · Playful Learning Hello! It’s Randi, popping in from Swoon. I’m so honored that Mariah asked me to share a project with you in this space! Focusing on learning and creating with my kids tends to produce piles of beloved artwork in our house. Generally, if the artwork has no sentimental meaning (such as coloring book pages), I wait a few days and then throw them away. All you need for this project is a small circle punch, several paintings or drawings your child doesn’t mind “re-purposing,” a piece of cardstock, glue stick, ruler, and a frame (optional). To begin, you may want to cut your artwork into smaller pieces to allow yourself more access with the punch. While your child is busy punching, prepare your cardstock. Once you’ve assembled your new artwork, frame it or simply clip it to the wall! P.S.
Quick gift: Cozy hand warmers Still have a few people left on your list? Here's a quick and cute gift you can whip up in 20 minutes or less! These little hand warmers are filled with rice and are perfect for slipping in your pocket before you run out the door! Supply list: 4 pieces of 3"x3" cotton fabric (no blends) sewing machine/supplies uncooked rice To Make: Pin two pieces of fabric together, wrong side out Use your machine to sew around the edges, leaving at least an inch open Turn square right side out Fill square 3/4 of the way with rice (I used a spoon) Hand sew or machine stitch the pocket opening Package your hand warmers in a cute bag and be sure to include instructions for use (shown in third photo above). Now you have more time for eggnog and mistletoe (you're welcome).
A Spring Swing We’ve been away to all sorts of places during Grandma’s 3 week visit to Japan, and to be honest we haven’t had a spare minute to catch our breath and let you know what we’ve been up to. No cardboard projects until today, but lots of time to dream after being reacquainted with all the beauty and ingenuity of Japan’s temples, gardens, and urban streets. Friendship Bracelets Macraméd friendship bracelets were all the rage when I was growing up in the eighties. All the girls at my school would obsessively make them for one another in a dizzying variety of colors, widths, and patterns. It's amazing, thinking back, that such young girls could make such beautifully intricate accessories. I, of course, tried my hand at making them as well. I would ride my bike down to the five-and-dime store and pick out the most sophisticated color combinations of embroidery floss I could find, but when it came to the actual macramé I never got beyond plain stripes. Fast forward 20 years: Purl Soho started carrying DMC Cotton Embroidery Floss in every conceivable color (including fluorescents! Making friendship bracelets is a surprisingly easy craft, and best of all, in the end you'll have a bunch of cute summer bracelets to give to your pals. Materials Since this is such a free form enterprise the amount of colors of DMC embroidery floss you get is really up to you. Beginning
New Bowl DIY Friendship Necklace As soon as Lauren and I saw this editorial in Flare Magazine, we knew we had to recreate these awesome, friendship bracelet-like necklaces. We promise they are super easy to make and the perfect way to pass the time during those long summer roadtrips. To make a 2-tone necklace, cut a long piece of rope and wrap two different colors of embroidery thread around its own bobbin. To alternate colors, simply put the inactive color (red) in your left hand and the new active color (purple) in your right. Once you’re done knotting, add a few nuts and/or washers to the necklace. Crafts with kids: Mini storybooks. If you've been a reader for long, you know I love paper in any form. It seems that E might be taking after me. She's always right by my side anytime I pull out my supplies and start to make something. Her other favorite thing is making up stories. I'm so impressed and surprised by the things she comes up with! Seriously, she cracks me up. Every story eventually includes a princess, a party, and some kites, but she loves it! Head over to my post at Playful Learning to whip a few of these little gems yourself! P.S.