Day 32: Clothes Pin Nativity

I love these clothes pin nativity ornaments! They are so cute! I made these to give away as door prizes at our annual church dinner and a show. I think everyone will really love them.

To make them you will need:
Doll Pin Clothes Pins (3 per ornament)
Craft Glue or Hot Glue
A Small Gage Twine
Muslin
Sand Paper
A Saw

First, take two of the doll pins and glue them together, one a little higher than the other. This is your Mary and Joseph.

Saw the top off the third pin, just below where the pin splits.

 

Sand the rough ends.

 

 

Cut a 3x3 in square of muslin and 6 to 8 in. of twine.

 

Fold over 1/4 in. of the muslin on one side of the square. Lay the small doll pin on the square and wrap like a baby in a blanket. Glue in place. This is your baby Jesus.

Glue the baby across the front of larger pins. Lastly, glue the twine on the back of the ornament to create a hanger.

 

 

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Day 31: Picture Cuff Links

My efforts to save money finally caught up to me. I thought that picture cuff links would be simple and fun. However, when I went to purchase the Shrinky Dink I came to a dilemma. The regular package of shrinky dink was $6 which is quit a lot to spend on one project but I decided it would be OK since the rest of my projects this week are on the cheaper end. They sell shrinky dink made especially for ink jet printers which is $13 a package. Even though I knew I would be printing on the shrinky dink I chose the cheaper package. BIG MISTAKE!
Then I went looking for cuff links. I looked at Hobby Lobby but no luck. I looked at Goodwill for some old cuffs I could repurpose. They had absolutely nothing. I started thinking about what else I could use. I didn't really have a specific person that I wanted to give them too and most of the people I know don't even wear cuff links. So, I decided to make earrings instead.

I picked out the pictures I wanted to use from my computer and moved them to Word where I could size them appropriately. Then I attempted to print them. It of course didn't work. The ink smeared and wouldn't dry.

 

I still cut them out and tried to bake them but they still wouldn't dry and just ended up looking awful.

 

This is so typical of me I can't believe this kind of stuff hasn't happened more through out this challenge.

Well, I had spent money and had nothing to show for it. So, I gave Landon some Shrinky Dink and told him to color Grammie some earrings. She loves cows so he made her cow earrings.

 

Hehe, not what I had planned but I am betting she will like them anyways.

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Day 30: Pleated Apron

It is exactly 11 days, 4 hours and 45 mins until my sister enters into wedded bliss. That is great and all but I am starting to feel like a teaspoon of butter spread over a foot long piece of bread! (can you tell I am in charge of the food for the wedding.)
Today was a little crazy trying to track down all sorts of odds and ends for the wedding, taking Landon to tae kwon do, and keeping stuff at the house on track. In the mist of all that I forgot I was supposed to be doing Christmas projects and keeping up with a blog! So, this project almost didn't get done today. I remembered about 9 pm that I was supposed to be making a Pleated Apron and got to work.
This project has a little secret, built in pot holders! I love this idea! I started with a yard of cute poka dot cotton material and some old pot holders.

 

I cut the fabric according to the instructions (2 4x45 in. pieces,1 20x45 in. pieces, 2 8x8 in pieces) and hemmed the sides and bottom of the apron, and all sides of the tie. Next, I pinned and sewed the pleats.

 

 

With right sides together, I sewed around 3 sides of the smaller cuts of fabric making a pocket. I turned it right side out and inserted the potholders. Then, I sewed up the open side and a big X from one corner of the pot holder to another to keep it in place.

 

To assemble I pinned and sewed the tie in place. I pinned one pot holder to each bottom corner of the apron and sewed the 2 sides that line up with the hemming. Then, with a needle and thread I tacked the unsewn corner to the apron.

 

And I was finally done about 1 am! Tomorrow I will have to set some alarms to remind me to make some picture cuff links so I am not up all night! Good night :) and have fun crafting!

 

 

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Day 29: Mouse in a Tin

I have a couple kids in my life that are obsessed with all things small. They love squinkes, littlest pet shop, and anything from a quarter machine! A "mouse in a tin" sounded like a perfect stocking stuffer.

To make this project you will need:
Empty Altoids Tin
Tan Felt
Poka dot Felt
Pink Felt
Small Scrap of Fabric
Small Piece of Pink Yarn
Spray Paint
Permanent Marker or Paint Pens
Sheet of Paper or Card Stock

Using the sheet of paper draw a pattern for a body (rounded triangle), little feet, arms, and ears.  Cut 2 of each out of corresponding felt.

Spray paint the inside and outside of the tin. I chose to use a light blue color because that is what I had in storage.

Pin the ears, arms, feet, and tail to the inside back of the mouse and sew in place.

Next, embroider a nose, eyes, and a mouth on the front of the mouse.

Sew the front of the mouse to the back, leaving a place to stuff. After stuffing, sew up the hole.

Cut a small rectangle out of fabric and sew 3 sides, stuff and sew last side. This is your pillow.
Cut a long rectangle out of the poka dot felt. Flip 1/4 in. of the felt back on 1 side and sew. This is your blanket.

 

Place your pillow, mouse, and blanket in the tin. I didn't like the "Altoids" impression showing on the top of my tin so I cut a piece of felt large enough to cover it and wrote "Mouse in a Tin" on it. Then I glued it on the top of the tin. You can do this to the inside of the tin as well.

 

 

Done. Turned out cute!

 

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Budget Update: Week 4

Here is my list of expenses for week 4-
Cotton Balls $1 for Santa Disguises
Grapevine Wreath $1 for Fall Wreath
Burlap $2 for Fall Wreath
Silk Leaves $1 for Fall Wreath
Wooden Initial $1.50 for Fall Wreath
2 Bottles of Paint $1.14 for Dad Plaque
Total = $7.64
Came under budget! Pin It

Week 5 Project List

Sunday October 14 - Mouse in a Tin (no Tutorial) You will need an Altoids tin, little pieces of felt and fabric and a small amount of stuffing

Monday October 15 - Pleated Apron

Tuesday October 16- Picture Cuff Links

Wednesday October 17 - Clothes Pin Nativity (no tutorial) You will need "Doll Pin" clothes pins, glue and twine and a saw.

Thursday October 18 - Super Hero Fort Kit

Friday October 19 - I have not decided what pattern yet but here are some ideas Blue Slouch Beanie or Vintage Puff Flower Hat

Saturday October 20 - (No tutorial) I will be using This dough recipe and silver paint.
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Day 28: Hershey Bar Reindeer

OK, here is a very fast, easy, cute craft for you!
The tutorial from Kerry's Paper Crafts can be found here.
The tutorial calls for light brown, dark brown, and red paper. I had some paper and some foam so I used both.  You also need Hershey chocolate bars, and google eyes.

All you do is cut rectangles out of the light brown paper that are big enough to go around a Hershey bar and glue the ends together. I did this while they were around the bar so that I could get a good fit.

 

Cut little antlers out of the dark brown paper and 1 in. circles out of the red.

 

 

 

Glue on the eyes, antlers, and nose. Draw a little V for a mouth and you are done!

 

 

These are so cute to pass out to kids in Sunday School or to use for stocking stuffers!

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