Valentine's Crafts Ideas

I'm still in a knitting frenzy, though I have one piece to go before I plan to switch back  to sewing. In the meantime, it's time to think about Valentine's crafts for myself and the kiddo.

SuperMom has a great tutorial for making see-through Valentine's. Two options for changing- make them out of gauzy fabric that has to be cut to open, and I wonder if it's possible to simply iron the edges of the wax paper version.

We like to use our heart shaped silicone ice cube mold to make red glittery heart soaps. You can do it with crayons too.

I really like these hair clips

These conversation hearts would make great lavender sachets

We don't have any special plans (yet), and I'm not that great at sewing (obviously), but I recently found Dress a Day and am thinking about giving the whole dress remake thing a shot; maybe I'll end up with a cute dress for Vday. Maybe with a heart cutout in the back.

A quick Ravelry search brings up loads of Valentine-themed fiber arts. Then again, I might not be done knitting just yet...

Mint Makes the Derby

Mint Juleps are the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, and for those (like myself) who do not like Bourbon (I know, that is nearly enough to revoke my privilege to live here), I recommend using mint to make Mojitos.  The problem is that with all the drinking and running around to various Derby Fest-a-Ville events, a person starts to get worn out (Wednesday), before the real fun even starts (Thursday).  As every proper Southern woman knows, even the best Derby hat does not make up for looking haggard.  So, before turning in for some much needed beauty rest, treat your skin to this quick, easy facial.  The herbs soothe and refresh while the honey brightens and detoxifies.

Derby Mint Mask

Using a mortar and pestle, mix 1Tbsp local honey with a few mint leaves and several leaves from a Vick's plant.  Once they are ground to a fairly homogeneous mixture, apply all over face.  Allow to sit 2-5 minutes.  When the honey warms up from your body heat, it will begin to drip.  Wash off using a clean washcloth and warm water.

*Any honey will do, but local honey helps fight allergies.  For the locals, Thienemans garden nursery is where I found my Vick's plant.* 

I like to mix honey with mint and put it in a cup of chamomile tea while I wait for the mask to work.  This Derby week combo helps keep the Belles radiant inside and out. 

Valentine's Day

This V-day really has me thinking a lot about Ezra. About him as a changing person, about my relationship with him, about ways that I can use this holiday to help him find the joy of giving (I know, that's supposed to be a Christmas thing). And a lot about this little family of mine, and the intimacy that we enjoy. While it is hard to give up the idea of another child, I really love my little family and the dynamic we have.

Of course, every holiday is an excuse for some great crafting. Ezra made valentines for his Aunt Regan and his Daddy. He helped me put together the valentines for his classmates. And, he made felted soap (from The Little Travelers tutorial) to give to each of his teachers.

You start with wool roving. I got mine at a fiber festival a couple years ago and have managed to keep the moths out:

Isn't it lovely? Though I realized after taking this picture that this particular roving is a wool/silk blend. I wasn't going to waste it on soap, so we used my turquoise and purple all alpaca wool roving, which worked well as the soaps we used are purple.

You fill a bowl with warm water and add a little all natural soap- The Little Travelers suggests Dr. Bronner's and of course I was thrilled to oblige! Then you wrap each bar of soap (all natural bar soap works best, though we used glycerin), dunk it in the sudsy water and basically just wash your hands with it until the wool felts nicely. Young children will need help with this, though Ezra really loved it. It was a great way to fill an hour and get wet and sudsy!

You end up with something like this:

Let them dry a few days on parchment paper, then wrap them in butcher paper, parchment paper, or wax paper. The heart stickers I intended to use to hold the little packages closed wouldn't stick to the parchment paper, so I tied each with a little yarn bow. Ezra was very excited to give them out today.

Of course, I had to steal some time late one night to make some Valentine's home decor:

And the scrap bird fabric from the baby quilt decided where it wants to be.

Several pictures for our far away loved ones. We love you and are missing you today.

No particular order. Jennie doing her best to ignore Spike.

Ezra and Kenley love Spike

Lootz!

Santa came through with a big boy ball popper!

We let him open the monster on Christmas Eve. Oogely was big hit!

Taken the day after Thanksgiving

You've Met Your Match, Mr. Monster Under the Bed

Beware the Oogely Oogely Monster! He throws his arms and legs at people!
A few weeks ago I asked Ezra to draw me a monster. I was awarded with this:


And decided to make it for him as a Christmas gift.


I also framed his drawing (we'll hang it over his bed, I have the perfect place in mind), and made a simple pillowcase with monster-themed flannel. You can see it a little just over Oogely's head. The great thing about Oogely is that those long, long arms are attached with large snaps. They can be removed and thrown -- get this-- at people!

I made this monster out of flannel instead of felt so that he can thrown into the washer. Big. Fat. Mistake. I should have followed the instructions (see prior post for link) and used felt. Because I used flannel, the whole thing had to be sewn inside out, then turned right side out. Ack! Hopefully it will pay off and Ezra will love Mr. Oogely so much that he needs a good cleaning occasionally. Next time, I'm using felt and sewing it from the outside. Dirt be damned.

Mr. Oogely is about to get wrapped up for Christmas, so for those who talk to my kiddo, please don't mention it until after Christmas morning!

Have a great Holiday! I will probably be away from the blog for a bit as we not only have Christmas, but also a dear friend's birthday and my own birthday this weekend. *Shout out to all the Christmas babies!* Happy Holidays and Happy Birthdays!

The Christmas Spirit

I've come down with some sort of cold/flu thing that keeps making me cough with a sound not unlike that which cows emit when laboring in the fields. I feel about like that too, struggling. Be that as it may, tomorrow is the last day of school before the Holiday Break, and I am too far behind to give up now. I am behind where I want/need to be with work, behind in laundry, behind housework (*ack, this one really makes me twitch), behind in my Christmas crafting. So, while hubby works a few feet away, doing his best to ignore my unattractive coughing and throat clearing, I am at my desk making a monster:

... from a picture that Little Man drew me. It is not an original idea on my part; a little birdy told me about it.

So, here I work, wishing for some honey'd tea, greatly looking forward to getting our art studio set up so my sewing won't be on my computer desk, and excited about a monster that throws its arms and legs at people.