Tiny Jim-Jams

Due to recent trips to different thrift stores, I have assembled a decent collection of cute fabric remnants.  Two of these were of the softest, cutest material and best suited for pajamas.  But who could wear pajamas made from a remnant?

How about our favorite 18 inch doll, Jenny?  Here she is wearing a pair of pajama pants made with a print featuring mushrooms and flowers.  She is holding the extra pair, there was plenty of fabric and I thought an extra pair would come in handy.

The other remnant was a simple floral print and it wasn’t large enough for more than one pair of pants.  However, there was enough to whip up a quick tank top to match.  All she needs now is a blanket and slippers and it’d be perfect.  Maybe later.
Here’s the updated list:

• Bags
• Bracelets
• Barrettes
• Doll pajamas
• Doll makeover
• Wristbands
• Red skirt
• Ears
• Costume
• Handkerchiefs

Five down, five to go.  The next one should be up this Friday, I hope.

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Hair Accessories Again? A Tutorial

One can never have too many hair accessories, especially someone like myself who can’t really do anything with hair except brush it and stick a clip in it.  And these were so pretty, I decided to show you all how to do them. 

Yep, another tutorial.  This one is for a large lacey barrette with flowers.  At least I think it’s a barrette. 

Anyway, you will need:

• Large barrettes or other clips and such if you prefer.
• Fake roses or other flowers.
• Lace, good chance to use up some of your leftovers.
• Premade bows if you wish or other embellishments of your choosing.
• A decent glue, I used Aleene’s Jewel-it again.
• Scissors
• Felt scraps in colors that match your flowers, bows, etc.
• A threaded needle, could be optional depending on your lace.

First, cut your felt in a long oval shape about as long as your barrette/clip/whatever.  This will be used as a base so it doesn’t really have to be perfect.

Start sewing the lace to edge of the felt.  You could try gluing it on instead, but I wouldn’t recommend it.  It depends on your lace and how easy it is to work with.

Should look something like this, sort of like a little rug.

For the flowers, I used roses with wire stems and had to cut the stems off.  This way they can be glued down easily.

About six roses are all that are really necessary.

Arrange your flowers on the felt base how you want them before gluing them securely in place.

If you choose to do so, you can glue some bows on the edge or anything else you like.  Charms, ribbons, whatever works. 

You should probably wait about 10 minutes for the glue to dry before this last step (go make a sandwich or something).  Simply flip the whole thing over and glue it to the barrette/clip.  Then set it to dry somewhere safe.

Now you have a lovely new hair piece that didn’t take long at all to make, except for drying time. 

I made two, one pink and one white.  They kind of look like something for a wedding or Easter though, maybe if the flowers were a different color or type.   Like mums for Fall and holly for Christmas.

Here’s the updated list:

• Bags
• Bracelets
• Barrettes
• Doll pajamas
• Doll makeover
• Wristbands
• Red skirt
• Ears
• Costume
• Handkerchiefs

Four down, Six to go. The next project should be up by Wednesday.  Why do I always seem to finish on Wednesdays?

Update: I made an easy tutorial for small ribbon bows that would be perfect to use instead of the premade ones.  Feel free to check it out.

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It’s Finished Already?

A few weeks into October and I’ve already finished making my Halloween costume.  How in the world did that happen?  With me it usually seems to take this long just to decide on a costume. 

Yet here it is, and it only took a couple of days to complete.  It was inspired by those cute pumpkin trick-or-treat bags I made (see Trick-or-Treat?).  I guess it’s sort of a pumpkin fairy/elf thing. 

The top is made in a similar way as the bags except for of course being open at the bottom and the elastic at the top and just below the bust to give it some shape. 

The bottom is a simple elastic waist skirt except for the scalloped hem.  That did take some time with a marking pen and all. 

To finish up the look, I made some quick hair combs with some scraps of the orange fabric and a couple wooden buttons.  Now I have a cute and surprisingly comfortable costume that cost less than 2 dollars to make.  Perfect.

Here’s the updated list:

• Bags
• Bracelets
• Barrettes
• Doll pajamas
• Doll makeover
• Wristbands
• Red skirt
• Ears
• Costume
• Handkerchiefs

Three down, Seven to go.  The next project should be up by Monday.

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Trick-or-Treat?

I had intended to post this yesterday, but they were some technical problems.  The good thing is that it was definitely not my fault.

At my house, we hate to give out candy to trick-or-treaters.  Or to be specific, we hate to give out just candy.  The problem with candy besides the rotting teeth thing is it doesn’t last very long after the holiday.  Plus, not all kids can eat all types of candy.  Some kids are allergic to milk as in milk chocolate and some can’t eat hard or chewy candies.  So in our treat bowl we usually try to add a mixture of goodies.  A typical selection includes some mixed candies, safety pops, holiday pencils, spider and skulls rings (from Dollar Tree), and some sort of homemade trinkets.



These are the homemade goodies for this year, Halloween bracelets.  I cut out themed shapes from foam sheets I got at a thrift store.  It took two shape cut outs for each bracelet.  The top one I punched holes in to make face parts or decorations.  The bottom one had slits cut to stick the elastic through before sewing the ends together.  The bottom layer was cut from a contrasting color because it shows through the holes, but I guess that’s kind of obvious from the photo.

Anyway, they came out looking so cute that I kind of am hoping that we don’t get too many trick-or-treaters this year.  Maybe just the few at home.



Speaking of which, I made cute little treating bags for my niece and nephew, assuming they will want to use them.  The third one is for me to use since they are so cute and then I've got a fourth one just in case.

In case it isn’t obvious for some of you, I got the fabric from my last trip to Goodwill (see Finally Remembered).  I guess I could have used a solid colored orange fabric but I thought the patterned fabric would be cuter.  You can still tell they are supposed to be pumpkins right?  The only other problem would be the size, are they too small for trick-or-treating?  I guess that’s what the backup one is for.

Here’s the updated list:

• Bags
• Bracelets
• Barrettes
• Doll pajamas
• Doll makeover
• Wristbands
• Red skirt
• Ears
• Costume
• Handkerchiefs

Two down, eight to go.  The next project should be up either tomorrow or Saturday.

One more thing, I posted this question on twitter and thought I should ask here too.  I’ve been wondering if I should sign up for a Flickr account.  Any thoughts?

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Finally Remembered

…To take pictures that is.  I have made several trips to different thrift stores over the past few months, but I never mentioned most of them because I would forget to get the camera out until weeks later. 

This weekend there was another half-off sale at Goodwill that I felt I had to attend due to the number of great items I spotted while browsing before the sale.  It’s an odd habit of mine, I see something I like, see the price, hate the price, come back for it when it’s on sale.

Here’s what I got:

Pink and green felt, more green than pink but for good reason.

A remnant of really soft fleece in a cute floral print.

A decent amount of a orange print, already have plans for it.

Four really cute plates, they’re microwavable and dishwasher safe.

An 18 inch doll, she’s a Springfield Collection doll (those ones they sell at Michael’s and Joann) and she was only a dollar.

A Fisher Price Little People camper, it make animal noises and I know a little guy who would love it.

An 18 inch Cinderella doll, perfect for a certain princess loving little girl and it was only 50 cents!

The total cost was just a little more than 6 dollars.  Not too bad right?  Let’s see if I can beat that next time.

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Up to Twenty-Two

Just finished writing up the new list.  It has several “Halloweeny” items on it which isn’t too strange since it is October, but it is more than I usually have.  Also couple a doll things again.
Project List #22

• Bags
• Bracelets
• Barrettes
• Doll pajamas
• Doll makeover
• Wristbands
• Red skirt
• Ears
• Costume
• Handkerchiefs

I should have everything finished up a couple days before Halloween.  Before because they is something special then, plus it would be pretty bad to finish Halloween crafts after Halloween.

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