A Money Saving Craft Project!

Like countless other families we are struggling with debt issues...we live paycheque to paycheque and there is no room in our lives for when things go wrong, (and when they do...like the time our car just refused to start...we panic).  I've decided that I need to get a good solid handle on our finances.  I am starting to tackle our debt one debt at a time.   Part of this plan of mine means that I need to set limits on our spending...it means that I need to set an amount that we can afford to spend on gas, groceries and fun money.  The problem with using your debit card is that unless you keep meticulous records, you have no idea how much money you're spending.  I need to get control...so I came up with a craft that can help me!

These are my new money wallets.  I made one for "groceries" one for "gas" and one for "spending"...the "spending" one is basically whatever we want that doesn't fall beneath the other 2 catagories...magazines, movies, books, yarn, etc...  As soon as we get paid I'm going to fill these with what we've decided we can afford...and when the moneys gone...well, so be it!  Livin' on cash baby!!!!

Now...I'm going to give a brief tutorial on how I made these, but I am not the worlds best sewer...I am not the ideal person to teach you how to install a zipper!  There are other wonderful sewers out there who have tutorials on how to do such things...if you need  the extra help, google can be your best friend!  You could also run out to the dollar store and buy some plain pencil cases and embellish to your hearts delight, (but since we're trying to save money here, and you probably already have fabric, zippers, thread, etc...here's the DIY)!

First I got some lovely prints out of my stash...I wanted each wallet to have a different print.  Then using a business envelope, I traced a rectangle onto the fabric.  Taking an iron I pressed down a 1/2 inch seam at the top.  Then I pinned on the zipper...like so.  You will need to use a zipper foot on your sewing machine to sew on the zipper.  Good luck!!!

Next I got out some plain white ribbon from my stash as well as my alphabet stamps.  I stamped onto the ribbon the words, "groceries", "gas" and "spending".  Of course you can stamp on whatever works for your family.

Then I blanket stitched each one onto the wallet.

Sew up the side seams and bottom, I'm sure you can do it straighter than me!

And your fancy new "wallets" are ready to use!  I plan on keeping mine in my purse, as I'm the main shopper in the house.  I plan on giving Keith my debit card too, so there will be no impulse buying going on, (oh, and the credit cards will be chillin' on ice)!  I would love to start a discussion on how to curb personal debt...I know I'm not alone in this! 

Spending in moderation

xo maureen

Felt Shooting Stars Tutorial!

Here's a super sweet craft for the wee folk in your life.  Shooting stars!

I know my stockings are going to be stuffed with shooting stars...my girls just LOVE anything that has ribbons, (especially in rainbow hues), attached to it!

So here's how you can make one of your own...

You will need:

wool felt (yes use wool felt...it holds up so much better than cheapy felt)!

ribbon

thread

needle

stuffing

First cut out 2 stars...if you don't want to free hand your star just google "star templates"...you'll find printable templates in every shape and size.

Then cut your ribbon into 3 ft lengths...we did rainbow ribbon on ours, but you can use whatever colour(s) you wish!

Starting in the middle of 2 points start sewing your way around...I recommend using a blanket stitch, only because it makes your end project look neater.  I typically also split my embroidery floss and use 2 strands at a time.

Sew until you get to the last point...leaving a gap to stuff.

Using a pencil or knitting needle, stuff stuffing into all of the points of the star...then fold your ribbon in half and sandwich in your ribbon in between the felt...you can hold it in place with a pin, or just use your fingers.

  

I sew through a few strands of the ribbon just to attach it in place, (using blanket stitch)...tie it off and you're finished.  

If you're a pretty good sewer it should take you about 10 minutes from start to finish!

Now toss to an adoring child and have fun! 

xo maureen

Felt Pumpkin Tutorial!!

Here's another quick and easy craft to bring Autumn "in"!

You will need:

Wool felt in orange and green

(I suggest using wool felt because it outlasts cheap felt, is heavier and just lovely to work with)!

stuffing

small twigs

embroidery floss in orange

glue gun and glue sticks

To start trace some circles onto your orange felt...I used a small bowl, a cup and a lotion container, so I'd have 3 different sizes.

Get a very long strand of embroidery floss...now start doing a running stitch all the way around the outside edge of your circle...

Pull the thread tight...

and stuff...stuff until you can stuff no more!

Now stitch it shut, (not all the way, but as tightly as you can...like so)

Take your needle and put it through the "top" part of your pumpkin, now bring it out in the bottom, near the middle...this will create the look of "sections" on your pumpkin...tie off your thread.

Cut out some leaves out of your green felt...and cut some short lengths of your twig.

Now fire up the glue gun and glue the twig in place...put some glue all over the bottom of the twig and stuff it into the "top" of the pumpkin as far as it will go.

Glue on your leaves...press them down around the exposed top of your pumpkin...and there you have it!

These are super quick to whip up and just look SO darn cute on the nature table!

I think I'm going to have to make a little pumpkin gnome to tend our ever growing patch!

xo maureen

It's Handmade Holiday Week!!! Let's Make Some Pretty Packaging!!!

So...we're doing a week of Handmade Holiday goodness here at Twig and Toadstool.  The idea for Handmade Holiday came from this lovely mama over at Plain and Joyful Living!  Go check it out, and let her know if you want to be added to the evergrowing list of folks participating!  So today I decided to do a post on packaging.  While I'll admit to being lured by fancy wrapping paper, (it's so pretty sometimes), this year I want to be paper free under my tree!  Here's a simple way to make your own re-usable Christmas packaging...a drawstring bag tutorial!

I used a fat quarter to make this bag...it's about medium sized, but you can make these bags in any size and style you desire, don't feel limited by Christmas patterns...go nuts! 

If using a fat quarter, here's what I did...first fold it in half...

And in half again...cut it now into two bags...along the right side.

At the top, (unfinished) edge of your bag to be, make a notch, (about 1 1/2 inches down), and iron that little bit of fabric over.  Take it over to your machine and sew it up on both sides along that edge.

Now iron over a bit of the top, (a few cm)...then

iron over again...about an inch or so...don't make your fold past where you made the notch.

Sew it down...as close to the bottom of that fold as possible...an instant hem, and also the casing that you will be threading your ribbon through!  If you've noticed I don't believe in using pins when I sew...if you want to though be my guest...

Now sew up the sides, being careful to "just" sew up to the casing that you made.

Turn the bag inside out!  You can see it coming together now.

Using a knitting needle or some wire, tape your ribbon to it, and thread it through the top casing.

Tie on a few beads at the end of your ribbon...

Embellish to your hearts delight!  I cut out some holly shapes and used the glue gun to glue them on.  You could also applique on whatever you wish!  And there you have it...the first of many little gift bags for under your tree!

My other packaging idea is inspired from the thrift store...start collecting those vintage tins girls!!!

I've used these in the past as gifts to the neighbours...filled with fudge, and this year I'm going to be using them under our tree, with whatever fits inside.  They're beautiful, and it's so nice to give them a second lease on life!

What are some of your pretty packaging ideas that don't hurt the earth!?

Feeling kinda merry

xo maureen

Handmade Holiday Week! Let's Get Our Embroider On!!

I LOVE that Plain and Joyful Living is doing a weekly series on handmade holiday ideas and inspiration.

One thing we have been trying to avoid is the rampant consumerism that goes along with being parents...especially during the holiday season.  We all know there is a strong movement towards "less is more" during the holidays...people are feeling the stress and the loss of the true meaning of Christmas!

The reason we feel inspired to do a series of posts on having a handmade holiday is because if you're truly committed to doing this, you gotta start soon!  Christmas is less than four months away, and it will be alot less stressful and alot more enjoyable if you can start thinking about what you're going to do now, and work away at it bit by bit until the holidays hit!  Last year I started embroidering!  I should warn you, if you haven't done any yet, it can be addictive!  There is a great book called Doodle Stitching which is well worth checking out if you're new at embroidery.

Here's a sweet gift idea for any grown up, (kid at heart).  A gnome inspired tea towel.  The embroidery pattern can be found HERE!  There are many more wonderful and quirky patterns to be found with a bit of searching!  The plain, flour sack tea towels are easy to find.   Mine came from Sew Mama Sew, but I've also seen them at Canadian Tire, and really you could use any plain tea towels to embroider on!

I think this would make a lovely and thoughtful present for any mama on your list.

(or other loving souls who spend their days at the sink doing dishes)!

Here's another lovely embroidered idea.  I think it was Soulemama who made this popular!  Take a piece of your childrens artwork, and embroider it onto a piece of fabric.  You could do this as a gift for your child, (I know my daughter was mesmerized to see her drawn work of art come to life on a piece of fabric), or as a gift to a grandparent.  These embroidered pictures could be hung in a frame, turned into a pillow or added to a quilt.

I asked Ruby how she wanted her picture displayed...I was going to make it into a pillow, but she insisted that she wanted a wall hanging.  I must say it's about the sweetest thing to adorn her wall!  I did this for Christmas last year for her. 

And lastly...

the stocking!

I urge you...with the wealth of information on the internet and on sewing blogs, making a stocking is really a piece of cake!  British friends avert your eyes, (is what I did illegal?).  I found a British flag at the dump, and I grabbed it because my hubby is British Citizen.  I then cut it out and turned it into a special stocking for him!

For the girls I used the elf pattern on Wee Wonderfuls.  It is the cutest pattern I've seen!  Ruby insisted that she and Matilda should both have girl elf stockings...here is a closeup...

Each of their stockings has their name embroidered on it.  What a lovely Christmas surprise for the family!

Gotta get to work on one for me and the cat!

So, there's a few ideas to get your Homemade Holiday creative juices flowing!

Please share or add any ideas you have, project you are working on...let's inspire each other to keep it simple this year!

xo maureen

It's Flower Power Week...Let's make Felted Flowers!!!

I would like to introduce someone who inspires me greatly ~ my sister Rebbecca!!! This vibrant flower she created is a wonderful representation of the bright, beautiful soul she is. As my big sis she has graced my life with so much encouragement, inspiration and wisdom. She is an amazing mother to nine  children and her patience, creativity and joy she exudes are a true gift to be around!  I have many a handmade gift from this crafty gal ~ seems she always has a project on the go. Here is her latest...

Enjoy! 

Rebbecca with her youngest ~ sweet Nadia ~ modeling her flower 

~Rebbecca's Felted Flower Tutorial ~

I love "upcycling" or repurposing things. I must take after my Grandma Betty. She saved and re-used everything....and I mean everything! I think she saved every bread tie that passed through her house in 50 years! Seriously. Having gone through the Great Depression in the 30's, she saw the importance of being frugal...to the nth degree. I don't carry things that far, maybe, but I definitely think we all need to do our part to reduce the amount of garbage we are piling up in landfills.

Which brings me to felting. How many of you have inadvertently sent a 100% wool sweater through the regular wash, only to find that it has shrunk to fit the size of your 6 year old? (ok, ok...yes...I've done just that). My daughter was thrilled to find out that mommy's sweater was now hers...but how many thick wool sweaters can one girl own. :) I discovered there are many ways to make use of that now-too-small felted sweater, rather than tossing it, and one of my favourites is...felted flowers.

They are simple and oh so gorgeous.

Here's a list of what you will need...

100% wool sweater that has been "pre-felted" (washed in a washing machine in hot water and laid flat to dry)

buttons (vintage ones found at thrift stores are great!)

needle

thread

pins

scissors (preferably sharp)

templates for the petals found on this page

Here's the full video tutorial found at  www.diydish.com , but basically you pin the templates to the felt, and cut around them.  Next, you thread them one by one onto your needle and thread, securing them together with a button on top of all the layers.

Here's my daughter, Sophia, with the finished product. Too cute, eh?

You can use these flowers to embellish just about anything. Here's one on the front of one of my felted purses...

Or look at how sweet this one is,  perched on the front of Luna's wool beret!

Here are my girls sporting all of the things we made from one felted sweater!  Anna (on the left) is wearing a skirt made from the body of the sweater,  and arm warmers made from the sleeves, and a hairband made from the cowl neck. Sophia (on the right) is wearing a dress with the bodice made from the main body of the sweater and, of course the funky flower we made today from yet again the same sweater. Oh so thrifty....oh so FUN!!

Big thank you to you Bec for sharing one of your many funky, fabulous creations!

We look forward to having you back and and keeping the inspiration wheel turning!

In flowing flower sister power

~Shanti~ 

My sweet little gnome...

I finally got around to sewing up a gnome hat for Matilda.  The pattern comes from "Bend the Rules Sewing" by Amy Karol...if you haven't seen the book, it is full of great, colourful, fun sewing projects, (and for the novice sewer, the instructions are clear and easy to follow)!!  I used 100% wool felt for this project, (I do find that wool felt generally holds up better over time...but heck...use whatever you darn well please!!)

Here is the full on front view of the hat...it's a little big on her, but she just LOVES it!!!

And here's the view from the side...with a little flower embellishment!!

It took very little time to whip this up...about an hour tops.  And if you're wondering how in the world I found the time to do this...well, here's my confession...I locked myself and the kids upstairs, and they played while I sewed my heart out, (our upstairs is open concept...three quarters bedroom/playroom and one quarter mommy's craft nook!!).  Gotta love it when you can fit in a random act of sewing while the kids happily play!!

Hope you all enjoy a weekend bursting with creativity!!!!

maureen xo

Wool felt toadstool tutorial!!!

Firstly...be forewarned that making these mushrooms is totally and completely addictive, I've made three of them since Sunday, and each one takes about 2 hours to complete...it has overtaken my craft time, I haven't knit a stitch, but oh...aren't they delightful!!!!

Get out your...

wool felt...yes...I am a bit of a purist when it comes to felt...use wool felt!!!  In whatever colour you love best...purple mushrooms???  orange???  green???? or the traditional red and white!!

sewing scissors

thread, (I just used white sewing thread)

needle

stuffing

The dimensions above are for a slightly bigger mushroom...just bring the size down if you want smaller, medium, or bring it up if you want a deluxe super large mushroom!!!  For the spots on top of the mushroom, just wing it...cut out smaller circles in a variety of sizes.  So here we go! 

Cut out the pieces you will need.  Begin by sewing on the smallish circles to the top of your toadstool.  I like using a blanket stitch to do all of the sewing, as it tends to come out looking more professional and neat!  After you sew the circles onto the top, start sewing on the bottom, white piece.  Leave a gap so you will be able to stuff it...

Now stuff the cap...get it pretty full, and finish sewing it up.

Now get the stem...the rectangular piece, fold it together and sew up the seam on the side...sew it all the way up.

Now connect the stem to the "cap" of the mushroom...it is a bit tricky, but you can do it!!!

(again I use a blanket stitch to do this)

Stuff your stem half - three quarters full of stuffing, and then use split peas, lentils or rice for the last bit...this is what will help your mushroom to stand upright!  Sew on the bottom piece...AND...

There you have it...a mushroom all of your own!!!!  Happy mushroom making!!!!!

Maureen