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Button Bulletin Board (say that three times fast)

September 8, 2008 at 2:16 pm | In Craftin' With Hali, Crafty, For Hali, Home Decor | 3 Comments
Tags: bulletin board, buttons, cork board, craft, paint, pink

I love buttons. Hali loves buttons. We love buttons. Big ones small ones new ones old ones. Our love of buttons is almost an obsession. Want to make us happy? Give us a bag full of buttons to sort through and organize by color. We will surely do any craft you can come up with that involves buttons.

I’d been stockpiling my pink buttons just for Hali. I wanted to do a fun button craft just for her. Something for her room. Then I realized she didn’t have a bulletin board/cork board. Awesome!

So I had her choose a pink paint from my stash of acrylics. Unfortunately she chose to go with a horrible Pepto Bismal Pink that was posing as Fuchsia. That pretty much sealed the deal. I masked the cork off with tape and paper then let her paint away.

After that dried we started gluing buttons on. We just used regular ol’ Elmer’s glue. I helped with the top and the bottom because I am OCD that way and had to have them somewhat symmetrical. After that she was one her own. Painting, gluing, AND buttons all in the same day? Hali was in HEAVEN!

A close up:

We screwed one of those tea cup hooks that have a metal catch at the tip so that nothing can easily slide off into the wall. I hot glued (though I probably should have stapled or nailed or something) a length of pink polka dotted ribbon to the back of the board and hung it up. I chose to put it down low within her reach so that she could actually use it.

Hali was so pleased to have a place to put her mementos and such! She immediately started gathering a few things up and put them on her new board.

And what did she put them up with? Why fabric covered money pushpins! Never heard of these before? Neither had I! That’s why I am calling them that. Or perhaps they should have some cool name, like “fat money pins” (fabric- attached- to=f.a.t.). Wow. I am just getting cooler by the minute here.

I cut out small circles from scrap fabric, centered various coins on them, hot glued around the edges, pinched the edges of the fabric up around the back of the coin, and glued on the tack to the remaining exposed coin.

Our Daily Time Line

August 8, 2008 at 11:10 pm | In Craftin' With Hali, Crafty, For Hali, The Mundane, adventures with Hali, paper crafts | 1 Comment
Tags: Hali, clock, timeline, daily schedule, paper crafts

At the beginning of the year, I posted about this, our daily clock:

A huge clock that Hali and I made to help keep her on schedule and to help her know what comes next.

When we moved a few weeks later, I decided to throw it out. I was trying to implement a few changes in our schedule anyways, so I thought we can just try something new. So, I simplified things and made a new schedule- on more of a time line than a clock format (there were mix ups with a.m. and p.m. also).

I hung this one on the wall just outside Hali’s room, just as we did with the clock. For this one, we managed to find something in various magazines to illustrate each event in Hali’s day. Not only that, but Hali truly did most of this one herself.

I helped Hali cut a few pieces of paper in half (we used my paper cutter). She glued them together. Then I pointed out approximate areas where she should write each number, and helped her with a few of the tricky ones.

Then came the fun part! We pulled out all my home decor magazines (I love home decor) and started searching for pictures to cut. Any reason for Hali to use her scissors is enough to make her a happy girl! After we had enough pictures we glued them on to the “time line” and taped it up to the wall.

This really helped me to get her moving along in the mornings (poor girl takes after me- I am NOT a morning person) and to keep her on task during the day. If she didn’t want to do something or just wasn’t not cooperating, then I would just ask her to go look at her time line so we could see what’s next. And she would run right over to it and proudly yell what it is that we do next.

After a few weeks she really didn’t even need it anymore. But when we’re having a hard time getting into gear, it’s handy to have it there in writing, or um pictures, to help motivate Hali. And her mom. We made it out of things we had around the house, so when our schedule changes in a few weeks (when we officially start preschool home school) I won’t feel bad about throwing this one out or rearranging things on it.

Guest Post at Make and Takes

August 7, 2008 at 3:44 am | In Crafty, For Hali, Home Decor, accessories | No Comments
Tags: Hali, purses, guest blogging, craft

I’m guest blogging over here today, at Make and Takes so click over and take a look at Hali’s purse rack I made for her and her plethora of purses!

Our Daily Clock

January 9, 2008 at 7:51 am | In Craftin' With Hali, Crafty, For Hali, The Mundane, paper crafts | 2 Comments

A few months ago we were really struggling to get back into the routine of things. Our days just didn’t go as smoothly as they normally should. This seems to happen to us after the holidays and also the end of August/beginning of September.

It is so important for toddlers (and their moms) to know what is next. Most of our toddlers, smart as they may be, can’t read or tell time yet. So, I found this general idea somewhere (???) and with a few changes, made it into our very own giant daily clock.

This is on the wall just outside my daughter’s room, and it is about a two and a half feet diameter circle. Using a couple pencils and some string (a homemade large protractor), I drew a big circle on some brown shipping/craft paper that I picked up for a dollar at the local dollar store.

We cut it out, then drew in the numbers around the circumference of it, just like a real clock. I picked out a few images from Microsoft Word’s clip-art (you can find tons of cute things all over the internet, though) and printed those up. My daughter colored them, then cut them out with some craft scissors. We used some zig-zag ones that were handy, put you can use any kind of scissors.

We talked about each picture and what it represented as we colored and cut. Then, we layed the pieces out where they belonged on the “clock” and what time each activity would approximately occur. Hali glued each piece down to the paper. At this point you could even add some “hands” to your clock for extra fun- maybe even some that move so that your child can move them to each activity as the day progresses.

Just to give you an idea of what we have put on our clock:

tv time, breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth and hair, play time, snack, reading time, lunch, chore time, dinner, bath time, etc.

Hali loves to go and point out what time is next in our day when I ask her what we should do next. It helps her get moving during times when she is dragging a little bit, too.

Random Craftiness #2

November 30, 2007 at 6:14 am | In For Hali, Home Decor, accessories, paper crafts, sewing | No Comments
Tags: , book bag, camera, crafts, crayon roll, Home Decor, pillow, sewing

I’m trying to play catch up here and actually post some of the things that I have sewn/crafted lately. So here are a few things:

Crayon roll and little notebook for Hali. Excuse the untrimmed bottom there. This comes in really handy for church, in the car, or visiting relatives. Just do a search for crayon roll and you’ll find plenty of tutorials. Or go to etsy and buy one. I have plans on making a few more for some younger (and not so young) family members. Plus a few larger pencil rolls.

A bag for Hali from the same loud material. I machine embroidered the pink felt “H” onto the front pocket, which made from almost coordinating stripped material. I even did a lining for it.

It’s meant to be her library bag and it goes across her chest like a messenger bag to help make the weight of a couple books easier on her little body. Her “I want to do it” tendencies seem to be getting stronger lately and she really likes doing everything herself. Wonder where she gets this from?

It’s been used a couple times for ballet class, a few times just to tote random stuff in and possibly twice it has been taken to the library.

A new pillow for a chair in the living room. Really, it’s just a recovered pillow. When we bought our couch a few years ago, it came with these pillows that were in the same material as the couch itself. Kind of blah and no contrast whatsoever. So I found this sturdy home decor fabric at Hancock’s and thought it was perfect. The couch has a slight green tinge to it and I have a big brown shag rug in the living room as well, so this pillow ties in nicely.

I’ve had it with my sucky camera. I don’t want to sound ungrateful- my mom did the whole Black Friday thing a couple years ago and got it for us for Christmas. I was so happy! It really was the perfect gift.

I’m so glad that I have had it these past few years to document my daughter’s life. Before we got this digital camera, we just didn’t take as many photos as we do now. But I know I can take better photographs with a better camera.

This, and the husband keeps taking it to work with him, and of COURSE I need it when I discover it’s gone! So, I’ve decided that we (the royal we of course) are getting a new one. One that stays at home. So I can take good, decent, clear and focused photos of our daughter and the stuff we do. Luckily, our anniversary is in less than three weeks, so I guess I know what I’m getting us!

Two Black Cats

November 27, 2007 at 6:05 am | In For Hali, accessories, clothing, sewing | 2 Comments
Tags: black cats, black hair, costumes, Halloween

For Halloween Hali and I were both (as per her request) both black cats. I made us ears and tails. I also made her some furry little cuffs to go around her tiny wrists to complete the look. She already had the clothes, so it was a very inexpensive costume. I was really prepared to go all out and sew up some fabulous costume for her, but she just wanted to be a black cat ( I think because her idol, Dora the Explorer also has dressed as a cat for Halloween) and she wanted Mom to be one too.

The big surprise of the night was me dying my hair. I am actually a blond, but decided to have some fun and try something new for Halloween. Turns out I really like it (for some reason my hair looks super greasy in that picture though) and so does everyone else. So it remains, although it is already fading.

I just realized that I didn’t draw and whiskers on myself. Just as well- Jeremy’s cousin was so kind as to point out that Hali’s look like a spider…

Random Craftiness #1

October 25, 2007 at 5:15 am | In Crafty, For Hali, accessories, paper crafts, sewing | No Comments

Felt cell phone cozy for my little sister. We have the same phones (magenta razrs) so I could measure it for a good fit. She isn’t big on pink or bright colors really, just earth tones, black and white for her.

I’ve actually made several of these little notebooks, but somehow only managed to take a picture of a couple. They are really handy and I always have the materials on hand, as do most crafters! I changed mine up a little from the tutorials I’ve found online like this one, but mainly because I’m lazy. No other good reason, really!

A quick bag I made for Hali to put her tools in:

Just some scrap red fabric, scrap white bias tape sewn together and some velcro to close it at the top. I didn’t even line it. I just wanted to get it done.

The tools had previously been in a plastic Walmart bag, which I hate. I am this close to making some fabric shopping bags of my own instead of using plastic ones. I don’t toss mine, though. They get recycled/reused. I even made a plastic bag holder for them that I need to post!

Bag For Me and Backpack For Hali

October 17, 2007 at 4:19 am | In For Hali, accessories, sewing, thrifty | No Comments

Clearly it needs a good ironing, but here is a bag I put together for myself. When I say put together, I mean it: the seam right down the middle is pretty obvious! I made a pair of pants that were too short for Jeremy (he’s 6′0, so this happens occasionally) into shorts, and took the cut off portion and made it into a bag, then sewed some of my absolute FAVORITE fabric that I found at Hancock’s on around the middle. I covered up my sloppy sewing with some orange grosgrain ribbon, added some loops at the top and connected a brown leather strap from another purse that I didn’t like it on. Talk about refashioning, eh?

For Hali, she needed a bag that she could carry her ballet and tap shoes in easily, so I made a simple little backpack. I’ve seen them everywhere, but didn’t have a pattern so I just kind of started sewing. I picked a kind of “mod” fabric out of my stash- a quarter yard, and used all of it.

A (blurry) close up of the back view:

This little backpack is ridiculously fast and easy to make. Hali wouldn’t even wait for me to get my camera out for a picture of it before filling it with the “stuff” that little girls find necessary. She is quite happy with it, as am I.

Still Working on Hali’s Room…

September 11, 2007 at 5:58 am | In For Hali, Home Decor | No Comments

Before I even started Hali’s room redo (it still needs a few finishing touches, but pictures are coming soon!) I was thoroughly going over Apartment Therapy Nursery. Not because we live in an apartment- we don’t (anymore thank goodness) but because I wanted her room to have so many different functions and I wanted it to function well.

She needs: to sleep, read, color/draw, play, dress, relax, entertain her parents (she hosts many tea parties but more on that later), and just be a kid. All in her space. Not to mention her good sized wardrobe and accesory collection need to be stored there, as do a TON of toys, and her growing library.

I wanted everything to be organized and have a clean yet fun and playful look to it. I wanted it to be a happy room, and Apartment Therapy Nursery has some great example of how I could accomplish that. My style is always evolving as are Hali’s needs, likes, and dislikes. She’s Hali though, so I think she’ll always love pink!

We spent a good couple hours on her room today and I have changed a few things I wasn’t planning on changing again, but I believe this room is really going to work for us. I say us, because Hali is rarely in her room without me. I can’t wait to finish up!

Hali’s Room Redo

July 19, 2007 at 4:25 pm | In Craftin' With Hali, Crafty, For Hali, Home Decor | 1 Comment

A couple of winters ago when we lived up north, Hali and I were spending an afternoon over at my mom’s house. She had bought some letters for my sisters to decorate their rooms with, and I always wanted to do this for Hali, so she picked some up for me Hali too:

The “H” was painted pink, then a few random rhinestones stuck on, the “A” is covered in silk flowers, the “L” is covered in buttons, and the “I” has ribbon tied all around it.

I know these have been done and done- I mean who hasn’t done these?

Since I took this picture months ago, we started working on a small “redo” of Hali’s room. It was just getting too cutsie and cluttered. She hardly ever wanted to pull out toys and play- especially the ones in her closet that is full of them they are hard to get at.

The princess crowns on the other side of the mirror (Big Lots for like $15, people!) are just some cheapo Walmart craft section finds that are foam- I pulled them down this week for the redo.

The frames that Hali helped me paint pink are staying, but getting some brighter and better ribbon than that crappy one that blends in with the wall. I loved this idea because it’s such a good way to show off her paintings, which she loves.

The princess crown hook to the left is staying. It’s very functional for hanging her princess hat and cow girl hat, both in pink of course!

We just added some hardware to the dresser a few months ago- you can’t really see it well, but it will also stay.

The large gold framed picture is going. The pink box (another project that Hali and I did together) and Dora sewing kit will go on a shelf in her room so that she can actually reach them to use.

So as part of her room redo, I’ve been searching the internet, trying to get ideas for what functions well for a three year old like Hali. Turns out, we have just about everything we need, (or atleast we will after this weekend) it just needs to be rearranged so that it functions well for all the playing and other things that need to go on in one little girl’s room.

It was starting to feel like Hali just wasn’t playing with her toys. She has so many. So after thinking it over, some toys are going (we already tossed a few this week). Some toys are staying. Many are just being moved or organized better. A spoiled only child, she just has so much JUNK! I couldn’t take it anymore, and I don’t think she was crazy about most of it either. So we are throwing out what we don’t LOVE. Or I should say, I am throwing out what I don’t think she really loves to play with.

“Simplify, simplify, simplify” is our mantra for this redo! And maybe “function, organize, accessabilize” (is that a word?) should be thrown in as well.

I have finished sewing all but one of her fabulous curtains that I can’t wait to show off. They are really going to brighten up her room and add some playful color to it. Yes, they are still mainly pink, but in a less boring way!

Here’s something else we did a few weeks ago with another wooden letter: