Sewing BRAVE Clothes

While shopping at Joann for items for Bug-A-Boo's birthday party we saw some fabric that featured Merida from BRAVE.  Well, as soon as she saw it she wanted it.  Well, I wasn't just going to buy her fabric so I asked her if she would like for me to make her a dress out of it and she very excitedly said, "YES, momma, yes!"

About a year ago I had made my first attempt at sewing clothes and made her a pillowcase dress using Simplicity pattern #2391.  I also used the same pattern to make her a pair of pants.  Both came out pretty good.

I figured I would stick with what I knew and decided to use the same patterns again.

I bought all of my materials and while pinning the pattern to the fabric realized that since the picture on the fabric had to go a certain direction, I hadn't bought enough of it.  I was able to get one panel for the dress cut out and I had a lot of fabric left over.

I took out my other patterns and realized I had enough left over fabric to make her a pillowcase top and a pair of pants.  I knew I was in for a lot of sewing.

I went back to Joann and got more of the licensed Disney fabric and was able to finish the dress.  Everything came out really cute and Bug-A-Boo loves it.  She says she is going to wear the pants and top for her "family" party and the dress for her "friends" party.

Finished Items for Brave Party

I have finished the essential items for Bug-A-Boo's BRAVE birthday party.  These were all so much fun to make and I can't wait for the party.

The first thing I did was go to Joann and buy all of my supplies.  For the log toss I was able to get a piece of foam (on sale) that was 5 inches thick and I had them cut it 4-1/2 feet long.  I wanted the "logs" to be taller than the kids and figured this was a good length.  I then found some Heidi Swapp fabric that looked like wood grain and I got 3 yards of it to cover my foam "logs".  Once I got home I cut the foam into 5 inch wide "logs" and then started sewing the wood covers.

One thing I was struggling to figure out was the archery target.  I knew I needed a large circle frame of some kind that I could cover in burlap but would have the back open so that arrows could go through a hole that would be cut in the middle.  I finally found the solution at Joann.  I bought a large embroidery hoop.  I purchased 1 yard of burlap and was able to fashion a target from that.  I used basic craft paint for the bullseye.  One problem I ran into was that when I hung the target up you weren't able to see the paint because the light shone through the burlap.  I got a piece of cardboard and cut it to fit the hoop and solved the problem.

The last and biggest project were the corn hole boards.  I went to Home Depot and had a piece of plywood cut into three 4' x 2' boards.  Then I nicely asked the associate in tool rental if he had a round saw blade at least 6" that could cut out the holes.  He did and even better was when he offered to cut them out for me.  It was quite a project and he blew threw about 7 or 8 batteries for his drill before pulling out "The Beast" (a plug-in drill that was huge), but he got it done and they didn't charge me.  I love Home Depot.

In order to prop the boards up we bought 3 pieces of scrap wood that were 4' long and about 12" wide. We got some brackets and I put them together. It worked perfectly.  I used leftover primer and paint from another home project to paint the boards and basic craft paint to paint the triplets.  I used leftover wood grain fabric and rice to make the beanbags for tossing.

I can't wait for the party!  Once I get the other decorations and ideas ready I will post them. 

Travel Mug Cozies

Yesterday I was feeling kinda crafty but not in the mood to scrapbook so I decided to pull out my felt, buttons, velcro and hot glue gun and make a couple of easy projects I've been wanting to do since seeing them at FamilyFun.com.

I made a Mickey Mouse and a Kermit the Frog Travel Mug Cozies.  So cute!  Since they velcro on it is easy to wash the mug and I can switch them out depending on my mood.  As I'm typing I just got an idea for a couple of others.  I'll keep you posted.

Goin' Wild Kratts!

Bug-A-Boo is an animal lover.  In her short time on this planet she has loved learning about animals.  After Disney World her favorite place is the zoo.  The big cats are her absolute favorite.  It's funny because during our bed time routine each night she tells us 5 different jobs that she would want to do when she grows up.  They are as follows:  Zoologist, Zookeeper, Marine Biologist, Park Ranger and Veterinarian.

She recently got to meet Jack Hanna at the Columbus Zoo and was pretty excited about it, although she was to scared to get her picture with him.

I asked her if she would have been afraid to meet and get her picture if she could meet the Kratt brothers?  She said, "NO!  I love them."  Sorry Jack.

Bug-A-Boo is obsessed with the Kratt brothers and their PBS Kids show "Wild Kratts".  It is amazing to me the things that she is learning (and teaching us) about.

In case you haven't heard of the Wild Kratts here is synopsis by PBS Kids:
  

Join the adventures of Chris and Martin Kratt as they encounter incredible wild animals, combining science education with fun and adventure, while traveling to animal habitats around the globe. Each adventure explores an age-appropriate science concept central to an animal’s life and showcases a never-before-seen wildlife moment. It’s all wrapped up in engaging stories of adventure, mystery, rescue, and the Kratt brothers’ brand of laugh-out-loud-comedy that kids love.

The real-life Chris and Martin introduce each Wild Kratts episode with a live action segment that imagines what it would be like to experience a never- before-seen wildlife moment, and asks, “What if...?” The Kratt brothers transition into animation and the adventure begins, bringing early-elementary school children into the secret lives of extraordinary creatures, many of which have never been animated before – including proboscis monkeys, draco lizards and caracals!

Aided by the brilliant hi-tech inventor and scientist Aviva Corcovado and her team, the adventuring brothers can activate their Creature Power Suits to fly with peregrine falcons, tag along remora-style with a great white shark, or dive to the bottom of the sea with whales and colossal squid!

From meeting a young elephant who uses the physics of suction to bring water into her trunk, to poison arrow frogs who use chemistry as their defense, to peregrine falcons who harness the force of gravity to fly so fast, the brothers and viewers learn that animals can take you anywhere in science!

Martin Kratt, Aviva and Chris Kratt

Bug-A-Boo is such a fan of this show that she has asked for a Wild Kratt birthday party (her birthday is 6 months away).  She also has devised a game that she plays with Prince Charming almost every night.  It is so much fun watching them run around the house rescuing animals and developing Creature Powers to help them accomplish their missions.  The first time Bug-A-Boo looked at Prince Charming and said, "come on Bro, let's rescue that cheetah.   CHEETAH POWER!"  I thought I was going to pee my pants I laughed so hard.

I knew then that I needed to make her a Creature Power suit so I took to the internet for inspiration and found a lot of other kids who were obsessed too.  Using ideas from several different creative women I designed a Creature Power suit for my little Wild Kratt Kid!

front of vest

For the vest of the Creature Power suit I used black fleece and green felt (because Chris wears green and Chris is her favorite).  I cut the fleece to fit her and used a sewing machine to sew on the felt.  The black dot in the center is a piece of velcro to hold the Creature Power discs on.

back of vest

Not the straightest but Bug-A-Boo doesn't seem to care.

Creature Power suit accessories:  communicator, gloves, pouch and Creature Power discs.

For the pouch I just took a piece of fleece and made a loop to put the belt material through and bought a clip at Joann.  I found the Creature Power discs online and had them laminated and put the opposing piece of velcro on the back.

The gloves are just a pair of black gloves found in the Target Dollar Spot with hand sewn green felt.

The communicator was a little difficult to make.  First I cut an extremely thick piece of chip board.  Then I printed out the picture of Aviva, Koki and Jimmy.  I used adhesive to attach it and then covered it with a piece of transparency to make it look like a screen.  I made a pouch for the chip board out of black felt and cut a hole in the felt for the screen.  I hand sew'd the "buttons" on and then sew'd a piece of elastic so it can go around her wrist.

The finished product.  One happy Kratt Kid.

I'll keep you posted on the birthday party.

Minnie Pillowcase Dress

Well, I've got it...the sewing bug.  I finished a cute little pillowcase dress for Bug-A-Boo and I really like how it turned out.  It took me a while and I had to get some special instruction from a girl who worked at Joann's but I did it.

Unfortunately, Bug-A-Boo did not like it.  I told her I made it for her to wear at Disney World and she said she didn't want to wear it and she didn't like it.  I was crushed.  I asked her if we should give it to someone else and she said, "yes."  My heart was broken.  I felt crazy for feeling so upset about it.

I found out later that she thought that it was her Halloween costume.  She really wants to be Jasmine for halloween this year and that is why she didn't like it.  We shall see.  I think next time I'll let her pick out the fabric.

To sew or not to sew?

Being a Crafty Chick I have dabbled in a lot of different disciplines, scrapbooking, card making, quilting, candle making, soap making, painting/drawing, ceramics and knitting.  You name it, I've probably tried it.  Obviously, some things have stuck (scrapbooking mostly) and others have not (just couldn't get into knitting).  The only thing I never really tried was sewing.

I've always thought I might want to try it.  The closest I've gotten is making some window treatments, pillowcases and snack bags but I never really considered that sewing.  There was no pattern needed and it was pretty basic.  When I think of sewing I think of what my grandmother did.  Make clothes for the family.

Recently, a friend of mine started making skirts for her daughter and they are the cutest thing.  Every time I would see them I would think how I wanted to do that for Bug-A-Boo.  I bought some patterns but they have been sitting in a cabinet for a couple of months now.  Finally, I realized that we only have a month and a half before we leave for Disney World and I really want to make Bug-A-Boo a pillowcase dress.

I went to Joann to buy the fabric for the pattern that I have.  To my surprise I found out that in a couple of weeks they are teaching a class on how to make a pillowcase dress from the pattern I have.  With the help of a wonderful Joann Associate I purchased all of the supplies and was told that I should practice using my sewing machine before the class.  She also told me that the pattern and instructions for making the capri pants was very easy.


Instead of even thinking about the pants I saw an apron kit on clearance so I got that instead.

It was so easy to make.  The "design" was already printed on the fabric and the instructions were basically, "cut out panels", sew together like the picture.  Well, a half hour later I had a really cute apron.

This easy-peasy project was not enough for me though.  I kept thinking about the challenge of figuring out the pattern thing for myself.

A couple days went by and I was having Bug-A-Boo try on some clothes to see if they still fit her.  One of the things she tried on was a sundress that we bought while at Disney World in February.  We got it at the Polynesian with the sole purpose that she could wear it in September when we went to the Spirit of Aloha Luau.  Well, she tried it on and needless to say...she grew.  She grew a lot and the dress was way to short to be a dress anymore.  At this moment my wheels started turning.  I remember the pattern with the cute capris.  I thought about how I could cut the dress down into a shirt and use the extra fabric for the contrasting band on the the legs of the capris.

I was so excited.  I decided to do it.  I was going to sew.  Really sew.  Clothes.

I went back to Joann, found the same helpful associate and got my materials.  I came home and read the pattern and instructions.  After about 5 hours and several take-aparts (4 to be exact) and re-tries I did it!

I can't wait to make that dress.  Definitely...to sew!