Isn’t Pinterest fun? My only challenge about pinterest…is how to really use it to create things to help my family! It’s so easy to pin pretty pictures, but sometimes they just gather on my pinboards and I don’t actually try the craft or recipe. I have been delighted to discover awesome artists who I would not have found without pinterest, but I don’t always remember to visit my ‘artwork’ pinboard to admire all of the work. Together with prayers I have managed to find and pin, I have created a new Prayer Book Pinboard, but this time…I have an action plan! This collection will be used to build something!
Whiteboard Animation: Don’t YOU want to give it a try?
April 25, 2013 by 3 Comments
In 2011, Kelly produced her first animated feature: Adam-ation. It’s all about what her little baby brother Adam does when we’re not looking! This is our blogpost about Adam-ation and here’s Adam-ation on YouTube.
A Collectable Correspondence from a Catholic Love Story
April 24, 2013 by 2 Comments
Bill and I met almost 21 years ago at my first Young Adult meeting at St Patrick’s Parish. He was leading the group…and I was just checking out the Catholic scene at home, after returning from my 2nd year in Architecture in a city 5 hours away.
Kitchen Table Felt Castle
January 17, 2013 by 22 Comments
I’ve seen so many cool DIY forts made to fit the kitchen table that I just had to make one for my own kids. This is a project I actually tackled a couple years ago, but my kids still play with it. We’ve also been able to breathe new life into it, by adding IKEA felt tools…
Knitivity…sorry if you don’t have an Auntie Ingrid!
December 18, 2012 by 1 Comment
Check out my guest post TODAY at CatholicMom.Com:
Sorry if you don’t have an Auntie Ingrid
Maybe you want to take a look at last year’s link-up of Homemade Nativities
or this year’s
Wooden Painted Saint Nativity Ornament!
School Christmas Ornament Exchange
December 10, 2012 by 2 Comments
Two of our kids are attending a new Catholic school in the area and I thought it was such a great idea that they are asking for a Christmas ornament from each family to decorate the tree year after year. I had a quick look at ornaments at Walmart and the dollar store, but couldn’t find even one remotely religious Christmas ornament, beyond maybe a star or an angel. I decided to take matters into my own hands…and pull out the supplies I use for my Wooden Painted Saints.
Custom 3D felt Car Mat
April 26, 2012 by 2 Comments
Sometimes I just have to make something…with my hands …and Adam’s 2nd birthday this last week offered the perfect opportunity. With left over felt from the Felt Castle Fort I made last year for Bridget, I just started cutting felt, beginning with an 8 track. I knew I wanted houses, garages (pockets) to hold the little cars and a few things to make it different from anything I have seen.
I found a link for Homemade Car Mats and I liked some of the ideas I found. I still plan to put a drawstring in the seam so that it can close and carry the cars. A circular mat would lend itself better to the drawstring closure, but I think that this will work too.
Family Culture in Ordinary Time
January 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Build your own Family Culture and Traditions…and start during Ordinary Time!
Collect family artifacts and treasures: keep a collection of family documents, classic photos, newspaper articles, certificates, letters from the toothfairy or letters to Santa, programs from funeral Masses, graduations, wedding invitations, birthday invitations, letters of acceptance, report cards…even if they are photocopies of the real thing! This is what we created our Family Treasure Chest for!These and other family-centric activities, crafts and traditions can be found in A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families. Altered Collage Books Years ago, I was fascinated by the books Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence. “Thus begins the strange and intriguing correspondence of Griffin and Sabine. It is a story that is partly a romance, partly a mystery, and completely a work of art. Each page contains a new card or letter…the complete correspondence tells an extraordinary story in an extraordinary way.” The whole book is packed with stamped letters and postcards, with striking images and artwork. As I began collecting special cards and letters for each of my kids, I decided I would also write my own letters to them: my goal is to write one for each child, at least once a year. While I have probably missed a few opportunities…my collections of letters and cards are pretty neat, for each of the children. I was intrigued by the Griffin and Sabine book and began my own altered collage books: one for each child, in a story book that reminded me of them! These books were filled with fascinating postcards documenting a correspondance in a cool book with postcards and letters in envelopes.
Altered Book Tips
Handmade Ipod Nano Holder
December 29, 2011 by 4 Comments
Kelly loves the ipod nano that she received for her 13th birthday. It’s just that it’s so cute and SMALL! That’s our Canadian quarter beside it…see how small it is? It’s a little too easy to lose! I thought I’d make her something to keep it a little more safe and visible!
I made a little ipod holder out of felt.
I chose orange felt to match Kelly’s tangerine colored ipod nano.
Sorry…I don’t have a pattern…I just made it up as I went along. It was also night-time and I didn’t take any pictures. I put the whole thing together while we watched The Mentalist. Not bad for one hour’s work!
For the open window of the ipod holder, I wanted to reinforce it, to make it extra strong to keep the shape. Using the sewing machine, I sewed the white square of felt onto one of the orange pieces, before I sewed all the pieces together. I used a tight zigzag stitch to make it really strong. After it was secured in place, I carefully cut the inside square out of the white felt, and then the orange felt to reveal the window of the ipod nano.
I used the machine to sew the two pieces inside out, together with a third (white) piece to make a pocket for the earphones.
I sewed the white flap into the side seam with the machine…and just had to double check it before I sewed the other side seam. I was just a little surprised that this worked! When I turned the felt right side out…it was just want I wanted!
I like the chunky handmade look of the felt with hand stitches, so I reinforced all the edges (and the bottom of the earphones pocket) with hand stitches.
I used the machine to reinforce the button hole…not so neatly.
I didn’t mind reinforcing the earphones cable hole by hand. I wanted to get the right location for the earphones cable hole, so I did this after the rest of the ipod holder was sewn together.
I was pleased at how secure it feels.
Clearly, I am an amateur at sewing, but I think the imperfections are part of its charm!
(That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)
I like the look of it and Kelly likes it too! She now has a cozy home for her ipod nano and earphones.
I was inspired by these “mixed tape” felt cases. These are infinitely more professionally made and available for purchase at this etsy shop.
Last Minute Gift: Catholic Family Calendar!
December 19, 2011 by 5 Comments
Last Minute Gift: all you need is a printer for a treasured family gift for
Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins!
The Build-Your-Own
Catholic Family Perpetual Calendar!
with Kelly Comics illustrations.
