Every year, we try to make at least one new decoration for a some of the more laid back holidays. You know us–any reason to celebrate something…anything, and we love it.
Here’s an easy little St. Patrick’s Day piece that will take all of about 20 minutes to make–but you just feel free to keep it forever. How about that?
Take five wooden blocks–any size you like…I used 1 inch–but any size will work.
Paint them all different shades…
of green–of course.
We found some pretty little gold stickers that were just perfect for attracting the right kind of spirit for the day…so to speak. Last of all–we covered the blocks with a coat of Mod Podge.
Did you know that the world’s most amazing gum wrapper chain is 11 miles long? Yeah, it’s true. It would actually take you several hours to walk the length of that thing. That’s just nuts!
Do you remember making gum wrapper chains as a kid? Dang they were cool. Kids used them for bookmarks or wall hangings or even belts, bracelets and rings.
We’ve made them out of regular gum wrappers, Starburst, Life Saver and Mamba wrappers. Obviously, a lot of different things work. If you don’t already know how to make them–I’ll show you step by step.
Everyone needs “mad skills” like this.
Heh…
Cut the wrapper in half, long ways.
Fold up each edge about half way…
then fold in half again to form a long, skinny strip.
Now fold the long strip in half.
Now fold each end in half, to meet in the middle.
It should look about like this.
Now fold a million little “prongs” just like this.
Fit the two prongs of one piece into the slots of the other piece.
Push it all the way through until it can’t go any more. It should look about like this.
Now take another “V” and slide it through the one you just fit in place…
When people see the handbags some of us carry around they never believe that we’ve made them from regular grocery bags.
I bet I’ve been asked about 65,000 times in the last few years–“How can you possibly crochet with a grocery bag?”
Consequently, this story has been told quite a bit, but never here on the blog. So, for those of you who’d like to know—this is how you do it.
Take one innocent looking grocery–the thin, noisy kind–and smooth it out flat.
Fold it in half lengthwise and smooth out again.
Fold in half again, and smooth out.
Cut off the bottom seam, and the handles at the top.
Fold in half again.
Cut the strip into 1 inch pieces…
until you’ve cut the whole strip.
Open up the loops…
Remember making rubberband chains when you were a kid?
Well, it’s like that.
Pull one loop through the other until…
they knot together. Do this over and over and over until you’re sitting in a big pile of grocery bag yarn. Stuff it all into a bag and then–when you’re in the mood you can crochet with it–
-pretty much like yarn. No kidding.
It’s a great way to recycle those silly bags and make our own teeny tiny dent in the local land fill.
And now you know the true secret of the universe. But don’t tell anyone…or do.
Here’s a fun little project that turns out quite pretty in the end. In fact, depending on the ages of your children–you might just turn this one over to them. We used the assembly line approach and made quite a noodle choir in about an hour.
For each angel you will need:
1 wooden bead
1 Rotini noodle
1 Bowtie noodle
2 macaroni noodles
a small pile of Acini de Pepe pasta
Tacky glue
First, glue the wooden beads to the top of the Rotini noodle and allow to dry. Then, dip the angel’s head in a hair type shape.
Pat the gluey head into the Acini de Pepe pasta for a curly hair look.
Next, glue the macaroni on like arms and allow to dry a bit. Glue the bowtie wings on the back. You can leave your angels a lovely noodle color…
or you can lay them on newspaper in a well ventilated area and spray paint them gold or silver or white.
Turn them over and spray until all the nooks and crannies are painted thoroughly.
Add a string or cord for a hanging loop on the back above the bow. Now your sweet little angels are ready to grace your presents or to just be hung on the tree directly…
do not pass go…
do not collect $200.
Oh—Pasta and Alfredo sauce may sound really good right about now.
What could possibly be better than Chocolate Mousse for Christmas, eh? These cute little guys are actually dolled up draw-string bags that hold the ingredients for a basic Chocolate Mousse mix. The “Chocolate Moose” is a plus.
To make our sweet little “Chocolate Moose” bags—
you will need:
two 7’’ x 8 ½ ‘’ pieces of Christmas type fabric
four 3’’x 6 ½’’ pieces and two 4’’ squares of brown felt,
thread to match fabrics
23’’ of ribbon, cord or shoelace
polyester fiberfill
a small brown pom pom
2 small roly eyes
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding
1 pkg instant whipped topping
instruction tags
1. For moose arms and legs fold each 3’’ x 6 ½ ‘’ piece of brown felt in half lengthwise, sew along long edge.
Knot the ends of the arms and legs.
2. Matching raw edges, pin one arm to one long edge of one fabric piece 3 ¼ ‘’ from one short edge (top); baste. Repeat for remaining arm and other long edge of fabric. Matching raw edges, pin each leg 2’’ from one long edge on bottom of fabric piece; baste.
3. Place fabric piece together, with arms and legs between layers of fabric. Leaving top edge open, sew pieces together, being careful to only sew the ends of arms and legs in seam.
4. To form bottom corners of bag, match each side seam to fold line at bottom of sack; sew across each corner 1” from end. Fold top edge of bag ¼ “ to wrong side; press. Fold edge ¼ “ to wrong side again; press. Sew close to top edge.
Turn bag right side out.
For head, use pattern (from the PDF below) and 4” squares of felt and cut out 2 head pieces and four antlers pieces
Sew two antlers together using a close zig zag on the outside edge.
Sew two head pieces together leaving the bottom edge open. Turn the heads right side out.
Stuff head with fiberfill. Sew final closure by hand. Hot glue eyes and pom pom nose in place. Tack antlers to back of head.
Fold ribbon or cord in half; tack fold to side of back at seam 2 ¼” from top. To be honest–I used hot glue.
Place Mousse Mix in bag–one bag of instant chocolate pudding and one bag of whipped topping.
Tie ribbon, string, or cord in a bow at center front; knot and trim ends–if you need to.
Hot glue head to front of bag. Print the tag from the PDF below and tie around the little dude’s neck. I haven’t done it yet–but you’ll see how it works in the PDF.
Now go pass them to all your neighbors and watch them grin!
