Box Car

Nick and I worked on this the other day. I think it turned out super cute! He wants to make another one today.

Very easy: cut a macaroni box to shape it like a vehicle. Cover in paint. I decided to use the cut-out pieces to fill in the whole so I just taped them on from the inside. We painted on the windows and stripes.

We used bottle lids that we had painted from our other art project. I glued glitter foam to the lids for the wheels. Nick wanted to add wings, so that is what's on top! I guess we will be making another one later today.

Painting

My son is experiencing Fall Break for two weeks so I planned some fun things to do for every other day. I thought we should leave room for improvisation and room to go hang out with friends.

Monday, we went to the dollar store to pick up some art supplies. We ended up at Michael's for paint and we have been collecting bottle caps for over a month in anticipation of this art project.

My son was inspired by our trip to the San Diego Zoo and the Splash Animal paintings we saw there. If you want to see one get painted, it is about 5 minutes of painting and it is amazing!

Here is what we came up with:

Getting there

I CANNOT wait to share pictures of my elephant! (We have switched internet providers and I am using the hubby's for now.)

She is almost done! Then onto the hood. I have to go sew now!


PS: the weather is turning back to summer temperatures and I have a cold. What is up with that!?

No Time!

I haven't even had a minute until today to get to my sewing! No pictures, but the elephant costume is cut up and ready to be sewn.

I'm working on a tail for her because I am improvising off of this pattern here. (B3238) I'm using the jumpsuit and the hood, but making my own tail, elephant-toe-nails, and ears!

The soccer bag and the baby blanket got to the sewing machine today. I may have time to start the elephant, but alas, the dishes and laundry are calling.

Other Projects Coming

In the middle of this coming week's challenge, KCWC, I have a baby shower gift that is not clothing to make and a soccer bag for my son.

I will stick to an hour a day for the challenge of clothing, but will have to add a few minutes to get these other projects done! Both projects should be a breeze to complete: a bag and a blanket, things I can do in my sleep.

Yeah! I can't wait to get started tomorrow. I decided to concentrate on my nieces Halloween costume for the entire week. IF I FINISH EARLY, I will work on a hoodie for my son. This past week, I already got done 2 pj pants and a long sleeve shirt, so that is pretty darn awesome in my book!

Two Shirts Into One

This turtle tank is one of my son's favorite shirts. I had to make it last through the winter, so it got new long sleeves and a stripe of white added to the bottom for length.
I used the sleeves from the white shirt to make a pattern from the blue material I had left over from the pj bottoms.
Then I used another long sleeved shirt as a guide for cutting the longer part of the sleeve. As I started cutting, I realized I forgot to include a seam allowance. BUT good news! This shirt I used is too big anyway, so it works out great!
The problem has been that it has been near 90 degrees all week with tons of humidity and a chance of rain this weekend. But alas, he will get to wear this when the weather cools down. He loves it! (I didn't tell him I cut up the shark shirt.)

More PJ Bottoms

The shirt, $3 from Goodwill.Pattern pieces made from existing pj bottoms, traced front and back. Pieces cut for the front and back. I usually use the side seam of the shirt for shorts, but these are a bit too long for that, so I had to sew up the sides on these.

All done except the waist. I made sure to iron my seams all flat. Dana, from dana-made-it.com gave this great tip! They look so professional. I love these. They are bit big in the waist for my son, but he is growing so fast, no doubt they will fit him before winter time is over! These are my first pants that fit fine!

Close to a Final Decision

I have already started on my list for next week. I was just too impatient to wait! So I needed a new idea for something to actually work on during the challenge. My little niece has requested to be an elephant for Halloween and since I made some ghost costumes last year, I was asked again!

Elephants are not "IN" right now, so I have had a heck-of-a time finding a base costume, but think that I have FINALLY come across a couple different options that will work.


I think this puppy costume would be a great start in some gray batik or fleece. This is pattern B6695 and looks simple enough.



This frog costume has feet and hands, though, and I really like that. This pattern is M6185 and I think this would be much easier to add elephant ears to the hood.

More decisions to make! I believe in myself and think that I could get this done with a dedicated hour a day to work on. That gives me a time frame to have it done before October and mailed in plenty of time to be worn to all of those Halloween parties!

PJ Pants

Yes, I'm a dork, in more ways than one! I could not wait until the KCWC started so I worked on these repurposed pants last night and this morning. A fifteen minute project turned into an hour because I sewed the wrong sides together and had to take out all my stitching. THAT DRIVES ME CRAZY! But alas, they are complete.

These are my husbands worn out pj pants. They could not be modeled for reasons of indecency!

I used the side seam of the pants so I could do less sewing. I love this technique!

Oops. One leg is longer than the other. How did that happen? Needs fixin'!And the finished product. My son is so excited to have these because they were his daddy's!

Thank you Rookie Moms for this wonderful tutorial!
http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-some-easy-kids-pants/

Decisions

I am trying to decide what to make for next weeks challenge, (see right for link.) I am hoping that I'm not to ambitious to get so much done in a week. I think I can; I think I can!
Here are my ideas so far:

1. PJ pants using this tutorial. Of course I would modify and make them for THE BOY!

2.Possibly using this tutorial for a pair of fun pants that are upcycled.

3.I really want to do a hoodie! I might use this as a guide to make one for THE BOY, or this one might be easier without a zipper.

4. I still want to do at least one hat. I'm looking at a couple different ideas. This idea here I could definitely do for any size since it is by measurements and not pattern pieces to print. I could modify this one to make it bigger because I think this pattern is a bit small for my five year old. This is my favorite pattern for a fleece hat. I changed the dimensions and made one for my son last January. Decisions, decisions!

5. I also want to try this pattern for making a short sleeved shirt into a long sleeved shirt. It looks easy enough. And I LOVE to upcycle, especially since we are low on the money side right now with both of us parents unemployed at the moment.

I can't wait to get started on these projects! This week, I am cleaning house and budgeting for the next month or so. We are deciding if we are going to move, so might be packing soon. BUT, I MUST SAY: I am looking forward to this challenge to do something productive, (no, something that I can SEE,) as I feel like all of this thinking and planning for life is for naught.

List of Projects for Sept. 20

What I'm thinking for Kids Clothing Week Challenge:

1. 2 pair of pj pants
2. 90 minute shirt
3. sun hat
4. baseball-type hat
5. one hoodie

It might seem an ambitious list that needs trimming down, but I'm gonna give it a shot. I want to use all recycled material or material on hand. And of course, it is all for THE BOY!

Edited 9/13/10:
Make that:
1. 3 pair of pj pants (one pair is for the niece)
2. some type of hat
3. a hoodie, probably upcycled
4. a long sleeve shirt, upcycle idea

Another Challenge!

I've been looking around for a sewing exchange. I know some blog writers do them, but I seem to miss it by a week or two. In the mean time, I came across this Kids Clothes Week Challenge that I am excited to participate in. Check out the link to the right.

I have a few ideas floating around in my head that can't wait to land on some fabric. I will do my best to blog my progress for this week. The challenge is to sew kids clothes for an hour a day for the duration of a week. It seems that pattern drafting and cutting and sewing and ironing are all involved, as well as crochetting and knitting to boot! It starts September 20th. OOoo, the anticipation!

I tried to blog about my progress with Spring Top Week in May, but I had too many other things going on to make it interesting or worth while. The finished product was and still is amazing to me! It's my go-to jacket when it's breezy outside or chilly inside. (But I'm not complaining! Chill is better than 100 degrees!)

So, join me if you sew! If not, sit back and watch what comes out of all those creative minds out there!

Coming Home

Got home from San Diego yesterday, early evening; hoping for a warm welcome from the hubby who stayed behind for the weekend. Greeted by a quick kiss and then a wall of depression was disappointing to say the least.

I'm at a loss for words, even to my God. I snapped at my son this morning, very uncalled for. I can't focus on my husband's words. All I hear are dreams that don't have a road; dreams that have no engine to drive them. My own words are boring and repetitive; condescending and judgmental.

In one moment, I ask God to teach me and show me life. In the next moment, I scream at him that the lesson is too hard. There is no middle ground right now.

Ahhhhhh. Okay God, I hear that. There is no middle life - you are for HIM or against HIM. Yes, God, I'll sell everything and follow you. Oh, wait, did you mean that item, too? That's my favorite. It's sentimental. That is the only piece of luxury my husband and I have. Okay, I'll get rid of it. That, too? Wait, I need that...

Enough is enough. I will pray, even when I don't hear an answer. I will pray, even when I don't like the answer. I will pray, even when I don't know what to say. I will pray, I will pray, I will pray.