handmade Christmas

Here's something anyone with a glue gun and a few buttons can make.  This is a cork board I got a yard sale for 10 cents.  I painted the frame and cut a piece of brown craft paper to fit over the cork.  Ribbon, sticks, and buttons do the rest of the work.  

Cousins!

Titus and Ezra live too far away from us!  My sweet nephews need to know their cousins and so for Christmas I decided to send them some cousins to play with!  I copied some pictures of each of my kids onto regular paper and then cut around them.

I love this stuff!  It is a big magnet with a sticky backing.  I put the picture on the magnet and then cut around it again.  

Here's what they look like now:

To make them extra durable I laminated them and sent them off and there you go- cousins to play with!

diaper bag

This little diaper bag/pouch has a snap closure and works great for dropping Kate off at the nursery.  It's all I need!  

This GREAT fabric that I just love can be found here.

Advent Calendar

I finally made the advent calendar I've been planning for 3 years!  Please don't get too excited.  This certainly does NOT look like it's been worked on for 3 years, it's just that I finally made the time to do it.  I had several ideas in mind, but here's what I finally chose to do:

I painted a canvas dark brown and then cut out 25 tags (these are actually the tags I use for the Calico Barn so I already had them made).  Then I put brads through each hole to hold the tags onto the canvas (pins stuck into a framed cork board would be nice too).  I bought these brads at the $1 spot at Target.

Some of the numbers are hand written, but most are just stickers from my scrap-booking stuff.  On some of the brads I hung little things.  On the backs of each tag I'll write something special for our family to do together each night this month.  

Now, practically speaking we're not going to be able to have a perfect little family warm and fuzzy holiday- spirited, cookie- baking, craft- making, cocoa- sipping, carol- singing, story- reading, movie- watching, popcorn- stringing night every one of these 25 days, but we'll have fun trying!  This was fun and EASY to make.  If you don't have an advent calendar I recommend making one and by all means don't wait 3 years to do it!  :)

Calico Barn

On Saturday I worked my 3 hour volunteer shift at the Calico Barn.  Each season that I have stuff there (there are 2 seasons each year) I have to sign up to work one 3 hour shift.  It was kind of fun!  I've already done this several times before and usually am spending the whole time looking at the clock, but Saturday they were busy and it was fun to talk to lots of people.  I also got some new ideas for next year.  It's tricky finding the right things that will sell at this location and it's helpful for me to see the clientele there.  For instance, the aprons are not selling! However, several people were looking for tree toppers and small tree skirts and none of the crafters at the CB make those things.  Someone was looking for napkin rings also.  So, I'm adding some more projects to my to do list for next fall.

nothing new

Since it's been forever since I've updated this blog and especially since I have absolutely nothing new to share, I thought I'd re-post an easy and CHEAP fall decor idea.  I've been enjoying this garland again this year.  Here is another great idea.  For the past few years I've wanted to make an advent calendar.  There are so many different ideas and different ways to make them.  I think I'll finally make time this year to attempt that project!  Any ideas?

Scarf and garland

Calico Barn- fall '08

I have been forgetting to take pictures this season! Here a couple though.  This is one of the table runners I turned in recently.  

This pile of scraps , believe it or not, is garland that I sell.  For some reason this garland sells well at the CB.  Here in Minnesota most everyone you meet will tell you that they "have a cabin up north".  I'm not sure exactly what this "up north" means, but everyone here goes there for some rest and relaxation every chance they get.  This raggy stuff is perfect for the Northwoods lover!  It's not my style, but I've definitely found what sells here!  These are all of my leftover scraps from quilts.  I sew them in whatever order or fashion I grab them with a zig-zag  stitch onto a long piece of jute.  it's takes about 20 minutes to do and is free to make and sells for $12!  The first time I made this I was almost embarrassed to turn it in and the owner bought it before putting it out on the floor and she asked me to make more.  yeah!

The Ella Bag

Since Ella started Cubbies this year she needed a new bag!  We made this together.  She helped pick out the fabric (thanks for Meg's great stash!) and we bought the iron-on letters from JoAnn Fabric.  It's a small messenger bag style and it's just perfect for Ella!

more headbands

Sling

Here's the sling I've been working on.  Ella took these pictures for me so I'm sorry they're awful!  ha!  I think this one works for a medium sized person.  I need to figure out the measurements for both petite and tall sizes.  I'll be making a few for some friends that fit that description! 

Baby Sling

I'm trying something new. I'm experimenting with a baby carrier. I need a good name for it. There are so many different brands and names given to these slings (The Peanut Shell is a popular one). Mine is nothing fancy. Simple and definitely not original. I've thought of "Stow and Go Baby". Now it's your turn. Please share your ideas with me. If you read my blog, but don't have a blogger account in order to make a comment you can message me on facebook or here's my e-mail address: jbstamper@hotmail.com As soon as possible I'll post some pics to help you visualize my endeavor. Thanks for your help!

Calico Barn- fall '08

Today was the deadline for the Calico Barn.  I've been working hard.  Let's hope it pays off! Thanks to Sara, Elisa, and Amy I'm ready to go.  Everything is priced and tagged and looking good!  It's exciting to see the final product.  There's a lot more stuff to come also.  I think I deserve a to take a few days off though. :)

Aprons

I've been busy making child size aprons for this season at the Calico Barn.  I've decided that this is the best way to use up all of my scraps of fabric (I have TONS).  The first apron is a cloth napkin from a yard sale.  I got 4 of them for .25 cents.  The flowery fabric on the other ones are from a set of 4 vintage place mats I found at a thrift store for $1.45.  All of the other embellishments were left from other projects or free to me.  That means I made 8 aprons for $1.70! yay!