Teaching Good Things, Practical Skills for Real Life

Equipping Families with Practical Skills for Real Life!

Category Archives: Creativity

Fiber Arts Monday – Simple Basics, looking for some ideas

With having little girls in my house again I am looking for ideas to help them learn the basics of sewing and easy projects that will encourage them to keep their hands busy.

Cherish, who is 8, is working on a printed plastic canvas project that we picked up at Hobby Lobby.  Just learning the simple basics of how to hold a needle and which direction to stitch in has been a challenge, but plastic canvas , a big plastic needle and yarn are perfect to learn these simple things.

She will work on it for about 10 minutes, get frustrated and then have to put it down. I’m OK with that, I want her to enjoy it. The key right now is mechanics.

But the best part of doing this is that it forces time to be still with us, even when I may not want to.  I have to sit with her and help her untangle her knots, or show her AGAIN what direction to go in. It gives me a perfect opportunity to teach her patience and the importance of details and diligence. I am learning just as much as she is, not in the skill of sewing but rather in patience and diligence in my parenting, in nurturing our relationship.

I even started my little Peach on these.

I used Styrofoam trays and poked holes in them.

Then I taped the yarn to the foam to be used as a knot.

We use a single thread so they can be used over and over again…

and un-knoted easily.

She thinks she is making something great! She is learning the same things, just bigger and slower. If she messes  up the trays it’s no big deal, I’ll just make more. :) These are also great to keep her busy while we do school work. I even numbered her holes so we count as we go.

Boys like them too, but sometimes they find other things to do with the string!

Here are some other easy beginner projects:

Cloth Napkins

Tea Towels

Hair Scrunchie

 

 

 

Fiber art is anything that includes stitching, weaving, quilting, sewing, rug making, crocheting, knitting, spinning, etc…

Each Monday we can share ideas, patterns, finished projects and ask questions about fiber arts in the comment section.

You can also link up to your blog post or photo account that is related to fiber arts, I just ask that you link back to the most current Fiber Arts Monday post. Just leave your post link in the comment section and tell us what it is.

Giving Generously – Almost Free Gift to Make

Olivia surprised me with an early gift for over the mantel.

I love this phrase from the song, Come Thou Fount.

This is my heart’s plea…”never more to wander from Thee”.

 

Now I know our home is a bit different because my husband is a handyman, carpenter, and junkyard extraordinaire (a little sarcasm in that last one) and I am a crafty person so we usually have all kinds of junk…I mean supplies around. But even if you don’t have a bunch junk supplies around these take so little to make I bet you may even have a grandparent, an uncle or a neighbor that have these supplies in their garage.

  • A piece of wood, even a rough piece can be sanded down to make it smooth. Think lightweight, perhaps a use for that pallet wood.
  • Some wood stain, I like the dark so the words really stick out. Stain it, you can even use a rag if you don’t have a brush, and it takes so little stain you can buy a small can and it will go a looooong way! Let it dry for several hours.
  • A small craft paint brush
  • Some craft paint
  • Use a very light pencil mark or chalk mark to make a straight line.
  • Add a favorite verse, a phrase, perhaps a family name and the year the family was established, good quotes, or something humorous …be creative.
  • Make them big or small… it’s a gift to please all. :)

This is another sign she made…which I love!

 

This is my friend Robin’s door and her family name overhead.

A great way to give generously without breaking the bank.

 

Sheds and Other Buildings from Pallets

Last week I shared about a really cool bench.

Did you know that:

  • Approximately 40% of all hardwood harvested in the U.S. is for making shipping pallets
  • About two-thirds of pallets are used only once before being thrown out
  • 1/4 of all wood in landfills is from used pallets

 

You’ve got to look at this guy’s website and all of the different pallet sheds that people have sent him pictures of! Some are simple and some are simply amazing!  There is everything from a woodshed, a hen house, to a children’s fort, to a get-a-way cabin, to an outhouse!  Scroll all the way down! :)

 

 

 
I love pallet projects!

Making Christmas Ornaments with Buttons

When my kids were younger we’d usually take the month of December off from most of our book work. Between parties and holiday commitments it was just easier to set the books aside and still be learning in a more creative way.

Whether it is simple crafts, holiday baking, special meals or gift giving there is plenty to keep us busy.

On the site this week we’ll focus on making Christmas ornaments. Please feel free to comment and leave your suggestions or links.

Today everything is button related!

Button Wreath

Button Wreath Ornament

Button People and Animals

Gotta love Martha’s site!

CUTE!

Great Wreath Ideas and How to Make Them

Your door truly says “Welcome” (or not) to people. It is your visitor’s first impression of your home.

This is the one I have right now. I love having a wreath on the door and I change mine every season. I almost always use the same base but change out the decorations. I also use strips of fabric rather than buying ribbon.

All you need is a base, some floral wire (sold at Wal Mart) and wire cutters and the sky’s the limit!

Here are some great ideas I found on the web:

Made from lima beans, see how!

Easy and stunning! Could be used for fall and winter!

Check it out!

This site will show you the different bases and how to construct them.

Several good ideas at Good Housekeeping,

including this wine cork wreath and a cookie cutter wreath!