Fabric flower crown

I can't believe I'm blogging craft again. It's been a while! 

I made this fabric flower crown mostly to see if I could! 

I used this tutorial for the flowers and then free-styled a bit with some floral wire and sticky floral tape. It gets less sticky. But I was a bit worried at first!

I will be making a few more of these I think!

He's no ordinary kid, he's Ben 10

Ben 10 provides much of the sound track to our lives these days. It's Caleb's favourite show and he talks about it to anyone who will listen. He draws page after page of alien drawings and omnitrixes, he quotes the one liners, and he plays "Ben 10" with Jemima in the back yard. It's a little full on to be honest, but he really enjoys it- so I am indulging his love this Christmas with a couple of gifts.

I had the idea to make a "Ben 10 Alien Force" jacket and then I came across this pattern at Bettsy Kingston. It is such a cool pattern and so nice to make something for the little guy for a change. The instructions were clear with good illustrations- and the resulting jacket is very nicely finished. When I had a few troubles along the way, I sent Benita at Bettsy Kingston an email which resulted in an extremely helpful exchange- just like a mini sewing lesson!

The pattern went together really smoothly, and while there are a few niggles on this one due to my inexperience (the too long collar with puckering, and the top stitching at the opening) I know exactly what to do next time, and I am looking forward to making another non-Ben 10 variation.

I also have the reversible pinafore pattern from Bettsy Kingston and some very sweet fabric. I am hoping to whip one up for Eve before Christmas, but as usual after the completion of a project, I have to restore the housework balance before I can start a new one.

Super quick craft fix (meow)

Jemima likes to pretend she is a kitten, so I made her some cat ear clips. All glue gun, baby. It's pretty much all I have had crafty time for lately, opting to do laundry and dishes over crafting (the age old tension).

PS The (revolting) blue netting "arm warmers" as she calls them, were from a "rockstar" show bag at the school fete on Saturday. Blurgh. Of course she loves them.

Dress ups and pondering

I have been hard at work crafting away, trying to be organised for Christmas. It is verrrrry hard keeping a handmade present under wraps. I usually like to do a big "look what I made! ta da!" on completion of an item. So this secret squirrel business is pretty challenging. I can't even do my ta da! here in blog land for the literate among my recipients might have their surprise spoiled.

But this I can show you... Caleb asked for a "hoodie dress" a little while ago, and once I had surmised he meant Jedi robe, I did a quick google search and found this tutorial. I want this to be a surprise so I couldn't get him to lay on the fabric to get my measurements, so I used my simple servant dress pattern and added the hood and cut and hemmed down the front and added a little velcro attachment. I still need to hem it. I took a sneaky measurement to help in this- I want it to be good to go from unwrapping, not fussing with hemming it on Christmas morning. I hope it fits!

And this is not Christmas craft, and I am also not sure how I feel about it....

I found the veil that came with my second hand wedding dress in a big closet cleanout on Tuesday. I didn't wear it on my wedding day, but the sales assistant gave it to me anyway since she had no use for it. The kids spied it, and both had a go at trying to wear it, but because it was on a hair comb it wouldn't stay put. So I chopped off one of the layers and sewed it to a yellow headband we had lying around and then to cover my shabby hand sewing, sewed some flowers I had made with no purpose in mind, on top. When I finished it, Jemima said in her usual fashion, "I am not wearing that!", but about half an hour later put it on and didn't take it off for about 2 hours. There have been a lot of weddings to attend in her short life, and she is all about the "bride". She even has pretend weddings during her "rest time", that of course have no suggestion of a groom. When I ask her who she married at her wedding, she looks at me blankly or says "Uncle Tim and Aunty Kate."

It's quite funny because I was never "all about the bride". 8 years ago when I was the bride, I was looking forward to being married, but didn't really want to have the "wedding". I don't like being the centre of attention, and it's something that you really can't avoid on your wedding day! But I did want to mark the occasion with a celebration with lots of family and friends, and our service was certainly that. For our reception we had an afternoon tea in a hall in the adjoining retirement village which was just right for us.

I don't want to encourage Jemima to be focussed on her wedding day, but in the end, she equates being a bride with being a princess, a ballerina, a robot or a fairy, so into the dress up box goes the veil!

Tutu crisis

I had another fairy singlet and tutu on the to do list for Christmas, this time for my Jemima. WIth the way our evening worked out (with children resisting sleep and the like) I didn't get started until late-ish. At one point I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and the word "ghoul" came to mind with my red tired eyes and mascara smudged into the bags under my eyes. Pretty.

The wings are a bit wonky, but I love the vintage sheet and the colour yellow. And the sheet is so soft. 

I couldn't help but show her the tutu this morning, and she cried and said "take it" which is the opposite of "have it". In other words, don't come near me with that tutu, woman.

Oh well.

I read this post over at The Bird Bath and I agree, fairy costumes ARE scratchy and my "all about comfort" toddler has probably already figured this out...

Another fairy

I made two more fairy tops for my cousin's girls for Christmas. Jemima came home from swimming lessons and demanded she wear one of them. And then ran away so I had difficulty taking a photo. She was a very grumpy (and fatigued) fairy.

I made these 2 in just over 30 minutes including getting everything out etc etc. I felt like a super crafter.  

And, recognise the skirt Sarah-Jo? This kind crafter made it for Jemima along with another beautiful skirt for a craft swap that I will surely post a picture of some time in the near future. Thank you very much!

The reluctant fairy

I made this little (very pink) fairy costume for a little friend Caleb's age this afternoon. I've seen tulle fairy wings on singlets for years and have always liked them, and have now discovered they are very easy to make. And cheaper than its $15 counterparts at cotton on kids. The skirt was very easy too. I decided to make a cotton fabric casing for the elastic in the skirt because (a) it looks cute and (b) it should be a little more comfy around the middle than scratchy cheap tulle. I didn't sew the tulle together down the back of the skirt as I think it would look crappy. It's for wearing over clothes anyway, I tell myself.

(Notably the tulle seems to have lost its fly catching capabilities.)

In August 2007 Caleb had a dress up party to celebrate his 3rd birthday. His costume of choice was to be a fairy prince. How things have changed. I had to bribe a very cranky-about-wearing-pink Caleb to help me out with this little fairy costume.

Lucky for me he was nearing his target of 10 stamps for a reward (a green cowboy hat). This "kind" and "helpful" act for mummy, so I could make sure this costume was a good fit,  earned him 3 stamps. A pretty good deal. He was well compensated.