Felt Christmas Tree

Last year I saw all over Pinterest this felt tree which is awesome! So this year wanted to make a felt Christmas tree for my daughters to play with but make it moveable and more for dramatic play. I love all things forest like so I wanted this tree to look kind of shaggy like it came from.. well the forest. My mom thinks it need feet and should star in a SiFy movie... hmmm.. full of jokes that one. I think its cute and the girls love it! I make some quick ornaments and got some sparkly red yarn from my stash I also threaded some sparkly pompoms to string around it but they are not pictured. The tree I made a cone with one layer of felt and stuffed it sewed it shut. For the leaves I cut long strips of jagged felt and hot glued it around until it was done! 

DIY costume Max from Where The Wild Things Are

 I have had both of these costumes done for a month or more now...My goal was to get these up so other people could use the idea.. but celebrating Halloween and doing activities for that kiiiind of trumped. Sorry, maybe next year! For Raley's costume this year, she was Max from Where The Wild Things Are. It has always been my favorite children's book, from when I was little to now. I always wanted to do it if I ever had a son, but I think it is very fitting for Raley. She is wild and fearless and full of imagination. When she was little ( she still does it now sometimes) she would growl at Lilly and me and snap her teeth and cackle because it would always make Lilly squeal and run. Whenever she did  it always made me think of Max when he yell to his mom "Iam going to eat you up!!"

To make the costume, I wanted soft white snuggly fabric. I took Raley and gave her the choices and she picked this one and it is exactly the one that I had in mind! For the body I folded the fabric in half ( so the fluffy sides were touching) and laid her on the fold so half of her body was on the fabric and I traced it. For the arms and hood I used Simplicity pattern 5520 because it was what was in front of me. I used the arms for the little boys knight costume on the pattern and the hood that was on there also along with the "ears" I did make four of these pieces so it was lined when it was down. The ears I just stuffed and sewed on the outside. I cut the legs and arms so they looked like claws. The tail I just cut out what I thought a wolf tail would look like. I cut a little hole in the but and sewed it in from the inside. It pulls up on her so I did not put a zipper or buttons on. For the crown, I used the same fur as the tail. I also got the heaviest fusible interface  that I could but I did not iron it because I was afraid it would melt the fabric. I hand sewed the fur on and I wanted it to be detached from the hood so she could wear it alone.I put all the tips of the crown together and clipped them with a clothes pin so it would give it that funky curl. I really love it, so does Raley!  FYI This outfit cost $10 to make, in your face $90 pottery barn kids costume, Ha!

DIY Merida Brave Costume Part 2

 

Lilly and I love the movie "Brave" so it was a easy do decided on a Halloween costume this year. For those who have not seen it, It is probably on of my favorite "Princess" movies. Its about changing your fate and she does not need a prince to save her. Since I am a single moma of girls this message is huge for me. Anyways, For a long time there was only the blue "Princess" dress out, and we wanted the Green "Adventure" dress that she wears for most of the movie. So naturally I made her one!  I would have made it even if it was out for sale. Because I love to make their costumes, I have always made them, except one year when my mother made it because I was super sick. I had this pattern from Lilly's costume last year. 

I used Simplicity pattern 5520. But I did not use the whole pattern and used pieces from both patterns. I used the (referring to the pattern front) purple dress for the body, the sleeves from the brown dress but chopped them so they were not as long and took them in so they were more fitting. Once they were attached to the body I then chopped them in half and and added the gold band. I used gold folded ribbon for the sleeves and collar. I did not use the collar from the pattern. For the bottom Satin with this pattern because of the curve that goes around the bottom is really hard to get a good looking seem and I was not wanting to spend a ton of time messing with it so I zig zagged the green so it would not fray and then cut a gold band and sewed that to the outside. 

For the pouch I used a fake leather fabric.

For the arrows I used sticks from the yard and hot glued feathers and wrapped floss around it and black felt for the tip. Her bow is not in the pictures but it was made with a curved stick and string  and wraped with the same colored floss.

DIY Brave Costume Post 1

Here is a sneak peek at Lilly's Brave Costume I made for this year! I have it all done but I just need to take some better pictures then the ones on my cell phone to show it! The above picture is what almost did me in... If you have ever sewn with stretchy fabric and satin you know its not most peoples idea of a fun time. If you have not tried that combo yet, let me give you a piece of advice.. Pin, Pin, Pin. Pin ever 1/4 of an inch. The more you pin the better because then your fabric can not move. This rule goes with any kind of fabric that has stretch in it. I tried to skip this and pined maybe every foot... I knew better but was trying to hurry. Baaaad idea. Also sew on your largest stitch, that way it does not pull the fabric with every stitch. I will hopeful take the pictures tomorrow! Raley is going to be Max, from "Where The Wild Things Are" one of my all time Favorite books! I kind of talked her into it and she has been super pumped about it! I know its more of a boy costume but it fits her personality :) I have hers done too and just need to do pictures