Hot Air Balloon Hoop Art - A pattern and tutorial

Hi everyone

This has been in the works for AGES!

And can now be downloaded for free (yay!) from my pattern shop!

This is such a versatile embroidery design that can be stitched on many items - think zipper pouches, a motif on a t-shirt, etc. - the possibilities are endless!

If you choose to use the embroidery design as hoop art (as shown in the tutorial provided), then change up the colours for the perfect piece for a babies room, or children's room, or use some sophisticated colours and you have the perfect gift for your best friend!

Emma

A new little activity for the Little Monster, Transport themed Lego Puzzles, and you can make your own too!

Hi everyone :)

A few weeks ago I came across this post while searching for new activities for the little monster.

(Source)

Now, the little monster LOVES lego, and he LOVES puzzles, so what better way to entertain him, that to incorporate both into a fun activity?!

I decided to make some transport themed lego puzzles for the little monster, as he is in a real transport loving phase at the moment - be it trains, trams, boats, cars, or planes :)
I also thought he would find these puzzles a little more challenging as all, except 1, use 3 blocks to make the picture.

Finding and creating this activity for the little monster was just in time too, we took the puzzles I made for him on holidays with us last week and they were a major hit!  Since arriving home he has been busy playing with them too...I might have to make him some more :)

Would you like to make your own transport themed lego puzzle for your little monster to play with?

Yes!

Well, then follow the little tutorial I have provided below :)

Items you will need:
26 Duplo lego bricks (or similar)
Download the transport themed pictures I have used here
Sticky tape
Scissors/guillotine
A printer
A pen

1. Print out your transport images (downloaded from here), and cut each image out.
2.  Choose one image to start with.   Turn your image over to the wrong side, and mark with your pen where the breaks in each of the bricks are.
3 and 4. Cut your image on each of the marks. You will now have 3 separate images (or 2 if it is the "tram" image) that make up your transport picture.
5 and 6. Using your sticky tape, stick each image to a separate block.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all your images are attached to each lego brick.
8. And your finished!  Repeat the process for all the other transport images.

Your Transport Lego Puzzles are now ready to play with!  I hope your little monster has as much fun with the ones you create as mine had with his :)
Emma

DIY - A decorative (and functional) lace zipper pouch

Hi everyone,

Earlier this week, while the little monster had his nap, I made this pretty lace zipper pouch:

Recently, the sewing machine does not seem to be getting much of a workout - I blame the baby growing in my belly - but for some reason, the other day at nap time, I really wanted and felt like making this pouch.  So, I asked the little monster - while he ate his lunch - what colour zipper I should use...he chose grey, and I'm so happy he did as I think it works much better than the other choices I gave him (which were yellow or blue).

Now, I haven't written a DIY tutorial for my little blog or anyone else's in AGES...so I though I would write this for all those of you that haven't worked with lace zips before - they are so EASY and FUN!

You will need:
4 pieces of fabric measuring 4.5" x 5.5"
4 pieces of light/medium weight interfacing and
1 lace zip

As you can see form the above picture, I went to my scrap boxes for the lining fabric used in this pouch, I wish I had had enough of those cute little birds to make another pouch with them on the outside...but I didn't and I felt like using them ;) now when I open my pouch I get a little surprise and a smile :D

The sausage dogs were perfect for the outside of the pouch, I love them and I will enjoy using this pouch regularly just so I get to see them - the little monster also loves them, he says, "mummy's doggies" whenever he sees it too :D

Sorry...I got side tracked...here is how you go about making your own:

1. Iron on your interfacing to the wrong side of each of your fabric pieces

2. Sew, (right sides together) one of your exterior fabric pieces to one of your lining pieces.  Repeat for other exterior and lining piece.

3. Press seems flat, (repeat for remaining fabric pair).

4. Press fold where the exterior fabric meets the lining fabric, (repeat for remaining fabric pair).

5. Pin your lace zip to the pressed fold in the fabric on the exterior fabric side (see the picture below). Make sure you don't pin the fabric too close to the teeth of the zipper - or every time you open and close the pouch, your fabric will get caught in the zip.

6. Stitch your zip to the fabric (it is much easier to use a zipper foot on your sewing machine for this step :D) Repeat step 5 and 6 for the other side of the pouch.

7. Fold your exterior fabric pieces so that they are right sides facing, and then fold the lining pieces so they are right sides facing, pin and sew (with a 1/4" seam allowance) around the outside edge - leaving a turning gap on the lining fabric side (see image below).

8. Draw a 1" square in each of the 4 corners on the front and in each of the 4 corners on the back - (use the your stitching lines as a guide).

9. Bend/fold the corners so that the lines from your 1" squares match up (see the picture below).

10. Sew along the line.  Repeat step 9 and 10 for all 4 corners.

Once all 4 corners have been sewn, your pouch should look like this:

11. Snip the excess off each of the 4 corners, leaving a 1/4" seam.

12. Turn your pouch through the turning gap so that it is right way out.

13. Sew your turning gap closed.

14. Turn so your pouch is right side out...Yay!  Your done :)

Finished interior

Finished exterior

I hope you have had a great time using and creating with this tutorial :)

See decorative lace zips aren't that hard after all are they?!

I'd love to be able to tell you about the fabric I have used here, however, all fabrics used were purchases from other makers during destash sales or in scrap packs...so if you know the fabrics I've used here, please comment and let me know their names :)

Thanks and see you all again soon!

Emma

Teaching the little monster about the days of the week

Hi everyone,

I've been wanting to start teaching the little monster about the days of the week so he can learn what we do/are doing every day, so I decided to make him a calendar :)

Of course he wanted to help :P

Here is what I did...

I purchased a large collage photo frame from K-mart ($25) - the one I chose has 14 photo spaces of varying sizes.

In case you are wondering why I chose a 14 space frame over a 7 or 8 space one...this is why - as some of the spaces for the photos were quite small, I decided that for some of the days I would have 2 spaces that would be used like this, space 1 - title and weather (*more about this later on) and space 2 - for the activity to be written and maybe for a small photo of the little monster doing the activity or a similar activity.

So, back to making the calendar...

I collected some of my favourite scrapbooking papers from my stash:

(I went through a scrapbooking phase a few years ago and bought 

quite a few children's themed papers when I was pregnant 

with the little monster - I just haven't gotten around to 

making him any scrapbooks yet - oh well :P)

And then using my guillotine I cut the papers down to the size of all the spaces in my frame, (see what I mean in the image below)

(I made sure to add and extra 1/4" to each edge so that

 the papers weren't too small for the spaces.)

To help decide which papers to use in which photo space, I laid them out in the frame and moved them around until I was happy.

Then using some plain white and brown scrapbooking papers I cut some title plates out and using some lettering stickers I spelt out the days of the week:

Then using more of the lettering stickers, I added a title "Little monster's Calendar":

I then put everything into the frame and hung it on the wall ready to use :)

At the moment I'm just using a white board marker to write up when activities we have on each day during the week, but what I would really like to do is take some photos of the little monster completing different activities (eg. seeing friends, going to swimming lessons or music class, etc.), and put them up on the calendar as well.

Let me know if you have made something similar for your little one, or even if you have used this post to create your own - I'd love to see!
Emma

Linking up with:

"Christmas in July" - I'm guest posting over at Sew Mama Sew!

Hi everyone

Today I'm guest posting over at Sew Mama Sew!

The theme was "Christmas in July"...want to see what I wrote a tutorial about?

Make your own Hoop art Advent Calendar!

Head over to Sew Mama Sew to view and download the tutorial :)

Hope you enjoy it!

Emma

**Sharing**

Hello!

It has been a while since I last blogged, but I wanted to share with you all how you can make your very own PUCCA (image below)!

 

 

This activity would be suitable for the inexperienced (say 12 years old), to the more advanced hand sewer.  It is a very easy activity and it doesn't have many parts - so it should be a nice and quick weekend project.

 

To make your very own PUCCA, please follow the instructions below or you can download the PDF here :)

 

 



This pattern has been adapted from: http://ilovepucca.org/imagens/pucca_molde.jpg
The instructions have been written by myself...so if you are unsure of something please just ask :)


I made my PUUCA for a very good friend of mine...and she loved it! See:

 

I hope you enjoy creating your very own PUCCA, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

 

Emma

Tricks of the trade #1

Hi Everyone.

Today I have decided to disclose my 1st trick that I use daily to help me with both keeping my house clean and the items being worked on, organised.

Have you ever been working on something and you have bits of stuff that you are of course "using" everywhere?  Well that seems to be me daily, and with my little monster running around it is often quite dangerous having needles and scissors at grabbing height!

So I decided to go searching for a box to use that I can have all my bits in that I am "using"...none I found were very comfortable...so I came up with the idea of using a tray.  I got my tray when I got married - it was one of our gifts - it only was used very rarely and was in the cupboard gathering dust...now I have repurposed it :)

It is very comfortable to keep on my lap while I sit on the couch and do my hand sewing, and then when the little monster is about, I can easily move everything out of the way and out of his reach.

This has to be the best idea I've had in years :)

Do you use something similar? If so, I'd love to hear about it! 

Emma
www.facebook.com/formylittlemonster
emma@formylittlemonster.com