Sunday afternoon, in the midst of all the crazy Christmas shopping that is going on out there, I took all six kids to Michael’s for last minute craft supplies. I sort of like doing things like that, taking everyone out with me, on a day when the rest of the world is out too. It makes for a sort of exciting madness. I guess I have to take my thrills where I can find them (I am making myself sound like such a loser. I know.) For the record, I do not enjoy taking all my kids grocery shopping or on necessary errands, though. That actually causes major anxiety, the exception being the day that our giant Wegman’s store opened. It was fun and ridiculous to take all my kids shopping that day. But, I am getting way off track here. I’m sleepy. I’ll just tell you about some of the things we did yesterday. Everything, very simple.
These little Christmas trees were a big hit. I took wool blend felt, purchased at JoAnn, and put it in an embroidery hoop. Then I just cut out felt Christmas trees and used fabric glue to glue them on the white felt background. My kids then glued little “jewels” to their trees, and a wooden star that they had painted previously, to the top. I helped Beatrix by putting a drop of glue on each jewel, and then handing it to her to place on her tree.
The trees were hung on the wall to dry. I am not sure where they will end up. (I love this picture of Seth. If you look closely you will see that he has one of Silas’ feet in his hand. He was on the couch next to him.)
Oh, and glitter glue was added to some of the trees as well. My kids love glitter glue with intensity. Several of you asked yesterday about the candy cane embroidery. That was much the same, in that I glued a felt candy cane on a piece of felt stretched in an embroidery hoop. Then I just threaded a needle with embroidery floss and instructed my kids to make big stitches across the cane. Super easy. I got the idea from a really great Christmas felt craft book.
These Christmas trees were also made following instructions from Fa la la la Felt. Keats and I cut out lots of circles from old felted sweaters, fabric, and felt. He, Gabe, and I “strung” them on wire and then added the little wooden stars to the top. I think these are really cute.
And of course there was lots of painting. And yes, Beatrix painted her feet and hands blue when I wasn’t looking.
These wooden ornaments were something like seventeen cents at Michael’s, so I bought lots. My kids love painting ornaments.
Completely off the topic of Christmas crafts, Keats helped the girls with their set of Little House in the Big Woods paper dolls yesterday. I am really grateful that I have a child who likes cutting out paper doll clothes.
But really, I just think these pictures are really sweet.
I love that paper dolls are inexpensive and have so much play value.
The tricky part was that Larkspur wanted to arrange all the dolls for a “family photo,” while Beatrix actually wanted to play with them.
These were played with until after dark, and actually Keats and Gabe are sitting on the couch this morning cutting out more. Keats is reminding Gabe that he has to do “his best work.” He just tattled that when Gabe cut out Laura, it “wasn’t his best work.”
I am off to try and recover the house after yesterday’s craftiness (and resulting house neglect.)
kris says
My boys would LOVE those paperdolls–great find! And the felt crafts are beautiful!
Kristy says
This is going to be a crazy question.. but I keep reading about felted sweaters. What is a felted sweater? Is it one that has been worn over and over and washed many times?