Archive for July, 2009

It’s an old joke that children have more fun with the box their gift came in, than with the gift itself.

I can vouch for that!  My children have always had a thing for cardboard boxes.  Apple boxes became cars when they were smaller… shoe boxes have been made into leprechaun traps… and they love to paint boxes and cut out windows and doors to use with their favorite action figures…

That’s why I knew I had hit a jackpot when I found Mr. McGroovy’s Website.

Ben’s birthday was coming up and he wanted a pirate party.  I was looking for ideas and ran across Mr. McGroovy’s instructions to make this pirate ship out of refrigerator boxes.   I know our ship isn’t fancy… especially compared to the the ones on the website… but it was a major hit and lasted for almost 2 months after the party.  (…and saw many swashbuckling adventures, I might add.)

I had to call around town to find the refrigerator boxes.  I finally found them at a large furniture store’s delivery warehouse.  They were free.  Then all it took was a little time and paint.  I didn’t order Mr. McGroovy’s grommets, because I didn’t have time to get them before the party, so we made two holes about an inch apart and looped a cable tie through the two holes.  We did this at every spot you were supposed to use a grommet.  Once it was constructed and everything pulled snug, we trimmed all the loose end of the cable ties.

We made the pyramid for Ben’s 8th birthday party last year… an Indiana Jones party.  The door looks ripped because it is.  I created the door with butcher paper covered with hieroglyphic symbols that the kids had to decode before entering the pyramid.  Once inside it was filled with plastic snakes, green glow sticks to make a spooky aura, and glow in the dark paint hieroglyphics on the walls… and their treasure of course!  This party goer said he didn’t like the snakes…

The pyramid was equally fun and long lasting. And even though I didn’t take the time to paint the pyramid, the kids didn’t seem to mind.

If you are looking for cheap adventure for your kids… why not transform an old cardboard box into something really fun.  I know we enjoyed making the projects as much as the kids loved playing in them.

Check out Mr. McGroovy’s very groovy site… there are lots of free instructions for wonderful projects.

I received this wonderful bag as a gift from my Mom this past weekend.  She created it using upholstery fabrics she bought on sale at Hancock Fabrics and wool fabrics she has collected over many years.  She is always on the look out for good wool and even buys old army blankets and wonderful old patterned wool clothing.  She loves wool.

The bag pattern is the Victoria Knitting and Sewing Tote Pattern from Sue Spargo.  And three birds template comes from Sue Spargo’s Mercer Lane Pattern Book. She said the pattern is very well done and the bag was a pleasure to make.

I love the three little birds… just like my three little chicklets.

The buttons are simply wonderful.  She purchased these buttons, but her friends Norma and Joyce have made this bag using antique buttons.  That sounds wonderful too.

Take a look at the amazing label she created for the inside of the bag:

Here’s a close up:

She created the label by shrinking the pattern on a copier.  Then she traced the pattern onto tea died fabric with a pigma pen.  She has a light table, but I don’t, and I always trace by taping the pattern and fabric onto a bright window.  She filled in the color on the pattern using scrapbook markers!  Then she heat set the label with an iron.

I love how large the bag is and the large interior pockets.  I can’t wait to fill it up with all my knitting supplies.  Maybe it will inspire me to finish the socks and the sweater that I’ve left half finished for way too long!

Thank you Mom for the lovely gift.  You know I love gifts from the heart best of all.