bookhoucraftprojects

Project #123: A Wooden doll Family Portrait

A Wooden doll Family Portrait by Mereta from One More Mushroom

Inspired by the dolls designed by Alexander Girard and my son's drawings of our family, I made a wooden family of our little family.  Instead of the basic wooden people that you can buy at the craft store I made the people with wooden furniture legs purchased at the hardware store.


What you'll need:
* wooden furniture legs and a few wooden blocks
* wood glue
* primer
* acrylic paint and paint brushes
* pliers

Steps for making the dolls:

Step 1.  pick out what furniture legs and wooden blocks you would like to use to represent your family

Step 2.  unscrew the screws with the pliers.  You may want to trim or cut the wooden legs.  I used a bandsaw to trim the longer furniture leg and was able to get two dolls out of it. 

Step 3.  Glue blocks onto the furniture legs to give the figures more character

Step 4.  spray the dolls with white primer

Step 5.  This is the fun part.  Paint the faces and clothing on the dolls, each one representing a member in your family.  For example, I am five months pregnant so I painted my doll with a baby inside of it.  The possibilities are endless with what you can do.  Now it's time to play with your dolls!

..One More Mushroom

..All images by Meta

Project #122: Black Forest Felt Antlers

Felt Antlers by Mereta from One More Mushroom

A cute little addition for a kid's room for that safari feel.

What you'll need:

* 8 x 12 piece of brown wool felt

* 8 x 12 piece of white or cream wool felt

* Needle

* Brown and white thread

* Scissors

* Batting

 

Step 1: Cut two pieces of the brown felt in the shape of a wood plaque. Cut four pieces of the cream felt in the shape of antlers.

Step 2: Sew together the two pieces of brown felt (you can sew by hand or with a sewing machine). Sew together the four pieces of the cream felt (two separate antlers).  Sew the felt pieces together with as little of a seam as possible. Don't worry about sewing right sides together, it doesn't matter with felt.  

Step 3: Stuff the felt plaque with batting.  Stuff the two antlers with batting (you may want to use a chopstick to stuff the antlers).

Step 4: Sew the felt plaque shut.  

Step 5: With the brown thread on the back of the plaque sew a little hook for hanging.

Stel 6: Trim the end of the antlers slightly at an angle so that the antlers will curve upwards.  Turn the edges of the felt antlers in 1/8 of an inch and stitch onto the felt plaque with the white thread.  

You're finished!

 

..One More Mushroom

..All images by Meta

 

Project #121: Birthday Balloon Brooch

Birthday Balloon Brooch by Véronique from Pichouline

Sometimes a little personalized item makes the day just a little bit more special. Try this tutorial with different colors, shapes and sizes. 

what you'll need:

*fabric

*textil painter pen

*filler

*needle

*thread (1 for embroidery, 1 for sewing)

*ribbon

*scissors

*paper

*pencil

*brooch

Step 1:

Draw a design on your fabric, follow the instructions of the manufacturer of your textil painter pen. 

Step 2:

Cut out 2 layers of the balloon, you need a front and a back.

Step 3: 

Embroider the "age"-number of your birthday boy/girl on the front of your balloon.

Leave the end of the threads long enough because you will need it to make a bread.

To make the bread attach if necessary an extra thread.

Step 4:

Put right sides of the fabric together and pin the layers together.

Start sewing by hand or machine. Leave the end open.

Turn it right side out. Fill with the filler.

Step 5:

Close your balloon by making a bow.

Step 6:

Make the bread.

Step 7:

Sew on the back your brooch.

Ta-daa……Happy B-day!

 

..Pichouline         

..All images by Véronique

 

 

Project #120: Fringe Christmas Streamers

Fringe Christmas streamer by Véronique from Pichouline

I love the shiny foil material and it gives a kitschy shiny look to all your winter festivities….

what you'll need:
*foil ribbon – different colours
*scissors – fringe scissors if you have

Depending on how long you want to make your streamers cut of the length you need. I took +/- 1m.
To make one streamer you will need 3 lengths of ribbon. You can choose the colours you want, I chose silver & pink.



Step 1:
Start cutting fringes on one side, evenly spaced. Leave the center of your ribbon un cut.

Cut fringes on the other side. If you want finish the fringes quicker roll your ribbon, you will need sharp scissors to go through all the layers.

If you want to make sure you don’t cut to far, draw a thin line in the middle as a guideline.

 
Repeat step 2 on the other two ribbons, make the width of the fringes differently.
Step 2:
Lay the streamers on each other and start twisting 2 or 3 times every cm.

Hang-up your kitschy streamers and let’s enjoy the festivities!

 

..Pichouline         
..All images by Véronique

Project #119: Winter Forrest Diorama

 

 An easy craft to make with a cardboard box, duct tape and washi tape.  

  What you'll need: 

* Scissors

* Exacto Knife

* Paper (any color)

* Washi Tapes

* Duct Tape

* Cardboad box or shoe box

* Toys ...example wood animals

 

Step 1: Pick out a cardboard box for the forrest scene and a thinner box (I used a shoe box) for the trees and other wooded accessories.  

Step 2: Cut the cardboard into any scene you would like, I chose to make a snowy mountainous forrest scene.

Step 3: Cover the front and back of the cardboard diarama in white duct tape.

Step 4: Cut out and cover the trees and the mushrooms in washi tape (you could make flowers and animals too).  I left little tabs at the bottoms of the trees and mushrooms so that I could attach them to the diorama. 

Step 5:   Decorate the forrest diorama however you would like with duct tape, washi tape, and paper.  I used washi tape to make snow caps and a pond.  Attach the trees and mushrooms with small strips of duct tape.  I also used small strips of duct tape to fasten the trees to the mountain.  You're finished!

 

My children had so much fun playing with the diorama and it makes a great home for all of our wooded forrest animals.  This will make a great holiday decoration too. 

 

..One More Mushroom

All images by Meta

Project #118: Christmas Splatter cards and paper ornaments

Christmas Splatter cards and paper ornaments by Véronique from Pichouline

what you'll need:
*craft paint
*water
*knife
*toothbrush
*paper
*punch or scissors

Step 1:
This is a dirty job, the best is to do it outside. Make sure you protect your clothes and table with table cloth or a large piece of paper.
Step 2:
Cut out a simple shape or punch it. Put the template on your paper that you want to splatter.
Step 3:
Put some paint and a little bit of water in a plate.
Step 4:
Dip your toothbrush in the paint. Scrape your knife, towards you, over the toothbrush.
A rain of paint will splatter over your paper. Let the paper dry, take another colour and repeat step 3-4.

This technique is lovely to make your own Christmas decoration and wrapping paper….

Have fun! ~Veronique

..Pichouline         
..All images by Véronique

Project #119: Raindrop Pillow

 

Raindrop pillow by Mereta from One More Mushroom

This Raindrop pillow is a fun way to reuse an old sweater. You can shape it any form you like.

What you'll need:

*an old sweater
*butcher paper
*a fat quarter of fabric (I used black polka dot fabric)
*scissors
*small piece of black felt
*black embroidery floss
*coral embroidery floss

 

Step 1: Draw a rain drop on the butcher paper leaving 1/4 seam allowance.

Step 2: Pin the template to the sweater and cut the raindrop shape out of the sweater.  

Step 3: Cut the raindrop shape out of the polka dot fabric.

Step 4: Put the two raindrop pieces together right sides together and sew with a 1/4 seam allowance.  Leave a 3 inch opening at the bottom.  

Step 5: With the black felt cut four legs leaving 1/4 seam allowance.  Sew the legs together and turn right side in (you might need to use a chopstick).  Stuff the legs.

 Step 6: Attach the legs onto the raindrop.

Step 7: Sew on the eyes and mouth and you're finished!

 

..One More Mushroom

All images by Meta

 

Project #118: Fortune Stars Calendar

Fortune Stars Calender by Véronique from Pichouline

Surprise your loved ones with a treat a day with this star calendar for the holidays! 

 

What you'll need:

* White paper

* template of a star

* white and colored thread

* sharp needle or punch

* small sweet, treats or fortunes

 

Step 1: 

Begin by printing or trace the template of the star on your white paper. Cut out your stars, you need a front and a back so 48 stars to make 24 fortune stars for your advent calendar.

Stamp, print or write the numbers 1 - 24 on the front.

Click here to Download a Free star template.

Step 2:

Take 2 stars together and make holes along the edge of your star, so you can sew the star.

Step 3:

Start sewing, tuck the fortune into the open side of your star, finish sewing.

I’ve used a white thread for most of the stars and some coloured to make the countdown more exciting.

Step 4:

Make a loop at the end so you can easily hang up your fortune star.

Happy X-mas!

..Pichouline         
..All images by Véronique

Project #117: Cat and Bat Pins

Cat and Bat pins by Mereta from One More Mushroom

A very warm welcome to Mereta! Our new Craft Contributor for Bkids.We are excited to have you. Mereta’s colorful blog ‘One More Mushroom', is definitely an inspiration to us. And I'm sure the rest of you BloesemKids readers will see why too.

A mother of two children, Mereta’s craft projects are perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Her first contribution is this simple and easy but very beautiful cat and bat pin.

What you'll need :
* Small pieces of black and gray felt.
* Embroidery floss in black, gray, white, yellow, and peach.
* Needle
*Batting
* Scissors

How to make the bat

Step 1:
Cut out the shape of a bat ( 2 Pieces) 
Step 2: 
Sew the eyes in yellow (embroidery) floss, and the mouth of the bat in white.
Step 3: 
Sew the two bat pieces together. Leaving a small opening. 
Step 4:
Stuff the bat with a small amount of batting and sew the bat shut.
Step 5:
Sew the pin on the back of the bat (or you can hot glue it on) and you're done!

How to make the cat

Step 1:
Cut out the shape of the cat face (2 pieces)
Step 2:
Sew the eyes in any color floss you like (I used green). Sew the nose and ears in pink of peach (embroidery) floss. 
Step 3:
Sew the two pieces of the cat face together leaving a small opening.
Step 4:
Fill the cat face wit a small amount of batting and sew it shut.
Step 5:
Sew the pin on the back of the cat's face (or you can hot glue in on)  

And you're all done! Just a simple accesory to style up you're kid's clothes or even school bags.  

..One More Mushroom

All images by Meta

Project #116: Balloon Kiss

Balloon message by Véronique from Pichouline

Nice welcome home “kiss” for your beloved one….but you can make any message you want!

what you'll need:
*cardboard
*balloons
*punch
*ruler
*cutter
*pencil

Step 1:
Cut out the cardboard. I made a big X, to say KISS
If you don't want to see the cardboard, paint it the same colour as the balloons, or your wall.
Step 2:
Punch holes in the cardboard, where you want to put the balloons.
The most practical is to start with the corners and the middle, then  fill up the empty spaces.
Step 3:
Put the balloons into the holes.
Hang up the balloon message to your wall,  use  tape or if there is a screw in your wall use this.

..Pichouline         
..All images by Véronique