Handmade Valentines

February snuck right in didn't it?! With less than 2 weeks until Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share a fun project. Last year I made felt chocolate chip cookies for each of my son's preschool classmates. I love felt food, and figured a cookie would be a fun addition to all of the play kitchens out there!

My supplies consisted of:

light & dark brown felt
lightweight batting

 coordinating thread

 clear cellophane bags

blank card stock for the adorable printables
a hole punch & ribbon

I started by making a paper pattern for the cookie and chips. I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter, but you could easily trace anything like the bottom of a glass or small bowl. Once I settled on sizes I liked, I cut out my felt pieces. Then I cut batting circles slightly smaller than the cookies.



Using doubled up dark brown thread, I hand stitched 3-4 chips on each felt cookie top. I even cut a few of the chips in half to place along edges. Once all the chips were in place, I sandwiched the batting between a top and bottom layer. Lastly I used a decorative zig-zag machine stitch with light brown thread to seal up each cookie.  Good enough to eat!

 

To specially package each cookie for Valentines Day, I used individual cellophane bags, folded them closed and punched a couple of holes up top to attach the Valentine. I even ran the blank back side thru the printer to include "to and from" details. I used my trusty paper cutter to set each lovable critter free, punched a hole in the corner and tied it on with red ribbon. Voila!

This was a fun project and easy to whip up for the 2 year old set. With so many other projects going on this year, I'm pretty sure big boy's classroom Valentines won't be as creative, and that's ok. Or so I keep telling myself! This year he's going with a box of good ol' standard Thomas the Train cards. It will be his turn to color & scribble on them to his heart's content. I used to love preparing & bringing home my decorated paper bag full of Valentines back in the day, and I'm sure my boy will too no matter what's inside.

If you're looking for fun free printables this year, check out Anders Ruff. SO cute! And another great list of links to peruse is here. Many can even be printed in black & white so your child can color them in. Happy printing and creating!

Sweet Citrus

Voila! Mommie-made felt fruit slices for a certain little boy's Easter basket. I can't wait to be served all kinds of fruity drinks and things from the play kitchen this summer!

Here's my how-to:
I started by cutting out 3" circles from felt sheets. Then I cut slightly smaller circles of quilt batting, and cut them in half. They fit perfectly inside the felt when you fold the circles in half to make the slices! I pinned and machine stitched the edges aka rinds. Then I marked and stitched the segment details with a slightly larger stitch than the one used around the edge.

After last week's basket liner project, these were a breath of easy fresh air! I plan to make more and may stitch some of the segment details prior to stuffing and sealing next time. A plump, juicy wedge of fruit is always a delicious treat! YUM!

Easter's on it's way

Felt food is a new passion of mine. Not only are there SO many cute foods to make and play with, they're softer and safer than all of the yucky plastic stuff. With hopes of holding off my son's sweet tooth for candy (at least this year anyways!), here is a mommie-made Peep ready to hop into his Easter basket. I admit, I made this a little more for me than for him, but hopefully he'll have fun serving it to me from the play kitchen!

To make one or more of your own, find an easy tutorial here. And may I recommend not hand stitching while suffering from allergies. Stitch consistency on this little rabbit is lacking due to a few sneezes and tissue breaks. At least the weather is beginning to warm and I was able to make it child-free during naptime!

Fun with Potholders

My 2 year old adores the kitchen, both the real and play ones. Ever since he started "cooking" I've been wanting to make him a child-sized potholder. I finally whipped one up!

Before I got to work I did some brief internet searching for inspiration and came across LindaMade's tutorial. I followed suit by using scraps from previous and future projects to make a quilted side and decked the other with matching brown corduroy. I added a corduroy hanging loop, and a few more stitches to really give it that quilted feel. I had so much fun piecing this together and it took no time to make! Now time to anxiously await and watch him use it when he makes something HOT! Mommie's felt pancakes perhaps?!