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Shop Local

Here are a few local finds from the Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular 2008, which was held last weekend here in Atlanta.

Baby Set made with vintage fabric, size 6-12 months, $15 from Starbugaloo.

Simple Crescent Hoops, $38 from Laurel Hill.

Little Bird illustration, 4.5″ x 6.5″, $8 from Christy Wooke.

Ferris Wheel and Russian Dolls Votive Duo, $18 from maryink.

Scout & Her Tiny Bluebird Softie, (sold), others available from Blueberry Bandit.

Butter Cream Cup, $35 from Greenware Design.

i see the one i love, 7.5″ x 10″ print, $15 from Jessica Gonacha.

Hans and Heike print, 8.5″ x 11″, $12 from Pancake Meow.

Eli the Elephant, $35 from Lil’ Sprout Knits.

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Clean Holidays

Everyone I know should be clean this holiday season.  I made way too many of these snowflake soaps, using the same melt and pour method that I’ve mentioned before.  Our dining room looks like a soap shop right now.

And check out the recycled Thanksgiving crafts from my post for Alpha Mom this month.

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Handmade Toy of the Week

Florentina DeLa Vaca, $44.75 from Hasenpfeffer.

Swivel Owl (with head that turns), $40 from Aqua Koala.

Luci, $35 from MorningLori.

I couldn’t choose just one.  In my quest to find non-Webkinz softies for my daughter, I have come across some great finds.  Since she doesn’t know that there is an online game associated with Webkinz (shh), I think any one of these could take down a fuzzy little Webkinz in a fight.  She loves surprises, but the one surprise that I don’t want on Christmas morning is tears.  This is the challenge of finding handmade goods for kids who see a world full of commercials!

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Elf Skittles

Now who doesn’t want to bowl over those cheery little elves?  Here’s a pretty simple project inspired by the French handmade bowling pins that we bought from Reform School last year.  You could vary this project to create gnomes, fairies, farm animals, monsters, your family…whatever!

Supplies:

  • 36″ dowel rod, 1″ wide (for 6 bowling pins)
  • saw and miter box

Yes, this project requires a saw and miter box.  If you don’t have these, I’m sure you can find a friend who does and possibly even someone to cut the dowel rod for you.  But it’s easy, I swear.

  • acrylic paints, red and black
  • paint brushes, medium and tiny
  • painter’s tape, 1/2″ wide (may need to be cut from a larger width)
  • spray polyurethane (optional)
  • felt bits cut according to hat-template.
  • white yarn scraps
  • green and red thread
  • pipe cleaners, 2
  • glue gun and glue sticks
  • wooden ball (maybe 2)

Step 1: With a hand saw and miter box, cut wooden dowel rods in 6″ lengths.

Step 2: Sand bottoms until they stand flat.

Step 3: Wrap painter’s tape in 1/2″ increments around each pin and paint red stripes.  Remove tape when the paint it just barely dry by pulling straight up.

Step 4: Paint faces.

Step 5: (optional) Spray dowels with polyurethane.

Step 6: Sew decorative stitching onto edge of felt pieces (ric-rac would be nice).

Step 7: Make little pompom by wrapping yard in loops and tying it around itself.  Then trim ends and fray them a bit.


Step 8: Lay pompom on right side of felt, fold right sides together and pin in place.  Sew along seam with 1/4″ seam allowance.  Reinforce the end with yarn.  Turn right side out, using closed tip of scissors to gently push out the tip.

Step 9: Insert a small piece of pipe cleaner into the top of the hat so it will bend.  Adjust all of your hats to the desired position.

Step 10: Put a bead of glue on the top edge of the dowel rod and carefully place the hat.

Now give them to some deserving kid.  These are a present for a super sweet three-year-old boy.  If you make your own version, I’d love to see them!  Please add your photos to the Make it Monday photo pool.