Week 31: My Husband: the Crafting Superhero

This summer, it seems like all of my friends are getting married. I'm trying to be as helpful as I can, and some friends jump on signing me up to make tons of stuff, while others really don't need any help. When one of my dearest friends, Molika, called 4 days before the wedding with only her second request for help, I agreed before I even knew what she wanted.

Then I asked what she needed help with.  And was very confused.  All I kept hearing was something about "Corn-hole." Really, I  must have a bad connection. There is no way she was asking for "Corn-hole help."  Being from California, I had only ever heard that word used as a foul reference to one's butt.  Eww.

As it turns out, Corn-hole is a real thing in the Mid-West.  A game that involves throwing bean
 bags, (or corn bags) into a hole in a wooden platform. 

Oh. Ok.  You want me to make some bean bags? No problem.  I'm all over it.  I don't even have to go to the fabric store. 

But then there was a problem.  A BIG one:  that night, while attending a friends birthday party, and playing a spontaneous game of hide-and-seek, I laughed so hard I managed to throw my back out.  

I'm getting old people. I spent all night and the rest of the next day writhing in pain. Insanely frequent spasms made talking, moving, laying, and breathing almost impossible.  At 5am I managed to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, and ended up in a sobbing puddle on the floor.  Certain death was just around the corner. 

The next morning, when my AMAZING husband asked me what kind of fabric I thought I might use to make those bean bags, I told him that I didn't think I would be able to make them that day, maybe tomorrow.  

At that point he threw his glasses to the side, and like a speeding bullet his PJs turned into a Lycra jumpsuit, with a big H on the front, with a cape floating behind him.  (I don't know where that guy got a wind machine, but it really had a nice effect.)

"Of course you can't make them, my dear! I will make them! All while bringing you water and food, changing the DVD, and helping you stand when you need to pee. Super Husband!"

So he did, and he made them even more adorable than I would have.  

He used 8 fabrics in 4 color schemes for the fronts (and patch-worked them because he is THAT good).

For the back he used double layers of burlap, because Molika had no color pallet to match, but had used quite a bit of burlap in her decoration. Then he sewed on two color patches so that even if the bags landed upside down the people playing would still know whose was whose.

After filling with beans, he closed them all up with a running stitch. 

Best husband EVER.

As it turns out, Molika and her husband are super crafty.  The kind of crafty where they do amazing things with wood.  Like build a whole wall out of old doors, and an archway out of an old garage door.  They made cocktail tables and even an outdoor sink out of wine barrels and huge spools.  And they even built the Corn-hole platforms.

Which they painted with their silhouettes!  So cute!

Diana and her dad loved the game.  Action shot!

Niece/flower girl, Liv, didn't know the rules apparently.

She still had fun though.

See the doors and part of the archway?  Beautiful.  And those doors extended all the way across the yard.

They really turned their backyard into a magical place...

Not to mention how stunning they looked.

Congratulations Molika and Brandon!  I'm so happy for you!

Week 22: Beach Dominoes

 I've been dreaming about a sweet, summery, simple, home-made game: Beach Dominoes! Thanks for the inspiration Martha!

Step 1: Collect similarly shaped flat rocks at the beach (28 rocks).

Step 2: Mix lovely beachy shades of acrylic paints. (Or you can use a paint pen like Martha).

Paint a line down the center of each rock,  and then add the dots.  I started with 0-0, and then finished the 0 set. Then 1-1, and the 1 set, and so on.

I needed something to carry my new game in, so I sewed up a drawstring bag, using some fabric from an old shirt. I embroidered some dominoes on it, and used some left over ribbon for the drawstring. 

When I get back to America, and am reunited with my sewing machine, and fabric stores, I will make a new bag out of mesh material that will allow the sand to shake right out. 

But I needed to make something for the time being so that we could enjoy the new game on the beach...

Use the bag for carrying, as well as hiding the dominoes while in play.  The rocks have slightly different, shapes, sizes and colours, and you wouldn't want anyone to memorize the details and cheat.

Use the sand to stand your dominoes up like scrabble tiles so your husband doesn't peek. 

And use a stick to draw your scores into the sand.  So easy!

Now, I have a question for you... I would call this an eco-friendly craft because I used all recycled and found items to make it.  But as I was collecting my rocks, I couldn't help but think about how we shouldn't remove anything from nature, because if we all took something nothing would be left.  If I promise to return these dominoes to the beach some day (maybe another beach), am I off the hook for stealing from nature?

Week 19: Jungle Finger Puppets

 Back in January my cousin, Misty, requested that I craft something for her son.  Only he hates hats, and I was in a hat craze.  So I kept Misty in the back of my mind, and now here we are in May, and I just now got to it.  Misty asked me to make something she and her son could play with, which I was thrilled to do, but again, I was left wishing I had my sewing machine, or a good craft store that sells felt, and other goodies.

This past week I started crocheting through my over-flowing basket-o-yarn, in preparation to leave Turkey with as little luggage as possible.  The yarn isn't going to make the cut.  So I started making produce bags again (cus those things are a hit).  But that got boring fast.  It was time for something new.  Out of my boredom a jungle of finger puppets was born.

I laugh every time I look at them.

And, I'm proud to say that I used zero internet inspiration for these bad boys, because the internet in our apartment has been down all week.  (Probably why I've been so productive).

They were pretty easy and fun to make, each one taking around an hour.

I love them so much that I play with them while I'm on the couch.  I line them up on the table, and hide them in the flowers. They've become my new friends. And now they will be yours too.

Meet Leroy. This Zebra loves long walks on the plains, and long talks with good friends. He is usually pretty mellow and laid back, but talk smack on his favourite lacrosse team and you see a whole different side of him.

This is Mathilda.  She is one shy and quiet elephant, although she will argue that most elephants are on the shy side.  She loves to read, her favourite authors being Hemingway and Shakespeare. Get a few glasses of bubbly in her and she may even perform a sonnet or two.

Oh Howard... Howey is not your usual crocodile.  He gave up his meat-eating-ways when he made friends with all of his food options. His diet now consists of organically grown leafy greens, and pond scum, but his friends don't running screaming from him anymore, so it's a good trade. 

The monkey is Maurice. He isn't as shy as this picture might suggest.  He's messing with you.  As one of 14 monkey siblings, he's learned to wrestle, tickle and throw poop with the best of them.  He's famous in this group of friends for being able to lighten any mood.

Lester is a little grumpy right now, but that isn't always the case.  His general disposition is bright and cheerful, but get a camera out before he's had a chance to style his mane, and this is the scowl you'll get.

Gertrude is one of a kind (aren't we all?).  Born with a rare fur disorder, Gertrude is the only giraffe she has ever met who is turquoise. Be she doesn't see it as a curse, blue is her favourite colour!

Time to say good-bye to my little friends.  They're off to Washington to play with Lucian.  I hope he has as much fun with them as I did. Happy Mother's Day Misty!

 

All of the animals bodies were made the same way:

Magic loop, 5 single stitches into the center, pull tight.

Round 2: 2 single stitches into each stitch

Round 3 to finish: single stitch all around. 

Eyes, spots and stripes were added after with a yarn needle.

Muzzles are mini versions of the bodies: Magic loop, five single stitches, single stitch around for a few rows.   

Ears were all made differently, by trial and error kind of.  

Leroy's mane is made by tying all of those strings on and double knotting.  Giving him a hair cut was fun.

Lester's mane was made with a loop stitch, and was quite a pain in the butt.  I added the hair as I was making the body (the only way I could crochet from the inside of something so small). I don't recommend trying this if you get frustrated easily. 

I'm way too lazy to make patterns for all of these little guys right now, but if anyone out there is dying for a tutorial, I'll make it happen.  Let me know.