DIY : cat mask

We have had a few birthdays for Mima's friends lately and I wanted a fun homemade gift to include in their present. Since Mima's favourite animal is a cat I decided cat masks would be perfect. 
Below are some basic instructions...
Here is a template, you will need to size it and print it.

I made mine out of felt but you could also use card, cut all the pieces.

Then use a hot glue gun to glue all the pieces together.

I created shape with the ears by folding them back and glueing them in place.

To finish add some elastic. Cut small holes, one either side of the face about 0.5cm in from the edge of the checks. Thread black elastic through the holes and tie them in place.
So cute! 

rainbow connection : four

A rainbow pillow case for the sweetest dreams. 
I made a couple of these pillow cases for two of Mima's friends, one was the rainbow obsessed Moo.

YOU WILL NEED:

a pillow case

fabric paints - I mixed my own rainbow colors from blue, yellow, red and white
paint brush - I used a thick flat brush
plastic spoons and a surface for mixing the paints - I used baking paper
A3 piece of cardboard - to put inside the pillowcase
plastic cup - of water
a cloth - for drying the cleaned brushes
iron to make paint color fast depending on manufacturers instructions

1. Wash, dry and iron pillowcase before you start to remove any manufacturers dressings.

2. Pace the card board inside the pillow case this is to stop the paint going through to the other side.

3. I found it useful to do a mock up on a sheet of A3 paper with the paint brush I intended to use.

4. Start in the middle and do the smallest curve first. This is the purple curve. First mix your purple, then paint it.
Make sure you clean the brush well in water and pat it dry with the cloth.

5. Then repeat the last step with each color to create your rainbow, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and pink, working from the smallest curve to the largest.

6. Then follow the manufacturers instructions to set the paint. Mine was to dry for 12 hours then iron with a cloth placed between the painting and the iron.

christmas : five

CHRISTMAS COOKIES
Giving homemade presents really makes you feel good about giving them.
This year (and last) Moo and I have made Christmas Cookies for friends, family and thank you gifts. 
Gingerbread and Shortbread are traditional Christmas cookies. Gingerbread are great as they're so nice to ice and last quite awhile. Shortbread are Moo's favourite. 

 

I used gIngerbread recipe from Donna Hay Kid's Magazine and for the shortbread recipe.the Edmond's Cookbook (a NZ classic).

fourth birthday : two

THE FAIRY GARDEN PARTY : part one

DECORATIONS
Well Sunday was the big day. After a big week of prep we were ready for a garden party fit for a few fairies. We decorated the garden with streamers and tissue paper pompoms and fans, I had a few helpers which was a fantastic.

THE FOOD
I decided to stick to fairy colour theme of pink, white and green and food appropriate.  
Here are just a few of the fairy treats we nibbled on.
cakepops
rainbow pretzels 
pink fairy potion
cupcakes
homemade sausages 
fruit skewers

THE GIFTS
Wow Moo was showered with lovely gifts from friends and family. Her favourite though has to be the guitar (ukulele) from her daddy. The birthday girl had a few specific requests and a guitar was on the top of her list.

to be continued....

memory game

 I made this super cute memory game for Mima and thought I would share it with you...

1. Find some cute pictures, lay them out on an A4, print or photocopy two of everything. I also printed a polka dot pattern for the back.

2. Glue the two A4 sheets together, front pictures, back pattern. You could sandwich a piece of card in the middle to make them more sturdy.

3. Cut out the rounds.

4. Get them laminated.

5. Then cut them out, leaving a 5mm edge so the paper and card is sealed inside.

Then you can start playing!

a blankie or two for mima

While pregnant with Mima I knitted a small basket weave blanket. It was the first thing I made for Mima, I really wanted to make something special for her and this seemed perfect.
Basket weave looks impressive but is actually really simple, you just alternate between the two most basic knitting stitches knit and pearl.
I used a lovely soft bamboo yarn in a pale turquoise color.
When the blanket was completed it seemed awfully small and I wondered if it would only be used for a dolls bed. When she was first born we used it as a layer in her hammock, it was the perfect size for a new born. When she graduated to a cot I placed the blanket in with her as a familiar item to snuggle. At the time I had not idea what I was starting! Blankie is now the most important item in Mima's life. Which is so lovely to see. But this created a problem, how do I get Blankie away from her for a wash or worse, what if we lost it? Luckily I had some bamboo yarn left so I started knitting, I didn't have the same amount of yarn or time so Blankie II is a slightly different shape, more squat. Mima doesn't mind at all and loves both equally.

rainbow connection : the tea towel