Easter Activity

So, this isn't a craft, but it was a fun Easter activity for Family Home Evening tonight.

My husband began by talking about Easter and the resurrection, where Christ was crucified, where His body was put when He died, etc.  Then my husband asked the kids about who came to the tomb and what happened -- Jesus wasn't there.

To demonstrate, after we reviewed the story, my husband pulled out a paper sack to represent the tomb and asked one of our daughters to put a Lego guy in it to represent Jesus (I hope that's not sacrilegious) and roll up the bag.
 

 

When it came time to open the bag (when Mary came), Jesus was not there!

You should have seen the look on the kids' faces!  Where did the Lego guy go?  They were pretty amazed. 

Well, it's pretty obvious to us, I'm sure, but just in case to make it clear, he previously cut a hole in the bottom of the bag and grabbed the Lego guy out as our daughter rolled up the bag.  He hid the Lego guy in his hand until it was time to be "resurrected."

You'd think someone would have taught this part of the Easter story like this, so maybe you've never thought of it either.

After this activity, we needed to fill some Easter eggs for an activity on Friday.  We asked the kids what Easter eggs have to do with the resurrection of Christ.  Our 8 year old son was quick to share an answer.  He said that the Easter egg is like the tomb, and when you open it up, the candy inside is like Jesus coming out of the tomb.  That's good, I'm glad he can put pagan with Christian.  We may as well think of it like that these days.

Then we asked, so what do Easter bunnies have to do with Easter?  Our 8 year old summarized a story he'd heard at the school library about some witch and some birds and the witch turned the birds into bunnies and that's why Easter bunnies lay eggs.  It was pretty funny.  He knew it wasn't real, but it was the best explanation as to why in the world Easter bunnies lay eggs.  I'll take the Cadbury type any day.

Then we had fun telling the kids that, really, the bunnies and eggs have more to do with Spring, which can very well remind us of Easter, but rather than focusing on them, we try and remember the resurrection of our Savior.

Kite Bag

One of the first times I conversed with the guy I would later marry, he was talking about his kite and his kite gloves.  Kite gloves?!  Yeah, kite gloves.  I totally made fun of him for his kite gloves.  Like who has those?

I should have bit my tongue because I just made him a kite bag to carry his kites.  Yes, kites.  Plural.

These aren't just your run of the mill crapperware*, I mean kites, these are really, really nice ones.

Some people are really into these things, and he's gotten more into them since he graduated from college for the 2nd time.

Kite bags online were running $130-$150, and we figured I could probably make something that would work just fine.  It's interesting watching my sewing skills* evolve over the years.  When we were first married I was annoyed that I didn't have a sewing machine because I wanted to do simple things like hem pants.  Once I got a machine, I realized I could do useful stuff like make humanitarian baby blankets and window treatments.  Then, I got all historical and started making re-enactment clothing.  Now, I've had my hand at maternity-wear.  Who knows where your sewing will take you?

I thought of making this into a tutorial, but since we didn't know what we were doing, I didn't bother. Hopefully, though, if you want to make your own, you can get the concept and go for it.

It was slightly difficult working on this project, as Evan did the design rather than me.  It's a little hard interpreting what exactly the other person wants when you're using slightly different terms to explain the same thing.  The biggest trick was figuring out the buckle/handle system.  We had to fix it 4 times!  We did put a dowel in the edge by the handle so it won't gape open when he carries it.

 

There's room on the left for another big kite, or we can divide the pocket for two more smaller kites.  On the right at the top is a n open pocket, and below that is a pocket with a top flap.  We didn't put Velcro on the flap, but we could.  Another option would be to make a zippered pocket.

You can see the bottom pocket with the flap in this picture.  You can see the buckles out to the side.  Most of the strapping/buckles we cut off of old backpacks (even bought a new bag at the DI to use some of its "hardware."  We also bought some of the notions at the fabric store, but it was way cheaper to buy a bag at the 

DI and cut it apart.

All rolled up with adjustable straps and handles.

He can carry it down or over the shoulder.  He thought maybe we should have made it with camouflage fabric so people would think it was a gun.

In the end, he said, "Wow!  This turned out better than I thought it would!"  (What?  You doubt my sewing skills? ;) )  He also said, "I just can't believe you can make stuff like this without a factory full of Chinese immigrants!"

Total cost around $30.
Total time 5-6 hours.  To make another would take probably less than half the time.


*Have you seen Napoleon Dynamite?

Super Cute Valentines Printables

Too many to choose from!

http://www.livinglocurto.com/downloads/valentines-day-free-downloads/

http://familycircle.com/momster/blog/free-valentine-printables

http://craftionary.blogspot.com/2012/01/75-valentines-day-free-printables.html

http://www.erinvaledesign.com/leo_on_the_loose/2010/02/diy-free-printable-valentines-day-coloring-sheets.html

McCall's 6074 -- as maternity

I've really had fun with this dress, and I'm starting to get the hang of sewing on knits.  It's been decades.  I raised the neckline and added sleeves.  I've grown so much I didn't even add the elastic in the front, but grabbed a scrap of fabric for an optional belt.  Maybe after the baby, I can add the elastic in the front.

I was also looking around for more maternity ideas and found these:
http://doityourselfdivas.blogspot.com/2011/10/diy-perfect-maternity-dress-revamped.html
http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2011/05/maternity-sewing-tutorials-roundup-2011.html#comment-form
http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2010/03/maternity-sewing-tutorial-roundup.html

By the way, I used the concepts in The Dressmaker's Guide by Elizabeth Stewart Clark to design my sleeves -- who said you only have to use her book for historic clothing?

Also, Prudent Baby offers some helpful advice for sewing on knits.

T-Shirt to Maternity Dress

I told my mom I was going to turn a t-shirt into a maternity dress tonight and I think she thought I was nuts. I believe she was thinking of the t-shirt dresses they make to send to 3rd world countries.

I've been wanting to try this idea, but didn't have a shirt to use. Then I realized this shirt had holes around the stomach -- probably from me trying to zip my fleece jacket up over my big belly.

I went to the fabric store, bought some black fabric for the waistband and skirt, and some purple to blend with the shirt.  The purples aren't quite the same, but with the black in the middle, you can't tell.

I don't have a serger, but that would have been immensely helpful with this project. If I do much more with knits, I might have to start looking into one.

First, I sewed the purple strip onto the black strip at the bottom.  Then I folded the whole thing in half and sewed it to make a tube.  I planned to put the seam in the center back.

Then I found a shirt with an empire waist and cut my old shirt at about the same level.

Then, I decided I wanted a waistband and cut about 3" off the top of the skirt.   Then, I evenly gathered the skirt into the waistband and sewed the skirt to the top.

I'll hem it tomorrow.  I've noticed that these long dresses are in.  I'm not so sure how I feel about that because they are so incredibly impractical.  At least they're not as full as other long dresses I've worn.

Thank You Cards

My daughter and I needed some thank you cards for some Christmas presents.  She looooooves crafts, and I thought it would be fun to try and make cards together.  Being a middle child, we really need to spend some time together.  It was a bit frustrating with the 2 y.o. and 8 y.o. around, too, but we survived.  The cards could be a little cuter, but the concept is good for the future.  I found a few ideas on Etsy, one from a painting my bro & SIL have, and one I think on Google images, but can't find it now.

I thought this one would be fun using finger prints as the leaves.

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/79906072/baby-thank-you-cards-baby-shower-birds?ref=sr_gallery_8&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=thank+you+card&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/59118375/thank-you-cards-thank-you-notes-thank?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=thank+you+card&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

All the parts to these little birdies was a little difficult for my daughter to glue on the paper.  So, I had her glue the other birdies on the other cards.

Christmas Dress for Me

I started this dress a while ago and finished it Christmas Eve.  I thought if my girls get to wear a new dress to church on Christmas, then I should finish up this dress so I can wear one, too.

I used McCalls 5893

but modified it to come up with this:



The only problem is that when I took my measurements to cut it out, I was a bit smaller, so I feel a bit cramped in the bust.  Oh well.  Maybe I can wear it after I'm done nursing if it's not too big.  Oh, and I forgot to show the picture with the sleeve!  The sleeve is a straight 3/4 sleeve, but I put kind of a bell-cuff on it that goes to my wrist bones.