A Sweet Sewing Project

Wouldn't these cute 'n' cosy slippers make a great gift for your Valentine?

I found the pattern here at Craftsy.com and just had to share.

They would be so quick and easy to make for yourself or to give as a gift. I think they'd also be fun to have on hand for overnight guests, who could then take home and have a lovely memento of their visit.

Happy crafting!

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
The Christmas Secret (November 2011)
The Daddy Project (TBA)
Daddy, Unexpectedly (TBA)

Christmas Craft ideas

Christmas is right around the corner...those of you Mom's who are room mothers or have been put in charge of coming up with holiday craft ideas for a school christmas party will enjoy this site I stumbled upon. 

My kids are college age so the days of school Christmas parties...at least the kind with crafts and treats are long gone, but I still enjoy making a small craft that I can attach to a present or a tin of homemade cookies for my neighbors. 

Check out this Link for lots of cute ideas.  When you click on the picture of the craft you'll be taken to the blog where the idea originated.

Here are a few samples...

Reindeer Gift Bag

Christmas Peanuts Gnomes

Candy Wreath

If you have any cute Christmas craft ideas or Christmas cookie decorating tips please share them! 

Marin
A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)
Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2011)
All My Heroes are Cowboys
www.marinthomas.com

Craft Idea ~ Hallowe'en Decorations

My passion for thrift stores and my never-ending hunt for a good bargain took me to Value Village a couple of weeks ago. For years their stores have been Hallowe'en central, and now they even have a large rack of free cards filled with costume, makeup and decorating ideas using recycled items.

One that caught my eye was their Sinister Ceramics - Decorating Idea #2, with instructions for turning old ceramic figurines into hair-raising decorations. They used owls but for my project I settled on cats.

I found two cats and bought rhinestones at a bead store to use for eyes.  Here's what I started with.

Okay, those cats were already pretty hair-raising! I removed the dried flowers from the pink cat, gave a both a light sanding to scuff up the surfaces, sprayed them with glossy black paint (I did this outdoors), and let them dry overnight. The next morning I used my hot glue gun to attach the rhinstone eyes, and they were done!

Here's what they look like now.

The total cost for both was about $7.00. I have them sitting in a little alcove in my foyer, but I think they'd also make cute decorations for a child's Hallowe'en party or for decorating a classroom. Or...?

You'll find lots of spooky ideas on the Value Village website or in one of their stores. Have fun, and have a safe and happy Hallowe'en!

Until next time,
Lee
The Christmas Secret (November 2011)
http://www.leemckenzie.com/

Cowboy Birthday Party

WESTERN-THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY

When it comes to kids' birthday partiesit's a struggle sometimes to come up with a fun theme that's affordable. Check out the party idea below found on the The Thomas Ranch website. The Thomas Ranch was founded in Bisbee Arizona in 1902 by Edward E. Thomas. The ranch is located in the South-Eastern section of ARIZONA, in Cochise County, most known for the city of Tombstone. The Thomas Ranch website http://www.thethomasranch.com/thomas_ranch_104.htm

Invitations
For the Do-It-Yourselfers, search and find the Template you want to use, insert information and print. It’s that simple.Sample Layout of Invitations:

Wanted Posters: This is one way to customize your party. Insert your Childs picture and add your custom text. Mail or hand these out. Placing these inside a Straw Western Cowboy Hat and telling them to wear them to the party is one great way to have a special and unique invitation.

Bandanas: What is more Western than the Bandana? Writing directly on the bandana with permanent marker (for those of you who have great hand writing, or have your child write it) is a great Western Based Invitation. Ensure that the kids know to wear this around there neck as an entrance pass to the party. (using tracing paper to ensure all of these turn out the same is a simple way to help elevates ruining some of the Bandanas).

Stock Paper: Stock Paper is in every store around the Country. It is a simple and cheap way to go if you are not talented with a computer. All you have to do is open your word processor and type up a standard invitational greeting and print. Ensure that you test your print on a blank piece of paper, prior to printing on the stock paper. Store away the remaining papers that you don’t use for use later down the road.

Sample Invitational Text Layouts

#1 Howdy Partner! We’all will be needed all of You’ins to be joining us to help celebrate Outlaw (your Childs name)’s __th Birthday. Y’all get ready for the best Rootin-Tootin best time of your life. Come on down to the _Your Last Name Ranch at (add your address).

“So saddle up your Horse and mosey on down to the Barn Party. Give us a Holler at (enter your phone number).

See Y’all there! (date and time)

#2 Yee Haw! The best danged Shindig in town is about to happen. Y’all is invited too. Mosey on down to (your Childs name)’s __th Birthday Party. We will be throwin’ this at Your Last Name Ranch at (add your address).Have your Sheriff give our Sheriff a Holler at (enter your phone number).

#3 Wanted: Y’all to come on down to the fastest, bestest, western hoedown ever. Sheriff (your Childs name)’s __th Birthday Party. Yee Haw! Time for the shoot out is at (enter date and time of party). Give us a shout at (enter your phone number).

It is a simple process, just sit down and think of western based words when you think of a Cowboy and jot down your own “Hankering” words.

Decorations
Red and White Bandana Tablecloth (you can use any design you want, red and white or blue and white are the most popular). Use Bandanas for place mats.Cut outs of Cowboys, Cowgirls, Horses, Cows, Barns, and ECT. Placing Hay Bales in the backyard and around the house is one easy way to accent the party. Cowboy Hat Center-Piece filled with Candy. Cowboy Boot Cups. Placing Pieces of wood around the house would also create the Old West feeling. Build a Real Old West Town (cut-outs) out of Cardboard. Saloon, Jail, Hotel, Ranch Store are all perfect examples.

Guest Arrivals
Welcoming your guests are one of the biggest and easiest steps that happen during the party. Have someone greet your guest wearing all black and a black Top Hat, have them measure your guest for a coffin.

Favors / Give-A-Ways
Tiny Mint Candies wrapped in a Western Print:
Western Straw Hats:
Bandanas
Deputy Badges:
Toy Give a ways--Gold Coins, Gum or Chocolate, Gold Nugget Gum Bags, Cowboy Ranch Brand Tattoos.

Party Games
Branding the Kid, using Temporary Tattoos
Brand the Steer.
Pin the tail on the Horse.
Rope the Steer.
Make your own vest.
Showdown at High Noon. This uses squirt guns.
Snake in my Boots.

Food and Drinks
When you think about the Old West B*B*Q always comes to mind. So we will focus our attention there. You will have a Western B*B*Q for this Western Based Children’s Cowboy Party.

Appetizers
Salsa and Chips
Bean Dip and Chips
Beef Jerky
Deviled Eggs

Main Course
Beef RibsB
arbeque Pulled Beef Sandwiches
Steak (for those who can afford it)
Hot Dogs and Hamburgers (make sure you have B*B*Q sauce on them)
Chili Dogs (hotdogs with chili on them, makes a messss but it great fun and memories)
Grilled Vegetables
Potato Salad
Baked Beans
Corn Bread

Drinks
Sarsaparilla – Sioux City Sarsaparilla is the best our family has found.
Root beer
Lemonade
Kool-Aid

Desserts
Cake (in the shape of a Sheriffs Badge, Horse Head, Western Theme)
Fruit Cobbler with Ice Cream on top adds a special Old West flair to it. (Apple is the most traditional of fruit cobblers, but you can serve whatever the fruit that is in season, add Vanilla Ice Cream on top)
Moo Cream (nothing more than Ice Cream)

Care to share a birthday-party theme that was a big hit at your house?

Fabric Wall Art

Here’s a fun and inexpensive project to create a theme for a child’s birthday or holiday party.

Supplies and Equipment
fabric scraps
scissors
a large bowl
a paint brush
towels or a drop cloth

Glue Recipe
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
4 cups boiling water

Cut the shapes you want to use from fabric scraps. Smaller cut-outs will be easier to apply than large ones.

To prepare the “glue,” stir 4 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/2 cup of cold water in a large bowl, then pour in 4 cups of boiling water. Let it cool.

Put some old towels or a drop cloth on the floor along the wall to soak up the drips.

Dip the fabric pieces into the starch solution, or paint the solution onto the back of the fabric with a paint brush. You’ll want the fabric to be thoroughly soaked.

Apply the fabric to the wall and use your fingers to smooth out the bubbles. Paint on more starch solution if necessary.

When the party is over, simply peel it off and wash away the “glue” with warm water and a sponge.

This is also a great way to add flare to a child’s bedroom, especially if you live in rental accommodation that doesn’t allow tenants to paint or put up wallpaper.

Have fun!

Lee
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com
http://www.leemckenzie.com

Craft Idea--Blessings Box

Blessings Box

My best friend of 46 years received this as a gift from her great-niece and shared the idea with me. It's especially wonderful to have on those days that nothing seems to be going right.

Buy a small (no larger than 8 X 10 inch) box with a lid from a craft store. Either wood or heavy cardboard will do. It should be unpainted and undecorated, because you'll be doing the designing!

Paint and add stickers, glitter, or stencil small drawings or short inspirational messages on the outside of the box. Whatever suits YOU. Also paint the inside. When all is dry, add a small notepad of paper and a pen or pencil. The pad can be glue to the lid of the box for safekeeping.

Whenever you think of a small blessing that makes you smile, whether it's the sun shining after a rainy day, the way a kitten's whiskers tickle, or the simple blessing of a child's smile, write it on one of the note papers, fold it, and put it in the box. When you're down and need a pick-me-up, go to the box and take out one "blessing" to read. It will lift your spirits in the gloomiest of times to be reminded that even in the midst of a storm, there are many blessings to be thankful for.

Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com

4th of July Craft for Kids

What kid doesn’t like to wear something goofy on their head when they attend the local parade or firework's show?

Thanks to http://www.familyfun.go.com/ for its Crowning Glory July 4th Craft Idea for kids.



CRAFT MATERIALS:
Flexible measuring tape
Blue and red duct tape
Flexible straws (we used 35)
Pipe cleaners
Star garland, cut into 6-inch lengths
Tacky glue
Pom-poms


1. Measure the circumference of your child's head. Cut a piece of blue duct tape to this length plus 2 inches. Lay the tape sticky side up (A). Adhere the straws to the tape (B), leaving four inches clear on either end. 2. Cut a second piece of blue tape, the same length as the first, and place it sticky side down to sandwich the straws (C). 3. Cut a piece of red duct tape to the same length as the blue ones. Fold it over the bottom edge of the blue tape "sandwich." Fit the headband to your child, then tape the ends together to form a circle. 4. Slide curled pipe cleaners and garland into the straws. Glue pom-poms to the pipe cleaner tops. Bend the straws as desired.

If anyone has a 4th of July craft idea for kids feel free to post it here!

Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (August 2009)
A Cowboy Christmas (December 2009)
www.marinthomas.com

Craft Idea--Birthday Cake

Birthday cakes and cookie cakes are expensive, but our very own author Megan Kelly has a do-it-yourself cake idea that will save you lots of money and look just as cute as the bakery-made ones. And the kids will love it!

Here's an easy fix for a little reptile-lover's birthday party.

Make two bundt cakes in the child's favorite flavor. After they cool, put them on a cutting surface and cut in half (from top to bottom). Set them on a long foil covered platform (I use a cut cardboard box.) Instead of it making a circle, turn one piece around so the cake forms a backward "s." The curve around the other two pieces. You can carve one end to a point for the tail and smooth the edges off the other for a face. Frost in your chosen color (chocolate is fine, but green and/or other colors are fun too). If you use white icing, save some for the eyes or use your green. Snake eyes have "evil" slits, but you can make them round with black centers for a younger child. A piece of red or black licorice can hang out the front for a tongue; be sure to cut the end in the middle and split it in two points--if you use a flat fruit snack, you can cut it so it looks like it's forked. The ridges of the bundt cake look like scales.
I don't have a picture of mine, but here's a link with some ideas: http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/birthday-cake-decorating-idea.html

Have fun, Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com