Message Board take 2

So I finally made a message board for myself. I think it turned out pretty cute. Again, same basic instructions as the clip holder. Just thought you might want to see the different colors. :)

Sunbeam Pins

While I was at my mom's house over Christmas she wanted to make something for her nursery kids that were moving into Sunbeams. I can up with this for her:

They turned out really cute and I made a few for my little sunbeam and his friends.

They were pretty easy to make. We cut out a circle in yellow felt and the ray part in orange felt. Drew the face on the yellow, sewed the little cheeks on, and hand stitched the rest of the face. Sewed the yellow and orange together with a running stitched, then stuffed the sun before we got all the way around. Finished sewing the sun together, and glued a pin on the back with E-6000 (my favorite glue). Viola! A cute little pin for your sunbeam!

Christmas Corn Bags

We have done these corn bags a couple of years as Christmas gifts now. I guess I should probably explain what they are since a few people we gave them to had no idea what it was. It is a heating pad that you fill with corn feed and heat in the microwave for a few minutes.

We love them for keeping our feet warm in the winter, cramps, headaches, and shoulder pain. You can get corn feed from a local IFA or similar store. It is only 9 or 10 dollars for a 50 lb bag. We usually get about 22 corn bags out of the 50 lb bag. You can make them just about any shape you like, but I like to stick to this one because it fits nicely on your neck. I also make a smaller version because these are kind of heavy on your head if you have a headache.... especially if you are claustrophobic. :)

Here is the poem I attached to it:

We made this bag especially for you

To use it: Here is what you do

Microwave for 3 minutes on high

and you can kiss aches and pains goodbye

Apply it to a troubled spot

The heat will ease the pain a lot

You can warm those little toes, so cold

You'll find it nice to have and hold

Hope it helps you stay warm

during these long months of cold and storm!

I got some of the poem from a different website about rice bags, but I don't remember where I found it. Anyway, it is a really good and cheap gift. (Especially if you live in cold places.)

Message Board

This is the same basic idea as the Clip Holder a couple posts ago. The only difference is I wanted it more square... and bigger. I put ribbons going both ways. I also stitched the corners with X's all the way through the cardboard. It would even look cute with little buttons or something at the intersections. This was a gift, but I definitely want to make one for myself too. I have just the place I want to put it. :)

Bath Salts

I made some home-made bath salts this year for Christmas presents. They turned out pretty good. I used a mango scent. I got the recipe mostly from this website: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/bathbody/ss/basicbathsalts_2.htm I read a whole bunch of different recipes online and added the glycerin to it. (Apparently it is suppose to make your skin soft.

Here is the recipe I used:

3 Cups Epsom Salt

2 Cups Sea Salt

1/4 ounce Essential Oil

a little bit of glycerin (like a teaspoon or something)

food coloring

You just have to be careful not to add too much glycerin because it makes it clump. You don't have to do the food coloring, I just think it makes it pretty. The picture above is not mine, it is from the website previously mentioned. I thought it looks pretty to not color some and layer it. Or color it different colors.... maybe next time.

Clip Holder

It really is too bad I don't have a little girl.... I just love making girly things. :) Over Thanksgiving break I made these:

I got the idea from this website: http://theidearoom.blogspot.com/2009/07/girls-barettes-and-hair-bow-holder.html I kind of followed the directions for the most part. I used some hard cardboard instead of sheet metal. I also glued and duct taped the the back so it would be more secure. I liked these frames because they were more rectangular than square. Anyway... I thought they turned out pretty cute. :)

Crocheted Beanie

I know these pictures are lovely... but you don't get the full effect without it on. I used a pattern for this from a book I just bought. All the knitting and crocheting books were 40% off at JoAnn's a few weeks ago. I couldn't resist.

In the same book there are also some cute patterns for mens and a really cool one I am going to make for my 3 year old. This is the book.