Friday, December 24, 2010
Nick of Time
Olivia FINALLY finished her sibling gifts this evening! Phew! I wondered there for a bit if she would finish. When you're nine, it's a fine line mom walks telling you to do something and/or giving you space to get things accomplished yourself. Needless to say I had to REMIND her often the last two days to get them done! :)
Olivia had decided to make recycled sweater wool hats for the boys for her gift. She doesn't usually wear hats due to her hair, so I'm making her a wool sweater headband (we'll see if it turns out ok, I'm about half finished since it wasn't going to be for Christmas and I've had a few things going on!) We found sweaters at thrift stores, paying around $1-$2 a piece. For the boys' hats we used pieces of three sweaters, and had one other we used for Olivia's as well as a hat for our new little one. The sweaters were washed in warm and dried, a couple of times each to get a good "felt" feel.
We took a measurement of the boys' heads and used that as our guide for the bottom width. Using a hat we found at a thrift store, which was the "style" Olivia chose, she drew with a chalk marker, the outline of the hat with the brim width needed. We used the bottom hem of the sweater as the brim of the hat, eliminating the need for additional sewing.
She then cut out each piece, one on the front of the sweater and one on the back.
Following this, I took the two pieces of each hat, laid them front to front, and hand stitched them.
Olivia liked the idea of needle felting a design on the front of each and I cut out a freeform guitar for each. (Looking at the finished product, I like them but wish they had been much bigger to be really central.) Placing a needle mat under the top layer of the hat, and laying the guitar on top, Olivia went over and over the shape with the needle felting tool.
After it was well adhered, she then took embroidery floss in a bright, contrasting color (the boys' favorites) and hand stitched around the outside of the guitar.
Braeden's stitching is red, and Liam's is orange... they're favorites!
I think they turned out GREAT and can't wait to see them on the boys' heads!!!
Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas tomorrow morning!
More FL
Rockin' the Pape*r Jam*z...
Girls' night out at The Melt*ing Pot...
Making omelets with Grandpa...
Christmas cookies...
Ready for church...
Santa prep...
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Brrr...
Having lots of fun... Making gingerbread "pops"...
...homemade english muffin pizzas...
...playing a little Pap*er Jam*z...
...and trying to go swimming...
But the water was so cold that mom and Olivia didn't even get in.
Liam stood with one foot raised for quite a while before braving the cold.
And Braeden's face pretty much sums it up!
They swam with Grandpa for a little while and then shivered their way out and into the warm towels. Brrr! :)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
News from the Road...
We made it to Florida to visit the grandparents! It was a long two day drive, but we did it! Two of the kids were close to being left on the side of the road somewhere along the way, but they each somehow remained on board. :) Supposed to be getting my official homestudy approval this week and be able to apply for my I800a! Have a wonderful Christmas preparation time with your loved ones!
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Olivia - 14
Braeden - 11
Liam - 9
Macy - 5
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