I love that this toadstool pincushion is made of an empty thread spool. I have been in a sewing mode lately, and have collected a few of these empty spools. Last night, it just occurred to me that they would make the perfect toadstool trunk for a quick and easy-to-make pincushion.
Materials:
a white (empty) thread spool
a large circle of red felt (mine is about 6 inches in diameter)
various small roundish shapes of white felt (they don't have to be circles, in fact, a little imperfection here creates a more natural look)
poly fill
small pieced of sturdy cardboard
Optional Materials:
green felt, cut to resemble grass and long enough to fit around the bottom of your spool
little plastic or fabric flowers
Things to Have Handy:
scissors, needle, thread, glue gun
How-To
Gather all your materials and supplies.
Take the small piece of cardboard, place your stool on it and use it as a template to trace a circle.
Cut the cardboard circle, and use your glue gun, paste it on top of the spool. This will become the trunk top of the toadstool.
Take the large felt circle and sew onto it the small white felt circles.
With needle and thread, stitch around the red felt circle, gather the fabric and insert the poly fill.
Insert the top of the spool (the one with the cardboard on it) into the stuffed felt circle. Gathered the fabric tightly around the spool by pulling on the thread. Fasten off the thread and further secure the trunk to the cap by dabbing small amount of hot glue around it. Your pincushion is all done and ready to use.
If you want to embellish it a little bit more, use the green felt piece shaped like grass. Use the glue gun to attach it to the bottom of the spool. Attach the little flowers...and voila! Quick and easy pincushion that gets you to use things that you would otherwise throw away.
According to a recent New York Times Fashion and Style review,"Steampunk is a trend that is rapidly outgrowing niche status". As a trendspotter I tend to agree and as a reader of fashion and style boards I can tell you that there is so much mystique about what this style trend really is.
My simplest definition is a fusion of Jules Verne fantasy and the romance of Victorian Style that has been tweeked, deconstructed and altered with an edgy feel. The materials are metals and brassy, seasoned leathers and rich woods, the hues are dark muted shades of all colors and the style is ornate with a splash of one vibrant color as a focal. Add some imagination and daydreaming with flying machines and fantasy technology!
This culture is very popular internationally as well as here in the US. It's in every genre of expression. Besides jewelry and fashion you'll find famous examples of it's presence in entertainment games such as a Russian board game electrified version of the classic Monopoly; Art - as in the famous Telectroscope 3-D piece displayed at the London City Hall; and inspirational fiction works by Verne, Wells, Twain and Shelley. The Steampunk influence has it's own genre in music, such as my favorite Abney Park. This is where I found the perfect source to explain Steampunk!
Abney Park has an interesting short video decoding the culture. As you watch this, look in the background and notice the accessories, altered musical instruments, scene decor and messages of fantasy like the flying machine. That's Steampunk!
Here are some of Natasha's very own Steampunk jewellery creations:
How to find her:
We watched Baby Einstein: World of Colors this morning, then we got ready to go for our usual walk and enjoy a sunny and beautiful morning. To make our walk interesting, and to reinforce what Phoenix had just learned from his video, I asked him to point out all the yellow things he could find along our way.
These are some of the yellow items he was able to spy with his little eye in our way to the park:
Phoenix usually enjoys going out for walks, but today, the little extra challenge of finding yellow things made the walk really fun and extra especial. I guess a little twist to a routine can really up the excitement factor for a curious toddler.
Although we actually bought a pumpkin to carve out for Halloween, we ended up being so busy that Halloween came and went and our pumpkin remained untouched.
I did not want our pumpkin to got to waste, so I decided to make the most out of it. First, I drew a face on it, and accessorized it with a hat. Phoenix and I had some fun playing with our pumpkin visitor all morning.
Once Phoenix got tired of his new pumpkin friend, I cut it in half and removed the seeds and stringy fibers with a metal spoon. I am saving the seeds and will be attempting to roast them later on today. Pumpkin seeds make a great snack and they are packed with protein and fibre.
Next, I cubed about a cup of the pumpkin pulp and used it to make a lentil and pumpkin soup. I did not know what to expect as I have no experience cooking with pumpkins, but I was pleasantly surprised with the flavour...and shocked to see that even Phoenix (a picky eater) approved it with an enthusiastic Yummy!!.
Our pumpkin is so big that even after being used as the main ingredient for today's soup there are still large (I am talking LARGE, LARGE) quantities of it left. So, as I am writing this, the remaining of our pumpkin is being baked in the oven. It will become pumpkin puree. Some of it will be used immediately and some of it will be frozen and used later on in more pumpkin soups, veggie pumpkin stews and pumpkin muffins.
Who knew so much could be done with a pumpkin? I am definitely a believer now.
What a fun (and busy) weekend we had. On Friday night we hosted our first ever Halloween party for grown ups. Many of our friends, in costumes, gathered to share drinks and happy times. On Saturday, it was all about the kids. I had to hurry up and finish the spider costumes for both Connor and Phoenix (left for the last minute, as usual). Luckily, the home-made spider costumes were very easy to put together and they were done in no time at all.
Connor, looked adorable in his crawly ensemble, but at 6 months old, had no idea what was going on. Unlike Connor, Phoenix had a blast and is now officially obsessed with candy.
Here are some photos of Phoenix and I goofing off in the backyard in our spider costumes. Connor, unfortunately, was napping at the time all this spidery fun was taking place.
This crocheted card holder is a very quick and easy project, perfect for beginners. It can be completed with small amounts of yarn and in very little time, for instant satisfaction.
The materials you need for this card holder are:
- cotton yarn
- 4.0mm crochet hook
- snap button or velcro
INSTRUCTIONS
-Using 4.5mm crochet hook and yarn, ch 21, sc into 19th st and each st across, ch 1, turn
-*sc in each st across, ch 1, turn
-dc in each st across, ch 1, turn**
-repeat from * to ** until your piece measures 5.25in.
-continue with flap instructions
MAKE THE FLAP
-slst in the first st and the next 6st's
-*ch 1, sc in next 5 st's, ch 1, turn
-dc in each st across, ch 1 turn**
-repeat from * to ** until your flap measures 1.25 in, or until you achieve your desired length, fasten off.
-attach snap button
SEW SIDES
-fold piece in half with right sides together (wrong side facing you), sew the short edges together on both sides.
-turn card holder inside out
-insert credit card, bank card, and driver's license. Enjoy!
TIP
-To pretty up your new card holder, you can embellish it to your heart's content. For example, I embellished mine with a little owl I cut out of fabrics, and then stitched on.
-this project can be a great stocking stuffer. Make it in your recipient's favourite colour and personalize with their initials. A nice and quick handmade touch for the holidays.
