I Spy Bags

 

I made these fun I Spy Bags for my son's friends for Christmas gifts these years. The were a big hit! I am going to make some more for the cousins too. Everyone seems to love these and they were easy to make too.

Recipe Holder

 

I needed a few last minute Christmas gifts and came up with this. A few recipe holder held on by a fun magnet. I think the turned out really nice looking and I was able to make them for about $10 each.

Travel Felt Board

Directions:
It's not really a board, rather it's a piece of fabric I backed with iron vinyl and then sewed to a piece of felt. The vinyl is essential to keep the backside from getting all dirty, especially at restaurants while we wait for our dinner at fancy shmancy places like Chilis, because I really don't want every meal out to come on a plastic tray!

To make one is really simple and I've improved the design since making mine to include a ribbon closure:

Cut a piece of fabric to the same size as your piece of felt, I just used the very inexpensive felt sheets that come pre-cut. They are the perfect size for rolling up and keeping in your bag without taking up too much room.


Cut piece of iron on vinyl to the same size as your fabric. Follow the directions on the package and iron onto the right side of the fabric. Let it cool off before moving on.


I found iron-on vinyl sold by the roll in a plastic bag on the notions wall at Joann's Fabric, a large nationwide fabric and crafting retailer. Watch for special sales where the entire notions wall is 40-50% off and same yourself some money!
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Pin and sew vinyl covered fabric to felt, with vinyl covered side facing the felt. Before beginning attach ribbon.

On one side pin a piece of ribbon folded in half so that the loose ends are sandwiched inside between the vinyl covered side of the fabric and felt. Leave a bit of the loop formed when folding the ribbon in half sticking out between the pieces of fabric. When you are sewing around your "board" catch the ribbon and sew firmly into place by sewing over, back-stitching, and then forward stitching over it. This will become your tie.

Turn inside out and sew opening shut. My beginner skills are evident by the obvious stitching up the bottom right side on the one above but it still looks cute all rolled up! Use fabric scraps to make the felt shapes and you're in business! Your toddler is kept busy, and when she's all done just roll up the whole thing, tie closed, and now you don't even need a plastic bag to keep it in!


Found this great idea at katiesnestingspot.blogspot.com

Crayon Rolls

This is easy to make and its nice to have a place for each crayon. Its also nice because you can figure out quickly if you are missing one. This is a really cute idea and great for taking crayons on the go with you!
You could make this for markers if you wanted to, just make each little pocket bigger.

Take a long Chalk Board

 

This is a picture of a take along chalk board that my mother made for my son. I just love it and he does too! It is a really great activity for him to do when he needs to sit still and be quiet (like at church). I just love this idea and it is great to have the erase attached as well as a pocket to put the chalk in. That way you don't have to search around for those supplies. I LOVE THIS!

Lap Flannel Story Board

Things You'll Need:
Old pair of adult blue jeans.
Scissors,
Tape measure.
Felt,
Thread,
Sewing machine.
Iron.
Pins.
Iron on pellon.
60" length of bias tape.

Instructions
Step 1:Cut open a leg of the blue jeans. Cut a rectangle 20" x 9" from the denim. If there is not enough material, adjust pattern as needed. Cut out one of the back pockets.

Step 2:Cut 20" x 9" pieces of felt and iron on pellon. Iron pellon to felt to help felt hold shape and keep from stretching.

Step 3:Lay denim face down. Place felt on top with pellon in center. Pin together. Sew around edges using a ¼" seam allowance. Trim edges.

Step 4:Fold in half and mark fold with pins or chalk. Sew marked line to create a spine for the lap book.

Step 5:
Sew bias tape around edges of lap book. Trim threads.

Step 6:On the front, hot glue blue jean pocket. Use to store flannel board pieces when not in use.

Fun stories to make for your flannel board:
Hey Diddle, Diddle
Print out, laminate and apply felt or sandpaper to the back of figures of a cat, fiddle, cow, moon and dog. You can find templates online or draw or trace the figures directly onto felt and cut them out. Introduce the figures one at a time as you say each verse. For example, bring the cat out, then the fiddle. Place them to the side of the board and bring out the cow and the moon, and so on until you finish the rhyme.
Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater
Re-enact this nursery rhyme using a large pumpkin flannel board piece, a figure of a man (Peter) and a woman (his wife). Hide Peter's wife under the pumpkin when you get to the end of the rhyme, which describes him putting her in a pumpkin shell.
Pussycat, Pussycat
Make flannel board figures of the queen, cat, chair and mouse. For maximum durability, print the figures onto card stock or another sturdy paper. Recite the story, hiding the mouse under the chair and performing other actions along with the rhyme. Let the children take turns telling the story from different perspectives such as that of the mouse or the queen.
Georgie, Porgie
Print out or make several boy and girl figures, as well as images of puddings and pie (since he's "Georgie Porgie, Pudding and Pie"). Make sure you add large lips to the two main characters so that Georgie can bestow kisses. Start with one figure of a boy "Georgie" (surrounded by a pudding and pie) and one figure of a girl. Add more boys and girls to the board when you come to the part of the rhyme where "the boys came out to play." Make Georgie disappear when other children appear.
Three Little Kittens
Create flannel board figures of three cats and three sets of mittens. Be sure the cats are large enough to wear the mittens. Color the cats in shades of white, brown, black or gray and the mittens in primary colors. Recite the rhyme once or twice in its original form, then add colors into it, such as "One little white kitten lost his blue mitten and he began to cry...."

Eye Spy Bag

For the large one:

1 piece vinyl cut to 5 1/2 inches x 5 1/2 inches

Strips of flannel cut 3 inches wide (I just cut off the sides as I
sew)


For the Small one:

1 piece of vinyl cut to 4 1/2 inches x 4/1/2 inches

Strips of flannel cut 2 inches wide.

Right sides together, sew one strip of flannel to 2 sides of the vinyl. I USE A 1/2 INCHES SEAM. I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS SECURE. Cut off excess vinyl. Open seams and finger press. Now add flannel to other 2 sides of vinyl and fabric. You will end up with a square with the vinyl in the middle. Finger press fabric and stitch around vinyl opening to secure--don't want those little balls to escape!

If you are adding ribbon in the seams, baste it down to the top side seam now. If you are doing an eyelet, do it after you have sewn the 2 sides together.

Cut backing same size as the top, sew top and backing, right sides together. Leave a small opening for turning. Turn, attach eyelet if desired, add *pellets and small items. Although you could hand close, I personally like to sew it on the machine--again for safety and security.
I have done the tag in two ways. You can add a piece of ribbon in between the last step and sew it right in the seam . I have also added an eyelet in the corner after I have finished the pouch. Just be sure that the eyelet is in strongly and cannot be pulled out. I have sometimes sewn a zig zag stitch from corner to corner underneath the eyelet to make sure that none of the little pellets get out.

I put tons of things in mine. Some ideas: Try looking in the button section at Michaels, etc. They have buttons and then tiny things that are probably for scrapbooking. Also some of the confetti that you put on tables are fun. They are small and hard to find. I also go to the dollar store and get doll shoes, clothes, jewelry. Wal-Mart carries things for baby showers like diaper pins, bottles, etc. Tiny mirrors are available at craft stores.

Beads
Buttons
Dinosaurs
Cars
Trucks
Flowers
Scissors
Wiggle eye
Paper clip
Money (penny, dime, nickel)
Rubber bands
Stars
Hearts
Ribbon
Snowflakes
Ring
Doll shoes
Earrings

Bouncing ball
Snake
Space ship
Marble
Basketball
Baseball
Football
Soccer ball
Letters
Smiley face
Sea shell
Jingle bell
Bee
Puzzle piece
Ant
Pom pom
Mirror
Umbrella
Butterfly
Cat
Dog
Dog bone
Fish
Fish skeleton
Balloon
Purse
Baby bottle
Dove
Ghost
Pumpkin
Witch
Lady but
Teddy bear
Mitten
Stocking
Flag
Army man
Lego
Lemon slice
Hippo
Giraffe
Elephant
Baby rattle
Peace sign
Cannon
Straw
Monkey
Chicken
Clothes pin (look in the craft section for the tiny ones)
Apple
Orange
Bug
Spider
Gold button, red button, silver button, etc.
Umbrella
Space ship
Lion
Zebra
Penguin
Hand
Safety pin
Moose
Sun glasses
Dog paw

You can also copy and paste small things into a program and them laminate them. I love doing this to personalize it--try a picture of them, a family picture, CTR, picture of Jesus, what about each of the apostles, Their name, "H" "A" "N" N" "A" "H" (each on a different square. Put a Book of Mormon sticker on a piece of paper and laminate it, cut it out.
Religious "I Spy"

Use items found in the scriptures, church history, etc.. For example: a dime (tithing), a seed, a CTR ring, a tie tack, a picture of Christ, a picture of Joseph Smith, a picture of President Hinckley, a red pencil, stickers, a toy anchor, an angel, a boat, Noah's ark items.

Felt Quiet Book

This is the quiet book that I made for my nephew for Christmas. It took a long time and I made my own patterns but it turned out really cute if you ask me! My son really wanted it and wasn't to happy when I had to wrap it up and give it away! LOL I guess I will have to make him one too! Even though he already had two of his own!

The cover my mom helped with. The 1st page is Noah's Ark with a pocket inside the ark as well as the water to hold plastic animals. The 2nd page is Pets where you place the pets where they live (green part is a pocket) and Apple tree where you can pick apple from the tree and then put them in the pocket basket. 3rd page was Airplane which was a pocket with sky diver inside and Fireman with dress up gear/clothes as well as a fire truck with a latter and wheels that move. 4th page (MY FAVORITE) was Boys locker room with a dress up figure. The locker has a football outfit and basketball outfit. Along with a basketball court with balls that go throw the hoops and a changeable score board. 5th page is a Treasure Chest pocket that holds a treat to help keep the kids quiet and happy.

That's my Felt quiet book and I think it is so much fun. I have a few more ideas that I will hopefully find time to use and make more books. I also would like to start putting my patterns together so my books can be remade or reproduced. All in due time though!

My Quiet Book!

With the help of my very talented mother, we created these two quiet books for my son (and future children). It took a long time and is made of mainly fabric instead of felt. I wanted something that if needed I could throw in the washer and clean it up quickly. Though it took a lot longer because of the fabric I think it turned out really nice. My mother and I created, made and drew all of the patterns ourselves. I am not much of and artist but they look pretty descent if you ask me.

 

My mother found the green backing at a fabric store and it is used as a cover on both books. It is durable and looks nice too. I asked my mom to find something that looked like scripture covers because these would be used mainly to entertain my little ones through church.
Below is the first quiet book we made. In order- Number 1: Apple tree (one of my sons favorites), 2: Mitten & Tent (hiding inside are cowboys & indians), 3: Road way (with fun trucks) & stop light (not finished yet)Another one of my sons favorites, 4:Flowers (that button on) and a Toy box (toys in box that come in and out), 5: Letters (felt letters in pocket that you match to the ones on the page), 6: 1,2 Tie my show (practice tying shoe laces), 7: Barn (open the barn doors and animals can go in and out)

 

Below is some of the pages from the religious Quiet book. I wanted one that would help maintain the spirit during church by reminding the kids about the stories in the scriptures. Number 1:SLC Temple, 2: A fisher of men (catching fish with a magnet fishing pole)and Nephi's boat (build the boat, the pieces are velcro), 3:Shape matching and Tithing (play coins go in the piggy bank and come out they also go in envelop pocket), 4: How to Dress (teaching what to wear to church) and Jonah and the Whale (Jonah is in whale pocket), 5: Six Bee's (honey bee's can visit flowers or go in and out of hive) and Noah's Ark (animals are inside of ark zipper pocket), 6: Missionary (dress the missionary up for his mission. Has different ties, Book of Mormon, shirt, belt, different hair and pants.) and a Pocket attached to the back cover.

I love these books and I am so thankful for my mother's help through all of this! I plan on making and posting more so stay tuned!

 

Book of Mormon Quiet Book

This is a Quiet book that is based from stories from the Book of Mormon. I got this from a friend, to get ideas to create my own. I like the pages but want to make mine with more interactive things to keep the kido's busy during church. Overall great ideas though. I just thought I would share this with you all!