Day 1 of 40 hats in 40 days

Today is the first day of Lent so it is also the first day of my 40 hats in 40 days challenge.
I crochetted two premie hats this morning while watching tv with the kids. Have you done any yet?

Donating without money

I recommend HotelsCombined.com and sent $20 to World Vision!

You can shout and help too.

You can just stick this button on your blog and they donate $20 to Haiti

Good Karma Giveaway

I just thought I would let all of you know that Kris over at ReSweater is having another good karma giveaway. http://resweater.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-good-karma-giveaway.html
I am going to make a few extra hats in honor of her giveaway. So if you want to enter the giveaway head on over and do something nice for someone or give to someone in need.
Oh and Lent starts next Wednesday so get you fabric and yarn ready.

40 Hats in 40 Days

So for the last few years I have knit/crochetted/sewn 40 Hats in 40 Days in honor of Lent. They are all premie and baby hats that I donate to local hospitals. I can not take credit for the idea. A mom over on www.diaperpin.com came up with the idea in I believe 2006 and I have just continued to do it.
I usually use this pattern http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/teresa-hat.html It takes me about 20 minutes using worsted weight yarn so it is nice and quick and I can easily do one a day.
Last year I did not make as many, but I did give birth during Lent so I figured I wouldn't. I made only 30 and started early.

So who is going to join me this year?

Soapnuts

Have you ever tried Soapnuts? I have and liked them alot. You toss them in a small bag and thenin with your laundry and they are your detergent. They actually grow on a tree so they are wonderful for the environment. You can boil them down and make a liquid soap too.
http://soapnutslaundry.com/2010/01/14/soap-nuts-coconut-scrub-pads-giveaway/ Is having a giveaway for some.

David's Tomten jacket

David asked for a sweater/jacket and picked out red and blue peace fleece. He choose the EZ's Tomten jacket and insisted on buttons instead of a zipper.
here is the result



A very happy David.

Some dolls

So I have just given up on only homemade and bought tons of stuff, but I am having fun sewing some dolls for all of the little girls in my life.
http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/free-doll-pattern.html
I have been using this pattern and this one http://s93855831.onlinehome.us/knotteddollinstructions.html





I made another of the knotted doll, but haven't uploaded it yet. I couldn't tye it because I used cordaroy, but it still looks cute.

Cloth Diapering items

I knitted some goveralls for dd and sewed a recycled wool soaker using old wool sweaters. The 2 white things are snappiable pocket fitted made from old flat diapers.

I am back

I have done a lot of crafting, but not a lot of posting so here are some more things I have made.



David and I made these from some felted wool sweater scraps as gifts for everyone. there are probably 4 or 5 more that are already wrapped


King Sized Pillowcases for my mom and stepdad


I sewed 3 reusable grocery bags for gifts for Ds's teachers. The other 2 have the fabric going the other way.


A crocheted hat for my nephew


A quilt for ds


2 more reusable shopping bags for dh's cousins


A scarf for ds's teacher


A scarf for ds's teacher

See I really was busy.

Updated list

Over the weekend my sisters and I decided to buy for our mom and stepdad and all kids, but no other adults. Wahoo, that works for me because I never know what to give to them anyway.
Then on Sunday my brother in law said they don't want to do gifts for the adults either. Another wahoo cuz they have exensive taste and never give much in the way of ideas for themselves. We are still going to give to my Mother inlaw and father inlaw though. They are just to good to us to not give them something, plus they will be giving to us even if we tried to stop them.


People that still need to be bought/made for:
Mom- she wants kingsized pillowcases (any have the measurements for these?)
Ken- something sugar free and pillowcases
Logan- another pair of pj pants or 2
Mom G- no idea
Dad- no idea
Asheley-
Mark- not sure if we will be exchanging, something Redsox
Amy- not sure if we will be exchanging, but if we do I want to knit her this http://spunknit1.webs.com/knittedsnowman.htm actually 3 of them
Phillip- knitted hat, though he has enough gifts, but it was requested
Grandma & Grandpa- usually assorted nut package cuz they have everything
Grandma- ?
David's 4 school teachers- David is making ornaments and I will sew/knit something depending on time
Chris- no idea, boy that man is tough
Christopher- we will see if he gets anything else after his $130 texting bill
David- I am still working on his tomten jacket so maybe he will get that by then
Juliana- longies, soakers, skirties, diapers, cloth wipes, stuffed animal with tags ????

All adults will also receive an ornament made by David and pictures of the kiddos.

Some more pjs, gift bags and a pillowcase.

I sewed some giftbags today. I used 3 yards of fabric and only made 5 bags. One is a santa sack for SIL. She always liked mine so now she will have one of her own.

I also sewed a pair of pj pants and a matching pillowcase for my brother. He is 7 years old and picky so I hope he likes them.

The santa bag is stuffed with the back of my oversized chair cushion.

more giftbags and pj pants

I made some reusable giftbags for mt mom as an early Christmas gift today.

Yesterday I sewed another pair of pj pants for my hubby's cousin's daughter.

Time is running out for homemade Christmas gifts, I better hurry up.

Pj's for the neice and nephew

Today I finally got my butt going. I sewed these quickly for my neice and nephew. They are a size 3t traced from a pair of ds's old pants. I was able to whip them up in about 20 minutes each and they are made from stash fabric and elastic. Yeah free Christmas gifts!!!!
I do want to applique a matching shirt for each. I may try sewing a kimono style top for the Ragged Anne ones.
I have one other little girl to sew a pair for too.



These are some wool longies (aka diaper covers) I sewed from recycled wool sweaters for dd. They are approximately a size 12-18 months.
I sewed the middle pair today from the katrina soaker pattern size medium and just added the sleeves for legs. I did add an extra layer in the soaker area. http://katrinassqs.blogspot.com/ These aren't for Christmas, but I thought I would share anyways.

Sorry I have been away.

I know I have been lazy about updating for the last month, but I really haven't done anything Christmas related. I did make $30 on ebay and am putting it towards gifts for the kids. I have also started seriously couponing. I got hungry hungry hippos travel game for $.99 after coupons.
Dh and I brought up an old table that the former owners of the house left behind and put it in the playrooom to be my sewing table Yeah!!!! We also put a bookcase in there and it is now organized.
I also found some more Christmas fabric to make more bags.
So hopefully I will be busy sewing instead of cleaning.

Britax giveaway

http://www.gograhamgo.com/2009/09/britax-marathon-cs-giveaway.html Is giving away a britax Marathon carseat. Wow that thing looks amazing.

Unpacking

So I was unpacking some more boxes and found 2 vanilla candles with 3 wicks. they are the huge ones. I bought them years ago at Walmart's after Christmas clearance for around $1 each. Mom will love one.

Free Magic School Bus book

The EPA is giving away a copy a The Magic School bus book. All you have to do is call and request it
info is right here http://www.epa.gov/OMS/schoolbus/outreach.htm
you will receive it in 7-10 days.

Vanilla

Well we spent 6 days in the PICU with ds2. He has finally been diagnosed with asthma. He ended up in the hospsital with rsv which I am sure he contracted during our 3 hour dr.'s office visit for physicals for all three kiddos. DD also contracted it. Since we got home I have been dealing with 2 sick kiddos who need breathing treatments every four hours around the clock. Needless to say it has been a very long 2 weeks.

Today I was able to actually function though and the boys helped me make vanilla extract. I ordered the vanilla beans from www.organic-vanilla.com for about $7 with shipping and dh got cheap vodka (I am told the cheaper the better) in a glass bottle $6.99. I have enough beans to make another bottle too.
You simply split 4-6 beans and put them in the bottle (750ml).
Then shake occassionally and let sit for 3-4 months.
Finally strain through cheesecloth as you pour into bottles of your choosing.
I will pick up bottles when I find them cheap. Though I hear Michael's sells them for about $1 each with corks.
It ends up being about $0.60/ounce plus the cost of packaging.
I am going to give this to SIL, MIL, Grandma and my Sister

I also took cutting from a Christmas Cactus that was getting too large for FIL's desk at work and potted them up as gifts using old pots and a $4 bag of cactus soil.

Another tutu

Here is another tutu. This one will be for dh's cousin's daughter.


I bought 2 rolls of tulle 6" wide with 50% off coupons
the flowers were on clearance 70% off plus 20% off coupon $0.59
I found the 1/2" elastic in my sewing boxes
I went back to the Joann's sale and received my free $5 gift card
I used the left over gift card to get some tulle that was in the remnant bin
total spent= $0.09

I love making these tutus so much I think I am going to make them and sell them at a craft fair this fall.

Wallets

I made these last week, but needed fusible velcro to finish them.

I used the lazy girl designs wonder wallet. I have decided I am going to give these to all of the ladies in my life this year.
It only takes a 1/4 yrd of fabric or a 1/2 a fat quarter each (from my stash). Super simple and super cheap.