Rag Doll

My youngest daughter has a birthday party tomorrow and I wanted to send her with a handmade gift. I found this tutorial online and went to work on my first rag doll.

Here she is in her undies.

Here she is fully dressed.

I love just about everything about her, but one of my favorite parts is that her painted on maryjanes and socks.

I also made the birthday girl a hair bow and skirt so she can match her dolly.

The fabrics are darling 1930’s reproductions. The little kids on the bikes make me smile.

Sweet Shop playhouse

Several months ago, I saw a pattern for sale for a card table playhouse that looked like a bakeshop. I knew a card table sized playhouse would be nowhere big enough to fit my youngest girls and I also knew that I could easily do it without a pattern. I bought the fabric back in September and started working on it by October. I finally finished the day before Christmas Eve. It is 54 inches tall and 58 inches long on each side.

The front of the shop (the open sign can be turned around to say “closed”)My favorite part is the little birdie in the window.

One side has ice removable ice cream cones that are attached with Velcro.

The other side has cupcakes attached the same way.

I also made them matching chefs hats, oven mitts, and aprons.

They tell me it is the best Christmas present ever and have spent every ounce of free time playing bake shop. They have already come up with menus, order tickets, and have even thrown a grand opening party, which you had to “pay real money to get into, unless you have a coupon.” Luckily they were kind enough to give me and their dad a coupon to get in so we didn’t have to fork out the cash.

 

I’m linking up at:

Tatertots&Jello

I heart Nap Time

Fort in a bucket

For my sister’s kids’ Christmas present, I made them a Family Fort Kit. I wanted to do something that they could all enjoy together and help build memories. I loved building blanket forts as a kid (who didn’t?) and thought it would be fun to put everything they might need for their fort in a big bucket and send it off to them.

I included vinyl tablecloths, twine, clothespins, suction cup hooks, binder clips for building their fort and games, books, and popcorn for enjoying in their fort once it’s built. I used my Cricut to cut the vinyl lettering for the lid. Now I just have to get it shipped.

OWLways thinking of you

Before I left Las Vegas, a friend mentioned some owls that she had seen in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog and told me that when she saw them, she thought, “Christina could easily make those. “ So of course I had to check them out and I thought, “I could totally make those.”
Here are the PB owls:

I drew up my own pattern and made my owl with fabric leftover from this blanket and some other scraps I happened to have on hand. Here is my much funkier version:

Since the owl is for a little girl who is going through more than any little girl her age should have to, I made an owl themed card to go along with it letting her know that even though we can’t be with her, we will “OWLways”  be thinking of her.

Hopefully it will make her day a little brighter when it shows up in the mail.


I linked up at

Christmas Gifts

I found some cute ideas online to make for my sister’s kids for Christmas. (Alyssa-If you are reading this, don’t show the kids!)
First I made crayon roll for my niece. I used this tutorial to make it, but used a ribbon instead of elastic for the closure and I wrapped it up with a coloring book. I had a hard time keeping my own kids hands off of it. Maybe I’ll get around to making them each one too.



Then I made my 2 year old nephew a felt fishing set from this tutorial. Their family enjoys fishing so I thought it would be fun for him to be able to go fishing year round.

Apple Pear Bear

I started listing a few things on Etsy when I have time to make extra stuff. Yesterday, I got an email from a lady who saw the bears I have on there but wanted to custom order one. I was a little nervous at first, but I think she turned out great.  I finished her this morning and here she is:

Torstun's Birthday

My nephew turns 2 this month. I made him a drum and a guitar T-shirt so he can unleash his inner rock star. YIKES--I better get these in the mail or they aren't going to make it on time.