got any nuts??

as my free time (what there is) has been spent making this -

ahhh...the mask...

Hannah, Chloe and Grace are in a production of the Nutcracker Ballet next week.  Their company needed a nutcracker mask, and I volunteered (I'm still wondering what on earth compelled me to sign up for that part!).  Let me tell you -- making a mask of this size is no easy task.  I had three trial run masks before this one and ended up wanting to make one more after this one.  My family emphatically told me no.  I listened. :)

Chloe outside before modeling the mask
(photo courtesy of my Hannah)

Here are the details -- read with caution. :)  Paper Mache mask - three layers.  Base is made from molded plastic (from a cut up milk carton).  Nose is plastic.  Face is built up with foam and covered in plastic before the paper mache was applied. I painted it with acrylic paints.  Beard and hair is faux fur from Joann's.  That part is very messy -- I vacuumed numerous times and in fact, vacuumed the head to pick up the free hair.  (It still looks like we have a dog with black hair here.) Crown is layers of gold poster board painted with acrylics.  And the red part was a hat that was existing that I attached.  That part still needs a teeny bit of work....  The mask attaches via an elastic band and then the crown/hair attaches over latching with screws and then being tied under the chin.  Ignore the imperfections in the mask -- you need to remember that this will be on stage and no one will see it up close.

Chloe modeling the mask.
She is the Nutcracker next week. :)

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Have you discovered that I might be a wee bit of a perfectionist?  And now you know why I write on not being too much that way....

Want to know how many hours this took?

12 hours.

Want to know how much it cost?

$32

Want to know the song I belted out when I was finished?
That would be the Hallelujah Chorus. :)

Now I need to start making cookies....without nuts...

(feel free to leave any "way to go" and "you did great" or "you're nuts" comments....hee hee hee...sometimes I crack myself up...)

What to do with ripped jeans?

...and a calm day?  And an urge to do a project? Well...let's see...make cute homemade pin cushions?  Yep.  That's what I did.  While Hannah was playing with her new intuos4 tablet I was busy sewing...and watching her create graphics.  Then later, while Chloe creamed me in a game of Upwords, I finished sewing the details on to my little pillow pin cushions.  Which, by the way, my Elijah has decided makes very fun stacking toys.

Here's the story:  Caleb comes in with ripped jeans.  I quickly grab the scissors and cut off the bottoms.

old jeans = 

cute shorts

...then using a cd as a guide I cut out a circle from both the front and back of the jeans (which were clean).

first cut

...then I found a cut contrasting fabric and did the same.  That's an old computer game cd.  When Hannah and Chloe were little they loved to play that game. I can still hear the soundtrack.

love this fabric

...now I've got two circles.  I sewed them inside out leaving a two inch opening.  And a new pair of scissors.  Those first ones disappeared.  I think one of the boys decided to do his own craft project.

two rounds sewn together

...after sewing I filled it with poly fill.  It needed to be stuffed tightly.  Also: note to others...inform your two year old that polyfill is NOT something yummy to eat.  Elijah had to be told that several times.

polyfill

I found some cute buttons to add once I started sewing.  I got these two jars at a garage sale for 25cents each.  I'm hoping to go back this year and find some more.  She had jar after jar of buttons.

my buttons

Last step was to sew a knot on the bottom, use a large sewing needle (I used the one in my stitch kit for ballet shoes) and sew bands of thread through the center and out the sides.  Finally, just add a cute button in the center.   As you can see...I didn't just make one.  Which are your faves?  I love the green one with the pink button.  The picture doesn't really show how cute the button is...some day I'll invest in a better camera!

 pin cushions

old jean scraps = new pin cushions

Not a deep post.  A fun post?  It's just a little peek into my eccentric life. It's kind of like the spilled milk post.  I guess I've just started to take moments that could be frustrating...like a newer pair of jeans sporting holes in the knees...and make them into something good.  :)