Crafts for Boys

bathroom blues

Thankfully both my boys love bathtime and all the associated toys (no need to mention Tom and all things fishy...) However this (combined with a lazy mummy) results in my bathroom being a complete tip.  When we replaced our windows and put obscured glass in the bathroom, I struck on the idea of re-using the old shower curtain to make two bags to put the bath toys in - out of sight, and out of mind (for me at least.)

Before...

 

I cut the curtain into four pieces and used the two with holes at the top for the bags.  That way hopefully the draw strings won't tear too easily.  I then painted two scenes in shades of blue (to match my tiling in the bathroom) - in theory there's one with with boats etc for the boat toys, and one with marine creatures for the fish, etc, but I'm sure that won't last!

 

I sewed a double seam along one side to make and tube, then using yellow and brown thread, I used the largest zigzag stitch to make the sea bed.  Hopefully this will allow any water inside to drain out.  I finished the bottom edge with pinking shears and found some nylon thread to make the drawstring.  Hopefully tidying the bathroom will now be more fun for the boys and less of a headache for me!   

After...

 

 

... just wanted to sneak in my bathroom scales too which I rejuvenated with an old cork place mat and my trusty acrylic paints.  I love paint :o)

 

Birthday Countdown - Helen's best according to Cara ;)

posted by Cara

Helen and I started this little blog almost a year ago.  We decided to have a little look back at the year by choosing our favourite projects, so I am going to link you up to my absolute favourites from Helen's posts.

Third Runner up:
I love this fish frame, it's even more amazing in real life when you can really see all the details up close.

Second Runner up:
Practical and adorable all in one, Anthony gets great use out of his craft box, and Philippe does as well when his brother's not looking ;)

First Runner up:
This project makes me want to grab a mini Harry Potter, a teeny broom and a snitch and get down and have some fun!  Check out Helen's Hogwarts play scene at the bottom of this post!

My Absolute Favourite!!!
I didn't have to look hard to find this adorable, crocheted Yoda.

"Looking? Found someone you have I would say, mm?"  

I don't know what to say about this little guy except that Jacques loves him as much as I do and is sometimes caught sleeping with him when he thinks no one is looking.  She did a fabulous job, he looks great!

"When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good, you will not, hm?"

T's shirt

posted by Helen

When I checked out the shirt-dress that Cara made for Juliet in our April 1st post, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for my next project. (you didn't think this was carefully planned months in advance, did you??) And of course, back on theme, it had to be something for one of my boys.  So I was just starting to scratch my head which was already bursting with ideas for printing on fabric when another Mum from our village gave me a bag of clothes for Tom.  Now Tom is nothing if not fussy when it comes to clothes, both in terms of colour and fabric (no jeans, they're too scratchy, nothing too boring, you get the idea...) so after the bag had been vetted for dinosaurs and pirates, there were some rejects... but still with plenty of life in them, so without really trying I'd found my next project :o)

reject :o(

 

Cara lent me her ace Tim Holtz stencils and after a few false starts (fabric pastels are PANTS :o() Here's the finished shirt -I'm not so sure about the patch, but Tom is wearing it, so I guess that answers any doubts I may have!

Project :o)

 

 

 

 

 
 

Paper fish

posted by Helen and Cara

Ha ha , fooled you! You didn't really think it was going to be a picture of some paper fish, did you? (That's the French tradition for April fool's day, by the way, but I digress..)

So we thought we'd use the day of mischief as an excuse to post something girly for a change. 

Helen's project: I used it as an excuse to post the card I've made for my niece (I'll let you work out how old she is) as it's her birthday on the 3rd... and with two boys and two nephews, I always love the chance to go super girly for my two nieces.    

 

 

Oh and here is Tom's take on the idea!! He always wants his own version of each creation, so he made himself a number 5 'decoration' in preparation for his next birthday. Bless! All choice of papers were entirely his own...  (although I must confess to diverting him away from the really pink ones)

Cara's project was to take a plain boring man's shirt (the shirt, not the man ;o)) and turn it into this really fab, cute pinafore dress for Juliet.

Before:

 

After:
Daddy's well worn Eterna shirt felt like Liberty so I dug in my Liberty stash for some matching bias.  The whole thing took just over 90 minutes, the beauty of sewing without a pattern.  I had fun with some lace, ribbon and flowers (stamped, fabric, felt etc...)

Here's a peek at what the French do on April Fool's day
ignore her hair, it was just after her nap...

 

 

Oh and a last word from Helen - here are some real paper fish - ever since April 1st, Tom has been enthusiastically drawing fish of all shapes and sizes . So much so that one wall of my kitchen has become an aquarium!! Here's a peak...

 

Making models with Grandad

 
posted by Helen

OK, so I have been a bit quiet on here recently, but things certainly haven't been quiet around my place. Tom had two weeks holiday from school and Nana and Grandad came over to stay with us, which was lots of fun :o)

My dad has made models ever since he was a boy ( and still does!) He spent many hours with my brother and I and now it's wonderful to see him and Tom working on projects together.  Here are some of their creations from this last holiday, plus some of my Dad's works of art. 

 
 
 
 These are a space ship and a boat made from off cuts from another DIY project. 
 

 This one you'll have to guess their purpose first...

 
... here's a clue:

 
 They're bridge supports for Tom's railway!

And last, but not least, the two brilliant clocks that Dad made for Tommy & Joe, which probably deserve a post in their own right, but I wanted to share them now :o)

 

 

 

 

all that glitters isn't necessarily girly

posted by Helen

Ok, so most boy projects are pretty devoid of flowers and frills, but when you're four and a half, glittery shiny jewels have universal appeal!

A couple of weeks back Cara and I took some well earned kid-free time to make a fab calendar project from LollyChops with Live at Prima  Here's a quick sneak at mine, as it IS relevant (honest!) 

 

 

Poor Tom was so sad that I was going to make mine without him, that I had to promise we'd make his own version with any left-overs I had. 

Tom LOVED the image transfer technique - as far as he was concerned that was really magic.  The drawing and cutting was started with enthusiasm, but after a couple of months that was left mainly to mummy, but with the insistance that Tom was still chief jewel sticker!!

So here it is, slightly less flowery, but still pretty sparkly, and still managing to be 100% boy.  The hi-lights of Tom's calendar 2011...

Mummy's paisley fish:

 

... and Yellow submarine:

Tommy's racing car with flames coming out of the exhaust:

 ... and his favourite dinosaur (Ruby from Land Before Time!)

 

a sparkly whale:

 

and Mummy's alien planet:

 
 
 
 
 

ship ahoy

Tom's recent pirate frenzy has been lots of fun all round.  Joe has loved chasing Tom round and round hunting for treasure and Mummy has had a good excuse to make stuff too.

First step were the hat and eye patch, but that really didn't represent much of a challenge, but a pirate just can't do much pirating without a boat.  Of course it was Tom who did most of the making, but with a bit of subtle diplomacy, it turned out reasonably close to how I envisaged it!!

So here it is our tissue box / cream egg box/ barbecue skewer/ old sheet galleon and it's proud owner creator and namesake:  The Good Ship Tom

 
 
 

 
 

 

knight in shining armour

posted by Helen

Philippe's love of horses is well documented, but when it came to this year's card, I wanted to make something a bit more fun, plus I had a willing assistant who wanted to 'help'. 

It started off life as a cereal box, drinking straw and some 'recycled' aluminium foil - add copious quantities of brown paint, a scrap of fabric, some odds and ends of brown wool, googly eyes for the horse,  sparkly bits to decorate the shield and feathers to top it all off; et voila!  One knight ready for the joust - Sir Philippe the Brave!

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

shark bait

posted by Helen

We're very lucky to have a free bus service for the kids in our village, so the start of another school year means another bus pass.  I have no idea if enyone ever checks them, but in theory all the kids are supposed to have their pass with them. As Tom is only 4 and my son to boot, I'm really nervous that he'll lose his card, especially as we have to pay for a replacement!

Last year I made a temporary holder which I tied to his bag with elastic.  Of course I never got round to replacing it, so this year I was determined to make something more permanent. 

If you didn't see Cara's post from June, tom's school bag is a REALLY cool shark , so of course I had to make it a tasty fish-shaped snack!

I recycled part of a thick, clear pastic packaging to hold the pass, which I simply stitched to two pieces of printed cotton (another off cut from Tom's playing out trousers)  Then I made a simple fish pattern from scrap paper and stitched around the outside using a close zig-zag setting. 

To attach the holder to the bag I used an eyelet through which I knotted some blue cord and tied it onto the drawstring of the bag.  So hopefully next 'rentrée' I'll just have to switch the new card over and Tom will be ready to start another year. 

Mummy Maker

Posted by Helen and Tommy

I’m not really complaining, but being away on holiday then having the kids around all day hasn’t left me with much time to make things for myself.  Instead I’ve had an extra pair of hands to ‘help’. So this week I’ve decided to share a few of my favourite projects made by Mummy and Tommy. Not all are original ideas,  'Mister Maker' is a big favourite in our house, but where they are ‘Mummy Maker’ I’ve included brief explanations.

Space alien city

This was adapted from Tom's 'Mister Maker' book and is made from recycled plastic bottles and pots, with added craters, aliens and um, dinosaurs!

 

Relief Giraffe

Draw outline on black /brown paper then rip up small pieces of masking tape into ‘spots’ and stick on.  Paint all over in yellow / orange.  When dry, remove tape and draw on features.

Concertina Bee

Cut two ovals at the same time- one from yellow and one from black.

Draw curved lines on the yellow at approx 1cm spacings leaving more at either end.

Cut along the lines.

Separate into two sets of alternate stripes and stick one set on either side of the black.

For the wings, make a long and thin concertina from tracing paper. Cut a slot in the top of body and poke wings through. Fold in half and stick top edges together.