Peg People Sets for Operation Christmas Child

This project is super fun and it turns out really cute.

1. Purchase wooden peg people or peg dolls that are unfinished.  These can be found in the craft wood section of many craft stores, but I prefer to purchase mine online where I can get more dolls for the money.  This is a good set to get: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WQDTTCE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2.  You will also need acrylic paints.  These can be artist acrylics, craft paints or paint markers.  I use all 3.  I purchased several different skin tones in craft paint, but I prefer to just use my artist acrylics for any other colors and mix them myself.  This is totally up to you.  For details, you can't beat Posca extra-fine paint markers.  These things are amazing.
 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VB4T86/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good detail brushes will also be helpful.  Model painting brushes seem to work pretty well for me.

3. Let's start painting!   I generally paint a set of 3 all at once.  This way, by the time you finish painting on the third doll, the first one is usually dry enough to work on again.  Do not put your paint on in thick layers, even if it appears see-through.  It works much better to do multiple thin layers, and it dries really fast.
You will want to work from the skin - out.

Paint the head and shoulders your chosen skin color first.  Some people leave the skin as raw wood on peg dolls, which is really cute, but I have found that the paint markers sometimes bleed on the raw wood.  I like to do my faces with paint markers, so I'd rather work on a pre-painted face.

4. Simple large areas of color for the clothing.  I'm still using paint and brushes at this point.  You can draw on details with pencil if it helps you, but I would still do this step first.
 
You can get the basic shape of the hair in at this point too.


5. Let's bust out some paint pens!  At this point I start adding in details one layer at a time.  Be careful to let things dry before you add the next layer...  Of course, you can also do the details with paint and brush if you prefer.











6.  The box.  I have a surplus of old Altoid tins at my disposal, so I'm using these.  (FYI, however, the large dad peg person is a bit too wide for an Altoid tin to fully latch.  It mostly closes.  I wrap the box in a rubber band.)  Any small box could work here, just make sure it's clean and dry.
 
I also have a bin full of collage goodies: scrapbook paper, magazines, calendars, stickers, etc.
Using the bottom of the box as a stencil I simply cut a neat paper for the floor and back of my Altoid tin.

If you have a thicker paper, tacky glue will work fine to adhere your papers to the tin.  Use a thin even layer.  If you have a thinner paper, like a magazine, rubber cement would be a better choice.  Thinner papers will wrinkle with the tacky glue (or any water-based glue).

Lastly, add some stickers if you'd like.

7.  I recommend you seal your peg dolls with a clear coat.  I use a clear spray paint.  Let it dry for the recommended amount of time before you package up your set.

8. When the set is done, I place the dolls in the box, wrap it up with a rubber band, and place a card on the top (under the rubber band).  This is the card I designed.



Have Fun!

Sling Bags for Operation Christmas Child - Bag 1 "The Purse"

The Story

Our church always packs a large number of Operation Christmas Child boxes every year.  This year, I asked God what he wanted me to contribute to the project and he told me to get out my sewing machine and make bags... lots of bags... As a person of fairly meager financial means who is also crazy busy all the time, I wasn't quite sure how that was going to work, but I gave it a go anyhow.  I researched several simple purse designs online and came up with my own pattern that took elements from several others.  It was simple enough to be made by an advanced beginner, and used pieces that were small enough to be made from scraps.  Next, I asked for fabric donations.  "Empty out your scrap bin", I said.... and they did.  "Teach other people to make the bag,"  God said, and I did.  "Sew, sew, sew!" and I did..... aaaaaaaand my sewing machine gave out.  :(  But no worries, God wanted those bags!  I told my church family of my plight and was offered sewing machines from 3 different people!  Somehow, the heavens granted me the supernatural ability to time travel... or something, because in the space of a couple of months, even with my hectic schedule, I managed to make 100 bags!  ...and my friends, together they made almost 100 bags!  So now that collection week is over, I am already gathering fabric for next year and hoping that this little tutorial will teach even more people to make these bags so that they get into even more Operation Christmas Child boxes.

....on to the tutorial....

The Pattern

This is the only pattern piece you will really need.  The whole thing is 28" tall, the body portion at the bottom is 12" tall.  The width at the bottom is 8 and 5/8" and the strap width is 3 1/2".  Make sure you draw that 5/8" line like you see in the image, you will need it.  You'll want to curve the body portion into the strap portion.  You'll notice 2 different curves in the image.  I like to use a gentler curve for the purse version (bag 1), and a steeper curve for the school bag version (bag 2).  Ultimately, the curve is up to you.  This bag is pretty customizable, just pick something round to trace along... plate, bowl, cup, etc.  Just depends on how gentle/steep you want the curve to be.

To use the pattern, you can either cut whole panels or half panels.  To cut a whole panel, fold your fabric and line up that 5/8" seam allowance line with the fold.  Cut!

To cut a half panel, cut all the way to the edge of the pattern.  When you sew two half panels together, you'll get a whole.  You'll need that 5/8" seam allowance to make sure that they are the same size as the whole panels so that everything fits together.

You don't really need a pattern piece for the pockets.

The Bag Designs

As I said earlier, this bag is pretty customizable, you can change several things and make each bag a bit different.  I have come up with two basic bag designs: the purse (bag 1) and the school bag (bag 2).  They go together in virtually the same way with only a few differences.  Theses differences, however could be mixed and matched however you saw fit.

The Making of "The Purse" (Bag 1)

Even though I believe this to be a fairly simple pattern, I am going to try to be as thorough as possible so that sew-ers of all ability levels can make it.

Fabric Pieces

First of all, to make either bag you will need to have the equivalent of 4 whole panel pieces cut from your fabrics.  This can be from almost any combination of whole and half-cut panels, however, I like to have my 2 liner pieces cut as wholes.  Most of my purses have half panels for the outside and whole panels on the inside.  THIS purse, as you can see, is made from 1 whole panel and 2 half panels for the outside and 2 whole panels for the liner (the dark purple pieces).

You will also need 2 pieces of fabric that are the same size for your pocket.  These can be large, small, square, rectangular, or whatever.

I highly recommend pressing your fabric pieces.  I learned from experience long ago that it is easier to iron for a second than to fight with unruly fabric.





Step 1 - The Pocket

Sew your two pocket pieces, right sides together, and leave a 2" or so opening to turn it.  Try to leave the opening on the bottom edge of the pocket.  Clip corners, turn, and press.

 Step 2 - Half panels become whole panels

Sew together any half panels along center seam, right sides together.  Leave 5/8" seam allowance.  Press seam allowance to one side.

Step 3 - Attach Pocket
Sew the pocket to the right side of the purse front.  Sew close to edges on sides and bottom.  Make sure that the opening that you had left to turn the pocket is at the bottom.  It will get closed up as you stitch on the pocket.  I recommend using a ruler to center your pocket from side to side.  Make sure not to place it within an inch of any of the edges.

Step 4 - Outside Edges
Sew purse outside pieces together at outside edges, right sides together.  This will require pinning to keep it straight.  Do not stitch curve or the very ends of the straps.

Step 5 - Corners

If you were to turn it right-side-out now, it would look like this...

But we're going to add some dimension to those corners, so leave it wrong-side out a bit longer.  Use your hand to push into the corner and lay it flat.  Line up seams, pushing the seam allowance to one side.  Measure 2" from the corner, mark with pencil (1" or 1 1/2" would also work depending on what you want, just be consistent). Stitch along this 2" line.  This will make a triangle.  Trim off corner, leaving a seam allowance.  repeat on other corner.

Now you can turn it.  It should look something like this...

Step 6 - Purse Liner

Repeat steps 4 and 5 with your purse liner pieces.  You could even add pockets to those pieces as well if you wanted pockets on the inside of your purse.

Step 7 - Putting the purse together

At this point you should have your purse outsides done and turned right-side-out, as well as your purse liner done and turned wrong-side-out.  

Now you are going to place your right-side-out purse outer piece inside of your wrong-side out liner.  Pin the pieces together along inner curved edge, one side at a time.  Don't pin all 4 pieces together!  Just pin the liner and outer on 1 side, flip it over, and pin the liner and outer on the other side.

Sew together curved edge on each side.  Leave ends of straps open.

Step 8 - Turn and Press

Reach through the opening at the end of one strap to turn the whole thing right side out.  You'll want to work your hand through the inside, grab the strap on the other side and pull it back through the opening your hand is in.  It'll get a little tough to turn in the middle, but just keep working at it.  

When you've got it turned, you'll want to press the straps and the curved edge.

Step 9 - Finish Straps

Sew straps together at ends.  sew with purse outsides together so that the seam allowance is on the liner side.  Press seam allowance to one side (or press open, either way).

Turn strap edges under trifold style.  Stitch on either side of center strap seam.

Step 10 - Finishing Touches

You could be done here if you wanted.

...but I like to add a little plastic snap closure.  They're super easy and look nice.

Have fun!  ....and stay tuned for the instructions for Bag 2 (the school bag)

Here are my kids sporting some sweet bags!  My daughter has bag 1, my sons have bag 2.

Art Class Signage

I am now teaching 4 Art classes for homeschoolers, and 2 of them are at my house.  I decided this morning that it was high time for some official signage :)

To make this sign I took a trip to my local A.C. Moore and purchased 3 wooden letters (A,R,T) and a wooden palette.  The rest is all acrylic paint and wood glue.  I painted each letter to emulate a famous work of art, glued it all together and added some hand painted lettering.  Tomorrow I will give it a few coats with a clear sealer and affix a wire to the sides so that it can be hung on a hook outside my front door.  I'm really happy with it!  I should have made one of these a long time ago. :)

The Classroom

One of the major reasons we decided upon this house was the excellent back room off of the kitchen.  It was perfect for a classroom!  I can work in the kitchen and see what's going on because of the pass through and I have plenty of room for all of my bookshelves (and I can't seem to stop myself from adding more and more books, thus needing more and more bookshelves.  I mean who can turn down a good book?  Books are awesome... but I digress) and art supplies (something else I have tons and tons of... I am a bit of a hoarder of all things that I think I can make into something later).  I can also gate off the entry and keep the baby contained.  I have yet to work my make-over magic on the walls, but who doesn't love wood paneling?  ok... me, I don't love wood paneling!  For now, my strategy is to plaster the walls with posters, art work, bulletin boards and teaching aids... and also the windows... because there's not enough wall for all of the cool stuff I want to hang up.  Hmmmm.... the ceiling is empty.....

You may recognize the file cabinet in the corner.  It was a fun refinish job and is now full of art supplies.  The white bookshelves were cobbled together from one 10 foot tall unit intended for the garage.  We found someone giving away a garage full of these shelves on craigslist and are using them in several places.  I basically cut the sides of one shelf into 3 pieces and used some small scraps to make braces for the tops.  After attaching them all together the whole thing wanted to fold over and twist apart so I had to add a back to the center section.  I happened to have a scrap of 1/4 inch plywood laying about that did the job.  Actually, there is very little in this picture that was not a hand-me-down, free-find, cheap used treasure, or curbside rescue... Even some of the technology pieces!

How to make a quick hot ham and cheese sandwich: A guide for Moms

How to make a quick hot ham and cheese sandwich: A guide for Moms 
(a post based upon true life events)

1. Get a plate
2. Retrieve the loaf of bread from the pantry. Strike that. Figure out where the kids have put the loaf of bread.
3. Get the baby out of the middle child’s bedroom and shut the door.
4. Undo the twist tie on the bread that the middle child has managed to twist in 3 different directions at once.
5. Go see what that crash was in the living room.
6. Put bread in toaster.
7. Retrieve ham from fridge.
8. Take the schoolbook away from the baby before he rips the pages out.
9. Retrieve 4 slices, no, 2 slices of meat from the package.
10. Go see what that other crash in the living room was.
11. Retrieve 2 more slices of meat from the bag and put it all on a plate.
12. Pick up the bin of books that the baby has just dumped all over the floor and replace with a smaller bin that is harder for him to reach.
13. Put plate in microwave. Hear toast pop up.
14. Get butter.
15. Take whatever that was out of the baby’s mouth… Wonder where in the heck he found a giant bejeweled ring. 
16. Wash hands
17. Butter 1 piece of cold toast and start microwave.
18. Get the baby out of the cupboard.
19. Butter the second piece of cold toast.
20. Get the cheese out of the fridge.
21. It’s quiet…. Too quiet….
22. Get the baby out of the bathroom that you KNOW the door was just shut to a minute ago.
23. Retrieve plate of cold ham from the microwave
24. Put cold ham and cheese on cold buttered toast
25. Go see what that crash was in the hallway.
26. Get the baby off of the overturned hamper, pick up the dirty clothes.
27. Put cold “hot” sandwich in microwave for 20 seconds.
28. Pick up the bowl of holiday candy that the baby has just managed to get off of the edge of a table and spill all over the floor.
29. Retrieve lukewarm sandwich from microwave and place on dining room table.
30. Sit down
31. Get up and get the baby out of the trash
32. Put the baby in his bouncy seat from which he cannot escape.
33. Eat cold sandwich.

Shabby Chic Bistro Table

I always like to keep an eye out for free furniture to refinish.  Sometimes I find things in the free section of craigslist, sometimes things come from free cycle, sometimes a Facebook group, sometimes the local reuse center, sometimes curbside rescue, and sometimes friends.  I have a growing pile of items in my "to be refinished" queue (meaning there is ugly furniture placed strategically all over my house, in my garage, and on my back porch).  Some things are waiting to be fixed up for my house, some I intend to fix up to sell, and some things are simply waiting for something else to complete them.  This set is an example of the latter two.  The table came from a free site (craigslist I think).  It came with cigarette burns and a boy's named carved into the top.  

Not much to look at, but it had drop leaves and was structurally sound.  Without much (any) architectural detail to make it interesting, I knew this table would need a somewhat elaborate paint job and some cute chairs to make it sellable.  Enter my fantastic friends who keep an eye out for me.  Her neighbor was moving out and placing mountains of furniture at the curb.  I made SEVERAL trips and now can't get to the shelves in my garage... lol, eventually I'll finish all of these projects!  At any rate, one of the things I came back with was a pair of cute, petite wooden chairs.  They seemed a good fit.

    

First step, as always, was a good sanding.  Since the woods didn't really match, my intention was to completely paint the chairs and leave the base of the table intact.  I changed my mind when I saw the chairs post sanding.  They looked great just sanded!  Ok, so I guess I'll have to paint the table base.

I painted the entire table with primer  . . . . and the brush left awful deep brush mark grooves everywhere.  Sigh, ok. . . maybe a roller next time, or spray primer.  So I sanded it again.  Nope still there.  So I sanded some more.  grrr.... new lesson learned.  All sandpapers are not created equal, regardless of grit).  The sandpaper from the dollar store sucks.  :P So eventually I sanded away the brush marks, lol, and made my way to my strange assortment of free paints.  There is all sorts of talk on furniture refinishing blogs and whatnot about the best paint and finishes to use for furniture refinishing.  Chalk paint, milk paint, wax, poly, etc.  I have always been more of a "work with what I have" kinda girl.  Acrylic latex house paint?   yep.  That'll do.  I chose some leftovers of colors that I had already mixed for other projects and made some minor adjustments.  To tie the chairs in with the table visually I decided to paint the seats.

I painted the table base, edges and one chair seat with a grayish turquoise, the table top white, and the other chair seat yellow.  Now, for that "elaborate" paint job.  I had been loving stencil work lately, but can't afford to buy the ones for sale on the internet.  No matter, I'm handy with an Xacto knife and it only has to survive one project, so I'll make my own.  I found a picture I liked, printed it out, traced it, and spent an afternoon cutting tiny shapes out of an overhead transparency sheet.  Yeah, that took a while, but it was way more affordable!

Now there are lots of different ways to paint with a stencil, but stippling seems to be the most fool proof for this sort of job.  They, of course, make special round brushes for this purpose.  I just used an old acrylic brush I had in a drawer that had some bulk to it and it seemed to work fine.  I randomly (but somewhat evenly) stenciled blue flowers all over the table top and let it dry.  Then orange, dry.  Then yellow, dry.  I lightly wiped off the stencil between colors but didn't get too crazy.  I would rather have a bit of dried paint on it than tear it after all.  Next the "shabby chic" effect.  I sanded the whole thing down again, making sure to sand some places more than others, especially the edges so it looked like wear and tear.

Since this table was intended for an eat-in kitchen or something of the like, it needed to be able to stand up to use and food.  The chairs needed a little bit of strengthening, so I replaced older somewhat stripped screws with newer slightly larger screws and tightened everything up.  I still needed a clear coat of some sort though.  My original plan was to coat the table top and chair seats with some brushing lacquer that I had picked up from the reuse center for free, but after doing some research I discovered that using that over my paints could end badly.  Apparently the solvents in the brushing lacquer are so strong that it could actually dissolve some of the paints underneath.  Sheesh... that would be disappointing after all that work.  So I bit the bullet and paid full price for a new can of polycrylic.  I know, totally not me right?  But, sometimes you just have to have the right tool for the job.  I followed the instructions on the can precisely, and applied 3 coats to the table top and chair seats.  It worked great.  Here is the before and after of my shabby-chic bistro table! . . . and yes, it is sold.  Hope you like it!