13 Ounces or Less

Recently I discovered giver'slog on Pinterest.

I love AmberLee's series, 13 ounces or less!

She finds all kinds of creative ways to send cute gifts in the mail.

Including flip-flops, a ball (who knew you could send a ball with only stamps and an address?!) and a clown disguise!

But here's the catch - everything has to weigh 13 ounces or less!

Okay - I had to try it!

We send things in the mail all the time to Serenity's BFF Pen Pal Brianna (her Mommy is Grow With Me Gifts), but this time giver'slog inspired me to get a little more creative with the packaging. 

Please excuse the quality of the photos - I forgot to grab my big camera when I left the house and these are taken with my cell phone.
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I found a little plastic "paint can" from Target in the dollar aisles a while back and decided to fill that up and mail it.
The key is to take everything out of it's original packaging.

I went to a little local place called Mailbox Express instead of my actual Post Office - I've been going there for years since it's closer to my house, and the ladies over there are so nice!

I'm not totally sure the PO will accept it yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed they do!

I'll update once I find out if the paint can arrives at Brianna's with no problems.

The paint can is filled with a few Dollar Store toys, little trinkets from Target's dollar aisles, and a rolled-up note from Serenity - weighing in at a whopping 4.7 ounces!

~I forgot to get a picture of the toys before I packed the container.~

Serenity got to put the stamps on the paint can after they printed a label for us.

They taped the top of the can for us too.

All ready to be mailed to Brianna!

I love this idea and it's such a fun activity for kids!
I have quite a few things in mind that Serenity can mail in the future.

Don't forget to check out giver'slog and see all the cool things she's mailed that's 13 ounces or less!


Update:
Brianna got it in the mail yesterday!
Kim posted on her blog, Grow With Me Gifts pictures of Brianna enjoying all the little toys in her fun gift.
We are so happy it was such a hit, and that it went through the mail successfully! 
Serenity was glad Brianna got her little "note" the most! 

Have fun!

Easy 1st Sewing Project for Kids

I was reading crafterhours' post, Learning to Sew at 5 this weekend and thought that would be a very good idea for Serenity!

She enjoyed the craft so much I decided to make her own sewing kit.

So following my Gift Bag Tutorial (I added a little 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" felt pocket) I created a couple of years ago, I made two sewing kits.

One bag is for Serenity and the other one for her mail buddy, Brianna.

Brianna's Mom, Kim is Grow With Me Gifts, and we've been mailing little goodies back and forth for the girls for a while now.

They live way up North - where it snows!

Serenity thinks that's amazing and hopes to visit her friend one day.
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The kits were simple to make - and very inexpensive.

The pocket holds scissors, 2 blunt tapestry needles, and a wand.

The wand is one from Boutique Ollie Girl (it came with one of her Princess dresses), and Serenity wanted to give it to her friend, Brianna.

I rolled up around 1 yard of ribbon and put it in the pocket after taking this picture.

There are two "templates" - a heart and flower, and 1 piece of craft eco-fi felt.

I added a star template later too.

I found the little horse floss organizer from Michael's for $2.99.

It's loaded with DMC 5 embroidery floss.

I find that size thread is the easiest for little ones to use - less chance of splitting and tangling.
The 5 floss is also easier for kids to get through the eye of a small needle.
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Serenity's very first project was a little heart "pillow".

She says it's for her TY Magenta plush.

Her second project was another heart "pillow", this time for her friend, Brianna!

Here's how she made it:

Materials:

heart template
eco-fi felt

scissors

blunt tapestry needle (size 22)

embroidery floss (DMC 5)

stuffing fluff (not pictured)

Serenity threaded her own needle.
She's concentrating so hard!

Then she carefully sewed around the heart.

I told her to try to keep her stitches as small as possible.

She was doing a really good job!

When she got back around to the beginning, she left a small opening.
Next she used a handful of fluff to stuff it.

Finally, she sewed the opening closed.

I helped her secure it at the end.
She got to use my "golden scissors" to cut the floss.
She thinks they are "treasure" because they are "gold"!

All done!

These would made fun Christmas ornaments.
Just add a ribbon at the top!

First time sewing projects are perfect little gifts your child can give to her friends - one that she made all by herself!

Serenity little barrette is one I made following my Embroidered Felt Hair Clip tutorial.

I used this flower template - they were just the right size and the snap clips fit perfectly.

I love adding a little doodle to a barrette.

It helps me to practice and I still need lots of practice!

The book, Doodle Stitching is a big help to me too.

Serenity's top is from Dress Me.

It actually used to be a dress, but it's much too short now!

Her pretty pink Hanna Andersson clogs are an Ebay find - very cheap and still in excellent condition!

Have Fun!!

Portable Tea Table

My husband and I finally got around to putting together a little portable tea table I got the idea to build months ago.

He works in Brazil two months at a time now and I wanted to wait until he got home because I'm not as comfortable with power tools as Ana White!

I'm going to try to explain how we built it, but at some point we did something wrong.

The table is supposed to fold up all nice and neat (I wanted to put a small handle on one end so Serenity could carry it around), but I miscalculated and it doesn't fold up the way I planned.
I'll try to figure out exactly what I did wrong and post an update when I do.

Maybe you know?

If you do, please share!

Still, it's such a cute little table - even though it doesn't fold up quite right.

It's the perfect size for Serenity to play tea party with her friends and dolls - indoors and outdoors, which was the whole idea behind building it.

It's great as a photo prop too!

Okay, bear with me when it comes to explaining some of the hardware - I have no idea the real names of some of these things and I don't know building terms!
A very nice older gentlemen at Lowe's was extremely patient with me when I was trying to explain what I needed to build it - without knowing what anything was called!
He stuck with me though and together we found everything.

Materials Needed:

Power drill

Jig-saw

Sander

#10 flat washers
1 7/8" wooden dowel

2) 1 1/2" threaded aluminum posts

2) 1" threaded aluminum posts

bathroom wall hook

2 aluminum fasteners
(ignore the other two in the picture)

1 can of spray paint

2) 1x2x4 pine

1) pre-cut circle grade pine

Cut 4 legs (around 18" long) from the 1x2x4.

Cut a small curve on one end and a 45 degree angle on the other end.
We actually forgot to cut the bottom of the legs until almost the last step and had to take the table apart.
A lot of wasted energy.

Sand it smooth.

This is how the hardware is placed underneath the table:

Set the bathroom hook aside for now, and using the legs to keep the fasteners straight, screw in place.

Drill a hole (big enough for the aluminum fasteners to fit) in the center of both of the fasteners and sand them smooth.

Drill a hole near the top of two of the legs.

Using the 1" threaded aluminum post, attach two of the legs.
Use washers to stabilize the legs.

Cut a smaller piece of the 1x2x6, the width of the two legs you just attached.

Attach this smaller piece about 2" from the bottom of the legs.
Make sure to pre-drill your holes.

To figure out how wide the other two legs need to be, place them inside the ones you just attached to the table.
Then measure for the smaller cross piece of wood.
Check the picture below for reference:

Now screw down that smaller cross piece to the second set of legs.
Remember to pre-drill the holes so you don't damage the wood.

Screw the dowel to the other end of the second set of legs.
Counter-sink the screws.
And of course, pre-drill the holes first!

Carefully put the table together.
At the place where the legs cross, drill through both pieces of wood and insert the 1 1/2" threaded aluminum post.
Repeat for the other side.

Spray paint it pink (or whatever), and give it to your Darling Stinker for a Tea Party!

Have fun!