Simple No Sew Fabric Advent Countdown Chain-- Each Link has an Activity for Our Family to Do!

With Thanksgiving just days away, I have to start preparing for Christmas. I love Christmas, it is my absolute favorite holiday.  Christmas will be here in a month and I still have so much to do!

I figured I better get to work on our "Christmas Countdown Chain." Last year, I made a paper one with my kids and they loved it! Tearing a paper link off first thing in the morning was the highlight of my little one's day. Every morning, as soon as he woke hope, he would rip one link off and then count the remaining links so he knew exactly how many days were left till Santa came. I will probably still make a paper one with him, but I wanted to make a fabric version that I could reuse  year after year. Another idea that I had thought of, was to write a family activity inside we could do each day. This was the easiest and quickest way that I came up with to combine both ideas.

 

I picked up red, green, and white satin ribbon, and self adhesive Velcro circles from the dollar store. I pulled out white address labels from my stash (they also carry these in the dollar store).

 

I used my pinking shears to cut the ribbon into small strips.

 

I cut the address labels in half long ways to make small strips that would easily fit on the ribbon.

 

On each label, I wrote a different activity that we will do each day. Some of the different activities are: Cook Dinner with Mommy, Wrap a Present, Bake Cookies, Read a Christmas Story, Make an Ornament, Make a Christmas Craft, Watch a Christmas Movie, Popcorn and a Movie Night, Spend the Night in the Living Room, Make Reindeer Noses, Ice Cream Sundae Night.....

 

 

I put the labels and the Velcro circles on the ribbon strips and arranged them in the order that I wanted them in.

 

 

We will remove the first link the day after Thanksgiving, our activity will be to start decorating the house. Saturday's activity is to go cut our Christmas Tree down and on Sunday we will decorate it.

Make Your Own Native American Indian Medicine Bag

I recently became a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor for the Indian Lore Merit Badge. I love Native American history and culture and I am 50% Native American, so this should be a lot of fun. My first battle is figuring out what projects we are going to make to satisfy the requirements. One of the projects I am going to make with boys is a Medicine Bag. This is a simple version that does not require sewing and should be easily accomplished by all of the boys. Below, I listed  the materials I used for the bag pictured, I also listed what I plan on using with the boys to keep the cost down and use up some supplies that I already have on hand.
 

 

Native American Indians used medicine bags as a holder or container for various items that they found special or that they thought possessed supernatural powers. Anyone could have one, but usually the medicine man of a tribe that would carry one. They carried items such as special stones, animal furs, teeth, and anything else that meant something to the owner. The contents of the bag were very special and secretive, only the owner of the bag was allowed to look in it. When the owner died, their bag was buried with them.

 

To make this medicine bag you will need:

• a good sized piece of leather, vinyl or other material, I used a piece of leather that I had for my bag, but the boys will be using a "fake" leather vinyl to make theirs.
• circular template, I used a small paper plate
• some kids of cord, I used leather cord that I had left over from another project, but the boys will be using para-cord; you could use a thin ribbon or an entire strand of embroidery floss as well
• Pony Beads, if desired
• scissors
• leather punch, hole punch, or something sharp to poke holes in the leather or material
• pencil or marker, I used a silver Sharpie since I used black leather

Instructions:

Use the template or plate to trace a circle on the backside of the leather or material and cut it out.

Measure out holes evenly around the circle, about an inch apart. **You must have an even number of holes for the medicine bag to cinch closed properly. 

Lace the cord through the holes so that both ends of the cord end on the same side. Add some pony beads to both ends of the cord, you can use the pony beads to push and hold the bag closed. Knot the ends of the cord together and you have yourself a medicine bag!

What will you store in yours?
 

Easy No Sew Play Donuts Made From Men's Dollar Store Socks

I don't know about your children, but mine can never seem to have enough play food. I recently started sewing and making some play food out of felt. The food comes out super cute, but is time consuming. I LOVE these donuts because I was able to make 2 in less then 10 minutes and they only cost me $1 for the pair. I do enjoy sewing, but let's face it, I am a glue gun girl at heart.

I picked up a pair of brown men's dress socks from the dollar store, took out my shears, and heated my glue gun up.

 

 

I cut the band off of the top of the sock... 

 

 

and the bottom of the sock off.

 

 

 

Then roll it up, starting from the bottom of the sock.

 

 

Glue the ends in place with the hot glue gun.

 

If you desire, you can even add some felt icing! 

 

Sew or No Sew Bandana Apron

My kids have been wanting aprons for the  longest time. Finally, they got them.

This week, I made the simplest and most inexpensive aprons that I've ever made. I picked up my supplies at dollar store and was able to make 2 for $2.00! All you need is a bandana and coordinating ribbon. There is minimal sewing involved, or if you prefer, you can use heat and bond tape.

 

First, cut your ribbon long enough to wrap it around your waist and tie it in a bow. If you are going to sew, sew the ends so that the ribbon does not fray.

For the no sew apron, use some fray check on the ends so that they do not fray. 

 

 

Pin the middle of the ribbon on the bandana and sew it on.

If you are using heat and bond tape cut a piece the size of the apron and iron it on to the front of the bandana. Remove the paper backing from the Heat and Bond and center your ribbon on the center of the bandana. Turn ribbon and bandana over to iron together.

 

 

Quick and simple, huh?

These were so simple, I made 2 more for swaps that I am participating in on Swap-bot.

I whipped 4 of these up in no time!