Don't Despair - Repair!

So, tell me if this has happened to you.
You found that perfect sweater years ago, and wear it almost daily.
First, you snag it.

Then, the snag gradually turns into a gaping hole, no longer possible to conceal. Sure, you can slap a patch on it, but this just isn't the 70's, and you are not a college professor.

Let's face it, your favorite sweater has become garbage.

But wait! Don't throw it out just yet!!

This simple tutorial is about repairing, not despairing, and DIY-ing your way to a customized, fabulous wardrobe!

Step 1:
Find the problem.
In this case, it's a hole in the elbow, rendering the entire left sleeve useless.

Step 2:
Find the solution.
Easy. New sleeves from just above the elbow down to the cuff.

Step 3:
Start repairing!
Find suitable sleeves.

Last week, I saw a woman on the U-bahn in Vienna (an extremely fashionable city) who was wearing a knitted sweater with leather sleeves. I thought that looked pretty awesome, functional and unique.
Lo and behold, I discovered I had a leather raincoat that has seen better days, to put it mildly. Being the passionate DIY-er that I am, I didn't throw that away either. Boy am I glad I didn't!

Let's get started!

1. Cut off the sleeves of the leather jacket at the shoulder - I know I won't be using them up to the shoulder, but it's always a good idea to cut off more than you're going to use (mistake allowance!)

Don't throw away the rest of that jacket! There is plenty more fabulous material to work with for another repair-job!

2. Cut the sleeves off the favorite sweater just above the hole.

Lay the leather sleeves on top of each other and trim them to give them a nice straight edge, and to make sure they are the same length.

3. Make sure you've got a cotton thread and heavy-duty needle (jeans for example).

Turn the sweater inside out and place the leather sleeve inside it. You'll be sewing on the inside of the sleeve.

Sew the sleeves together with a large zig-zag stitch, and the sweater part underneath. (The leather material is harder to push smoothly through the machine.)

4. Turn the sleeves right-side out and sew a nice straight stitch over the leather.

The extra straight stitch not only looks good, it will make your sleeves extra sturdy.

More importantly, the leather is heavier than the knitted sweater, and without this extra stitch, your sleeves may pull your sweater apart! Then, you're back to square one!












And here is the final result!
My sweater has a second life, perhaps an even better one than it already had...

A fairy nice home...

Mia, who is now 7, asked me the other day, "Mama, are fairies real?"
Now, I am the kind of Mom who loves these kinds of questions way more than "Why is the sky blue?" or "Where do babes come from?". Give me an opportunity to encourage my kids to expand their imaginations, and I am on it.

So I answered her question with another question. I said, "Do you think fairies are real?" She answered without hesitation, "Yes." That was good enough for me. Our conversation quickly proceeded and before long, Mia asked, "Mama, Where do fairies live?" So, I asked her where she thought they lived. Naturally, she was aware that there are about a gazillion different kinds of fairies, who all require different kinds of housing. She then asked, "Mama, are there fairies in our woods?" I shrugged my shoulders, and said "Maybe they would, if you built them a house". Well, that was all the encouragement she needed.

As soon as she got home from school, she got working and designed this cozy 2-bedroom fern-roofed chateau with pebble garden and utility shed:

Legend has it, and I'm not making this up, that if you build a fairy house, it may very well attract fairies to your domain. So, what's stopping you?

How to build your own fairy house
For this example, we'll be building a house for a nature fairy. Not sure which fairy you want to attract? Have a look here for a comprehensive list of fairy types.

1. You'll need something substantial to make your fairy house out of. No fairy wants to move into a place that will collapse almost immediately, after all. And remember, you want your fairy house to be able to sustain all weather conditions.

Other building materials could be:
- a hollow tree trunk
- sticks to form a tee-pee type house
- a vacant bird house
- milk carton
- unused dollhouse







2. Now, you'll need materials to further embellish your fairy house. Fill a bucket with 'treasures' from your garden that a fairy-in-need-of-accomodation might enjoy, like:
- bark
- pinecones
- leaves
- sticks and twigs
- rocks
- grass
- ferns
- moss
- dirt/mud

3. Now, find the perfect location for your fairy house. The ideal fairy house location is:
- a spot with some sun and some shade, fairies like just the right amount of both
- a secluded spot, with lots of privacy but within walking/flying distance of wherever fairies might need to go to

We found this little plot of land under a huge Japanese maple tree, facing West, right on the edge of the woods.

4. Now comes the fun part...
Piece the house together, bit by bit, allowing the materials you found to fit into one another naturally.

It's important not to rush the process - building a fairy house takes time, and it needs to be just right!
Fairies are picky, you know.









5. When you're finished, don't expect a fairy to occupy the house immediately. It's important to allow the fairy community to spread the word about your house. Keep your distance, but keep your eyes open, and you may just see one fluttering around there one day... 

Need some more inspiration?  Have a look at these amazing fairy houses.

Cleaning = Creating

Lo and behold - did you know, that when you clean up, you find yourself in possession a ton of new materials to make stuff with?!

This morning, I cleaned out our 'everything drawer'. Don't you have one of those? It's the drawer, typically found in or near the kitchen, that holds all the stuff you don't necessarily want to keep, but don't want to throw away either, and essentially don't what to do with. I'm talking about stuff like batteries, paper clips, buttons, boxes, odd change, wires, keys, screws, you name it... The cool thing about an 'everything drawer' is that no two are alike. Your 'everything drawer' is, like you, unique.

This is my 'everything drawer', and a bit of what I found in it:


Now, I faced a decision - toss, or not to toss, that was the question. Who made the decision for me? My son Bram, who is 5. Amongst the pile of stuff, he found a plastic whistle and a broken battery tester. He stuck them together and said - 'Hey Mama, this looks like a robot!' Well, say no more. Equipped with super glue, some wire and the contents of our 'everything drawer', we went to work.

Here's Bram, piecing his robot together before we glue it.

Here, Bram is deciding whether his robot walks, or flies... or both.

After piecing the parts together, super glue-ing and loads of laughs, we had not just one robot, but an entire robot family! We also had a clean 'everything drawer' and one less garbage bag to boot. A win-win situation, if ever I knew one.

Welcome to our house, robot family!

Live long (as long as the super glue holds out) and prosper!

A Perfect Mess

Guess what! Making a mess is good for you!
According to "A Perfect Mess" by Eric Abrahamson and David H Freedman, a mess means flexibility, room for improvisation, and better harmony with your environment! And not just for kids - there is a hidden system in that messy pile of papers...

I say, bring on the mess!

Your Own Personal Volcano!

So the other day, we made our own volcano. It was the easiest thing ever!
Gather these materials you have around the house:
- baking powder
- food coloring
- vinegar

First thing you need is a mountain. You can make one out of clay, or paper maché, of use something lying around that looks like one!

We used this safety cone,

 and covered with a garbage bag.

We poked a little crater in the top, making sure we didn't break the garbage bag!

Then, we put baking powder in the crater...

...and added food coloring, to make the lava red.

But we didn't stop there, we had blue, green and purple lava at one point!

Finally, we added some vinegar...

 ...and stood back! Our volcano is about to blow...!

The Bad Piggies Phenomenon

Do you have a tablet or an iPad? Do you have kids? If you have both these things, you'll probably find that getting a chance to use your tablet yourself is next to impossible. My kids are crazy about our iPad and so am I. I encourage them to develope their iOS-savvy skills, which I'm convinced will aide them later in life.

So, with this conviction in mind, I start searching through the gazillion apps to find ones that are suitable for my kids. I am looking for apps that will stimulate their creativity and will teach them something. And what do I find? Games, games and games. And games. And what's there at the top of the list? 'Angry Birds'. *shudder*

I made the 'mistake', or so I thought at the time, of letting my almost-five-year-old son Bram browse through the apps with me, to see what he might like based on the icons. Naturally, when he saw the 'Angry Birds' thumbnail pop up, he was insistant about getting it. When I say 'insistant', I mean he jumped up and down and screamed, 'I want Angry Birds!! Angry Birds!! Angry Birds!!' about fifty times till I finally gave in. I mean, just look at how angry that bird is! This can't be good for my child, I thought...
 
To my shock, I discovered 'Angry Birds', and more specifically, the follow-up game 'Bad Piggies' is not only fun, it's educational and clearly aids my childs' development! How can that be?!

All I knew about 'Angry Birds' was that the object of the game was to fling some squawking, annoying birds by means of a slingshot towards a tower and knocking it down. But that's not all. Inside the tower are these round, green, helpless pigs that get beat up and smooshed by the falling tower blocks. I was expecting harm and death, mayhem, cruelty. But the game actually requires some skill when it comes to aiming the slingshot, estimating a trajectory and managing to knock the tower down. Yes, the pigs get smooshed, but the level of violence is comparable to an episode of The Smurfs. To my surprise, in the weeks he has been playing 'Angry Birds', Bram's fine motor skills and jugdment has improved. Could it be that Angry Birds' really is more than a mindless, somewhat violent game?

Then, we discovered 'Bad Piggies', also by Rovio, the same creators of 'Angry Birds'. This game is centered around the round green pigs that are the object of destruction in 'Angry Birds'. But this game has even more to offer. 'Bad Piggies' is all about building a successful vehicle out of a bunch of parts to get a pig from one end of a roller-coaster-type track to the other, collecting stars along the way and finally reaching a treasure map. Some parts work, some don't. Sometimes the vehicle falls apart, sometimes you need to put the engine somewhere else for it to propel the vehicle far enough. Bram totally gets this. I totally do not. That's how clever he is and how stupid I am.

Bram has the engineering gene. He is clearly not an artsy-fartsy creative type like me, he's got the rational-thinking, logical-minded sense inherited from the male side of our family, on both sides, who are engineers, builders, logical thinkers. They get how things work. Via trial and error, one of my favorite things in this world, Bram figures out how to build a vehicle to support his pig and get him where he wants to go. Sure, sometimes he falls down or gets blown up, but the pig never dies. It rolls around for a while, then goes 'Let's do it again!' It's positive, it's constructive and it's teaching my kid more than I ever thought it would.

Just goes to show, never judge an app by its icon.

'Angry Birds' and 'Bad Piggies' are available here: http://www.angrybirds.com/

Everyone's a Winner

What's more fun than playing a game? Winning a prize! And where kids are concerned, every effort counts, and everyone's always a winner.

This scavenger hunt game is great for kids because it:
1) gives them a chance to run around and het their ya-yas out,
2) teaches them how a checklist works,
3) gives a sense of self-confidence when an item is found,
4) for kids learning to read, it's a fun way to learn new words,
and most importantly,
5) everyone wins!

We played this scavenger hunt game at Mia's 6th birthday last summer, but it's a game that can be done any time of year. With Autumn here, there's even more reason to get outside and hunt for nature's treasures in your yard, at the park, or in a nearby forest. And if the weather won't cooperate, you can play this game right in your own living room!

The Scavenger Hunt Game

1) You'll need a page of stuff for each kid to find. In the picture here, I drew pictures of stuff in our yard - a stick, a leaf, a pinecone, a feather... The items you choose will depend on where your scavenger hunt is (outdoors or indoors), the age group of your hunters, and the time of year.

You can draw pictograms of the items, or take pictures, print them out and stick them on a piece of paper. If the kids are learning to read, write the name of each item next to the picture or drawing!

Be sure to make room for kids to write their names at the top, and include a check box after each item!

Tip: Keep it simple, and choose items that are in plain sight!

2) Each kid will need something to gather their items in.

We used those little plastic buckets that yoghurt comes in, covered with aluminum foil. A basket, or a bag works too!

Tip: Be sure to write each kid's name on the bag/bucket/basket to avoid confusion later!

3) Each kid will need something to check off each item on their list, like a pencil or a crayon.

Tip: I recommend not using a marker, because kids tend to make boo-boos, and might want to correct a mistake (like checking the wrong box by accident). Also, markers can stain and the temptation to color the side of your house might be too great to resist...

Tip: Encourage kids to "think outside the box"! Here's Senna, who found an egg shell in the woods that wasn't on the list! As you can see, he was pretty excited about it!

4) You'll need a medal for each kid participating in the game, regardless of whether or not he/she finds everything on the list.

Sure, you can buy those plastic ready-made medals at the store. Or, you can make your own! It's so easy!

I cut circles out of cardboard (cereal boxes), and covered each one in aluminum foil.
Tip: Use a glass or a bowl to trace around for the perfect circle.

Then, I cut out a big red "#1" and pasted it on the front.

I cut a 2 foot/70cm length of big fat shiny ribbon and attached it to the back.




It was so great because every kid won on so many levels! 
They gained a new experience, got to take their items home with them, and most likely learned something! Although a scavenger hunt is a 'solo game', each kid will probably help each other out, which is so good to see happen. Super fun for a party, or a dull Sunday afternoon!

Crafty Crafts

I know, I know... it's been ages since I last posted, and my only excuses are motherhood, music and my daughter's incredibly busy social life. But I have been busy inventing awesome new ways to spend rainy days, holidays, weekends any other time you're at a loss of what on earth to do to keep your kiddos occupied. Here is a fun and simple project to keep busy the everyday diva way!

Welcome Banner
We made this for a friend who came to stay with us last week. Her name is Isabelle, but we call her Isa for short. It was Mia's idea to decorate the guestroom and make her feel at home with this funky and easy-to-make welcome banner!

You can make a banner for just about any ocassion - a birthday, an anniversary, a sunny day... use your imagination! This is also a great exercise for kids learning to write letters.



What you'll need:
- colored paper
- markers, paint, crayons, colored pencils, etc.
- stuff to glue on like bits of ribbon, tissue paper, beads, sequins, etc.
- glue stick
- scissors
- long bit of string/ribbon

Step 1: Decide what you want your banner to say. It could say Welcome, but could also say Happy Birthday, or just someone's name. Once you decide, count how many letters are in the words. That's how many pieces of paper you'll need. Fold the top edge of each piece of paper about 2 inches from the top and write each letter of the words on a separate piece of paper.

Step 2: Now, the fun part! Spread out all the materials on a table and get decorating! If the letters get hard to read, just have the kids trace over them again to make them legible again.

*Tip: capital letters are generally easier to read













Step 3: Once all the letters are decorated, lay them out next to each other on the table or floor. 

* Make sure you leave a space if your banner consists of more than one word!

Measure out a piece of ribbon or string as long as the letters, leaving at least 12 inches over on either end so you have enough space to tie the banner up.




Step 4: Turn each letter upside-down as shown, and put a generous amount of glue on the folded edge.




 

Fold each letter back right-ways up with the ribbon or string sanwiched inbetween, and press down firmly.

Hang your banner up and enjoy!

Give and Take

Today, we gave something back to nature. It was Mia's idea actually. We made a nest to give to the birds.

Mia found the sticks and the feathers, and we wove it together. Then we placed it up high in a little oak tree we planted ourselves a few years ago. I feel like a circle has come around, in a poetic kind of way, because you see, we took something away.




Last week, we had three goldfish. Today, we have none. It's a sad, sad thing to know that a goldfish in the wild can live to be up to 50 years old, and in captivity, on average, about a year. But in our house, they last a week.

Mia really wanted a fish for her birthday, really really. So I researched, got online and found out the basics about goldfish-keeping. I read that goldfish need to be in groups, so I insisted we get two. Mia named them Lella and Nella. Both were good-sized, healthy-looking ladies, and we brought them home full of confidence they would be with us for a long, long time. We bought the food and the little blue rocks and the special drops to make the water fish-friendly and a plant and everything.

The next day, Nella went belly-up. The next DAY. So I stuck her in a baggie and marched right back to the pet store with Mia (who handled the whole thing extremely well, I might add). We promptly picked out a new one, which Mia named 'Nella II'. We came home and held a small burial service for 'Nella', who was a good fish.

The day after that, the other original fish, 'Lella', died. Then she came back to life, then died again... it was all pretty awful. At one point, I was sure she was gone, so I fished her out and Mia wanted to hold her, and to her horror and mine, she started to flop around, so we thought it was still alive, but when I threw her back in the water, she went belly-up again, for like the twentieth time. We kind of avoided the room for a couple hours till I was sure there was no more movement... But I mean, talk about horrible. 'Nella II' was there, witnessing this whole macabre scene. What do you think she was thinking?! What kind of horrific, death-filled home had she landed in? Then we exhumed 'Nella' and added 'Lella' so they could rest in eternal peace sid by side in our garden. Mia laid down some flowers for 'Nella' and 'Lella', who were both good fish.

Now 'Nella II' was a lively, but definitely skittish little fish. Any time someone moved or said anything, she'd dart away behind the plant and 'hide'. We were on eggshells around her, tip-toeing around the room and using our 'pinky voices', which isn't easy to do when you're 3 1/2 and 5 years old. It was turning into a pretty stressful situation, this goldfish thing.

Then, she died. I think my turning on the light might have scared her to death. 'Nella', 'Lella' and 'Nella II'. All good fish. All gone within a week.

There will be NO more replacement fish. I'm done. Three fish funerals in a week is just too much for me to bear. We've got a pot full of fish food (all three fish ate about .00000000002 grams of the stuff) that''s good until 2014. 2014?! What kind of goldfish lasts that long?! The kind that don't live in our house, obviously. Head my warning: all fish, hamsters and guinea pigs: beware! Don't live at our house, no matter how cozy it looks and no matter how well Mia and I promise to look after you! It will be your doom.

I return to Mia's unselfish act, her gift to nature, that nest. It humbles me and makes me feel slightly less awful about destroying the lives of three goldfish. (Not to mention countless caterpillars, butterflies and ladybugs that have come and gone over the years.) Life and death are the same thing, and seeing as our kids spend a lot of time outside and see a lot of life, and death, I see they respect both enormously.

Easy-Peazy Eco Project: Spider Legs

Today, in a bout of creativity-meets-insanty, I made Mia a pair of spider legs. They were so easy, I whipped out another one for Bram!

They love them. And they are so quick and easy to make - and 100% upcycled!
Here's what you'll need:
two pairs of old tights
baby blanket
scissors
sewing machine

 Find two pairs of funky tights that are about the same size - stripes work great.

 Cut off the legs of the tights, so you have four long 'socks'. Make sure they're all the same length.

Cut off the top of one of the pairs of tights, above the crotch. This will be the waistband for the spider legs.

 If you have kids, you probably have some old baby blankets lying around. The think fleece kind work best - they're thick and light-weight.

Cut the blanket in quarters and roll each quarter up into a long tube.

Stuff each 'sock' with a tube...

 Now, you have four 'spider legs' and a waistband!

Lay each 'spider leg' on the waistband, with the openings together.

Stitch the four 'spider legs' onto the waistband using a wide zig-zag stitch.







  

Add shoes...













...and let the twirling commence!

And if you want to look especially fashionable and awesome...by all means, do not wear 'spider legs' on your head as I've done here.