ETSY Make For Good 2016

This year, I'm participating in Etsy Australia's Make for Good Campaign, which supports Plan International Australia's "Because I am a Girl" initiative.

The theme this year is "Creating Brighter Futures" and my two products that I've included in the campaign - Colour Me Party Favour Bags and a Colour Me Art Folio Bag fit the theme nicely. Both products feature fabric that kids can colour in themselves with fabric markers. Part of the proceeds from these products will go towards empowering and educating girls around the world.

Party Bag Coloring Activity - Tutorial

My five year old daughter loves coloring in. She has had an obsession with it now for about 3 or 4 months, since just before her fifth birthday.

A while ago I bought a whole lot of this Tidny fabric from IKEA. Sadly they are not stocking it anymore in our local store. But it is seriously amazing and I'm hoping that they will replace it with something just as amazing (if not more so).

Anyway, I had this idea for her fifth birthday party - little party bags that each of the kids could color in themselves and then I would fill them with goodies as they leave to go home.

I cut a rectangle out of the Tidny print and another of the same size from a plain cotton fabric for the back. Placing the front and back fabrics with right sides together, I sewed along the sides and the bottom.

To make the drawstring casing, I cut a rectangle from the plain fabric that was two centimetres more than twice the length of the top of the rectangle and around 4cm wide. I folded the ends over by 1cm and ironed down, then folded the strip in half lengthways and ironed it down. I pinned the long folded plain fabric along the top edge of the bag (right sides together) and sewed along. Folding the plain fabric up on the right side, I sewed a top stitch along near the top of the Tidny print fabric to finish off.

Thread a drawstring or ribbon through the casing and admire the cute little bag!

A huge hit with the five year olds!

Kids can color the bag with fabric markers and by applying heat with an iron to the colored in area (place baking paper or similar between the fabric and the iron), the colors will last longer.

Sewing tutorial - Colour your own art supply bag

Ikea. I love the stuff that they sell, but I'm not a fan of the shopping experience. Finding a parking spot, finding what you want in the store and then getting out before two young children lose it. This time we went in with a plan. Fabrics only. Straight there and straight back out. I didn't believe it could be done, but that is how it went. And they even had a little play area at the fabric section! Wow!

So I bought a few metres of the Tidny fabric and we love it. The kids spent part of a lazy Sunday afternoon colouring in and then I made it up into art supply bags. The bags now travel with us when we eat out, filled with some Frozen colouring in pages, coloured paper, markers and stickers. A success!

I washed the fabric and cut a wide strip out (allowing for handles and pockets too) and then the kids used fabric markers to colour in the designs on the fabric. Later I placed baking paper over the fabric and ironed over, applying heat to fix the colours.





I cut a lining for the bag, pockets and handles, and a second fabric for some of the inner pockets.



For the handles, place right sides together and sew along one short end and the long side. Turn it out the right way. Top stitch along the two long ends.

For the top pocket, place right sides together and sew along the two long edges. Turn out the right way and press. Top stitch along the top long edge.

For the two bottom pockets, place right sides together and sew along the top long edge. Open out, press and top stitch along that long edge.

Take the top pocket and pin it in place on the lining fabric. Sew a few mm above the lower seam to fasten the piece to the lining. Sew vertically to form smaller pockets.

Sew velcro strips to the lining and the lower upper pocket. Use a tacking stitch close to the edge to put the lower pockets and handles in place. Now sew the bag outer and lining together by place right sides together and sewing around the outside with all pockets and handles in place between. Be sure to leave an opening to turn it out the right way.

Turn the bag out the right way and press. Sew a top stitch around all outer edges to finish off. Fill with goodies and enjoy!

Quilts 1700 - 1945, at Queensland Art Gallery

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Quilts 1700 - 1945 exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery, so I didn't rush into going along to check it out. It's almost finished now (it ends on 22 September), but if you have any interest in crafts at all I'd recommend going along.

There are some beautiful pieces on show there, and all are completely hand sewn - which is amazing - but what really blew me away was the sense of history that I felt reading the stories behind each piece in the exhibition.

Cot covers made for babies and small pin cushions made for their mothers with messages of good luck and good health in times when a lot of babies didn't survive.

Quilts made as wedding gifts and family heirlooms, others made for expensive hotels.

Another quilt was made by soldiers at war. Tiny little hexagons joined together to make a decorative and colourful pattern. Soldiers were encouraged into handicrafts to deter them from drinking and womanising and other unsavoury pastimes.

A quilt sent from Canada to the UK by the Red Cross to keep families warm during World War Two. Others made from pyjamas, or blackout curtains during the same period when fabric was scarce.

There was a small quilt made by young girls in Changi prison while housed there during Japanese occupation, but they never finished it.

My favourite piece was a beautiful quilt made by female convicts on the convict ship Rajah on their journey from Britain to Australia all those years ago.

Gorgeous quilts, but it was the stories behind them that really left me satisfied.

Play dough

Another of the homemade craft supplies we love at our house is this play dough. So easy to make and it lasts  forever. And just like with the cornflour paint, if my little artist decides to do a taste test, all the ingredients are edible.

I found the recipe at http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Play-Dough-L926.html, but the cream of tartar container also comes with a similar recipe on the side.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup salt
1 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
food colouring

1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Stir over heat until dough is pliable.
3. Allow to cool and store in a well sealed plastic bag or container.

I divided ours into two and made two different colours. Ours has been stored in the fridge in zip loc bags for quite a few months already and is still fine to use.

I bought a junior cookie set at a discount store that has cookie shapes and different cutters, as well as a rolling pin. We've had hours of fun - Mia especially likes making snakes and balls and instructing me on what animals I should make for her.

Cornflour paint

This is a picture of my daughter's first artwork, done when she was not even three months old (she's now 2). We're about to do our second attempt now with her little brother, and the memories of my partner and I sitting on the kitchen floor in the apartment we were renting back then, trying to control those little hands and feet that could not stop moving, all flood back. We were all covered in red and yellow after that!

At our house we love using homemade art and craft supplies as much as we can, and this paint is a real favourite. Not only do you know exactly what the ingredients are, but if the little artist samples it, you know that they're safe (although possibly a bit loopy from the food colouring).

To make it, mix one tablespoon of cornflour with one tablespoon of cold water until flour is dissolved, then add a cup of boiling water. Stir until it thickens. If it doesn't thicken enough, either put it on the stove and bring it to the boil, or add some more cornflour (don't forget to dissolve it in cold water first). Then stir through a few drops of food colouring.

The paint works well on blank canvas and good thick paper, but because it's water based it doesn't dry as well on thin paper. If you make a really thick batch, it's great for fingerpaint.

Missing finger and all, out of all my daughter's paintings this is my favourite.