Time Capsule Ornament

Time to put away the holiday decorations!

This post is actually way over due, but hopefully you’ll forgive me anyways! 

Every year, Travis and I write a little holiday love letter to each other.  However, the love letters are not to be read for a whole year!
These letters will more than just profess love, they may also mention how grateful we are to have each other, and clues as to what stage of life we were in at the time we wrote them.  Perhaps even mention of a holiday memory that we don’t want to lose.
These letters are put into a handmade ornament to wait out the year with the holiday decorations in storage;  just to be found when it comes time to redecorate.  (The picture was taken on the day the ornament was made.  Not all of the final contents are shown.)

This year’s ornament was made from all recycled components except the label.  We used:

• Mentos gum container (If you scrape the surface of the sticker with a blade, the painted surface comes off like a lotto ticket, leaving behind a glittery, holographic-looking background!)
  
• A ribbon scrap to hang by (saved from making bows for presents)
  
• Foam letter stickers left over from Halloween to make the snowman
  
• Gift tag label the March of Dimes sent me

It hangs on our tree, slowly collecting random embellishments, stickers, ideas, recipes, and such to be used next year.  It will be packed up in the first week of January with all the other holiday decorations.  Then it will sit in storage until Black Friday when we decorate again.  At that time, we will read the letters (and scrapbook them), use the ideas to come up with a theme, use the embellishments to make gift tags, ribbons to make bows, and so on.  Just to start the whole process over again for the following year!
This year’s favorite throw in is a little heard of organization called Christmas Commandos.  We found out about it too late to participate this year, but we would like to see into it next year.  Christmas Commandos are escorted by police at midnight, Christmas Eve, to the homes of children spending their first Christmas after the loss of a parent.  While Santa is stuffing the stockings, the Christmas Commandos hang presents from a tree in their front yard (or in case of no trees, places them on the porch.)  Isn’t that neat?
If you do this project, I would love to see it and hear about what you filled it with! 

Kitchen Fluff

Ok, so this is a mix on the last project.

Instead of using 2 sponges, I used only one small, thin sponge.  It was used to keep kitty toys straight in the packaging.  Instead of throwing it away, I made a mini bath time fluff with it, and used waterproof glue and part of the ribbon to attach it to the end of a thick chopstick.  Now it can clean where my hand can’t fit!

The picture was taken while the glue was still drying.  The ribbons will be removed after the glue is dry.  Isn’t it nifty?!

Bath Time Fluff

How was your holiday?  Mine was nice.  A little more stressful than usual since we had to celebrate with both families on the same day this time.  Travis and I have decided that will not happen again.  Next year, if the Henthorne’s celebrate on Christmas Day again, then we’ll just celebrate with them the following year.

So anyways…

I told my mom about my favorite lotion.  (Actually, I told everyone about it!  I was determined to drop hints until I got a refill!  LOL)  So one of my Christmas gifts this year was a hand arranged basket, from Mom, with the complete Vanilla Lace collection from Victoria’s Secret!  AHHH!!!!!  Lotion? Check!  Hand cream? Check! Body spray and perfume?  Check and check!  Body wash?  Oh so fabulous!

So now, all I needed was a fluff of fabulousness!  So here’s what I did:

  I picked 2 new sponges out of my cleaning supply drawer. (I bought a bag of mixed sponges and scrubbers when we moved.)  One is very dense, and would likely be great at polishing my skin.  The other was very porous and fluffy, so I thought it would create a great lather.

  I used my straight edge pocket knife to cut the dense sponge into 4 equal pieces, lengthwise, and the porous sponge into 5 equal pieces, crosswise.  Then arranged them in a checker board pattern with the mid-section of every piece lined up together (like in the picture.)

  Then I wrapped a scrap piece of ribbon around the middle, tied half of a square knot, and pulled tightly before completing the knot.  As a last touch, I tied the ends of the ribbon together for it to hang by in the shower.

  And, yes, it is just as fabulous as I hoped it would be!  YAY!!!

Santingo-Free Christmas Game

This is my first post using a new blogging method called Windows Live Writer.  I am hoping it will allow me to create my posts offline, and then post the finished work at a later time when I have internet access.  If anyone has any hints, tips, or tricks for offline blogging, please do share them with me!
Ok, on with the show!
I created a game that I thought I would share.  I named it Santingo.  Ya know…a mix between the names Santa and Bingo.  I don’t know if anyone else has thought it up, too.  It is so simple, I wouldn’t doubt it.  The cool part is that it is really 2 activities!  The first activity is having each child assemble his/her own game card.  The second activity is actually getting to play them!

Directions (Activity One):
1. Print a Santingo game card and clipart set for each child.
2. Supervise each child as they cut out his/her game card and clipart blocks. (Or cut it out for them.)
3. Provide glue sticks for each child to glue the blocks in the order they want them on their card.
4. Allow to dry, and the game is ready to play!
How to play (Activity Two):
· Ride around a neighborhood with lighted decorations.
· When you see a present decoration, mark out the present icon on the game card. Do so for each icon as you see them.
· The goal is to be the first to get a straight line up and down, left and right, diagonally, or each of the 4 corners. Then call out “SANTINGO.”
· To mark out the icons, you can use a crayon.
· If you laminate the card, you can use stickers to mark the icons. The stickers can be removed after the game is over, and the cards can be reused!
 
This game would be great to play if you have a local Festival of Lights like we do.  It would also be fun to play in a different town than your family is used to, but it can be fun in your own town, too.
We will be playing on Christmas Eve with Travis’ parents and little sister.  What better way to tire us out in time for Santa to come, huh?  LOL
Please do let me know if there are any problems printing this game!
Happy Holidays!

Recycled Sticker Magnets

OK.  So I was supposed to post this the day before yesterday.  You forgive me, right?  LOL


Last week I ran into the inspiration for this project here.  I have done something similar in the past with pics of my grandma's parents, her, and her brother (as kids).  I actually used an outdated vehicle magnet advertisement.  But she inspired me by her use of stickers and ad magnets.  I was fortunate enough to have some really cool stickers from the many hospital visits with Brooke and Morgan.  Two of these were too perfect to pass up!

My sticker sheets and an ad magnet from the cover of our new phone book.

I peeled off the colorful plastic layer of the sticker so it wouldn't show thru the white parts of the stickers.  Then I stuck the stickers on.  The flame looks weird because it wasn't supposed to be a sticker, but I wanted it anyways!  ;)

I cut out the pieces with a xacto knife...and voila!  Please forgive my bad behavior!  I couldn't resist making the fireman look like a stripper!!!  LOL  And yes, the hydrant is on fire!  I think it is funny that they give him a cell phone, ax, and hydrant.  So I guess, in the event of a fire, he is supposed to beat it out since he has no hose?  And then call for help after he gets burned from it?  LOL  Well he's screwed because Hello Kitty stole his cell phone!  LOL

Which is your favorite?

Tutorial: Fishing Lure From Found Objects

 Materials:

• Hook (like the one shown)
• Metal bottle cap
• Various nuts
• Various beads
• Scrap wooden block
• Scrap fishing line
• Nail
• Pliers
• Hammer
• Waterproof glue
• Waterproof paint
• Feathers (optional)
• Glitter (optional)
• Chocolate (an absolute must!  LOL)

Directions:

~  Eat a piece of chocolate to fuel the crafty process.  ;)

~  Take your cap outside and scuff it up by scraping it on the sidewalk, with a rock, or in coarse dirt.

~  Use your pliers to bend the cap into a fish body-like shape.

~  Lay your "fish body" backside down on the scrap wood block.  Hammer the nail just inside the inner ridge.  Only hammer it in enough to get just past the nail point.~  Wiggle the nail back and forth to make the hole large enough to slip the hook barb in without forcing it.

~  Put the hook into the cap as shown.

~  Tie a nut to the end of the scrap fishing line, thread on small beads (if desired), Then thread on a larger bead.  Wrap the line once or twice around the hook, then back thru the larger bead.

~Use the pliers to tuck the large bead into the cap.  Pull the fishing line until the dangler is at the level desired.  Then thread on more small beads, and tie on another nut.  Cut off the excess fishing line.

~Using waterproof glue;  Glue feathers up it's butt.  Be careful not to glue the feathers to your fingers!  When/if you do, and your feathers are pulled out...eat another piece (or 3!) of chocolate!

~Then decorate using waterproof paints and glitter (if desired.)  Going to a sporting goods shop really helps in choosing colors that fish will probably find appealing.  :)

Here are 6 more fishing lures in progress.  Obviously, some of the steps can be done in a different order (or changed altogether!)  You have to experiment to find what is right for you.  :)  I would love to see your version(s) and hear your success (or non-success) stories!  :)

Tutorial 20th-Starting Today on Henthorne Handmade!

I have decided:  The 20th of every month will be known as "Tutorial 20th" here on Henthorne Handmade!
Maybe, I will post more than one tutorial in a month, but nonetheless, I will definitely post one every 20th!

I hope to inspire you, and I am always interested in anything you make that is inspired by anything I post!  So feel free to post link(s) to your inspired work in my comment sections!  :)

And I love to be inspired by you, too!  So if there is anything you have in mind that you would like a tutorial for, I would be more than happy to test it out and make a tutorial for it!  With a link to you as the inspiration, of course!  :)


~ANKH

T-shirt Yoga Pants Tutorial (my version)

I'm sorry I'm late with the tutorial. My wireless went out Thursday. I am using Retta's until she kicks me off. So this is kinda being rushed.

Here Goes:

***Make sure the distance from armpit to armpit on the shirt you are using is bigger than your thigh measurement. For the waist you can use the sleeves of the t-shirt, a skort like my last pair, another shirt like this pair, or just any fabric that you can get to the measurement needed. For drawstring you can use ribbon, rope, long boot shoelaces, one of the sleeves cut into a spiral so as to make a long string, etc.

Also, for the waist, make sure your fabric doesn't fray, or extra steps will have to be taken.***

Step 1: Lay your T out flat, making sure to line up the bottom front with the bottom back.

Step 2: Cutting thru the front and the back at the same time, cut the sleeves off at the seams. (Cut so as to leave the seams on the sleeves, not the shirt.)

Step 3: Cut from the armpits to the bottom sides of the shirt, following the folds made from it laying flat.

Step 4: Cut the neck and shoulders off by cutting straight and even, thru both layers, from one arm to the other, just below the neckline.







Step 5: You now have the 2 (unsewn) legs. Set one to the side. Fold the other one, lining up the 2 edges you cut in step 3, with outsides facing in, pin and sew securing ends. Repeat for other leg. (The red yarn shows where was sewn.)







Step 6: Turn them right side out. Line up the arm holes, outsides facing in, pin and sew from the inside, securing ends.

Step 7: Try them on both ways. Determine which side will be the front. Now measure from the back seam of the pants up to where you want your waist to end. Multiply that by 2 and add seam allowances at both ends. (I used my finger to measure. My waist just happened to be the same measurement as my index tip to knuckle. It is easier and more accurate than a ruler, which you have to distort yourself to read the measurement.)

Step 8: By whatever means, make a rectangle that is (your waist measurement+ seam allowances) by (measurement from step 7.)

Step 9: Outsides facing in, line up the shorter edges, pin and sew securing ends.

Step 10: Lay your pants flat, right side out. Take the waist tube you just made, turn it inside out, and put around top of pants with the tube seam lined up with the back pant seam. (If you used 2 equal pieces to make the waist tube, line the seams up with the side folds of the pants as they lay flat.) Line up, pin, and sew around, securing edges.







Step 11: Now fold the waistband in (If using elastic instead of a drawstring, now is the time to put it in.) Line up the edge of the inner waist band, with the edge of the seam, pin & sew, securing edges.

Step 12: Now that your pants are sewn, all that is left is the drawstring. Move to the middle of the front of the waistband. (use pant seam to line up.) Half-way up the waist, outer layer only, fold over and make 2 small vertical holes. (The front seam should line up right between these 2 holes.)







Step 13: String as shown below:

If any of this doesn't make sense to you, please let me know.
Also, I would love to see any that yall make.

And yes I did lose weight. Don't I look good!?! LOL