Make an I Spy Bag

Kids love these I Spy bags…they are great in the car or at home to keep kids occupied and distracted.  Truthfully, the first time I saw one of these was in the hospital.  I am a nurse as some of you may know and for five years I worked on the IV team and I worked a lot on pediatrics.  There were all kinds of distraction techniques that the nurses and child life therapists used to take the kids’ minds off the painful stick.

I saw one that was tiny, made of a felt that couldn’t be washed, but was really cute.  I decided to make one and had a lot of fun collecting little tiny things to go inside it.

This is the back…I just used scraps of fabric. one square that was about 8 inches and then a contrasting piece across the middle for fun.  I think the bag was about 7 inches square finished.

To make the front, I cut four squares 6 inches each.  I folded each square in half diagonally and pressed them, then laid them out as shown above.  Then I laid them out on a square of heavy clear plastic (the kind you buy at a fabric store).  I stitched along each triangle edge and around the outside edge as well.

Trim away the extra plastic. 

And now you have this…

Remember no pressing from this point out as the plastic will not like it.  I tried that once and had to start all over!

Now lay it right sides together with the back of the bag.  I never worry too much about it all being perfect, when it is stuffed it’s hard to tell if the seams are perfectly straight.

Now sew the edges using about a 1/2 inch seam.  Leave a small area, about 2-3 inches for turning it right side out and stuffing.

Now you have it finished except for the stuffing.  Turn it right side out and smooth the seams with your fingers. 

Fold under the open edges so they can be seamed up after you get it stuffed.

Find all sorts of little things that will appeal to your recipient.  I collect little character erasers, little animals, some craft pom poms, all sorts of things that are NOT SHARP! 

You want to avoid things that are sharp like this little dino with the pointy tail.  I was afraid he would puncture the plastic and cause a leak.

I use Poly Pellets for the stuffing.  They are semi transparent round pieces of plastic.  You want to avoid overfilling with these pellets so the little animals etc. will still be visible.

I toss my critters, trucks and erasers and pom poms in the bag and follow with the pellets.

Those little animal sets in the $1 section at Target are perfect size and price!

Pin up the open edge and sew it up quick before the pellets run out.

And now you can admire your handiwork!

I love the elephants and the polka dots on the back.

There’s an eraser giraffe…

and a sparkly pom pom…

And a little car…

Christmas Chaos

I meant to get a picture of Brady opening the I Spy bag, but it was such bedlam that I missed it.  Plus he had so many fun things to look at he was going ten different directions at once!

But I am pretty sure he liked it!  I can tell by the look on his face…

I will be linking to these great parties!

Top Projects of 2013

15.  Cement Candle Holders

14.  Old Bench Makeover

13.  Recycling and Reusing Containers

12.  Braided Leather Bracelet

11. White Sweater Pumpkins

10.  Brady’s Bandana Quilt

9. Wool Posies and Vase

8. Handmade Headboard

7.  Wool Wrapped Trees

6.  How to Make Wool Felt

5. Child’s Teepee

4.  Driftwood and Seashell Wreath

3.  Butterfly Eggs

2.  Free Washcloths

1.  Cement Garden Balls

Thanks so much for following and commenting on my blog!  I would be nothing without my followers!  Here’s to all sorts of new projects in 2014!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Life and other stuff…

I have had an interesting last few months.  Work is going places I never imagined, my son had left the nest and now he’s back after a few months. Family issues have me stressed out to the max…adjustments right and left…

I started posting the “I’m thankful today for” posts on Facebook, but I have fallen behind.  I noticed this year it is hard for me to think of things. I feel sorta shallow, hollow, empty.  So I have abandoned those postings but am still trying to think along those lines.  To give myself a reason every day to be thankful for being who I am, where I am. 

Because the truth is, I am blessed.  My son is healthy and well, he is trying to find his way in the world and I have all confidence that he will. I am healthy, I am happy, I am smart, I know how to make my way in the world.

I have had several recent hours long discussions with my son, usually late at night, about what life is all about.  What it means to be an adult.  I didn’t initiate these conversations, he did.  He’s learning that maybe he doesn’t know everything, including what he wants to be when he “grows up”, but that he doesn’t have to decide right now.  That it is better to do your best at whatever it is that you are doing rather than do everything you (and the rest of the world) think you should do. 

I told him that I didn’t imagine my life this way when I was his age, but I wouldn’t change anything about it, because that means he wouldn’t be in my life. I think he saved my life in many ways and I can’t imagine life without him. 

I have learned that letting go is alright, painful, but alright. That things may never be the same, but they will be ok.  Life wouldn’t be very interesting if it didn’t change.

Nothing is the same as it looks on the outside…

There’s no place like home and…

home is where your family is…and you get to pick your family to an extent. 

I can’t wait until my next trip to the ocean in April.