Monday Make: 'That's Not My Church' Book

Monday Make: This week's project

My dearest mother came to me with a project she needed some help with.

An old friend of mine got the job as vicar for her church and everyone is so pleased. She wanted to make him a 'That's not my..' book to celebrate.

It being Jon, I was very happy to help. He's such a great bloke and I'm so very happy for him.

So, I ransacked his facebook photos (which to be honest, felt a bit stalky) and got designing.

The drawings are a bit crappy, but hey ho. I tried to use Charlie & Lola as inspiration for the illustrations and it was a real challenge to do this all without Photoshop (which I finally have on my new laptop but it was too late for this project), so there was a fair amount of printing, cutting out, gluing and scanning in involved. I'm really pleased with it though. It's not quite as crisp as it would've been and there are shadows where there wouldn't normally be but I actually really like the quality going old school has given it.

It mostly contains 'in' jokes, so I apologise if it just seems utterly random. I'll explain a bit though; the church my Mum goes to meet in one of the oldest buildings, like ever. There has been a church on that site since about 900ad, that one in particular was built in 1400ad or something (my dates are not exact!). So it's really old and really beautiful inside. However, the congregation are mostly families with noisy children (mine go with Nanny and Granddad since I am not a church goer myself). From what I've heard, Jon is a young and dynamic vicar whose sermons seem to often include my children doing awful things to him, including one which involved the pie face game.

I made the book using a white card base, A3 trimmed to size, stapled together at the center, then glued each page on. The front and back are covered in sticky back plastic to give it extra protection but I've no idea how long the glue will last.

Lift the flap hymn book and tin foil windows on the modern church.

Wrinkled cotton as the smoke and a lovely crinkly crisp packet.

Touchy feely blankets and a felt hat.

Lift the flap frying pan.

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Sensory Sunday: Ball Pit

Sensory Sunday: Exploring the world with little fat fingers.

For some reason, we have a few ball pit balls mixed in with Zander's toys. I've tried to work out where they've come from and I just haven't managed it. He loves them, he mostly sucks on them and watches them roll. There's something marvelous about a lovely round ball.

This week we went to our local play center for the first time and this is the first time he's experienced this many balls.

He crawled off, and just lay there for a while, kicking his legs.

Then he realised how much work it was going to be to crawl back through it all and had a bit of a moan all the way back to me.

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Sticky Saturday: Bunched up Pens

Sticky Saturday: messy play fun with kids

This weeks messy play was really simple.

I taped up some pens and pencils, taped some wall paper to the tables and let the kids go for it. Some of the children weren't fussed, maybe they were hoping for a craftier craft, but a few of them stayed for ages scribbling away. I think it's nice just to give them absolute freedom.

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Friday Inspiration: Village Quilt/Playmat

Friday Inspiration: a picture of anything that makes me want to get creative.

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#tbt: Bean's Digger Cake

Throw back Thursday: taking a look at stuff I've made in the past.

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Wreck it Wednesday: Collect Fruit Stickers

Wreck it Wednesday: a page from one of my journals.

About 'Wreck This Journal' by Keri Smith

(Description from Amazon)

It is book for those who've always wanted to draw outside the lines but were afraid to do it. For anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book featuring a subversive collection of suggestions, asking readers to muster up their best mistake - and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).

Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in "destructive" acts - poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting with coffee, colouring outside the lines, and more - in order to experience the true creative process. With Keri Smith's unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process.

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Monday Make: Pokeball Hat

Monday Make: This week's project

I made the bigger boys one of these each for Christmas. It was quite challenging, not only making them in secret but also making them the right size in secret. I just had to hope they would fit ok and they seem to have turned out quite well. They are loved and that's what matters mostest.

I didn't keep track of what I was doing at the time, but after some serious stitch counting I've done my best to come up with a pattern for you. Hopefully this makes sense. I don't follow patterns well, so I don't actually know what a pattern looks like, but if you can do a basic double crochet stitch, I'm confident you can do this.
I used a size 3 hook.
Make 90 stitches in black, then chain stitch it together into a loop and give it another row.
8 rows in white.
2 rows in black
6 rows in red.
1 row in red decreasing every 15 stitches (you're basically dividing it up into 6ths).
1 row in red decreasing every 14 stitches.
1 row in red decreasing every 13 stitches.
2 rows in red decreasing every other stitch.
1 row in red decreasing every stitch.
You'll want to take the last few in the biggest bundles you can to stop it going all pointy.
Knot off your ends.

To make the circle, make 4 chain stitches in white, chain into the first to make a loop, then work 12 double crochets into it.
The next row is double so increase every stitch.
For the next two rows, increase every other stitch.
Then change to black and increase every 3rd stitch.
With a darning needle, stitch the circle onto the middle of the hat, tucking all the tied off ends inside.

I don't know how anyone else does it, but I stitch my loose ends into the crochet stitches a little and snip off the extra length.

I hope that makes sense, I've never tried writing a pattern before. 
Try it and let me know in the comments below if it worked/what went wrong. I'd love the feedback.

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Sensory Sunday: Loom Band Sensory Bottle

Sensory Sunday: Exploring the world with little fat fingers.

This week, inspired by Pinterest (as usual), I made Zander a loom band sensory bottle.

Easy as pie; put water, loom bands (not too many, think I used too many) and a few drops of glycerine in a bottle and seal it up.

I wish I had a got a photo of his face when I first showed it to him for you, but I was enjoying the moment, but I promise you it was absolute pure wonder. Then he promptly wondered off.

I took these photos a few days later.

He likes it, but once he's sucked on the ends for a bit he's done with it. It might be more loved by an older child who would either spend their time watching the bands swirl about, or try and get the thing open and flood the floor...

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Sticky Saturday: Roman Shield

Sticky Saturday: messy play fun with kids

I think I'm totally cheating by sticking this on here. On Monday night, Ed suddenly announced he needed to make a Roman shield in time for school the next day. At first I was annoyed but then I was like, screw it, let's do it.

We googled shield designs, learnt about the 'Testudo' manoeuvre and he got on with drawing his design. I made the shield for him with some spare cardboard, making it curved. He wanted to make it full sized but sadly there wasn't enough cardboard.

He then lovingly painted it with lovely bright acrylics and we left it to dry overnight. Thankfully it was ready for the morning - yay!

I do apologise for the sad faced photo, he really isn't a morning person.

Do you know what though, having spent the evening together crafting, I haven't felt this close to him in ages. Painting together gave us time to chat, just the two of us, we don't normally have, especially these days with little Zander taking a lot of my attention. I really must make more time to have more one on one with the older two, it was really special.

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Friday Inspiration: Caravan Sewing Machine Cover

Friday Inspiration: a picture of anything that makes me want to get creative.

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#tbt: Mr Strawberry's Pizza Cake

Throw back Thursday: taking a look at stuff I've made in the past.

 I can never get the red sauce quite right, but for a first attempt, this was amazing.

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Wreck it Wednesday: Make a Funnel, Drink Some Water

Wreck it Wednesday: a page from one of my journals.

Complete with photographic proof that we drank from the funnel.

About 'Wreck This Journal' by Keri Smith

(Description from Amazon)

It is book for those who've always wanted to draw outside the lines but were afraid to do it. For anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book featuring a subversive collection of suggestions, asking readers to muster up their best mistake - and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).

Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in "destructive" acts - poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting with coffee, colouring outside the lines, and more - in order to experience the true creative process. With Keri Smith's unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process.

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Tempting Tuesday: Minecraft Cake Cake

Tempting Tuesday: trying not to kill my family with my experimental cooking.

Ed turned 9 on Sunday asked for a Minecraft cake. There was a moment where I nearly launched the whole freakin thing when trying to put the icing on the top and it fell apart, but I'm glad I persevered. He was so thrilled! And it was very tasty.

It is vanilla sponge, whipped cream filling, chocolate butter icing with white regal icing cut to shape on the top with red regal icing squares just like on Minecraft.

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Monday Make: Aquabats Bag Tag

Monday Make: This week's project

This Christmas present turned out to be one of the coolest things I've ever made. When trying to think of someting to make a friend of mine, I decided to go with something Aquabats themed since he recently got his little boy almost as obsessed with the show as he is (and equally Mr Strawberry and my boys). I decided to make a key ring as I was making the Pokeball keyrings at the same time, but it turned out to be far too big. I gave it to him anyway, presuming he'd find a use for it regardless and I wasn't disappointed. On Boxing day, he posted this on Facebook...

...along with the status that this was the coolest bag tag ever!

Yaaaaaaay!

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Sensory Sunday: Ribbon Box

Sensory Sunday: Exploring the world with little fat fingers.

I saw this idea on Pinterest and it looked so simple, but incredibly effective, I had to try it.
A giant cardboard box and a lot of ribbon later....

I''l be honest, I didn't think he'd be so hesitant about it. There was a lot of staring, delicate ribbon investigation and then he wandered off.

He soon came back when he realised it was the perfect height for cruising.

Then I filled it with toys to entice him inside. He was driven mad by the ribbons as they brushed over his head. It's safe to say he wasn't keen on them being in his face, but he was happy enough when I held them out of the way.

I threw a ball in...this is his 'I got it!' face.

Then he discovered the ribbon ends on the top of the box...

...and that he could pull them out...

When the bigger boys came home from school, they were thrilled to find the box and soon made a 'Zander Den' for him to play in.

I wonder what's next for this box...so many ideas!

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