Sister Missionary Stockings - DIY

SO - I know it's been awhile since I've posted but I've got something to share.

 6 months ago our oldest daughter left to serve an 18 month mission in Pennsylvania Philadelphia for our church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  (To learn more about this - please visit LDS.org or stay tuned that's a topic for another day)  I was looking for something to make &/or send to her for Christmas.  I found Christmas stockings for Elders - well that just will not do for this mom of 3 girls. 

I HAD to figure out something for my girl.

I took photos as I made hers I'll try to explain as I go.

Sister Missionary Stockings

Supplies:  White felt   small white shirt   small skirt   5 inches Ribbon

Step 1 : I went to Goodwill and bought a couple of cute little girl outfits - about 2-3T size or smaller (been a while since I've had the opportunity to do so since my "baby" is 12 and taller than me :) I did wash them just so they didn't have the Goodwill smell my girls call it.  

Step 2 : I traced a stocking we had at the house but there are numerous ones out there is you Google "Printable Stocking Pattern".  Once you have your pattern cut 2 out of the white felt.

 

Step 3:  Split the side seems of the skirt & shirt. (sorry the picture is blurry).

                  So in theory you could get 2 stockings out of one skirt!

 

 



 Step 4: Place the shirt on one of the stocking pieces and try to line the middle of the shirt to the middle of the stocking {the middle of the leg part}.  I play with it a little lining it up to see if my shirt to skirt ratio looks normal. Then I trim the shirt about an inch longer than I need.  So when I sew the skirt will overlap the shirt. Once I have it where I like it I pin the just the shirt.  Then I stitch around the collar and down the front (if it has a row of buttons).  I try real hard to stay on the existing stitching.  Important: when placing the skirt make sure the skirt covers the toe of the stocking and the heel and hangs over a bit too.  I wanted my skirt to look natural like it would hanging on a person.

 

Step 5: Next I attach the skirt to the stocking. Again I try to follow the stitching in the skirt and match the color of thread if I have it.  In the skirt below - I followed the stitching of the skirt but then that left the top of the waistband free and floppy. So in the same color of thread to match the skirt I stitched across the top too.  Sorry I don't have a pic for that.

 

 

Step 6: Now to put the back on and sew them together.  Lay the back on top of the front you've worked hard to make.  I lay the top flat and smooth the skirt out like you want it to lay.  Line up the top the toes and heel, pin.  Now here are several pics to help with pinning it all together.

 

I started at the top right and started pinning around the edge working my way around.  When I get to the toe,  See the purple pin - that is the last pin that includes the skirt fabric.  I now continue around but I DO NOT include the skirt. (that is so it will be free flowing) You should be pinning felt front to felt back at this point.

 

 

Now I start pinning at the top left of the stocking lining things up as I go. Insert the ribbon loop at the top here - the loop should be inside.  When I get about an 1 inch above the heel, (where the blue pin is) that is the last point I catch skirt in the side seem.  From here, I shove the skirt inside the stocking and continue to pin the felt front to felt back.

 

 

Step 7: Stitch around the stocking from one opening to the next - leaving the top open.

 

 

Step 8: Turn right side out!  Below is a picture of the front & back.  Notice the skirt doesn't really line up on the back. That's because of the heel/toe slant on my stocking but I figure the front is so cute no one will really be looking at the back :)

 

 





 

Step 9:  I did make a little name tag in Word - printed it  and laminated it to make it shiny.  I also added beaded garland to make a necklace.  I just hot glued it on each side so it was free to hang.  I also hot glued the Missionary tag. 

I had so much fun making these for My Missionary Daughter and her companion. 4 lucky Sister Missionaries from my Stake also received them.  Wish they all could have one.

Towels, Towels and more Towels - take 2

St. Patricks Day Towel - found the shamrock towel for $1 then added the fabric!

Valentine's Day Towel - 3 tier ruffle - love, love, love  how cute this turned out!!

Containers & more

The Homework Bucket -  Several years ago when our 3rd daughter started school and afternoon homework sessions became our normal daily fight.  I gathered a few things and put them in this bucket (originally it was made to hold picnic supplies).  I was tired of sending the girls off to get a pencil or paper or something to write on and then they would never return thus delaying our "session". So I gathered everything together in one place. This has saved so much time & hassle looking for things.

Our bucket contains: dry erase boards (behind the clipboard), clipboard, paper, dry erase markers, erasers, glue sticks, scissors, pencils (although I think those have wandered off again), calculator, etc.

The Hair Bucket - one day while getting girls ready for school I kept having to send them off for different things (brush, hair ponies, the right color flower) thus missing the bus, again! UGH!!!  So I noticed the homework bucket which gave me an idea.  I also needed a place to contain the flowers too.  The bucket has butterflies punched out all around the top. I ran a ribbon through the butterflies to have a place to put bobbie pins and the flower clips.  It also helped the handbands stay in place as well. Then we added the every important pony tails of all sizes, detangler spray and brushes.  I like that I can move it were ever we need and also tuck it away in the cabinet in the bathroom.

The Playhouse

A couple of weeks ago, my youngest daughter asked to get the playhouse out.  This requires setting up the card table (which is buried in the garage) and then digging through the linen closet to fish the house out.  At times I would try to interest her in others things to play with so I didn't have to go through all the hastle.  But this year being the year of  "adjustments" (aka learning to live without my oldest at home), I've found myself thinking "she's only 10" she is still little :)  So we dug the house out.  I remember the little girls spending their days playing in that house- filling it with baby dolls, blankets and books.  The girls would request lunch in their house and wanted me to place it in front of the tv so they could watch a movie in their house.  I really do have to say I have missed seeing it out.

Valentine's Day

Breakfast at the White House this morning!  Heart shaped cinnamon rolls with strawberry milk :)

We even tried our hand at Valentine Hair today!  Aneka was so excited to show it off! kaylie's comment when I offered to do her hair "I have a pink shirt on -I'm good"!

Aneka's Scratch off Valentine's - she is so excited for today! So sad last year to make valentine's for the girls to had out at school :(

Towels...Towels...and more Towels

Okay I have to admit my latest obsession has been making cute hand towels for my kitchen. Here are a few that I have made ;) Let me know what you think!

Brownies in a Jar.....

SO I needed a cute & quick Visiting Teaching gift. I had been wanting to make the popular "cupcake in a jar" But I didn't have the time to make cupcakes, so I looked around to see what I had on hand - a pan of brownies, chocolate frosting & mason jars


So I cut a large brownie into 4ths and smooshed into the jar, frosted with chocolate frosting & added sprinkles. Then of course I had to "Jenifer-ize It".

I found these little forks when I was looking for something else...I thought these would be great for my daughters up coming High School Graduation Open House Party for little appetizers. But oh my goodness do they look so cute on these jars!!!

A tale of Modge Podge & Tiles...

This tale starts about 3 years ago...I love to decorate the house each month for different holidays. I wanted something that I could display on the kitchen counter yet be durable to the many messes that seem to happen in my kitchen ;) I had recently purchased come cute paper napkins for an upcoming holiday & thought those are too cute to use. So I went to the oval office (my craft room) that's where I do my best thinking/creating.

My mom showed me when I was little how to cut pictures out of a magazine & modge podge them to a decorative board to create a wall hanging. I made one with Holly Hobbie on it! So I looked around to see what I had in my stash that might work. I had some left over tiles that I had stamped/embossed on to make coasters for mother's day. So I put them all together {Modge Podge + napkin + tile = really CHEAP & Cute decoration). The picture I have above is of just a few of the tiles. I really do have 12+ whenever I see napkins now I think that will make a cute tile =D

Camera Strap Makeover

My hubby bought me the best gift for Christmas last year my Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) Digital SLR! I never did like the the black scratchy camera strap that it came with. One day while blog stalking - I saw were several bloggers that had made their own cute & trendy straps. Well the wheels started turning and I thought "I could do that".
So here is what I created. I absolutely LOVE it and have already thought of other things I can do to tweek it - say add a little pocket for the lens cover.... I can't wait to sew some more of these ( it will probably have to wait until my busy busy month of may is over). I could coordinate them with my outfit ;) okay maybe that's over doing it a bit.

Happy St Patricks Day!

We celebrated with green eggs & ham as always but this year I added an etible rainbow (cloud included). It was a big hit! Definetly will have to do this again!
The table was set with Green & Shamrocks of course. There were also Pots 'o gold at the end of the rainbow! Oh what fun it is to celebrate even the littlest of holidays!

Where it all began....

So I was thinking the other day (watch out) and wondering when,how, where did this love of crafting that I have come from. Well, I think it all began with the first pillow I ever made when I was 5. My mom (a self taught seamstress) was always working on a sewing project- for one of her 7 children or anyone else who asked for help (hemming pants, altering clothes, making prom dresses,baby quilts,etc.) The sewing machine was usually out on the formal dinning room table. I remember my excitement as I sat down to the machine & began sewing for the first time! I can still smell the machine oil on that antique singer sewing machine *sigh*.

My creations grew as my imagination did for things that I could create. I made doll clothes, dresses (not skirts but whole dresses), baby clothes, etc. Of course there were matching hair bows to be made to go with the dresses as well as shoes too. I had a pair of shoes I had spray painted to match my teal prom dress - we looked high and low to find matching shoes we couldn't find any so I made them. These same teal shoes received a makeover a few months later. I made a dress and with leftover fabric I had the great idea to Modge Podge the fabric to the shoes to create custom shoes for my dress. I wore the matching outfit for years! (Circa 1990)

From then on, I have always put my "touch" on things. As my husband would say "Jenifer-ized"! I enjoy crafting and hope my hands & eyes will last for many, many more years of happy crafting!

What have you been up too?

Well, FINALLY I have taken pictures of various crafts that I have been working on....not that anyone cares nor reads this but here is what I've been working on my CUSTOM APRON! I bought this fabric last fall when the kids went off to school when I thought I'd have oodles & oodles of free time to sew to my hearts content ;)

So sorry it has taken me so long to post the items I put in the kit.
Here is the long awaited list ;)

Be Kool (fever reducing strips) - To help you stay "Kool"
Bandaids - To fix hurt feelings and boo boos along the way
Lotion - To help "smooth" things out when times get rough
Hand Sanitizer - Here's an extra "hand" - Don't be without
Extra Strength Tylenol - When you need a little "extra strength"
Chocolate bar (their favorite kind) - When all else fails - eat chocolate and call home for help ;)

I think there was one,maybe 2,more thing but I can't think of them...If I do I will post them too.

Survival....

My wonderful friend Elaine is headed to Flat Rock with our girls 5th grade class for an overnight field trip. I know how nervous she is so I've put together a little something for her. I hope she doesn't read my blog before I can drive it over ; ) You'll do great E - no worries!

Labor Day Weekend

We didn't go any where for Labor Day but we still found time to cook out, hang out and be silly. We thought we'd play Myth Busters. We picked up Diet Soda and Mentos for what else a Diet Soda fountain!!! It was fun - amazing how high that stuff can shoot....

Next Weeks handout -

Okay so I've already made this weeks handout for YW lesson #25 Sabbath Day. The book suggest using a ruler but of course I had to put my own spin on it.

Busy Busy Busy...

Okay I'm trying to get ahead of the game! I created this handout for YW Manual 1 Lesson #24 Prayer and Meditation. I've had this stamp that says Handle with Prayer for ages. That phrase is used in a quote in the lesson so I thought it was a perfect fit. The girls also loved the real looking invites.

So behind..... Where to begin first....

Okay, I have a ton of ideas running around in my head. So WHEN do I find the time to make all these things come about! Please someone give me the answer....
I look through other blogs and find similar ideas to the ones I've had-so then I get discouraged - Why bother? Is what I'm thinking....
Maybe someday I'll be able to just create....when-ever, where-ever & how-ever long I want!!

Hungry-Girl.com

So I heard this ad on XMRadio about Hungry-girl.com....tips & tricks for hungry chicks. It is a cute site that has all kinds of info on diets, foods that taste good and are good for you, hints & tips to get us through the day. We could all use a little help every now and then....

Saying good bye is hard to do....

My good friend Juliana is moving back to Idaho :( I will miss her terribly! She has been a great example to me and all those around her. We have had some great times sharing "crafty" ideas. We've had some great times being with the Young Women. I will miss our weekly conversations about the Biggest Loser!
You may be gone but you will NEVER be FORGOTTEN! Lots of Luck!