Memory Globes at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum

On Sunday I taught at class at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum as part of the Design Kids program sponsored by Target.  My class was all about how to make a Memory Globe a.k.a. snow globes.   I guess my past snow globe sessions at Etsy and with friends have turned me into a bit of an expert on the subject, but I also have instructions listed right here on my blog.

We had a great turn-out in the two sessions and everyone - kids and parents - took home some wonderful creations.  It was so fun to see everyone get creative with the projects.  We had teeny-tiny globes with just a kitten and 3 buttons (representing balls of yard) and giant globes with a wild underwater scenes and dinosaurs "drinking" from the top.

This little guy won the raffle and picked up a Wicked Mint pencil pouch.

Scrap Felt Rug

Recently I've noticed that I just get plain old jealous of people that have time to do creative projects. My to do list of craft projects is way longer than amount of free time I have. When I saw this rug on Martha Stewart blog my jealous-o-meter shot off the charts. It's aweeeesome. Way to go, Kristin St. Clair! I want a large rug like this in every room of my house.

photos via MarthaStewart.com

Craft: Making a Pillow from Recyled Materials

My mom was here this weekend and I took her to Ikea for the first time in her life. It was very exciting. I tried to curb my desire to by things I don't need, but one thing I coudn't resist was the fabric. Ikea has some great fabric and I wanted to pick up some for my new pillows. I chose the Gunilla fabric in turquoise and some rainbow fabric.


So last night I decided to practice making my new pillow covers and make one for our bedroom.

I tend to save a lot of stuff people would normally throw away (glass jars, oatmeal canisters, take out containers). Abe is the same way except he just avoids accumulating things. I, on the other hand, save everything that comes my way with the idea that some day I will use it.

I had an old, feather bed pillow that I had stashed away a couple months ago when we got new pillows. I decided to take out the feathers and make a fresh pillow insert.

First, I needed a case to hold the feathers. My mom had bought me and Abe a new dust ruffle from Ikea so I took our old dust ruffle and cut four 14"x14" squares from the netted fabric that stretched across the box spring.



Next I had to remove the feathers from the bed pillow and fill up the case. I don't really recommend doing this. It is messy, dusty, and just not a good idea. It's kinda gross actually. Oh well, what's done is done. I sprayed a little tea tree oil on the feathers in an attempt to sterilize them.


I did this when Abe was at work because this would not fly if he was home. Fly...feathers...get it?

I filled up one case with the feathers and sewed it closed then I put in into another case and sewed that one closed - extra protection.




Now that I had my pillow form I got to work on the pillow cover. I used the Gunilla fabric for the front and rainbow fabric for the back.




And here we go - a new pillow for our bedroom!