Alice the Fairy Book and Wand

It's been a while since I've shared some favorite kids' books...so here's a fun one.  I was lucky enough to find a copy of Alice the Fairy by David Shannon at Goodwill a while back.  David Shannon is one of our favorite authors/illustrators at our house...and I love finding good quality hardback books at the thrift store.

Alice is a temporary fairy who can use her wand to do some magic...she can't turn a frog into a prince, but she can turn her dad into a horse.  She can't turn her bath into jello yet...but she can turn her white dress red when her wand tips over her grape juice.  The book just seems to capture some of the essence of childhood to me.

I decided to use a little fairy magic to turn it into a Christmas gift for my niece.  Becca tried it out and approved.

The Cape of Many Colors

We've got quite a few boxes packed with quite a few more left to go.  I've got neat several crafty projects finished, but don't have the time to post about them at the moment because the house is a wreck and needs some attention.
So instead I thought I'd share this beautry.  Back in April, I wrote this post about going through my stash and listing out projects I thought I'd be doing soon.

1. Christmas presents for my kids' birthmothers  Finished, but still need to post about this one.
2. Fixing the eye spy bags (the plastic windows tore)  Finished, but still need to post about this one.
3. Little girls underwear organizer (I promise this is not as weird as it sounds)
4. Firecracker's shirt that needs the sleeves ruffled
5. Flannel Pajama Pants for the Kids that were supposed to be for Christmas
6. Frog Costume
7. Lots more clothes for some Hand-Me-Down Rehab, including some fun boy knee patches, and more denim skirts
8. Felt for making a tent out of my daughter's loft bed
9. A box of free ties to make into Joseph's Coat of Many Colors for a Primary Lesson and some more of these toddler ties  You get this post now!
10. A nursing cover for a friend at church
11. And the list goes on...

I've actually done pretty well with completing these projects, although there are still a few left to do.  Since I'm sure you've all been dieing from suspense waiting to see the Coat of Many Colors...here it is in all it's glory.  (I know, don't you love the poses and the bike helmet?!)

I took a bunch of old ties I got fro free, opened them up and took the insides out, then sewed them together.  I left the two on each end long and the other ones are shorter.  That way the ones on the end can be used to tie it around your neck.  I thought about lining it and/or finishing off the edges, but then decided it was so ugly it wasn't really worth the time, especially since the kids love it as it is.  It doesn't seem to be fraying much and the kids still have fun playing with it.  I used it for a Primary lesson a while ago about Joseph in Egypt.

So if you've got a bunch of old ties lieing around and about 15 minutes, you can make one too! 

I Challenge You to a Duel!! (Felt Shield & Sword Tutorial)

"En Garde!!"

"I will meet your challenge!"

"Engage!"