Paper Dolls for Boys

Raising 2 crafty boys and thrifting every chance I get.

Chess Club October 30, 2008

Filed under: Craft — twlowenstein @ 12:56 pm
Tags:

Today is the first day of afterschool chess club and so I made my big guy this shirt last night at craft group (a rockin’ good time which warrants it’s own post).

I freezer paper stenciled this chess piece on a scrap piece of linen, I was thinking it’s a pawn but my son saw queen (6 year olds are all about power).  Now that I see the photo it looks a little like I affixed a napkin to the front of my son’s shirt but I don’t think it plays that way in RL and I am going to keep telling myself that!

Keeping it short today as I am feeling the Halloween crunch, moving into full court press mode right about now!

Looking forward to seeing all your photos of costumes and Halloween fun.  Leave a link if you’ve got some Halloween tricks to share!

 

I Want to Be THIS GUY for Halloween October 29, 2008

Filed under: Random Bits — twlowenstein @ 12:52 pm

Please watch in it’s entirety for maximum guffaws!  And do not fret, this is a peen-free post!

Thanks to my brother for forwarding me this link!

 

Sick of Halloween Yet?

Filed under: halloween — twlowenstein @ 12:09 pm
Tags: , , , ,

Looking for last minute costume ideas?

This was my son’s first costume and it was super easy to make.  I repurposed a thrifted sweater by adding some white fuzzy fabric to the front and attaching a felt tail which I sewed and then stuffed with packing peanuts so it would hold it’s shape but not be too heavy.  I took my husband’s hat and attached little felt ears and my favorite part is the little claw feet.  I just cut pieces of felt, sewed on  claws and tied them over his sneakers.

Trick or Treating at Fenway Park!

I got this costume idea from MARTHA and I tweaked it a little, take that Ms M!  It’s made of foil cups folded and then layered to look like armor, little aluminum loaf pans are tied over the shoes and round pie pans are used for the shoulder protectors.  I painted some coffee holder thingies grey for the arm armor.   And we turned the old milk jug space helmet into a knight’s helmet complete with a duct tape face plate.  Oh, And I used the collar from a hideous shirt given to me as the neck guard and the back of the shirt for the chain mail skirt.

Last year my big guy was a skeleton.  We freezer paper stenciled (best craft in the WORLD) the bones on an old sweatsuit and then painted the toe bones on thrifted dance shoes (shoes that were totally spied by my son who had the vision for them as part of the costume.  So proud!).  Since my little guy was too young to pick a costume we made him the pulmonary system – I  sewed the body bits on a red tee shirt using fabric scraps and then unraveled an old baby sweater to make the veins.

This year we will have a vampire and a clown.  I don’t know which will be scarier. Stay tuned!

 

The Good Old Days… October 28, 2008

Filed under: halloween — twlowenstein @ 1:09 pm
Tags: ,

Here are my cousins with those blow up contraptions on their heads!  Send to me by my Aunt Donna who is so crafty it’s busting outta her britches!  You may know her as Kindred Spirit from my comments.   Hi to my cousins M & J, thanks for sharing the sweet shot!

There is one floating around the family of my brother in one of these costumes with green face makeup on, if anyone has it please send it my way!

Only 3 more days!  Don’t delay, get those surgical gloves filled with juice into the freezer and start on your brain jello mold NOW!

And WP spellcheck is wonked at the moment so Happy Halloween to all my dyslexic brothers and sisters!

 

My Milkshake Brings All the Boys to the Yard… October 27, 2008

Filed under: halloween — twlowenstein @ 8:48 pm
Tags: , ,

A little vintage Halloween for you:

Can you find me?  Hint – I’m not the sassy kid winking in the front row.

I got nothing else since I’m working hard to make our place look effortlessly messy for our neighborhood Halloween party on Friday.

But I did find this on Youtube.  I chuckled and cringed, maybe you will too.  Click on it even though it looks boring as all get out.  It’s free, it’s funny, why not?

 

Bits and Pieces October 24, 2008

Filed under: Random Bits — twlowenstein @ 2:28 pm
Tags:

Today I was inspired by the Corners of My Home Flickr group started by Amanda at The Mother Ship.

Bits and pieces from my place:

Have a good weekend (I’ve got a rummage in my sites).

 

WhatKnot has an Etsy Shop! October 21, 2008

Filed under: Craft — twlowenstein @ 12:04 pm
Tags: , ,

Melissa from WhatKnot has opened up an Etsy shop with really lovely handcrafted items for babies and children.  Think of her when you’re filling your homemade holiday list!

I purchased a tote and crayon roll as a gift for a little girl about to turn 3, sorry if this ruins the surprise Kath.  Being the dear that she is, she included this super cute placemat and fabric markers with the tote.  My little one had a blast decorating his placemat this morning, drawing a basketball, a nose with chuggas (you can guess what those are), the family, and a potty on it.  It was exciting to watch him feel very proud of himself decorating what I thought was going to be a placemat.  When he finished he informed me he would like it to be hung up with the curtain in the living room, pointing to the window and his work and saying, “Up, up, up!!!”.  So now it’s on display for everyone, but most importantly it’s on display for him.

Thank you Melissa for the wonderful gift and for making good old fashioned things that help kids learn, grow and feel good about themselves (without flashing lights and a talking donkey)!

 

I Crack Myself Up October 20, 2008

Filed under: Random Bits — twlowenstein @ 10:57 pm

Subtitled:  And I may not be as funny as I think I am…

Allow me to illustrate –  this morning I took my son to his weekly Early Intervention class.  It’s a class of differently abled kids who need various areas of support, primarily motor and speech.   My little guy loves it.  he calls it his “school” (sounds more like kool) and took 3 apples, one for every teacher, today.  I should say that Massachusetts has an outstanding Early Intervention program and I have been impressed with the speed in which support was obtained and with the quality of instruction.    This is our 3rd class since missing 2 weeks to pneumonia.  Background set.

I asked the assistant teacher if we, the parents, were meant to stay right with the kids or hang back and give them space.  She went into a long winded explanation that ended with saying that we should give them some room but still be attentive and monitor them, duh.  So I said, “Oh, so it’s not okay for me to go out and take a 5 minute smoke break?”  Thinking I’m hilarious, right?!!!  She says, ever so slowly, “Well…if…that’s…what…you…need…to…do.”  Blank stare.   Then there is that moment, right after your joke has hit the ground with a resounding thud, you have to bend over and pick up the jagged chunks and just stay.   I stammered a lame, “Uh, I don’t smoke. Kidding.  Funny.  haaa”  I look at the other parents quickly with a little smile and then move on to my son who had thankfully chosen this moment to bap the head teacher in the face with a pom-pom.  Can you say POM-POM?, Goooood!  Okay, I’ll get back to more buffoonery in the class but let’s cut for a minute to after class, piling into the car happy to be getting out of there and I look over to the car parked a couple down from us and what do I see?  One of the other moms sucking on a butt just staring at me like, “What ya got to say NOW funny lady?”   Making friends everywhere I go.

The last half of the class there is music and circle activities and during one of the action songs the action was dance.  So I bust a move and then I’m coming down from the high of a perfectly executed little pop and lock number ending with the broken robot arm move and I realize that if just one of you was there you would do a little RE-Run move and throw it back to me and we would laugh and I would remember why we were friends but instead I was left wondering if I’m an ass.

And now because I can’t have a photoless post.  Here is a shot from our most recent Fair.  I am not a native New Englander, these people love their fairs.  This was a Fall Harvest Festival with a rummage sale (linen napkins 25 cents, for 6!).  And a goat in a little pen.


 

Halloween Party, WELCOME! October 18, 2008

Filed under: halloween — twlowenstein @ 3:19 pm
Tags: , ,

Today is the day thought up by the lovely and twisted mind over at A Fanciful Twist.  There are tons of folks playing along, check out her blog to see the complete list!

Welcome, creeeeeeking the door open . My butler will take your coat (and he might give it back to you at the end of your visit!)

Not surprisingly, my house is not yet ready for the party so this will be a partial open house.  A less than grand opening!  I have more silhouettes to cut, wallpaper to hang and we have wooden people to paint but I wanted to participate in the party so come on in, we’ve been waiting for you!

We have comfortable spots for lounging…  This guest has been with us a while!!!

There are plenty of chances to mingle:

Not much in the way of nibbles, although there are plenty of creatures who would love a nibble of YOU!

You’re welcome to hang out some more but I am going to bust open the lovely box of wine you brought, and what a LOVELY hostess gift it was, and rest for a spell !!!!!!!!!!

A here is a link to the BEFORE shots of the thrifted dollhouse (this is a joint project between myself and my 6 year old son).

 

Breaking News… October 17, 2008

Filed under: Craft — twlowenstein @ 12:04 pm
Tags: , ,

I’m the maracas!  Well, I’m the curator this time of a Treasury that made it to Etsy’s FRONT PAGE!!!

The treasury is called, GET STUFFED, and it features taxidermy and taxidermy inspired greatness.  Checka, checka check it OUT.

And in case you’re in the market for some vintage funk – come on in to the DOLLHOUSE!