Room Decor Banner with Monkeys

Every new banner is a challenge for me. I want to find the perfect colors combination. When the kid's name has only 4 letters is a little bit difficult to make a nice combination and to have something bright, funny, assorted. This is a banner for a boy named TOBY. His mom wanted to be colorful and to have 2 little monkeys. 

The monkeys will hide the place where you hand on the banner on the wall. The ribbon is sew on the back.

Every letter has a heart shaped bead. I couldn't find yet plane or car-shaped beads.

I mixed yellow, red, light and dark blue for this banner.

This is the way you can hand it on the wall.

It can be a great decoration for your nursery room. The colors are perfect for a baby boy or for a baby girl. But if you can choose other colors combination.You can use it at baby shower party or at birthday party.

Visit My Etsy Shop to order your personalized banner. 

Ema

Activity for kids - make a felt bracelet

Or how to keep your kids busy when their expensive toys are boring. :)
My 6 years daughter wants to help me. Every time I sew something, she wants to help. I found an activity for her - this can help her to learn how to sew. It's a good start for kids. She made a bracelet, but you can try with earrings or a necklace too.

First, cut the small pieces of colorful felt. Use some felt scraps.

Then, let your kid to ... sew them on a string.

Learn the child how to alternate, to mix the colors.

You can do it!

Finish off. Your bracelet is ready. Your child is happy. The bracelet is soft and colorful.

Enjoy.

Crochet and Sew Dress

Because I couldn't find a nice dress for my daughter, I decided to sew one. I saw on the Internet that I can make a mix with crochet and fabric. This is what I done. Like it? 

First, I crocheted the top with double crochet stitches and 3 rows of shell stitches only in the front. 

I attached a zipper on a side. I don't have a sewing machine, so I sew by hand the top and the bottom.

I made a flower with fabric and I sew some pink and silver beads in the middle.

It's easy to make a flower like this: just cut some circles, burn the edges and then sew together in the middle.

My daughter asked me to make a hair band to: it's pretty much the same as the other flower.

This is the hair band.

Just try too. It's not so easy, but you can do it. And if you don't have a sewing machine like me, no problem: your hands are helpful. 

Ema from Ema’s Decorations

Little Black Crochet Hat and 5 decorations

One little black crochet hat and many possibilities to decorate it. What is your idea?

Start with a .... black crochet beanie.

Add 2 circles to be ears and a red bow - you have a Minnie Mouse Hat.

Take off the ears and move the bow- you have a black hat with a red bow.

Insert an orange ribbon. Ready for Halloween? Already?

Or just 3 mini red bows in front.

Make a Black Angry Bird Hat for a boy - yellow beak, red eyebrows, white and grey eyes with a black spot and a black bob with yellow on top.  

How to add text to your item

I use to add lyrics to my felt board. I print the text on a special paper (you can buy it from Avery.com like I did or from other supplier) and then I use the iron to transfer the writing on the felt. You can transfer in this way a text or pictures. If you go online on Avery, you'll find some templates and texts.

You need: special paper for printing, felt or a T-shirt or something else where you want to appear your text / picture, and an iron.

In Word:

-type the text 

-choose the size paper to be Hagaki card or Japanese Postcard (100 x 148 mm) if you want to print a small piece (like a normal Thank you card for example) not the whole sheet of paper

-for the first time use a normal paper to print the text and to check if everything is OK

-then insert the special paper, but first set your printer: go in Printer Properties, choose Finishig tab, mark Mirror Image - in this way your text will appear inverted; then print it. 

Place your special paper on the felt up side down.

Set your iron - no steam and then press on the paper for 40 seconds.

Peel the paper. The text will appear on the felt.

Cut and sew the text.

Done.

Enjoy it.
Ema 

Crochet Hello Kitty Purse - my pattern

Until now I made some kitty bags for little girls. They love the adorable white face with a bow or a flower. My bag has a long handle and they can carry it on the shoulder. And believe me, it's resistant: my 6 years carried in it 12 rocks and some accorns :). You can wash it in the washing machine.

You can buy the pattern in My Ravelry Store. 

If you have any questions, leave a comment.

Have a nice day.
Ema 

How to make a Pinata

A pinata is a very known and cheerful toy for a party. Kids love it. I don't really know why. Maybe because it's colorful, or maybe because they have to break it, or maybe because it's fill up with candies. Or maybe all !
So, I had to make one for my 6 years old daughter. I researched on the Internet and I found many tutorials. I liked very much a video: How to make a pinata.
Here are my pictures. Maybe they will inspire you. It's really easy to make it, but you need time (3-4 days) to let it dry well.

First, blow a balloon. Make a mix with 1 cup of all purpose flour and 2 cups of water. Tear some newspaper strips. Put the balloon on a bowl to stay without moving while you add paper layers. Add the first paper layer: put the paper strips in your flour mix, wet it well, and put on the balloon. Be careful to cover all the spaces and your strips to cover each others. Let dry one day.

The next day you'll notice that your pinata is soooo strong ! Add another paper layer.

In the third day, add another paper layer. Let it dry one more day.

In the fourth day, deflate the balloon and take it off.

Decorate the pinata with colored paper.

Here is a video about how to add colored paper layers. I made it with another pinata, not this green one, but the technique is the same.

This is another video about how to add more layers on the top.

After you finish to add colored paper, you can decorate your pinata with punched shapes. I choose flowers and butterflies.

Here is my video about how to decorate it.

Hang on the ceiling and .... break it.

After you break it at the party, you can use it as a hat too. Funny!

Try to make one for your kids party or just for fun. If you have questions, leave a comment. Have fun!