Crafty Crafty - Spaghetti Dogs and Rag Quilt Letters

I know it is very hard to believe but I actually accomplished two crafty things!  A "food" craft and a "real" craft!

With Preschool starting here this week, I've started making our Rag Letters.  The inspiration for this idea came from Artsy-Fartsy Mama and is an idea I posted back on May 10, 2011 in a Too Cute Not To Toot post.

Supplies
Fabric - scraps are fine
Quilt Batting
Thread
Template for letters (Check out Artsy-Fartsy Mama - she gives a great template!)

Step 1:  Cut out your template, two fabric squares and one square of batting.  I chose to use the same fabric on front and back of my letter - you could do a pattern on the front/solid on the back also. 

Step 2:  Make a fabric sandwich with the batting in the middle. 

Step 3:  I pined the pattern through all three layers so I could cut all three at once.  It is really important that you have some good fabric scissors.  I thought about using my rotary cutter but, sometimes I cut more than I mean too with that thing!  You could also use pinking shears but I did not have any!

Step 4: As I removed the template, I pinned the letter together to keep it from slipping while I sewed it.

Step 5: Sew!  I did not get any pictures of the actual sewing - it was hard enough to sew with someone trying to "help" me with the foot pedal and thinking it was funny to turn the machine off and on.  HA!  Because these are "rag" letters, I just sewed around the entire letter with about 1/4" seam allowance.  Don't judge my sewing abilities - I'm a novice :-) 

I also made the Letter "A".  I have not washed this yet which will fluff them and give them more of a rag look but for now they will do.  There are two - one for each boy :-)   We will eventually have the entire alphabet but I'm making about a letter a week right now.

Thanks to my mom and a small stash of my own, I have lots of fabric to use so this project is relatively inexpensive. 

This would also make a great "Search and Find" game too - give the kids a list of items to find and they can search through all of the letters to find them (like a blue train, a football, a red ball, etc"

Now, my second attempt this last week was with food.  You may remember a Too Cute Not To Toot from July 26th when I shared an idea from Simply Designing for Hot Dog Pasta.  Well, I tried it this week.  It is actually a very simple kids lunch idea.

First, cut up a hot dog (I used two) into small rounds.  Grab a handful of spaghetti noodles.  I actually broke mine in half so they would fit in my cooking pot :-)

Spear the hot dogs with the noodles.  For the most part, I put 3-5 noddles through each hot dog.  Once the water is boiling for the pasta, throw everything into the pot.  I did put all of those extra noodles in too to make sure there was enough for all the boys.  Cook - I would actually cook these a little longer than normal.  I discovered that the pasta going through the hot dog was still a little undone when the boys started eating.

This is the finished product.  Doesn't it look cool? 

Now, I was a little worried about this because my 2 year old believes that hot dogs are sacred perfect the way they are . . and I was right!  He did NOT like noodles coming out of his hot dog.  Much to my surprise, neither did my 1 year old!  When I put this on the table I was greeted with things "Mama, tot dog stuck, tot dog stuck"  and "Out, get it out! Out, get it out!" So I actually had to break the hot dog pieces apart and pull out all of the noodles HA!  They both ate all of the noodles and dogs - just not together :-)  Oh well, it was fun to try! 

Too Cute Not To Toot!

Hello and Welcome to another week of Too Cute Not To Toot!  I really do enjoy searching through blogs and "Linky Parties" to find great ideas for crafts and recipes.  If you see an idea you like, please take time to click the link and check out the blog it came from AND while you are there, check out other posts from the blog as well.  It is a great way to find another blog to follow :-)

Lets start out with a snack.  An after school snack to be specific.  When I saw this idea over at Dukes and Duchesses, I thought it was the cutest idea.  We are studying the ABC's this year, so I'm thinking I need to get some of those sprinkles and we'll have to do this for snack some time this year.

Sometimes it is really good that I am so slow at making projects because I just found a much easier and less time consuming idea to make a growth chart AND it looks super cute.  Check out the tutorial over at Family Every After. 

Personally I think that even a laundry room should be cute.  After wall, we do spend a lot of time in that area getting clothes in and out of the hamper . . .washer . . .dryer.  I saw this cute sign over at A Fish Who Likes Flowers and wanted to post it so I would remember it!  (Disclaimer - she does use some colorful language in her post . . just warning you . . .)

This bowl made by Elisabeth andree is truly amazing.  Not sure I would ever make this but it was just too unique not to share.

Ok, I'll be honest, when I first saw the picture of this item, I thought "I have to post that because it looks gross" LOL  THAN I opened the post and read it and thought "Wow, that is such a good idea - it is going on my snack list for next summer (when my kids are both old enough to hold the wedge of fruit/Jell-O themselves!) Don't judge by the picture, make sure and check out Green Acres Hobby Farm.

Here's a great recipe for Kool-Aid Play dough from No Ordinary Moments.  Such an easy idea that gives so many hours of play!

This Indoor No-Sew Hopscotch mat would make a great activity to use on a rainy day or a snow day!  Super easy to make too! See the full tutorial over at Sewing Dork.

I love these Alphabet Action cards from Stay and Play - I think might have to print them and add them to our weekly lessons.  :-)

I think I just found a new site to add to my teaching sites!  I love this Letter Pattern Idea also form Stay and Play!

Check out this cool Marble Maze from Shyness and Bloom.  I think we are a few years away from this idea but it is still pretty awesome!

I know I posted this idea many months ago but with Grandparents day coming in September, I thought I would post another version in case you were looking for ideas.  I will admit that I am not good with all of the "Halmark Holidays" but, this would make a great gift to do at school even and send home :-) Check out the full post at Boy oh Boy oh Boy oh Boy.

I know, I know . .say it isn't so!  Here it is, are you ready?  The first Halloween Craft post!  It was too cute (and easy) to pass up!  Check out this "block head" idea from Craftomaniac.

Ok, back to "this" time of year - how about a great idea for a going away gift for a college student?  I have a friend who took her oldest off to college recently - I thought of her and how sad she is when I saw this idea.  Creation Corner also provided up close pictures of the little notes so you can see the creativity (and not have to write your own!)

Personally, I love big old picture walls because, well, I love pictures!  When I saw this idea for a Family Tree wall over at Digital Scrapbooking Made Easy I had to share!  Not only does she share a great idea for a picture wall, she also shares how to use Contact Paper like Vinyl.  So it is like getting two ideas for one!

This idea for a Popcorn Party from Better Together is so great!  Not only do you get a fun idea but also a few recipes for popcorn too :-) 

That's all for this week!  So many fantastic ideas out there :-)  Now that kids are back in school (or almost back) and the seemingly favorite holidays of many are coming quickly - I'm sure that I will find more and more ideas to share!