Toddler wrapping paper

 Toddlers, well mine at least, love painting! I've been getting her to paint useful things as Ray is getting quite the stack of Lily paintings on his desk.

This one was just from a roll of brown kraft paper that I normally use as wrapping paper with some pretty ribbon. But this time I put blobs and swirls of paint on the paper (cut to size for the intended present) and let Lily do whatever she wanted with the brush or her fingers, then repeated with the next colour.

For the cards and envelopes we do the same thing, but let it dry in between.

The kids presents for Christmas were painted and stamped the paper grocery bags, and we have done the blob and swirl technique on them as well, but they weren't big enough for this gift.

Paint, Xmas stamps and paper bags

 We get groceries delivered and with Woolies no longer using plastic bags we have a ridiculous number of paper bags! So with a little creativity, a 3D printer, a little paint and a 2 year old, I now have some cute Christmas great gift bags!

The green paint definitely covers the green logo better so I'll have to remember that for next year.

These stamps (there are lots, so I've just linked the creators bio for you) are actually meant for cookies but I added this handle to turn them into stamps suitable for a toddler. If you want to print your own, I scaled the stamps up to 110% and the handle down to 80%.

Definitely my go to wrapping for gifts from now on - easier for me, and a fun activity for Lily.  We just wrote the recipients names using a white crayon, but I think next year I'll make name stamps or use a paint pen.

Busy book

 Have you seen the lovely felt busy books some talented people create for their toddlers? I made a couple for a niece and nephew a long time ago now, and I figured I should really get started on one for my own little lady! 

While they are very cute, and my daughter is loving hers, I had forgotten just how long it takes - even with me using the sewing machine for as much as possible! My pages are certainly a world away from what I have seen online, but it has been a lot of fun, especially with my ever so helpful toddler enjoying the process as well as the finished result.

Now to see if I ever finish more pages... and it made me realise that I still haven't finished her busy board - which needs some replacements!

Lovely muslin blankets

 I loved these thick (3 layer) muslin blankets I made while I was pregnant, so much so that I luckily got the last three metres of the rainbow gingham from Frankie Bear Fabric so I could make two more!

Now I will admit at 1.5m wide, they are rather large for a newborn, but they are perfect for my toddler. She loves these blankets almost as much as the fluffy one on her bed! It is the perfect size for travelling so I like keeping one in the car and the pram.

I must say though, sewing with a toddler is difficult enough, let alone when they love a fabric so much that they've decided it's theirs! Trying to get it cut is impossible when you have to chase said toddler to get the fabric back every time you walk way from the cutting table. I'm so glad she can't reach the scissors yet...

Laminated colouring pages

Our daughter loves to draw on things purely so she can clean it off, which is really frustrating her when it comes to colouring pages. Not to mention her cloth of choice is a wet wipe which just doesn't end well for the paper.

My solution was pulling out the laminator and ripping some pages out of her colouring books so she can draw and clean to her hearts content! And to make it even easier, the Bluey one from Crayola is all loose pages already.

I just love a super quick and easy project, especially when there isn't a mess to clean up. Added bonus is that the laminator is very interesting to a two year old!

3D Printed Matching Cards

 We had that Panda Crate subscription for our daughter and one of them came with a cute little matching card game. But it was made of cardboard, and apparently carboard is great to chew, just like all her books - who knew toddler books were a close supervision only toy!

She did enjoy playing with them, sorting them and packing them into little bags but they quickly got confiscated when she decided to keep chewing them.

So now she has her very own set of matching cards that are plastic and not so nice to chew on!

She still likes sorting them into little bags but I also cut a slot in the lid of a bucket which she loves filling with toys and transporting all over the house!

I've posted them all on Thingiverse and if I make anymore I'll add them to that post.

Christmas Dress

 I'm cutting it close with Christmas this year, I finally finished my daughter's Christmas dress, once it is washed we can get her Christmas photos done!

This pattern is Simplicity 7017, it was my grandma's pattern and it looks like she has made a few versions! 

This is the first one I made which is a size 1/2, although its more like size 1. Now that she is so tall it is a top! The Christmas one I made size 1, again seems more like size 2, but I used the length of the size 3, next year it might still fit as a top!

I was a bit lazy and opted to gather them rather than do the pleats - I tried for the Christmas one but couldn't work out the instructions. I also added a second set of buttons/snaps so they would fit her sooner.

Minu Pram Liner

 We really like our big pram but it takes up our whole boot so we got a little stroller for the car. New pram means we need a new pram liner!

The pattern is from Muffy Duck Designs which is the same company I got the pattern for my other pram from.

This one I made double sided using blue gingham and my special panda fabric from Frankie Bear. I also added velcro to the strap covers so they don't fall off all the time.

It was even easier the second time - mostly because I knew it wasn't anywhere near as difficult as I originally thought it would be.

Rainbow Ink Amsterdam Dress

 I love this Rainbow Ink Blot fabric from Frankie Bear! I've been hoarding this for awhile and I'll definitely need more of this one!

This dress was made for my daughter to wear to a party to celebrate her Great Grandfather, if he were here today I think he would very much approve of this bright and beautiful dress! 

This is the Amsterdam Baby from Little Lizard King and it is the second time I've made this dress - I should find a photo of the first one to share with you. 

My only issue with this one (apart from catching the gathers when I attached the waist to the bodice) is lining up the straps and loop nicely. My solution for this was to use the knot button on my sewing machine before and after the strap so I could unpick that section. Then used the stitch holes to line up the strap properly and restitch the straps in place.

I opted for the size 3 rather than the size 2 as it is a bit hard to get her arms into dresses with elastic backs. I'm hoping as she gets older she'll continue to get less upset about clothing that goes over her head - as a newborn she would cry every time, thankfully now it's just if we take too long.

3D Printed Watch Face

The purple felt watch I originally made doesn't match many of our daughter's clothes so I wanted to make more, but it needs to be something that doesn't get yucky like the felt. I didn't want to spend forever sewing and turning little bits of fabric so instead I spent forever designing a stitchable watch face to 3D print!

I made a simple band out of fabric (3" wide x 8"long and interfacing if needed) that I folded both ends in 1/2". Then I folded 1/2" from each long edge, then again to meet in the middle. Then I played with the decorative stitches to hold down the centre seam and along both sides.

Next I stitched on the watch face - to make it extra secure since I'm concerned about it being a choking hazard - I did once around the large circle, went crazy tying a huge knot, then went back to cover the gaps before tying and other huge knot and repeating on the smaller circle.

Then simply add a snap or two to fit your child!

I've added this to Thingiverse if you would like to print your own - recommended for children over 3 years as it is a choking hazard.