How to Make Kid's Wallets...out of a Dollar Store place mat!

I found these super fun bright colored place mats at the Dollar Store and knew I had to make something with them since I wasn't really in need of new actual place mats.My kids have been in need of wallets, (for their spending money and library cards) and I thought these would be the perfect material for them. I was right!

First I used a dollar bill as my guide to see how big I would need it. I miscalculated on this pink one so I will give you the exact measurements so you can make one super speedy.

If you cut 8 inches, by 8 inches this will give you a perfect size wallet. :)

Next you will want to cut a couple of other pieces, one for your change pocket and another for your card holder (if you want more than one card holder just cut a couple more of the card sized ones in stacking heights). I used my Costco card as a guide.
Can you see why you should use exact measurements instead of being all free style like me? The measurements you should use are 4in x 4in for the change pocket and 4in x 2in for the card pocket-otherwise you have space around them and that doesn't make for the easiest sewing-and we all like it to be easy right?Use the finished edge as the opening to both pockets for ease of use.

I pinned this one up to show you, but on the others I made I just sewed them directly to the fabric and it went SOOOOO much quicker.

I also added a ribbon trim around the rough edges. This step I would suggest doing, unless you want a really frayed edge that you have to trim for a few days until it stops. I put a ribbon under the pockets of the boys wallets, but not around the outer edges and I had to trim them for about 3 days before they got to be okay. Next on one side about an inch in (this is on the side of the wallet opposite the pockets) hand sew on a button. Easy Peasy.
On the other side (opposite the button) either sew a hair elastic on, or just wait until you sew the whole thing together like I did. I just pinned it here to show you how it goes in the inside.
Then...

Be way too lazy to go and find an empty bobbin to put matching thread in and sew with black and green thread so that everyone can see how ugly your stitches are. Wow. Laziness was taking on a new meaning this night! Oh well, now you can see that all I did was sew the pockets on first, then the ribbon trim....
...folded the wrong sides together and sewed up the sides, leaving the top open for the money!See the handiness of the change pocket...and the fantasticness (my word) of the card holder?Then see how it easily closes with the elastic and button closure? Now see how the bottom side is shorter than the top side?

Handy Manny always says, to "measure twice and cut once," and I think that crazy kid is on to something! ;)
Then make two more for your boys without ribbon because your husband says it's way too girly and then cuss him out under your breath when they both have 12 inch threads hanging all over them both night and day for 3 days straight! Trim them up nice for a picture and try not to focus on the salsa stains on your three year old's new favorite thing ever!
Seriously these were really easy after I got the measurements figured out, they only took me about 15 minutes a piece for the last two and my kids have carried them around all week, especially my little 3 year old. They all feel pretty cool having a place to keep all their spending money and their own library card.

You could decorate them up cuter, but I like them simple and bright too.

How do they get spending money? I will share next week what we do in our family that has worked out really well for over a year now! :)

Check out these cute sites to make your world cuter!

Big Foam Blocks Tutorial

I have been hanging on to these big foam cushions from my couch for a long time just trying to figure out what I can do with them...

It finally came to me one day when I was also thinking of things I could make for a new little baby being born this month.

Big foam blocks!

The biggest hurdle was trying to figure out how to cut the darn things!

Exacto knife-what a PAIN! Don't do this unless you have a LOT of patience.

I was sure there was an easier way-and I finally figured it out!

Bread knifes are the way to cut foam-makes it 1 million times easier!
I measured out the foam so that I would get squares, and then I took the knife to the marks.

I got some fun fabric prints and then measured out how long it would need to be to cover 4 sides of the blocks and then cut the strip.

I also cut 2 squares of different fabric for the top and bottom of the block just about 1/4 inch bigger all the way around then it needed to be for stitch allowance.
Sew it all right side in until you get to the last side, turn out and then stick the block in. With the last side you just need to fold it in and then shove it under your needle and sew, or hand stitch it.

Or you could do what I did on some of the pirate blocks and cut 6 different squares and sew them all on the outside to give it a frayed look.

Here is one of the completed sets-one couch cushion makes a bunch!They are really big, and I thought that just the babies would like them, but my older kids have not stopped playing with them since I started making them, perfect for building just about anything and perfect for throwing at each other and perfect for using as a small pillow when laying on the floor watching TV and perfect for...

Check out these cute sites to make your world cuter!

Making this Skirt Cuter Refashion #3

I think by now, we've all seen how to turn a man's shirt into a skirt, if not...go looking, I've seen some dang cute ones linked up on my Making the World Cuter Mondays! :)

Well I wanted to make one too, but I wanted to add my own cute twist with a little insert and a little ruffle and yee haw, and I've got myself a fun little skirt!
necklace c/o Paper Trail Gallery

First thing you need for this project is a man's shirt, raid your hubby's closet for something he doesn't wear anymore or Goodwill has a plethora of these for around $3 (at least in my area). I found a green gingham that I was drawn to. Be sure that all the buttons are there, or replace the ones that aren't. Next you need to figure out the fit-the easiest way I found was to button up the shirt and put it on as a skirt. Then I cut right under the button of the next button up that didn't fit around my waist-just know that once you cut off the sleeves and the top, it will fit quite a bit looser, so size it at where it will still button, but if it's snug that's okay!

Once you know where you need to cut the top off-go ahead and cut that off, and then cut off the sleeves while you're at it. Now re-try it on-see looser! (I said looser not loser, pinky swear!)

You can mark where you want the sides to be at this point and then pin down both sides like the picture on the right.

I actually pinned down the top first folding it down a full inch because I wanted a waist band look-you could add elastic through it if you wanted, but I didn't. I sewed right along the bottom edge of that and gave it just the look I was going for. Then just sew your skirt up both sides at the seam allowance of your choice and cut off the extra pieces of fabric.

Your skirt could be all done at this point if you choose-but I wanted to take it a little further...

I took one of the sleeves that was leftover and cut off the cuff. I unbuttoned the skirt all except for the top button and laid the sleeve on top and arranged it until it had a nice insert a little shorter than the bottom edge of the skirt. Pinned it, sewed it and trimmed it. Really easy.

Then I decided I needed belt loops and ruffles. So I took the collar and cut some strips off of it to make belt loops and took the other sleeve and cut strips to make ruffles. I sewed around the edges of the belt loop and then attached it to the skirt, you could make these all nice and straight but you know me and my yee-haw kind of look when I sew...fraying is not a problem in my book! The original plan was to sew the ruffles in all the way up to the top of the skirt, but I stopped after the bottom ones on each side...a little bit because I thought it looked better and a little bit because my baby woke up and said in his cute gummy grin way that it was time to pay attention to other things.

But there you go...a different kind of shirt skirt to make your wardrobe a little bit cuter. And seriously, I don't think there could be a lighter more summery skirt than one made out of a nice thin man's shirt. Super comfy, light and now....feminine.

Linking to Today's Creative Blog & These fun Linky Parties....

Check out these cute sites to make your world cuter!