2017 DIY Bookmark

Well, as you can see, I'm really bad at this whole blogging thing. Only posting once every couple years! I do have a new bookmark for you though. There is a boy and a girl version that come in the same file. Pick the one you want, cut it out, and embellish as you please. I decided to add a little watercolor to mine. The printer ink bled a bit so be warned. You might want to test your watercolors first. You can find the downloadable file here 2017 Reading List Bookmark

Do you bullet journal? My sister added the bookmark to her journal to mark the books she'd like to read this year.

 Enjoy!          

2015 DIY Bookmark

***update: find the 2017 version here***

Sorry for my long absence. This little guy has kept me busy.

There has not been much time for crafting lately in the hezzahvife house, but I did manage to sketch up this year's bookmark. With a baby in the house I don't expect to get a lot of reading done. Maybe only a book a month unless you count ones with pictures :)
Here's where you can download the 2015 bookmark. And like always, print it off, cut it out, glue it to some pretty paper and fill the spines with the titles you read.

Have you read anything good lately? I'm currently reading Call the Midwife the memoir of Jennifer Worth. I loved watching the television version on pbs and am enjoying the book. For those of you with little ones here are some of our favorite picture books:

Handmade Christmas part 2

I wanted to paint something unique for my parents that represented our growing family. I fiddled around with a couple family tree ideas but nothing seemed to look right. After reading Psalm 127 one night I came up with this picture. There is an arrow for each of my siblings, our spouses and children. As soon as my parents saw it my dad joked that I will need to hang canvases underneath for all the little arrows to come...patience, Dad, patience.

For my niece and nephews I sewed a puppet theater. It hangs in the doorway from an expandable curtain rod. At first the window sagged badly, so I sewed a little pocket to hold a dowel rod. Now it sits nice and straight. The sock puppets were made following the tutorial from One of a Kind.

2013 DIY Bookmark

***update: find the 2017 version here***

Did you fill up your 2012 bookmark? I've slacked off a little with my reading the past couple months so didn't quite reach my goal. But I did fill up one side and reprinted another one for the back. This year I've made two sides to the bookmark for all you avid readers. You can download the 2013 reading list bookmark here. Just print, cut along the pale grey lines and glue to some pretty scrapbook paper.

Handmade Christmas

Every Christmas I tell myself I'm going to make all my gifts but never find the time. Well this year, I'm proud to say I actually did! Handmade gifts are much more personal and thoughtful, and I get a lot more enjoyment spending hours in my craftroom than spending hours at the mall.

For my in-laws I made silhouettes of their two shih-tzus. These were my favorite gifts I made. I took photos of the dogs, outlined and printed off their heads in photoshop, then traced and cut out the silhouettes from some printed scrapbook papers.

My sis-in-law loves "The Big Bang Theory". After seeing this cross stitch on pinterest I knew I had to make it for her. You can buy the pattern from the wee little stitches shop on etsy.

I have a little niece who's crazy about Disney princesses. So she got a Rapunzel braid. It took one full skein of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in pale yellow, some pink ribbon and fake flowers. I followed the tutorial found at the blog seven thirty three.

The Tobinator

Another nephew had a birthday yesterday. He likes to wear a superman cape that my grandmother made for his daddy when he was little. I thought it would be fun for my nephew to have his own cape so he and daddy could play superheroes together.

I followed a tutorial from see kate sew for the cuffs

and got instructions for the cape from come on, ilene!

Viking Power

My little nephew turned one yesterday. I wanted to celebrate our Norwegian heritage by making him a viking doll. I love how it turned out - now the husband wants one :)

A few preliminary sketches and the large sketch I made the pattern from:

trying to decide on blonde or red beard

curly red beard and halfway done

And what viking doesn't have a battle axe?

Little E with his new viking! Love how it's almost as big as my nephew.