The Sparrow's Nest

Surprise Message Crackers

Last night at church, Johnathan's class made these cute "crackers" in class as a way to share the good news of Christ. I thought it was a really cute idea, so I wanted to pass it on to you!

First of all, if you are unfamiliar with what a "cracker" is, here is some historical information, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Crackers were invented by London confectioner Tom Smith, in 1847, as a development of his bon-bon sweets, which he sold in a twist of paper (the origins of the traditional sweet-wrapper). As sales of bon bons slumped, Smith began to come up with new promotional ideas. His first tactic was to insert mottos into the wrappers of the sweets (cf. Fortune cookies), but this had only limited success.

He was inspired to add the "crackle" element when he heard the crackle of a log he'd just put on the fire. The size of the paper wrapper had to be increased to incorporate the banger mechanism, and the sweet itself was eventually dropped, to be replaced by a small gift. The new product was initially marketed as the Cosaque (i.e., Cossack), but the onomatopoeic "cracker" soon became the commonly used name, as rival varieties were introduced to the market. The other elements of the modern cracker, the gifts, paper hats and varied designs, were all introduced by Tom Smith's son, Walter Smith, as ways of distinguishing the company from the many copycat cracker manufacturers which had suddenly sprung up.

To make a cracker, you need:

• a toilet paper tube, cut in half across
• a handful of candy
• tape
• tissue paper
• paper and pen for writing

1. Line up the 2 halves of your toilet paper tube.

2. Fold your tissue paper so that you can "wrap" up your aligned tube inside. Make sure to leave 3-4 inches extra on the ends for tying later.

3. Tape one end tightly shut.

4. Carefully open the folds of tissue paper at the other end to expose the toilet paper tube.

5. Write a surprise message for the recipient of the cracker. Christopher wrote this one for his Nana. :o)

6. Insert the message and fill the tube with candy. Close off and tape the open end of the cracker.

7. All done! Your cracker should look similar to above, but you can personalize it with stickers, ribbon, etc. This is a great craft for children, and they make fun placecards, too! :o)

Resurrection Eggs

I am certain many of you have seen the now-popular Resurrection Eggs used to tell the Easter story. Here are some simple directions for making a set with found items to use with your family.

You will need:

• a dozen plastic eggs
• an empty egg carton
• a small piece of sponge
• a small piece of rope or heavy string
• 3 coins
• a small piece of purple fabric or felt
• a small piece of thorny stem (perhaps from an obliging neighbor's rosebush)
• a small cross
• a nail
• a small piece of paper with "King of the Jews" written on it
• a toothpick
• a small rock
• a crouton

Directions: Open all eggs and place inside carton. Place one of each of the items above inside one of the plastic eggs. Close the eggs. Each egg represents an event from the final week of Christ's life.

#1 - crouton (bread)

#2 - 3 silver dimes (3 pieces of silver) (Matt. 26:14-15)

#3 - 1 purple piece of cloth (felt or material - represents the purple robes) (Mark 15:17)

#4 - thorns (from any bush or rose) (Matt. 27:29)

#5 - scourge (piece of thick string or rope tied to a twig) (Mark 15:15)

#6 - Cross made of toothpicks

#7 - 3 Nails (John 20:25b)

#8 - Sign (King of the Jews) (Luke 23:38)

#9 - Sponge (Matt. 27:48)

#10 - Spear (toothpick or straight nail) (John 19:34)

#11 - Rock (Matt. 27:59-60)

#12 - EMPTY! (Matt. 28:6),(John 19:17-18a),(Matt. 26:26)

Ladybugs for a Little Lady

For my friend Angela's baby shower gift, I made her an appliqued initial bag for her new little one. The baby's name will begin with the letter L, so I thought it would be cute to choose a motif that also begins with L: ladybugs! :o)

The bag was a ready-made denim bag I purchased at Michael's, and I used double-sided interfacing to iron on a large letter L and blanket-stitch the edges in red embroidery floss. Then, I chose a coordinating fabric (red gingham) and used it to sew some burpcloths and a ladybug changing pad. Finally, I chose some yummy smelling baby lotions and wash and tucked in some newborn diapers. Here are some pictures:

Terrycloth-backed burpcloths;

Ribbon-bundled diapers;

Baby "goodies" tucked inside;

A gingham tab to close the top with a huge ladybug button;

And a wooden ladybug glued to the card for the new mom.

Angela, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it!  :o)

My Craft "Stash"

Many times when you see a craft idea here at the Nest, you may hear me lovingly refer to my "stash". My "stash" is simply the group of items I try to have on hand on a continual basis in order to be creative here in our home. Here is a basic list of my must-haves that I try to keep stocked on a regular basis (as time and funds allow):

1. Black spray paint. What would I do without this? It can put a new look on baskets from Goodwill, furniture found by the side of the road, and even paper lampshades. Love it, love it...the perfect "refinisher" (according to my decorating tastes).

2. Ivory spray paint. Because everything can't be spray-painted black. Variety, variety! LOL

3. Glue gun and hot glue sticks. I couldn't find this yesterday and almost went into a panic! LOL I first fell in love with my glue gun in college when completing EDUC class projects. A must-have for keeping crafts together!

4. Ribbon that coordinates with your home. I am always making paper banners with this, tying bows for wreaths, etc. When it's on sale, it's a good time to stock up. That way, if you have a project to do, you can just pull out what you've stored away.

5. Jute twine. A "homier" version of ribbon, I like to use jute to tie up packages, make paper banners, and more. It's very versatile.

6. Heavy cardstock in neutral colors. You can use this for making cards for friends, tags for gifts, banners for your home, mats for pictures, etc. A good investment.

7. Clothespins. One of my favorite things to do with these is hot-glue magnets to the back to use as homespun magnets for our fridge. I use them a lot with banners or just to clip important papers together.

8. A Good Pair of Scissors. Essential for everything: cutting papers, string, ribbon...basically almost everything else listed in this post! :o)

9. A Hole Punch. A good hole punch can help make holes for gift tags or paper banners. Much neater (and safer) than poking a hole with scissors. Experience is a strict teacher. I have the scars to prove it. :o)

10. Buttons. A great, inexpensive accent. I have used these to make wreaths, napkin rings (see post below) and more.

11. Fabric Scraps. If you sew a lot for your home, save those scraps. I usually save anything 4 inches or bigger. They have come in handy for edging lamps, making table runners from scraps, and sewing tiny little cushions for children's chairs.

12. Thread. Of course, if you're going to sew anything for your home, you must have this!

13. Moss. I love to make faux topiaries and cover styrofoam wreaths with this in order to hang them over mirrors. I always try to keep some on hand when I have a 40% off coupon to spare. :o)

What's YOUR favorite craft item?

Needle and Multicolored Threads, Graphic Courtesy of Allposters

A Valentine's Gift for Daddy

Today we went to Michael's in search of a Valentine's gift for Daddy from Christopher and Johnathan. I found some large wooden cubes and got inspired to make him a photo cube of his favorite pics of the boys.

I used some Mod-Podge (glue with a bit of water added works great too) and brushed it over one surface. Then I pressed pretty tissue paper down and spread more glue over the top. After the cube dries, I will have Mr. Wilt pick out his favorite pics and we'll decoupage them to each side of the cube. This was a fairly simple, inexpensive gift (shhhhh...just don't tell Mr. Wilt!)

When we were at Michael's, I also found some pretty tassels in the clearance section (they were marked down from $9.99 to $3.00), but when I checked out, they were .49 apiece! Woo hoo! Here's a pic of one of them hard at work on the knob of our china closet in the dining room:

God truly delights in giving His children unexpected blessings!

Homemade Burpcloth Tutorial

When Johnathan was born, we received some homemade burpcloths as a baby shower gift. They were larger than the regular cloth diapers we used, and more sturdy because they were fabric-backed. In short, we LOVED them! Since then, I have made them for several friends for baby shower gifts. Here is a brief tutorial on how to make them.

You will need:

• terrycloth fabric (like towels)
• your choice of cotton fabric
• thread

First, cut out your material. I make my burpcloths 8" x 16". Trim your fabric and terrycloth to the same size.

Stack your fabric and terrycloth with the "good sides" facing. Run a stitch down each side of your rectangle, leaving a 2-3 inch "hole" on one side.

Use this "hole" to invert your fabrics, so they will turn "right side out." Hand-stitch the hole shut. Ta da! That’s it!

To embellish my friend’s gift (seen at the top of the post), I hot-glued white rickrack around the edges of the basket, and used a green/white ribbon with cherries to "tie" everything all together. Her gift has a pack of diapers, baby wash, a small book, a stuffed dog, a homemade changing pad, and 2 homemade burpcloths. I hope she will enjoy it!

Ooh-La-La for Less Moo-la-la

If you have visited my blog for long, you will notice one thing about me: I like to be inspired. When it comes to decorating our home, this has been a huge problem for me at times cuz' well...I just tend to be inspired in ways that aren't practical for our stage of life (e.g. purchasing a Victorian parlor set last year which we are now trying to sell because we cannot afford a home to renovate while we're trying to raise a family and pay off school loans, etc.) So, I have been inspired to create a "dressy casual" home with a touch more masculinity in it for all the men in my life. So far, it seems to be working! ;o)

Totally off the subject, I have recently discovered Ebay. I know, I know...I'm about 10 years too late, but it was truly one of those things I avoided because I knew I would get addicted. And now I am. I don't know if I will ever, ever have to shop for anything for our home ever again. They sell EVERYTHING on Ebay. The other day I was looking at French country-ish things on there, and I stumbled upon a really cute "Bon Appetit" sign for the kitchen. When I pulled up the shipping + price it was over $25! Cute, but no thank you! So, I decided to make my own. Here's how it added up:

• wooden plaque ($1.99)
• paint ($1.49)
• sponge brush ($.49)
• Sharpie (free-already had)
• ribbon (free-already had)

So, I painted this plaque ivory, let it dry, pulled up the Ebay page with the cute sign, and copied the font. I stapled a hanging ribbon to the back and Mr. Wilt graciously hung it for me in a really great spot. I must say it already looks right at home with all the toile. ;o)

Homemade Paper Garland Tutorial

I had some sweet compliments the other day about my paper garland strung across the mantel in our living room, so I thought I would take a moment to explain how it was made. To make a paper garland (of any kind), you need:

• heavy duty paper (heavy scrapbooking cardstock is what I typically use)
• a hole punch (or another means to attach: i.e., clothespins)
• ribbon, yarn, or string
• glue (or glue stick, rubber cement, etc.)
• means of lettering (computer w/ printer, markers, pens, etc.)

To make a garland such as the one you see at the top of the post, extend your string across the length of where it will be hung. Give yourself some slack, especially if you are tying your pieces together. You can always trim later, but if it is too short, you'll have to find your garland a new home. :o)

Next, think about what you want your garland to say. Seasonal or Scriptural quotes are nice (I like Shakespeare, myself) or letters such as "Welcome". Nothing too long, though! :o) Consider the shape you wish to use for the individual words or pieces. I really like the old-fashioned "tag" shape (made by cutting the corners off one end of a rectangle) or upside-down triangles, which look like pennants; but you can use hearts at Valentine's Day or virtually any shape that fits your fancy.

Here is a close-up of one of my shapes. I made an old-fashioned "tag" by cutting the corners off one end of a rectangle. I also used a reinforcement where my hole would be punched for another old-fashioned touch. My shapes are tied to the string, but I covered my knots with a clothespin. 

Cut out the base shape for your garland. Make sure that it will not be too tiny (or too huge) by laying the pieces down on your string in front of where they will be used. A too-tiny garland will be swallowed up by the space; a too-huge garland will not fit.  Next, letter the smaller piece which will be on top. I like writing and trying to copy fonts, so I hand-wrote this one; but I have also used a computer for longer garlands. Simply find a font you like, type your words or letters (giving plenty of room for cutting), and print them out on computer paper. If they are the right size for your pieces, print a second copy on cardstock. Then, cut out your writing and glue down to the bottom layer of pieces.

Finally, either punch holes in your pieces to string or attach them to your string with clothespins. Just make sure to punch your holes in the same fashion on each piece or it will hang wonky (experience talking here). ;o) When you string your garland, leave plenty of room on the ends for tying, taping, etc. to where it will hang. You may have to fiddle to get your pieces spaced fairly evenly, but that's the great thing about this project: you can't go wrong!

Best wishes as you beautify your home with your hands! :o)

An Old-Fashioned Gift for a Baby Girl

As any lady who visits my blog regularly knows, I am an old-fashioned kind of girl; and my gift-giving reflects that as well. I enjoy making gifts for my friends because I feel that it is like sharing a part of my heart. Let me share with you the gift I crafted for my sweet friend Jen, who is about to deliver her first baby girl.

When putting together a gift, I consider the recipient's personality and tastes; and my friend has selected a garden theme for the baby's nursery. I love to sew, and so I thought I would fashion her some terrycloth-backed burpcloths as well as a changing pad (the small ones just never seemed quite large enough for my 9 lb. boys) from a pretty, feminine fabric. The coordinating violet stripe and print seemed just right and served as the inspiration for this project.

To begin, I found a container (I am a HUGE believer in re-gifting baskets in this way), an elliptical-shaped wooden basket. To add a feminine touch, I hot-glued some vintage lace I removed from a table runner earlier in the season. Part of it was originally damaged (the reason for the removal), but I had just enough perfect lace to make it around the edge of the basket!

Next, I prepared my basket for placing the items. To do this, I simply crumpled up a "mat" of tissue paper and covered it with a bit of leftover fabric. Easy and simple.

Next, I arranged the taller items (more to come on how I made the burpcloths and changing pad) into the corners and placed a book in the center. How to Be a Lady by Harvey Newcomb is a fantastic book for any mother and daughter and is full of sage advice on developing ladylike character.

Finally, I filled in the extra front space with other items: a lambkin toy, a silk hydrangea with cream berries tucked between the petals, a bottle of lavender baby lotion, and an antique postcard. In addition to this gift, Mr. Wilt's practicality coerced me into also giving the new family a large pack of diapers as well! LOL I think the basket turned out beautifully, and I hope it is a blessing to the new family!

NOTE: I tried to add extra little touches, like a bookplate with the baby's name in the book and a ribbon bookmark. A wax seal was used on the enclosed card. I take joy in finding the "little things" to make a package extra special for the recipient. It's a lot of fun! :o)

To make burpcloths and the changing pad:

First, select a washable cotton fabric for one side and terrycloth for the other. Cut 1 rectangle of each (if desired, trace the curve of a teacup on the corners for rounded edges). Pin the fabrics with finished sides facing inward. Sew around the edges, leaving a small gap in the seam to invert the "pocket". Then finish the edges by hand using a small whipstitch.

My finished burpcloths generally measure approximately 8 inches by 18 inches, and my finished changing pads are 12 inches by 24 inches. To the right you see how I fashion my changing pads. I sew a length of ribbon into the seam so that when inverted, it can be folded in half lengthwise, rolled up, and tied with a bow.

I hope these ideas encourage you to use your God-given talents to bless your friends as well. This present was relatively inexpensive, but a lot of fun to make and even more fun to give. :o)

Easy Tissue Paper Rosettes

Need an embellishment for a special package but don't have a bow to put on top? Here is a simple idea using things you may already have on hand.

To make these, you need:

• 2 sheets of tissue paper
• a stapler
• tape for securing to package

First, lay one sheet of tissue paper on table or flat surface.  Then, fold your sheet of tissue into FOURTHS widthwise. You should have a thick, long rectangle.

Next, starting at one end of the tissue, gather the paper into a "rosebud" by holding it tightly at one end and spiralling it around. You will have a tightly formed bud by the time you reach the end of the paper.

See above for the starting "pinch" position.

If your rosebud is not thick enough, you can repeat the beginning steps to make it fuller. Simply staple the bottom pinched part before adding on extra tissue. To make it fuller, simply flare out the top part of the tissue as you fold it around.

You may need to fiddle and fuss (and as I did, practice a bit) before creating these rosettes for your packages, but they are a personal touch when you need one "in a pinch." Enjoy! :o)