It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… It was craft time.
I like crafting with the boys. Really, I do. I like it even better when my perfectionist, Type-A personality is numbed by, say, Dairy Queen Chocolate + Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Blizzards. Otherwise, I sometimes, occasionally, maybe every now and then, start to get the teeniest bit hysterical over small details.
These little ghosts are a sweet craft project from the latest issue of Country Living Magazine (page 52 for the brave). I knew immediately I wanted to make them, especially when I saw them swinging so spookily from a chandelier similar to ours, although undoubtedly more expensive and not from IKEA.
It seemed easy enough: cheesecloth, balloons, fabric stiffener, and innocent eyes cut from felt.
I let the boys do the set up but wanted to have them watch me apply the wet cheesecloth to the balloon forms. For them, it was as fun as watching grass grow. They lost interest and started watching TV. Fine. I proceeded to put the wet ghosts outside outside, clean up, and cut out the felt eyes.
THE EYES!
The eyes almost killed me. It’s not like I have a wicked-sharp pair of scissors in my “crafting cupboard” labeled for cutting felt only in that distinct, child-like Martha Stewart printing. You know, that printing? The kind that looks na�ve and casual, but behind the pen sits a person with an iron fist and an underwear drawer organized by color, fabric, and season. Yeah, that printing.
So I used my regular scissors. The same ones I used to cut paper [gasp!], open packages, tear tape, and slice through ribbon. The scissors are thick, dull, and get the job done. This may put them leagues ahead of my friend’s ex-husband, but as a felt cutting device, they failed miserably.
And so my craft project devolved.
I started off in good spirits. Of course, that’s before I tried to cut a circle with a 5mm radius.
The first time around I used care and precision and most of my patience.
By the third ghost, the felt started disappearing within the blades of my scissors.
Which is about the time my ego kicked in to make me feel better. It worked like a charm. Translation: I NO LONGER CARE.
Which is how I ended up with a ghost that looks more like a jellyfish.
Ah Jules – seriously you and I must be twins separated at birth. You see, I would have known that there’s no way I could cut a perfect circle. So, I would have gotten in the car and driven to the nearest Michaels and searched high and low for a die punch that would cut through felt (I’m sure Ms. Stewart makes one). And, in doing so, my crafty ghosts would have taken an entire day to create, plus the cost of the punch and gas after driving around for hours searching for a punch that would cut through felt. All because I’m woefully insecure about cutting a perfect felt circle. You did so much better than I would have. They look perfect! xoxoxo
Oh, I’m with you. I tired my hole punch and almost tossed it through a window in frustration. I would have immediately gone to buy “necessary supplies” but I’m on a no-spend month, remember? ;)
Now that, my friend, was some good times.
It’s been my experience that perfect ghosts are borish … quirky ghosts have more characters. They’re a lot more fun at parties.
I think they are super cute ghosts!
Ha ha.. jellyfish : )
So,
-I cut up an old sheet.
-Stuff with cotton balls, pillow stuffing batting, foam cubes, whatever I don’t have to run out and buy.
-Tie off the head part tightly with a rubber band.
-Let the kids go at the faces with a sharpie. I laugh my @ss off at the expressions they draw.
-Sew a long peice of thread through the tops of their heads and hand them from the trees in the yard.
(this idea may be from an old Family Fun mag.)
I like your/CL’s idea of the starched jellies better. I’m thinking of all the possible animal/dragon/geometric shapes now!
Awww!!!!! What spooky little fellows!!! ((Ghosts, jellyfish, they are darling and I love them all!!!))
I saw the write up for this in the magazine and thought:”That looks so simple!! Why, I could do that all day!!” Lol. Me and my naive thoughts.
P.S. I know exactly the handwriting you are talking about, it’s the same one teachers write with.
Happy day, friend,
xo
My kids just saw these photos over my shoulder and said, “COOL! How do you make those? Can we make some? Can weeeeee???” So now I have to go to the craft store this morning while the baby is at preschool. Thanks, Jules. ;) No, really–I appreciate a good craft project that will take minimal intervention from me (my kids are old enough to do most of it themselves), and the kids are very excited to hang something on the porch because their lame parents do not put any effort into holiday decorating. According to them, we’re the ONLY house in the neighborhood without decorations. Really, Mom!
I should not read your blog at work. Everyone knows I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing when I suddenly burst out in fits of laughter. On another note, I am SOOO making these!
Too funny. They are perfect just like they are. A couple thoughts that could help with future projects though. a) Would the ghosts know if their eyes were black card stock, not felt? b) If you’re hooked on felt, this works well. Draw the shape on a piece of paper. Cut it out a little larger than the outline. Tape the shape to the felt. Use several layers of tape and press down hard. It will stick long enough to give enough rigidity to easily cut out complicated shapes. c) When in doubt–wiggly eyes!!!
Also–did you add the totally fun captions with Picnic?
I don’t know about the black card stock, but I do know that I have about 75 sheets of it in my office and I am now feeling really silly for not using it! I tried a permanent marker, but the holes in the cheesecloth prevented a solid looking eye. I even considered wiggly eyes, but the felt was cheaper. I should have tried card stock!
Great tips on cutting through felt! I will remember them next time.
Yes, the picture weren’t all that great so I doctored them up and added funny captions in Picnik. I don’t normally do things like that (captions) so now I am feeling more silly!
Those captions are the best of silly! I had to go look at them again for another laugh. And thanks also for the inspiration on Picnik.
Ohhh. THANK YOU for bringing laughter to my morning! I’m sick & plugging away at work, but I then decided that I would rather read the latest update and I’m so happy i did! #1 I suffer from Type-A personality disorder myself #2 wonder when i’m just going to admit that when i choose a craft project ‘for my daughter’ most likely it’s ME that really wants to do it #3 i have those same scissors (and apparently the same ex-husband as your friend- HA)
these came out so super cute now i want to make some, too!
“behind the pen sits a person with an iron fist and an underwear drawer organized by color, fabric, and season”
This is the point at which I added you to my google reader.
I love the ghosts.
Love those little ghosts! Great job, Jules. :)
I think jellyfish(es?) are scarier than ghosts anyway.
I agree!
My early encounters with jellyfish did have me wondering about the jellyfish ghosts sprouting from the ceiling but they are awfully cute.
And my dad would tell me to never point out my mistakes on my craft projects–those eyes are slits because they are glaring at you not because the scissors are dull:)
I love them! And their eyes have personality.
For the boys, maybe those tissue paper ghosts? A tissue crumpled up, another tissue draped over it and then tied to make a ghost shape. Then you draw a face on with a marker. I’m not describing this well. They aren’t nearly as cool as your cheesecloth guys, but they require no glue, no cutting and very minimal supplies.
Aw, those are cute! Found the Country Living directions and now have my own balloons resting in cups on the table. You didn’t think it was worth mentioning in your post that a bottle of fabric stiffener is called Stiffy?? I cracked up when I saw that.
I haven’t tackled the eyes yet. I’m going to have to put the bottle of Stiffy away before I get out my scissors. These ghosts seem rather delicate. Is there any point in trying to pack them away for next year?
I had no idea it was called Stiffy! In fact, I had to go and look for the bottle to make sure. I think I was just on a mission in the craft store. ;)
When I saw that craft in the magazine and saw how they did the eyes, I thought “WHAT?? you are kidding me….there has got to be a better way…”