October 3rd 2015 - pot o gold

October 3rd 2015 - Pot o gold

Today I have finally finished the leprechauns house for the fairy garden and started to varnish it.  Tomorrow I will varnish the bottom and then it is ready to go outside.  Lil man asked if I could make him a pot of gold to go with it.  This pin gave me the idea. 

Instead of using a bottle I used a small plastic medicine tub:

I took off the lid and cut the tub abit shorter with a sharp knife.  From here I coated the inside in a grey nail varnish and left to dry.  I then coated the outside in a dark blue and silver nail varnish and left to dry.

 I filled the inside of the tub 3/4 of the way up with clear silicone and then started to place gold pirate coins into it, I also put more silicone around the coins so it should be waterproof.  I did place a few more coins than are in the photo.

It is now sitting drying ready to go outside tomorrow with the house and leprechauns.

April 27th 2015 - Golden Pants Trophy

April 27th 2015 - Golden Pants Trophy

To go in my story sack for family learning I decided I would make and add a Golden Pants Trophy like the one the Pirates are hunting are hunting for.

I picked up a pack of trophies in £1 shop, this is one of them:

I painted the bottom part and the stem with gold glitter nail varnish - I think it had about 5 coats in the end to get a nice thick gold colour.

I then hunted the net for a pattern to make underpants and found this one:
 

As you can see I cut it in half to use as I would have had problems fixing an "all in 1" pair round the trophy because of the stem etc.

I had some gold sparkly/sequin material in the cupboard which I thought would be great and look really like a gold trophy:

I drew round the pants template and cut out 2 pairs of the pants.  I also added a piece of material across the top of the 2 pairs of pants but this didn't work so I had to remove it.  I stitched the pants together leaving the crutch area open so that I could get it onto the trophy.  I added some goldish ribbon to the pants to make the "Y-front" markings.

I stuffed the middle of the trophy with pillow stuffing and wrapped some all around the handles and the outside of the trophy.  I then very carefully (and hard) got the pants onto the trophy where I added more stuffing to them to make sure the whole of the pants were stuffed and the right shape.

I finally sewed the bottom of the pants together and the finished Golden Pants Trophy looks like this:

I'm really pleased with how it turned out and so are the boys who the story sack will be for.

Pirate party part 2

So preparation for the party is still in full swing!!!  but things are getting there slowly.

the point for the front of the ship and the anchor and chain are now complete and fully painted, and i have made the ships wheel from cardboard and wool and a wrapping paper tube.

I have also made a mast and sail (no photo yet), from my old expandable washing line prop (upright) and an expandable pole (paintbrush extender to go across), they are tied and then gaffa taped together in a cross and i have used a red/black/white curtain to make the sail, it is stitched onto the cross pole loosely.

I have now bought the rings, necklaces, plastic gems and plastic coins for the dig for treasure, and I have collected loads of small rough rocks which I painted gold to resemble good nuggets and I also collected beach/sea glass and sanded any sharp edges, these were also varnished to make them look shinier.  I bought small gold net bags to add the kids treasure to once they have found it.


The new gazebo is bought as well, so now have 3 BUT if asda still have theirs reduced this week will grab another one!  (yes my garden is big enough to house 4 gazebos and them still look lost!)

The food labels are printed, they need laminating though and need buy food week of party.  I have also made and printed a set of "pirate rules", and "honorary pirate certificates" for each child (will add names on day when children arrive), these are going to be tied with ribbon and put in party bags.

The "rag banners" are coming on well (no photo as yet), I have made 3 and have enough rags to make a further 2 that all match and then have loads of oddments that dont make the full repeated pattern but I can still use them to tie on fence, gazebo legs etc.  I also managed to pick up a 5ft pirate skull flag for £2.10 off amazon!

I managed to pick up pirate plates, bowls and servettes from poundland and they were packs were 15 not 8 like ebay were selling.  I also got a set of pirate cake cases and mini flags to go in them from poundland.

I managed to get a small (3ft round) blue paddling pool which is going to have blue ballons (with rice in so dont float away) as water, and the crocodile I made from the boys old "dragon onesie", to walk the plank, just need buy a scaffolding plank from B&Q.

 Whilst we were on holiday alot of the 2p machines had big "crystals/diamonds" in them in a variety of colours (similar to picture below) and we managed to win quite alot of them.  We also managed to pick up a treasure chest when we went to sea life centre.





I got a set of skittles from £1 shop and printed pictures of pirates and taped them on, much safer for knock the pirate over than the option of old bean tins painted as no sharp edges.


I *think* everything is sorted, I have a list of things I still need to do and need to buy (but most on it is food).  I have found loads of pirate songs that we will have playing during the party as well, i've pre-warned the neighbours. lol!