dream big.: Happy New Year + Semi-Handmade Gifts

Happy New Year! I gratefully say goodbye to 2011 as it has been one bumpy ride. We finished off the year with our furnace and water heater going out in the same week. Yes, the same week. To top that off it happened two weeks before Christmas. Oh, and let’s not even discuss the dollars that had to be poured into it. Yes, I am happy 2011 is over. I am ready for a fantastic 2012.

I have been busy over the holiday. I created a semi-handmade Christmas this year. I am thrilled to report all of the handmade gifts are well loved! Yeah! Now that Christmas is over and I have no more surprises to keep I thought I would share the gifts that were made this past holiday at my house.

The first two gifts I want to share have to do with the two old suitcases I shared in December. Well…one of those suitcases smelled VERY musty. I am working on getting out the musty smell, but thankfully had an extra suitcase at home that I could use in place of the musty one.

I was inspired by a dollhouse suitcase I saw on Pinterest, that was made for a dolly. Ella LOVES Calico Critters, and really wanted a house for them for Christmas. I just couldn’t see spending over $100 for a house made of plastic, so I created this dollhouse suitcase for her critters. The best part is that it holds ALL of her little furniture and critters, plus fits under her bed when she is finished with it! Needless to say this was a complete hit at my house.

I created the little house by cutting a piece of cardboard to fit inside the lid of the suitcase. Then, I covered it with batting to make it soft and squishy. I just did a rough cut and stapled the bad boy to the cardboard. Easy peasy.

Next, I placed the covered cardboard onto my background fabric and cut out the back ground fabric. I left enough fabric to later wrap around the cardboard and staple in place.

Then I cut out strips of fabric to create a door, windows, and curtains. After cutting them out I stitched them onto the background fabric. I planned to add more details, but Christmas was coming and I had lots more to create!

Next, I created a floor for the house. I did this the same way that I created the house detail insert. I just used some fun fabric and core board instead of cardboard, because it is what I had on hand.

Also, I wanted to use the suitcase as storage for Ella's little Critter's, so I used coreboard and made padded siding for the base of the suitcase for the floor lid to rest on.

She loves it and actually is playing with it as I type right now!

The whole idea of a suitcase being the storage container for a toy or project inspired me to create a crocheting kit for Natalie. I included the super cool Kids Crochet book and bought her all of the supplies that are listed in the book to get her started. She LOVES it and is happy to be crocheting beyond a simple chain!

The book fits inside at the bottom and everything has a home. Just got to like that.