Felt Tool Set (Free Pattern Included)

Remember these . . .




If you've been hanging around Serving Pink Lemonade long enough you'll remember when I made my felt tool set years ago.  I made them for my oldest son when he was little but they're having a second go around now with my four year old.  This kid is my handy man.  He loves anything to do with tools, construction work, and trucks.  He loves this tool set and I love that I don't have to worry when he hammers the wall or saws my kitchen table because they're made out of felt and super soft.  It's a win-win!

Browsing around Pinterest I came across my pattern made into a quiet book page--which is so perfect because I don't think you can find a quieter set of tools.  This set would also make a fun homemade gift for a first or second birthday.

Find the instructions and template to make your own felt tools HERE.

And the toolbox?  HERE.



Happy crafting!

Service Manger

Note: This post was originally published back in 2010.  I've had several requests for a template to the manger.  I have created a template and decided to re-post this idea to allow more of our readers access to it.

This simple idea makes an inexpensive and meaningful gift to give to children in a Sunday school class or church setting.  It would also be a fun project to make and work together on as a family.  We have used this little homemade manger for years and really enjoyed the spirit of service that it created in our home.  This year we decided to finally upgrade to a nicer (sturdier) version that I came across on etsy.  You can find it here.

Be sure to check out this fun little story called Straw for the Manger to go along with your service manger too.  Find it HERE.

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Are you looking for ways to help your children remember the true meaning of Christmas this time of year?

This service manger is a fun and easy way to do just that!

This little manger started out empty, but each time someone in our family does a good deed or act of service they get to add a straw to the manger to make it soft in time for the baby Jesus to arrive for Christmas.

Want to make your own?  These simple mangers can be put together in minutes!

First I found some sturdy card stock (or thin cardboard will do also) and drew these images on it.

I then cut them out and pieced them together. See. Easy project. I didn't even use glue. Just fold your rectangle piece in half, cut the slits and insert the legs of the manger.

Find some straw (or raffia, or even paper shreds) and let your kids add them to the manger good deed by good deed.

Now for the baby Jesus.
I picked up these wooden pieces at Hobby Lobby for under $2 the other day. Perfect for our baby.

I then found some white scraps of flannel for a blanket and a sharpie to draw on the face.

Here's the baby all wrapped up and cozy.

I can't tell you how much my children have loved filling this manger with straw. It's been fun to see them being so helpful and offering to do all kinds of wonderful things around the house.


Just perfect for helping to remember the true meaning of Christmas.






(To print template: Click on picture below to enlarge, then right click and copy.  Open a word document, reduce your margins to zero and paste.  Expand to 100% and print.)





Merry Christmas!

Quiet Book Games Part 5: Dots and Squares (Free Template Included)

Today I'm sharing the final post in my quiet book game series.  I hope you've had just as much fun with them as I have!  Today's quiet book game is probably my favorite, Dots and Squares.   You will find the free template as well as links to the other posts in this series at the end of this post.

Be sure to check back next week for my big giveaway!  You won't want to miss it!

Growing up my sisters and I called this game "the dot game".  My husband informed me that it is called "squares".  Upon doing a little research I learned that this game goes by many names including: dots and boxes, squares, pigs in a pen, paddocks, square-it, dots and dashes, dots, smart dots, dot boxing, or simply the dot game.  That's a lot of names!  It looks like both my husband and I were right.  If you're not familiar with the rules of this game you can find them here.

To make a dots and squares quiet book game you need:

1. Template (found at the end of this post)

2. A pre-cut blank quiet book page.  I always use Pellon peltex for my quiet book pages--it's sturdy and you don't have to worry about fraying edges.  I make all my quiet book pages 7 x 8.5 inches.

3. A piece of 12 or 16 gauge vinyl, roughly 9 x 10 inches.

4. Acid free permanent marker

5. Dry erase marker

6. Single hole paper punch

Instructions:

Use your single hole paper punch to make the holes for binding in your quiet book page.  Download the template and print it out.  Cut out template and lay it on your quiet book page.  Use the dots on the template as a gauge for where to mark the dots on your quiet book page.   Mark the dots along the right and left sides and across the top using your marker.

Slide the template down and continue to mark the dots, using the template for a guide, until you've reached the bottom of your page.  

You now have a page full of dots.

To make your game erasable you need to add a vinyl surface to the page.  To do this roughly cut a 9 x 10 inch piece of vinyl--it's easier to apply if the vinyl is slightly bigger than your quiet book page.  Place the vinyl over your page and pin it along each edge and each corner.  Make sure it's pulled taught as you pin each side.  Sew around all four sides at an 1/8 inch seam.


The tricky thing about sewing vinyl is the presser foot sticking to the vinyl.  To help your presser foot glide along smoothly apply matte finish Scotch tape to the bottom of the presser foot as shown below.  This works wonderfully (and eliminates a ton of frustration!).

Now trim off the excess vinyl that is hanging over the edge of your page.  Re-punch the holes that the vinyl covered up.  Your hole punch will easily cut through the vinyl.

Now your game is ready to play.  Use a dry erase marker when playing to easily erase the game when done--the kind with the built in erasers make for easy clean up.

Be sure to check out the other posts in this series:

Part 1: Othello

Part 2: Simple Puzzles

Part 3: Tic-Tac-Toe

Part 4: Memory Match

(To print templates: Click on picture below to enlarge, then right click and copy.  Open a word document, reduce your margins to zero and paste.  Expand to 100% and print.)

Like this quiet book idea?  Find more of my quiet book ideas here and in my new book Quiet Book Patterns: 25 easy-to-make activities for your children.

Quiet Book Games Part 4: Memory Match (Free Template Included)

Today is part four in my quiet book game series.  Just one more to go!  Don't forget to stop by for my big giveaway once the series is through.

You will find links to the other posts in this series at the end of this post.

Matching games are fun for children of all ages.  I always enjoy playing them with my kids!  Do we ever really out grow them?  You can even simplify the game for very young children by playing with all the cards facing up.  The memory game I've created can also help toddlers and preschoolers learn their colors and shapes.  There are lots of learning opportunities packed into this little game.

What you'll need to make a memory match quiet book game:

1. Template (found at the end of this post)

2. Two pre-cut blank quiet book pages.  I always use Pellon peltex for my quiet book pages--it's sturdy and you don't have to worry about fraying edges.  I make all my quiet book pages 7 x 8.5 inches.

3. Various colors of felt

4. Fusible webbing (I use Pellon wonder under)

5. Acid free permanent marker

6. Single hole paper punch

Instructions:

Download and print out the template.  Place the template under your fusible webbing and trace two of each shape.

Bubble cut around the shape pairs.  Following the fusible web instructions use your iron to adhere the shape pairs to different colors of felt.

Cut out the shapes.  Also, use the rectangle template to cut out 36 of the game cards.  Fold your felt in half to cut two at once to help it go faster.

Peel off the paper backing from your shapes and place them, fusible webbing side down, onto the rectangle game cards.  Use your iron to fuse the shapes to the cards.  Remember to cover your project with a scrap piece of cotton fabric to protect it when ironing.

Pin another rectangle piece to the back of each game card and sew around the edges at 1/8".  The two layers makes it so you can't see the shapes through the back of the cards.

Now use your rectangle template and a permanent marker to trace nine squares onto each quiet book page.  Remember to use a single hole punch to place holes along the edge for binding.

Place completed game cards onto your quiet book page face down for playing.

Have fun with your new memory match game!

Be sure to check out the other posts in this series:

Part 1: Othello
Part 2: Simple Puzzles
Part 3: Tic-Tac-Toe
Part 5: Dots and Squares

(To print templates: Click on picture below to enlarge, then right click and copy.  Open a word document, reduce your margins to zero and paste.  Expand to 100% and print.)

Like this quiet book idea?  Find more of my quiet book ideas here and in my new book Quiet Book Patterns: 25 easy-to-make activities for your children.

Quiet Book Games Part 3: Tic Tac Toe (Free Template Included)

Today is part three in my quiet book game series.  I hope you're enjoying them!  Today I'm share how to make a tic-tac-toe game.  Who ever gets tired of this one?

  Be sure to check out the other posts in this series too!  (You'll find them listed at the end of the tutorial.)  Don't forget to check back in a few weeks for a huge giveaway once this series is over.

What you'll need to make a tic-tac-toe quiet book game:

1. Template (found at the end of this post)

2. A pre-cut blank quiet book page.  I always use Pellon peltex for my quiet book pages--it's sturdy and you don't have to worry about fraying edges.  I make all my quiet book pages 7 x 8.5 inches.

3. Black felt.

4. Fusible webbing (I use Pellon wonder under)

5. Velcro, strips and sticky dots

6. Two sets of 5 coordinating buttons

Instructions:

Download and print the template.  Place the template under the fusible webbing and trace the tic-tac-toe board using a pencil.

Bubble cut around the tic-tac-toe board.

Now iron it to your black felt following the fusible webbing instructions.

Use your scissors to cut out the tic-tac-toe board and then peel off the paper backing.

Lay your tic-tac-toe board (fusible webbing side down) onto your quiet book page.  Cover with a scrap piece of fabric and use your iron to adhere the board to the page.

Sew a strip of velcro to each end of your quiet book page.  Place velcro sticky dots to the back of your buttons.

Use the velcro strip to store the buttons when not playing.

Don't forget to add holes for binding along the edge of your page using a single hole punch.  Enjoy playing your new tic-tac-toe game!



Be sure to check out the other posts in this series:

Part 1: Othello
Part 2: Simple Puzzles
Part 4: Memory Match
Part 5: Dots and Squares


(To print templates: Click on picture below to enlarge, then right click and copy.  Open a word document, reduce your margins to zero and paste.  Expand to 100% and print.)

Like this quiet book idea?  Find more of my quiet book ideas here and in my new book Quiet Book Patterns: 25 easy-to-make activities for your children.

Quiet Book Games Part 2: Simple Puzzles (Free Template Included)

Today is part two in my quiet book game series.  These simple puzzles have three large pieces each making them perfect for little hands.  Your toddler will love piecing together some of their favorite foods.  Be sure to check out the other posts in this series too!  (You'll find them listed at the end of the tutorial.)

What you'll need to make these simple quiet book puzzles:

1. Templates (found at the end of this post)

2. A pre-cut blank quiet book page.  I always use Pellon peltex for my quiet book pages--it's sturdy and you don't have to worry about fraying edges.  I make all my quiet book pages 7 x 8.5 inches.

3. Transfer paper (I like the Avery brand)

4. A sheet of Pellon peltex (to apply your puzzles to)

5. Iron and a press cloth (a scrap piece of cotton fabric)

6. Velcro

7. Single hole paper punch


Instructions:

First gather together your iron, press cloth, transfer paper, and sheet of peltex.  Download the template and print out your fruits and veggies onto the transfer paper.  Follow the transfer paper instructions to apply the pictures to the peltex.

Once you've transferred the pictures, remove the paper backing and cut out the pictures.

Cut each picture into three pieces.  I know they're so cute that you hate to slash them up but you can do it!

Sew a four inch piece of velcro to the center of your quiet book page.

Apply velcro to the back of each fruit and veggie piece.  I like to use the sticky back dots for this.  Now your puzzles are all done and can be put together . . .

however your imagination chooses.

Don't forget to add holes for binding along the edge of your page using a single hole punch.

Be sure to check out the other posts in this series:

Part 1: Othello
Part 3: Tic-Tac-Toe
Part 4: Memory Match
Part 5: Dots and Squares


(To print templates: Click on picture below to enlarge, then right click and copy.  Open a word document, reduce your margins to zero and paste.  Expand to 100% and print.)

Like this quiet book idea?  Find more of my quiet book ideas here and in my new book Quiet Book Patterns: 25 easy-to-make activities for your children.