If you read my post from Monday, you'll have heard my Christmas Confession. That I'm lowering my standards for Christmas this year... that I didn't make every gift I'm giving (even though that was kinda my plan and I bought a book to do just that), I didn't decorate like I normally do, didn't make Christmas Cards, keep up with my December Daily (I'm actually pretty bummed about this one), haven't been super great with our Elf on the Shelf (we told Adam that he's like Rango, our tortoise, and gets too cold to move sometimes)... And that I'm trying to be fine with all of it so that I can enjoy the season instead of stress-out and be super cranky over the season. No one wants a cranky Christmas mommy!
But, I did make one gift and that's what I'm sharing today! I LOVE IT; love the way it turned out, love how easy it was to follow the instructions, love that I was able to use my Silhouette Cameo and some Silhouette Heat Transfer Material to make it a little easier for me.
I used the Puppet Theater Pattern and Instructions from Oliver + S Little Things Book (you can find it here)- which is FABULOUS (said in my Oprah voice)!
I initially bought it for the Hooded Cape Pattern and the Penguin Backpack pattern... like I said, I had big plans to make all of the kids gifts this year, but ended up falling in love with all of the projects! I decided to make the Puppet Theater for my good friend, M's Little's, for a few reasons - they have a limited amount of space and with the two Little's, I knew that they were already overflowing with toys so I wanted something that was easy to put up, take down and store. I wanted something that could be for both the Little's, one is a funny little 2.5 yr old boy and the other is a sweet 4.5 yr old girl, something that they could use for years and at the same time and something to take advantage of their awesome imaginations. The Puppet Theater meet all of my requirements and then some!!
(photo courtesy of Oliver + S)
You use a tension rod to hang the Puppet Theater in a hallway or doorway, which helps make it easy to put up, take down and you can just roll it up to store! Awesome sauce!
Here's how mine turned out. The picture is horrible, I know, I'm sorry. I did take photos with my camera... I just didn't have the memory card in it. My bad. So the pics I took with my phone are pretty special... it doesn't help that it was dark outside so I had our lovely yellowish lights on in the hall and dining room. Anyways - enough disclaimers!!!
Instead of using a drop cloth like the instructions say, I used a flat sheet for my base. I was able to take out the top, side stitches where it folds over and make that into the pocket for the tension rod. I followed the instructions for every thing else tho. To create my windows, door, flower boxes, etc. I used my Silhouette software, Cameo and Silhouette Flocked Heat Transfer Material. I created my door, windows, flower boxes, etc per the books measurements. Once everything was cut, weeded and laid where it was supposed to be, I ironed them on using the instructions on the Heat Transfer Material box. It was so much fun seeing the little house take shape!
Here's my little guys peeking through the curtains for the puppet theater - I heard a lot of "Is that for us?" and "Let's do a show!" until I dampened their hopes and said "It's not for you guys - it's a Christmas present!". But I am excited to make one for Lil' A in the shape of a police station for his birthday! I was even trying to figure out if I could make a reversible one... we'll see what I end up with.
We gave the Puppet Theater with a Melissa and Doug Puppet for each of the Little's. I gave a princess puppet to the Little Lady and a dragon puppet to the Little Guy- guess I should've made it into a castle instead of a house?? Maybe it's a fairytale set in modern times? The options are endless with this puppet theater - you can make it exactly how you want it! And don't worry if you don't have a Cameo and Heat Transfer Material, the instructions call for fabric backed with fusible interfacing to create your windows, door, etc. I just choose the option that worked best for me!
Oh!! I almost forgot, if you want to make the puppet theater but don't want to purchase puppets, a hand-mitt puppet project and pattern are included in the Oliver + S Little Things book! You can literally make everything for an amazing gift of imagination using the same book! Win-win!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
See you tomorrow!
Andrea
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