May The Force Be With You

My daughter, Kristin,and her family are huge Star Wars fans, and especially love everything Darth Vader.   So when her family decided to go to Walt Disney World with us on our last trip, we knew that we had to get the kids signed up for the Jedi Training Academy.  The morning we were doing Hollywood Studios and wanted the kids to do the Academy, Kristin and the kids arrived at the park for rope drop and headed straight for the Jedi Training Academy.  The spots fill up quickly, and there was quite a line already.  But they were registered and given a time to return. They took a Memory Maker photo op with the speeders in the Star Wars area, and toured the park while waiting for their return time.

When they returned at their given time, they were fitted for Jedi robes, and then marched as a group to the stage.  There they were introduced to the Jedi Master, who presented them with their light sabers and instructed on how to use them.  Each trainee was given the opportunity to practice with the master.  You have to be 4 years old to participate, and Jake had turned 4 only five days before.  He had a little trouble with his light saber getting stuck, and in this photo the Master is asking him if Mommy had instructed him to say he was four.  Jake told him that he had just had a birthday.  After practicing with the Master, each trainee was given the opportunity to battle Darth Vader.  Here is Izzy "taking down" Darth Vader.

The kids had a great time, and Kristin commented that she wished she could have participated.  Jake still talks about fighting Darth Vader.  With the Memory Package, you have the opportunity to take your photos and add borders.  I made Star Wars cards for both the kids.

If you are looking for something special for your kids to do in Hollywood Studios, check out the Jedi Training Academy.  You will have a great memory, and so will the kids.

Make Cooking More Fun

Before our last trip to Disney, my oldest daughter decided that she wanted to do her kitchen in Mickey Mouse.  She had purchased a few items, and for her birthday Rod and I bought her Mickey salt and pepper grinders and a Mickey glove spoon rest.  Mary is a great cook, but has an uncanny knack for burning herself.  I knew she needed some pot holders to go with her Mickey kitchen.  I found a pattern for Pot Pinchers.  Both my husband and I have a difficult time controlling large pot holders - they always seem to end up in the food.  The pot pinchers seemed like a perfect solution for all of us.  We love them, and Rod hides his to make sure that he always knows where they are.  I added some Disney ones to The Frozen Mouse Etsy site yesterday, and am working on some non-Disney ones to add to the site.

Check out the new items.  You might just find something you like.  

Success . . . Finally

After any hours of internet surfing, copying and pasting, sewing, unsewing, and adjusting dimensions, I finally have my project completed to my satisfaction.  

I call them Busy Buddies. I figure that this buddy will provide lots of entertainment for little ones in church, in a restaurant, on a plane, in a car, or just waiting for an appointment.  It comes complete with a small notebook, a click pencil, and an 8-count box of Crayola crayons.  It’s all put together in a small book, which is easy for little fingers to open and close with the elastic loop and large button.  The back is the same fabric as the pockets.

I'm really pleased with how they turned out.  I have different designs, some are Disney themed and some are not. Now I have to get the items put inside and get them packed and ready to mail when an order is placed.  I think they would make great Valentine gifts or to stuff in an Easter basket.  

Now to move on to something else.

Some Days You Should Just Rest

This week I've been battling a head cold.  A cold always knocks the stuffin' out of me, and this one is no exception.  Yesterday, although I didn't feel so great, I pushed myself to sew.  What I should have done was just rest.

I've been working on a new project that I call Busy Buddies.  The outside will be machine embroidered.  The back will be a relevant fabric, Frozen in this case.

And inside, there will be a notepad, a click pencil and an 8 count box of crayolas. I think they will be a big help to Moms at a restaurant, in church, in a car, on a plane, or just waiting in a doctor's office.   The idea that I based mine on called for fusible batting.  In an effort to cut the cost and the bulk, I used fusible interfacing.  The result isn't good.  The Busy Buddy is flimsy and the pockets are too large.  I should have just rested, but I didn't.  I managed to finish 4 of the Buddies, all but the buttons.  I decided to start with 3 for my youngest grandkids and 4 for my friend Cindy's grandkids, So at least I only have to tear out 4 - I can be thankful for that.  Today I will un-sew those 4 and then rest.  Tomorrow, I will start fresh with the fusible batting and see how it goes after only one.

After reviewing my statistics for the two Etsy stores, my daughter (the former accountant) advised me to close the Linda B's store.  So this week, I have been combining it with The Frozen Mouse.  It involves removing each listing from Linda B's and re-listing it on The Frozen Mouse.  It is quite time consuming, and I've been working on it in the evenings.  I should finish that up tonight.

Maybe while I'm resting, I'll look for more new ideas for the stores.  Stay warm.

Frustration! and Success

The last few days have been a little frustrating.  I've felt like Goldilocks at the house of the Three Bears.  Let me explain.  Currently I'm working on a new item for the Etsy store.  I wanted to make part of it with an embroidery design.  I found a Betamax design that I loved, so I paid for my order and downloaded it.  I put it onto a zip drive, and stuck that zip drive into the embroidery machine, and selected the design.  I get an error message "exceeds sewing area".  So I email the seller and tell her the problem I'm having.  She was very patient, sent me a smaller design, and still I got the same message,  After an hour or two, I decided to give up.  Without my even asking, the seller refunded my money.  Yes, Goldilocks, design was too big!  Aaaaaah!

So I move onto Doc McStuffins.  Same deal.  This seller seems a bit annoyed when I email her, but sends me a different file.  Still same message.  I've given up on this seller - I have enough frustration at this point.  So, Goldilocks, this design is still not for you!  I find another and it fits.  I feel like Rocky climbing the stairs.  But when I stitch it out, there are two white areas above her eyebrows, and a white spot above her head, and another at her side. What's up with that! Oh, I could just scream.
I find another through a Pinterest site (a long way around, I know) and it looks ok, so I buy and download it.

 I stitched it out this morning, and I have success!

I buy a Batman logo, and although it shows in the file on the laptop, it won't show on the zip drive!  By now, Goldilocks is becoming more frustrated. Seems that the porridge has disappeared,  So I quit for a while.

Last night I found a Betamax design, a Doc McStuffins, and a Batman logo.  I also found a Darth Vader design that I absolutely loved.  Some of them were from international sellers, but they worked fine. Two of the designs were from an Etsy seller, and they are stunning - simple yet perfect. The Three Bears have not only arrived home, but invited Goldilocks to stay for dinner.

Right now I have a dozen embroidered blocks to use for the covers, and want to start putting the project together over the weekend.  I'll post photos when they are ready.  Stay warm!

AARRRGH!

On our most recent trip to Walt Disney World, all four grandchildren and their families were with us. I wanted to to something special for them to remember, so  Pappy and I treated them to The Pirate's League.  There are several packages from which to choose.  Kristina (age 14) and Izzy (age 7) both chose the Mermaid Package.  The cost for this package is $39.95, which to some may seem a little high.  But included in this package was their mermaid makeup, and they got to keep the kit.  Their hair was styled and held in place with a color-changing hair clip.  They also received a mermaid necklace, a sash, and the nail polish that was used to paint their nails.  And they got to participate in the Pirate's League Parade later that afternoon.

James (age 11) decided to take the First Mate Package (cost $34.95).  It included the face make-up, a reversible bandana, an earring and eye patch, a sword and sheath, a pirate necklace, and a temporary tattoo.

Jake (age 4) of course, wanted to be Jake from the Neverland Pirates.  His package was also $34.95 and included a Jake and the Neverland Pirate Bandana with faux hair, Jake facial makeup, a sword and sheath, a Pirate League Bag and a Pirate Coin.  Both the boys also got to participate in the Pirate's League Parade.  Jake even had the pirate face down pat!

And James got to lead the parade.  That night when we got back to our resort, I received a text from son-in-law Jimmy thanking me for the experience.  He said it's something James will never forget . . . and he was just a regular kid pirate!

If you're looking for a special memory that will last a lifetime for your kids, give the Pirate's League a look.  You'll need to call ahead of time to make an appointment, but it's worth the time and money.

The Frozen Mouse Loves Fabric

As you can see from the weather icon on the sidebar, it's frigid here in Pennsylvania today.  So I truly am a Frozen Mouse.  But I'm also a fabric-aholic!  And when the weather gets cold, the Mouse goes online shopping.  I have a couple of new projects that I'm working on for the Etsy store, and I needed to shop for some new fabrics.

First I was looking for something new, and secondly I was searching for something suitable for kids (big and small).  I haven't seen the Big Hero Six movie yet, but my grandkids thought it was amazing.  I was tickled when I found Big Hero Six fabric and an embroidery design for Baymax.  I also purchased some new fabric featuring Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. I already had embroidery designs for them.  (Are you curious, yet?) I'm hoping to start the new item tomorrow.

Over the holidays, I sold out of some of my wristlets and was looking for some new fabrics for them.  The cartoon fabric with Mickey and Minnie was a big hit, but look what I found while shopping:

These are the Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse that I remember from my childhood.  I fell in love with this fabric the minute I saw it.  I probably should have bought more of it than I did since it's no longer available from the website from which I bought it.

I also bought some non-Disney fabrics, some Paw Patrol and Skylanders (although I have no idea what Skylanders are).  

I hope your holidays were safe and full of love and hapiness.  May the New Year bring you all the good things that life has to offer.