Felt Food Tea Bags Tutorial

I always try to make something handmade to go along with any gifts I give.  I think it makes it more special when people know you took a little time to make something.  One of my favorite things growing up with three sisters was having tea parties.  My daughter loves having parties with her stuffed animals or friends.  

This is a fun little tutorial I put together for my daughter's play kitchen.  She loves to run a cafe and serve up all of her customers tasty treats.  Normally she makes me coffee - if that says anything about how much coffee I actually drink - but I wanted to make some tea bags for her to play with.

So I just started with those organza jewelry bags.  I cut the ribbons out of the bags by just snipping off the end and pulling them out.

I just cut out a rectangle of black felt and placed it in the bag to represent the tea leaves.  I wanted to use chunky glitter or confetti, but we only had red, so I went with the black felt.

Then, I put one of the ribbons I pulled out of the bag into the top and stitched the sack shut. 

 Finally, I stitched down a small square of felt for the tab.  I would have ironed some little gems or monogram applique on if my iron was working.  I guess that three years of using it every day while sewing has finally burned it out. 

So, here is the set of 4 that I made.  On a side note, this would be a super cute project for a baby shower favor or bridal shower favor filled with bath salts instead of felt. 

I put links to the supplies below.  I usually buy things in bulk online because I often make lots of the same items and put them in my etsy shop or sell them at craft shows. 

Some Free Felt Food Tutorials

I just love felt food.  Lisa and I have made up dozens of different felt food dishes.  It is a very fun craft to make because felt food is quick, simple, and inexpensive in addition to being better for your kids than plastic food.  Plus, felt or fleece are the idea beginner fabrics for projects.  They don't fall apart and they are really easy to sew.

I actually think really simple coloring pages make perfect patterns for felt food.  I normally just freehand the felt food, but I'm not picky.

Here are some nice tutorials on making your own felt food:

This is a tutorial for eggs and oranges from One Crafty Mumma:

One Inch World brings you this tutorial on ravioli.  She did stick it together with spray glue which seems pretty simple.  I sewed each piece with my machine.

I put some links to supplies below here.  I like to buy my felt in bulk because it's so much less money that way.  Some people sew on all sorts of beads.  I am really lazy and I hate hand sewing, so I just use puffy paint for the embellishments - like sprinkles or frosting.

If you are not big into sewing, I highly recommend a good hot glue gun.  It's worth it to buy one that is a little nicer.  They heat up faster and maintain heat longer.

This is a really fun tutorial on little cookies (I would use puffy paint rather than beads b/c I am lazy like that and let's face reality - I would never spend the time to stitch the beads down like that and the project would never be finished).

Chasing Marcus has this tutorial on felt food Brussel's sprouts.

Here is a tutorial on making a loaf of French Bread:

If you want really involved patterns for more complex food check out the links below.  Lots of great books and patterns are available online.  In my experience felt food is a really great seller at craft shows and in your kid friendly esty shop.

 Happy Sewing!

Happy Holidays

Although Christmas is just a few weeks away, there is still time to make some cute and thoughtful gifts for your loved ones.

In the spirit of giving, we'd like to offer our readers 20% off in our pattern shop on Etsy.

Just head on over to the Boutique It Pattern Shop and enter the code HAPPYHOLIDAYS20 at check out.

Most of our patterns are beginner friendly and can be sewn in one afternoon (some in an hour)!

This discount also applies to our premade felt toys, softies, baby gifts, and anything else you might find in the shop.

Happy Crafting everyone!!!!

Spooky Halloween Food Ideas

We love to have a themed meal at Halloween every year.  Here are some ideas I put together for a kid friendly spooky dinner.

Jack-o-lanturn Quesadillas   Pumpkin Fondue Pot  Apple Fangs

Mummy Pizza   Mashed Potato Ghosts  Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Halloween Ideas Roundup

 
 Halloween Tree    Ghost Lanterns   Treat Pillows

Halloween Pops        Pumpkin Tray        Candy corn Treats



A Play Little Kitchen Makeover

I took a little break from sewing this weekend to redo my daughter's play kitchen.  Previously, she had a plastic princess kitchen.  It went into the garage to be played with in the yard next summer.  Totally useless is how I would describe it.  The door fell off every time she opened it.  For the first few days, the novelty of the singing stove was great, but after that there just wasn't enough to do.  It was ultimately a waste of $100.00.  So, my mom found this little wooden kitchen set for $15 at a thrift store. 

It was white and getting pretty beat up.  I decided to give it a restyle with some paint.  I had a gallon of blue and a gallon of pink in the basement.  I started with that.  Then, I used cheap craft paint to create a simple design.  It's not my best paint job.  I could only find foam paint brushes.  I just don't know where all of my good brushes went off to.  Anyway, I really covered up how warped the doors were with this busy paint scheme.  I made the polka dots with the brush handle.    I finished it off with some marine varnish.  I want to wash it without the paint coming off.  I actually let Kamille roll on most of the pink with a mini roller.  She was thrilled.  I think that she still has paint in her hair, but she was so excited to get to use the paint roller like a "big mamma".  I still need to put the handles back on, but it's about 95% finished.

Great Recycled Cabinet Redo

This is a really inspiring project made from 2 cabinets purchased from a salvage yard.  Click here for the full play kitchen project.

You really could use any old cabinets to make up a little play kitchen.  Even a couple of those built it yourself closet organizers would work so well with a little paint and some wooden shapes and knobs. 

 Here is another really cute idea for a DIY kitchen with what you have.  This would be a great kitchen for a really little toddler or for outdoors.  You could bring it into the garage in the winter. 

This is from www.ohdeedoh.com/.../020910-mia-play-kitchen.jpg

Wood Working Plans 

I also found these great plans, available for $9.00 to make your own set. 

Family Fun had another great idea for a play kitchen that uses a laminated shelf and 2 shoe racks. 

Click here for the free tutorial and play kitchen plans.

Felt Food

Don't forget to go green and safe and make some great felt food for the kitchen.