Quick Crafts: Felt Cat Toys With Catnip



Hey, Blue Eyes, Whatcha Got?

During one of my recent blog posts, I discussed a fun class I attended about using craft felt. My project was supposed to be a cup cozy, until demon face got a hold of it. At that point, I surrendered. It had now become HIS toy, not mine.

Since he is so cute, I promptly forgave him for biting up my project, but I had some extra craft felt of my own and I found some catnip at Walmart in their new dollar section. This got me thinking about making my own kitty toys. I bought the catnip and headed home on the bus to see what I could do.

(Disclaimer: I despise Walmart and hate shopping there, please look on Etsy for organic catnip or grow your own).

This Is Some Good Exercise!

While at the craft class, I learned to sew with embroidery thread. Although my novice stitches looked comical, they held up and were sturdy. Unfortunately, I didn't have any thread, thus, sewing my project was not an option. I decided to simply put the catnip inside the craft felt and roll it up, like a jelly roll. When I go to the end, I applied some E6000 craft adhesive and tied the ends shut with wide strips of cotton.

After a letting it dry for 2 days, I tested it out. Pepper declares that this is a good toy! He likes the catnip and the toy is really holding up through some rough play. The E6000 is not coming loose, and no catnip has spilled out.

So, if you have some felt, why not create some toys for your furry friends? You could decorate them with bells, fur, or feathers. I think I am going to make kitty a tiny Christmas stocking next holiday season!

Friends, Fun, and Felt: A Night Of Creating at The Art Barn



Chattin' and Craftin'

What can you really get for 15.00 dollars these days? Not much, but at The Art Barn in Rockvale, you can attend an informal arts and crafts class that includes materials. Some classes, like encaustics and silk-screening are more pricey, due to the supplies, but whatever the topic is, it is money well spent for an enjoyable evening of socializing and learning. The classes are for all skill levels. Additionally, there are classes offered for children only.

Buttons And Beads and Thread, Oh My!

So, what did we do at the felt lesson? For me this was great fun, as my mother had shown me how to sew on a button simple stitches, but I quickly forgot. Sorry mom! During the felt lesson, we used acrylic  craft felt to make our choice of project. There were bracelets, ornaments, coffee-cozies and more. I sewed, glued, embellished, drank coffee and asked for glitter; there HAS to be glitter!

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable evening with great conversation. The hostess and owner, Donna, couldn't have been more hospitable. From beginner to advanced, a great time was had by all. See the website here for The Art Barn for the schedule of activities and information. Also, you can request a class in your area of interest. http://theartbarntn.com/Home_Page.html



Folk-Art Flower



Vintage Buttons