M-I-C-K-E-Y - M-O-U-S-E - Ears (sang to the Mickey Mouse Club tune)

LILO & STITCH 

My oldest, Justin, has a coworker/friend that is a Disney fanatic. Kelsey has a yearly pass to Disney World and definitely gets her money worth. She probably goes every month if not more often. She goes to all the special events like Mickey's birthday bash and Halloween. She goes to events I've never heard of like Pin days. Something about going around the park to the different characters and answering their question to earn a special character pin. No clue. Kelsey enjoys so it and that's all that really matters.

Except of you're a die hard Disney fan you have to dress the part. One of things you need are Mickey Ears. I remember those fuzzy plastic black hats with the big fuzzy black ears and maybe your name embroidered on the front - for a few extra dollars of course.  

Now there are headbands with fabric ears and little doodads glued on. This is where I step in. Kelsey buys all the supplies and I make her ears for each event. At first it was a pain and I didn't want to ever make another pair of ears for the rest of my life but then like most things they got easier with each set of ears. 

URSULA

This time I made Lilo & Stitch and Ursula ears. Kelsey ordered the bows online I believe so she will need to add those herself. I believe she wore her new Ears this past Tuesday. Last time I made Villain ears for her everyone she came across wanted to know where she bought her ears. I guess I made them right.

This time I filmed a sew with me non-tutorial type video. This way you can see how I make my ears and if I forget I can watch the video and be reminded.

Sew with me - How I make stuffed Disney Ears 

YouTube update

I recently purchased some room darkening/heat blocking curtains. It was less expensive to purchase the longer curtain panel and cut it down to fit two of my windows. Come hang out with me while I shorten and hem my new curtains.

Also, my latest podcast episode is available. I've been working on a few different projects these past two weeks. It's Spring allergy season here in SW Florida and my eyes do not look happy.

SigOrnament swap block

This is the pattern we will be using for the SigOrnament Block Swap 2009.

Your blocks will be 5" unfinished. This block is scrap friendly.

The center square will be a light color (white, cream, light tan, etc.). The ornament color is your choice. Remember these will be part of a Christmas tree quilt so use appropriate colors. Not everyone will want lime green, neon pink, or jet black ornaments. The four corners will be an appropriate shade of green. Again, please no neon green. On each ornament all four green corners will be from the same fabric. You will be signing your name and city, state in the center square. All your blocks can be the same or they can all be different. The choice is up to you. Please use fabrics you would like to receive. If you can see your hand through the fabric it is too thin.

Your pieces will measure as follows:

1 - cream rectangle  1.5" X 3"
2 - red rectangles 2.5" X 5"
2 - red squares 1.5" X 1.5"
4 - green squares 2" X 2"

basic layout

Sew one small red square to each side of the cream rectangle. Press seams to the red squares.

Sew one red rectangle to the top and bottom of signature line. Press to the red side.

Draw a line from corner to corner on the wrong side of the 4 green squares. This will be the line you sew on. Sewing one square at a time, sew the 4 green squares to the four corners of the ornament. You are basically making a snowball block at this point.

Trim the corners leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Press from the right side so the seams are pressed to the green side.

Give the block a good press and trim to 5" if necessary.

Repeat 19 more times and you are done!

Here is what I do when I sew the four corners on:

I sew a second seam about a 1/2" from the first seam. This second seam is sewn on the side that you would normally cut off. Cut between the two lines of stitching. Try to have at least a scant 1/4" seam allowance for each block.

Press the small half square triangle pieces and you will have these. I save these up in a container for later use. You could make coasters, use them as fillers in placemats or wall hangings. I'm planning on saving bunches and eventually making a quilt from them.

Binkie clips

When our kids were little, they would always spit out their pacifiers and laugh! They thought it was a great game to watch Mom and Dad chase after their binkies. Just when you gave it back to them...they would either spit it out or toss it as far as their little hands could. Anytime we stopped playing their "game" they would scream until we played some more. Lil' monsters. I wish I had this tutorial way back then. I guess I need to make a bunch for our newest grandbaby...Nate. Then again, why would I want to stop Jess from having all the same fun her Dad and I had when the kids were little :)