With Easter right around the corner, the Bunny Book would make a great gift idea. Add some crayons and wrap in cute cellophane for an inexpensive party favor or for classroom parties. Young children learning to write, love to make little books and practice writing on any piece of paper that they find. I created this project with young learners in mind, but it also can be adapted for adults too!

This bunny book is a simple project that can be made as a group project or with light supervision. You can create different variations by changing the colors of the cover, or adding different types of paper for the pages, or adding embellishments to the cover.

Materials Needed:

• Bunny Book Template (included)
• Cardstock
• Writing Paper
• Glue Stick
• Scissors
• Stapler

Optional:

• Scrapbooking Scraps
• Colored Paper
• Squiggly Eyes

 Instructions:

1. Print and cut out the Bunny Book Template.

2. Fold 1 piece of 8.5 x11″ cardstock in half (width).

3. Unfold cardstock with the fold vertical.

4. Glue the bunny cut out flap onto the top, right side of the cardstock. You will want to adjust the bunny cut out so that the head is sticking up above the closed book (see above picture).

5. Fold a 2nd piece of cardstock in half and glue it on top of the previous piece covering the bunny cut out flap. This will provide a sturdy cover for the book.

6. Fold in half 3-5 sheets of writing paper. You can use lined or unlined.

7. Place the writing paper fold on top of the fold of the bunny book cover.

8. Staple the bunny pages and cover along the fold.

9. The book is finished, and now can be embellished.

All of the materials used for this activity can be found at CreateForLess.com.

Enter an enchanted world with this adorable, durable crown! My daughter, like most children, loves fairy tales.  A lot of fairy tales include a prince and princess, king and queen, or super hero of some kind.  Crowns are a big part of the dress up accessories.  We have made all kinds of crowns such as paper ones that tear and the wearer is heartbroken, then the fix is to tape it or staple it and it’s never quite the same.  Felted crowns are beautiful but as with all things felt – in a house with shorthaired dogs, felt is a magnet.  I have spent many an hour with tweezers trying to pick the fur out of the felt toys.  So, one day I was at the fabric store and they had a large bin of Leather Remnants, a beautiful selection of colors and textures, and I thought this would make an indestructible crown fit for a king, queen, princess – you get the idea.

The benefit of this crown is that it is completely adjustable, it can grow with the child.  This crown will be 19″ in circumference, with the laces pulled tight it fits my 3 year old fine. Loosen up the laces a little and I’m sporting the crown. PLUS – it can be wiped down with a damp cloth.

Supply List:

• Ridged Leather remnant – 19″ x 6″
• Eyelets
• Leather Lace
• Leather Punch
• Crown Patterns
• Pen
• Eyelet Setter

First, print and cut out the Crown Patterns, trace it on the backside of the leather, make sure to mark the eyelet holes.  The patterns provided are set up to trace one side, then flip it on the center edge to make a mirror image to trace the rest of the crown.

I use basic scissors to cut the leather, nothing fancy.

Once the crown is cut out punch the holes for the eyelets.  I have a punch that uses a hammer but there are hand held punches that work like a paper punch.  If you don’t have either of those a nail and hammer will work. 

Push the eyelets through the hole from the front (good side), set the eyelet, by setting the eyelet setter on the back of the eyelet and hammer.  A couple of whacks is all it takes, be careful not to hit it too hard or the face of the eyelet will misshapen.

Next, lace up the eyelets like a shoe using a leather cord and tie a bow.  Place it on your head and take over a kingdom!

We like the simplicity of the leather, but these crowns can be decorated with gem stickers or glitter glue.

Make these wee night light lanterns for the wee ones you know to help settle them to sleep, or to set a mood!

Craft Materials:

• Small boxes – lightbulbs or food packaging for example
• Marker or pencil
• Craft knife
• Cellophane or clear plastic
• White glue
• LED lights
• Craft Paint

How to Make the Night light Lanterns

Carefully pull the the packaging apart, so it is still in one piece, but will lie flat.

Draw your designs onto the packaging. I used the inside of the box so the paint would cover better.

Simple shapes are cool. You can see here I’ve used hearts, stars and small square and rectangle shapes like a building at night time.

Cut your designs with the craft knife and paint the surface of the box.

Cut cellophane to cover the cut out spaces and glue to the inside of the box.

Note about Lining the Boxes

For large designs, the spaces look better if they are lined with something like cellophane. For small designs, there is no need to line the boxes.

You could line the window spaces with colored cellophane.  Bend the existing folds of the box the opposite way than they were intended, so your box will keep its shape. Glue the side edges together. Fold the ends of the box back in.

Pop your lights in when you are ready!

A Note about LED Lights

The LED lights I used here are childrens’ finger laser lights. They are safe, small and have a switch – all enclosed in plastic housing. They are cheap – there are four in the set I got in colors white, blue, red and green.

Ideas for the Night light Lanterns

For little ones:

• Stack on top of each other for buildings.
• Change the nightlight Lanterns and / or the colored lights around each night as a pre-sleep activity.

There are more sophisticated uses for these things for grown ups.

• Set the scene for romantic dinners
• Use in the bathroom to have your bath with (Don’t forget the bubble bath!)
• Use in ‘your space’ for quiet contemplation or relaxation

Have fun with these and create your own ambiance! Happy crafting!

Once upon a time, my best friend decided to make herself a whole set of dishes at a paint your own pottery place. It was a great idea and in the end, she had a truly one of a kind table full of dishes but it took a long time to complete. Which was understandable, because back then, going in and painting, and then waiting for the store to glaze and fire the piece was really the only way, unless you had your own personal kiln at home. Now a days, however, there are other options, the best of which, in my opinion, are the new ceramic pens that, once baked, turn plain dishes into one of a kind treasures which are dishwasher safe and will last a lifetime (or until you drop them!) I’m currently working my way through a set of thrifted white coffee mugs myself and now that I’m in the swing, I think I may move onto plates as well.

Available in lots of colors, ceramic pens look like your run of the mill paint pen but the paint can be set permanently and simply with a few minutes in the oven. This means that anything that can stand the oven can be decorated to your hearts content. The possibilities are endless!

I love love love these tea cups with their drawn doily saucers.

And how fun are these postcard mugs?

Personalized mugs, an excellent gift idea and also great way to cut down on the washing up, no more loosing your mug and having to get a new one!

But you don’t have to stop with dishes. These mason jars would look great lined up on a shelf with bulk ingredients in them, wouldn’t they?

Check out our pinboard for more ideas and send in your photos of your own ceramic pen projects!

Whether you’re serving hard-boiled eggs for a party or you’re painting eggs for Easter, using an egg holder is the best way to keep the egg displayed beautifully without it rolling around all over the table. It’s incredibly easy to make and you can decorate it any way you wish, including personalizing it with someone’s name. All you’ll need is a few supplies to put the project together.

What you’ll need:

• Cardstock
• Scissors
• Large embellishment
• Egg
• Glitter glue
• Mod Podge or double-sided tape

Step 1. Cut the cardstock into a strip that’s large enough to hold the egg. Depending on your preference, you can make it tall and thin so the egg balances on top or short and wide so it holds a larger portion of the egg. Use the egg as a measuring device.

Step 2. Glue the ends of the strip together so it creates a large loop.

Step 3. Place a large embellishment on the front of the loop. Use Mod Podge or double-sided tape to secure it if it’s not self-adhesive.

Step 4. Use glitter glue to make dots all over the holder. The best way to pull it off without smearing the glue is to hold the loop in between your fingers with your thumb on the embellishment and pointer finger on the inside of the loop.

Step 5. Give it plenty of time to dry before placing the egg in the holder.

Make these cardboard tube holders for your pens and pencils to organize your craft area or funky up your desk. An easy ‘rainy day’ activity or for when the kids say they are ‘bored’. Most houses will have the basic materials at hand.

These were made with help from a wee guy who just turned four. He had a lot of fun deciding what colors the arms and feet should be, applying the paint with a sponge and loves to stack them like a totem pole. Maybe I’ll make up some tribal tubes for just that purpose. His two year old brother likes to put them in different orders, sometimes color, sometimes according to the shapes on them. (I haven’t quite worked out his logic!)

Craft Supplies

• cardboard tubes
• card for the arms
• acrylic paints
• thick black marker
• wiggly eyes
• white glue
• craft knife
• scissors

Craft Technique

Base coat the cardboard tubes. I used cut pieces of kitchen sponge. It provides a quick and even coverage.

Decorate the tubes with a marker. Use simple shapes like stars, swirls, dots, stripes.

Glue on the eyes. Add faces. A few well placed lines to show expression is all you need.

Cut out base from card and glue to the bottom of the cardboard tube. You can download some base shapes to use.

Download Feet Template

Or download plain shapes to use as a template. Resize them if you need to.

Download Plain Feet Template

Cut a rectangle from matching card for the arms. Make a slot in each side of the Pen Pal with a craft knife to place the arms through. Bend the middle of the arms to the inside of the cardboard tube to make more room inside the tube.

Add pens to your pals, and you’re done.

Easy Craft Ideas

• Further embellish with ribbon or yarn bows for shoe laces
• Use glitter glue to add some sparkle to your drawn designs
• For small children, let them put stickers on the cardboard tubes instead of painting them
• Draw eyes instead

Have fun and Happy Crafting!

*This project will work best with a serger, but you can use a zig-zag stitch on a regular machine. The seam intentionally is showing on this scarf so make sure to follow the instructions, making sure your seams are on the RIGHT SIDE!

I had a friend buy me a scarf like this for my birthday and I loved it so much! I had to make one myself. Part of the fun of this project is finding a new way to wear your old stuff. I had a t-shirt that was too big, one that was too small, some extra fabric from making a skirt, and a couple of Goodwill finds that I used to make this gem. You can use any stretchy fabric, which means you could even throw an old polo shirt into the mix to add some texture.

I used 5 different fabrics, but you could use as little as 3; it depends on how big your shirts are, how many patterns you want to play with, and how big you are making your scarf.

Here’s what you do:

1. Cut 28 rectangles measuring 7 ½”H x 6″W (this makes a reasonably long scarf)

2. Divide your rectangles into 2 equal piles of 14 each. One will be for the front of your scarf; one for the back. Choose what order you want to place your fabrics for each side & pin in a line WRONG SIDES TOGETHER.

3. One side at a time, serge or zig-zag the rectangles together straight across. The seam should be seen on the RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR FABRIC!!

4. Once each side of the scarf is complete, pin them WRONG SIDES together. The seam should be showing!

5. Serge or Zig-Zag stitch all the way around the scarf.

Ta-da! Awesome new scarf!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

What you will need:

• Mask forms
• Sequins
• Feathers
• Fabric glue
• Buttons 

 Directions:

Smear glue over the areas you wish to decorate.

Create patterns and lines if you wish.

Place feathers and sequins onto the mask.

Allow to dry.

My 2 year old son's creation!

 Additional materials you may want to use:

• Beads
• Ribbon
• Lace

My 5 year olds mask and his Mardi Gras face!

Make yourself a Postbox to stash your change in! When I was small, Wednesday was banking day at school. You took your wee passbook and banking money. The saying on the passbook was something like:

Save your pennies, they grow into dollars!

Great advice and still valid for today.

These cute Postboxes are quick and easy to make.

Craft Supplies:

• cardboard tube
• black marker
• red and black paint
• craft knife
• white glue
• foam supermarket tray or thick cardboard
• a bead for each postbox

How to make the Postbox

Draw your design on the cardboard tube with the black marker.

Paint the bottom in black and the rest in red. You might want to leave a space for a message or your name. Something like: ‘Darcy’s Money Box’. You might want to put a message on like: ‘Don’t Touch’, or ‘Christmas Fund’ or something else.

Draw around the end of the cardboard tube onto cardboard or foam supermarket tray. Cut out two circles just a little larger than your circles to make the base and top of the Postbox.

Stick a bead onto the top of one of the circles to make the top of the Postbox.

Get an adult to cut out the money slot with the craft knife.

You’re done! Now put your post your change in them!

Ideas for the Postboxes

Messages to write in the blank space of the Postbox could be:

Have some cents!

I have cents!

Let’s be cents-able!

In-cent-ive!

Open in case of emergency!

Make a Postbox as a gift with a few coins or dollars put in to start the recipient off.

These would be great as gifts for:

• A New Baby
• Housewarming
• Bon Voyage – it would also be a subtle reminder for the gift-ee to write!
• Have fun with these, Happy Crafting!

We’re so excited to introduce our newly redesigned CreateForLess website! After months of planning, the day has finally arrived to share our brand new look and features with you. Many of the changes we made came from your comments and suggestions, and we wanted to thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

We’ve been working hard to bring you a cleaner and updated look and feel. And now you can finally buy just 1 item, no more purchase multiple requirements! But you can still buy in bulk and save, with our bulk quantity discounts. What hasn’t changed is our large selection, everyday low prices and commitment to offering an easy online shopping experience.

We hope you love the new design as much as we do. Take a look and tell us what you think about our new site. We’d love to hear your feedback, as we’re constantly looking to improve your shopping experience.

Happy Crafting!

The CreateForLess Team

This Styrofoam glider is a fun weekend project to do with your kids. (Get them into crafting earlier!) Project includes a template for the glider. Easy to make and fun to decorate, plus you can see how far it will fly!

Supplies:

FloraCraft Foam: Four – Sheets, ½”x12″x12″

Other Materials:

• Acrylic Paint
• Dimensional Fabric Paint
• Toothpicks
• Glider Template

Tools:

• Design It: Foam Cutter or Serrated Knife
• Low-Temp Glue Gun and glue sticks
• Paint Brushes: wide flat brush and detailing brush
• Paper (for templates)
• Black Marker
• ½” Sequin Pins

Instructions

1. Print and enlarge the templates to size needed. Hint: You can use a photocopier to copy and enlarge templates.
2. Pin the templates to the sheets of foam and trace with black marker: one body, two wings, two tail wings and one tail fin.
3. Remove the templates and cut out the plane parts using the foam cutter.
4. Use the scrap pieces of foam like a sanding block to “sand” the square edges of the foam parts smooth, making it look more authentic.
5. Glue the parts together, inserting toothpicks between the parts for a more secure bond.
6. Paint desired colors and let dry completely.

There are so many amazing DIY party hats out there, this is just our take on them. All you need to start is your favorite scrapbooking paper, a cheap paper party hat, ribbon (satin or sheer), crepe paper, faux feathers, embellishments of your choice, scissors, a stapler and a hot glue gun! This would be a fun project for New Years!

You can take apart an old or new paper party hat (that you can get at any party store) just to use as a template. We already had a template that we have been using. Just trace the shape of the hat onto the back of the paper you are making your new party hat of. Once traced just follow the lines and cut.

Then just wrap the end of the hat around and shape into a cone and staple. (You can use a glue gun if you want to glue the seems together.)

Its okay if there is a little hole in the top. Use your glue gun to put a dab of glue in the hole at the top of the hat and then stick your feathers in.

Next your are going to take your crepe paper and glue it around the bottom of your hat. Make sure that you glue the crepe paper in the middle so that there is an overlay on the top and bottom. (The middle of the crepe paper should be toward the bottom of the hat).

Then take the top of the crepe paper and pull in down and little bit and the bottom and pull it up just to give it some dimension.

Then you are going to take your two even strips of ribbon and glue them on the inside of either side of the hat. You can use any kind of ribbon you like, satin or sheer. We also glued a strip of different textured ribbon in the middle of the crepe paper.

Lastly, we just embellished the front with a paper rosette with a gem in the middle.

What is New Year’s without a guests or a party?  Celebrate by inviting your friends to the celebration using this festive invitation.  They are quick, fun and easy to make so you can invite everyone on your list.

Supplies Used:

• Graphic 45 Curtain Call Paper Pad
• Fired Brick Distress Ink
• Gold Ink Pad
• Silver Ink Pad
• Beige Cardstock
• Red Stickles
• Gold Stickles
• Tape Runner
• Red Marker
• Drink Glass of Your Choice Such As: Rub-Ons, Chipboard Pieces, a Stamp or Punch
• Silver Cardstock if using a stamp or punch for the Drink Glass

Begin by cutting an 8″ x 6″ piece of beige cardstock and folding it in half to create card base.  Cut a 4 ¾” x 3 piece from the “Leading Ladies” patterned paper from the Graphic 45 Curtain Call Paper Pad and adhere it to the front of the card using the tape runner.  Using the gold ink pad, ink the edges and into the center of the card.  Repeat this step, using the silver ink pad.  It’s ok to ink over the edges of the patterned paper as it helps to tie it all together.  In the next step, use the Fired Brick Distress Ink pad and a paper towel to lightly go over the edges to add just a little bit of color to the card.  Go back over the red with a clean paper towel to remove any excess ink.

Write the invitation message on the front of the card with the red marker.  This will give you a guideline when going over it with the Stickles and a dimensional look to the parts of the letters that are not completely covered by the Stickles. 

Adhere the drink glasses to your card, arranging them in a way that you like.  I, then, made marks above the glasses to help me know where the Red Stickles confetti dots looked the best and I recommend doing this so that you don’t get too many dots and make things look crowded on the card.  You can use a pencil, little dots of paper or whatever you’d like to do this step.  Then, create the confetti dots using the bottle of Red Stickles.  The last step is to go over the message using the bottle of Gold Stickles and then allowing it to dry completely. 

Now you can ring in the new year by sending these invitations to everyone on your list inviting them to the party of the year! 

Happy New Year to everyone!

Congratulations to Stephanie who was randomly selected as our Free Stuff Friday winner and will receive an assorted pack of sizes and colors of Bazzill Cardstock!

Bazzill Cardstock is here to help you create beautifully colored cards, invitations, scrapbook pages, memory albums, journals, and more. Each sheet is acid-free.

Stephanie’s winning answer to “Did you wake up early for Black Friday shopping?” was…

“Nope, I Wish I Would Have Slept. But Have Been Up All Day Waiting For These Sales! But Its A Mad House!”

My son’s teacher assigned a family craft! We were to make an animal entirely out of leaves. It took a little thought from the four of us, but with a little guidance my son designed Rahh, the lion! Have fun and be creative!!!

What you will need:

• Newspaper
• Leaves
• Cardboard
• Heavy books
• Scissors
• Glue

Directions:

1. Gather several different shapes of leaves.
2. Open a heavy book in the center and line the pages with newspaper.
3. Place the leaves on top of the newspaper. Be careful that the leaves do not touch.
4. Place newspaper on top of the leaves and close the book.
5. Repeat until al the leaves have a safe spot in the books.
6. Allow approx. 5 days to dry.
7. Remove the leaves from the books and design your leaf animal or creature.

It may be helpful to draw an outline before placing the leaves on to the cardboard.

I also recommend designing the creature and laying the leaves in place prior to to actually gluing them on.

We are in love with paper flowers of any sort. These crepe paper flowers are so perfectly lovely. They are so versatile and can be used in so many different ways, and the best part…they don’t wilt! These are so easy to make you won’t believe it! We can not wait to show you how we used them!

All you need is crepe paper and hot glue…we layered the crepe paper with two colors to add some depth. The length of crepe paper you need just depends on how big you want your flowers to be. After you have both colors of crepe paper cut and layered just accordion fold them.

Then just take your crepe paper and start to wrap it around and start forming your flower. Then just put a dab of hot glue at the bottom every couple of inches, just to hold the flower in place.You can start to pull the top back a little to open the flower up as you go as well. After you have completely wrapped with flower around you can form it to be as open or closed as you want it.

So simple and so pretty aren’t they! The color combinations are endless as are the possibilities of how you can use them!

October is breast cancer awareness month and time to Think Pink! A great way to help is to remind your friends to get their check-ups and to spread the word or join in a local community event to help raise awareness. What better way to do this than to send a little note to your friends reminding them to set up those appointments to get checked and let them know that you are thinking of them. This is a simple card that says a lot and you can make them to share the message for the month to Think Pink!

Supplies used:

• EK Jolee’s Layered Doilies with Bows
• K & Co Spring Blossom Paper Pad
• Coredinations Whitewash Pie Safe Cardstock
• Sand It Gadget
• Dust Buddy
• Worn Lipstick Distress Ink
• Alphabet Stamps
• Pink Cardstock
• Thinking of You stamps or stickers
• Wavy Edge or Scallop Blade or Scissors
• Favorite Adhesive

Start this card by cutting an 8 1 /2″ long by 5 ½” wide piece of pink cardstock and fold it in half. Unfold it and using your wavy or scallop blade or scissors cut across the bottom approximately 1″ from the bottom. Cut a piece of the Coredinations cardstock 4 ¼” x 5 ½”. Sand it and wipe off the dust using the Dust Buddy. Adhere it to the inside card being sure to line it up with the fold of the card. Make sure not to put any adhesive past the scalloped edge on the card front or it will show at the bottom of the card. Cut a 2 7/8″ x 5″ long piece of the rose patterned paper that’s in the Spring Blossom Paper Pad and adhere it to the card. Stick the Layered Doily with Bows sticker onto the patterned paper. Next, use the alphabet stamps and Worn Lipstick Ink stamp the words “Think Pink” around the sticker. On the inside of the card, stamp or spell out the words “Thinking of You”.

There’s still time! The month of October isn’t over yet so be sure to make a bunch of these cards and mail them out to remind your friends to get their check-ups and to let them know that you are thinking of them this month! While you are working on making some of these, be sure to check out all of the Think Pink items to craft with over at CreateForLess.

Teaching children how to spell can be as easy as playing a game. For many young children, hands on activities work best for reinforcing skills. The Apple Magnet Game is perfect for use in learning centers, waiting at the Dr. office, or when you are traveling.

Materials needed:

• Cardstock
• Printable Magnet Paper (or magnet tape)
• Printable Apple Template (included below)
• Lamination Film (optional)
• A recycled tin lid or small cookie sheet
• Scissors
• Hole Punch
• Binder ring

Apple Maget Game Black & White

Project takes approximately 30 minutes to print, cut, and assemble.

Directions - There are 2 parts to make the Apple Magnet Game:

Part 1 is the apple ring book. The printable apple ringbook template is printed onto cardstock. The template provided is sized to allow for 2 apple ringbook pages per 8 x 11 sheet of cardstock. This size is perfect for little hands. Lamination is recommended for durability of the pieces. The individual book pages are cut out and a hole punched in the upper corner. The last step is to add a binder clip to the ringbook. This allows each page to turn easily, and withstand a lot of wear.

 Part 2 is the magnetic apple alphabet letters. For this portion of the project, I used the printable magnet paper by Avery which can be purchased from CreateForLess. The magnet paper is white on one side, and magnet on the other. Magnet paper is approximately the same thickness as card stock, and it prints similarly on the white side. The apple alphabet lowercase letter template was printed onto the magnet paper, and then cut out into individual pieces.

(Note: If you don’t have access to the printable magnet paper, you can print the letters onto card stock and use magnet tape or coins for a similar result.)

Once the magnetic apple letters are cut out, and the apple ringbook is assembled, it’s ready for use. The object of the Apple Alphabet Magnet game is for the children spell out the words written in the apple ringbook using the magnet letters. Because the alphabet letters are magnetic, they will stick to a tin lid, cookie sheet, or even the side of a refrigerator. For my example, I used the lid from a candy tin that was approximately 8 x 8. It worked perfectly. This activity can be re-created using different themes and with words with more letters.

All of the supplies needed for this project can be purchased from CreateForLess!

Sensory bins or tables are a great project for those with small children. Letting your little ones pour, scoop and play with different textured grains or pebbles has many educational benefits (plus, it’s just plain fun!) and this rainbow rice takes it up a notch by adding color play into the game.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• White rice
• Food coloring
• Rubbing alcohol
• Zip-close baggies

1. Divide your rice evenly between the bags, For small batches, 1/2 cup fits well into snack sized baggies.

2. Fill each baggie with enough rubbing alcohol to make each grain wet without flooding the rice.

3. Add several drops of food color to each bag, try different combinations of colors to achieve different shades (this is an excellent chance to do a color blending lesson!)

4. Zip each bag closed, pushing as much air as possible out as you go. Massage the bags to blend the color and evenly distribute it through the rice.

5. Let the rice sit in the colored alcohol for 10-15 minutes.

6. One at a time, drain the baggies of rice through a colander or screen and spread out onto paper towels to dry.

I spent yesterday afternoon making my first three Dotee dolls, and what fun that was! Have you heard of them? They were invented by a lady in Australia named Dot, and they’re becoming quite the rage, especially for swapping. (Click here to see more dotees)

I was charmed by them right off the bat, and also love that they take so little in the way of materials or even skill. In fact, this would be a great craft to do with a child—a fun way to learn basics like sewing on a button, stuffing a small toy, with a reward at the end in the form of a new toy.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Scraps of fabric, roughly 8″ to 10″ square
• A bit of white, cream, or tan fabric for the face
• Trims for hair (optional)
• Dangly bits—those earrings from the ’80′s you held onto work well
• Odd bits and buttons you might use
• Pens, crayons, etc., for drawing the face
• Glue, needle & thread, scissors, fusible interfacing, etc.

The simplest dotees are rectangular, with no arms, legs, or even hair. They always have a hanger at the top, and a dangle at the bottom. Well, actually the dangle is optional, too!

To get started, decide about how big you want your dotee to be. Try a rectangular one first—you can make shaped ones next. Cut a two pieces of fabric the size of the doll you have in mind, plus half an inch seam allowance all around, plus about an inch more to allow for the “shrinkage” that will happen when you stuff it. If you like, round the top of the rectangles.

Now cut a circle of the white/cream/tan fabric for the face. You might want to cut a paper circle first, to gauge size. Draw a face on the circle. I used an ink pen, a fine-tip marker, and fabric crayons to draw mine. Use what you have—it’s all good!

Cut a bit of fusible interfacing the same size as the circle, and iron the face in position on the front of your rectangle.

Now sew the rectangles together, right sides facing. Leave a gap at the bottom for stuffing. Clip any curves, and trim the corners, and turn right side out. Stuff lightly, and blind stitch the opening.

If you aren’t going to put hair on your doll sew the hanger into the seam. If your doll will have hair, you can cut a length of string, tie a knot to make a loop, and sew where the hair will cover the knot.

For Plaidy Lady, I used a short length of upholstery fringe for her hair, with a button sewed to each end, and sewed it around her face, going right through the doll, and putting a French knot in several places just for pretty. I also added a bit from a broken necklace, to hand down in front. Here’s the back:

You could also just glue the fringe in place, which is what I did with the two other dotees.

Now choose a dangle—a dangly earring, a bit of a bracelet, etc.—or create your own. Sew or glue it to the bottom of your doll. If you like, cover the place where it’s attached with a button. (I put buttons on the front and back, both.)

Like many crafts, I think the instructions make these dolls sound harder to make than they actually are. Here’s the truth of the matter: I looked at pictures of a bunch of dotees, and just started making them. It’s that easy, and I think you’ll think so, too, once you’ve tried one!