Saturday, March 10, 2012

Busy Bags: Button Snake and a Travel Felt Board

I got started last night on the busy bags.  I thought it would be best to start early since soon I'll have to start on the growing list of projects for Joslyn's 2nd birthday party (in 3 months, where does the time go?!) and since we leave on our trip shortly after that, I want to make sure I'm not panicked to get these busy bags done. I'm toying with the idea of possibly suggesting a busy bag swap party to my MOMS Club also. I think it would be a fun way for everyone to get some busy bags to entertain their kids on summer trips, and I'll get help knocking things off my list.  Win win!

Last night, I made a button snake and a travel felt board.  Since I already had all the supplies, the total cost was $0!  Can't beat that!  The button snake was really easy to make.  I sewed a large button on one end of a piece of ribbon and then cut out a bunch of squares with all the felt I had leftover from making the felt board in Joslyn's play room.  Next, I cut slits in the squares that were big enough for the button to slip through.  I slipped the first square on the ribbon and sewed that to the bottom of the ribbon to form a base and it was done.  Can't get any easier than that!




Each busy bag item will be put in a ziploc bag and labeled. I don't have any pictures of Jos trying it out because they are all being kept hidden away until our trip!

The travel felt board was also very easy to make.  I cut out a piece of cardboard, sandwiched it between two pieces of felt and glued the sides.  I cut the felt a little smaller so it would fit into a ziploc bag but you could just keep it the same size as the felt sheets Michaels sells so no cutting is required.  Then I cut out all the shapes for the house scene.  The hubs helped and cut out the tree.

I was going to make face cut outs on the other side but the hubs came up with the brilliant idea to make an Elmo since Jos loves all things Elmo.  I didn't have orange or black felt but we made due with a yellow nose and gray felt colored in with a black marker.  Isn't he cute?!


I'm loving these busy bags!

Pushing Puff Balls (with a small tupperware container)
Travel Felt Board (like this one on Etsy or this one seems easy enough to make)
Pipe Cleaner Toy (maybe with one of the half size Pringles cans?)

1 comment:

  1. Those are awesome! GOod job! I'm totally inspired to make a felt board...you make it look pretty easy!
    I just got in a busy bag exchange...there are 20 moms participating so I'm pretty excited for the end of the month when all the projects are due and swapped! Maya's a little young, but I'm sure I will love these busy bags soon enough!

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