12 Kits of Occasions Second Helpings

Who's ready for seconds?  Today is a day you can say, "Yes, please" without a single worry about overeating or going over your daily calorie count.  LOL.  The second helpings for today belong to our 12 Kits of Occasions Card group and they will probably look vaguely familiar to anyone who follows our little group month by month.  Our second helpings are a combination of papers or embellishments from any 2015 card kit already received.  Every month our kits contain so much...there is always room for leftovers!

This card uses leftovers from Marybeth's Song of the South kit and a few wooden stars from Jeanne's For the Boys kit.  I loved the country/down on the farm look to the patterned papers from Marybeth's kit and Jeanne sent so many cute 

doo-dads, I could embellish a dozen cards.

This card was made using some of Tracey's Pretty in Pink patterned paper and again, more wooden embellishment from Jeanne and her For the Boys kit.  I didn't realize how easy it is to color those wooden pieces with copies.  They fit any color combination you want.

I only had time for two cards this month, June was a busy month for me...I am the hostess for next month and was busy getting my dozen July kits ready for mailing.  I will give you a little clue as to next month's theme "HoHoHo".   I bet that theme is hard to imagine in June where the temperatures are very close to the triple digits!

Be sure to check our all of our groups Second Helpings...here's a link to the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog where you will find all kinds of inspiration using the kits from 2015!

Montana Monkey Softie

I have been waiting for some time without any distractions so I can make a few softies...finally got that time this week while I am on vacation in Montana.  I mailed a big box of supplies to myself and they were waiting at the post office to pick up the day we arrived.  I love looking at all that beautiful felt and embroidery floss in all the matching colors!

I have made a few softies now and every one I make I learn a little something that makes them not only easier to make, but more tailored to the two sweet babies I make them for.

Here's the monkey I made yesterday:

Had to use my iPhone for the camera so the picture isn't as good as I would want, but this little guy has a loop sewn in the top for a teething ring and inside his stuffed little belly is a rattle disk so he makes lots of noise for my sweet baby grandson.

Here's a picture of the rattle disk I used.  I got it from While She Naps and is made specifically for use in stuffed animals for babies.  It's very safe and secure.

I glued some stuffing to the top and bottom of the disk before I added it to the tummy area of my softie.  It is padded really well and makes a great, but not too annoying rattle!

I also added a tail to my softie using an additional arm and cutting a slit in the back side of the monkey.

Tomorrow I am going to make a second version of this monkey in "girly" colors for my granddaughter...and then...maybe an owl?  Not sure, but I will have fun trying to come up with something else before I have to head back home.