Tuesday, June 19, 2012

D-I-Y Superhero Capes

D-I-Y Superhero Cape


These little gems were wayyyyyyyyyyy easier than I ever imagined they would be! With the price of these thing online I thought Oh good Lord what am I doing ???  They were 80% less than if I would have bought them & If I had just a little extra time I would have trial & error'd my way to perfection, but sice it was just for a small birthday party & im budgeted I kept the error'd ones and used them anyway. LUCKY for you guys you will get all my pointers to keep from making the same errors. Even with a sick 5 Month old baby this only took me a couple hours to do all 13 I made not to shabby, eh? Well lets get to it ! You can also do a NO SEW version as well ! 
~Supplies Needed~
1. Material of your choice
2. Thread to match
3. Sewing Machine
4. Felt sheets
5. Scissors
6. Marker or Fabric Pen
7. Measuring Tape 
8. Velcro
9. A few kid free hours LOL

Ok to start off I made a template, I started by making the babies few first they were smaller & if I messed up it wouldn't be too much fabric to trash ! I used one of the baby's bibs to create the template for the cape... a backwards bib is a cape after all LOL! I folded the bib in half and drew that on a piece of paper, then cut it out . I drew the older kids from the same template I just drew out the tails a little longer & the bottom a little wider.

~Draw & Cut Out Template~
The next step is to measure the children that you can to get an accurate measurment on how long it needs to be. I wanted their capes to be at the butt on length so they wouldn't get tripped up while playing at the party. I measured both of my sons & my nephew to get an idea i based all the capes off of them cuz naturally I don't have access to all the children coming to the party. After measuring I took my material and left it folded like it came which was long ways. I began tracing around the template and tracing the measued area.
~Copy Template & Measured area ~
~Should Look Like This When Done~
**** If doing a NO SEW version I would use a fleece or felt and cut that, I would use the thicker material so you only have one layer of fabric. ****
Next step take the scissors and cut out the template you just drew,  
Trace & cut both colors of the fabric the same size to prepare for sewing.
Should look like this when cut and opened ...
Take and sew the two layers or two colors together with a simple stitch, leaving a gap so you can turn it inside out. Flip the cape inside out tucking the gap material down and begin sewing the seam stitch around the edges. I choose a zig zag stitch for looks. Unfortunately I got real into sewing and forgot to take pictures :(.
Next I got printed out a superman symbol from google, cut it out to use as a template for the felt.
I took the traced & cut the diamond shape on the under color felt. I then traced the same shape onto the top felt, I then printed the letters I needed from Microsoft Word on size 350 cut them out and traced them inside the shape of the top felt. I then got ready to sew them on !
**** THIS is where I made my mistakes !!! The felt moves & bubbles up if you DON'T pin it down and sew VERY SLOWLY !!!
Then just dot onsome velcro to the ends & VIOLA!!!
The finished cape should look like this !
* See how the A one is a lil bit crooked cuz I didn't pin it and go slow :(
These are pretty neat I am going to make a really cool one for his birthday gift I will post the picture when Im done you may want to wait on making one until then for a great idea :)
Isn't he the cutest model ever ?!?!?
P.S. This would be a phenomenal idea for newborn pictures also ! Or a great gift for a photographer as a prop !!
I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and if you have an questions feel free to post them :)

D-I-Y Superhero Felt Masks



Felt Superhero Masks


The great thing about felt masks are #1 inexpensive , #2 can be made in a variety of ways, & #3 soft enough to use around the delicate kid/baby face :]. If I would have had the time & extra money I would have definately made the masks out of material but I was going for inexpensive due to it was just a birthday party (LOL). I will put the tutorial up for the material masks when I make the one my son wants for actual play. Also, the great thing about making the masks & capes is they are a great party favor the kids get to keep ! So on with the show.

~Supplies Needed~
1. Felt ( what ever color theme you are going for)
2. Matching Thread or Glue
3. Scissors
4. Marker
5.Elastic


First Start by making or printing a mask template, I just free handed mine. I say "I" let me rephrase my daughter has a LOVE for art & drawing I had her draw up most of everything :]. You must make 2 templates. After I was done drawing the bottom mask I took the template & cut it down smaller to make the top mask. I took our template, felt & markers and drew them out.
~Draw Them Out ~
(Red was the bottom bigger mask , Yellow was the top smaller mask)

Please forgive the aweful uneveness, I wasn't going for perfection on these I was going for quickness.(unfortunately this has been the week of sickness & tragedy in our household, everyone has had a stomach virus & strep throat along with a black eye & motorcycle burn :/)  If you have the time you can make them look great !  Now onto the next step ....
~Cutting Them Out~

Now to assemble these bad boys !  You can do this however you choose, thats the glory of this project :]. If you like to sew (as I do), you can sew these masks together, BUT i must warn you felt is a little tricky to sew as I found out. If you are going to sew these together on a machine you MUST pin them down & GO SLOW the felt will bubble up & move around if you don't. This is why they charge so much LOL. You can also fill the top layer with a lil bit of polyfil if you choose (just make sure to cut the top layer the same size as the bottom layer to account for stuffing) .If you want to add a little something to them you can do different stitches for added flair. then measure out the elastic on the little ones head make it snug then cut all the pieces you will need and sew on.  If you want to do a NO-SEW you just simply glue them together with craft glue or hot glue either one. Then take a hole punch to each side to make a hole for the elastic. Measure out the elastic on the little ones head snug and tie on.
Your not gonna believe it but..... YOUR DONE !!!
You have made a SUPERHERO mask!
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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Printables for The Superhero

OK, Lets start off with the printables since this is where I had the most frustration. Printables by all logic are a graphic design meant to be printed on paper. People take their time & effort to make these bad boys and they sure will post them up for your likeing and your money :/. The thing about printables are they are realistically very very very simple. Which is why I don't understand people buying them. For the "superhero" project all you simply need is microsft word. I have microsoft word starter 2010.
~Printable Instruction~
1. Open up Microsoft word.
2. Click on the Insert tab, select shapes.
I chose a circle. 
3.  Right click on the shape, go to the paint bucket and choose a color.
4.Right click again go to the shape outine next to the bucket and choose a color or no color
5.Click on the insert tab again, go to shapes choose another shape.
I chose a star shape.
6. Layer the second shape over the first one.
7. Right click select color.
* On this you can savebackgrounds from the internet and go down to picture browse the computer for saved image and click on it as I did for the polka dots on mine.
Or you can go down to gradient, then to more gradient it will open a window you can play in there or choose a pattern fill.
8. Click on insert again , go to Word art, click on the style you want, type text in box resize or color place where you want it.

Mine looked like this :

You can play with these options and layers to make all different kinds of decor for the party, invitations, table place cards,bags covers & stickers :)
I made these :


Here you can also make your LABELS for your water, soda & candy bars.
Just start out with a rectangle just do a size and print until you get the appropriate size you need then add the other graphics same as we did!

Mine look like this:

Now that you know the simple technique ..... Happy Printing :}

P.S. you can also use a graphic software the best I have found for things like this is Printmaster, can be found almost anywhere and is inexpensive.

Cost & Savings Section

Cost and Savings


I wanted to keep up with how much I spent doing this project and how much I would have spent buying it all. I just wanted to truely know Is it worth the effort & cheaper to do a  DIY  Birthday party?  So I figure if I have that question there must be at least 1 other Mom out there with the same question LOL, of course the time management may be a factor too so I think I will add that in as well.(Please remember I have a 4 month old in my lap most of the time so time may actually be less) I actually only have 13 days to get this done & Im on a strict tight budget with birthdays, as always. Just so happens in the month of June the stork decided to bless this world with: my mother, myself, my bestie , 2 of my 3 kids & my nephew. You will learn I am not the frugalist of people I love to shop and over spend BUT I do like to budget myself when needed, well kinda :). Please remember I am Pricing the Items on the would have bought list with the exact things I am making.
Guest list was 10 Kids.     

DIY Printables  
Ink............................. $30.00 (costs vary on printer)                          
Paper .........................$8.00
Cardboard...................FREE
Glue............................$0.30
____________________________
Total...........................$38.30
This covered making Decorations (food&house), Table Cards, Invitations, Water Bottle & Soda Labels, & Stickers.
Time Spent to Make: Approx. 2 Hours 

Bought Printables
Invitations ................$13.00 
Decoration Printables (Food&House) ............. $53.50
Water Bottle &Soda Labels ....................$38.78
Stickers..................$7.00 
Shipping & Handling.......$20.00
____________________________
Total.....................$ 132.28
Time Spent Ordering : 30 Mins.
Time Spent Waiting to get Order : 7-14 Days

SAVINGS .............$ 93.98  (and 7 -14 Days that I didn't have)
I was doing the tootsie roll dance as I just realized how much I had saved .... Yes ! I am so cool :p


DIY Masks

Felt Sheets ...............$4.60
Elastic ......................$0.54
Thread......................$1.18
________________________
Total .........................$6.32
Time Spent to Make: 1.5 Hours

Bought Masks

Now these were the exact ones I made that I found on etsy.com
10 Masks .................$47.50
Shipping ..................$5.00
_______________________
Total ........................$52.50
Time to Order: 45 Mins ( I was looking for cheaper ones)
Time for Shipping: 7-10 Days

SAVINGS ................$46.18 (AND 7 -10 DAYS)
HOLY COW! I was just amazed at the price people put on these things they are just felt !



DIY Capes

Material..........$22.47
Thread............$ 4.36
Felt.................$ 2.60
_________________________
Total ...............$29.43
Time Spent Making : 2 Hours

Bought Capes

Capes........$150.00
Shipping ..$ 10.00
______________________
Total ..........$160.00
Time Spent Ordering: 20 Mins
Time to get Order: 7-10 Days

SAVINGS..................$130.57(and 7-10 Days)
And I was amazed at the price of the masks .....This is just unbelieveable !!!

Food & Cake
All these things were made by me :) and we had alot of fun the kids & I made them together !
We made :
Super Oreoes (24)                    $4.22
Bag of Oreoes
White chocolate candy covering ... I used almond bark
Red & Blue icing for decoration

Captain America Rice Krispies (16)            $3.67
I bought a box of rice krispy treats out of time crunch
White chocolate candy covering
Red & Blue sugar
Short shishkabob sticks

Cake         $ 22.55
3 White cake mixes
1 Chocolate Cake mix
Food Coloring
Fondant (or icing if you choose)
This cake only took me 45 mins to decorate & that was using fondant for the first time :)

I also bought chips, capri-suns, hot dogs, & burgers. the total for this was $45.87.
so in all the food cost me a grand total of ....... $76.41!

Bought food & Cake
Super Oreos (a dozen)  ......... $ 36.00
Decorated Rice Krispie Treats (DZ)..........27.00
THE CAKE ...................$120.00
Plus I would have had to still purchase the food at 45.87...

Total on the bought stuff ....................$228.87

Savings ..................................$152.46
HOLY MOLY !!!!! Its the cake that does you in if you want an actual fondant cake it will cost you !

 Other Decorations & such I purchased at the dollar store and they only cost me $ 22.00 and the kids had a blast making them :) I do not have any idea on how much they would have cost to have them made.

So all in all ................

D.I.Y Party was ....................................................$172.46
Buy-It-Yourself Party ...........................................$573.65
___________________________________________________
For a Grand SAVINGS of ....................................$401.19


So as I have found out the DIY party was sooooo worth doing and saved me a bundle ... plus I got in some valuable family time that I wouldnt have been able to allowing others to make for me !




The D-I-Y Complete Superhero Party Challenge

First, let me explain how much I LOVE to do birthdays .... It is absolutely my favorite holiday of the year !! It brings me soooooo much joy & happiness to see people smiling, laughing & enjoying their birthdays. It is the one holiday that a person gets to enjoy by themselves & it's all for just them. I believe on your birthday you should eat what you want, get to do what you want(within reason of course), & you should be spoiled silly alllllllllll day! A day all to yourself just to do & enjoy the things you like , How much more awesome can things get right?!?!?

Now with my explosion of Birthday love out of the way. (LOL) Let me explain this personal challenge to everyone. This particular challenge began very innocently with a my adorable, very colorful son & I looking through the many pages of birthday themes on the internet. We went through about 20 sticking out our tounges & thumbs downing them when we strolled apon a RETRO superhero party. We looked at the page all the brilliant colors and awesome ideas. Needless to say he fell in LOVE with the theme, and I did too ! With 2 thumbs up we decided to do superheroes :}. After everyone went to bed I strolled on the internet on the different new wave of retro superhero parties. I fell in love with the most popular one of course. I began reading through the blog on the party, although it was very snazzy looking for a DIY as it was shown, they had actually purchased most of the DIY parts of the party. Then I began looking at I would say 8-10 other sites, they were all the same ! I realize there are parts to a DIY party that you just cannot do YOURSELF.... but come on it's called DO IT YOURSELF for a reason. The reason by the way is not to purchase the do it yourself part. SO here is where the challenge part came in.

I, Stephanie, challenge myself to a DIY party, truely doing it myself, just to prove it can be done :). Yes, I'm positive there are some awesome DIY mommies out there that have actually accomplished this also, but this was a personal challenge because I just want people to know it can be done AND I'm gonna share with you how without charging you !  Hope you Enjoy the tweeked compilation of parties into my own D-I-Y Superhero Party !!!