I Spy With My Little Eye

Eeesh...color me embarrassed!  It's been well over a week since I posted on my blog (in fact I think it's getting close to two weeks).  I sort of hit a wall - at work I was running a large orientation event for over 140 students.  It was 5 days long and kind of involved.  It's done...I think it was successful for the most part (just a few hiccups which I'm told is to be expected for a group that size and my first year handling it).

Compile on top of that wedding planning, etsy business, community garden...basically I just got completely overwhelmed and threatened to just curl up into a ball for the next 2 weeks (until the wedding).

The orientation program at work is over, wedding planning is proceeding nicely (a big thanks to Mr. JG for doing a ton to help with wedding stuff), and I have just one more week of work before my bachelorette party, then the next week off, then getting married!  Woo Hoo!

Anyway, before I went crazy and got overwhelmed, I had a bit of inspiration and made something new.  So I'll focus on that for this post (instead of the crazy stressful stuff).  This is my first project that's really intended to be a kid-friendly item...

Without any further ado...the I Spy Bag

So general idea of the I Spy Bag is a bag full of rice and various trinkets.  I took a picture of everything in the bag, labeled them, and printed it on cardstock.  I laminated the picture - so now kids can look to the card, pick out an item, then move the rice around in the bag until their item shows up in the clear vinyl window.

I used my serger to sew all the edges.  I figured it would eliminate the need to finish edges and it would also hold the strongest.  I added a gromet to the corner, then used a binder ring to clip on my card.

Here's a close up of the card:

I still need to give this one to some kids to test it out and see if they seem at all interested in it.  I figure it's a good way to give them a quiet toy/activity when you're at dinner, etc.  Perhaps my nieces can be my test market :)

I've been invited to participate in the Leawood Craft Fair on September 28 - it's an outdoor family friendly event so I've decided to try to come up with some kid crafts to sell.  I think I'll have two full weeks after we get back from our Honeymoon for me to finish any projects and have some ready for the craft fair...we'll see how that goes!

Oh, and I almost forgot my favorite part of this whole I Spy Bag story.  I spent a lunch break a few weeks ago at Dollar General and the fabric store getting everything I needed for this.  After work I was walking to my car (sort of speed walking because I was super excited to get home and start making my I Spy Bag) and I bumped into a co-worker, Leah.  She looked at me and said "You have that glimmer in your eye like you're going to go bedazzle something."  It was hilarious, completely true, and proved that my co-workers know me all too well!

Alright, well that's all for today!