pretend and play restaurant set: today's special board

Alright . . . humor me . . . I'm almost done with this set.  I promise!
If you are new here, check out the other pieces of the restaurant set:
chef's hat, apron, oven mitts/pot holders, waitress/waiter apron, ordering pad.

Restaurant Play Set: A Today's Special Board

Another VERY simple project . . . here's what you need:
~a canvas or any surface that can be painted (In my supply closet I had a 10 x 10 painter's canvas stretched over a wood frame.  It worked perfectly!)
~chalkboard paint
~ribbon for hanging and Gorilla Glue or hot glue
~fabric matching the rest of your set
~cardstock or poster board

~chalk

Here's what you do:

1)  Paint your canvas (or surface of choice) with three coats of chalkboard paint.  Letting each coat dry for at least an hour in between.  After the last coat, let it sit for 24 hours.  Trust me . . . this is important and also VERY had for impatient people like me! 

2)  After 24 hours, rub chalk all over the chalkboard surface.  Then wipe completely clean . . . your surface will look a tad bit cloudy which is exactly what you want.

3)  Measure the amount of ribbon you want for hanging, cut, and glue each end to the opposites edges on the wrong side of you chalkboard.  (I seem to use Gorilla glue for everything now because it's really strong and I don't have to heat up my glue gun . . . have I mentioned that I'm lazy?)

4)  Use your fabric to make some simple embellishments.  I cut out a few simple graphics from the fabric.  Mod Podge fabric cutouts onto cardstock.  Cut out again.  This give firm shape to your fabric. 

5)  Paste fabric shapes onto front of chalkboard.

Write "The Special of the Day" on the board.  Done!  Wow!  That was easy!

Craft on!

This post is sponsored by Arise Shine Designs.  Visit Arise Shine Designs for beautiful Scripture-inspired jewelry:

Check out the great parties I may link to by clicking on the blog name below or visiting my "I like to party" page that shows off all the party buttons.  These gals go to a lot of work to host these parties.  If you participate in parties please take time to look through a variety of the projects linked up.  They are a great source of inspiration!


Weekend - a little lovely, Craft Envy, Under the Table and Dreaming, Be Different Act Normal, A Vision to Remember, 504 Main - Tickled Pink, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, I heart naptime


Monday - Keeping it Simple, Craft-O-Maniac, The Girl Creative, The Trendy Treehouse, CRAFT, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Between Naps on the Porch, Tools Are For Women,  It's So Very Cheri, Skip to My Lou, Sew Can Do, Polly Want a Crafter


Tuesday - All Thingz Related, Sugar Bee, New Nostalgia, Creative Itch, Lucky Star Lane, Hope Studios, These Creative Juices, My Delicious Ambiguity, Today's Creative Blog-Get Your Craft On!,


Wednesday - It's So Very Cheri, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blue Cricket Design, Trendy Treehouse, Tea Rose Home, Someday Crafts, My Backyard Eden, Sew Much Ado, Night Owl Crafting


Thursday -  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Life As Lori, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Seven Thirty Three, The Train to Crazy, PonyTails and FishScales


Friday - The Sabby Nest, A Little Knick Knack, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It's Fun to Craft!, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Kojo Designs, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Remodelaholic, Momma's Kinda Crafty

pretend and play restaurant set: personalized ordering pad

Are you sick of me yet?  Do you roll your eyes every time I add something to one of my pretend and play sets?  I know . . . sometimes I roll my eyes at myself.  ;)

So far we've done the chef's hat, apron, oven mitts/pot holders, waitress/waiter apron.

I'm love making these pretend and play sets.  Once I start I just can't stop, and I love thinking of little details to make the sets unique and complete.  

This little ordering pad is one of those details.

This pad is so simple to make . . . here's what you need:
~a little flip notebook* (So cheap . . . I got four of these for $1.00.)
~fabric matching the rest of you set
~cardstock or poster board
~Mod Podge
~a print out of what you want for your restaurant logo (If I only had a Silhouette!)
~pencil and permanent marker

*I was planning on painting or covering the front of my notebooks with fabric, but I found the perfect color.  I love saving steps and making a project easier!

Here's what you do:

1)  Place the print out on the front of the pad.  Pushing very hard, trace the letters onto the pad with a pencil.  Use a permanent marker to trace the lines on the pad and color in the logo.  The restaurant sign I'm making says Sweet Sisters' Cafe, so the logo on the pad represents that name.

2)  Mod Podge the fabric cutouts onto poster board or cardstock.  Cut out.  Then paste onto a larger square of poster board or cardstock.

3)  Paste onto front of flip book.

Done!  Wow!  That was easy!

Craft on!

This post is sponsored by Arise Shine Designs.  Visit Arise Shine Designs for beautiful Scripture-inspired jewelry:

Check out the great parties I may link to by clicking on the blog name below or visiting my "I like to party" page that shows off all the party buttons.  These gals go to a lot of work to host these parties.  If you participate in parties please take time to look through a variety of the projects linked up.  They are a great source of inspiration!


Weekend - a little lovely, Craft Envy, Under the Table and Dreaming, Be Different Act Normal, A Vision to Remember, 504 Main - Tickled Pink, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, I heart naptime


Monday - Keeping it Simple, Craft-O-Maniac, The Girl Creative, The Trendy Treehouse, CRAFT, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Between Naps on the Porch, Tools Are For Women,  It's So Very Cheri, Skip to My Lou, Sew Can Do, Polly Want a Crafter


Tuesday - All Thingz Related, Sugar Bee, New Nostalgia, Creative Itch, Lucky Star Lane, Hope Studios, These Creative Juices, My Delicious Ambiguity, Today's Creative Blog-Get Your Craft On!,


Wednesday - It's So Very Cheri, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blue Cricket Design, Trendy Treehouse, Tea Rose Home, Someday Crafts, My Backyard Eden, Sew Much Ado, Night Owl Crafting


Thursday -  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Life As Lori, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Seven Thirty Three, The Train to Crazy, PonyTails and FishScales


Friday - The Sabby Nest, A Little Knick Knack, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It's Fun to Craft!, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Kojo Designs, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Remodelaholic, Momma's Kinda Crafty

pretend and play restaurant set: waitress/waiter apron

We are in deep with the pretend and play restaurant set.  So far we've done the chef's set - including chef's hat, apron and oven mitts/pot holders.

In our house, my girls don't just love to make my meal made-to-order they love to take my order.  So I definitely needed to include a different apron for my little waitresses.  Unlike the chef's apron this apron is not a bib-apron.  It wraps around the waist and includes pockets for an ordering pad, pen and straw/money, etc.  Like the chef's apron it is designed for the child to be able to put it on herself/himself by wrapping strap around the waist and fastening hook and loop or by just leaving hook and loop always fastened so that the child can pull up the apron like a pair of pants. 

Waitress/Waiter Apron

Here's what you need:
~fabric for the apron (see first step for measurement info)
~fabric for the divided pocket (see second step for measurement info)
~1/2 inch of the 5/8 inch width elastic for the waist strap - the same length as the top of the apron
~fabric for the waist strap - width = 2 inches; length = double the length of the elastic
-1 - 2 inch piece of hook and loop

Here's what you do:
1)  Measure child from waist to knee or mid-thigh - depending on how long you want the apron.  Add 1 inch to this measurement.  Measure from hip to hip. This measurement is the top of your apron . . . the narrowest part.  Add about two inches to the measurement for the bottom of the apron. (My apron was 12 inches on the top and 14 inches on the bottom and 11 1/2 inches from top to bottom.) Use these measurements to map out your apron on fabric.  Cut out two pieces - front and back of apron.

2)  Measure out pocket pieces according to width of apron.  (Mine was 9 x 4 inches.)  You need two of these pieces.  

3)  Pin the pocket pieces right sides together.  Sew around leaving 2 inch hole for turning.  Turn.  Top stitch one long edge of pocket (this will be the top opening.  Then pin pocket to top fabric piece of apron and sew around the remaining three side.  Add pocket dividers where desired.  

4)  Fold waist strap fabric in half length wise wrong sides together.  It will be about 1 inch wide now.  Fold under raw edges.  Iron and sew down edge to create a tube.  Insert elastic by pinning safety pin on one end making it easier to push through.  Pull the elastic and bunch the fabric up around the elastic as you go.  The elastic should be pulled through until end of the elastic without the safety pin is about two to three inches inside the tube.  Stop.  Sew this end in place and then keep pulling the safety pin end through to the other end.  Sew in place on this end.

5)  Sew one side of the hook and loop onto the non-elastic end of the strap.

6)  Sew the other side of the hook and loop about 1 inch in from the top edge of the fabric that you will be using on the inner layer.

7)  Pin strap to the opposite side so that the hook and loop pieces match up.  The hook and loop piece on the strap should fold into the hook and loop on the inside of the apron.  Here's an example of what it looks like finished.

  
8)  Sandwich strap between the two apron pieces facing right sides together.  Sew around leaving a hole for turning.  Clip corners.  Turn.  Top stitch all the way around closing turning hole up in the process.

Done!

Next up . . . personalized ordering pad.

Craft on!   


Check out the great parties I may link to by clicking on the blog name below or visiting my "I like to party" page that shows off all the party buttons.  These gals go to a lot of work to host these parties.  If you participate in parties please take time to look through a variety of the projects linked up.  They are a great source of inspiration!


Weekend - a little lovely, Craft Envy, Under the Table and Dreaming, Be Different Act Normal, A Vision to Remember, 504 Main - Tickled Pink, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, I heart naptime


Monday - Keeping it Simple, Craft-O-Maniac, The Girl Creative, The Trendy Treehouse, CRAFT, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Between Naps on the Porch, Tools Are For Women,  It's So Very Cheri, Skip to My Lou, Sew Can Do, Polly Want a Crafter


Tuesday - All Thingz Related, Sugar Bee, New Nostalgia, Creative Itch, Lucky Star Lane, Hope Studios, These Creative Juices, My Delicious Ambiguity, Today's Creative Blog-Get Your Craft On!,


Wednesday - It's So Very Cheri, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blue Cricket Design, Trendy Treehouse, Tea Rose Home, Someday Crafts, My Backyard Eden, Sew Much Ado, Night Owl Crafting


Thursday -  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Life As Lori, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Seven Thirty Three, The Train to Crazy, PonyTails and FishScales


Friday - The Sabby Nest, A Little Knick Knack, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It's Fun to Craft!, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Kojo Designs, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Remodelaholic, Momma's Kinda Crafty

pretend and play restaurant set: oven mitts and pot holders

**Two days left to enter to win the rock and roll earrings.  Click here to find out how to enter.**

Pot holders and oven mitts don't really need a tutorial . . . and yet, I'm doing one anyway.  It's a disease! 

The pretend and play restaurant set is well underway! 

We've seen:

a chef's hat

a chef's apron

Now we have coordinating oven mitts and pot holders.

Here's what you need:
-fleece
-coordinating fabric

Here's what you do for the oven mitt:
1)  Trace child's hand and use the traced hand to make sure the oven mitt will be larger than the hand.  Or trace around a child's mitten adding a few inches all the way around perimeter for the oven mitt pattern.  Leave an extra 1/2 inch on the bottom of the non-fleece mitt shape.  Cut out two mitt shapes for each oven mitt. 

2)  Cut the bottom of the fleece mitt shape with pinking shears.

3)  Pin the two mitt shapes right sides together just at one side.  

4)  Double fold the end of the non-fleece mitt shape and pin.  With a zigzag stitch sew a hem down the bottom of the mitts pinned together.

5)  Pin the mitt shapes right sides together all the way around.  Sew.  Clip rounded corners and turn.

Oven mitts done! 

The pot holders are pretty self-explanatory . . . so let me explain them ;).  Cut out two squares.  Pin them right sides together.  Sew around leaving a turning hole.  Clip corners.  Turn.  Top stitch around edge closing up turning hole in the process. 

Craft on!


Check out the great parties I may link to by clicking on the blog name below or visiting my "I like to party" page that shows off all the party buttons.  These gals go to a lot of work to host these parties.  If you particpate in parties please take time to look through a variety of the projects linked up.  They are a great source of inspiration!


Weekend - a little lovely, Craft Envy, Under the Table and Dreaming, Be Different Act Normal, A Vision to Remember, 504 Main - Tickled Pink, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, I heart naptime


Monday - Keeping it Simple, Craft-O-Maniac, The Girl Creative, The Trendy Treehouse, CRAFT, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Between Naps on the Porch, Tools Are For Women,  It's So Very Cheri, Skip to My Lou, Sew Can Do, Polly Want a Crafter


Tuesday - All Thingz Related, Sugar Bee, New Nostalgia, Creative Itch, Lucky Star Lane, Hope Studios, These Creative Juices, My Delicious Ambiguity, Today's Creative Blog-Get Your Craft On!,


Wednesday - It's So Very Cheri, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blue Cricket Design, Trendy Treehouse, Tea Rose Home, Someday Crafts, My Backyard Eden, Sew Much Ado, Night Owl Crafting


Thursday -  Fireflies and Jellybeans, Life As Lori, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Seven Thirty Three, The Train to Crazy, PonyTails and FishScales


Friday - The Sabby Nest, A Little Knick Knack, Fingerprints on the Fridge, It's Fun to Craft!, It's a Hodgepodge Life, Kojo Designs, Simply Sweet Home, Frou Frou Decor, Remodelaholic, Momma's Kinda Crafty