October 14, 2017 by mama lola

hiya, everyone!

it’s been a while since i’ve been here. almost a year.

i’ve been in a weird of dark place. a place that’s been hard to navigate. a confusing place with lots of dark corners and dead ends.

in the spring my life slowly started to turn around. well, not quite turn around as that sounds too drastic, but slowly shift towards the light again. i think i’ve at least found a place that’s a little brighter, where things are clearer. it’s a process and a work in progress, but there in positive momentum in my life.

finally.

again.

i have been busy with various things in the last year, one which i am super proud of; i have started making artsy, crafty things with my hands and selling them. it’s kinda a big deal in my world, as i have always thought that the things i made weren’t good enough. which then took me down that whole dark road to why bother.

i know it sounds confusing because so much of my blog has been about making things. but, i never really made things for other people, and certainly not to sell! i shared crafts i did with the boys when they were little and wee. i shared our recipes i made for dinner and holiday decorating aides that were simple, but pretty. everything was for other people. then last spring things changed, i found a little bit self confidence in a back pocket, i rallied support from my family and friends and then a wee local farmer’s market let me be a vendor! people LIKED what i was making and were willing to pay me their hard earned money! this blew me away, because i had always had this assumption that anyone can do this, my ability isn’t worthwhile…

so, with my re-discovered creative self i am re-vamping bear & lion.

mama lola is back!

i am back to blogging. i will be sewing, daydreaming, creating, making, gluing, crafting, felting, photographing, selling, sharing my handmade items on here as well. there will also be pictures on instagram and facebook (go on over and follow me there as well!)

bear & lion is back up and running. i will slowly be adding things here, updating (bah, this part scares me as EVERYTHING is so freaking old), sharing and selling. it’s been a while since being in this space so please be patient with me! the tech side of my brain is covered in cobwebs and i may need to re-start it several times before i really find my groove!

so, WELCOME to all friends new & old.

http://bearandlionmama.com/2017/10/4516.html

felt envelopes for santa claus!

November 17, 2015 by mama lola

oh my goodness! look at what i found!

i was researching other christmas crafts when i saw these lovely, adorable felt envelopes to santa claus! of course i pinned the ideas and decided to make a round-up post for inspiration.

first i’ll share what i made.

i used felt, thread, hot glue gun and my sewing machine just a little.

i used a blanket stitch to sew the edges of the envelope together. i wasn’t too concerned about the evenness of the stitches, creating a childlike quality to the project. then i used my scrap felt to cut out the letters, stamp and holly embellishments.

i have lots of scraps of felt that i save for detailing for all sorts of projects. here i used the small pieces for holly, the reindeer’s face and antlers and the stamps. i just hot glue gunned them on.

then i embroidered some simple wintery stars on the back of one of the envelopes.

TA-DAA!!!

i just love them!

below i have included ideas that vary from quite intricate to very simple. school aged kids could even make one of the easier versions of the envelopes.

writing to santa : diy felt envelopes from city girl gone coastal

letter to santa claus felt envelope from not on the high street

(this one is not a tutorial, but a envelope for sale)

felt envelope by michale ann via paper + stitch

personalised felt christmas letter to santa envelope from cut out and keep

christmas wish-list felt envelope from jumbbleberries

if you’re not feeling crafty, check etsy for these felt envelopes. there are many creative people there making fantastic envelopes; go check them out by just putting “santa felt envelopes”into the search and enjoy!

these sweet things would be perfect for kids or even for gift cards!

cute halloween felt decorations!

October 26, 2015 by mama lola

last week i pulled out my box of felt and got busy with several different projects!

today i am sharing a halloween craft, which seems fitting as halloween is coming quickly this coming weekend! do you have all of your costumes organized and ready for trick-or-treating?

aren’t these googly-eyed halloween characters adorable?

i made these wee adorable halloween felt decorations. i thought some people may want to add string or ribbon to them in order to hang them or make a spooky mobile. i personally left them as is, and have popped them on windowsills and flower pots peeking their googly eyes around the leaves.

SUPPLIES:

various colours of felt

googly eyes

hot glue gun

stuffing

various colours of embroidery thread and a needle

scissors

INSTRUCTIONS:

fold your felt so you cut two identical pieces.

2. thread your needle and sew the two pieces of felt together using a blanket stitch. leave a small space for stuffing filling.

3. once you have stuffed enough stuffing keep sewing your blanket stitch.

4. hot glue gun the googly eyes onto the felt.

these googly-eyes halloween cuties aren’t particularly spooky, but are super fun nonetheless.

now, i gotta get lion’s halloween costume organized. he’s a minion (as are so many other kids!) so i’m using mason jar lids to make his goggles! should work out well, i think! bear has worked hard at his wizard costume independently, which has been really fun to watch. he clearly has some specific ideas he wants to bring into fruition!

i will share pictures as we get more organized!

happy crafting friends!

back-to-school : sew your own pencil roll-up case!

September 7, 2015 by mama lola

school for my boys starts tomorrow!!!

it’s hard to believe summer is over, even though at times i was feeling quite burnt out and tired. my boys are ready to go back to school, see their friends and meet their teachers. i am ready for them to return, as well.

i don’t really do much in preparation for back-to-school. i am always looking for deals on things and will stock up on sale things. but, this year bear had a request…

my bear told me he needed a pencil case as he enters grade 2. i thought that sounded quite reasonable, so i decided to sew up something fun for him, instead of buying one. and, of course i had to search for some design and sewing ideas!!!

here are some roll up pencil cases i used as inspiration for my own design. these bloggers have shared fantastic pictures and tutorials for this sewing project so i will spare you my horrid instructions.

i will say this that to sew up bear’s pencil case took about 90 minutes from start to finish. that includes finding fabric in my basement, ironing, filling my bobbins and fixing some mistakes. all-in-all it’s not a very difficult project!

10 minute pencil roll from my poppet makes

no sew coloured pencil roll from small + friendly

make a colourful roll-up pencil case from guide central

bear’s pencil roll-up case was a surprise and he was thrilled with it when i showed it to him. he immediately went to the art room and chose which supplies he needed. it was pretty sweet watching him kiss it! haha!

HAPPY BACK-TO-SCHOOL!

homemade stocking stuffers!

November 22, 2014 by mama lola

stocking stuffers… stocking stuffers, sometimes these little gifts get such a bad rep. well if you’re buying something generic that may be the case, but if you put some of your back into it and create a homemade stocking stuffer then that can be a very personal gift!

tis the season for getting crafty and creative! making little stocking stuffers for the people you adore is a wonderful way to share some homemade goodness in a time of intense spending! i’ve brought together 10 ideas for you to try and all of these can be made with simple crafting supplies and home deco items! if there’s an item you don’t have or need some more supplies for your project why not check Raise to see if they have a deal for craft and decor supplies. you may often find craft deals around this time of year as so many people are making their own gifts!

here we go! my top 10 stocking stuffer ideas (in no particular order) for this holiday season! (not all these ideas are “christmassy” themed, but perfect none-the-less as stocking stuffers… there’s something for everyone on your lists here! promise!)

ahem! drum roll please….

i made these felted soaps last year for people. they were very well received and enjoyed! and, i had my then three year old help me, which was totally fun and adorable!

bear & lion

look at these colourful homemade crayons from it’s gravy baby! this is a great gift idea you can get the kids to help with, even the little ones can do their part! and who wouldn’t love to get creative with these awesome multi-coloured tokens of love?!

it’s gravy baby

don’t these sugar scrub cubes look good enough to eat? well, they look delicious and i’m sure your skin would enjoy a nice scrub in the tub with these! lovely idea for any tired, hard working body… hey, so that could be anyone! thanks for the idea hello natural!

hello natural

i used to collect keychains as a kid! i love these sewn keychains from living with punks, and i especially adore the little buttons embellishments, how cute are they?! you could use fabric from old torn clothes like your favourite pair of jeans of concert t-shirt… i love using old things for new projects!

living with punks

anything jersey and i love it! this grey jersey bowls with the neon stitching is amazing! excellent tutorial from the red thread on how to make your own! you could easily fold a bowl to fir your stocking… haha! these wee things are perfect for odds n’ ends that need a place.

the red thread

this memory game from dear lizzy is so wonderful! i think that hardest part for me would be picking and choosing the photograph’s i’d like to use! this is a great idea for little people who might live far away from extended family or friends. so sweet!

dear lizzy

these little hand warmers are a great idea from holly dolly! quick and easy to make, but something practical to share with those you love during the freezing winter months! LOVE!

holly dolly

this sewing kit in a jar is a delightful stocking stuffer for any novice sewer you know. the paper mama has included lovely photo’s and a complete list of what to include in your jar. i actually have a very specific person in mind for this gift, someone who was born less than 10 years ago!

the paper mama

aren’t these dancing family cut-outs from sweet paul hilarious?! what a wonderful stocking stuffer idea for your grumpy grandpa or your mischievous little nephew! i know my boys would have such fun with these!

sweet paul

how lovely are these monogrammed mugs from pine gate road? what a great way to personalize a gift. i especially love the gold sharpie here, makes the mug look fancier, so fantastic! if you wanted to go the extra mile with this gift idea, why not order a Custom Mug With Name and Dogs on. i love receving personalized gifts so i think these mugs are an amazing present!

pine gate road

i’ve definitely been busy pinning these ideas and more on pinterest! there are so many unique and beautiful ideas out there to be made!

if you don’t already, come and follow me on pinterest!

let me know which stocking stuffer idea you’re going to give a whirl!

day of the dead felt craft.

October 26, 2014 by mama lola

i just love the look of the day of the dead sugar skulls. if you google or go on pinterest for images, there a zillions of colourful ideas and projects! if you’re not feeling crafty and want to buy some fantastic sugar skulls, etsy is full of creative people selling their projectslikeflower pots, garlands and more. (pinterest has lots of links to etsy shops.)

so, i made some simple sugar skulls from felt and here’s what i did…

MATERIALS:

colourful felt

scissors

embroidery thread and needle

glue gun and glue

stuffing

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. cut out the skull shapes. i chose to just cut them free hand deciding to do the front and back in different colours. i liked the way a more asymmetrical skull looked vs. a symmetrical one.

2. then i just started cutting shapes out of other colours of felt. an upside down heart makes for a great nose! once i liked the way something looked i used a glue gun to stick them to the skulls. then i stitched the mouths on.

3. sew the two sides together using a blanket stitch. leave a small opening to fill the sugar skulls with stuffing and then continue stitching.

4. voilà! such fun and colourful decorations!

i’m super pleased with them! each sugar skull took about 30 minutes to make. i’ll be making a few more and then making a garland out of all of them!

here’s some of my favourite places where i found inspiration : casa artelexia made those colourful sugar skulls with sequence eyes, pear mama made those awesome potato stamped tea towels and alisa burke painted the gorgeous, detailed rocks!

happy crafting!

DIY halloween garlands!

September 25, 2014 by mama lola

it’s time to think of halloween and get crafty!

i am going through a bit of a day of the dead phase; googling images and projects with the theme. i think this fall i will try to make a felt skull garland. i just love the bright colours, patterns and the combination of flowers and skulls!

hissy fit halloween garland from pink martini’s and pearls

DIY pumpkin garland from 36th avenue

day of the dead felt sugar skull from casa artelexia

(these aren’t actually a garland, but i love the colours and thought the skulls could easily be attached to make one)

tissue pom-pom garland with sugar skulls from paper source blog

spooky halloween garland from paper crave

halloween tassle garland from the flair exchange

halloween spook banner from organize your stuff now

creepy spider garland from redheart

jack skellington halloween string garland from disney family

which garland is your favourite?

october starts next week! WHAT?!

it’s true, so let’s get brainstorming, plug in those glue guns and get crafting!

easter sewing projects!

March 9, 2014 by mama lola

i love all of these easter sewing project ideas! they vary from quick n’ easy to more time consuming ones, but regardless of how much effort they require they are all super cute! i hope you are inspired by this mini round-up, and get your sewing machine loaded for action!

so, here we go…

egg tee from icandy handmade

fabric easter basket from V & co.

easter bunny masks from rosy posy

easy felt carrot garland from positively splendid

easter bunny treat bags from sew can she

i think my kids would love it if i made any of these for them!

i’m loving all of these bright colours!

valentine’s day sewing crafts!

January 14, 2014 by mama lola

there are so many wonderful sewing projects out there for valentine’s day. i chose ones that i thought my kids, family or friends would enjoy. and, one’s that i thought i would and could actually sew! someone asked me which project was my favourite, but i couldn’t decide, as they are so delightful and lovely in their own way!

paper valentine candy filled hearts from in my own style

valentine’s day love letters from beneath the rowan tree

heart felt bracelets from holiday crafts and creations

zippered heart pouches from purl bee

valentine’s day reverse applique pillow from she said sew

dip dyed mittens from an old sweater from my story: modcloth

XOXO pillows from craftaholics anonymous

time to go see what kind of fabric i have in my stash and get the ol’ sewing machine plugged in and going!

happy sewing!

fancy festive bow ties!

November 19, 2013 by mama lola

my boys have their own sense of style and love to look fancy.

they love to look handsome for birthday parties, weddings and christmas festivities are no different. so, this season i am again sewing new bow ties for my wee trend setters, which they will discover one december morning in their advent calender! see previous tutorial HERE.

this is such a quick n’ easy sewing project.

SUPPLIES:

* festive fabric of your choice

* scissors

* thread, needle

* iron

* elastic

INSTRUCTIONS:

* cut two rectangles, one bigger than the other.

* fold fabric in half with the patterns sides facing each other, sew around the edges, leaving an unstiched opening at the end.

* sew all the way around your rectangle, except for a small opening at the end. you need this opening to get your fabric right side out.

* cut the corners and then turn the rectangles right side out. mine look wrinkly, because it’s a tight squeeze through the small opening! a quick iron will that!

* sew up the openings by hand.

* this time i used a small scrap piece to cinch up the two rectangles to create the bow tie shape. before, i’ve sewn specific pieces for the centre for cinching. you can find those instructions HERE.

* cut and measure elastic band. loop through the back of the bow tie and then sew the wends together.

here are some examples of other bow ties i have sewn for the boys. the top one is from bear’s 4th birthday. instead of making loot bags all the guests received a bow tie! the one on the middles is another x-mas bow tie and the purple one at the bottom is from a wedding the kids were in. now, my kids wear bow ties all the time; school pictures, just because or for looking fancy!

and don’t forget, bow ties are not just for boys!

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