How to Make a Stuffed Doll Pillow Mate

Isnt it cute to watch a litter of sleeping puppies? They lie all over each other; one resting his head on anothers foot, another one with his legs hung over his sisters back. Its so adorable! People have similar habits when they sleep. Mates often throw their legs or arms over each other and further entangle as they sleep. It feels good to cuddle with someone as you sleep, but when that someone isnt there, it can be a lonely night, indeed. Whether your mates gone out of town and wont be back for a week, or youve recently gotten divorced and feel lonesome in that empty bed, theres an easy pillow you can create that can give you someone - albeit a fake someone - to snuggle.

Does your mate have an old pair of pajamas that he doesnt wear anymore? Those are perfect for starting the stuffed doll pillow. You can choose other outfits instead, like jogging pants and a sweatshirt, or another similar outfit. Whatever type of clothes you choose you will need a long pair of pants and a long shirt. In addition to the outfit youll need a knee-hi stocking and some stuffing. The stuffing can be foam, cotton or even pieces of old sheets.

Start by deciding on the design of the doll. The doll can have slippers, socks or there can be no feet whatsoever. If youre going with a design that has no feet use hot glue to close the ankles of the pajama bottoms. If youre going to add slippers simply tape the ankles of the pajama bottoms closed temporarily. If youll be giving your doll socks use the chosen material to go ahead and stuff the socks first. Glue the ankles of the pajama bottoms over the stuffed socks. Begin stuffing the pajama pants with the chosen filler. If you want the dolls legs to be bendable insert a wire down each pajama leg then add the stuffing around it. If you want the doll to be able to stand in a closet when not in use slide a small-diameter wooden dowel into each leg then add the stuffing. No matter what design youre making fill the pajama bottoms with stuffing so that its nice and tight. It might be necessary to work with the stuffing a little so that you can get the shape of the person more accurate. Stop stuffing the pajama bottoms when you get near the top. At this point you can go ahead and glue on the slippers. Lay the pants on a flat surface and arrange the chosen shirt so that it either overlaps the pants or tucks inside. If it tucks inside, go ahead and tuck it in, gluing the waist of the pants to the shirt after its tucked in. If the shirt will stay outside of the pants, position it, then glue the shirt to the pants. Now, reach inside the neck of the shirt to begin stuffing it. Add stuffing to finish filling the waist of the pants as well as the shirt itself. If youre making a woman doll, and you dont want it to be flat-chested like a guy, you can cut a Styrofoam ball in half and glue the halves inside the shirt. If youll be giving the doll no hands simply hot glue the cuffs of the shirt shut. If youll be giving the doll glove hands, choose the gloves, stuff them, then glue them to the cuff area of the shirt. Hands can also be made from ends cut off tube socks. Fill the socks and shape them in balls, position them in the cuffs of the shirt sleeves, then glue in place. Continue stuffing the shirt until its full. Add stuffing to a knee-hi stocking until its about the size of a human head. Work with the stuffing, shaping it, until it has a good shape. Tie a rubber band around the end of the stocking to hold the stuffing in place. Cut off excess stocking then glue the collar or neckline of the shirt to the knee-hi. Its not necessary to make a face for the doll. You can make a head covering, if you want, by gluing on a Gilligan-type hat to the knee-hi. Or, glue on doll wig hair to finish. A stuffed doll wont take the place of your mate but it will fill the bed and keep it from seeming so empty. Although the doll doesnt hug and cuddle back it will give you some comfort to roll over and throw your leg over it or lay your head on its shoulder. You might want to hide it

Simple Golf Ball Crafts

Are you a golf nut? Do you know someone who is? If so, there are some fun golf ball projects you can create, and all of them are very inexpensive. Make some of these golf ball crafts and give them to the golf nut. He or she will be thrilled to receive the whimsical and unique gifts. All you will need is a few golf balls and a few cheap craft items.

One quick and easy golf ball project is made for jazzing up plants. Glue an ordinary golf ball onto a golf tee. Draw a smiley face on the ball and stick it in a plant or flower pot. You can glue on fake hair, a moustache or even a top hat. Find miniature embellishments for the plant ball at any craft store. Dont want the balls to be white? Paint them with paint markers which dry quickly and dont run. The markers resemble magic markers but contain paint rather than ink. Theyre inexpensive, come in a variety of colors, and last a long time.

Make a golf ball decoration for various holidays by starting with a Styrofoam block. Paint the block or leave it white. Glue golf balls onto golf tees and use them to spell out a holiday word or phrase. For example, align four balls in a row, equally spaced, across the Styrofoam block. Use paint markers to write a letter on each ball to spell "Noel". The ball arrangement doesnt necessarily have to be for Christmas only. Make a similar arrangement for a graduation party by writing the graduation year on four balls. Use more balls and spell out "Easter" or other words. These can be made with any theme. Embellish the golf ball design by adding silk flowers, miniature bunnies, wooden shapes or other craft items to the Styrofoam block. Another option for spelling out the word or phrase is to use stickers. Because of the shape of the balls, youll have trouble using large stickers, but can easily use small stickers. Spell out the word or phrase by attaching one letter to each golf ball. Other options include ink stamping the letters or numbers or even using fabric paints which stick to most any surface. Instead of using Styrofoam you can make something similar by using a piece of wood. The wood must be fairly long - depending upon the word youll spell - but doesnt have to be very thick. It can be a flat piece of wood or a block of wood. Glue golf balls in a row, across the wood, and spell out anything from "Dad" to "America". These look great on a desk, a mantle or a shelf. They make a fabulous gift for Fathers Day, a birthday, or just because... Glue wiggly eyes onto a golf ball and draw a red smile. Use hot glue to attach a button magnet or square magnet piece to the back of the ball. Glue on a miniature craft top hat and bow tie. Stick the whimsical golf ball guy to the refrigerator or another metal surface. You can make other characters by using other craft miniatures. Glue on a clown hat, red pom-pom nose and silly tie. There are any number of people you can create. Make a different type of character by starting with a flat, heart-shaped wooden piece. Paint the face on the golf ball guy. Glue on hair, wiggly eyes, hat, tie or other accessories. Now glue the golf ball to the wooden shape. The rounded part of the heart should face the front of the ball with the point of the heart is around back. The two rounded parts of the heart make the feet of the character and make it easy to stand the ball. These cute characters are easy to make and very adorable. For fun, make the above characters to resemble people in your own family. Instead of gluing the ball to the heart shape try gluing one to a skateboard, to miniature craft skates, or even to toy skis. Make one with a receded hairline by using a marker. Or, create one with pigtails by gluing on craft hair. Align the family golf balls on a shelf or mantle. Theyre whimsical, fun to create, and make great conversation pieces. If youre a golf nut youll enjoy these crafts. If youre not a golf nut, but you know one, wait until you see his or her face when you give them the golf crafts. Make one of each and theyll have a desk name plaque, golf-theme plants, and even

Gifts You Make by Stacking Things

Does anyone on your Christmas list have a computer desk? An organized kitchen? Then he or she will absolutely love any number of containers and holders that youll make especially for them. Each of these projects are easy enough for anyone to do and use things you might already have at home. When youre finished, though, you - and the recipient - will be thrilled with the results.

Make a really quick pencil and pen holder by using an old plastic Slinky. Glue the Slinky layers together so it is one solid piece. Make a bottom for the holder from a piece of cardboard. Cover it in cloth or decorative paper, then glue it to the bottom. Embellish the simple pencil holder by gluing on a painted wooden shape, a plastic letter or number, or even a flat ceramic design. There are any number of ways to make the Slinky look like something totally different.

A metal Slinky can be used in the same manner. As a matter of fact you really dont even have to glue the circles of plastic or metal together. The weight of the Slinky will keep it in position, and with the cardboard piece glued to the bottom, it will keep the Slinky sitting level. Plastic or metal Slinky desk accessories can hold writing instruments, silk flowers, paper clips and much more. Stack and glue two or more plastic Slinkies together to make a taller version of the pencil holder. This container can hold implements - or even tall flowers - and perk up the kitchen. Create the cardboard bottom and set the creation on a counter or shelf. Place it in the center of a table to hold flowers. Its a unique and easy way to organize and decorate the kitchen at the same time. People wont even notice its a Slinky by the time youve added the embellishments which could include a pipe cleaner border around the top and/or bottom, beads, bark pieces or any number of craft supplies. The creation is all your own. Use things around the house to decorate it or spend money on miniatures or other embellishments. Many different things, besides Slinkies, can be stacked to create unique holders and accessories. Solid cuff bracelets, for example, can be stacked to make lovely "vases" for artificial flowers and plants. Glue several of the bracelets together and use them in the bedroom, bathroom, living room and other places. Cuff bracelets are generally wide, but you can use narrower versions of bracelets, simply by stacking more of them together. Picture frames are another good example of things that can be stacked and made into other things. Frames with no backing or glass are perfect. The frames must be all the same size, though. Glue the frames in a stack that can surround a potted plant. Glue only a couple frames together, glue a flat mirror or glass piece to the bottom, and you have a fantastic beauty supply holder for the bathroom or bedroom. The mirrored frames can hold perfumes, jewelry, powder, lotions and more. Stack old cds to make a unique coffee or drink coaster for your desk. Stack two or three high then cut a piece of felt for the top. Stack even more cds to create pillars for a table. Glue the cds together to make several different size pillars. Place dishes of candies, cookies and other goodies on the pillars. The metallic look of the pillars add glitz to any holiday table. Stack cds, several high, then place a dowel rod through the center. The rod doesnt have to be a tight fit but fit well enough to where the stick doesnt lean severely. If the dowel doesnt fit well, though, just push a piece of Styrofoam into the hole, made by the stacked cds, and push the stick into it. Glue miniature clothes pins onto the rod and you have an instant photo display for a desk or other area. Simply clip pictures, postcards, tickets, Christmas cards, and similar items onto the pole. Paint the dowel with holiday stripes or leave it plain and natural. Look around for other things you can stack and decorate with. Youll be really surprised at what all you find! These crafts are oh, so easy yet look great when theyre finished. Let the kids get in on the fun and

No-Stringing, Beautiful Beaded Pictures

Creating beautiful beaded decor can be very challenging. When working with tiny beads you can count on hours and hours of eye-straining, tedious work to produce even the smallest of decor pieces. However, there is one technique, when it comes to doing beadwork, that is so simple anyone can do it. You wont need a needle or twine to create gorgeous beaded pictures for nearly any room of your house.

Do you know what seed beads are? Sometimes shaped like tiny, elongated seeds, sometimes not, seed beads are simply tiny beads. You can purchase the really small beads in assorted colors, shapes and sizes at most any craft store. The seed beads can be used to make any number of pictures and designs with ease. Decide on the particular picture you want to do before selecting the assorted beads for the project.

There are lots of different things you can use as the pattern for your new beaded picture. Coloring book pages work really well because the detail is usually not real intricate. Other choices might be a calendar photo, a picture from a magazine or even a section cut from a poster. For best results choose a picture that does not have intricate detail that will be challenging to bead. Start by gluing the selected picture to a piece of thick cardboard. Trim the cardboard to fit the picture. Now you can proceed to do the outlining and beading. Select the roping or twine you will use for the outlining. Glue lengths of the small-diameter twine to the areas which are outlined on a coloring book page. If youre using a calendar picture or other image you can use the roping to outline the main items in the picture. Although black twine or roping will give you a very distinct outline you can actually use any color you want. However, youll find the picture will turn out best if you use only one color of roping for the outlining. Roping can also be used to highlight things like an animals eyes or nose or even to make tiny birds in the sky. Use a small paintbrush to apply white glue to the areas which will receive the beads. Start with one section, apply the glue, then sprinkle on the selected beads. You can do some highlighting by using a second color of beads. For example, use white beads down one side of a lighthouse picture, then fill in the rest of the lighthouse image with blue beads. The white beads will give the illusion that the sun is shining on that area of the lighthouse. Continue doing one section after another, starting with images in the center of the picture, and ending with the complete background of the picture. Take care to cover the whole section with a thick coat of glue without actually getting the adhesive on the roping. So, for each section you do, add the glue, sprinkle on the beads, press the beads into the glue with the palm of your hand or a flat object, then turn the picture over to dump off the excess beads. Dont worry if there are areas where there are no beads; you can fix that later. However, its helpful to try to get the glue to cover the entire section so that rework is kept to a minimum. Complete each section before moving on to the next area. If youve applied the beads, and there are still areas of the picture that are showing through, add a little extra glue by using a toothpick or tiny paintbrush. Apply the glue to these bare areas, add extra beads, pat them down, then turn the picture over to dump off the excess. The finished picture can then be placed in a picture frame or can be hung as-is. Its really easy to make beaded pictures when you already have the picture to use as a pattern. Simplistic pictures work best for easy beading but even those simplistic pictures will turn out beautiful when you use the simple beading technique. The smaller the beads, the better the picture will look, since its difficult to see the holes of the beads when theyre really small. The same beading technique can be used to make designs on lampshades and other things in your home, too. Carbon paper is helpful to transfer the paper image to the desired surface. Try your hand at doing a

Early Pregnancy Symptom Checklist

Some women occasionally miss a period, but it turns out theyre not pregnant, so a missed period for them doesnt necessarily spell pregnancy. On the other hand, some pregnant women have slight periods, so theyre not aware theyre pregnant either. There are other signs that you might be pregnant besides a missed period. For some women these signs might be noticed before recognizing missed periods.

By the second trimester most women are definitely aware of the fact that they are pregnant. During the first trimester, however, some women remain unawares. Thats because some early pregnancy signs mimic signs of approaching menstruation or even illness. One such example is aching or tenderness of the breasts. This is a common ailment for many menstruating women and might not be recognized as a sign of pregnancy. However, if the breasts are tender or feeling heavier, and youve experienced a missed period, it could be time to take a pregnancy test.

Many women are said to be emotional before, during or after menstruation. The same can be said of some women who are pregnant. Surging hormones can spell mood swings for many women who dont yet know theyre pregnant. This is only one of several signs that can be connected with menstruation as well as pregnancy. "Morning sickness" is a term known by most adults whether theyve had children or not. Morning sickness can definitely point to pregnancy but is an ailment not commonly connected to menstruation. If you suddenly start having morning sickness you might have an inkling of whats going on, but if the nausea and vomiting occurs other than in the morning, you might not recognize it as a sign of early pregnancy. Consider other symptoms before leaning towards a pregnancy diagnosis. If you have a high fever, for instance, its more likely that youre ill rather than pregnant. If you suddenly realize that certain smells make you sick, whether the smell is a perfume or meat frying in a skillet, this could point to pregnancy. If you wake up in the morning feeling nauseated, and you nibble crackers while sipping soda, this can help calm morning sickness for some women. If this works for you it could be youre pregnant and just didnt know it! Morning sickness generally hits women between a month and six weeks but can last for weeks - or months! Feeling run-down and tired lately? In early pregnancy rising levels of progesterone are thought to cause some women to feel unusually tired or sleepy. If you know youre getting your usual amount of sleep, but you feel very tired everyday, you could be pregnant. This is particularly true if you are experiencing no other signs of illness, fever or ailments. If you have any other symptom of early pregnancy, and youve noticed that youve gained a pound or two, this could be another indicator. Women who are only a month into their pregnancies can easily gain a pound or two. If youre a woman who generally stays at the same weight, and youve suddenly gained a pound, this could be the first sign you notice that you might be expecting. There are many different things that can change after being pregnant only a month. Some women report heartburn, lightheadedness, constipation, stiffness in the back, more frequent urinating or even the changing of the color of the nipples. Some symptoms youve experienced in one pregnancy may not be pregnant in a subsequent pregnancy. Having different symptoms between two pregnancies does not establish the gender of the baby. Just because you have different symptoms with a current pregnancy, that you didnt have when carrying your first son or daughter, doesnt mean the opposite sex will be had this time around. Symptoms can be varied no matter what the gender or how many pregnancies youve experienced. Although pregnancy tests can be very accurate they often dont detect a really early pregnancy. Nothing beats a doctors diagnosis of a pregnancy no matter how far along you are. If youre experiencing any of the above symptoms, with or without a missed period, it could be time to take a pre

Look to Your Driveway for Your Next Craft Project

Did you know that if you have a gravel driveway you have tons of craft supplies? Small rocks and gravel are perfect for making all sorts of cheap or unsightly things around the house look so much better. Take, for instance, an old plastic or glass bud vase. Women who receive flowers once or twice a year could be swamped with these ordinary vases. Some of us throw them away; some hang on to them for no reason. Unless, that is, they always knew a craft would come along to create something fantastic from those useless vases.

Gluing rocks onto all sorts of items lets you create themes that look expensive but are ultra-cheap. Its important that the rocks be somewhat small, very clean, and extremely dry. Place rocks in knee-his to wash them in the dishwasher. Lay rocks out on a towel to dry. Rocks can retain water so make sure the rocks are not damp whatsoever.

Regular hot glue will work great for attaching the rocks to most surfaces. Even if hot glue wont hold the rocks for a long time its only necessary to hold them temporarily. After the rocks have been hot glued onto the object you can then coat the entire project with clear lacquer. The lacquer will provide additional adhesive qualities that will keep the glued rocks in place. If you dont happen to have a gravel driveway you can purchase decorative rocks at craft stores. You can also get bags of small rocks at a home improvement store. Theyre not expensive and a small bag of rocks goes a long way towards giving a make-over to many different things in your home. The rocks are available in many different colors, types and sizes so you can do small projects, like picture frames and bud vases, or larger projects like windowsills and range hoods. Create unusual artwork by starting with the small rocks. Purchase plastic canvas to use as the canvas for your creation. The plastic canvas can be found at most any craft store. It resembles a screen with larger holes and comes in molded colors. The flat canvas is bendable yet sturdy. Glue rocks all over the canvas or create a particular pattern or image. Its easy to do this if you start with a coloring book page. Glue the page to the canvas then glue the rocks in place on the picture. Hang the finished rock artwork on any wall. Use rocks and plastic canvas to make other things, too. Cut a square, rectangle, circle or oval from plastic canvas then glue on the rocks. This makes a fabulous table centerpiece that can hold a basket of fruit or a napkin holder and condiments. Make smaller versions to create unique coasters as well. The plastic canvas can be cut in small shapes like a quarter-moon or even a banana, to make unusual art pieces that can hang on a wall. Use glue dots, double-sided tape or even tiny nails to hold the rock-covered canvas to the walls. Cut small squares of canvas, cover them in rocks, then attach them to the corners of your door facings. This gives any doorway an instant facelift. Arrange the small rocks into monograms or initials for a fireplace mantle or a window cornice. The same can be done on the front of a lamp, a basket or an old trunk. There are no limits to the many things you can make for your home and family by using the tiny rocks to create art and decor pieces. Get the kids in on the fun! Theyll love being able to make all kinds of cool things with the small rocks. In the kitchen cover utensil holders, window sills, the hood of the range, or a table centerpiece. In the bathroom cover toothbrush holders, soap dishes and light switch covers. In a childs room make unique pencil holders for a desk or a wall hanging from a coloring book page. Glue the rocks to an old wooden fireplace mantle, in the den or living room, and create a rustic look for little money. Whether or not you have rocks or gravel in your driveway shouldnt stop you from creating some really great rock decor and gifts. Since the rocks are so inexpensive, and a small bag goes a long way, make rock-covered gifts for all your friends and family members. Theyll never know you made the gifts yourself; the

Unusual Cartoon Character Jack-O-Lanterns

Have you ever seen some of the faces people carve into pumpkins for Halloween? Some of them are frightening and disturbing even to grownups! Image the horror some young children experience when they see the gruesome, glowing jack-o-lanterns of tradition. This year, do something a little different. Make cartoon character jack-o-lanterns that young kids will absolutely love. Theyre very easy to make, and once you try it, the project will likely become a Halloween tradition.

You dont have to be a master carver to create fabulous jack-o-lanterns that are fun and silly. You can draw images onto the pumpkin, then cut them out, or you can use patterns to make the perfect cartoon character pumpkin for your kids. Its helpful to have a picture of the character to use as reference when drawing it. It can be a little more difficult -and expensive - to find stencils which will give you the large cartoon character shapes.

Another way to easily transfer a cartoon design to the pumpkin is to simply use a coloring book page. If you have a piece of transfer paper that will help considerably. Tape the transfer paper, then the coloring book page, to the pumpkin. Trace over each and every line to transfer the image to the pumpkin. Remove the papers and you have your pattern for cutting. If the coloring book page is too small, or too large for the pumpkin, use your home computer print shop to adjust the design to the proper size needed. A partial list of the intriguing designs you can make for kids include Dora, Tinkerbell, Tigger, Eeyore, Casper, Spongebob and Scooby-Doo. Children will absolutely love the unique jack-o-lanterns which can be used indoors or out. Set the finished jack-o-lantern on porches, mantles, goodies tables and other areas of the home. To create the unique jack-o-lanterns simply transfer the pattern onto the pumpkin the carve with tools you normally use. Sharp knives, ice picks, hammered nails and similar techniques will make it easy for you to create the main design. Embellishments for the main design, like stars in the "sky" or grass nearby, can be carved to enhance the main image. As with any Halloween pumpkin, you can carve out the inside, create the design that you carve, then place a candle or light inside. With these unique childrens designs the glowing image will be that of a friendly cartoon rather than a menacing ghoul. Create something completely different, using the coloring book page, by using a hammer and nails to make the entire design. Tape the desired image onto the pumpkin then use a hammer to poke holes in the pumpkin with a nail. Space the nails so that they are evenly apart. Its helpful to draw dots on the outline of the paper image so that you will know where to position each and every nail. The finished nail hole images are beautiful when lit. Kids can make easy cartoon character pumpkins without even damaging the pumpkin at all. The images can be transferred, using transfer paper, or you can try a different technique. Use paints that dispense from a bottle, such as fabric paints, to make outline the image on the coloring book page. Work fast so the paint doesnt have time to dry. Immediately turn the page over and push it, gently, up against the pumpkin. The image will transfer onto the pumpkin with ease. If you need to, go back and touch up any missing sections of outline by dispensing the tube paints directly onto the pumpkin. Use paint markers to color in the center of the images or just leave the designs in outline form. There are many different embellishments you an use to make the pumpkin even more spectacular. Use paint markers to add clothing, hair color or other accents to the design. Glue on fake jewels, buttons, sequin, pom-poms or any number of other craft supplies. This is an easy way that kids can help create Halloween decorations without the use of knives. This year, dont be known for having the most frightening of jack-o-lanterns; have everyone talking about the unique cartoon character designs you and your family have created. Everyone will want t