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My quirky 3-year-old….and her new “pirate” pose as she calls it:

Boo has been saying for weeks now that she will NOT go see Santa. No way, no how. Remember last year (click here for photos)? I asked her one more time the other night thinking maybe she’d change her mind:

Me: We need to go to the mall and see Santa….pleeeeaaaaase?
Boo: I’m NOT going to see Santa already. He’s at the North Pole. And he HAS my letter.
Me: So you won’t sit on his lap for a picture?
Boo: No, I only want 2 pictures of me and Santa.
(I guess the 2 pictures from when she couldn’t express an opinion yet?)
Me: Does Santa scare you?
Boo: No, he just makes me nervous.
Me: What does it mean if you are nervous?
Boo: It means I don’t like to sit on people’s laps Mommy.
(Totally fine by me. And the more I think about it, I totally agree with her….I mean, there’s no way you would get ME to sit on Santa’s lap!)

And so that was the end of it for me. If she doesn’t like Santa, then she doesn’t like Santa. She wrote him a letter….that should be enough, right?

But then the unthinkable happened…..

Boo’s school had a Christmas program last night. The school had wonderful intentions…..and at the end surprised all the kids with Santa. Each class, with all the parents in the audience, had each child get in line with their teacher to go up and see Santa. I didn’t really know what to do…..for the first time in my life I was totally paralyzed. I stood by while my child was stuck in a line to see Santa. Her eyes were tearing up like she was going against some deep conviction she had. And the rest of the story just breaks my heart…..because she has such a sweet spirit, she was extremely polite to Santa, got up on his lap, tears welling up in her eyes and tried to smile the whole time. She didn’t want to hurt Santa’s feelings.

Here is one second before that smile:

As soon as she stepped off the stage, I gave her a hug and told her how brave she was and there was a nervous laugh/sigh of relief as she wiped her tears away. The whole car ride home I was worried she would think I had betrayed her. I mean, that kid on Santa’s lap was not my kid…it’s the only time I’ve ever seen her so unsure and, ugh, sad.

THIS is my kid…..in a nutshell:

Ok so, in the car on the ride home:
Me: Did you get to tell Santa what you want for Christmas?
Boo: No, he was only giving candy canes….(long pause)….I think I’ll just tell Daddy what I want for Christmas.

I’m officially over Santa. Sorry Santa.

The other day in the car she told me the whole story of Jesus’s birth in detail…..her own detail but it was pretty spot on. The wise men were “wishy men” and Joseph is “Joe Fess”…..she knows the reason for the season. She does some things that totally blow me away. Like the time she came into the living room and asked us to open the back door because she had to ask God something….and wasn’t sure he could hear her from her bedroom. Are children closer to God? Things like this just make my head spin…..I HAVE to know…..like the time my Grandfather called my sister and left a message, after he had passed away?! I researched that one for months! Sorry, total tangent there…

Oh, and tonight Boo and I went out to dinner and out of the blue:
Boo: Sometimes you just don’t listen to me Mommy.
Me: I’m sorry….I’m listening now. What do you want to tell me?
Boo: That’s what I wanted to tell you, sometimes you just don’t listen to me.
Me (trying to mask my utter disgust towards myself): Duly noted. I promise to listen to you better.

I guess this means I’m not getting the “mother-of-the-year” award?

Back to Christmas:
Tonight I took Boo to do some Christmas shopping. I let her pick out anything in the whole store for Daddy. She picked this:

Mr. LBB is going to be ecstatic. Just what he’s always wanted. I think I’ve convinced her to let me help her repaint it with chalkboard paint.

Last week Boo DID write her letter to Santa Claus with Mr. LBB’s help. She’s asked for:

1. A watercooler

I have no idea…..

2. A camera with no feet, only legs

I’m assuming this is a camera on a tripod?

3. A telescope that can see all the stars

Can a toddler figure out how to focus a telescope?

I’d already done my shopping for Boo…..and I didn’t pick up any of these items….maybe I’ll leave them up to Daddy. I’m 100% certain she’ll be the happiest little girl on earth when she opens ANYTHING we get her….that’s just her personality. She’s always grateful and excited. I can’t wait for Christmas morning…..Mr. LBB had to confiscate a few presents so I wouldn’t cave and give them to her BEFORE Christmas.

My favorite gift I just can’t stop thinking about? This beautiful little custom waldorf-style doll made by my friend Debra of Apple Tree House Dolls…..I found the yarn for her hair on a trip to L.A. and knew right away it was perfect for a doll for Boo. I haven’t figured out what to dress her in yet…but she’s named Laurina after a little girl we sponsor through Three Angel’s Haiti. She’ll be the perfect sister to Boo’s other ATH doll Li’l Sally (when Boo met Li’l Sally).

Of course Li’l Sally needs a gift, she is after all like a member of the family! I had a little custom backpack made by Bitty Bags. Boo LOVES rainbows….isn’t this the cutest thing ever? Tia does amazing work!

My last handmade gift: Boo LOVES ketchup….she puts it on everything: pancakes, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets. She spotted this t-shirt from across the entire store. I secretly bought it and made it into this dress for her. She might just faint when she sees it.

One week left until Christmas!

How to make a fused plastic belt - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Ok, it is my ONLY fused plastic belt, but I’m loving it. I made one for Sienna too but I ordered a vintage “seat belt” buckle for it, so I’ll post photos of hers when finished.

Fused plastic belt - DIY Tutorial 1 via lilblueboo.com

I was brainstorming ways to recycle the rice bags we use in a fun way (we eat a lot of rice and stir-fry)….. and I remembered some fused plastic products I had seen. That gave me the idea that I could use the plastic bag fusing to “thicken” my rice bag enough to be durable, as well as make it opaque enough so the writing would show up. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but this might be one of my favorite projects ever! My husband is waiting for me to make one for him now (with something else besides rice bags)!

Rice bag / sack plastic belt - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Before starting you’ll need the following materials:

:: 1.5″ cotton webbing (or polyester or nylon)

:: Plastic grocery bags or other plastic packaging

:: Fray Check or thread glue

:: Belt buckle (I took one off an old belt)

:: 3/16″ metal eyelets and eyelet tool (make sure your belt prong will fit through this size)

:: Coordinating thread (and heavy duty thread if you have it around)

Tools needed: sewing machine, scissors, and hammer

Before starting you’ll also have to measure your waist or hip area….(where you like for your belt to sit) and add 8″ to that measurement. This is your “belt length” that I refer to in this tutorial.

Step 1: Cut your top layer plastic (for me it was a rice bag) into 2″ strips making sure to concentrate on the areas that are most interesting. Note: Some plastics shrink more than others, so you may need to test some first. The rice bags are perfect because they barely shrink at all.

Step 1 Cutting - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 2: Cut a piece of freezer paper slightly longer than your belt length, fold it in half, waxy sides together…..

Step 2 Ironing Cover - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

…..and then fold it in half again. This is going to be your ironing “pocket” to melt your plastic in.

Step 3 Ironing Cover - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 3: Take several plastic grocery bags…..

Regular Plastic Bags - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

…and cut them into 2.5″ strips. I only used the white parts for my belt because my design was dependent on the colors of the rice bag and I didn’t want other colors showing through.

Cut Regular Plastic Bags - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 4: Open the freezer paper “sleeve” (no waxy portion should be showing) and lay the grocery bag strips on one side, several strips thick, overlapping them slightly.

Step 4 Place Plastic in Sleeve - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 5: Lay your top layer of plastic (for my project it was the rice bag strips) on top of the grocery bag strips, overlapping the strips about 1/2 inch. You’ll lay enough of these strips to create the length of your belt.

Place 2nd Layer Plastic in Sleeve - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 6: Close the sleeve carefully making sure that the strips do not shift any……

Close Sleeve - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

….and iron (no steam, medium setting) along the freezer paper sleeve to melt the bags together. You’ll have to do this for about a minute…. keeping the iron moving slowly at all times.

Let your sleeve cool. This is important** because plastic tends to curl when it cools.

**Note: The thick double freezer paper sleeve will help your plastic stay flat as it cools. Because of the thickness though you’ll need to check to make sure all the plastic melted. If not, close the sleeve again and repeat your ironing.

Ironing Plastic Bag to Melt - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 6: The white plastic grocery bags tend to shrink considerably so check for “voids” like below (which means your iron was probably a little too hot)……

Too much heat - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

….but you can place more plastic grocery bag layers under that area and re-iron to fill it in.

Too much heat add more plastic - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 6: Cut a piece of cotton webbing as long as your belt length. You can use cotton, nylon, polyester webbing, or even jacquard…. whatever your preference.

Cotton Webbing - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Use a long straight edge to cut one side of your fused plastic piece…….

…..and then measure from that side 1 3/8″ so that your resulting plastic “belt” is 1/8″ smaller than your webbing width.

Measure - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Here is what my two pieces looked like before I attached them together.

Pieces before sewn together - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 7: Place your plastic belt piece on top of the webbing (I don’t pin them, it jacks it all up), and sew carefully down one side.

Note: You’ll want to use a longer stitch than normal (I use a 7 on my machine). A short stitch will weaken the plastic by punching holes too close together.

Sew using longer stitch - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

One side attached:

Step 8: Carefully stitch the other side of your belt and you’ll have the main belt piece finished!

Other side attached - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 9: Notch both ends of your belt piece as shown below and zig-zag stitch the edges so that it won’t fray. I also like to coat the ends in Fray Check or thread glue.

Note: If you are using nylon, you can use a match to seal the ends.

Notch both ends - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 10: Cut a 1/2″ slit in one side of your belt for the buckle prong….

Cut slit - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

….and finish the edges using a narrow zig zag stitch. Be careful not to sew the hole closed!

Cut slit finsih with zig zag stitch - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 11: Insert your buckle prong through the hole……

Insert buckle - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

…..and sew the end of the belt backwards by hand using a needle. I used a heavy duty thread for this step.

Sew buckle - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 12: Try on the belt and see where the buckle prong will hit and mark this spot and mark 2 other points at 1″ increments from each side so you have a total of 5 holes marked.

Try on for buckle prong - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Step 13: At each of the holes marked, take the a sharp object such as scissors to poke/cut large enough holes through so that you can fit one of your 3/16″ metal eyelets through.

Note: Try to disturb as little of the fibers as possible so the holes won’t fray and weaken.

poke holes - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

Place the other side of the eyelet in place……

Add eyelet - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

……and use a hammer and your eyelet tool to lock the eyelet in place. Repeat for each eyelet.

Hammer eyelet in place - DIY Tutorial via lilblueboo.com

And you are done!

I had the HARDEST time getting a photo of the belt myself since my husband was at work. I don’t trust my 2-year-old with my camera….no way. Here was the first attempt….using a mirror:

Note: I am not 7 feet tall….I was standing on a stool. Please don’t send emails asking if my inseam is 64 inches.