DIY No Sew Easy Tutu

Autumn's birthday is next month and she has chosen the theme to be.... *drum roll please*....

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers!

*sigh*

What's a mom to do? 

I never liked Power Rangers, not now and not then. To make matter worst she doesn't just want any Power Rangers, she only wants Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. You know, the series from the 80's! This is when I would enable the hashtag #iblameterrance. Nevertheless, her theme will be Power Rangers. Since it is so hot in the summer, there is no way I will be buying her a Pink Ranger costume that will surely cause a heat stroke. So instead, I made a pink tutu, and I will be printing an iron of the Pink Ranger's symbol for a pink tank top. I've had to start early because I'm also making costume shirts for her cousin and a tutu and shirt for her aunt. 

Here's how I did it with no sewing!

Two Yards of Tulle 

1 Large Safety Pin

One package of  waistband elastic

Scissors

*(Autumn is a size 3t and two yards was enough)*

I bought the tulle and elastic at Wal-Mart. The Tulle cost me 1.97 and the elastic was 98 cents. So For less than $3.00 I had everything I needed. 

Cut the tool into strips. I'll be honest, I didn't measure it. Approx 2 inches wide and 12 inches long. 12 inches may be a little short if you want a longer tutu, but I like the kind that stick straight out. Once it's on the tutu it is about 6 inches long from the waistband. The strips don't have to be cut perfectly because when it's all tied together it blends together well.  

Measure your child's waist and us a safety pin to flat pin the two loose ends together. The pin will be wrapped in tulle by the end, however if you feel more comfortable, placing a small dropp of super glue by the close of the pin and allowing it to dry prior to wrapping the tulle on it will keep it more secure. 

Take the tulle, fold it in half, place the loop you've just made under the elastic band and then pull the loose ends through the loop. 

It'll look like a little knot at the bottom.

Repeat step three.

Repeat step three over and over...

You've made a simple tutu!!!

I love doing it this way because it's so quick, it's so easy, and honestly, she's going to wear it for about twenty minutes before she's in a bathing suit and on the water slide. 

I can't show her yet or she'll want to wear it and no doubt she'll ruin it, but I promise, I will post photos of her costume when it's all done.

Also, I made a similar one for her first birthday, where we had her dressed as Wonder Woman. This is because we are awesome parents and had a DC themed birthday at a pizza parlor that we could drink beer at. :) #parentoftheyear

Autumn was Wonder Woman and I was Starfire. 

Homemade Playdough

Autumn and I made playdough about a month ago, and she's still sooooo proud of it. I have this photo of her on the memory cork board in the kitchen and everytime she see's it she says: "Remember when I was little and made playdough?" Apparently, a month ago she was "little."

I actually just had to throw it out because since they sat for a few weeks the liquid started to seperate from it and looked really gross.

However, after three failed attempts this is the recipe/and how-to that I used, mixing the instructions from a couple of different pinterest sources.

This is the recipe that I used:

For each color I used this amount:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring

*Oh and glitter. We definately mixed in glitter to make them "sparkerlee."

1. I started by having Autumn pour the warm water and vergetable oil together in an already warmed up pot. Warm pot, NOT hot. I also like to add the food coloring drops in now, because it mixes easier.
2. Then start to slowly mix the salt and flower in. Also- add glitter if you want.
3. Keep stirring until it begins to feel like playdough.
4. Roll into a ball and let cool. It will be hot at first, so be careful with the little hands.

We made all sorts of colors and Autumn played for hours. When we were done we put it in reuseable plastic containers, the type that you use for leftover food.

She loved it and played with it everyday until she decided the carpet needed "clothes" and she rubbed blue playdough into the carpet. Then it went in the closet and stayed there while it seperated.

So... two weeks of playing with it and it still was staying together well. Shelf life? Not so long.

Hope you have fun!
-Brittany