8.12.2010

Whatever happened to flannel boards?

Seriously, are they still around?  I remember my mom using one, but I haven't seen anyone whip one out recently.  Or maybe I'm just missing something.  Either way, they were my inspiration for this:
Mim's changing table is a big dresser/ hutch thing that my sister in law gave us (woot!) before she was born.  I love it, but have been bothered by the space above the changing pad.  It was just so blank, compared to the rest of the room.  I used to have a women's restroom sign that hung there, but Mim kept pulling it down, which was easy, since I only used sticky tack to put it up.
So, some reasons I love this:

My daughter has a ton of hair.  (Seriously, check it out here.)  Which means I have a ton of hair to comb and put in pigtails, etc.  And she doesn't hold still.  So now, I set her on the table facing her new flannel (it's actually felt) board and she pulls stuff off and sticks stuff on it and I get to do her hair.

It doubles as art.

It comes off of the changing table and she can play with it where ever (there's a velcro strip on the hutch and one on the white felt piece).

I can use it as an educational tool as she grows- numbers, colors, shapes...

It's easily adaptable.  As she grows, I can add more letters and switch things up; all I need to do is cut more shapes out of felt.  I could also adapt it to a boy, if that's what I have next (not pregnant; just planning on it eventually); I would just add trucks and cars and planes and other more boyish objects.  Mim does love trucks and cars, though- toy and real- she makes vroom vroom sounds when she plays with them.

There you have it.  So easy- just cut felt out and attach some velcro to it, then cut out felt shapes. 
{The birds can face either direction, and I will add wings, because I just noticed they don't have any}
{Some of my trunk/branch combos got out of hand a little bit.}
{See?}
Oh, and sorry my last post was a bit negative.  I like the chair more now, but I still think I'll change them for next year.  I was just dwelling on my fabric store anxiety (or "fabrixiety") because I'm redoing another project that I need to redo because of fabrixiety (Will it catch on?  Is it a thing?  Only time will tell).

7 comments:

Kat @ Black Kats Design said...

Love the felt board! What a great idea to keep your daughter occupied.

Thanks for linking up to the “Cheap Thrills Thursday” party at Black Kats Design. I hope you had fun and will join in again next Thursday!

Kat

www.BlackKatsDesign.blogspot.com

Suzanne said...

What a cute project. So original and well done!

Kori said...

Brilliant!

abby @ tales and trials said...

I love your felt board! It looks like so much fun! And I love that it entertains your little one while you comb her hair. What a crafty momma you are!

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Lori T said...

I saw your link on another link up, and I wanted to check it out because I loved playing with flannel boards in church. I just recently made my DD some felt playmats, but they were way too time consuming. This sounds like a better option. Thanks.

Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence said...

What an adorable idea. We still use flannel boards at our preschool and the kids love them.

Liz said...

Gosh, that's cute! I bet my son would love one of those....gotta go run and get some flannel this morning. Thanks for the idea! I will definitely link back to you!

I hope you'll come participate in my link party today! It runs all week so come back and add more BOY projects! All About The Boy @ The Nifty Nest!

Liz