Help save the planet AND look like a Super Mom, all with one easy project!

Anyone out there need a Super Mom project? You know...the type that::

a.)you can finish in one sitting (eliminating Project-Starter-Never-Finisher Guilt),
b.) Uses up project scraps or recycled materials so you can feel like a Stick-to-it-Budgeter,
c.) Helps throw a little something at the "Good intentions in my mind don't help the planet" guilt, and
d.) Can make you look like a snazzy, trendy, with-it green parent to all those who don't know it only took you 30 minutes to whip you the project?

Yeah? You're in? Well, here you go --
Washable sandwich and snack bags! (Homemade bread and non-homemade banana chips optional...but if you pack your cute bags with some sort of homemade item...you get double points in the "cool" department!)

Now I absolutely did NOT make this idea up. Lots of people make them. Lots of people sell them. Lots of people make and sell much cuter, much more finished-looking bags than mine. But my method is ridiculously fast and does the job - so I'm opting for that.

You can make these out of whatever you want - I used quilting fabric (from my slowly shrinking fat quarter stash) for the outsides (but wouldn't some fabric from old jeans or something be cool?) and some leftover ProCare fabric from my diaper-making stash. You absolutely don't have to use waterproof fabric like ProCare or PUL for your lining, but it is helpful if you have children like mine who love to add things to their lunches like honey sandwiches and washed but not dried carrot sticks. I will justify the use of this non-organic, probably non-biodegradable manmade plastic fabric by saying that if I didn't use it, I would end up doing a lot more backpack and diaperbag washing....

I used Ziploc bags (sandwich size and snack size) as a pattern - just cut them open, lay them flat and trace on your fabric. Once you get comfy with that, you can start making bags any size you want, based on what scraps you have.

For each bag you need a piece of outer fabric and a piece of liner fabric, cut to the same size. Make sure your piece are big enough to fold in half to become the bag! You also need a piece of velcro/hook-and-loop that is the same width as your fabric. I cut my 1 1/2" diaper velcro in half to make 3/4" wide velcro...but I could have gone even narrower with the same results.

FIRST...put your outer and liner fabrics, right sides together, and sew across the two ends (serger or sewing machine) that will become the top of the bag:
You will end up with a tube that looks like this:
Flip your tube inside-out (so right sides are now showing) and finger press the seam down. You can iron it if you're a perfectionist, but DON'T iron it if you're using PUL or ProCare. Direct heat on plastic...you get the idea. On the LINING side, sew your piece of the hook side of the velcro along one seam, flip to the other end and sew the loop side of the velcro along the other seam (LINING side). Sew all around the 4 sides of each piece of velcro, making sure that the velcro goes all the way to the end of the fabric.

I guess you could just put small pieces of velcro in the centers instead of all the way across, but I'd prefer my snack items to not leak crumbs everywhere, so I want that velcro sewn all the way across and into the seams!

Next, line up your hook and loop ends and seal it shut:
Now, starting at the velcro end, just serge all your sides shut (or zig-zag if you don't have a serger...which you really should start looking for sales at WalMart for, because you can sew things very fast and furiously with a serger!). I sewed mine in a chain, so I didn't have to break to cut threads:
Cut all the excess thread off and get all the bags looking all trimmed and nice. The last thing to do is take each bag and sew a couple reinforcing stitches at the top (just above the velcro) so if your kids yank open the bags, they won't eventually rip open the seams. I broke 2 needles on this step before I switched to a denim needle...so I'd recommend that you switch to a denim needle to sew through all those layers:)
I made all these bags in an afternoon, which included stopping to feed children, put a baby down for a nap, do laundry, make a phone call, etc....but had I not been interrupted, once the pieces are all cut out, the sewing is very, very quick. If you only made ONE bag, it would literally take you 20 minutes - including threading sewing machines, cutting fabric, etc.
We are LOVING these bags so far, other than the fact that they are a little noisy to open in church...it helped to open the bag, then fold the velcro down so the baby couldn't keep shutting it and re-opening it (cuz that's fun!)...but I may need to figure out some sort of zipper/magnet/drawstring bag or something JUST for quiet places. Any ideas??

I figured that all 24 bags I made probably cost me the same as 2 boxes of ziplocs (if I had gone out and bought all the supplies...MUCH cheaper if you use leftover stuff or recycle other fabric)- but we can keep reusing them until they fall apart, and every time you pull one out, you can think, "Dang, I'm awesome! Look how cute this is!"

Now go sew...the planet wants you to :)

Little Guy Tool-Belt

Here's a fun one for the little fix-it guy (or girl) in your life!

All you need is ONE fat quarter and a package of that hem facing tape stuff (or really fat bias tape...or a ribbon...or whatever else would make an apron tie!): All you do is fold your fat quarter in half, right sides together. Sew three sides, turn rightside out, press and top stitch.

Now fold up the bottom edge a little more than 3/4 of the way up to form a pocket. Top stitch around edges of pocket and top to bottom in a couple places to divide the pocket.

Take your bias tape, hem facing or whatever you're using...fold it in half (if necessary) and pin to the top of the apron. Top stitch all the way around it to form waistband and ties.

Use smaller pieces of your leftover belt/apron tie fabric to make little loops to hang tools on.

Load 'em up!

Who says baby toys can't look CUTE scattered all over your floor??

I have been so ridiculously busy the past few weeks...I have squeezed in some sewing and paper crafting time, but haven't had time to post any of it! I still have more aprons to show you, but I haven't felt like putting the tutorial together yet, so I guess you'll have to wait (I know, its killing you). But, I'll give you a hint...for one of them you're going to need 2 fat quarters and a pack of hem facing tape (not sure if that's really what its called...I should probably find that out) OR 3 fat quarters.

Instead, I thought I'd show you my latest I {HEART} MODA project. I ordered the Neptune charm pack a few weeks ago (this fabric is SO cute - way brighter, cuter and better than it looks on the computer!) and wasn't quite sure what to do with it... so while trolling etsy the other night, I found a great idea for fabric blocks for my baby!

I thought I was so clever adding ribbon loops and sticking a rattle (rudely cut out of a not-so-hot-looking-anymore toy from one of my other kids) inside...then found today that lots of other people already are doing that...oh, well!

I was determined to come up with my own spectacularly creative addition to the basic idea, so after watching my 3 1/2 month old try to play with the first block I made (which was WAY too big for her, by the way...my clever "idea" of making 3 different sizes was really me trying to find the right size for her), continually dropping it...and not quite coordinated enough yet to pick it back up...



I added an elastic LOOP on a ribbon (a short ribbon so she won't wrap it around herself and choke on it) so that I can slip it on her wrist. That way, if she drops it - hurray! - its already attached to her hand! Aren't I clever? (if you see anyone else who already did this, please don't tell me...just let me live in ignorance on this one).

I'm thinking about trying to make some different shapes. I still have about half the charm pack left, so I...I mean she...could have a whole basket of coordinated squishy toys in a basket in the living room. As kid #4, most of the baby toys are looking pretty sad, AND I don't like having "piles" of random things around the living room now that I no longer live in a teeny apartment. My solution is to make some new toys (using the usable parts of the old toys) that actually look CUTE sitting around the living room. Saves me some money, gives the illusion of organization - win-win situation!

Apron #2: 15 Minute Dishtowel Apron

This one is so easy its ridiculous...I mean, seriously...as long as you know how to operate a sewing machine and are allowed to handle sharp objects by yourself...you can make this in 15 minutes!

You need: 1 large dish/tea towel and a long piece of sturdy ribbon that won't fray easily (I used about 2 yards - measure the ribbon right on your kid, as it needs to be long enough to go around their neck, down their sides and tie in the back

Hold the towel up to your kid, centering it on their chest and holding it at about the level it should sit when finished. Use a pin to mark about an inch in from their armpit, and another to mark their waist level (if you mark a bit lower than their current waist area, the apron should still fit as they get a bit taller!).

Fold the towel in half, lengthwise, and using a rotary cutter (or scissors), cut from pin to pin, making a curved cut (don't worry - you'll be able to eye ball it, but if you're totally chicken, draw the line or use pins to mark where you want to cut):
When you open it out, it'll look like this (see? it already looks like an apron!):

If you have a serger, serge the raw curved edges, otherwise use a zigzag stitch along the raw edges:

Then fold it over (on the backside of your towel) about an inch and sew along the serged edge (you're making a channel to thread the ribbon through, so make sure you don't sew the ends shut!). I let my kids help me "sew" this part:

This is what you'll end up with on both sides:

Hook a safety pin to one end of your ribbon. Thread it up through the side channel on one side, around the top and back down through the other side:

Put the apron on your kid and adjust the ribbon so that the ties are equal length and the neck part fits. When you have it how you want it, sew a few stitches by hand through one of the top corners, tacking down the ribbon on one side only. This way you'll still be able to adjust the neck opening, but the whole ribbon won't get pulled out of wack every time your kid takes it on and off.

If you're feeling particularly tricky (and the back of the dishtowel isn't ugly), you can fold up the towel from the bottom and sew up the edges to make a pocket. Then sew straight vertical lines from the fold to the top of the pocket to make smaller pockets:

All done!

Tip: To keep the ribbons from getting pulled out of the channels, you can tie a large bead (like those big wooden ones they give little kids to play with at preschool) or tie huge knots on the end of each ribbon.

Lucky for you, these only cost a buck or two, and a minimal time investment, so you'll feel just fine about your kids totally yucking them up! You can throw them right in the washer, or you can make more!

Quick Projects for Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Here are a couple of ideas for those of you who have forgotten (GASP!) to get a little something for your sweetie, or who need a cheap and fast idea to dress up something you already picked up!

Candy Box Card

This is so cheap and easy, its not even funny...all you need to do is get one of those 4-piece chocolate heart-shaped candy boxes at the grocery store (cost: $1.50) - you could do a bigger one, of course, but the small ones are fun for a card - take off the plastic wrapper and make a card on the top of it. Just fold a piece of paper in half and trace the shape of the box lid on it, leaving the fold on one edge so the two layers open up like a card. Glue it on and decorate it!

I used the MemoryWorks February Express Kit to decorate mine...seriously this was a great kit - packed with lots of "extras" and fun paper!

If you want to cover the sides of the box, as shown above, just cut a piece of paper the width of the box (this one was just under 1"), then wrap it around the box, just tacking it down with a couple of glue dots on the BOTTOM half of the box. That way you'll still be able to open and close the box. It wouldn't be so cute to have the box glued shut...maybe for April Fool's Day...

You can decorate the inside, too:

Wouldn't this be fun for Mother's Day, or an anniversary, or even a get-well gift? How nice would it be to get something like this when you're in the hospital after having a baby?! And it takes no longer to make than a regular card! And if you wanted to get really tricky...you could make a whole mini-album to stick to the top (or inside the box) rather than just a card.

Valentines

I made these with the February Express Kit, also. These are "mini-cards", only about 2x3 inches after they're folded - perfect for cute little valentines!

This one is made out of a Heidi Swapp file folder (I think they're about 4x6 or so...?). The idea here is to slide pictures or a gift certificate of something fun inside:

And while I'm at it...this one isn't a valentine, but since I made it at the same time, with the same materials, I'll share this one, too!

And for those of you who think I made a card for "Steve" or a "stove", like my husband thought when he saw it, it says, "S T * V...miss U" on it. Get it?

Strawberries Dipped in Kisses

Have you tried the new Special Dark Hershey's Kisses? YUM! They are really, really good - not too sweet, but without the typical bitter dark chocolate aftertaste. Just unwrap a few (1-2 per strawberry, depending on how big your strawberry is) and pop them in the microwave until melted, stirring frequently. Dip strawberries in chocolate (or drizzle on top) and let cool on a wire rack. Feed to your sweetie in a seductive manner:)

Sweet Heart Pillows

You can make these out of fabric scraps (or Moda charm packs) in 5-10 minutes for each one. Use whatever you've got on hand to be your heart template - cookie cutter, Coluzzle template, cut one with your cricut...or just cut a shape out of a piece of paper!

Trace heart on the wrongsides of 2 pieces of fabric, cut out. Place right sides together and sew around entire heart EXCEPT for about 2 inches on one side. Clip corners/curves and turn right-side out through the 2 inch gap you left. Stuff with fiberfill, then slipstitch the hole closed. If you're feeling particularly tricky, you can then decorate your hearts by handsewing or glue-gunning ric rac, flowers, buttons, etc. on your hearts.

I thought these would be cute with a bunch of them in a basket as a centerpiece, or one on each plate at a place setting, or even strung together to make a cute 3-D garland across your mantel or window.

**You'll notice that I don't have a picture of *mine* yet...that is because....

I have jumped on the Moda Fabric bandwagon and just ordered a bunch of charm packs and layer cakes...including a Valentine's Day themed charm pack...but alas, they haven't arrived yet. SO SAD! I was hoping to make myself a cute V-day table runner and/or place mats or something, as well some of those little heart pillows, but I'm too late for this year. I just can't bring myself to make holiday related sewing projects AFTER the given holiday- I've got to wait 6 months and then its BEFORE the next holiday again! So, I guess I'll save that project for next year!

For the Kids: Castle Valentine's Box

I just had to share this project that I did with my 7 year old daughter for a school contest (which she won!). I helped her cut out shapes with my cricut machine and demonstrated how to use the stamps, etc. - but by and large, she did most this herself! You could use anything you have on hand - die cuts, stickers, stamps, coloring pages, even stamps!

Treat Yourself!

If you feel the need to give yourself a Valentine's Day gift, here are a couple of fun deals I found this week:

**Fabric Depot is having a great sale on Moda fabric pre-cuts - pick up some really cute charm packs, layer cakes (10" squares) etc. for up to 40% off! This was cheaper than ebay! Hopefully mine will be here next week...I'm going to try to make some table runners and couch pillows out of them!

**MemoryWorks has some really cute Valentine's Day stuff in the online boutique. There is also a spring cleaning sale going on - check through your favorite products for lower prices!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Super easy thank-you card

I just had a baby, so of course I had a bajillion thank-you cards to write! I made these en masse, assembly-line style with a couple clear acrylic stamps and some leftover scrapbook supplies:
When I do a lot of stamping, I tend to go too fast and end up with weird extra marks everywhere (I'm totally Stamp Challenged and I freely admit it!!), so basically I placed the flowers to cover wherever the stray ink went!

Instructions:

*Fold 8.5"x5.5" piece of cardstock (I used Prism) in half to form a card

*Stamp circle in bottom right corner of card front. I used a Heidi Swapp acrylic journaling stamp.

*Place flower (I used some leftover Prima flowers) somewhere on the circle, covering any stray ink.

*Set an eyelet, brad or button through the center of the flower.

*Stamp "Thanks a Lot" stamp (mine was a Michael's dollar stamp) on opposite side of circle.

All done! You could dress it up by adding patterned paper to the front of the card before stamping it, or adding several small flowers instead of one big one, or even putting the stamp/flower embellishment on its own matted piece of cardstock and putting it over some coordinating paper.