Cloth Gift Bags

The other day--the day before the blizzard--I found a wonderful, simple tutorial to make those cloth gift bags that I've wanted to make for so long. You can find it here on Amanda Blake Soule's site, SouleMama. Amanda is an amazing creator, mother, and author.

I had it stuck in my mind that I had to use Christmas fabric to make these, but I gave up that idea and used whatever I had in my stash. They were so easy to make that I made seven of them in one day. Yes, seven. (I got up early that morning, listened to Morning Edition, and sewed while the snow flew and Brendon and the girls slept. It was so nice and peaceful.) What I love about these bags is that the ribbon is already attached to each one. Makes life so easy.

Hopefully, I will get another burst of motivation and make more. I'm hoping for a "paperless" Christmas this year. Here's a picture of our slider in the back of our apartment on the day of the blizzard...

Velvet Tote

Recently I saw that Gap had a cute velvet tote on their Web site. (I'd show it here, but they are sold out.) I really liked it, but I need to be saving money not spending. :)


So I decided I should make a new bag if I really wanted one. Then, I remembered that my friend Polly had given me some fabric and patterns over the summer. One of the pieces of fabric was a floral velvet remnant. Perfect.


I found a really simple tote bag tutorial here at Skip to My Lou. (Cindy has some really simple and well-written tutorials and tons of great handmade gift ideas.) I had made a tote bag before, so the process went fairly well. Although...it was the first time I had sewn with velvet, and that was a challenge. Velvet seems to slip and slide all over the place, even when you pin it. I had to rip out the seams on the handles a couple of times before I realized that you cannot sew a topstitch really close to the edge through four layers of velvet, even with a heavy-duty needle. The needle just veers right off.

Anyway, I just used a cotton fabric that I already had for the lining. Some kind of satin would have been nicer, but I used what I had around the house. I added a double interior pocket to the tote by cutting out a piece of 8 x 10" cotton and sewing it onto one right side of the lining before doing any other seams. I stitched down the middle to make two pockets. (So, unlike Cindy's tote, mine is not reversible.)

I didn't put a closure on the bag, but maybe I can add some sort of magnetic closure after the fact. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Cardboard Collage

Okay, I'm really getting obsessed with cardboard. It's so great to work with--it's light and feels good; it's easy to cut with scissors and doesn't look bad when you cut it freehand; it's cheap and easy to come by. I keep looking at cardboard boxes and thinking...what can I make out of those?

I made this collage out of a Timberland shoebox and some colored cardstock. I just cut the shapes from the shoebox randomly and left curves and notches that were already there. Then I traced some of the shapes onto the cardstock in reverse. I glued the pieces together with the hot glue gun.

I can't wait to do more like this.

Holiday Stuff & Cardboard Star

Happy New Year everyone! I just want to wish everyone who reads this many blessings in the new year. I wish you health, happiness, peace, safety, and prosperity in 2011. I wish you the best of the best.

First, I'll share some holiday stuff. My sister gave out these squirrel ornament kits from Target as party favors for her daughter Natalie's birthday. Ellie and Robin really had fun making them, and they are so cute.

Next, here's a photo of our Christmas tree.

This star is another project that was inspired by Elise Blaha's recycled cardboard wreath. (See my posting titled Cardboard Wreath from December 2010.) I was also inspired by mid-century modern clocks.

I cut out various size triangles from a cardboard box, and I used a few inexpensive pieces of scrapbook-type paper and cardstock. I used the hot glue gun to attach the triangles to an embroidery hoop. The hoop worked well as a form, and it also made the star easy to hang.

Finally, here's a cool picture of the snowy street in front of our apartment that my husband took this morning.