crafting with intention

Coffee Filters Peonies

2012-01-27T10:50:00.000-08:00

(AKA, Coffee Filters find use in a Keurig-using home)

If you feel the urge to tell me these look more like carnations than peonies, please resist. There are already those among us who have earned my wrath for the mere hint of it.

I know we're not the only family to say, "Wowzers!", but I'm guessing we're the only ones that have had to precisely define it.
I have the honor/privilege/utter joy of having one of the cutest little girls on earth as my niece (actually, all five of my nieces are brag-worthy). This girl is incapable of hearing a new word or phrase without asking what it means. Woebetides anyone who spouts gibberish in front of her - she will call you out on it.
So she heard the kids and me saying "wowzers" and narrowed her big round eyes to slits: "Amma (Auntie) Samah, what does wowzers mean?" I can't capture the earnestness with which she asks this question, it has to be seen to be believed.
I had to think quick before I lost her respect ... "Well, it actually equals double wow. So instead of saying wow twice, you would say wowzers. And if you say WOWzers, then it's like a triple wow."
She nodded gravely and then waddled off. I later heard her explaining this new SAT word to her sister with no detail left out.

SO, with that explanation, I will say about this project: WOWZERS! (That's quadruple wow for those of you not paying attention).

Coffee Filter Flowers:

Peonies are my favorite flower. They are like the southern belles of my garden, all over-the-top pretty and just wavin' and noddin' their heavy heads back and forth -practically waving their scented hankerchiefs at you.
But, my peonies are a distant memory here - and will be for several more months. Maybe that's why I revisited these coffee filter peonies. West-coasters whose roses are still in bloom, go away, this project is not for you.

While there are -surprisingly- numerous blogs featuring this project, Michelle Marie's tutorial was invaluable at walking me through the steps. But, like the annoying reviewer on Allrecipes.com, I will just add the steps that made the project more doable for a ~~lazy~~ ~~accident-prone~~ special crafter such as I am.

1. I didn't use two sizes of filters. Not a principled decsion, my store just didn't have them. So whatever you find, use.
2. After folding the filter the fourth fold and notching, don't unfold! Notch (or round) the other side while still folding AND do the scuffing up bit also while still folded. (see #3)
3. The scuffing up. Michelle's tute was amazing, but left me high and dry on this most important step. Here's a real peony:

You see how the edges are kind of rough? Well to mimic that, what I did was while the circle was still folded, I held it firmly together and used the inside part of the scissors to very quickly snip and pull (not too hard). Then I opened the scissors all the way and sort of rubbed them like a nail file over the rough edges.
4. On the first and second circle, I used an orange/yellow marker to mimic the stamen by drawing a starbursty-type thing in the middle. It will only show a little, but enough to make me think it was worth it.
5. Every so often, make a slit in the circle along where one "petal" naturally ends. It will help with the twisting as well as making it look more natural.
6. Finally, glue is your best friend. When you're done, look at your flower and if it's all kattywompas, pull out your scissors and prune, then put a tiny dab of glue and press parts of the layers together to get the shape you want.

And for you fellow Keurigers out there who don't have filters in your home. Don't despair - and don't run out to the store. If you have cream colored tissue paper, you can do the same thing. Just lay 10 pieces together and cut out the circles in one cut (about 6" diameter).
The top picture shows the cream flower made with tissue paper.

California Dreamin'

2012-01-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I will try to taunt my Californian family and friends about their lack of four seasons. Seriously, who wants to be looking for shade during an outdoor(!) wedding in November (!) (Answer: Me.) I try to play up the romance of an actually functioning fireplace as opposed to one used for storage (Yes, you know who I'm talking about) But let's be real, there comes a day every winter when I would trade anything short of my kids -and maybe my husband (... what? he's the one who got me into this mess!) for a few days where the primary conversation is not about snow tires and how much vitamin D is required not to die in this place. Nobody outside of the Northeast actually dreams of a white Christmas. Irving Berlin wrote the song in ... you guessed it, California!
Yes, I'm done now (for a few minutes, I may resume my rant midway through the post ... you've been warned.)
My kids, however, embrace winter like a long lost friend - that friend that always comes over right before dinner and leaves before the washing up, that friend that calls and wants only to talk about their own troubles and forgets that you're a person too, that friend that ... oops sorry.
They love all things winter related, but I'm starting to wonder if their love of the cold is just a foil for post-cold coziness. The same kids that are not allowed juice until they finish two cups of water first (please no comments from Urologists) are plied with hot chocolate multiple times a day throughout the months of December, January, and February. Maybe I'm overcompensating for not giving them the Pacific Ocean childhood I had. Whatever the reason, they milk it (pun totally intended) for all its worth.
Another winter must-have for my kids is their rice bags. I've tried to come up with a more elegant name for them, but rice bags stuck and now I can't get rid of it. These rice bags spend one minute in the microwave and provide enough footheat to last until you're to far asleep to notice the below-zero temperatures. They are also the easiest sewing project in the history of the world (I've checked - and since Wikipedia is down, you can't fact-check me).
So for all of you still too daunted by zippers and buttons to pull out your sewing machine, or for those who want an introductory project for little sewers, here we go:

5-minute Sac de Riz (everything sounds better in French)

You only need two rectangles. I decided to go all fancy and quilt this one, but feel free to just use one layer ... if you dare! Mwahahahaha. Also notice the awesome ironing job I did.

The perfect quilting sandwich. Again, just ignore if you're only doing one layer.

Ignore... ibid

Now just pretend we're starting again with two rectangles

Putting fabric right sides together is pretty much all you need to know about sewing

With right sides together, sew around the rectangle about 1/2" in leaving a gaping 3" hole on one of the long sides

Using that gaping hole, turn the whole thing inside out and you now have this thing of beauty

Do as I say, not as I do... put FAR LESS rice than you think you should. Otherwise, your children will hear you saying things they never should as you try to sew it shut. I advice no more than halfway full. This is also where you can add a drop or two of lavender oil if you like.

Fold the ends of the gaping hole in and topstich around the outside to close it. There are no pictures of this part because I was busy yelling at my sewing machine at this part. See caption above. This is nothing if not a cautionary tale. This guy is ready for a one-minute microwave.

See: now she can pretend that her left ear is in a sunny place. My son is in the background composing, "Ode to Winter"

Tea Sampler for an amazing person

2012-01-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, the kids and I found out that our favorite librarian was sick with pneumonia. They immediately started clamoring that I had to make her a get well card the minute we got home. I tried to explain to them that cards - while a beautiful gesture - are not necessarily curative.
They just looked at each other with cocked eyebrows as though I had just said the world was flat.
Anyway, I did make the card; one I'd been meaning to make for a while: with three "pockets" to hold tea bags. I didn't take any pictures at the time, but I followed these fantastic instructions and came out with something pretty close.
Recently though, a friend of mine has been going through biblical plague-type circumstances and has managed to trudge through it all (including death in the family, a member of an already stretched-to-the-max staff quiting with no notice, men in HazMat suits ripping out the walls of her home/work, etc...) with remarkable aplomb. I designed a special card/book/tea sampler just for her. This time I did take pictures and copious notes so that I wouldn't forget how I did it.

She happens to be a teacher so I designed it to look like a little binder. Though it looks complicated, the only real "difficulty" is getting the numbers right. If you're going to use Stash tea like I did, then you can just use my numbers. Otherwise, see below for instructions on getting your measurements right with a different sized teabag.
Stash teas measure about 2.5"x3.25, so you will want each paper cut to: 6"x6.25"

You might as well do four pockets at a time.

On the 6 edge, score (with a bonefolder or blunt part of a butter knife) at 2.75" and 5.5"
On the 6.25" edge, score at 3" and 3.25"

To make your pocket, fold up the small lip and put adhesive on the outside of it. Fold again on the middle scoreline to close.

Fold again on the scorelines going the other direction and your done.

Don't get confused by the change in photo direction, I am punching on the open parts of the pocket, NOT the folds.

To make it look more finished, notch out a half-circle from the top of each pocket (I used a circle punch but you could do this with scissors)

With four pieces of paper, you end up with eight pockets, I haven't tried going any bigger than this, because I would worry that the "spine" of the binder would give out.

For the outside, the spine will need to accomodate the four pockets which each have a quarter inch spine, together they add up to one inch officially, but with the paper, it goes a little over. Plus, you don't want them squished so that you have room for the tea!

So: cut the outside card paper slighly taller than the pockets x slightly wider (x2 +1.5).

Come on, seriously, I haven't lost you have I?
You have to double the width because the card has a front and back, and you have to add the 1.5" for the spine.
See? Easy Peasy.
That works out to 3.25"x8"
Score on the long side at 3.25" and 4.75"

Add adhesive to the spine of the pockets and carefully place them flat on the inside spine of the card one at a time, starting with the two outside pockets and leaving a bit of space in between.

You're done!

Actually, one more thing: to close the binder, you'll want to adhere some ribbon all around,leaving enough of a tail to tie.

Now you're on your own in terms of decorating your little binder. I happen to be a stalker of all things tea-related, so I happen to have theme appropriate stuff on hand, but that's just me.

Don't forget to find yourself a pithy inspirational quote by some famous wordsmith...:)

Paste Waste No More

2012-01-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

Who uses tomato paste? Okay, hands down. Now, who uses one or two tablespoons of tomato paste and ends up throwing out the can two weeks later when it has started to froth over and developed primitive speech?
You will erect a mini tomato paste blob in my honor!
After years of accumulated guilt, a lightbulb finally went off.
Parchment Paper + Small Tray + Freezer = Happy Dance.
I flash froze tablespoon-sized lumps of paste and then popped them in a little ziploc bag. Not only did I not have to cry over spilt paste, but the next time I need said paste, I just toss one or two of them into the pot.
Brilliant? Or Genius? You decide.
(Sorry, no pictures, inspiration struck so fast I didn't have time to pause to record for posterity ... this post will have to do!)

Back in the Crafting Room

2012-01-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

I'm not even going to mention my obvious and prolonged absence, just gonna jump right back into posting and hope nobody noticed the egregious violation of craft-blogging manners.
One of the very first things I bought years ago when I started paper crafting (less pompously known as: making holiday cards) was a set of wooden shelves from IKEA. I'm sure you've all seen them, but for those two non-IKEA fans out there, they look (looked) like this:

Imagine my horror when I discovered that IKEA had discontinued this gem of a product. Who makes these decisions? I've found that at restaurants I love, too. I go back with my digestive enzymes all wearing happy hats only to find that they've "retired" my favourite dish. WHY? WHY???

I need a snack.

So, in honour of these drawers who I hope are somewhere sunny and warm in their retirement, I finally got around to giving them the snazzing up they've been begging for since they first entered my life.
The before:

The after:

Whadya think? I don't think this warrants a full tutorial, because it's pretty self-explanatory, but I've included some captioned pictures below with some details of my doings. This took a couple of hours scattered throughout one weekend. But now I'm starting to look around the house for any other unfinished wood that I can slap some nice paper on; and in the absence of unfinished wood ... ooooooh, Seeeeeeelma!
In leiu of a tutorial, just a couple of pictures of the process, though, as I said, it's fool-proof

Template-Making 101. No measurements were taken during the making of this project

I hope it's clear that there is some gluing happening under this heavy book.

One strong recommendation: after gluing, sand edges and corners. It makes a huge difference. I am not one for extra work, but this step not only makes the whole thing look more finished, but makes sure you don't have any extra paper flaps that might catch and rip the whole thing off. Right side is sanded, left side is unsanded, see the difference. Sponge sanders may be the best thing in the entire hardware store!

Unlike the sanding, the "distressing" is entirely up to your discretion. I find that I'm ambivilent towards the whole "shabby chic"/antiquing trend. I do it because it's a cool crafty thing to do (and I'm nothing if not cool and crafty), but the Egyptian in me just thinks, "Why would you want to make something new look old???" You decide.

Take the night off

2011-06-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I know I keep promising Candyland themed posts, but I just had to post this, it's such a milestone.
As all Type-As know, it is MUCH easier to do things yourself than to have people (especially little people) help you. But it dawned on me that my days of hearing, "Mama, can I do that?" may be numbered. I can envision the day when a languid teenager lies on the couch mumbling something about how he/she is too tired to help with dinner (I shudder as I write).
After judging this book:

by its cover and using up my 40% Borders coupon ... I discovered this book:

at my library and snatched it up for 100% off :) (I love my library!). The recipes are very simple, but I realized that my Type-A-ity (look it up) has left my kids helpless as babes in the kitchen, so it was actually perfect for them.
I left it lying around conspiciously wondering if they would take the bait. They did! Before their backpacks hit the ground they were already arguing over who would make what.

My daughter wanted to make sure that whatever dish she was making would require her to wear her April Cornell apron (I never said they weren't sartorially prepared for the kitchen!) so I set her up with Zucchini Moons which required some stovetop time.

What was especially nice about this recipe was that instead of dry sauteeing in hot oil, it's almost more of a butter bath for the zucchinis, so far less splattering. Surprisingly for something with so few ingredients, it was delicious. Recipe below.
My son's requirement was the minimal amount of standing time, so he got to make the Black Bean Quesadillas. To make it fun for the quesadilla filling part, I drew a half-circle with my cookie decorating markers indicating where to fill the bean mixture in. Then it became a competition to see who could "color in the lines" closest without going over. (Also, it satisfied a psychological need)

Look at that!

He went commando ... as in apronless, for the few minutes of grill time

It was such a pleasant experience that the kids asked for it to become a weekly tradition. Quite honestly, the fare at chez kidlets was simple, but tasty and I certainly wouldn't mind having it on a weekly basis. My hope is that we will increase our repertoire of dishes they can make and then put together a little cookbook for them.
Call me slow, but I just never realized how much "stuff" there was to cooking. We talked about the history of the salt trade, the temperature that certain magical cooking things happen, and how languages develop (inspired by my repeated, 'It's kaysadEEah! KAYsaDEEEEEah! Not Kwesadila!'), ... all without cracking a book.

Slightly altered from Pretend Soup
Zucchini Moons:
2 small zucchinis (we use yellow)
1 t butter
2 T water
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 t grated Parmesan cheese

Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds
Heat pan to medium-hot
Put in zucchini, butter, and water
Add salt and pepper
Stir and cook until it seems done (5 minutes)
Sprinkle with cheese

Quesadillas:
A few tablespoons of refried beans for each one (your own or canned) mixed with a little mild salsa
Tortillas
Handful of grated cheese
Cilantro (if you like it)

Spread the beans over half the tortilla, top with cheese and cilantro and grill lightly on both sides on an oiled griddle or pan until golden.

Gumball "Machine"

2011-06-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

Despite what my family, close friends, enemies who know me well, neighbors, postmistress, librarian, and pharmacist would tell you, I don't like to brag. But of all the preparations and decorations I made/bought for the kids' Candyland themed party (pictures pending ... ahem, "Z"), the gumball machine begs to be bragged about.
Equally proud was I of my son who - as soon as he saw it - nonchalantly remarked, 'Oh, neat, Mama, you made it out of X, Y, and Z' (suspense is the better part of valour, you'll find out soon enough).
See if you can deconstruct it as quickly as my eight year old did. I swear crafting runs through that boys veins.

Here are the pieces (all from the dollar store or the floor of my garage):
A terracotta pot with it's matching base
A round glass bowl.
And, um, that's it.
(I used E-6000 adhesive because I learned here that glue guns are not as serious about adhering as their name suggests.)

By turning the pot upside down and giving it a hearty coat of Watermelon Red, it became almost unrecognizable. The base of the planter becomes the removable lid. And the cap off a bottle of bubbles I found became the top doo-hicky.

If I had thought of this earlier, I probably would have made a hundred and handed them out as party favors (smaller sizes though). Lucky for me and the parents of our guest, I only thought of these on my penultimate trip to the dollar store before the party.
If you are an overachiever, you can always print off a little "metal" clip art to stick to the front. I am not an overachiever, so I did not.

Working my way backwards

2011-06-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

It all began with a stamp store that used to be in a lovely part of our area called Port Dalhousie (pronounced: Daloozie!), home of the 5c old-timey carousel rides.

The Port Marina

Before this auspicious meeting, I had only heard of scrapbooks as a glorified picture album. I just didn't get it. (I still don't, really ... no hate mail, please). But when I saw the handmade cards on display, I knew I had found my calling. A few hours later and a hundred bucks lighter, I had made lifelong friends with the shopkeeper and her husband and after a couple holidays became known as the handmade-card-girl. I cannot tell you the thrill of walking into a friend's home and seeing one of my cards on display. My mom has some of my earlier, more elaborate stuff framed (!), but then again, she gave birth to me, so there's that.

Anyhow, that's what began my foray into the world of papercrafting. I made the typical beginner's mistake of overbuying: I'd walk into the shop, see a card on display and say, "Give me all the stuff I need to make THAT!" I don't think people know just how far crafting expenditures can go, I'm sure there's a Amex Black Card just for stampers. But I put the brakes on my stamping and card making one day when I was in the store picking up some cardstock and a freshly blown-out blond (no offense, just being descriptive!) breezes in asking for tinkleberry cream embossing powder. When Pat, the delightful owner told her they were out and expecting a shipment, she literally stamped her foot in frustration and - her already high pitched voice rising an octave - whines, "But I NEED the tinkleberry cream embossing powder!!!!"
The next part is kind of a blur, but in my narrative, I dropped the card stock, letting it fall in slow motion (but it's heavy, so I can't make it flutter as I would like to in this story) and ran out of the store, breathlessly jumping into my husband's waiting car yelling, "JUST DRIVE!!!!"
I never want to be that woman (though I envy her blow out). So I left the whole business for a while.

Since coming back to card-making, my designs have become much simpler. My embossing gun (which cannot be used as a hair dryer Poppa), lives in a dignified semi retirement and I've learned to appreciate the simplicity of layering papers.

After this weekend's Candyland extravaganza (relevant posts to follow) where many of our friends joined us to commemorate Baby S's birthday, I needed to produce a bunch of thank you cards with enough speed to compensate for the delay that will be caused by Canada Post's mail strike. So I returned to my roots and opted for a simple design with just a few embellishments that you could forgo if you don't have the tools.

I only recently started using Martha's craft punches. These punches are a really neat tool to have; while they're not exactly cheap, with the ubiquitous coupons you can usually get them for well under ten dollars. Add 3-D glue dot to your shape and you've got a design that pops off the page.

Another recent change I've made is the use of clear stamps. I've seen them for a couple of years but just walked right by, not quite getting the how and why of them. (Not to mention I have an embarrassingly extensive collection of wood mount stamps). But if you are a beginning stamper, I HIGHLY recommend them.

With wood mount stamps, you ink your rubber, say a prayer, and hope it lines up properly on the page (it never does). With the clear mount stamps, you can actually see exactly where you are stamping. The difference is phenomenal.

So, stay tuned as I bring you a couple of my favorite crafts from the actual party. Looking through some of the pictures, I realize that I am surrounded by enablers; not a single friend or family member ever took me aside, grabbed my by my shoulders, and said, "Enough." Maybe I should have been posting as I planned!

True Appreciation

2011-05-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

After the graciousness my kids' teachers showed in receiving their cake pops (yes, Azra, they were duds), I felt I owed them a real appreciation gift for Teacher's Week.
If you haven't noticed by now, I love post-its. Every time I open a new package I can almost smell the promise of an organized, productive life. Once a task is written on a post-it, you might as well consider it done around my house (which probably explains why there are so many unfinished tasks).
In other news, our local Office Depot is going out of business. I'm a Staples girl myself, so I was only mildly heartbroken and not above going in to pick the bones of the place. I found these sign holders (Slanted Vertical Sign Holders, thankyouverymuch!) for less than a dollar each and bought a bunch not really knowing why:

I don't endorse Amber or even know if she exists

So this is where my impulse purchase meets my love of post-its. I cut a piece of scrapbook paper that went with the post-its I had on hand and stuck it where Amber put her bizarrely coiffed model. If you want to be really neat, you can actually print out your message, stick it on top of the scrapbook paper (you'll remove it later) and then go over it with your paint markers. I just freestyled.
Then, using my Terrifically Tacky double sided-tape (sheesh, when did I sell-out to corporate, name-brand overlords? I'm not even getting commission!), I stuck my post-it pad centered on the frame.

I think that just about covers it, don't you teachers?

I used a bit of the scrap to make a ribbon which is actually not just decorative. I don't know why they've made the new post-its so they don't come off the pad in the straight sober way they used to. All the pads on the market now come out so jauntily and disorganized. So there's no longer any real top and bottom. All this tomfoolery means that without that demure little strip the pad would look like Alice in Wonderland's pop-up book by the time it got to the teacher.

(Robert Sabuda is a genius)

And methinks that would express about as much appreciation as the fake grass I used to cover up the styrofoam cake-pop holder being strewn all over the gym and school hallway.
But I digress.
Of course you could do all your writing/decorating on the inner paper itself instead of using paint pens as I did. I just liked the added dimension of writing on the actual frame - it also ensures they are stuck with the gift forever and can never EVER recycle it for another purpose or -perish the thought- regift it.

Don't worry, the stamp is only on the first page. How obnoxious do you think I am?!

And speaking of post-its, look at this. It must have taken HOURS:

Cake Pop Fail

2011-05-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

What cakepops were meant to look like

Always go with your gut.
When a friend first introduced my to cake-pops long ago, I smelled a rat. Too complicated, I said. Everyone else in the discussion started throwing verbal tomatoes telling me how foolproof they were. Well, that was until cake-pops met this fool. They are - as I always suspected - diabolical. With the sweet, creamy face of a cherub but the soul of, well, of the opposite of a cherub.
I went ahead and tried them anyway, mostly as a political statement against Starbucks (who is now selling absolutely delightful cakepops ... or so I hear).
Making the cake was obviously no problem, my friend Betty who lives in my pantry always comes through for me.
Crumbling the cake and mixing it with a tub of frosting (see friend Betty above) was also no problem.
Balling, chilling and sticking a lollipop stick in the pops ... ditto, ditto, and ditto.

Then it came time to dip the pops into the melted candy. I want to pause here and ask if anyone has seen Bakerella's video where she demonstrates this process. It is a thing of beauty. Her movements are graceful and subtle. With a deft flick of her wrist, she manages to submerge the pop, swirl it a bit and that excess candy obediently drips right off back into the bowl. Don't believe me? Check it out.

This didn't happen with me. In fact the first pop is somewhere in candy melt purgatory, it just plopped right off the stick never to be seen again. Search and rescue spoons did what they could, but ...
I tried again, this time pushing the stick in further to the pop and dipping into the candy veeeeery sloooooowly to catch it before the point of no return. It made it about 1/3 of the way in before it was clear he was going the way of his friend. I pulled back just in time and - I should've taken a picture - it looked just like a punk-rock (the melts were pink) Friar Tuck.

Can you picture it?

I persevered and finished a small batch. I had already mentally committed to making a little bouquet of them for the teachers at my kids' school and wasn't about to let some cakes on a stick beat me. The bright side is that of course, you really can't go wrong with the taste - cake, frosting, and candy melts! And I think maybe the sprinkles distracted the eye from the peekaboo cake nudity going on beneath the pink. What do you think?

It's the thought (and taste) that counts ... the label reads: May God reward you...

These socks were made for ...

2011-04-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

...pulling yourself up on teetering furniture, taking a couple of steps, and then plopping down on your diapered-backside before you start the whole process all over again. It's really magical to watch.

A lovely family member dropped off a mountain of socks the other day. (I won't say which family member, but I will say it's the one who always gives me a disapproving look when she sees Selma sockless, grabs her chubby foot and exclaims: She's freezing! In fairness to me, I like having her feet easily accessible because at any moment the need to squeeze or raspberry may strike.)
While the gesture was ~~pointedly judgemental~~ very kind, the socks themselves weren't very practical for this stage in Selma's motor-life. They didn't have those rubber treads that we as 21st century parents have come to believe would be the equivalent of feeding our babies vats of BPA. But they were an irresistable bulk deal and now I couldn't justify going to Children's Place to buy the good stuff. What to do?

Puffy paints, natch! I accidentally picked some up instead of flat fabric paint and until now their only purpose was to serve as a visual reminder that I don't usually know what I'm doing. But they now grace the bottoms of the cutest, chubbiest feet since Ghengis Khan (funfact: Ghengis Khan had chubby feet).

From Banana-Peel-Slipperiness

To Infallible-Unfallibles (or at least if she does, it won't be because of the socks)

These puppies grip so well (inshaAllah!) that she'll have to pick up her legs with her hands to take a step ... hmmm, maybe some glue mixed in would give me the five minute bathroom break I need!

New Stage, New Diaper Bag

2011-04-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

I don't care how cliched it sounds, but it is impossible to believe that my itty-bitty baby is now almost one year old! It's so amazing to look back and think, 'At this time last year, she was just a dream, not yet a reality.' And now, here she is and it's impossible to imagine life without her. So almost Happy Birthday, bloggie! You little cutie pie!
Also, my biological baby is now almost 11 months. And while she still enjoys the use of a diaper (and has many times tried to convert (revert?) us to to its convenience and that extra sumpthin' it gives your backside), she rarely needs the monstrous full-sized diaper bag I made for her way back when.
With little more than a scant yard of fabric and a Thursday afternoon that should have been spent finalizing a final, she is now the proud owner of:

this sleek, chic, mod diaper-ette and matching change pad.
What's that you say? A tutorial you say? When I should be making up fool-proof multiple choice questions?
Well of course!

Selma's little brown diaper clutch and change pad:

(or, I wish I had this with me when I made a quick visit to a friend's house and had to change Selma on their cold metal washing machine)
You will need:
1 yard of fabric
a little bit (measure that carefully) of flannel, quilt batting, or an old sweater, etc....
Velcro
All the usual sewing suspects (thread, machine, ironing board, blah, blah, blah)

The pieces:

A, B, and C for the change pad, mine are: 12x24 but if your baby happens to be very tall or wide, you do what's right for you, we don't judge.
D and E (7x22) are the for the diaper pocket, one for the exterior, one for the lining. Oooooh yeah! We're lining alright! This isn't some two-bit operation.
F and G (4x7) are the flap to take this baby to a whole new level.
You'll notice my piece C looks like two pieces, well, as Joy Behar (or Fred Armisen playing Joy Behar says: So What, Who Cares!?

I didn't have enough so I had to piece two smaller pieces together, but so what? who cares? If you happen to have one piece big enough, then go on wichyobadself!

Lay out pieces A, B, and C in the following order: C: flannel (or fleece, or whatever soft thing you're using), then A right side up, then B right side down

Sew all three layers together leaving about 6 inches open on one of the long ends.
Use the 6 inch opening to turn the whole thing right-side-out with the flannel sanwiched in between the two pieces of fabric

Press the pad flat turning the raw edge at the opening in to match the seam of the rest of the pad. Then go over the whole thing with a topstitch to close off that opening.
You're done. Now on to the diaper clutch.

Take piece D and fold it in half with the right sides facing, sew up the sides and bottom leaving the top open.
Do the same with piece E and you should have:

Decide which one is your favorite and make it your external piece and make the other, lesser loved piece your lining. Turn them right side out and cast them aside.

Take pieces F and G and round the top two corners. I used my favorite mug from the Old St. Angela Inn. But I understand that not everyone has such a mug from such a place, so I suppose any old mug/cup/round shape would work ... I guess.

With right sides together, sew along the sides and top leaving the bottom open. Then notch (make little V cuts) around the curves. This will keep things tidy when you turn it out.

I also trimmed down the seam with my pinking shears. It's just how I roll.
Optional but recommended step: Once you turn it right side out, top stitch along the edge.

Slap that velcro on dead center.
Go grab pieces D and E. Take whichever one is your favorite (it should be right side out now) and ~~line up the flap between the two side seams and sew along the top making sure NOT to sew the pouch shut~~ do this:

We will now call this piece "X"

This is where the faint of heart might want to grab a bag and breath into it for a few seconds. Just bear with me. It would take me two seconds to show you if you were right here with me but you're not, so instead I have to employ a whole bunch of words that will make it look all complicated. It's not. This step will take you all of 17 seconds.

Find your sorely neglected piece E (he should be inside out) and put piece "X" INSIDE piece E with the flap sandwiched in between them. See look:

There's the flap there, you see the velcro?

Sew all around the top edge (don't sew the pouch closed please. This is why my phone number is not on the blog, I don't want ~~obscene~~ frantic phone calls), leaving a few inches open so you can turn this whole concoction right side out.

Turn the whole concoction right side out

Now you see the unsightly opening...

Now you don't.

By what sorcery did I vanish the opening? The wonders of modern technology know no bounds. I should have be hectoring you all along about pressing your pieces after each step. Seriously, it makes such a difference. You know I am ALL about shortcuts and cheating, but I have learnt the hard way that skipping the iron is a shortcut that will come back to haunt you like Goofy in Mickey's Christmas Carol. (That gave me nightmares for years). So take your iron and board out before you start so you don't let the sirens of laziness steer you wrong.

Topstitch along the edge of the pouch (not the flap) to close the opening and you are DONE!

Oh yeah, the velcro on the pouch ... I won't insult you with details

Three Size 5s fit snugly inside

The final step should be sewing a coordinating ribbon on the backside of the change pad so you can close the whole thing up, but I didn't have ribbon that I loved enough to commit to. So I just put a drop of fabric glue and stuck embroidery floss in it. Lay out the change pad with the pouch in the middle and fold it over neatly. You'll have a nice little clutch.
If you want to get super snazzy (and looking at the picture I may just do this myself), you can find these magnetic snaps at Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby, etc...

and use those as closures instead.

Breaking it in...

Scratch and Sniff Watercolors

2011-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Since I was already acruing fines on my Kid Concoction library book, I wanted to make my last weekend with it count. My son found this idea upon his first perusal of the book and - thinking that we had all the ingredients in the pantry - I promised him we would make it.
Turns out I'm a ~~better~~ more health-conscious mom than I thought and I didn't actually have any kool-aid mix on hand! Turns out you can buy little packets now so you don't have to commit to any one flavor. Buying kool-aid and being in the general area of crystallized sugar drinks made me miss the days of ignorant health bliss. I have a not-fully-developed theory that you are safe from the harm of things if you don't know the harm that's in them. So, all the ~~junk~~ ambiguous chemicals that make for more-cherry-than-cherries flavored drinks are just fine until you start sticking your nose where it was never meant to go. What I'm trying to say is ... I MISS TANG!!! Especially the big tub of Tang where you could add more than the recommended amount of orange ~~cocaine~~ juice crystals!
Anyway, the project:

Scratch-n-Sniff Watercolors:

Put a tablespoon or so of different colored juice crystals (unsweetened) in separate containers. Add about a 1/4 cup warm water and mix.

Protect your furniture, clothes, and loved ones and let your kids loose with thick brushes and big pieces of paper.

Dawoud's "Signature" Art ... wasn't sure how I felt about "Scratch n Sniff" used for Lafth al Jalala, but he promised there'd be neither scratching nor sniffing involved ... the colors just apparently inspired him and he couldn't resist.

You're going to have a hard time keeping your kids from licking the papers. I kid you not. The powder is unsweetened and bitter as hemlock, but I kept catching them with the telltale techni-color tongues and fingertips!

Back with a Glittery Vengeance!

2011-03-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how long it's been since I posted! That's what a three-week long vigil at the computer during the Egyptian revolution, handing out and grading midterms, and travelling to California and back will do to a girl.*

And speaking of travelling to California (see above), I've discovered there are hazards to moving to Canada as an adult. Namely, forgetting about that diabolical "black ice" Canadians are so fond of. Seriously, how was I supposed to expect that the parking lot of the shi-shi hotel a friend took me to last night was now an unmarked ice rink? I was wearing boots (yes, sensible ones, not cute ones), took one step, and WHOOOOSH, side planted right on my hip. The only saving grace was that my friend said I fell more gracefully than she'd ever seen - apparently, I looked like I was curtsying!
And as my life flashed before my eyes, I realized that my little blog would end right there in the parking lot and there was so much more crafting to be done and shared! So, I'm back with a little something I've prepared for the kids spring break craft list:

It's always a toss-up whether to do crafts like this alone and present them with pomp and trumpeters to my admiring fans, or to allow said fans behind the curtain to participate in the creation.
I have to admit to craving the oohs and ahhs after my bruised hip/ego, so I snuck it in during a few minutes of alone time.

From "The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions"
Glitter Tubes
Ingredients:
Sealable Tubes
Light Corn Syrup
Glitter/Confetti
Glue Gun (Recommended)

I used the tubes that the Super Glue from the Dollar Store come in because I like the size and shape. I'm still on the hunt for something longer and rounder on the edges. Any suggestions?

Fill up the tube 3/4 of the with the corn syrup, add water and glitter/confetti leaving just a smidge of breathing room on top.

Depending on your tube lid, you may want to seal it with a glue gun if it is not an airtight seal. That is unless of course you want glittery corn syrup all over your house/car/kids' hands. Hey, it's a free country, and I don't judge.

That's it, decorate it as you see fit, and your kids' hero for a few minutes.

Of course what the picture doesn't capture is the delay that the corn syrup causes. So that when you flip it upside down the glitter just sloooooowly works it's way down/up like a lava lamp.

* Not to mention that although the Egyptian Revolution is technically over, there is still a lot of unrest in Egypt. More urgently, the situation in Libya is unfolding into a Rwandan-level massacre before our eyes and the world seems to be doing nothing about it (again). My husband actually lost an old friend who had moved back there a few years ago. This man was killed be a mercenary as he was coming to the aid of an injured man. Each will get justice, but it's been hard to focus on anything but lately.
However, I won't derail the post doing was al-Jazeera does so much better.

There are no words...

2011-02-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Do you Ruch?

2011-02-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

So I have a long sleeveless jersey top to which I am inexplicably attached. However, did I mention that it's jersey? And do you know what jersey does to a body that doesn't look like an ironing board? It ain't pretty. So as scary as it is to alter clothing for which you've paid more than a dollar, I took the chance knowing that if I didn't it would be relegated to the "don't-know-why-I-can't-quit-you-but-will-never-wear-you" pile.

In walks the technique known in the Project Runway world as "ruching". For those of you who have been sewing for years, this just means creatively gathering up the sides of a garment.
Using needle and thread of an obvious different color, I sewed a wide stitch up along the side seams. (Make a knot so that you don't lose your thread when you start pulling, which will happen.. NOW!) Pull the thread and you'll see the fabric start to pull up. Pull as much or as little as you like and then make a knot at the end of the thread to temporarily lock it in place.
Go over this line again with a tighter stitch - either by hand or with a sewing machine. I found using the sewing machine to be a bit cantankerous and almost started verbalizing its grievances. So, full disclosure, on the other side, I just found it easier to make little tucks/folds as I sewed along the side seam. The result is indistinguishable.

Speaking of the result, the effect of the ruching is that it creates distracting layers of, um... ruches. While I'm not going to post of picture of me wearing my new objet d'art, here's the final product:

It's not a great shot. It looks like I just crumpled up the dress and threw it on my bed, but that's only because of the kind of fabric and the fact that I intentionally (cough, cough) made my gathers erratic. It looks really cool on.
Remember, it's essentially just sewing a loose stitch along one side (or even a diagonal), pulling the end of that thread until it gathers the way you like, and sewing over it again. Here's a picture of tight ruching on a stiffer fabric:

On another note, the protests in Egypt are still going on, even if Anderson Cooper has come back to America. I've been on semi-strike from blogging because it's been hard for me to do much of anything lately, and frankly, it just feels so wrong to be thinking of and detailing crafts, when my fellow countrymen and women are risking their lives and futures for the noble struggle towards a just and safe society. This is not a communist plot, this is not a Muslim Brotherhood plot, this is the brave youth of Egypt demanding self-determination and accountability for crimes committed on such a big scale that they have been swept under the international rug. ("The greater the crime, the greater the amnesty"-International criminal Henry Kissinger)
Keep these heroes in your prayers, and think of them sleeping under army tanks for shelter from the night air when you tuck yourself and your children in bed.

This is unbelievable ... history before our eyes

2011-01-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

My son is home sick from school today and I had planned to make flubber with him ... instead, we are glued to Al Jazeera's live feed watching the country of my birth witness revolution.

For those uninterested (!) and/or can tear your eyes away, here's a recipe for flubber that I've used and has worked beautifully:

Flubber
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup glue
(optional) food coloring

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Borax (found in any detergent aisle)

Mix water and glue and (separately) water with Borax. Add glue mix to Borax mix stirring constantly. If you've never seen it and don't know what it is supposed to look like: it clumps up quickly, and is a mix of liquid and solid. You should be able to sort of pour and stretch it but then if it is in a bowl and you punch it, it's solid. Just trust me, your kids will love it!

Not my shot...from Otto's Mom Blogs, just so you know what it's supposed to look like

A quick word on birthdays

2011-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

I realized that I forgot to take pictures of the most important parts of the day. I had asked the guests - in lieu of gifts for Munajat - to bring something really nice to go into a basket for Community Care, a local organization that serves as a food and necessities (clothing, etc...)bank. They do really amazing work.
So as the girls came in, they dropped off their gifts into a beautifully decorated basket that I explained would be going to CC. All week I had been reviewing one of my favorite verses from the Qur'an with Munajat, "You cannot achieve true goodness (piety) until you give of what you love." (3:92) I explained that often we think of charity as our cast-offs and that this verse was teaching us just the opposite.
I guess it sunk in (alhamdulilah), because when she saw the full basket of little girl's toys, initially her eyes got wide thinking it was for her ... but when I explained the plan to her, she was giddy and actually referenced the verse.
Later that week I had her come with me to the Community Care center to meet with Marcy, an amazing dynamo of a woman and volunteer coordinator. She accepted Munajat's gifts gratefully and graciously and took us for a tour of the facility. I don't know how much Munajat absorbed of the realities we saw (I grew more and more ashamed of my accumulations and avarice as we walked from room to room), but when we got home, she filled up another box of her things to give away being sure to tell me, "I checked to make sure all the pieces were there and that nothing was broken ... and that I loved it" :) :) :)
My son, who had come with us, has been asking me when he'll be old enough to volunteer.
So I know that there are many religious people and people of conscious who feel birthdays are just an exercise in narcissism, but I suppose - like everything - it depends on if you construct them that way. I was fortunate enought to be able to use this blessed and wonderful day to instruct (myself and) my kids in the virtue of gratitude and the value of friendship. When I expressed my misgivings to a friend who attended the party with her daughter about throwing the first real party for my kids' birthday, her response was like a balm: "This isn't something you do every day. You're teaching her the beauty of a grand gesture."

To Donate...

The rest of the day....

2011-01-22T15:14:00.000-08:00

Today my daughter was flitting about in a nightgown that I made for her a few months ago (if that sentence conjured up images of fairies jumping from flower to flower, you got it just right, that's what she looked like). I looked up and saw her and cried out with near-physical pain, "I MISS SEWING!!!"
Any of you reading this that find yourselves too busy to craft know that it feels like you're just off somehow. I didn't realize how time-consuming it would be to go back to work. I figured being able to craft and blog with a newborn gave me superhuman time management skills. But it turns out preparing powerpoints are my kryptonite, especially because I follow this guy's presentation style; that means a lot more work and preparation than traditional bullet-points-thrown-up-on-the-screen presentations. However, I'm not complaining...my work is so close to my house, that that annoying seatbelt buzzer only goes off ONCE on my drive. (Buckle up kids!)
So I need to figure out some guilt-free way to sneak in some crafting time before some important part of my soul withers like an unnourished sapling.
In the meantime, I continue to milk Thing #2's birthday and stretching out the posts for as long as I can :)

I used this as my agenda for the day, using the pencil transfer technique described here.

Actually just regular popcorn with pink-tinted white chocolate poured over it

I would eat grilled cheese shaped like a cow patty, but the crowns had the girls oohing ... and I was going for "oohs"

These may well have been my favorite things on the table. I just used a craft punch and toothpicks

Yup, I pulled out the Wilton sprinkles for this.

Don't be impressed, I outsourced the cake

I made a bunch of these for the girls to wave around as they jumped up and yelled Surprise. Wooden dowels wrapped in shiny ribbon, more ribbon tied and curled on top

IKEA has the best napkin colors! The holders were made using my cricut...

:( I forgot to take pictures before attaching the sides so I ended up ripping it a bit when I tried to show my steps

Every little girl also got a personalized plate ... do you see now why I only invited five?


SO worth it.

Some Highlights from The Event

2011-01-18T17:02:00.000-08:00

or, things I learned from planning a surprise party for a seven year old.

My mom called shortly after the party was underway and I was so tired that I could not string together a single coherent sentence (are you reading this 17-year-old Munajat???). I realized that I had put WAY too much detail into the decor and that I should have paced myself to have more energy for when the girls came over. Nevertheless, the birthday girl was happy and the day was catastrophe-free; though one guest was unable to come because of course we got hit with a crazy snowstorm that morning (we missed you, Fatima!) The best part of the Eastern Princess theme was that I could use ANY color and it all worked. Golds, purples, teals, limes, and of course, the most pink you can find outside of a Pepto-Bismol factory.

My friend and neighbor was kind enough to loan me some beautiful, long sari fabric to use to drape the ceiling. I'm proud to say (in case her mother in law is reading this), that I did not make a single hole in the fabric! The "chandelier" was made with three two-dimensional shapes folded and glued together. And of course my tissue paper balls - no party is complete without them.

A little seating area for the Eastern Princess

The grand entrance

The party favors: custom made (using my cricut) favor bags, arabesque-shaped chalkboards, and wands.

To be continued... next installment will include the table which, if I do say so myself, looked beautiful.

MIA

2011-01-11T14:59:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me "for real" (as thing #1 and thing #2 would say) would probably guess that my absence was due to the totally understandable fact that my classes at the college started this Monday. This is my first semester teaching and I've been preparing and over-preparing so that I wouldn't end up like this on my first day:

And though that's definitely ONE reason I haven't been as crafty of late ... the REAL reason is because the little time I do have for crafting has been solely dedicated to a-top-secret-event-that-shall-not-be-named (even the guests have not been told ... only their moms... and they have sworn an oath of secrecy "to the PAIN!" - (any Princess Bride fans?)).
A lot of it has been Cricut stuff, but I'll be sure to share it all in due time. In the meantime, here's a couple of sneak peeks:

This nearly killed my Cricut and my Kirby Vacuum Cleaner and I'm still not done pulling out all the cutouts!

Felt Flowers

2011-01-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

Felt really is the unsung hero of the crafting world. It's readily available, doesn't unravel at the edges, and if you ask it nicely, will hold itself together (sounds like a good friend!).
"Bubsie" over at Bubsie's Boutique has a lovely tutorial for making these:

Aren't they purty?

Her tutorial is great and needs no further explanation, but I'm just going to share what I learned so that you don't have to go through the same ~~second degree burns~~ mistakes I did.
First, though I'm usually all for imperfect jobs, it makes a big difference in the final product if you take your time cutting out the circles nicely. The difference between a hurried, messy job and a carefully done one is about .3 seconds, so it's just not worth the rush.

Second, when she says "a little bit of glue" she means a little bit of glue. I know, I know, this was REALLY hard for me. "If a little glue is good, A LOT of glue is ..." well, you get it. But not here, if you put too much in, it takes longer to dry which means you will spend longer pinching it together thereby increasing your chances of ~~second degree burns~~ ... see below :) (scared yet?)

Third, try to pinch it so the "top" of the petals are somewhat even. You'll get this once you start doing it.

Fourth, it is REALLY important to line the tops of the first row of petals with the outside of the big circle, don't worry about the inside of the big circle as much, it will be filled in and is very forgiving, the outside kind of holds a grudge.

Achtung Baby!

Finally, glue guns are hot. Mine is such a small, humble looking thing that I forget that it can do a lot of damage. When I made my first one, I didn't follow my own second suggestion and the pool of glue that I used gooshed out through the felt and gave me a nasty burn. As a result, I am typing with nine fingers. So be careful.

This is a super duper, low effort, high output craft that would make me want to buy a sweater if I saw it pinned on it in the store.

I am loving red and blue together these days ... maybe it's just the American in me.

Total time to make one (including cutting the circles: 5 minutes)
And don't throw out the scraps! Remember these flowers that we made with paper? Turns out you can use the same technique with felt to fantastic results:

Picture = no justice. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Mid-Day Magic

2010-12-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

One of the things I miss most about living in the Middle East is the food. Not how utterly scrumptious the food is - although that too - but more the pace and rhythm of cooking and eating. Although fast food is making inroads, it has not yet created the cultural transformation of societal eating habits that it has here (in North America). Food is prepared more slowly and eaten more slowly. A comparison of "traditional" cuisine is really telling. Whereas a perusal of our cookbooks here (in NA) reveals a number of packaged, pre-prepared, sort-of ingredients, slower cultures have the audacity to include such steps as rolling, stuffing, and shaping into triangles.
Another factor in slow food cultures is the timing of the main meal. Instead of waiting for the evening grand finale, Egyptians - and most Middle Eastern countries - still have ghada': a big noontime meal. I think it goes back to the days when Egypt was primarily an agrarian society (hard to imagine now) and a bologna sandwich at noon was just not going to cut it. Most government jobs still give a generous lunch hour(s) to accommodate going home, having a large, relaxing meal, and loosening your buttons, followed with a pot of ultra-sweet tea.
Having the kids home from school and having my husband on reduced holiday hours has allowed us to follow this schedule for the last little while. And for those of you in North America enjoying the Winter Break, I HIGHLY recommend trying it - at least once. It gives you ample time to digest and means that you can clean up and close down the kitchen for big business for the day. Usually we'll just have a toasted feta sandwich and tea for the evening meal. Even if the time taken is the same, it just feels so much more leisurely.
Today's ghada' was a simple two-dish affair: Sauteed Kale with Cumin and Smoked Paprika courtesy of Warda at 64 sq ft kitchen and Chana Cholay (Curried Chickpeas). *
Normally children and kale don't mix, but wonderful things happen when you eat your big meal in the middle of the day! :)

When in doubt, throw on olives and a lemon wedge

* You MUST try Warda's Weeknight Potatoes. They will change your life (and your waistline) forever.

Design Transfer with a PENCIL!

2010-12-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

I think it's safe to say that most people visiting my blog are either 1. crafters on the hunt for even MORE craftblogs to add to their about-to-rip-at-the-seams bookmark collection or 2. related to me by blood or love.
Those in the first category visit and give me the blog once-over, determining in a few seconds that my "crafts" fall under the column of DD (Definitely Doable). I've had lovely comments from those who have not only tried out some of the ideas, but done their own unique spin on the idea. Like Rashmi, from The Ochre Elephant and her lovely take on my Mirrored Mobile:

Category Two, however, continues to protest that while they visit me "for support", they have no intention of trying anything out because they are "just not crafty/artistic/creative..." like me.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I won't bore you with my thoughts on how everyone is intristically "crafty", but suffice it to say that the beauty of crafting is that it is neither an art nor a science. It is - at it's best - problem solving. Whether the problem is one of your own device ("How can I make this already useful and adequately attractive object even MORE sparkly/colorful/shiny...?", "How can I make the tush of my baby's onesie even MORE adorable?") or a real one ("I need something that will hold diapers and wipes that doesn't look like a HazMat suit.", "How can I transfer this design from point a to point b without some high tech gadgetry?"), crafting is nothing more than the answer to the question.
So for all you Category Twos out their, this one's dedicated to YOU. (not, of course, to the exclusion of my CatOnes!):

How to put anything in your copy-machine (kind of)

Let's say you want to copy something onto another sheet of paper... you put it in the machine and press the button, right? Well, what if the recipient object is not another piece of paper, but a bucket, or a plaque, or a wall ... then what?

Here's what:

Print out your originals (you can use anything that you can trace)

I'm sorry, I just can't reveal what this is for ... top secret

Flip over the original and scribble all over the back with pencil:

Place it on the receiving object exactly where you want it and go over the original firmly with a pen or pencil:

You will know you're doing it right when you end up with finger cramps and a welt on your middle finger

Ready for the big reveal?

Amazing? or AMAZING???

At this point, depending on your project, you can go over the transfer with paint or marker. I used a paint pen because I can't be trusted with a paintbrush:

and a little bit of glitter:

What made me think of this technique was a project we used to do in my junior high art class using graphite paper. Instead of buying the paper online and paying shoot-your-kneecaps customs fees, I just used the graphite found on this side of the border in my humble pencil.

How many uses can you think of for this? I haven't yet mustered the courage to do it on the wall, but tomorrow is anotha' day!

*The font here is called Yummy Apology, a free font by Gem Fonts that you can get from www.dafont.com. This is one of my favorites for my middle daughter. And that's all the information you're getting out of me.

Post It Jackets

2010-12-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

My mom, now known as the cute lady trying to instill cross-cultural sensitivity in the picture below, reminded me that I hadn't yet posted the how-to for the little post-it jackets I made here. They are actually very simple and their beauty depends more on the beauty of the paper you use than anything else.
The only "trick" is to make sure to accomodate for the thickness of the pad you're using.
Here, I'm using standard 3"post-it squares (all measurements in inches):

For post-its this size, you'll need to cut your cardstock to 3 and 1/4 by 6 and 7/8

Make more than one at a time, it will only add a few seconds. Don't be afraid of the shadow, it's just my picture taking "skills"

Next is the most important step: scoring. Turn the paper horizontally and score at 3 and 1/4 and then over 3/8 more

(At this point you can round the edges if you like. I always do this because it gives a much more finished look. If you don't have a corner rounder, use scissors but do two corners at a time to make sure they line up.)
In the center bottom of one inside flap, put a dab of glue and press in a piece of embroidery floss about 6 to 7"

Put glue on the backs of your post-its and press them firmly in the jackets, lining up the top just under the bottom score line and centering it in the cover

Make a little circle with the same or coordinating cardstock (about 1" diameter). Using either a small hole punch or a needle, punch a hole through the center of the hole and the top layer of the jacket

Put a brad through both layers and open it leaving it slightly loose (as you would when sewing on a button)

You can see that I've outlined the outside of the circle (and the jacket) with black ink. This isn't necessary, but I highly recommend it to make the circle visible. It also gives a clean, finished look. (The most artistic member of our book club noted the inked edges... so if she likes it, it must be important!)

Ready to gift

Your strings should be long enough to wrap around your circle a couple of times. Trim the excess.
While I was in my craft room and had the cardstock out, I quickly made a jacket for a scratch pad that I picked up at the dollar store (4 for a dollar). Same process, just adjusted the dimensions. Again, the only "trick" is to make allowance for the spine of the pad.

Start to finish, these take less than 2 minutes to put together. So next time your craft store has pretty paper on sale, pick up a stack make a bunch of these to have on hand as quick little gifts or favors.
Some bloggers have made similar projects with pencil holders. I think these would take a little longer, but are a really nice touch. Check out Regina's version at Creative Kismet.