my new scissors keeper

 isn't is dandy? got it from the thrift (of course) and because it reminds me of a valentine mister and I sent out eons ago...of course i have no pics of it...drats!

today i need, need, NEED to get the darn boxes out of the living room. as in unpack them. not move them to the bedroom. i also need to get the darn boxes out of the bedroom and set up some sort of holiday loveliness. if i do not, i believe my head may explode. then there are gifts to wrap and etsy sales to package (there are still fabric packs and cups of dilly in the shop)! i'm hitting the post office tomorrow folks so order, order, order (mister mike, thank YOU, you are nutty)! toss in some possbile baking or at least focus on recipes and my to-do list wil lbe slightly shortened. i still have a diy or two to post, one is finished the other is written out but not made. eeps! happy thrusday!

note to my giveaway winner, bonita rose, i need you to contact me, otherwise i will have to select a new winner. oh no!

make a retro tissue tree wtih scrumdilly-do!

Hop on over for the details! Happy glueing!

winner, winner!

 

 Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun. I will be giving away a wee bit of more goodness sometime this week so stay tuned! Bonita Rose, please email me with your color preferences and an address for me to send to. I am jekinthebox at the geeee-mail. You have until Monday then I pick another name out of the jar. Don't delay! Happy Wednesday!

diy scrap happy coffee sleeve

 Happy Monday Friends! Go take a peek into your scrap basket, box, pile, or shelf and settle i nfor this easy diy for a coffee sleeve by me.

Materials

*large scrap of muslin or other solid color fabric

*smaller scrap of flannel or other slightly thicker than cotton fabric

*assortment of tiny scraps

*sewing machine

*needle and thread

*scissors

*paper coffee sleeve for pattern

*pins

Grab your fabric and give it a press if it looks like it partied too much the other night. Lay out one of your muslin pieces and trim it a bit so that your paper sleeve fits on top (open your paper sleeve to create your template). Do not trim exactly, just cut your piece down a smidge.

Layer an assortment of scraps on top until you are happy, keeping in mind that you want will want them to fit within the shape and size of your paper sleeve. You can pin these in place if you like but I like to work with one or two pieces at a time. To keep track of their placement I rearrange the pieces as I like them on my right as I work on the sewing machine.

Free-form stitch your scraps into place with your sewing machine. To mix it up, change the length of your stitches or switch between running and zig-zag. Trim threads.

Flip your stitched piece, scraps side down on top of your backing piece. Lay your flannel or middle piece (for batting) on top OR under the bottom layer. Trim all your pieces to matchyour scrap happy piece.

Lay your now-open coffee sleeve on top of your scrappy piece in a manner that best showcases all that stitching you did. Pin into place. With a pen, mark your opening for turning right side out. I like to stitch on my marks to create a chute that will tuck neatly inside once I'm ready to close the whole shebang.

Bring to machine and stitch around the sleeve beginning with one chute marking and ending with the other. Unpin sleeve and use your scissors to trim and cut a handful of mini slits into the bottom curve of your soon-to-be sleeve. This will keep it from buckling once you turn it right-side out.

Turn your sleeve right-side out using the chute you created. If you need to, use a chopstick, paintbrush end or other slightly pointed object to shape out the corners. Tuck the chute into the sleeve and press flat with a hot iron and return to your machine.

Use a running stitch and stitch all the way around the perimeter of your sleeve. This will seal your opening. Next, get all quilt happy and go stitch crazy along your sleeve. I stitched a series of lines that run the entire length of the sleeve. Trim threads and admire your work.

Now you need to turn this happy cuff into a sleeve. To do so, loop it into your sleeve shape and pin into place. Use a needle and thread to stitch it together, knot it tightly and trim thread.

 Ta-da! See how easy that was? I hope you have a blast, happy stitching and as always, gimme a shout if you need help.

make a mini yarn garland with scrumdilly-do!

 

I created this fun mini take on a yarn bowl/garland for you and/or your kiddos to create. The details and fun can be found at scrumdilly-do! Don't forget about the Holiday Blog Hop and my giveaway. For the details click here and learn how to make a coffee bean sachet! Happy December!

diy caffeinated christmas gift {and a giveaway!}

 Have you been enjoying our holiday projects and fun? I hope so! I actually had planned to post a DIY on an alternative stocking (that is a way to package up stocking stuffers not in a stocking, not an emo themed stocking) but that project still needs some pretty pictures so instead I will be sharing a nifty way to present a coffee card to those coffee lovers in yer life.

I recently had a Secret Santa gift exchange for job-o number one. Our limit was $10 and my person is quite fond of coffee so it made sense to go with a gift card (who doesn't enjoy a gift card?) but it needed to be dressed up a smidge. Lucky for me I have boxes and suitcases and tins full of fabric and bits so it was really easy to create this wee gift package without going over the limit. This is a great way to use up yer tiny fabric scraps (I know you have a baggie or box or tin stashed away somewhere) so plug in your iron, clear a work space and grab two pairs of scissors; one for fabric cutting and one for burlap cutting (never use your good scissors on burlap).

Materials

*paper coffee cup (w lid) from local shop

*1/3 cup whole coffee beans

*loaded gift card

*coffee sleeve (for pattern)

*two scraps of burlap 3"sq

*assorted fabric scraps

*sewing machine

*2 pairs of scissors (one good, one not so)

*tissue for wrapping

*scrap happy gift tag (optional)

*ribbon or yarn for tying

The first thing I did was hit up the local (one of many) Starbuckeroos. I do live in a town full of exceptional coffee shops but for the sake of easy access I went with a bigger name store. I picked up a gift card and coffee sleeve and instead of the box they like to give, I asked for a tall paper cup. I told the gal that I was going to add a scoop of coffee beans into the cup and nestle the green bit of happy plastic inside and she whipped out a silver scoop and gave me a dash of the sweet smelling beans at no extra charge. Whoo-hoo!  She arranged the card just so inside and then grabbed her black pen and wrote out the recipient's name and type of bean inside just like they do when you place your order. She also graciously gave me a small handle bag and oodles of tissue before she sent me off on my merry way.

The first thing I made was the coffee sleeve (that DIY will be posted in a few days) but then I broke out a small scrap of burlap and a handful of even smaller scrappy scraps and got to work on a coffee bean sachet. The burlap has an open weave so the sweetness can shine, plus it looks mighty hip and pretty all at the same time.

 Cut out two squares of burlap about 3". Wonky is fine, it is burlap after all. Do not use yer good scissors!Find some happy scraps and trim if you need to. Arrange scraps atop one of the pieces of burlap.

Beginning with the bottom scrap, stitch to burlap using your sewing machine. Keep stitching until all scraps are in place. Play with stitch length and style. Raw edges are just dandy, we're going for a rustic look here.Once pieces are stitched on. Sandwich your two burlap pieces together and stitch all the way around leaving one side open. Leave about a quarter of an inch allowance at the edge. We're gonna jazz it up a smidge in a moment.

Tuck about a tablespoon or so of coffee beans into the open end of the sachet. Bring back to machine and stitch closed. Trim all edges so they appear more even than not and then pull out excess burlap strands. The open weave makes for easy unraveling and any strands not anchored into your stitching is fair game.

Ta-da! Happy shabby fringe!

Which makes for one happy little coffee bean sachet! Your recipient can keep this in her car or on her desk for a refresher. It can also be used as a pin cushion or light paper weight. See? Multi-functional!

Never one to not go a wee bit overboard, I also make a stitched paper garland which I wrapped around the gift card and anchored with a wee clothespin.

Tuck the card, garland and sachet into the cup and pop the lid back on.

Nestle the sleeve onto the cup and you now have an original take on a gift that is difficult to fool people.

I wrapped up the whole bit of pretty in the tissue from the shop, tied it with a brown ribbon and added a scrap happy tag (DIY also to be posted soon) to finish it all off. I hope the receiver enjoys this bit of fun! I know I would!

Leave a comment here at scrumdillydilly on this post here or this post for a chance to win a dilly-made coffee bean sachet, sleeve, paper garland and gift-tag pack (gift card not included). To make it more interesting, I would love to hear/read what your favorite project from the four of us was. I know it's kinda hard to choose (at least I think so, mine not included) but I would love to know what you think. I'll announce a winner Tuesday morning. Winner will have until Monday, December 19th to contact me otherwise a new winner will be selected (I want to mail out the gift pack asap). Happy Holidays from little old me and as always, be kind!