Vinyl Record Bowls

This is hardly an original idea, but I thought it would be fun to share with you how I made bowls out of old vinyl records. They make great gifts and they're super simple and easy.

You will need:

A vinyl record (check your local thrift store)

An oven safe bowl and cookie sheet

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Turn bowl upside down and place on cookie sheet. Place record on top of bowl and heat in oven for about ten minutes.

The record will get really droopy around the bowl. Remove from the oven (don't forget the oven mitts!).

Turn the bowl right side up and put the record inside, gently shaping it.

Let it cool. Now you have a fun bowl!

That was so easy, you should make a few for your friends or that hard to buy for teenager.

Just a note: It's probably not a good idea to place food in these bowls, unless it's wrapped (such as candy).

Book Pocket for Bed or Armchair

Wow! I've let quite a bit of time get away before getting this tutorial together. Thanks for being patient with me! I made this book pocket for my mom's birthday and wanted to share with you how I made it. Sorry there aren't more pictures.

**This tutorial is for personal and gifting use, please don't sell your finished products**

You will need:

Medium or heavy weight fusible Interfacing (1: 25"x12" piece and 1: 12"x11" piece)

2/3 yard fabric 

(you might need slightly more if your fabric isn't a full 42"wide or more)

How to make it:

1. Cut your fabric:

2 pieces: 25"x12"

2 pieces: 12"x11"

2 pieces: 6.5"x7.5"

2. Pin and sew the 2- 6.5"x7.5" pieces, right sides together. Remember to leave an opening on the bottom so you can turn it right side out! Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

3. Iron interfacing onto one 25"x12" piece and one 12"x11" piece.

4. Pin the small rectangle from step 2 to the front of 12"x11" piece from step 3. This will make the small pocket on the front. It should be 2" from the top, 2 3/4" from sides, and 3" from the bottom. Topstitch this pocket on, sewing both sides and bottom. Be sure to catch the raw edges from the opening you used to turn small pocket piece right side out.

5. Next, Pin and sew the two 12"x11" pieces, right sides together. Remember to leave an opening on the bottom so you can turn it right side out! Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

6. Pin and sew the two 25"x12" pieces, right sides together. Leave top end open so you can turn it right side out. Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

7. Pin the 12"x11" piece to the 25"x12" pieces, with the small pocket facing in. Sew around the sides and bottom of smaller rectangle. Be sure to catch the raw edges from the opening you used to turn right side out. Turn right side out.

8. Press, folding in raw edges at top. Topstitch top edge to close. This is the part that will either be between a mattress and box spring, or under an armchair cushion.

Viola! You're finished! Wasn't that easy?

If you make one, please send me a message, I would love to see pictures!

Christmas Gift and Tutorial SWAP

My "Something Made Something To Be Made" Swap partner, Deanna, and I had so much fun swapping, we decided to host our own! We would love to have you join in on the fun! Here are the details:

We are hosting a Christmas Gift Tutorial SWAP! With Christmas just 115 days away, we are all trying to figure out which tutorials and projects we've found online to use for Christmas gifts. How about a Take Along Race Track and Toy Car Holder or a Cottage Chic Apron Tutorial? The options are endless and at times, overwhelming.

In this SWAP, you can make a Christmas gift using any fabric or any project using Christmas fabric for your partner using one of your tutorials in your To-Do list. Include the finished product with a print out of the tutorial (with the link of where you found it) with materials to make another object from the tutorial. Easy and you can check that pattern of your To Do list and hopefully you will find a new tutorial from your partner!

We will sub-classify everyone who signs up in hopes of getting you with a partner who will make something you love. This is open to all crafts- sewing, crochet, knit, etc.

If you would like to participate, send the following information to craftyswap@aol.com :

1. Name, email address, shipping address

2. Brief description of who you are, where you live, etc.

3. What types of tutorial would you like to TRY from these categories? Baby, Home, Women's accessories, Kid Boy, Kid Girl

4. What types of tutorial would you like to RECEIVE from the above categories?

*You can pick as many categories as you want

5. Whether or not you will ship internationally

Isn't this fun??

Here are the dates to remember:
September 27- LAST day to sign up

September 30- date you will receive your partner (at the latest)

October 21- deadline to have the project in the mail to your partner

Let's Swap some Christmas gifts!

Diaper & Wipes Pocket

This project is the perfect solution for scrunched up diapers at the bottom of the diaper bag, or a toddler who no longer needs a full diaper bag. It's also very easy, so it's a great project for beginners. Put some travel wipes and a few diapers in it and it makes a great baby gift!

**This tutorial is for personal and gifting use, please don't sell any that you make. **

What you will need:

1 fat quarter each of 2 coordinating fabrics (or 1/4 yard each)

2 pieces (1- 9"x11"; 1- 9"x15") Heavy weight fusible interfacing

1 3-inch piece sew-on Velcro

Put it all together:

Cut one 9"x15" rectangle and one 9"x11" rectangle out of each of the fabrics. Iron interfacing onto the lining pieces. Take the two larger rectangles and measure up 11" from the bottom. Mark this spot and measure 1 1/2" from the sides. Mark this point.

Now, use a compass to draw a half circle between these two points. Cut the fabric along the line you just created, so that your fabric looks like this. Pin and sew these two pieces right sides together. I find it easier to have the heavier weight fabric (with interfacing) on bottom when sewing them together. Remember to leave an opening at the bottom to turn it right side out! Next, pin and sew the small rectangles together in the same way: right sides together, leaving an opening at the bottom. Clip corners. Turn right side out and press, being sure to fold the raw edges from the openings in. You now have your front and back pieces. Pin and sew these together with the outside fabric touching. You're just going to sew down both sides and across the bottom. When you sew the bottom, remember to catch the raw edges. It's a good idea to reinforce your stitches at the top on both sides. Measure in 1 1/2" from each bottom corner and cut this 1 1/2" square out. This next step can get a little confusing, but you can handle it! :)

Hold one side seam and the bottom seam and match them up. This should create a line where all the raw edges match up. Pin together. Make sure your seams are going in the same direction so that it will lay nicely. Repeat this on the other side. Sew along the raw edges. I sew this seam twice to make sure it's sturdy. This is what it should look like:Turn right side out. You're almost done!

It's a good idea to put a travel container of wipes and a few diapers inside at this point. Pin the Velcro pieces in place. Remove the diapers and wipes. Sew Velcro on.

That's it! Wasn't that easy?

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. If you make your own Diaper & Wipe Pocket, please send me a picture. I love getting to see other's projects!

Featured on Tip Junkie!

Hello all! It's been a couple weeks since I've had time to blog. My life has been very busy with birthday celebrations and home school preparations. I have a number of posts that I will hopefully be sharing soon, including those tutorials I promised last month. :) But, back to the reason for this post.... my over sized owl bag tutorial was featured on Tip Junkie this morning! I was pretty excited, Tip Junkie is such a great site. Thanks for the feature, Laurie!

Take Along Race Track & Toy Car Holder

Wow! That's a lengthy name for this little toy, but I couldn't figure out what else to call it. This fold-up race track is perfect for traveling, waiting rooms, and church services. The outside has three pockets to carry toy cars in (Matchbox or Hot Wheel size) and when opened, it's just the right size to sit on a toddler or preschooler's lap. Here are the instructions, so you can make one, too.

(This tutorial is for personal and gifting use, please don't sell your finished products)

What you will need:
2 pieces of coordinating fabric: each 12 1/4" x 10 1/4" (One for the outside, one for the inside)
2 pieces of same outer fabric: each 8" x 4" (For car pockets)
2 pieces of another coordinating fabric: each 10" x 2 1/2" (For handles)
Small piece of black fabric for racetrack
Medium weight fusible interfacing: about 1/3 yard
Heat and Bond: Small amount: just enough to attach race track and details
A thin plastic three ring binder (or any thin plastic, you'll need two pieces, each 5.5"x4.5") Here's a picture of the one I cut up:
And thin, yellow grosgrain ribbon

The Steps:

Iron interfacing onto outer pieces of fabric: one 12 1/4" x 10 1/4" piece, one 8 1/4" x 4 1/4" pieces, and the 10"x2 1/2" handle pieces. Sew the 8 1/4" x 4 1/4" rectangles together with right sides facing. Leave a small opening to turn right side out. Press seams, remembering to fold in raw edges. Add this small rectangle to the large outer fabric rectangle, 1 1/2" from the top, bottom, and one side, using a top stitch on three sides. You should have one big pocket. Now, top stitch two lines 2 1/2" from edges and from each other to create 3 pockets. Next, you're going to create the handles. Take one handle piece (10"x2 1/2"), fold in half with right sides together and sew along the raw edge. Turn right side out and press. Repeat with other handle piece. Pin one handle to the large rectangle, 3" from the top and bottom. You can use a basting stitch to attach it, but I just sew right through the pins.

To make the race track: Cut either an "S" shape or a figure-8 from the black fabric for the race track. Apply Heat and Bond to back of race track and iron onto the right side of the 12 1/4" x 10 1/4" rectangle that will be on the inside when it's folded. This is the time to apply any details you might want, I cut little strips out of the scraps from the outer fabric and added them to the ends of the track to create start and finish lines. Top stitch along all edges of race track with a blanket stitch. Next, apply Heat & Bond to back of thin yellow grosgrain ribbon. Cut the ribbon into 1" pieces. Iron the ribbon pieces along center of track. Top stitch one line through all yellow ribbon dashes from one end of the race track to the other end.

Putting it all together:
Sew both long sides and one short side (the side that the handle piece is pinned to) of the two large rectangles (12 1/4" x 10 1/4) together, right sides facing. Turn right side out and press. Cut one side of 3 ring binder into two pieces, each 5 1/2" x 4 1/2". Put one plastic piece in the sewn rectangle, pushing it all the way to the sewn side. Top stitch a line right down the center of the rectangle, using the edge of the plastic piece as a guide. This keeps the two plastic pieces from sliding around. Insert the other plastic piece. Press the open end of rectangle, so that the raw edges are turned in. Pin other handle inside this end, 3" from the top and bottom. Top stitch this side closed, being sure to catch raw edges and the ends of the handle.

That's it! Your ready for a road trip with your little one and their new "Take along race track and toy car holder". :) If you can think of a catchier name for it, please leave a comment and be sure to leave a comment with a link to pictures of your finished projects! I love to see other people's creations and variations.

I'm linking to the Brassy Apple Crafty Summer Series, head over there to check out other great ideas for the car.

Oversized Owl Bag Tutorial

Here are the instructions for making an owl bag, like the one from this gift set.

This tutorial is for personal and gifting use, please don't sell any that you make.

What you will need (I made this bag extra big, so adjust the fabric amounts according to the size you want to make):

• 5/8 yard heavy weight fabric for outside of bag (I used canvas)
• 5/8 yard fabric for lining
• 1/4 yard fabric for owl's body
• Coordinating scraps for owl details (eyes, beak, wings)
• 1 1/4 yard Ribbon
• Magnetic snap
• Heat and Bond

Start by Creating a pattern. I simply drew the outline of an owl on brown craft paper. My pattern was approximately 15" wide by 22" tall (at the top points). Use your pattern to cut out two owl shapes from the lining fabric and one owl shape from the outer fabric. Next, you'll cut the pattern apart along the straight line across the owl's body. Use this to cut one top piece from the outer fabric and one bottom piece from the coordinating outer fabric. Next, cut the wings, eyes, and beak from the pattern paper. Use these to cut out the details from coordinating scraps. For the gusset (sides of the bag): Cut a 3 1/2" wide piece of fabric the length of the outer edge of the owl, starting from one top corner down around the bottom and back up to the top. I'm not sure how to better explain this step, but I took a piece of ribbon and laid it out around the large owl shape to get the length. You'll need one of these gusset pieces from the outer fabric and one from the lining fabric.

For the strap: cut a 5"x42" piece of outer fabric.

Attach heat and bond to back of wing pieces. Iron wing pieces onto owl body piece. Stitch around the edge. I used a simple straight stitch so that the edges will fray a bit and give a fun look. Sew top and bottom pieces together along straight edge (right sides together).Press seam open. Add the eyes and beak in the same manner as the wings. Sew the outer gusset piece to the front owl piece, right sides together. Once that is sewn, sew the gusset to the back outer piece in the same manner (right sides together). This step is much easier if you pin your fabric well. Turn the bag right-side-out: You're bag is taking shape! Next, sew the lining pieces to the gusset the same way you sewed the outside together, except REMEMBER TO LEAVE A HOLE at the bottom, to turn the bag right-side-out once the lining is sewn into the outer piece. Attach magnetic snaps to the center of the lining, 1 1/2" from top of lining. This is very easy, just follow the directions on the package.

Put the outside piece (right-side-out) inside the lining (inside-out). Sew the outside and the lining together all around the opening of the bag. Pull bag out through the hole in the bottom of the lining. Top stitch the hole in the lining closed, remembering to tuck in the raw edges. It helps to press it before sewing. Top stitch around bag opening. (This is where I forgot to keep taking pictures, sorry!)

Good work- You're almost done!

Make the strap: fold the 5"x42" piece of fabric in half length-wise. Fold in raw edges and press. Sew all 3 open edges closed. Sew ribbon to center of strap piece. Fold ends of strap under twice and center on the gusset, one side at a time and attach to bag, sewing in a rectangle, then an "x" in the rectangle. It's a good idea to either use a triple stitch, or go over this a few times to ensure that it's attached properly. I just realized this picture is sideways...sorry.

That's it! You're done!

If you make one, I would love to see a picture.