DIY Pocket Calendar Cover

All you need is a pocket calendar with a plastic protector, markers, high quality copy paper and scissors. I found the calendars at the dollar store.

Make sure the calendar has a removable plastic cover.

Open up the calendar and draw around it to mark how big to make the copy paper, cut out.

Have your little artist color a fun picture. If you have loads of friends and family that would appreciate this gift, you can have your child draw one drawing and then make color photo copies. You might also consider cutting up artwork that comes home from school to fit inside the protector.

Slip paper around the calendar and place it back into the plastic protector. Now you have a thoughtful and useful gift that anyone would love to receive and a child would be proud to give!

If you are looking for more gifts kids can make, you won’t want to miss my e-book Gifts Kids Can Make! Kids will have fun making a wooden paper towel holder, and artistic key or jewelry organizer, keepsake magnets, whimsical note cards and a yummy jar mix! The e-book comes with printables and even editable gift tags, perfect for handmade gift giving. The ebook is ready for immediate Download.

You might enjoy browsing my Handmade Gift Guide!

WOW!  Aren’t these luminaries beautiful?  They are made with water balloons as the form!  Follow the tutorial on Candletech.com and make a few for yourself or for an extra special gift.

Evie S. has a super simple tutorial on how to make these fab paper-clip earrings!  Any girl would love to find these in her Christmas stocking!

33 Shades of Green has designed a wine bottle sleeve that you have to see!  Wouldn’t you love to give this to your favorite holiday party hostess?

f you need more inspiration take a look at my handmade gift guide below….

All you need is

one piece of oil cloth 5″ x 8″ (outside)

a coordinating 5″ x 8″ piece (lining)

2 pieces 2 1/2″ X 5″ for inside pockets for the notebook cover to slip in

one 1 1/2″ X 3″ piece for the pencil pocket on the front

Sew pocket on front. Place it just shy of 3/4″ up from the bottom edge and over just over an 1 1/2″ from the side edge. Just eyeball where it works for you.

Sandwich outside piece right side face down, then lining face up, and pocket pieces on each end. Fasten with mini clothespins.

Sew all the way around the edge, removing clips as you sew along.  I sew on the top side.

The inside looks like this.

Get a mini composition notebook (found at Wal-Mart) and a mini pencil. I found my pencils at the dollar store. A golf pencil would work also.

Slip notebook into cover.

There you have one cute little cover!

So easy to whip up a bunch in no time!

Oven Mitt Tutorial

Supplies for making your own oven mitt

cotton batting

1/4 yard cotton fabric

1/4 yard coordinating cotton fabric

Insul-Bright Insulated batting

Directions for making a quilted oven mitt

Cut 2 each 9″ X 15″ rectangles of the cotton fabrics, cotton batting, and Insul-brite

Sandwich cotton fabric (lining) right side facing down, Insul-Brite, cotton batting, cotton fabric (0utside) right side facing up.

Sew together in stitching pattern of your choice. I made diagonal lines about an inch apart.

Repeat for other set of rectangles.

Oven Mitt Pattern Download – top

Oven Mitt Pattern Download – bottom

Download oven mitt pattern top and bottom.   Print patterns and tape pieces together.

Stack the two quilted pieces on top of each other, right sides together.

Place pattern on top and draw around the pattern.  This is the stitching line.

Stitch. I reinforce the thumb area so I can trim and make a slit right up to the stitching line.

Cut. Clip curves where necessary.

Turn right side out.

Cut a contrasting piece of fabric 7″ X 15″ for the band. Iron piece in half lengthwise, then open and bring edges to the center and press again.

Line edge of binding up with bottom edge of the oven mitt, right sides together. Turn edge up and being sewing in the first ironed crease.

Stitch all the way around, folding end over when finished.

Fold binding down.

Fold in the other half of the binding. Stitch all the way around in the ditch between the two fabrics, making sure to catch the binding on the inside.

Stitch along the place where the binding overlaps with one straight stitch, or whip stitch it closed by hand.

Finished!

Hey Everyone, it’s Kim from Today’s Creative Blog. Cindy wanted me to show you my ideas for those teacher gifts. I guess she thinks I’m the queen of teacher gifts since one of my products was featured in Matthew Mead’s Holiday magazine!

{{squeal!!}} (page 8 #5 just in case you have it)

Sure you could just go buy a candle or mug and call it good. But if you’re like me, you’ll want a teacher gift that’s special to show them how much you really appreciated their hard work. So here you go….

3 Great Teacher Gifts

1. Teacher Chalk Board

The first couple of years I did the cutest Chalk Boards with their name on them. The teachers loved them and it’s something they can use for years to come.

Items needed to make a teacher chalk board:

• Chalk board- I picked mine up from Big Lots
• a variety of scrapbook paper, stickers and embellishments – I used school themed items
• ribbon
• Glue
• Alphabet rub on’s or foam stamps
• craft paint if using foam stamps

2. Dipped Pretzels

This is great especially for those male teachers. We’ve also given a box of these to the office staff. It only takes a few placed nicely in a cute tissue lined box. Add cute ribbon and a Christmas pick and they’ll think your middle name is Martha. This is also something your child could help you do. We get an assembly line going in our family since we also give these to my husbands staff.

I use my fondue pot to melt the chocolate and then we just dip away. Sometimes we get crazy and dip them in crushed candy cane or toffee chips before the chocolate sets.

Items needed to make dipped pretzels

• Pretzels
• Candy discs – I bought mine at Michael’s.
• toffee chips, sprinkles, crushed candy cane. So many options here.
• fondue pot, double boiler or glass pyrex to melt in the microwave.
• Parchment paper- this works better than foil or waxed paper for laying the pretzels on.
• Kraft box
• ribbon

3. Sugar Scrub

Now this was a hit with my son’s teachers last Christmas, and SO easy to make. I think I made it, wrapped it and delivered it in less than 30 minutes.

Items needed for making Sugar Scrub

• Sugar – I used Organic sugar
• Almond Oil
• Essential oils – I used Orange because it’s the cheapest. I also used jasmine.
• Glass Jar or plastic- I found mine at The Dollar Store.
• Ribbon and tags

Combine 3 Cups Sugar with 1 Cup Oil. Drop in several drops of desired scented oil. Mix. Scoop into jar and seal.

I hope I gave you some quick, inexpensive ideas for the teachers in your life. For more daily inspiration, I hope you’ll visit Today’s Creative Blog

If you love to sew you might also like these free sewing tutorials right here on Skip to my Lou! Every tote needs a matching pouch.

Pleated Zippered Pouch

Lined Zippered Pouch

Tote Patterns and Tutorials

1. Dish Towel Tote Tutorial

2. Tank Top Totes Tutorials (two styles)

3. Ruffled Tote Pattern

4. The Twenty Minute Tote Tutorial

5. Beach Bag Tote Pattern

6. Simple Lined Tote Bag Tutorial

7. Hobo Tote Bag Pattern

8. Pleated Tote Pattern

9. Pillowcase Tote Pattern

10. Oil Cloth Tote Tutorial

These photo holders are made with 2″ wooden ball knobs.

Cut a slit at an angle in the ball. Paint ball with primer.

Paint balls with acrylic paint and or paint pens.  Outline designs with Sharpie marker (or black paint pen) if desired. Once dry, seal ball with clear spray paint or clear varnish.

Download the “Thank You For A Picture Perfect Year” Card and print on card-stock.  Place in ball, wrap up and you have a cute little gift.

No time to paint the balls? Just wrap up a cute picture frame — you could even “frame” a gift card.  Attach a gift tag and you are all set.

Thank You For A Perfect Year Teacher Appreciation Gift Tags

Download pattern pieces and print with no scaling selected on your printer.  Cut out two of each piece from your favorite fabric. You will also need 1 – 7 inch zipper.

Pleated Pouch Pattern Download

How to make a pleated zippered pouch

Mark fabric from pattern where it should be pleated. Bring one mark over to the next. Pin.

Place outer top piece face down on pleated piece, line up edges and stitch across 1/4 inch from the edge. Open up and press. Repeat with other two pieces to make the other side.

Make a zipper sandwich. Place 1 piece of outer fabric face up, then the zipper and then the lining right side facing down. Line up the three edges.

With a zipper foot sew across the top between the edge of your zipper sandwich and the zipper teeth (closer to the zipper feet).

Bring lining and outer fabric to the same side.

Make another zipper sandwich on the other side of the zipper.

Open up and it will look like this. You can top stitch at the edge of the fabric along the zipper now, if you like (I didn’t).

Bring both pieces of lining to one side and both pieces of the outer fabric to the other side. Un-zip zipper at least halfway so you can turn it once it is stitched. If you forget to un-zip the zipper you won’t be able to turn your pouch right side out.

Pinch zipper towards outer fabric, making sure it is laying nicely as you pin.

Using 1/4 inch seam stitch all the way around the pouch leaving a two inch opening in the bottom of the lining for turning.

Turn right side out. Hand stitch (or machine stitch) opening in lining closed.

Push lining inside the pouch and it is finished!

You might also be interested in this Zippered Pouch tutorial.

It is easy to make a matching tote for your pouch with this super simple tote tutorial!

You might also like these 10 Tote Tutorials.

The oilcloth receipt wallet went together quickly and I was able to use up some scraps.

Supplies:

2 pieces cut 7 1/4″ by 6 1/2″

2 pieces cut 2 1/2″ by 6 1/2″

about 14 inches skinny double fold bias tape

miniature clothes pins

Fray Check

Elmer’s Spray Adhesive (optional)

Teflon presser foot or masking tape to cover bottom of presser foot to keep oilcloth from sticking to presser foot (if necessary)

Instructions:

Slip bias tape around the 6 1/2 inch side of the 2″ wide piece and stitch. It can hang off the edge, it will be trimmed when finished.

Place the two large pieces wrong sides together. I sprayed just a touch of Elmer’s Spray Adhesive in the center to keep the pieces from slipping. Try to keep adhesive away from area that will be sewn. Place pocket pieces on each edge. Use miniature clothes pins to keep in place. Sew close to the edge all the way around the wallet, reinforcing when sewing over bias tape. Trim bias tape and place a few drops of fray check on ends. (I was going to just wrap the end of the bias tape to the inside before stitching, however it made it bulky.)

Ta Dah!

Note: I get my oilcloth from Oilcloth Addict! Be sure to check out her personal blog, ModernJune, for some fabulous oilcloth tutorials and great tips for sewing with oilcloth.

It would be easy to make a lot of these gifts assembly style.

I used  small 6″X 9″ clipboards  found  at OfficeMax ($1.69). The notepads are 5″ X 8″ 50 sheet Jr. size writing pads, found at Wal-mart (6 notepads were only $2.50).

I tried these two ways:

Using Elmer’s Spray Adhesive and Krylon Matt Finish

and using Mod Podge Paper Matte

First cut decorative paper to fit the clipboard.  For my clipboards 6″ X 9″ worked perfectly.  I took the extra time to make a template that fit around the top of the clip (a little bit of a pain).  I have also seen where there is just a rectangle shape cut to fit around the clip. My paper looked like this.

Paint the back of the paper with Mod Podge Paper (Matte) or spray with the Elmer’s Spray Adhesive. If you are using spray adhesive also spray the clipboard. Cover the the clip with masking tape to keep it clean. Pay special attention to make sure which ever method used that the edges of the paper are completely covered. Working quickly, place the paper onto the clipboard. This is a bit tricky. It is okay to lift up and reposition until it matches all of the edges properly. Be careful not to stretch the paper. Smooth paper and make sure the entire piece of paper is secured.  When I had a spot along the edge that wasn’t adhered, I lifted it slightly and added more glue.  Allow to dry at least 15 minutes before putting on top coat. Round off corners with scissors.

Give the top of the paper a light coat of Mod Podge Paper in matte  or two coats of spray matte finish.  I have to say I like the paper feel and look so I prefer the Krylon spray matte finish.

Not matter which technique you use you must let each layer of glue dry. The Modge Podge will be a more durable surface.

Glue a matching piece of decorative paper to the top of the notepad. Any glue will do.

To give the clipboard an extra nice touch I added a metal label holder. I taped them on with a piece of clear tape exactly where I wanted them and then my husband drilled holes in the metal clip so they could be attached with the brads included in the package.

I painted the metal holders and brads with gloss paint.  Open the clip as far as you can so you can attach the metal label holder and spread the brads apart on the back side of the clip.

Finished! I think I will put the recipient’s name in the label holders.