A Fat Quarter and Fifteen Minutes: Four Favor Bags

Four party favor bags from a fat quarter in fifteen minutes - fabulous! It takes less time than running to the party store, I promise.
I did these for Allie's birthday back in July, wanting the least painful way to whip up something handmade super fast. We were moving after all! Allie and I loved these wonderful party favors below–two upcycled notecards, pre-prepared for hand embroidery. We included some instructions, a rainbow of pretty embroidery thread and a needle.  These kits would make excellent road-trip fodder or the perfect activity to get through the Sunday football game that your kids just don't have that much interest in.

I did this gift bag project for the craft column at Petite Purls' latest issue. Pop over there to get the full diy directions, sizes, etc.  Petite Purls is a fabulous kids knit-wear magazine filled with adorable free knitting and crochet patterns. This is their first sewing issue and they have some great projects.  Look at this adorable doll below.  Love her!

I plan on making a stack of these gift bags this fall to use for last minute hostess gifts, thank yous, teacher gifts and the like.  You could even fill them with beautiful hand knit dolls, like the one above. I just need to find my sewing machine in all my moving boxes, or my fabric, or yarn, . . . or scissors.  Hmm.  maybe I should just get back to some unpacking :).  Happy fall to you all!

Animal Totem Jewelry - An Action Pack Feature

Well we're here in Baltimore in our new, OLD house and it's all overwhelming.  I keep wanting to post about house challenges, but its all so ugly and overwhelming, I don't even know where to start. To distract me, I was thrilled to hear that the latest Action Pack, Go Tribal, from Whip Up is out, and one of my projects is in it!  This is a Totem Necklace with animal prints. I have to say, I adore this project - it is great jewelry for boys or girls and I think its downright cool!
There is a fabulous printable in the magazine with all sorts of animal prints and their meanings. Let your child relate to one of the animals as family oriented, adventurous, or even the trickster, then let him or her trace and embroider the totem to a cool piece of jewelry.  Full directions are in the magazine along with an amazing collection of projects, including corn husk dolls, cat tail boats, aztec printing, tamales and even sling shots–so much fun for boys and girls!

My boys loved doing this project - I hope yours will too.  Seeing this project finished and published has me anxious to get back making again after this crazy move. I look forward to diving in to my new studio (okay, pile of boxes in my studio) some time soon.  Soon, as in, just as soon as I get a working bathroom!  Did I tell you my new studio has a gorgeous fireplace? Definitely trying to focus on the positives. . .
xo anne