my quilted tote :) Its reversible!

I had so much fun making my quilted tote.  The inspiration shows the rag side but I fell in love with the smoth side and usually use it like this.  The patches were hand picked out of the fat quarter bin from Joanns and Hancock Fabrics.  I decided I wanted a quilted look because I seriously yearn for Vera Bradly but cant pay her prices!  I am very happy with the results.  I really just eyballed the spacing and sewed across each sandwich until they were covered in squares.  This needs to be done before sewing your patches together.  I decided to add a binding to the top since I loved the smoother look.  I made the handles out of the same brown material.  The scalloped stitching really happened unplanned as I was sitting there and thought, wow that might be cute! :)  Now I add it to every quilted purse.  I have a few on order from friends after they saw mine.  Be sure you have enough thread if you plan to quilt the patches.  It takes about three spools of the normal size spools.  I hope you love it as much I have!  Happy sewing

I was browsing pinterest when I saw this and had to pin it and then had to try it...with my own spin of course! If you want to check out the pretty scalloped purse click here  stampingcountry.typepad.com

Make your kids an activity center and easle in one!

Its the same for all children.  They learn by doing things and are very visual.  This is a great way to teach children of all ages. Here is what is looks like:

Materials needed:

1. Large three ring binder
2. long peice of scratchy Velcro
3. box of velcro dots, scratchy and soft
4. two pecies of felt.  (You can buy the self adhesive kind if you like)  I choose the non and kind of wish I hadnt.  I may switch my felt to self adhesive in the future.
5. One can of spray adhesive.  (If you were to use self adhesive felt then the spray is unecessary.)
6. flashcards of your choice
7. contact paper

Step one: Apply your felt to the inside flap of the binder

 

Take the flet peices, spray and binder to a well vented area like the garage or outside.  I learned this after spraying it in the house.  It is very strong smelling!  Spray one side and attach it to the inside flap and the same for the other side.  Some of it will overlap and will need to be cut off.  Its best to wait until it dries. 

 

Step two: cutting your contact paper

 

Using a paper cutter is much easier and faster.  Roll out the contact paper with the grid side up.  Take a flash card for your guide.  Place it on the paper and mark where you will cut.  Make sure you leave space all the way around to seal the two pieces together.  A great time saver is to line a bunch of cards of on the paper making your markings around each peice.  Then you can cut a long strip of the same size.  After you have a few srips stack them together and cut them with your paper cutter at the same time.  Here is a pic of my paper cutter

There are tons of different kinds of cutters and if you are new to crafting or scrapbooking you may not have one yet.  There are much smaller scale cutters that work just as well. 

 

Step 3: covering you flashcards

 

after you have both side covered you can smooth out any bubbles with a ruler.  I then run the ruler around all edges to seal them together.  Do not worry about lining up the paper exactly because you are going to trim the edges down.  DO NOT trim the edges all the way to the card because there will be no way for the paper to touch and thus breaking the seal.  You want your cards to be washable and waterproof.  This is the greatest thing about contact paper because toodlers and kids will be using these!

 

Step 4: attaching velcro to the back of flashcards

 

Take your soft velcro dots and stick them to the back of the flashcards

 

  Step 5: makinghte binder work like an easle

 

Take two soft peices of Velcro and stick one each to the outside, middle edges of the binder.  Cut your long peice of scratchy Velcro.  Turn the binder inside out and attach the long strip to both side of the velcro dots of the binder.  Thus creating an easle.

Now its time to put your flashcards on the easle and you are done!

Hooray! You are ready to teach and play with your kids.  What a great learning tool.  Have fun!