Tool Time Tuesday...Business Card Organizer

Happy Tool Time everyone!! Tuesday's, here at Sew Many Ways, are about turning things we find in different stores, usually the hardware store, into something else. However, it's not always the hardware store....sometimes it's automotive stores, garden shops, office supplies etc.

Well, today I found this little business card holder in the dollar store...Dollar Tree actually. Don't you love the dollar stores.

Clear pockets to hold business cards, but you know there will be other things in this little cutie!!

Easy slots to store so many things.

Of course your friend's cute business card!!

Hi Tina !! Pop over to Tina's blog and give her some blogging love. She just dropped her daughter, Julia, off for her first year of college.

Now that you have some business cards in there, how about...

Fabric swatches for when you are matching fabrics for different projects.

Memory cards for different groups of pictures.

You may have one memory card for quilts, one for vacations, inspiration, kids, grandchildren etc...

Paint chips for all the rooms in your house. Easy to match things for your decor when shopping.

Special receipts that you "need" to save.

How about a spot for just "gift cards"...always have them in one place so you're ready to shop. Don't forget to write the balance on the back of the card with a permanent marker, so you'll know how much you have left on the card.

A perfect place for stamps too.

It's small and easy to tuck away in your purse.

Frees up some space in your wallets too.

There are so many other things you can tuck into this card holder...just look in your purse and see what things can be organized for easy access.

Happy Organizing,
~Karen~

When Life Gives You Crumbs...Make a Pie Anyway

Hi everyone...Happy Labor Day to all my friends in the states. Hope you can enjoy a little time off today!

Thought I would share a little..."when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...sort of thing.

Hubby loves chocolate cream pie. Nothing fancy, just the store bought graham cracker crust and sugar free instant pudding. It gets him a quick chocolate fix after dinner without all the guilt.

Yesterday, he took the pre-packaged crust out to make the pie and found it in a million pieces. He started to throw it away, when I said we should make little individual pies!!

Sorry, forgot to take a picture of the completely ruined crust, but here's part of it.

Just add the broken pieces to little dishes...

and spoon on the pudding.

See little pies!

Adding little whipped cream can't hurt...right?

 and maybe a little extra crumb topping too!!

Perfect little, individual portions!

So when life gives you crumbs...make a crumb pie!!

Happy Monday,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Linking Party...Week 81

Hi everyone! It's September...where did the summer go. We always say that, don't we? Lol When September arrives, we all look forward to fall projects...Halloween, Thanksgiving and yes, even Christmas projects.

I know, I said Christmas...ahhhh, but it is not that far away. I am the biggest procrastinator when it comes to making and doing things for the holidays, maybe you are too. That's why I think the Sew Darn Crafty Party each week will be (and always is) a wonderful place for inspiration.

We can all help each other these next few months. Share your projects here and maybe we can be ahead of schedule and enjoy the all the fun times that are coming up!

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If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long here at Sew Many Ways).

If you want to add the button to your blog's side bar or your list of parties that you're in each week...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button

WHAT IS A LINKING PARTY...

I subscribe to a linking service, which provides the ability to link thumbnail pictures on my blog. The picture is a link that other bloggers provide to share their projects.

Two things can happen at a linking party...looking and/or linking

• you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
• you can share what you've been up to (linking)

If you want to be inspired by all the great ideas...just click on a picture and it will take you to that post from a wonderful blogger who was willing to share her thoughts and ideas.

HOW AND WHAT TO LINK TO THE PARTY...

Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not  search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post. Copy and paste the address that's at the top of your computer into the linky steps.
• link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
• anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
• linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
• just click the blue "click here to enter" button which is at the very END...below all the other picture links that everyone has shared. Click and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week

~Karen~

National Sewing Month...Napkin Pillow

Did you know that the whole month of September is National Sewing Month!! Sew let's get those machines humming. Start a new project, finish an old one or maybe teach someone how to sew...any way you do it, just sew a little bit this month!!

Today, I was going through piles of stuff I have been collecting from a sewing room clean up. I found these dinner napkins that my sister gave me a while back. They are either dinner napkins or bandanas, but I do know they were only $1.00 each at Walmart. You can probably find cloth dinner napkins in the clearance rack some where too.

I wanted to do something with them and a pillow came to mind. I know I could just sew 2 napkins together, but I wanted to experiment with another project I did a few years ago.

Here are the napkins...

Good size...

21 inches square.

Do you remember this coaster tutorial I did over 2 years ago? Click HERE to read that.

Well, I'm going to try and make a Jumbo one for a pillow cover. Truly flying by the seat of my pants, so we'll see how this goes!!

You will need 5 cloth dinner napkins all the same size ( or fabric you want to cut yourself)

• One placed right side up
• the other 4 folded in half, with right sides out.

Fold the 4 in half and iron.

Instructions...

I have a color coded, step by step picture tutorial below if this gets confusing with all the same black and white fabric.

Start with one napkin right side up...

Place one folded napkin on top of the base napkin going vertically with the fold towards the middle. Match edges on the bottom.

Now place your 2nd folded napkin on the right, vertically and the fold towards the middle again.

3rd napkin towards the top going horizontally again, fold towards the middle.

Now the 4th napkin has an extra step, but it's easy.

Place the folded napkin on the left side, vertically, fold towards the middle...

Before you lay the 4th down all the way...pick up the first napkin...

Now lay down your 4th one all the way...

and flap over the 1st one on the 4th. I know that sounds so confusing, so check the color coded cheat sheet below.

Here it is with all 4 folded napkins layered over each other.

Pin all the way around.

Here's the best part...you sew ALL THE WAY AROUND...without stopping!! No opening

Trim seams and corners.

Reach into the center opening where all the folded edges come together.

and turn right side out.

Iron flat.

Go back into that center area again and stuff in your pillow form.

DONE!!! No seam to sew up! I love that part.

Here's the back and the only problem area. I told you I was flying by the seat of my pants.

The pillow makes it puff up and the little opening shows.

For me, I don't care. I'm using it for back support when I sew...

or on the computer.

I still think it's a great way to make a pillow...

• easy to make
• uses pre cut napkins
• one straight stitch all the way around
• no seams to close
• easy off to wash

I just love the black and white check too!

Here is the Color Coded Cheat Sheet for you.

Remember folds towards the middle!

5 squares all the same size.

Fold the 4 you want to show on the front

1st on the bottom...

2nd on the right...

3rd on the top...

4th on the left...

Lift  the 4th...

then lift the first...

fold down the 4th...

Flap over the first...I know you hate me right now LOL It is easy though!

Sew ALL the way around.

Turn right side out and iron flat.

You can make anything in any size with this tutorial...coasters, pillows, pot holders, little purses etc.

Use all the same fabric, 2 different ones or 5 different fabrics. It's up to you. Just SEW!!!


Happy National Sewing Month,
~Karen~