Scissor & Craft Tool Caddy

So here's the dilemma - I have these scissors lots of scissors! Sewing, non-fabric, pinking shears, scrapbooking... And then there's the tools, pliers, wire cutters, wire curlers, a pattern notch cutter... You have that same dilemma too, right?

I needed something to keep them in that was portable, so if I was hand sewing or beading at my work table I could just place them there with me, and yet keep them organized and out of the way when I wasn't using them. So here's what I came up with.

A vast improvement from what I started with.

I know... Crazy!, right?

I started with my scissor assortment, laying out the various sizes. My sewing scissors were the longest. The scrapbooking scissors are shorter, but thicker. 

I made sure the box I selected was taller than my longest pair.

Then decided on the size of the hold that needed, so I measured them at the base of the handle. Then measured out a piece of paper the size of the box.

I drew out a grid of one inch squares on the template, cut paper scraps roughly the size of the holes and placed them on the template to decide on the placement of the holes.

After cutting the holes in the template I used it to transfer the placement to the box itself, and using a craft knife I cut the holes.

 

As I cut the holes I decided I wanted to reinforce it, so I used my template to cut a piece of corrugated plastic that I had the same size as the box. (That stuff's great for purse bottoms too. Collect them after the election, they're abundant and best of all, FREE!)

I cut the corrugated plastic large enough that it fit snugly inside the box, then cut the holes in it using the craft knife.
                   
I tested the caddy before I started covering it just to make sure it would work as I had envisioned, (not all of my bright ideas do!).


I selected the fabric that I wanted to cover it with, measured it out big enough to cover the top and sides. I sewed a zigzag stitch around the edge, then turned it up sewed in a casing.

 I used a thin cord that had as a draw string, put the box in it and pulled it tight to gather the fabric up around what would be the bottom of the caddy.

                                           

Now, how to get the holes in the fabric? I couldn't just simply cut the fabric. I considered doing that and using some Stop Fray on it to prevent unraveling, but decided a better solution would be to sew a button hole at each spot. To do that, I placed the template on the top of the box with the fabric in place and hand sewed an X at each spot with contrasting thread.

  

Once the buttonholes were in and clipped. I permanently tied off the draw string on the bottom. I removed the contrasting thread X's, what I could anyway, you can see small pieces of it were left behind. I probably should have used all white, as the remnants of wouldn't be so noticeable.

 I also added some scalloped ribbon trim to dress it up. (I just whip stitched it in place.)  It holds all of my scissors, craft tools and even my magnifying glass.

 I can just move the whole thing to my work table so if I'm beading or whatever I'm working on I have whatever tool I need at my finger tips without searching around or digging through a pile. 

It freed up space on my little tray. So I could better organize it too. I had this cute vintage green container that held the monster buttonhole attachment to my Grandmother's old Singer. I decided it was the perfect little storage container  for my sewing room. I removed the attachment that it held and filled it with marking pens, awl, screw driver, my measuring stick and other implements of construction. 

What organizing problems have you tackled? I'd love to hear your ideas and solutions.

Thanks for stopping by! :) 

Linking up at Debbie-Doos and other fun parties listed on my Link Party page. Come by and join in!

Christmas Sleighs

I've been blog absent for a long time. Between working 60-70 hours a week and getting ready for Christmas, it hasn't left much time for anything else. Even though I haven't been able to post anything, I haven't completely forgotten about my blog. I've been taking pictures and have lots of blog posts to put up. I wanted to get this one up, in case it might inspire some of you to do something similar while you still have time. I made something like these years ago, but this time I decided to challenge myself to see if I could do it on the cheap with all of my components coming from thrift and dollar stores. 

I completed the challenge by creating two fun and festive center pieces at a fraction of the cost from my previous versions.

I started in early November watching the thrift stores for just the right sleigh basket. The ones I made in the past were wicker. I found this wire one at a Goodwill and paid a little more than I wanted, $3, but I had been looking for sometime and it was the right size at 15" long and in good condition, so I went ahead and bought it. I found a smaller wicker and metal version at a much better price since it was in my Mother-in-Law's basement making it free. (Yay Free!!)

While I was watching the thrift stores for sleigh baskets, I was buying up festive bobbles, picks, sprigs and candles. I actually found one big bag of misc stuff for $1.40 at one shop.

At another I found a bag with two short pillars and a nutcracker candle still wrapped in cellophane, never used, for $2.00.

I hit the Dollar Tree for the clear plastic bowl that I needed for the wire sleigh and a bag of Potpourri so they would smell AND look pretty.

With all of the components finally gathered I spread them all out on my work surface and started putting them together. I started with the wire one, since it was bigger. I knew I wanted the silk flowers standing up in the back, so I cut a piece of the floral foam that I had to the right size and wrapped it in aluminum foil since it would show through the sides. With the poinsettias inserted in the back piece of foam I added the bowl to the body of the sleigh, wrapped another piece of foam in foil and inserted cinnamon sticks at the four corners. I poured the potpourri into the bowl around the block of foam and placed one of the pillar candles on top of that foam piece.

Then I filled it in with some of the little sprigs and sprays that came from that mixed bag that I bought at the one thrift store. I added straight pins and secured them into the foam under the candle where I needed.

Of course the candles not for burning, but it adds a pretty festive touch, don't you think?

For the smaller sleigh I decided my nutcracker candle should be the driver so I positioned the remaining piece of floral foam in the basket, carved out a small section for him to rest in and set pins around the parameter to so he wouldn't topple out too easy. I poured the rest of the potpourri around the foam and added more sprigs and sprays to fill in. I decided it needed some height so I added the golden berries at the back.
 

I have about $5.00 cost in each which is pretty cheap for large, floral, fragrant centerpieces. They were really fun to do and came together really fast. And I must admit, the best part was in the hunt for all the pieces in the thrift stores! I'll have to keep my eyes open for another sleigh. I think I have enough of the decorative bits for one more. Potpourri and flower foam is easy enough to come by if I find the right vessel to make one more.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm linking up at Debbiedoo's  , Home Stories AtoZ and other fun parties listed on my Link Party page. See you there!

A Bag For My Bike

With Labor day coming to a close it's time to bid adieu to summer time. We didn't get to take an official vacation this year, but Mr ShowMe and I did take up bike riding. We've had quite a lot of fun with it. My bike's an old hand-me-down, but I really like it. It has a sort of retro vibe and of course you can't beat the color!

It didn't take too many trips out on the bike with my keys and other personal effects crammed into my pockets that I decided I needed a bag for it.
My intentions were good. It's not as if I don't have a lot of wonderful fabric in my stash. I searched the web. I even picked one bike bag as my favorite. 

Tamara at Etcetorize posted this lovely bag that she made for her bike and even provided a tutorial to take out all the guess work. But before I got that far I ran across a ready made zipper bag that I received from the airline both times I flew to the Philippines with my job. 
They gave us these bags with toiletries in them. I had one from each of my trips there. They aren't really big enough to use as a travel bag, but with me being a bit of a pack rat, of course I still had them. 
I hand sewed on strips of some nylon strapping that I had and added Velcro on each. 

It turned out to be the perfect size for the front of my bike. The fabric will be more water resistant than anything from my stash would have been any way, and it's plenty roomy to hold my keys, cell phone, Kleenex and inhaler for my allergies, and even my camera. 

So on one hand I cheated, but on the other hand I recycled something that I didn't really have a use for otherwise. Maybe I'll embellish it with fabric flowers or something so I don't feel like a complete sell-out! (But if I do that, I'll stick to embellishing just the bag on my bike. I don't think Mr. ShowMe would find it as aesthetically pleasing on the one I put on his bike! hehe)

Did you have any fun adventures over the summer?

Thanks for stopping by! :)

A New Bag - Because I have expensive taste!

I made a new bag a few weeks ago. As it turned out, I think it's more of a fall/winter bag, so I probably won't carry it for a few more months. I was inspired by one I saw on the web that retails for over $1,000. Who would pay that for a bag? Here's my version.

I made it using fabrics that I picked up at thrift stores, and I'm rather pleased with how the pretty paisley lining peaks out along the edge.

Here's my inspiration. It's the Joplin bag by Thakoon. I've never heard of that maker, I just liked the look of the bag when I saw a picture of it and then was really shocked when I saw the price.

I buy purse handles at JoAnns when they have sales and had this chunky chain handle in my stash. 

I really love the way the lining fabric looks. It doesn't photograph very well, but it's a really pretty paisley of browns and coppery metalics.

The handle clips on with oversized lobster claw clasps, so I can take it off too and carry it as a clutch.

I think I might make a second one from a more summery fabric. I could use the same handle and just switch it from one to the other. It might be cute with bright floral, or maybe with some of that Amy Butler fabric that I won.... hmmm, the sewing to-do list just never really gets any shorter, does it? Does yours?

Thanks for stopping by!