Cat Hug Mug Coaster

Don't you just love handmade craft gifts!  I'm part of a group of twelve creative bloggers who have joined together for a 12 Month Christmas Blog Hop where one of us will be making a fabulous handcrafted Christmas gift for us to re-create each month!  Our goal is to make one handmade gift a month for 2016 and by christmastime we'll really be ahead of our holiday gift making!  

For the month of May, T'onna from Navy Wifey Peters Aboard the USS Crafty made lovely burlap Christmas Mug Rugs for gift giving.  These cuties brought back memories of a cute cat coaster I remember seeing online. While mug rugs are usually quilted, mitered, and larger than coasters, I was still inspired from T'onna's adorable creations to make this charming felt Cat Hug Mug Coaster. 

Materials used:

• Cat body template
• Felt - gray/white
• Scissors
• Needle/embroidery thread
• Beads (eyes)
• Poly-fil

To get started, I created a pattern to save to Word, print, and cut-out.

Next,  put the paper pattern pieces directly on the felt and cut out instead of tracing and cutting out - thus saving a step!

Then match the two body pieces together (wrong sides together).  Start a blanket stitch (a decorative hand stitch to finish the unfinished edges)just before adding the paws to the body, so you can include them in the blanket stitch when getting to those areas.

Continue blanket stitching around the entire cat body and tail until reaching the previous starting point.

Next, take the right side of one head and hand baste the ears on .  .  .

and then the mouth.

Take the other head and match to the first. Begin blanket stitching the two together, leaving an opening to add poly-fil. Push enough filing inside to plump up the head and ears.

Blanket stitch the opening close.

Stitch the bottom edge of the head between the front legs and center edge of the body so that the head will sit upright and hugging when a mug is placed on top.

And finally, using a different thread, stitch on whiskers and beads for eyes.

Your cat hug mug coaster is now complete! So easy!!!!

Make several for gift giving and then enjoy using your cat hug mug coaster!

Be sure to check out more Christmas gifts to make in our Blog Hop link-up below!

Happy Holiday Crafting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Flowers Made of Hot Glue - DIY

Have I got something for you that's so amazing and easy to make - flowers made out of hot glue!  Let me show you how these adorable flowers are made and be ready for a picture overload!

You will need: 

• Hot Glue Gun and lots of glue sticks
• Parchment paper
• Silicone Mat (optional)
• Large spoon or bone folder/paper creaser or rubber handles of scissors/pliers
• Small bowl of ice water (in case you get hot glue on fingers)

1.  Place a silicon mat over your work station.  If you don't have one, lay down a sheet of parchment paper.

2.  Begin by squeezing out hot glue on the mat or paper in a circular motion.  Small petals will need small blobs of glue, and large petals will need large blobs of glue. 

3. Cover the glue blob with a small piece of parchment paper.


4.  Using the bowl of the spoon or bone folder, smooth out the hot glue blob, pushing down and out. For a more decorative pattern, push and flatten the glue at the 12-3-6-9 marks so you won't get a plain round circle. I also used the palm of my hand in a circular motion to flatten the glue.

5.   After flattening the glue, roll up the silicon mat and or parchment papers with the glue sandwiched between and let cool.  Rolling the glue helps give dimension and texture to the petals.

6.  Unroll - the curved glue petal easily peels off of the parchment paper and silicone mat. If you see holes in the glue, just add more hot glue on holes and flatten with parchment paper or silicone mat.  Don't worry about any small air pockets.

7.  For one flower, you should make 3-4 small hot glue petals and 4-5 larger hot glue petals.

To Assemble Flower:

1.  Take a small hot glue petal and roll up loosely, making sure you leave  opening at both ends.  Seal with hot glue.

2.  Take another small petal and add hot glue to center and attach small rolled up petal.

 Add hot glue to ends of petal to seal.  Be careful adding the hot glue.  I used the mat and parchment paper to roll and seal the glue to avoid glue burns.  I intend on getting some silicone finger protectors real soon.  But keep a small bowl with ice water nearby for dunking fingers if you get hot glue on them.

3.  Continue gluing on petals, overlapping and alternating previously glued on petals into a flower shape.

 Have fun assembling your flower with hot glue!

 Soon you'll have a lovely flower  .  .  .

 

that feels like rubber and is

very flexible!

  The opening in the first petal allows for inserting LED string lights if you want.

Think outdoor décor or how about holiday and special occasions!

How cool is this?

 And you can color them using nail polish, glass or acrylic paint, spray paint or alcohol inks. Your choice!

 But I think I like them just as they are!

 Amazing!

 Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

HomeMade Rose Petal Sachets Using Paper Towel Tubes

This post was featured in "10 Recycling Craft Blogs to Follow" 

It started with a rose .  .  .  my neighbor's rose.

I saw her out one morning cutting off her roses and I asked if I could have one.   She said, "take as many as you want."  Then I had an "ah-ha" moment!

I'll make rose petal sachets!

Thank you, Lena!

So I gathered some well past their prime roses and started pulling the petals from the flower heads.

Then, I lined a microwaved-safe plate with paper towels and placed the petals on top in a single layer.  Next, I microwaved the petals on high at one minute intervals until they were dry and crisp.

When dried, red rose petals turn a pretty shade of burgundy.

Next, put all the dried petals in a glass bowl, add a few drops of rose essential oil and gently mix together.

Now it's time to make the sachets.

Flatten a paper towel cardboard tube .  .  .

and cut it in half.

Draw an oval shape in the center of tube .  .  .

insert a piece of thick cardboard in the tube and cut out the oval pattern.

Next,  cut a piece of cardstock to cover the height and width of the tube. 

Fold the cardstock into three parts and insert it into the tube.

Trace the edges of the open oval pattern, remove from tube and cut out. 

Glue the cardstock pattern to the cardboard tube using tacky glue.

For the embellishments,  cut out a piece of foam sheet and trace and cut out the oval shape.

Using a pair of decorative edged scissors, cut 1/2 inch around the oval opening.  

Next, cut out a small piece of tulle, add tacky glue to the trim and place tulle on top cutting away excess material.  Place trim on tube.

(Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of adding the rest of the trim to this tube.)

Here, I used lace trim for the embellishments.

There are so many options!

Finally, make a Mini Bowdabra bow, small rose and hanging loop out of ribbon and glue on.

Glue the bottom opening with tacky glue and allow to dry.

Spoon rose petals into the tube, tapping down lightly.  Seal the top opening with tacky glue, using a clip to keep close until dry.

The rose petal sachets can be tucked into linen closets and drawers or hung on a knob for a lovely fresh scent.

And the best part is you can refresh the fragrance by adding drops of rose

essential oil through the tulle.

The rose petal sachets also make wonderful gifts for friends and loved ones for those special occasions.  And for almost next to nothing cost!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!