Saturday, June 5, 2010

A mini tutorial for simple gifts...

I have signed on for Judith's 'Early Bird Christmas Crafting'. Have you?
You can see the button on my left hand side-bar (click on it and you'll arrive at Judith's blog!)
I like the idea of being prepared for Christmas with gifts already made, but mostly I want to have 'gifts in general' for any occasion right on hand, and really I have wanted to do this for ages, but....life and other exciting things come along and I forget.
Now, thanks to Judith's foresight, I have the incentive to do more than just talk about it.
One of the first things Judith asks you to do is buy a small journal/notebook and cover it - this will be where you write down the names of all those you need to make gifts for. I bought my journal earlier this week, and my plan for tonight was to make my journal cover.
However, I had been cooking all afternoon (have you visited my foodie blog yet?), and was really looking forward to sewing tonight, but I was so tired! Originally I'd been going to use denim in the cover (as part of my June Jeans Challenge), but my brain and my hands just couldn't 'get it together' when I lay the journal and the denim side by side for inspiration.
A quick prayer, and a new plan formed - forget the journal cover tonight, and make some presents instead. So, I thought I'd share an idea with you as these little items took me just minutes to make!

Materials needed:
1 vintage embroidered doily or runner (mine cost me 50c)
2 small mother-of-pearl buttons (had them forever)
a length of narrow white satin ribbon (been in the ribbon box for eons)
2 cakes of scented handmade soap (bought this morning for $2.30 each)

My doily/runner was rectangular so I cut it into 3 pieces as I wanted to use the ends only.
Take the end piece and fold it over inside out, and slip stitch along the seam (to keep the lovely eyelet embroidery showing)...
Sew a seam along the raw edge opening, turn right side out and press.

Sew a length of the white satin ribbon to the very centre of the back, and secure in place with a small mother-of-pearl button.
Choose a gorgeous scented soap...
Pop your soap in the pretty bag and tie the top closed with your ribbon!
What a gorgeous gift! I make these and store them in my linen cupboard. When I open the door to replace sheets I am met with the exquisite scent of roses...and of course my bed carries that fragrance later when I place the sheets on our bed.
I made another fragranced soap sachet with the other end of the doily.

Not wanting to waste the middle section of the doily it occured to me that I could use it for my journal cover. After all, I am a rose lover and a romantic at heart, so a denim covered journal isn't really me, is it?

I found some lovely rose fabric in my stash, some pretty white cotton lace, and 2 white vintage buttons. I set to work laying it all out...
I added Pellon and some pink tonal lining fabric, and look what I had in my hands just 30 minutes later...
 For under $10, and after less than an hour's sewing, I have two gifts and my gift-planning journal. 
 Don't you love that feeling you get when you accomplish a task? I do. :-)
Hugs
Jenny
xxx

44 comments:

Abby and Stephanie said...

beautiful and sweet.

Karmen said...

Oh, oh, oh. YOU are billiant! Let me at my sewing machine... Karmen

Unknown said...

So Cute Jenny, I too am struggling with the denim idea, but love you're pretty little soap holder bags!! You amaze me!!

Dawn said...

wonderful idea's Jenny... way to go
Hugs Dawn x x

quilterfaye said...

Love it,Love it,Love it!! Well done Jenny. Thank you for the tutorials. With your permissioon I now have great idea fo 2 gifts--the soap and the journal cover.
Hugs,Faye

Carrie P. said...

Girl, you are just so smart and creative. Such a great idea. Thanks for coming by my blog. I have missed reading your blog so I am going now to see what I missed.

free indeed said...

Great idea! thanks.

Denysem said...

What a creative idea!
Very cute! I loved it!
Hugs

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

Very pretty and creative!!

KaHolly said...

Jenny, you are too much. I like how you just whip stuff like this up, how it just flows from your creative brain and becomes something of beauty. Great gifts, great tutorial! Thanks a million, karen

Liz said...

thank you Jenny. They are lovely.

Lovise said...

Thank you for a wonderful idea. I often wisit your blog, and I really love your small projects. It is easy to be inspired, and it gives me a good feeling:) Thank you again.

Sew This N That said...

oh how lovely, Jenny, love your gift ideas :)
*hugs* Heather x

Orcsmom said...

What a great idea. I was very fortunate that my mother in law gave me a bagful of handmade dollies and table runners that her mother in law made. Some are stained, but the beauty and her love in her stitches remained. Not to mentioned, what a great item to make and give to my husband's family members as a rememberance. I am very excited to be included in the Christmas group. Hugs!!

Pam

Maria said...

What a great idea Jenny. They are beautiful.

FlourishingPalms said...

Gorgeous stuff, Jenny! It's such a wonderful sensation when you simply allow your creativity to flow from your heart. It's evident by what you've shown us that you enjoyed such an experience. Really, really great ideas. Thank you for sharing.

Nancy-Jane said...

Thank for sharing this one. What a wonderful gift and your journal cover is absolutely sweet!

paulette said...

Wow!! I'm loving these gifts, Jenny!! I have a drawer full of these runners!! Who knew!! Well done!
Paulette

Deb said...

Wow, these are absolutely wonderful. I have a bunch of old linens and it would be so wonderful to do something with them like this. Thank you for the wonderful tutorial.

Lisa said...

Yes Yes Yes! Thank you.

barb's creations said...

You are a marvel with your fantastic ideas and thrifty ways.Love the journal and soap bags,must hunt out some of my doilies I think :) Barb.

Mrs Shepo said...

Love the buttons Jenny, so pleased you could put them to good use. Cheers, Pat.

Cattinka said...

What a nice idea, thanks for sharing.
KATRIN W.

Sandy said...

How cute is all of that??? Thanks for sharing and being an inspiration!

MissesStitches said...

Those are amazing and beautiful gifts you have made there, Jenny. Good on you!

Jeannie said...

How totally super cute are those!!
I wish I had these ideas when I get tired.hah.ah.a.a.a.

Alice said...

Thanks for more ideas. They are precious and quick too. L,A-

Amanda said...

Two great - and quick and easy - ideas for gifts, thank you. Please count me in your denim challenge - I've decided that I'm getting too old for denim jeans now. The fact that they're just a teensy bit small for me is quite incidental!

Roberta said...

Bellissimi....con picolo prezzo...grande risultato
Roberta

Susan said...

You are jsut so creative - and quick! I would still be playing around with it all

Anonymous said...

Our family is so large that we started to do a Kris Kringle several years ago for all the adults. That way we only have one gift to buy. It has taken a lot of pressure off all of us. However, I hadn't thought of doing this for "any occasion" gifts. What a wonderful idea. All my girls (including DIL's) love pretty handmade gifts. This would be just what I need for their birthdays. Not to mention our Mothers. My handmade Mothers Day gifts where a huge hit this year (thanks to you).

So..... because I have also been thinking about having handmade gifts on hand for future gift giving for "ages". I must seriously consider joining Judith's challenge.

I just love your beautiful "mini tutorial". Always an inspiration.

Vicki ♥ said...

As always Jen I just love what you come up with. These are soooo pretty. I am going to have to find an old doily and do the same. You amaze me with your ideas. Hugs Vicki xoxoxoxox

Judith Tetley said...

Fabulous idea on how to use a special doiley Jen....well done!
Much Love
Judith
http://creativestudio10.blogspot.com

Vickie said...

very feminine and sweet well done girl-now could I cut up a beautiful doily hmm not sure...could almost smell that soap from here,cheers Vickie

Elyte said...

Lovely ideas Jenny, you never let us down with your creativity.

Leeanne said...

Love those ideas, thankyou for sharing..I have a draw bursting with lovely old lacy doilies .

Craftluver said...

Lovely romantic ideas! Wish we have those old doilies here in Holland! How do I make them myself. Any ideas would be welcome!

Fleurette said...

Brilliant! I love this idea, thanks for sharing.

Bluebell said...

Hi Jenny, what a lovely way to use these old doiliesI know I would love one of these so I am going to look out for som anf make those bags. Great Idea.
Love Jillxx

manda said...

Totally excellent Janny! How your brain works these wonderful ideas out, I'll never know. Simply beautiful!!

manda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Belinda said...

This is adorable and so easy. I actually thought about making sachets with dried lavender but I think I will use handmade soap now. Thank you for sharing!

Hashi said...

Pretty pretty! I have a lot of these vintage embroidered doilies and other linens, picked up at garage sales. Now I have something to do with them!

Marina said...

Hmmm, Nice idea to use an old embroidered doilie - I've been wanting to make some journal/bible covers for a while and now I think I feel happy with this idea. Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing.