Sewing Up Some Creativity this Summer...

With all the activities the end of the school year brings, I start finding myself needing a little inspiration to create things. And about this time of year, I like to get started on my summer bucket list.

I've been searching the web for some ideas for sewing up some summer creativity and thought I'd share them with you in case you're needing a little creative pick-me-up, too.

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What do you do with your earbuds when they are not in use? I sometimes keep mine in a ziplock baggie, but most of the time, I find them bunched up in a wod. And who wants to take time to untangle that mess? This little earbud case would be a great project to make with your kids if they have their own set of earbuds in a wod. And I love that it's attached to a key ring. Click the link for a step by step in pictures. *This is the only link I could find to this project - it does not state who the true owner of this pic is.*

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I'm getting ready to re-do my girls' rooms {finally!} and although two of my daughters share a room, they have very different likes and personalities. So, I'm trying to make their room look nice and simple and uniform while adding their own flair to each side of the room. A little tricky, but so fun. This pillow would be something my 8 year old would love. She's a cat lover and it would be so easy to make a pillow similar to this for her bed in colors that follow the theme of their room. If you like this pillow, you can buy the kit for it here. Check out the link for lots of neat kits for creativity.

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With all the fun outdoor summer activities coming up, we always need our first aid kit nearby! We have a big one in our car, but it's a very good idea to have one in your purse or backpack or diaper bag or whatever if you're out and not near your car. We love hiking, canoeing, etc and usually have a first aid kit handy, but I think I could use one for my own bag on other occasions. This one looks like an easy one to make yourself and you can tweak it to carry the items you want. Go check it out! And while you're at it see all the other fun things Positively Splendid has on their website! You'll love it.

Where do you get your inspiration? What will you be working on this summer?

Sew Many Gifts to Make, Sew Little Time

Handmade gifts are so thoughtful and unique. I love receiving a handmade gift and I think it's much more personal than buying sometimes. It depends on who you're giving it to. Not everyone feels that way, but I sure love the thought behind it. Instead of showing you everything I have made for gifts, I wanted to share some of the cute stuff I've found today while searching handmade gift tutorials. I hope you enjoy! Go check them out! I'm definitely making a few of these soon.

How about this fabulous Reading Pillow at the Polka Dot Chair?! This is definitely on my to-do list! This is the perfect gift for that book worm on your Christmas list!

I love these Coffee Cozies by Practically Functional are fun and easy! They make great 'Just Because' gifts, teacher gifts, or just for that coffee lover in your life!

These cute Dish Towels by Random Thoughts of a Super Mom would be a perfect for a bride-to-be or as a hostess gift!

This Diaper Clutch by Funky Polkadot Giraffe is really cute, but very practical! Great baby gift! Or make it for your own baby.

Make an Apron from your husband's shirt! {Or get one from Goodwill to use!} These are cute and most of the time sturdy. Cute project to do and gift to the cook on your list!

Or order these cute sewing craft kits for those young seamstresses on your list and let them make their own gift! My daughters love these! You can get free shipping on these kits on orders over $25. Christmas is in 75 days! Don't delay!

 

What are your favorite gifts to sew or receive? I'd love more ideas! Feel free to leave a link in the comments telling us your favorite gifts to sew!

 

This is part of my 31 Days of Home Economics series. You can find the whole series at the tab above labeled {Home Economics}.

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More Jam: Eat it or Gift it? {Free Printables}

I apologize for all the jam-related posts, but I am just loving this blackberry jam I made from the tons of wild blackberries my sweet husband picked me a couple of weeks ago. I finished off the individual blackberry cobblers and have been trying to pace myself with the jam. I really don't want to run out of it any time soon! But this evening, my husband went to run some errands for me and when he came home he had another big bag of blackberries picked! There are still hundreds left on the bushes, but they probably won't last much longer.

I've been looking for some cute ways of gifting some of my jam and decided to blog about my favorite findings. Hope you can enjoy these and get your hands on some wild blackberries soon! {Or any other type of berry, for that matter!}

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Hope you can enjoy some fresh, homemade jam in the near future! It's so simple to make and also makes a great gift!

 

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Tutorial Roundup {Elastic Waist Skirts}

I've been noticing a trend lately and thought I'd throw together a few links to good elastic waist skirt tutorials. I've done a few {click here}, but these are a few more that caught my eye and I wanted to share them with you! Elastic waist skirts are about the easiest clothing item to sew, in my opinion. Whether you're a beginner or an expert sewer, these are fun and easy! I hope these will inspire you to get your machines out and whip up a few for summer!

 {Delia Creates}

 {SEWBON}

 {a small SNIPPET}

 {FRESHLY PICKED}

 {MADE - danamadeit.com}

 {MADE - danamadeit.com}

Please click over and check out these tutorials and show the bloggers some love. 

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Dritz 9532W Braided Elastic, White, 4.5 Yards by 1/2-Inch