Teacher Valentine Gifts

Send some love to your kid's teachers this Valentine's Day, because take it from me, they've put a lot of long hours planning, creating, and implementing activities for your child. I put together these super simple treat bags for ER's play group leaders and music class teacher. The red bags are leftover from Christmas, the heart paper and white ribbon is from my scrapbook stash, the felt hearts are yet another use of scraps from the felt cookies, and the tags are repurposed art by ER, I wrote a personalized message on the back. I didn't have to run out to get any of it, love that!

Martha Stewart Crafts is a show on DIY Network that I've watched so many times, I think I've seen every episode multiple times. Come on Martha, you must have enough crafts from the vault to make a couple new episodes! Episode 103 Polar Fleece has these simple little ultrasuede tissue pouch holders on it. I've been wanting to make them for awhile, but I used felt and fabric scraps I have left over from the countdown. I'm sure ultrasuede would be much more luxurious, but felt is what I've got and like ultrasuede the ends won't unravel. My apologies for the blurry picture, you'll have to take my word that these are in my opinion adorable!
They look simple to make, and really they are, but I found that the directions left a little bit to be desired, especially for this newbie sewer. Hints: You will fold in both sides to form the pouch, overlap the ends about a quarter of an inch or so. I held mine in place and then ironed the fabric, that way I didn't even need pins to hold things in place as I sewed. It doesn't say how much of a seam allowance to leave, sew one side leaving enough room to cut the edges with your pinking scissors. Place portable kleenex package inside and then eyeball where to sew the other side. It's a good thing I've seen the episode half a dozen times so I kind of knew what to do as they don't even show you the backside of the pouch online.Templates for decorating the top of the pouches are online, but I decided to use my handy Sizzix Sidekick and die cut some hearts out of the fabric instead. Then I used fusible webbing to iron on the hearts. Pinking scissors finished off the edges and in no time, I had three cheerful looking pouches all ready to go. I think they'll look so pretty, whenever they open their purse and the bright color will stand out in among all the purse contents.I also put together these little hot chocolate packs using this cute little printable that Lolly Chops did for a guest post on La Fuji Mama's blog. They turn out smaller than I expected, although I shouldn't have been surprised since three print out on one page. I used cardstock and party bags by Wilton. I tried to make a treat bag with a sandwich baggy as Lolly Chops showed, but mine always ended up having the taped side showing on an open side of the hot chocolate wrap and I didn't like how that looked. I still had to tape part of the bag back, but I taped it in the back so it didn't show.

If you haven't been by Lolly Chops, stop by her blog. She's got great download and print freebies, such as more build a treat wrappers for things like chocolate cobbler, tags for brownies in jar gifts, pear themed paper, cute circle tags you can use a punch to cut out, notecards, recipe and measuring equivalent charts. I printed out the equivalent charts and ran them through my Xyron machine to add lamination to one side and a magnet on the other, so cute for my fridge! Under tutorials she's got a ton of ideas for using the calendars she provides and directions on how to make a pin cushion I've got on my to do list. This week is embroidery week with new PDF patterns to download for free everyday. I just love her whimsical style.