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A Soft And Slouchy Book Bag Goes Back-To-School

Friday, 26 August 2011 9:00

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Backpacks are safe and stable... all well and good for the color-inside-the-lines crowd. But if you want something comfortably soft and slouchy, go with the book bag: the wild child of school totes. Our back-to-school book bag tutorial uses a beautiful tiny-wale corduroy, and while we did use a lining – we didn't stiffen it with interfacing. I love the little gold rivets that attach the straps and the cord and button closure. Don't let its laid-back exterior fool you, this bag is roomy and tough enough to carry plenty of books and supplies.

Michael Miller Fabrics' Citron-Gray Nursery: Fabric Storage Basket

Wednesday, 17 August 2011 9:00

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No nursery series would be complete without some type of storage solution tutorial. I remember back when I had my first baby; it was a shock to realize how much stuff this one tiny person needed. A nursery is often filled to the brim with little things that have to be organized: creams, diapers, diaper wraps, wash cloths, toys, pacifiers, and more! Our Storage Shelf Basket tutorial is fast, easy and fun to make. So much so, you can make lots. Line the shelves with color-coordinated sets so there's a place for everything (we cannot guarantee 'everything in its place'!). With the side handle facing out, it's easy to grab a basket and find exactly what you want. This terrifically-tidy project is just one of eight pieces in our new nursery series sponsored by our good friends at Michael Miller Fabrics. We created the entire Series using their Color Story concept. Our choice: the Citron-Gray Color Story with its cool colors and bold designs.

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Travel Accessories: Fleece Lined Shoe Bag

Wednesday, 20 July 2011 9:00

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Packing shoes is always a bit of a challenge for me. If they are at all dirty, I feel I need to take the extra time (who has extra time?!) to wash them before packing. If they have heels, I'm always worried the heels will snag other items and so have to take extra time (see above) to plan what to put on top of the shoes in my suitcase. Instead, why not whip up a few of these quick and easy shoe bags. The bag is sized to fit a standard pair of women's shoes with a generous heel. The inside is soft fleece, which is gentle on leather and helps protect a shiny or embellished finish, such as beading or sequins. From the outside, there's no worry about what to pack on top. A little extra time today to make these cute bags saves a lot of extra time packing down the line.

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Travel Accessories: Cosmetics & Toiletries Case

Monday, 18 July 2011 9:00

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I love travel size toiletries. I think this may date back to my days of playing with Barbie® dolls and trolls. Everything was so little and cute. In fact, most things are more adorable in a mini size: people, puppies, muffins... and little bottles of shampoo, deodorant and lotion. Our Travel Tidy Cosmetics and Toiletries bag is the perfect size to fit all those tiny bottles and jars and more. We used one of the four lovely laminates from Anna Maria's Loulouthi collection as our inside fabric choice so if anything leaks, it can be quickly wiped clean and won't bleed through to the pretty exterior fabric.

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Travel Accessories: Roll-up Makeup Brush Case

Monday, 11 July 2011 9:00

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This handy case is not only great for travel, it's also dandy for everyday storage of your make up brushes. We used one of the four pretty laminates from Anna Maria's Loulouthi collection as our inside fabric choice so if any traces of make up rub off your brushes and onto the case, it can be quickly wiped clean.

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Travel Accessories: Lightweight Laundry Bag

Thursday, 07 July 2011 9:00

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Fifth in our Travel Accessories series, and weighing in at a mere 1½ ounces, this whisper light voile laundry bag is ideal for travel, taking up virtually no space in your suitcase. If you've never sewn with voile before, you're in for a treat. It's exquisitely silky soft to the touch and easy to sew. For added strength, the drawstring casing is made from a coordinated quilting cotton, also from Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi collection. I love how the vintage elegance of these prints adds a hint of luxury to the act of packing a bag.

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Travel Accessories: 8-Pocket Jewelry Pouch

Tuesday, 05 July 2011 9:00

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Your favorite shiny beads and baubles deserve to come along on vacation too. But figuring out how to pack them, without opening your suitcase upon arrival to find a tangle mess, is always a challenge. Our Travel Tidy jewelry pouch is up to the task. It has eight, wedge-shaped pockets to hold necklaces, earrings, rings and watches. The pouch gathers up with a drawstring, safely enclosing the pockets in an upright position. The gathered circle reminds me of those classic round baby bonnets. Tie the bundle closed and toss it into your bag.

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Travel Accessories: Curling Iron/Flat Iron Case

Friday, 01 July 2011 9:00

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Don't know about you, but when I travel, not matter how organized I try to be, I'm always hurrying to finish packing my toiletries and make-up. I'm also usually trying to fix my hair at the last minute, which means there sits my flat iron... too hot to pack! This gave us the idea for today's Travel Tidy accessory: the hot tool case. It contains two hidden layers of metalized thermal batting. It looks pretty from the outside and is protective from the inside, so you can pack your flat or curling iron while warm... and still catch your plane on time!

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Travel Accessories: Plenty of Pockets Tote

Wednesday, 29 June 2011 9:00

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When you're on the road, doesn't it always seems to be the ordinary, everyday things you are suddenly in desperate need of: gum, nail clippers, your headphones? I get a little panicky, certain I've left behind the most obvious items... as if perhaps I'm on an arctic expedition and won't see civilization for days. But the opportunity for replenishment doesn't matter; I want my stuff close at hand. That's the theory behind our handsome travel tote: plenty o' pockets to stash all your stuff. There are four big outside pockets plus a deep inside compartment (exactly deep enough for a magazine, I might add!) with its own generous interior pocket. I'm still likely to forget something, which is why after my current travels, I now own six pairs of sunglasses and a dozen tubes of lip balm.

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Travel Accessories: Lingerie Caddy

Monday, 27 June 2011 9:00

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Mark Twain, one of my personal heros, had these wonderful thoughts on the topic of travel: "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." It's the season to pack your bags and venture onto new paths. But... you can't face new adventures without a bag full of your familiar stuff! We've come up with a series of nine travel accessories created in Anna Maria Horner's beautiful new Loulouthi fabric collection for Free Sprit Fabrics. This unique series is part of our second Free Spirit Artist Trio Series, which features Anna Maria. Today, we start with something to organize and hold the one thing you simply cannot forget: your underwear. Our eight-pocket lingerie caddy rolls up to discreetly stash your unmentionables in a tidy package within your suitcase.

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