My friend Amy and I met in the second grade on the DeVaney school playground. She was the new kid and I asked if she wanted to jump rope. We’ve been friends ever since. Last weekend I was giddy to stand up as a bridesmaid in Amy’s Greenwich Village wedding to Jeff Hock. I needed to gift wrap a USB drive filled with music that I bought them to enjoy on their honeymoon flight to South Africa. And I needed to take the wrapped box through airport scanners.

Years ago I bought a vintage kissing couple pendant at a Manhattan summertime flea market. I wore the sweet thing ad nauseum, which you can see here in this summer cider and berry smoothie post that includes this photo of me fawning over Stephanie and Dale at the Green City Market. But then the clasp on my pendant broke …and I was heartbroken. Since then I’ve kept my broken pendant in a ceramic bowl on my dresser. Then it occurred to me to give it a new life by scanning and enlarging it to make this romantic package decoration.

WANNA MAKE IT? Get the full supplies list and step-by-step tutorial for the kissing couple >>>

Supplies:

• Kathy’s free kissing couple template with inside lid message (PDF) – includes message that fits the lid of a 3.5″ x 3.5″ size (TIP: Download a trial version of Adobe Illustrator or rent computer time at FedEx Office to customize the inside box message for your recipient). If you have a larger box use this template that contains three different sizes of the kissing couple (PDF).
• Eggshell blue wrapping paper
• Empty recycled jewelry box – mine was an old 3.5″ x 3.5″ Banana Republic box
• 1 sheet white card stock
• USB drive
• Amazon.com MP3 downloads (keepin’ it legal)
• Xacto knife (this is my kit), metal edge ruler and gridded self-healing rotary mat OR good paper scissors
• Foam mounting squares (I used gray because I had it in the house; you could also try these 3-D foam adhesive dots)
• Scissors
• Tape
• Rubber cement
• White tissue paper
• Computer
• Printer

Make your mix on a USB (burning a CD-ROM is so 2000)
Purchase MP3s from Amazon.com and move to your recipient’s USB drive. I included a couple old romantic favorites: “This Old Love” by Lior and “Reminiscing” by The Little River Band.”

Wrap your box TV-style Ever notice how on TV gift boxes are never wrapped closed? Well, that’s kind of what I needed to take on the flight just in case TSA needed to search my carry-on baggage. And as a side-bonus it keeps the presentation intact after unwrapping. Wrap the lid and the base of your box separately, ensuring that the blue wrapping paper fully covers the inside sides.

Download and print my free template of the inside box message. I have included a blank version on the template that you can use as is, or if you’d like to customize it, just download a free trial version of Adobe Illustrator or rent time at your local FedEx Office.

Affix your heartfelt message on the inside lid of the box using rubber cement.

Add the kissing couple
Print my free kissing couple template on white card stock and carefully cut out the shape using an Xacto knife and self-healing mat.

Cut foam mounting squares into smaller squares. I used gray removable squares that I already had but I recommend buying white for this project.

Peel off the backing and stick on the back of the kissing couple and heart.

Affix to the box for a slight 3D effect. Put the USB drive in the box and close. Forever kisses, forever bliss to Amy and Jeff!

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this project and pattern template for your own personal use. Please post a comment below or email me if you use this project so I can smile when I see that it’s being used. Craft and pass it on!

Canning has been a theme the past few weeks so I’m excited to share these free canning labels with you inspired by A Sonoma Garden.

It all started with a canning night from iheartcrafting, a Chicago ladies’ crafting group. Hostess Lisa bought large boxes of lovely blueberries, fresh green tomatoes and flavorful apricots from a local farmer’s market.

We all pitched in jars, lids, pots and labels and canned enough blueberry jam, apricot jam, and pickled dill green tomatoes for each of us to take home five jars.

Next up: Northern Michigan. I brought these labels as a hostess gift for my friend Jennie. She’s been learning all about canning, including raspberry freezer jam that needs no boiling …so much easier and no boiled fruit.

So now that you’re properly in the canning mood, let’s get to the labels! I made these labels based on cute label designs by Kendra at A Sonoma Garden.

My revised design involved scanning in a swatch of Anna Maria Small Gathering fabric in citrus…

…then I cropped in close, changed the colors in Photoshop, and typed in the labels. NOTE: Some of the photos say “Dykens Family” but the free downloadable template says “Yummy Homemade.”

You’re more than welcome to use this canning label template for free with the request that anyone using this template or design post a comment below or email me to track its usage. And if you’d like to use Kendra’s original canning labels, be sure to check out A Sonoma Garden. Craft and pass it on!

Supplies:

• Kathy’s free canning template (PDF, blueberry jam, strawberry jam, salsa, relish, and blank for you to handwrite your own) – simply print the pages that you need (or download the source Adobe Illustrator free canning template file to customize yourself – it’s 98MB which is big, alternatively, download this smaller source version which is 23MB; you’ll just want to copy/paste the colors that you would like. Also, I used the Apex family of fonts so if you do not own this font, you’ll want to change it to one that you do own.)
• Full-sheet blank sticker labels
• 2-inch circle punch or good paper scissors
• Computer and Adobe Illustrator (if you’d like to customize the labels with your own text)
• Color laser printer (or FedEx Office, my new best friend)

Download one of my free canning label templates (pre-typed or blank) and feel free to use Adobe Illustrator (get the 30-day trial version here) to customize with your own creations.

Print onto full-sheet sticker paper using a laser color printer. No laser color printer? FedEx Office can print them for you very cheaply.

Using your 2-inch hole punch or scissors, cut out the labels.

Peel off the label backing and stick on top of the lid of your canned goodness.

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this project and template for your own personal use. Please post a comment below if you use this project so I can smile when I see that it’s being used. Craft and pass it on!

So my niece Madison’s 3rd birthday is in April. What a big girl!

I work near Madison Street in Chicago and couldn’t resist taking a photo of a street sign to top her package. The sign perfectly fit with the theme of the handmade present I made her (I’ll be posting her gift soon).

Madison is such a popular name in the U.S. so I hope this idea will come in handy for you.

Supplies:

• Free photo of Madison Street in Chicago
• Wrapping paper
• Two-sided tape and regular scotch tape
• Pinking Shears
• Paper scissors
• Computer and printer

Wrap your gift in wrapping paper. Print my Madison Street photo on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, either in color or black in white, your choice. Cut all four sides with pinking shears to create zigzagged edges. Using double-sided tape, secure the photo onto the top of the box. Voila!

Za Vas! Heather Crosby and I continued the Upper Crust Social Club event series by co-hosting a Russian-inspired vodka infusion party.

Guests brought their own homemade vodka infusions …such a range of tasty concoctions from Watermelon Rosewater Vodka Infusion to Skittles Vodka to Cucumber Mint Vodka Infusion to Bacon Maple Vodka Infusion to Apple Cinnamon Vodka Infusion and more. (You should make your own. It’s easy.)

Each guest received a vodka tasting packet and voting tokens to reward their favorite creation. The winners, Matt and KC MacQueen, got bragging rights and a very fancy Vodka Infusion Champion trophy for their popular Habenero/Orange Peel/Peppercorn vodka infusion.

For decor, we kept things white and red with Russian accents …white tablecloths, white & red flowers, assorted Russian books and jewelry from Alex (our favorite Russian), cutey-pie Russian matryoshka nesting dolls…

…dolly handmade signs reminding guests to “fill your belly,” “cleanse your palette” and “clean your glass”…

…signs of tot-holding old school Russian-esque lasses…

…and super fun individual tasting booklets with enclosed voting tokens.

Now take note: This is a vodka *infusion* tasting party theme which means mixers like 7up are definite no-nos. Because guests sipped straight vodka after vodka we supplied ample pitchers of water, dumping buckets for extras, a crunchy tater tot bar with five dipping sauces to help soak it up, orange slices for palette cleansers …and our special top secret “Morning-After Hangover Cure” party favor (free template and instructions below).

The vodka infusion theme would be perfect for bachelorette parties and birthdays. And a collection of vodka infusions in nice glass jars would be a great gift. Our excuse was to gather our friends and festively warm everyone up from the inside. It worked.

You’re welcome to use these instructions and templates for free for your own personal use. Anyone using the template simply post a comment below or email me to track its usage.

Free printable party templates: (thanks, Heather!)

• Free Russian nesting dolly signs template (PDF)
• Free tater tots Russian girls sign (PDF)
• Free voting token template (PDF)
• Coming soon: I’ll post the super cool tasting booklet along with a video on how to properly fold it

Hangover Cure Favor Supplies:

• Heather’s free template for the hangover cure label (PDF)
• White printer paper
• 1/2 inch Black Electrical Tape
• Test tubes (we used the 18×150 glass ones but you could go smaller or get plastic)
• Test tube corks (we used size 6; be sure to match your test tube size)
• Emergen-C packets (one for each guest, choose your flavor)
• Pop Rocks (1 packet = 3/4 guests)
• Scissors
• Xacto basic knife set, Ruler and Self-healing cutting mat (strongly recommended for straight cuts …otherwise, use scissors)
• Computer and printer (or send to FedEx Office)
• White paper bags (optional, one per guest)
• Pretty stickers OR 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets of sticker paper from an office supply store to make your own custom stickers on the computer like we did (optional)
• Red tissue paper (optional)

Carefully pour one packet of Emergen-C into the test tube. Poor about 1/3 packet of Pop Rocks on top in a contrasting color. Top with one cork; avoid pushing too hard which might crack the test tube.

Print the free template and cut into strips using your Xacto knife, ruler and self-healing mat. Fold each strip in half lengthwise. Fold the strip over the cork, making one end longer than the other (see the picture). Cut a short piece of electrical tape and wrap it around the label and test tube to seal.

Try not to shake the test tubes; they look nice layered.

Place a test tube into a white shopping bag with red tissue paper. Place a sticker on the front. Na zdarOv’ye!

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this theme and templates for your own personal use. Please post a comment below or email me if you use this project so I can smile when I see that it’s being used. Craft and pass it on!

Jessica Mullen wrote: “I saw your beautiful photos from the tea party and I have a quick question. I was wondering how you made the tea bags for the make your own tea take home favors. I would love to do this for a baby shower I am throwing in 2 weeks. Any other ideas to make a baby shower more special using the tea theme? I love your ideas!!”

Thanks, Jessica! Here’s how to make handsewn fabric teabags for loose tea. Heather came up with this idea for our Upper Crust Social Club Ladies’ Late-Night Tea Party and I liked it so much that I made a gold variation for my mom as a gift. So we’ve provided two free templates below, or you can easily make your own custom labels.

You’re welcome to use these instructions and templates for free for your own personal use. Anyone using the template simply post a comment below or email me to track its usage.

Supplies for handsewn fabric teabags:

• Heather’s free teabag template and matching tea tents for display (PDFs – ready to print as is) or Kathy’s free teabag template (Adobe Illustrator format, just download a trial version of Illustrator and change the names to customize) …or, create your own tags using Adobe Illustrator or Microsoft PowerPoint
• Sheer fabric (we used remnants from my living room curtains that I made years ago that had a nubby texture)
• White thread (or gold thread)
• Thick black craft thread (or gold thread)
• Pins (optional)
• White Elmer’s glue
• Thick white paper
• Hand sewing needle
• Sewing machine (unless you want to sew the whole thing by hand)
• Rotary fabric rotary cutter, clear fabric ruler and self-healing mat (you can substitute good scissors but these tools are invaluable for ensuring straight cuts time after time)

Supplies for packaging:

• White paper bags
• Clear plastic food bags
• Pretty stickers OR 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets of sticker paper from an office supply store to make your own custom stickers on the computer like we did

First, cut your sheer fabric into 3″ x 2.5″ rectangles using your rotary fabric rotary cutter, clear fabric ruler and self-healing mat. Pin the rectangles together in pairs.

Machine sew around three sides of the teabag using white thread, leaving about 1/4 inch on the sides. I love the raw edges of the teabag, so embrace any fraying.

Thread your handsewing needle with thick, black thread, or use colored embroidery floss. Weave your needle in and out of the front side of the teabag and then around the back side of the teabag, leaving long extra thread pieces on both front and back. Be sure to avoid sewing the top shut. No need to tie any knots on this step.

Print and cut out your tea labels using one of the two free templates provided, or making your own in Adobe Illustrator or PowerPoint. Fold them in half and place a dot of Elmer’s glue on one end …a little goes a long way. Place the teabag string ends on the glue and close to seal.

Create a “loose tea bar” using clear cups and other assorted small bowls. Fill your teabag with loose teas (my favorites including Blood Orange Tea are from Adagio Teas …check them out. You can get free shipping with a $50 purchase).

For packaging

Buy clear food bags from uline.com. Seal using pretty stickers, or make your own custom stickers like we did by buying 8 1/2″ x 11″ white printer sticker sheets from an office supply store and creating your own label in Adobe Illustrator or Powerpoint.

Provide white bags and Chinese take-out boxes for people to carry their goodies home. Relax and unwind!

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this project and pattern for your own personal use. Please post a comment below or email me if you use this project so I can smile when I see that it’s being used. Craft and pass it on!

This is one of those craft projects that I just love. A little throwback, a little whimsical …and totally original.

The idea for Shrinky Dink rabbit’s foot napkin rings that double as keychain favors sprung from a creative volley between me and Heather Crosby. I was hell bent on wanting to use Shrinky Dinks for our ladies’ late night tea party. Heather had created a kick-ass invitation of a tea-stained coaster with a rabbit’s foot. I suggested shrinky rabbit’s feet for keychain favors. Heather loved it and quickly turned out an assortment of different colored feet graphics for me to make and bake.

And voila! A decorative and practical party detail that would be equally at home at a “good luck” wedding/engagement shower or goodbye party as it was at our Alice-inspired affair.

You’re welcome to use these instructions and templates for free for your own personal use. Anyone using the template simply post a comment below or email me to track its usage.

Supplies:

• Free template for Shrinky Dink Rabbit’s Foot Napkin Ring Keychain Favor (PDF)
• Shrinky film ink-jet sheets at Amazon.com or ShrinkyDinks.com
• Good scissors
• Keychain chain and connectors (local hardware store)
• Computer and inkjet printer (can’t use laser printers)
• Dremel tool (highly recommend) or hole punch (if you use the hole punch, do it before baking; the Dremel avoids weird hole shapes)
• Baking sheet
• Brown paper bag or kraft paper
• Stack of magazines
• Oven
• Hot pad
• White cloth napkins (optional)

This time rather than step-by-step photos, I decided to take my new Mac for a spin and make a little “how to” movie. Let me know what you think.

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this project and pattern for your own personal use. Please post a comment below or email me if you use the template so I can smile when I see that it’s being used.

Update: This project was proudly featured in Time Out Magazine and at Chicagoist.com. Yay!

My friend Debbie has accumulated an enviable amount of stamps in her passport. Each year she plans a “big trip” which recently has meant China, Costa Rica, Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary and Brazil.

I wanted to make a unique gift for Debbie’s birthday so I came up with the idea of a passport cover featuring the Chicago municipal flag:

• The three white stripes = North, West and South sides of the city
• The top blue stripe = Lake Michigan and the North Branch of the Chicago River
• The bottom blue stripe = the South Branch of the Chicago River and the Great Canal
• Stars = Fort Dearborn, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the World’s Columbian Exposition and the Century of Progress Exposition

Ah, I get such a knot-in-my-throat sense of pride about Chicago. As a big 2016 Olympics bid supporter, Debbie gets it too. Happy birthday, Debbie …and happy travels!

You’re welcome to use these instructions and templates for free for your own personal use. Anyone using the template simply post a comment below or email me to track its usage.

Supplies:

• Kathy’s free star Chicago flag template (PDF)
• Cream fabric
• Light blue fabric(I used super soft fleece)
• Red fabric (small amount for stars)
• Iron-on craft weight interfacing
• White, red and light blue thread
• Rotary fabric cutter
• Clear fabric ruler
• Self-healing mat
• Good fabric scissors
• Sewing machine

Print out my free Chicago flag template and cut out the pieces. Iron interfacing onto the wrong side of your red fabric. Trace four stars with a pen and cut out.

Cut out the pieces using a rotary cutter, clear fabric ruler and rotary mat:

Cream outside: 12.5″ wide x 6.5″ tall
Light blue inside: 12.5″ wide x 6.5″ tall
Blue flag strips: 3″ wide x 1″ tall (cut two)
Interfacing: 12.5″ wide x 6.5″ tall

Iron the interfacing onto the wrong side of the cream fabric.

Fold the cream outside piece in the middle (above left), wrong sides together, and crease. Measure 3.5″ from the middle crease on both sides, fold wrong sides together, and crease. Fold the short left and right ends 1/2″ on each side, wrong sides together, and crease.

Lay out the stars and stripes on the right side of the cream front. Using your sewing machine’s zigzag stitch to sew down the stripes first, then the stars one at a time.

Sew the light blue inside to the cream outside, wrong sides together, using a 1/2″ seam and leaving one of the short ends open (above left). Cut off some of the fabric bulk from the corners, turn right side out, and iron. On the open end, turn the cream and blue under 1/2″, tuck inside and pin.

Make it look nice by topstitching close to the edges using cream thread on top and light blue in your bobbin. Fold in the left and right flaps so they’re 3.5″ from the middle crease, then pin and sew along the edge (right on top of what you just topstitched using cream thread) to secure the flaps.

Slip your passport inside and head for O’Hare.

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this project and pattern for your own personal use. Please post a comment below or email me if you use this project so I can smile when I see that it’s being used. Craft and pass it on!

Today I popped by my friend Anne’s to drop off gifts for five-year-old son, Gavin, and her newborn son, Graham. I recycled and altered my chalkboard gift tags idea to wrap Gavin’s birthday treat.

Supplies:

• Red and yellow tissue paper
• Chalkboard cloth fabric (I used scraps from making chalkboard pillows)
• Tape
• Scissors
• Chalk

Wrap your gift with the red tissue paper. Cut a strip of the yellow tissue paper and fold each side towards the middle to make a stripe. Wrap the yellow strip around the gift and tape. Cut a square of the chalkboard cloth fabric and tape to the top of the box. Write on the gift using chalk.

Anyone else sick of wrapping baby gifts in yellow, baby blue and pink? I wrapped baby Graham’s tie baby onesie bodysuit and U2 lullaby renditions (for longtime fan Anne) using orange tissue paper and a bright blue silk ribbon …a classic complementary color pairing.

This super cute card from Paper Doll topped it off:

Want more wrapping ideas? Check out telephone wrapping paper and cookie jar wrapping paper.

Nothing says my birthday like a warm, sunny August day and the Air and Water Show. Shane created a cute message on my beloved sun-faded antique sign that I bought this spring in Brooklyn. And I took this photo with my new camera. Fun!

Today I thought I’d quickly post a couple creative birthday gift ideas for your long-distance friends.

1. Send drinks to your friends by buying and sending them codes at BuyYourFriendADrink.com. At the bar, the recipient shows your text message to the bartender and the gift value is subtracted from the bill.

2. Choose an individual song or album to send to your friend using iTunes for a more personal touch than a generic iTunes giftcard. This feature’s a bit hidden. Go into the store, click to a specific album, and click the “Give This Music” button. The Sugarcubes’ “Birthday” is a good pick.

Blue Angels are flying by now. Back to the show!

P.S. Want to get your own sign? Readymade sells new small ones.

My favorite Chicago mommy blogger Janna Devylder, sons Gus and Eli, and husband John are moving to Savannah to teach at SCAD. So I decided to make them a goodbye gift.

These handmade, bright, urban notecards and coordinating lined envelopes that depict the iconic Chicago skyline are the perfect size for keeping in touch old school style.

Supplies (for 10 cards):

• Kathy’s free Chicago Skyline 4 bar (3 1/2″ x 4 7/8″) notecard templates (Hancock Chicago Skyline Notecard Template and Sears Tower Chicago Skyline Notecard Template) with heaping thanks to iStock.com
• 15 sheets of assorted colored card stock weight paper
• 10 Envelopes (4 bar size in bright white envelopes or 4 bar size colored envelopes)
  
• Computer and printer
• Rubber cement
• Optional: Envelope liner template
• Paper cutter OR Xacto basic knife set (this is my kit and it’s great), Ruler and Self-healing cutting mat

COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use this templates for your own personal use. Please post a comment below or email me if you use this project so I can smile when I see that it’s being used. Craft and pass it on!

Print out my free skyline templates on colored paper 5 times for 10 cards. Cut out notecards on the gray lines using your paper cutter or Xacto knife, ruler and self-healing mat.

Now here’s a tip to ensure your cards fold perfectly. Measure the center of your card and put your ruler along that imaginary line. Turn your Xacto knife upside down. Yep, upside down. Run the *back* of your knife gently down the middle along the ruler two or three times. Your goal is to just score the line, not cut through the paper, so be careful. Now you’ll be able to easily fold the card in half along a perfect seam. (Fun fact: Ironically, I learned this scoring trick from John years ago while watching him make his wedding invitations.)

Next make your lined envelopes. If you buy your envelopes from Paper Source then you can also buy their envelope liner template and just trace and cut. However, this time I had another brand of cards so I just winged it (just trace a bit smaller than the width/height of your envelope, creating a point just below the adhesive strip, and cut …easy). Slip the liner inside the envelope just under the adhesive strip.

Turn your envelope over and place on your mat. Bend the envelope flap backwards to reveal the back of the liner. Put rubber cement on the liner, then bend the envelope back to stick.

I hope the Devylders enjoy these notecards in their new home. I’ve known John and Janna for about eight years ago and hired Janna not one but two times. Chicago won’t be the same without them!