Tool Time Tuesday...Card Display

It's that time when the Christmas cards start coming in the mail. What to do with them? Why not hang them on the door. I know this is not a new idea, but this Tool Time Tuesday uses over the door hooks from the hardware store.


space
For this project you will need fabric, 2 plastic rings, 2 over the door hangers and elastic. I used 3/4", but you can use wider...I just didn't have it.
space

space
These little extras are for the clips that hold the cards on. You can use anything even clothespins.

I started with 2 strips of 2 1/2" wide Christmas fabric. Cut them the width of fabric...so 42"-44" long.

Here's a close up of the fabric...Moda by 3 Sisters, I think Maison de Noel.

Take the 2 strips and sew the short ends right sides together.

I used 1/4" seam in black thread so you can see.

Now you have one long strip about 88" long.

Fold over both long sides about 1/4". Press with iron.

Fold in half wrong sides together...the entire length. The piece should now be about 1 inch wide by 88" long.

Now sew close to the edge along the full length of the strip.

Roll this seam to the middle and press.

Flip it over and you now have a flat tube, without having to turn it right side out!!

Take your elastic and cut a piece about 48" long. Why that length? Not sure...I just hung it on the hook, stretched it out and then cut it. The trick is to have about double the amount of fabric as elastic to give it the ruffled effect. Now use a safety pin to run the elastic through.

Sew through all thicknesses to secure the elastic at both ends.

Push the end through the ring and fold over to the side with the seam.

Sew down both ends to secure.

Place one hook on the top of the door.

and the other on the bottom of the door, upside down.

Loop one ring over each hook.

Add a ribbon or greenery for decoration.

Now you can hot glue little doo dads to the paper clips for added color.

and now you are ready to hang all your cards as they start coming in.

Don't forget the clothespins too.

You can always paint them to match.

Bring 'em on postman...I'm ready!!

I had mentioned in an earlier post that this could be used all year long. If you made them to match you room, you could use them for:

• the inside of you kitchen cabinet to hold recipe cards that you use all the time
• in your children's room on the door or closet to hold their artwork or school work
• in the sewing room to keep track of inspirational pictures or patterns that you want to do
• or in your office for that "to do" list or family photos

The possibilities are endless for these and so cute to have the fabrics match the room.
Have fun making these and have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~

Decorating Part 2 and Some Tips

Here are some more decorating pictures and some quick tips to help you out. Remember when I said we bought a new 12 foot tree last year. Well, I don't throw anything away, so that big fat 10 foot tree that had seen better days is now morphed itself into different things around the house.
space
Here's the first one. I'll try and post different ideas each day as I take pictures.
space
This swag is just 2 branches from the bottom row of the tree where they are the biggest.


space
I tap a small nail on the top of the moulding and hang the swag on each window in my sewing room. I leave that tiny nail up all year, so all I have to do is hang it up.
space

space
Here's the how to:
space
Take 2 branches of your desired size.



Face them so the hooks are going in the opposite direction.

Stack them on top of each other,

Wire them together with either floral wire or one of the wired branches on the swag. Put on a bow and you're done.

Here's the how to for the bow:

Fold over the ribbon like the shape of the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbons.

Pinch the part where the ribbons cross.

Bring down the center of the top loop and pinch it with the first part.

Use wire or a bread twisty and you're done!!

This tip is for Jane. She asked how I wire the garland on the railing. I use double sided velcro tape. I think I purchased it in Walmart. You just wrap it around the railing and the garland and the back side of the velcro tape sticks to the front side of the tape. It's re-usable. I've had this for a long time.

Here's a picture of the tape. It comes on a roll, so you can cut it to size.

I just put this up last night next to the big tree. There was a big empty space next to it, so I went in the garage and found this old ladder. I filled a bucket with some of the ornaments off the tree and I used a small set of 20 lights that I bought at Walmart after Christmas last year for 10 cents!!! I placed a star at the base, so it looks like someone is still decorating the tree, but it fills in the space nicely.

This a close-up of the bucket.

and finally, here is the tree in my sewing room. Just simply lights and little porcelain ornament plates that my sister bought me to cheer me up after the flood. They match the room, but even better, they are hexagons...like all the ones I "haven't" sewn in a while for my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

Aren't they pretty?

Stay tuned for more!

space

I'm off to work...see you tomorrow!

~Karen

I'm linking to The Idea Room...pop over and join the link party!!!