Life a Little Easier (and Cuter!)

So after seeing several posts about making items to go in your purse, I decided there were two that I needed/wanted. And I have plenty of fabric that is either left over from another project or I can't remember what I bought it for. I bought these two coordinating fabrics from Joann's several years ago.

The first item I made is a keyring wristlet that I saw here. This was just what I needed. I carry my purse and/or diaper bag on my left shoulder, and I carry Annelise with my left arm. So if I don't already have my keys out of my purse when I pick her up, they are impossible to get to. Then, when I put her in the car seat, if I'm wearing something without pockets, I have to toss them somewhere to use both hands. (Besides, with 2 key fobs, 4 keys, and about 5 key tags, they don't usually fit in my pocket anyway.) So I thought the wristlet would solve my "problem." It's been really handy. Here's the one I made:

I pretty much followed the Craftaholics Anonymous tutorial exactly. The only change I made was my fabric choice. Since I used a lightweight fabric, I just fused interfacing to my strip of fabric before folding and sewing it. And I didn't add an embellishment. The only thing I had to buy for this project was a D-ring. I got a pack of four for about $1.75.

The next item I saw was a fabric checkbook cover. Since I rarely carry my checkbook, I decided to make a calendar cover. I know most people these days keep a calendar on their computer or phone, but I still enjoy writing something down on paper every now and then. I got a 2 year calendar from Hobby Lobby (did you just hear angels singing like I did?) for a whopping $1.49.

Again, I followed the tutorial almost exactly. I had to adjust my measurements just a bit since my calendar was slightly shorter than a checkbook. And I decided to make it a little cuter by adding a pleated strip across the front. The coordinating fabric is on the inside and really isn't seen, so the pleated detail brings a little of the 2nd pattern to the outside.

Outside:

Inside:

With the calendar:

All closed up:

Everybody loves getting things for free, and I think less than $4 for two cute crafts is close enough to free for me!

Next up: A Valentine's top for Annelise. It's finished and so cute, but I'm going to try to get her to model better for me than the last time. Keep your fingers crossed!

Happy crafting,
Julie