Simple Handmade Coasters

The Holiday Season is already here, and simple, handmade coasters make for a quick, cheap and affordable project. Not sure why to give them a whirl? Consider this, for many of us this time of year means having a guest or two pop by. And for others, it means rummaging for a last minute hostess gift. But the economy being what it is, running to the store means settling for something inexpensive, mass produced, and unlikely to hold up until next Autumn.

Here's an affordable, quick and easy idea that comes from your hands to their hearts! Handmade coasters. The directions are loose and easy, making them easily adaptable, which is why dimensions are left up to you. Ready? Here goes!

Supplies, etc.:

• Fabric
• Thread
• Batting (Cotton is a great, sustainable choice. Bamboo is another.)
• Sewing machine or sewing needle

Method:

• Decide how large you want your coasters to be, and cut a square of batting that size.
• Take a cut piece of batting and lay it on your fabric.
• Cut a square of fabric large enough to fold over and cover the batting. (The pink represents the fabric, the lighter, inner square represents the batting.)
• Fold the fabric over the batting, tucking in corners as needed to make it neat.
• Cut a heart shape out of a different fabric and sew to the center. This will attach all layers. If you want, you can use fusible webbing on the heart, but you will still need to stitch the heart in a few locations in order to secure the folds.

Ideas:

• Use a pumpkin or leaf center shape for Thanksgiving
• Use Holiday shapes for December
• Use a cupcake shape for fun!

Cautions and Tips:

• The fabric and batting you use will determine how waterproof your coaster is. 
• Keep in mind that cotton is "breathable" and water will seep through. These coasters are great for light use, such as coffee, tea and wine, where condensation isn't much of an issue. 
• Always test your coasters before using them on fine furniture and other spaces where water seepage may cause staining and damage.
• Consider using two or three layers of batting for a thicker coaster, keeping in mind that the thicker the coaster, the greater the wobbly mug factor!

If you make any, I'd love to see them!

Enjoy!

A List of Thankfulness, the One Per Day Challenge

Years ago, I saw a show where the subject was thankfulness, encouraging everyone to make the choice to record a handful of things we are each thankful for. It could be anything from a meal to a happy moment, such as holding a warm cup of coffee at the start of the day. In that spirit, here is a list of things I'm thankful for, and I'd love for you to comment below, adding your own! This is an active list, which I plan to update daily, up until Thanksgiving (that's November 24th.)

1. A warm cup of coffee in the morning, even if it's decaf
2. Morning sunshine
3. Soft and warm blankets
4. Grapes. (sure, why not?)
5. Take Out
6. More coffee
7. Having extra sewing machine needles on hand (yes, this means I broke one today!)
8. The way morning light filters through the last golden leaves, clinging to the trees
9. Silk Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Pie (don't knock it til you try it!)
10. Backup alarm clocks (if you have to ask...you must be a morning person.)
11. It's 11/11/11 :)
12. Meeting wonderful, affirming people at a craft show
13. Taking the day off!
14. Pumpkins
15. Handmade totes, made of sustainable cotton
16. Homemade jam
17. The scent of fresh cookies, wafting through the kitchen
18. Those who support the handmade, "buy local" movement!
19. A vacuum cleaner that workds
20. That strike-through button that allows you to edit typos... (see #19)
21. A daughter who enjoys doing the dishes (by hand, even!)
22. Leftovers
23.