Two Tips Tuesday

Tip #1: Two Tier Plate Stand

This was so simple and fun to make. I was inspired by this post from Tatertots and Jello. I was incredibly impressed that this project cost her only $2! And what I loved best is she used a candlestick to make it.  Brilliant! So I tucked this idea away in the inspiration board section of my brain.  Then I was out shopping and came across these melamine plates.  I loved them because they were two different sizes and the smaller ones had the same graphic but only larger.  Each plate was $1.99. I knew this was the project to use them for! I am astounded at how fabulous they look after only these simple and easy steps...

You will need 2 sets of plates, white spray paint, and two candlesticks from the dollar tree.

Spray paint the candlesticks with 2-3 coats of spray paint and let dry.  Seal if desired.
Do not do this as close to your family van as I did.  Praise God it is white.

 This is what the candlestick looks like when finished.

I used hot glue but Jen at Tatertots and Jello used gorilla glue in her tutorial which I think is a great idea too.  I just did not have it and I of course waited until Monday afternoon to work on both tips for this Tuesday.

I made sure to coat the edge with hot glue and let the drips fall to the inside. I centered it on the bigger plate for the bottom tier and then centered the smaller plate for the top.

 That's it!

Tip #2: Turn a Pot Holder into an Eyeglasses Case

Sunday, I had an opportunity to walk to the library while the girls napped.  My intention was just to browse books and magazines and hang out.  I started reading some back issues of Country Living magazine (May 2009) and I came across this awesome tip in their Idea Notebook section.  

Turn a potholder into an eyeglasses case!  

How smart! And being a 4-eyes since the age of 6 that I am and unable to see the Big E on the chart without them, I was intrigued.  I need to take care of my glasses because without them I am LEGALLY BLIND!  Seriously.

So I made them two different styles using...

 

...these pot holders. 

STYLE ONE (the above picture) is just the kind you slide in with an opening at the top.

  

I started by turning the pot holder over to the back lying horizontally.

I first folded in the terry cloth, pocket portion towards the center.

Then I folded the printed side back towards the center.  I stitched the bottom closed and up the one side leaving the top open for the glasses to slide into. 

No, I do not use a sewing machine.  The last time we got together, we had words, said some things we did not mean, objects may have been thrown across the room. It was not pretty.  And that was before I threaded it.  

But this project is so easy with or without a sewing machine. (Just looks nicer with one of those mean old things).

STYLE TWO is more of a clutch style. This one was my little spin on the basic case.

 

Fold the print side up first.

Stitch up the side on the seam of both sides.  

I used brown thread because I ran out of the pretty tealish color. Grrrr.

 

When you are done sewing the sides, fold down the top and it should look like this.

 I took the pot holder loop off using a seam ripper.

I carefully cut it off as close as I could to the edge.

 To cover it up, I stitched brown felt on the inside edge over to the top. 

I then attached a fun green button for flair. :o)
I plan on attaching a Velcro closure but never got the chance because I had a class to get to.  Sorry for waiting until the last minute. 

The best part about this little clutch case is that you can use it for anything. Throw some make-up in there, coupons, whatever.  And shhhhh.  Who would know it was a pot holder?

Happy Tuesday Friends!