Just in time for your fancy Valentine's Day dinner. I found this idea in a cookbook I have, and I think it's great. Here's my attempt (probably even nicer if you iron, but I'm too lazy). For an online tutorial with similar instructions, visit A Big Slice.
Here's an idea to dress up your Valentine tea party or mail to a tea-drinking friend. Carefully take apart a paper tea bag wrapper. Trace around the edges on some pretty paper. (You may need to add a fold-in glue tab to each side of the front of the envelope; most tea bag wrappers are sealed without tabs.) Glue or double-stick tape it together. Pull the tag off the end of the string. Sandwich the string between two cut-out heart shapes and glue together. Tuck the tea bag back into its new envelope and seal with a sticker, tape, or glue.
So I found a template on Flickr via Papercraft World for some paper animals, and had to try it. Here's my orange monkey. He looks cute in the photo, but in reality, his head won't stay on. (I was too lazy to dig out the good glue. Easily fixed.) And I couldn't figure out what some little dashed lines on the template were for. But he makes me smile. Try one. Get the template here.
Need more project ideas? Check these out:
Cute strawberry pincushions from Martha Stewart
A draft stopper to block cold air coming in under doors from Not Martha
Merwing's yardstick shelf idea
Scalloped hem skirt from Disdressed
Reupholstered mouse pad, compliments of Twelve22
Pink Mohair's ten minute lampshade
Fabric postcards from Kathie Briggs
J Caroline Creative memo board
Some people near and dear to me are pregnant right now, which has inspired me to look for baby project tutorials:
Fleece hats from Martha Stewart (maybe for some bigger babies)
Booties from Heather Bailey
More booties from Martha
Still more booties from Star Dust Shoes
Ribbon pillows for a kid's room from JCaroline Creative
Onesies decorated using freezer paper stencils from Unwind
Baby kimonos from Martha
Appliqued bibs from JoAnn
Plush bunnies from Wee Wonderfuls
Night lights from Martha
Visit Swapatorium for instructions straight from 1958 for making a 30-inch spiky Christmas star, "perfect for your mid century modern interior."
Update: The link to the instructions no longer works. So sad!
This is a speedy, fun project. I've hung one of these in each of our living room windows, and it looks festive and wintery. How to make it:
1. Download my large snowflake template or small snowflake template. Print enough pages so you'll have 6 squares (1 or 2 sheets, depending on which template you chose). Cut along the inner lines with an X-acto knife and then cut out the squares.
2. For each snowflake, bend the tips of the inner-most flaps toward each other and curl with your fingers to give them shape. (No tape needed for this pair of flaps.)
3. Moving outward from the center, bend the next pair of flaps around in the opposite direction until they meet. Overlap ends and secure with double-stick tape or glue.
4. Repeat with the next pair of flaps, bending them in the opposite direction. Do the same for each concentric pair of flaps, alternating directions each time and taping ends together. Continue on to the remaining 5 squares, making the snowflake parts the same way you did the first one.
5. Tape all 6 points together to form a snowflake.
Made some more with better paper... here are the instructions again.
Update: Martha Stewart's site has been redesigned and this link no longer works. If anyone can find the directions on the new site, let me know! Thanks for the update, kind anonymous commenter!
Here are some tutorials for sewing projects that could make lovely Christmas gifts. (Assuming you have extra time on your hands. Ha!)
Fabric headbands in two styles
Amy Butler hourglass pillows
Fabric belts
Decorative pin cushions
Hats
Zippered pouches
Oven mitts
A big thank you to everyone who posted these...
These are links to instructions for making things:
Lined tote bags (this works! It's how I learned to sew bags.)
A skirt made out of old pants (haven't tried it, but I want to some day)
Decorative picture frames with clips (ditto)
Glass marble magnets (tons of fun, and you'll be so proud of yourself because they'll look great)
Anybody want to recommend other projects?