seasonal | Finding delight.

Ok gang! I’m comin’ at ya with a super simple DIY today…but it was just too cute not to share!!!

It’s no secret that I love podcasts. I listen to them while I do my chores and when I go on walks. But sometimes, ya girl wants to binge listen. And when I binge listen to a podcast, I need something to do with my hands. (Are you the same way?) So the other evening, I wanted to dive into a podcast people have been raving about — Dirty John. And I knew I’d probably get sucked in. Inspired by some gorgeous felt I’d recently purchased, I decided to whip up some autumnal tissue holders as I listened. Perfect for throwing in your purse to combat the change-of-season sniffles, I thought! And the perfect level of difficulty for when your mind is with more pressing matters. Like who the heck this mysterious man, John, really is.

Admittedly, this is a craft suited for an elementary school student…but HEY! It was a great quiet time activity for my true crime binge. If it’s not already obvious how these came together, keep reading and I’ll give ya the deets.

What you’ll need:

felt, cut into 6×6 squares
embroidery thread
pins
needle
scissors/pinking shears
buttons
tissues
ruler
sharpie

And how it all comes together:

Take a 6″ x 6″ square of felt and fold the left and ride side in to the center line. Use pins to secure in place so the folds stay down.

Measure 1/2″ down from the top and make a mark. This is where you’ll sew across. Use a ruler to draw dots across the entire line if you want to make sure to sew in a straight line. (You can eye ball both these steps if you prefer.)

Now choose your embroidery thread and sew the top closed. Make sure to start and end your stitches from the inside of the holder so your knots aren’t visible. Repeat the measuring, line drawing, and sewing on the bottom.

If you have pinking shears (I didn’t have any on hand), you can cut the ends to give it a fancier look!

Finally, finish it off by sewing a cool button or felt shape above the opening.

You’re ready to put the tissues inside! Just get a pack of travel tissues, remove them from their packaging, and stuff ’em in your own (way cooler!) holder.

Finito!

I don’t know what it is about these little guys but I’M OBSESSED. Do you have any fun felt crafts you’d recommend? (I have a whole stack of the stuff!…and more podcasts to listen to!)

P.S. Other DIY’s you might enjoy — Polaroid Display and Fabric Pumpkin.

As a budget-livin’, wannabe foodie I try to eat produce seasonally (and when possible local). This means by the end of Winter I am less than excited by apples, pears and citrus. I cheated a bit and made these Strawberry Mini Toasts when my store put strawberries super on sale for Valentine’s day. I love making these in the summer for a light meal with a glass of wine. Having these in the midst of yet another snow storm was just the breath of fresh air I needed! Luckily, strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in spring and early summer so you can nom on these toasts all the time soon enough! This recipe also calls for basil which I can get fresh and locally year round. If you can’t, you can use dried basil or leave it off the top. : ) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

strawberries, sliced

sugar

a baguette, sliced, thrown on an oven rack for a few minutes if you like ’em crispy

goat cheese

balsamic vinegar

basil leaves, cut into ribbons

black pepper

To assemble:

Combine your sliced strawberries in a bowl with a tablespoon of sugar. Toss them a little and let them hang out for half an hour. Spread your preferred goat cheese on the baguette. Pile on some strawberries and drizzle balsamic vinegar all over. Top with basil ribbons and a few cracks of pepper.

Pair with a dry vignole and you’ve got a super simple dinner that feels kinda fancy. Just how this lazy, busy girl likes it!