First Aid Kit to Cute Nintendo 2DS Case

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

As promised yesterday, here’s the next project on my craft list.  But first, let me share something new and wonderful.

My Nintendo 2DS XL.

I got it (on sale!) about two months ago, and it’s been entertaining (and distracting) me ever since.

I originally was looking at the cheaper Nintendo 2DS bundles, but I went with this one because the screen was larger and it’s able to play more games.

Anyway, I thought that my nice new handheld gaming console could use a nice case to carry it along with all the games and accessories I find myself lugging around.

Enter the first aid kit case, we sell it at work (I work in a CVS drug store).

There was a deal where if you bought three first aid items you would get a coupon for a free case.  Long story short, I now have five free cases.  Got to find a use for them all somehow.

It has plenty of built in pockets and a zippered one too.  Perfect for storing plenty of things, besides Band-Aids.

The downside is it isn’t that cute looking.  The CVS logo screams medical supplies.

It’s time to fix that, let’s take this plain looking case and make it super cute!

Update: The CVS case has been discontinued, but I found this case on Amazon that should work if you want to make your own cute case. Plus, here's one in Pink!

First, I cut two pieces of fabric large enough to cover the sides of the case, plus a little extra to finish the raw edges.  I found it easier to cut some paper to the size I wanted first, and then use that as a “pattern”.

This is the fabric I used, it’s a super cute pink flannel print I found at SAS.  I bought several yards of it, so you will be seeing more projects with it.

I cut the corners of the fabric before folding and pinning back the edges.  This takes care of those raw edges.

Then I added lace along the edges.

With the fabric all prepped and ready, I pinned it to the sides of the case and carefully sewed it on with a zig-zag stitch.

I used a zig-zag stitch because I knew the stitches would show on the inside, and thought the zig-zags would look cuter.

Add a bow on the front, and the outside of the case is done.

Now for the inside I wanted a little more pocket space, surprisingly.

I cut another piece of fabric the same width as the other ones, but three times the length.  I then finished the raw edges by folding them once and zig-zaging around.

I did it that way instead of a regular hem to reduce the bulk, flannel is quite thick.

Then fold the bottom third up, sew the sides and bottom to create an instant pocket….

…Only to realize afterward that I should have sewn on the Velcro before sewing the pocket.  It would have been so much easier.  Lesson learned.

Then I stitched a line down the pocket to make two smaller ones for organizing my junk.  The one is for extra styluses, and the other is for screen wipes and other stuff.

I attached it to the bottom of the case.  It kind of reminds me of a binder pencil case now.

And with that the case is finished and ready to fill.

Here I have my chargers and power bank neatly secured in their pockets.

And here, I have my 2DS XL in it’s new pocket along with my game cards in their zippered pocket.

Speaking of games, here’s how I store them to keep them free of dust and scratches.  They are kept in what appears to be tiny zip lock baggies when not in use.

These are actually tiny medicine bags I also bought at work.  You can find them at most drug stores (Amazon sells some here). They are also handy for storing tiny craft supplies, like beads.

Here’s the updated list:

• 3 piece outfit
• Holder
• First aid cases
• Umbrella
• Tea set
• Tote

Three down, three more to go.

Give it a try:

• Nintendo New 2DS XL - Black + Turquoise (Renewed)
• Loops & Threads Start-to-Sew Kit
• JIAKAI 2 Packs First Aid Bag
• First Aid Bag, Pink
  
• VELCRO® Brand Recycled Sew on Tape
  

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Plain to Pretty Black Umbrella Makeover

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

The next project on my craft list is another makeover, this time for an umbrella.

I found myself having to replace my umbrella, again.  This time I decided to invest in one I was sure would last awhile before breaking on me. 

I got this Totes stick umbrella, which was a little more than what I usually pay for umbrellas, but is totally worth it.

It opens and closes easily, dries quickly when wet, has held up to winds that have snapped previous umbrellas, and has one of the nicest and softest feeling handles I have ever touched.

I intentionally got it in black because it both makes it less likely to get really dirty and makes it better as a sun umbrella (check out this article about that).

The downside is that it isn’t as pretty as other umbrellas, but that is way too easy to fix.  We just need to add some…

…Lace!

I got this wide lace ages ago from SAS intending to use it for an umbrella.  It’s just like the lace I used for the white umbrella I decorated before (that got super dirty looking before breaking on me, sigh).

I like it specifically because it’s a pretty non-cottony lace.  I don’t recommend cotton laces because they are very absorbent.  When you use an umbrella for both sun and rain, adding something that absorbs a ton of water will make it take forever to dry.  Not to say that this lace won’t take a ton of time to dry too.

I started by ruffling the lace using my sewing machine by using the longest stitch length and setting the tension higher.

The circumference of the umbrella is 124 in. (315 cm.) and I needed twice as much lace to make my lace ruffle plus a little extra for overlap.  The quicker option is to choose a lace that is already ruffled, but that narrows the selection quite a bit.

After ruffling, I pinned my lace along the edge of the umbrella.  Looking nicer already.

Now, I could have sewn the lace ruffle on by hand, but I was feeling lazy about it.  So, I glued it on with a glue gun.

First, I carefully glued down the sections of lace between the pins.

Then I removed the pins one by one and glued down those areas.

I went around a couple more times to glue spots I missed and remove those annoying strings left by the glue gun (I watched a lot of videos while doing all of this).

Finally, I made some little ribbon bows to add along the lace (check out my video tutorial for simple bows if you wish).

And now the umbrella, or should I say, parasol is finished and ready for use.

It is looks so pretty and the lace ruffle gives it a very poufy look, however…

…It’s not too poufy to close up!  I was afraid I would have to change the strap.

Here’s the updated list:

• 3 piece outfit
• Holder
• First aid cases
• Umbrella
• Tea set
• Tote

Two down, four more to go.  The next one should be up tomorrow, look forward to it!

Give it a try:

• Totes Auto Open Water-Resistant Stick Umbrella, Black
• Mini High Temperature Glue Gun by Ashland®
• 1.5" Black Lace by Celebrate It®
  
• 3/8" x 15yd. Satin Double Face Ribbon by Celebrate It Classic
• Loops & Threads™ Start-to-Sew Kit

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Q Box Unboxing: Late Clearance Box Opening

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Here’s something super late.  Last November I stumbled upon Q Box.  It’s a subscription box, sort of like Kawaii Box, which features cute goodies mostly from Japan based on a monthly theme.  Some past themes include Pokémon, Sailor Moon, Alice in Wonderland, etc.

Anyway, I discovered they were having a special box, their clearance box.  Packed full with more items than normal at a cheaper price.  Plus, they were having a special sale, buy 2 get 1 free.  Hard to resist that.

So not long later, this adorably cute package showed up in the mail for me.

And inside were three “boxes”, I think the last one was packed in the cute heart bag to save space.

It was close to Christmas at the time, so they put cute little holiday stamps on the boxes.  Most fitting since I actually used many of the goodies inside for Christmas.  I stuffed those pouches I made (see Sewing Pouches, Lots of Them) and gave them as gifts.

Anyway, the boxes and all other packaging also had Q Box’s special little logo sticker, in case anyone forgot where this stuff all came from. :)

And a lot of stuff there was, each box was crammed full of fun surprises.  I had originally intended to open one box at a time, you know, take my time with it.  But I ended up ripping through all three at once.  I did take the time to make a video, which was then pushed to side due to holiday preparation.

But finally, here is my Q Box unboxing video.

Enjoy!

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A Sewing Machine Review, Because…

The bad news is that my beloved sewing machine of eight years died on me during one of my projects.  :(

The good news is…

I got a new one!

I bought it from Overstock.com, which is where I got the old one too.  The great thing is that it’s a model with more features and stuff, but a smaller price.  They were having a deal on it that made it about $10 less than my old sewing machine. 

And I got free shipping, shipping that took longer than normal though.  It took two weeks from when I ordered it to receive my package.  I think this was just bad luck because it normally only takes the usual 3-5 business days.

I bought a refurbished Brother JX2517 sewing machine, on sale for $49.99.  Brother is the same company that made my old machine, and my mother’s sewing machine, and my sister’s sewing machine, etc.  Yep, we have a lot of their machines running around here.

It’s been my experience that Brother sells a wide variety of sewing machines that are quite affordable (some more so than others), well built, easy to run and last a good long while.  Which is why I love them. :)

Anyway, here is my new sewing machine!  Isn’t it pretty?

As you can see, it comes with an instruction book, a DVD, the foot peddle and plug…

…and some accessories!

Extra bobbins, extra needles, zipper foot, a buttonhole tool, etc.  Plenty to get you going.

My old machine was a very basic model and didn’t have many built in stitches at all, but this one has several.  I’ve already tried out a few of them, with good results.  The instruction booklet has a list of all the stitches and their use, very helpful.

What I wasn’t expecting was the deal with the bobbin, it’s a top loader.  I had never used one before, but thankfully, I found it really simple.  The instuctions and markings on the machine made it easy. 

Both threading and running this sewing machine is a breeze.  It runs really smoothly and seems quieter than my old machine too which is a real plus.  I find I do my best sewing at night and a quieter machine is less likely to wake people up.

But, speaking of my old sewing machine…

Here is the poor thing. :(

It’s a Brother LS-30.  As I’ve mentioned before, it’s an extremely basic machine.  Good for a beginner or for someone who does very minimal sewing.  Though it can work wonders in the right hands, I made this dress with it among many others.

It served me well for over eight years, but it’s time to go.  I will probably donate it or something.  Hopefully somebody else can still get some use from it if they can repair it or just use it for parts.

Goodbye old friend.  You were very useful to me until the very end.

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Catching Up – A Wee Bit of Online Shopping

This post may contain affiliate links, check my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

As a former tax preparer, I have a tendency to get my taxes done fairly early compared to most people.  Mainly because when working as a preparer, if you don’t get them done early you may have trouble finding the time to do them yourself and on time.  Plus what self-respecting tax preparer would even think of letting someone else do their taxes for them.  All this means is I filed my taxes and received my modest but decent sized tax refund in a timely matter. 

Now what did I do with my refund?  I invested some of it by buying bonds, and put some of it toward paying off debt, and some of it went to savings.  The rest went towards some items on my wish list.  Just a few things I have been eyeing for a while and thought would be useful to have for Spring as well as the rest of the year.

First off, you may have notice in the picture at Phoenix Comicon (see Catching Up - Conventions Anyone?) I’m carrying a white parasol.  I sort of made it myself, specifically for the con and for Spring.

It start out as a white umbrella from World Import Co. on eBay.  It costs $16.99 with free shipping.  It came in just a few days in this cool triangle box.  I wanted to keep it but I somehow couldn’t think of a good use for it.  Such a shame.

Anyway, here’s the umbrella along side some bubble wrap, yay bubble wrap!  This umbrella is the “parasol” style, so it has a ruffle on the bottom.

I mainly bought it for the white color and this handy hook shaped handle.  They come in other colors that were tempting, but I just stuck with the white.  Still, it would be interesting to have a pink umbrella.  The thing is that the handle is a tad thicker than I was expecting.  Thicker does mean less likely to break which is good, but it also means slightly harder to hold.  At least it does with my small hands.  It’s just something I have to get use to.

I do like the pointed end though, it’s one of the things I look for when buying umbrellas.  It just looks really nice and gives the umbrella a certain vintage touch.

The ruffle is pretty okay, it adds a sweet touch and saves me time since I was planning on adding a ruffle anyway.

The thing that really concerned me was the sheerness of the material.  I wanted to use this umbrella for both rain and shine.  If it’s too sheer will it offer enough sun protection?

That problem was easy to fix.  I had originally planned to add just a little lace trim, but instead I completely covered it with row upon row of pretty and water resistant lace.  It took quite a bit of time, but it was so worth it.

Here’s the results.  I forgot to take a picture immediately after finishing, this one was taken after using it for several weeks.  The problem with white is that it is so easy to get it dirty.  Oh well, at least it’s pretty.

I also bought a new petticoat, my other was dying on me.  It actually fell flat on me almost immediately after this one arrived, maybe out of jealousy?  I found the new one on Amazon, sold by Rose Boutique for $25 including the shipping cost.  They shipped it out quickly.  It was estimated to arrive in about 10 days, but it came early so when I got it I didn’t know what it was.  It came in this really tiny package. 

I still didn’t know what it was when I opened the package until I read the included washing instructions.  I thought that was helpful at least.

Behold the unwrapped poufy petticoat.  It expanded like crazy after I unwrapped it.  It’s a 50’s style petticoat, so it has a bit of an a-line shape to it.  A little too a-line sadly for my use, but I was able to easily alter it to give it a softer and rounder shape.  Now it’s perfect and it cost a fraction of what similar shaped ones would have cost me to buy/make.

I also bought a couple of blouses I’ve been eyeing from Bodyline. The total came to 5,998 Japanese Yen with free shipping, which comes to about $25 each.  Considerably more than what I usually pay for clothing, but they were worth it.

They came wrapped in these cute red bags.  I saved them because they were so cute, I think they would be useful for organizing accessories or even paperwork.

The first one is this short sleeved blouse.  It has beading lace on the collar and down the front, rose shaped lace down the front too, and faux pearl buttons.  It also has lacing on the back to give it a fitted look which is nice.  I found the wide crochet lace on the collar and sleeves a bit awkward the first time I wore it, but now I love them.  I bought it in a size medium and it fits okay except its slightly too big at the shoulders.  I’ll take it in eventually, but for now it’s okay.

I also got this long sleeved blouse. It has some of the same types of lace as the short sleeved blouse which is so great, but there are a few problems.  It has the same fitting issue as the short sleeved blouse, the lacing on the back isn’t quite as nice looking, and then there’s the buttons.

First one of them actually snapped off when I simply tried on the blouse, possibly the result of damage during shipping.  It did come with one spare button, just one though.  The first time I wore the blouse a second button snapped off.  Luckily the buttons were definitely not my favorite part, now it will be easier to just switch them out for nicer buttons.  Otherwise I still really like both blouses.

There actually is one other thing I purchased over the last few months, but I’m saving that for another post because it involves a special surprise.  Look forward to it. :)

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