a DIY yoga mat strap

After purchasing a new yoga mat for my "soon to be sister in law" I decided that I wanted to try and make the gift a little more special by adding a handmade carrier. I have seen a few different options for toting a yoga mat and the strap variety seem to be the easiest to use... this is great because they are also the easiest to make! I was able to create this yoga mat strap with left over fabric and a few office supplies.

To start, I measured the length of fabric that I would need to wrap around each end of the mat and leave enough slack in between to go over my shoulder. I did this using twine. Then, I cut two pieces (in order  to get the appropriate length) of fabric about 6" wide. These two pieces were then sewn together to create one long strip.

In order to make the edges of the strap finished, without turning it inside out, I folded the fabric in half, ironed it, opened it back up and folded each edge into the middle. I ironed the outside edges and then folded and ironed the whole length one more time. To create a finished end, I carefully tucked each end in.

I sewed around the perimeter of the strap, taking extra care to make sure all of the fabric was tucked at the corners. I then made loops by folding each end down and sewing it in place. Large ring clips fit perfectly on each end.

The strap easily loops around each end of the mat and when it is lifted the weight of the mat keeps the strap secure.

This strap was so simple to make! All in all, about 30 minutes! I love that it is small enough to toss in a gym bag or even your coat pocket during a yoga class, and my sister in law loved that it was made just for her!

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A Christmas craft party...

I had really hoped to get to this post before the Christmas holidays, but it just didn't happen. I am sure everyone is Christmased out... but maybe you can save/pin an idea for next year!

Early in December, my friend Jenn and I decided to have our first Christmas Craft Party. Jenn is like me in that she absolutely loves the details and creativity that go along with party planning. We wanted to host an event for some of our close girlfriends, so that we could take some time to visit, share some wine and treats, and make a couple holiday crafts to display in our homes.

Before our friends arrived we set out all of the materials that would be needed for the two crafts we would be making, A Christmas centre piece and a Holiday Topiary (aka a decorated paper cone). Jenn and I are both teachers, so we also understand the importance of a good exemplar (teacher talk for "example")! We had a lot of fun setting the table so that each lady would have a place to work.

The centre pieces were simply square vases, with a square of florist foam, greenery and a votive holder. We provided many options for greenery, twigs, twine, ribbon, bells and berries. The topiaries were made from rolled bristle board and then decorated with yarn and twine and spray painted a variety of colours... pretty easy!

We served some holiday cocktails, appetizers and Christmas cookies, but the showstopper was the Hot Chocolate Bar! Everyone had fun loading their hot chocolate up with tasty toppings! 

Jenn and I were so impressed with every one's skill! Even our friends who were intimidated by (or completely unimpressed with) the idea of "Crafting" on a Friday night had a good time and everyone was so proud of their work!

Good work ladies!

...an updated "My Family" page!

"...And away we go!!!" has been live for over 5 months, and I have finally gotten around to completing the "My Family" page.  You can check it out here or click on the "My Family" tab from my home screen.