Stir, Sip & Enjoy

Nichole's Senior Design Team Challenge came just in time to coordinate with a sewing project I've been working on. I found some wonderful coffee themed fabric at my local quilt shop and have been working on some pretty napkins, some little coffee coasters, a basket liner and hopefully a pair of lap blankets .......some day I'll get to all that. You can see snippets of my finished napkins in today's photos.

In the meantime, Nichole's challenge was to create a project that incorporates giving the gift of a hot beverage. Coffee is at the top of my list when the weather turns colder so I had a great idea brewin' in my head. Often times when I sub at the school or spend the night at a hotel, the coffee is all gone.....or non existent. For those times when you really want that first cup of coffee in the morning, I created some little coffee kits that will fit the bill.

For each of my coffee kits, I used a single coffee bag packet, a single size creamer and a sweetener packet.
I started off my coffee kits by punching a scalloped square of Chocolate Remix patterned paper. I chose the text background for my project today. I then stamped the coffee images from Warm Happiness using Dark Chocolate and various blue inks. I added a Dark Chocolate Vintage Button tied with Cream Twine into the center of a cocoa colored Prima flower from my stash.

Next, I inked the word *coffee* from Warm Happiness onto Vintage Cream Twill using Dark Chocolate ink.

I wrapped the stamped twill around medium glassine sacks that are filled with my coffee kit ingredients. A simple staple holds the twill in place nicely.

I finished up my coffee kit packets with a Dark Chocolate Swiss Dot ribbon and then attached the coffee accent square to the sacks with a few pop dots.

I tucked all my coffee kit packets into a wicker tray lined with my coffee themed napkins and a few coffee mugs. Next time I have guests, we can sit out at the picnic table and enjoy a hot cup of coffee. As a little gift, they can take home a coffee kit of their own.

I also think these would be great to tuck into a suitcase when travelling, or keep a few in your glove compartment when on the road......or take some as little gifts when you're at a weekend crop. Just a fun little gift that is straight from the heart.

For more inspiration, check out what the other design team members are brewin' up:

Nichole Heady
Becky Oehlers
Heather Nichols
Lauren Meader
Lisa Johnson

Teri Anderson (guest designer)

Now, may I take a moment to show you a little behind the scenes action of my photo shoot? As I propped my basket and some flowers and was beginning to take photos, here comes Miss Libby. She is our smallest kitten and has used up about 4 of her nine lives in the last month or so. First, she got bit by a snake in the face and swelled up like a grapefruit. Then Eric ran over her back legs one morning while leaving for work. Then she ran under the garage door one day and I shut her leg in it. Next up, she got tangled in a volleyball net and was choking. I had to run for the scissors to cut her out. Needless to say, I have nursed poor Libby back to health each and every time she has gotten into trouble. Now she follows me everywhere and loves for me to hold her and pet her.

She could not stand that I was outside and wasn't paying attention to her. So she hopped right into my photo shoot....front and center.......look at me.....why aren't you petting me?

Then here comes Boots. He gets into everything and is very curious.

He made his way through my flowers, sniffed into the coffee cups and pretty much made himself at home with all of my goodies. All the while, poor Libby sits patiently...looking up at me......waiting for me to pet her.

Eric came to my rescue and entertained the kitties while I finished my photo shoot. Just had to share...