IHP Design Team Challenge: Fun with Felt

The theme for this month's i {heart} papers design team challenge is fun with felt. We were so excited when we came across this fabulous felt during our last afternoon at CHA in January so Kate could add it to the store. It comes in a great selection of colors and cuts beautifully in die cutting machines, which is usually how I use felt--but today I'm showing you a little something different . . .

I made a felt coffee cup cozy using some pink and white felt. I picked up a corrugated cardboard one at Starbucks and used that as a pattern for cutting the felt, cotton batting, and patterned fabric backing for the cozy. To dress it up a little I cut scalloped strips from white felt using an Edgeabilities die. After layering and pinning the material, I used my sewing machine to stitch it all together. Yes, I used my sewing machine for actual fabric--LOL! I didn't do the greatest or straightest stitching job, but the pieces all held together and that's a win in my eyes.

I made a matching gift card holder from a mini kraft bag (the bag is tiny--the small to go cup my cozy's wrapped around makes the bag look bigger than it is!). The pink color scheme and scallop edging on the gift card holder are designed to mimic the coffee cozy. I used some pink patterned paper to make a belly band and dressed it up with a to-go cup image from the Market Street Stamps Daily Grind stamp set. I popped a Starbucks gift card inside the bag and it's ready to go.

Don't miss what the rest of the IHP DT (and our talented April guest designer) came up with for the challenge. Here's where to find them:

• Guest Designer Karolyn Loncon
• Carolyn
• Deb
• Gretchen
• Loretta
• Lori--you're here!
• Lynn
• Tracy
• Kate

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Market Street Stamps Daily Grind stamp set, X-Press white Copic blending cardstock, Tsukineko Memento Rich Cocoa ink, Copic markers (B0000, R20), Authentique Delightful 6x6 paper pad, Canvas Corp tiny brown paper bag, Dusty Rose and Snow White felt, Spellbinders Classic Edges One Edgeabilities die (scallop)

other: Blushing Bride cardstock (Stampin' Up!); sewing machine