Simple Pleasures

I spend a lot of time in my happy raw kitchen, but it isn't always making something to eat!

Most raw food meals are actually quite simple, like today's breakfast, a coconut. It was especially enjoyable because I had a beautiful glass straw to drink from.

Such a simple pleasure! A coconut has never tasted so good.

My sweet hubby gifted me with a couple of new books, and a set of Glass Dharma straws for Valentine's Day. It wasn't a surprise, I picked them out..lol!

You may have noticed the pretty little box in the picture above. That is the reason I was in the kitchen today, crafting!

I may want to start carrying one of my lovely new glass straws with me when we go out, to use in place of the disposable plastic ones, so I made a pretty covered box for it.

It is so easy to do.

If you would like to re-purpose any box, here is what you need:

A cardboard box, I used the box the glass straw came in:)
Fusible webbing or fabric glue
Fabric, or an old shirt with a pretty pattern, cotton is best for fusing.
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Iron and ironing board
small buttons or beads
needle and thread

Step 1: Carefully open the box at the seam. For this project, you can cut off the little fold-in tabs(marked with a "X"), because they are not needed. A couple of the following pictures were the first box I made, and they still have the little tabs:) Flatten out the box as much as possible.

Step 2: Cut a piece of fabric and fusible web twice the size of the opened box, and about 1 inch bigger, all around. For this box, the piece was approx 11 inches on all sides. This piece will be cut in half, as you will need one piece of fabric to cover the inside, and one for the outside.

Step 3: Following manufacturers directions, iron fusible web to the back of the fabric. You can use fabric glue to cover the box, if you prefer.

Step 4: Iron or glue fabric to the outside side of the opened box. Trim fabric to a little less than 1/2 an inch all around.


Step 5: Clip into fabric where it has to go into a corner, or around the tab.

Step 6: With the inside of the box up, iron the excess fabric down all around the edge of the box,

Step 7: Cut the remaining fabric slightly smaller than the inside of the box. Save the scraps for step 10. You don't need to cover the inside of the tabs for this project. Iron or glue this fabric to the inside of the opened box.



Step 8: Refold the box making a sharp crease along the lines of the original box shape. Apply hot glue, or other strong glue to the inside edge of the box, and hold for a minute. See which end looks nicest for the top, and glue the other end closed.

Step 9: Add a little button or bead to the top of the open end so you know which end to open:) I sewed it on with strong upholstery thread.

Step 10: Iron on a small piece of saved fabric to the inside of the tab to cover stitches.

That's it! All done:)

I have been using my new straws all week, and I must say...

Glass Dharma straws are so beautiful, I just love them.


I hope you didn't mind my little green craft project today. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I absolutely love making craft projects, it's one of my simple pleasures. And of course, my favorite projects are ones that recycle things that might normally be discarded.

I must have made hundreds of recycled projects over the 12 years when I had my daycare. One reason was because I needed to find frugal, aka cheap:) ways to make projects with the little ones.

We made so many recycled projects that one day, one of my little angels arrived with an armful of...ummm...garbage, yelling "Look what my Mom almost threw away!!!" He actually took the stuff out of his garbage pail. Too cute:) Of course we made something out of it, I just don't remember what...haha!

I remembered that story today while making my little fabric covered boxes.

Thanks for visiting my crafty raw kitchen today:)

I would love to know what your simple pleasures are!

BTW, if you want a chance to win an awesome 25 Piece Cutlery and Gadget Pro Set with Wood Block for your kitchen, click this link to visit my girl Pam's blog!