How to be the cutest coffee cup at Starbucks

Because I work from home, I tend to spend a lot of time doing exactly not that. Rather, I force myself to endure the hardship (insert sarcasm here) of working at coffee shops. Particularly those that offer free Wi-Fi.

If you're anything like me, you love your Starbucks (and Hubbard and Cravens, and Calvin Fletcher's and others....) but you don't love the constant waste of the cardboard cups and extra cardboard cozys designed to prevent you from burning your hand.

Thankfully, there are a lot of things you can do to prevent this waste. If you're the sort who sits down to enjoy your entire cup in-house, request a reusable ceramic cup and forget about this craft. If you're awesome enough (or carry a big enough bag) to always remember to have a washed reusable travel cup with you, again, this craft isn't for you.

But if you find yourself frequently hitting the to-go cups with nary a reuse in sight- and you've ALSO got some ends-of-skeins yarn at home, then this is for you!

Step 1: Grab some yarn. The great part about this craft is that it doesn't use much, so you can finally get rid of use the leftover ends of other projects to cobble these together. I used all one color, but there's nothing that says you can't splice in different weights and colors for a funky cozy.

Step 2: Depending on the weight of your yarn, cast on enough stitches to create about a 3" wide field. Using whatever kind of stitching you want (I used the simple knit a row, purl a row technique) knit about 8" to create the "wraparound" part of your cozy.

Note: I typically order tall-sized drinks at Starbucks, so I made the supreme effort to have one of those cups on hand when I created this cozy. I found that it was helpful, maybe not totally necessary, but helpful for sizing. I'M JUST SAYIN'.

Step 3: Knit the last 2" with a different stitch, if you prefer, or just keep going with the same. You'll wind up with something that sort of resembles a doll scarf. Cast off and keep the tail on the end- you'll use it to stitch the ends together.


Step 4: Grab a couple buttons from your button-jar. You know, that jar you have with all the buttons for crafting and fixing your favorite shirts. Pick out a few crazy colored buttons and sew them on the last 2" of your cozy. I used green thread, just for kicks. REBEL.

(Don't have a button jar? Take a break and run to Hobby-Lobby. I picked up about 200 buttons for $4.99 - all different sizes, shapes, colors, and so forth - and perfect for crafts like this. )

Step 5: Turn your cozy over and wrap the ends together, allowing them to overlap slightly. Use the tail ends of the knitting to sew the ends together on both the top and bottom.

Step 6: Turn your cozy right-side-out, then get yourself over to a Starbucks for a hot drink and some crafty admiration. Look at your bad-ass, craft-making self!

Big Ideas, Little Time.

Last week during the infamous trip to Hobby Lobby in which I was inspired to start this blog, I picked up the supplies needed for four potential projects- a quick bedroom picker-upper, a cowlneck scarf, a new baby blanket, and felt flower buttons.

Then, life happened, and so far most of those projects are still sitting in the family room basket waiting to be worked on (though I DID, I will have you know, undo the yarn for the cowlneck scarf from the half-inch of regular scarf I had already started to knit with it!)

I have high hopes for this week, as I've got some downtime tonight and tomorrow night (and hours of Olympics to watch!). Check back soon for updates and, if I get REALLY inspired, a quick-craft project inspired by Starbucks that I hope to complete today.

It Begins.

As many crafters know, inspiration usually strikes when you least expect it. Often, that leads us down fabulously tangental roads that start with a statement like, "Ooh! I bet I could MAKE that...if only I had this, that, the other, and maybe a new glue gun."

Sometimes these statements end with the realization that, in fact, it is probably not more efficient to go out and buy four bolts of material, a new attachment for the sewing machine, heavy-duty thread, six-inch double-sided satin ribbon, and industrial sized grommets but rather just buy the danged drapes, especially if they are on sale.

Sometimes other projects, seemingly manageable, have been known to end in frustration, tears, and the occasional cathartic scissoring of a hopelessly knotted ball of yarn previously destined to become fall's hottest accessory.

But sometimes...just sometimes...there are the inspired projects that remain inspired. These are the cakes that rise to the occasion, the yarns that turn into soft wraps and blankets, the do-it-yourself home makeovers that provoke the envy of friends and neighbors alike.

And THAT'S why we craft.

As the daughter of a crafty person, I've grown up embracing the creative side. As a kid, one of my favorite projects was to create an Easter basket using the green plastic woven buckets strawberries used to come in, a little ribbon, some wooden painted one-sided Easter Egg decor buttons, and - you guessed it- my trusty hot melt glue gun.

Today, I'm more likely to be found churning out another knitting project, baking cakes and cupcakes with themes, or - and this is the best one - creating flower arrangements during my daily job as a florist.

(Yep, that's right- I've figured out how to take crafting and make a living from it. And it's awesome.)

But yesterday, inspiration struck- and not just in the form of a new craft. As I strolled the aisles of Hobby Lobby and Michaels looking for a few specific items for projects, I realized that my search, and subsequent craft-creation, would make for a good blog post.

I should have stopped there.

But then I got another idea for another project and I realized that IT would make a great blog post.

I should have stopped there.

But THEN, I got ANOTHER idea for a little project that could even be a PART of the second project and that would be ANOTHER fun blog post!

And then I realized that I had, in effect, doomed myself to start a craft blog - and here we are.

My goals for this blog are that it be a fun place that you can come to see what crafts I'm currently working on, check out the end results, and even try some of your own using the handy "how-to" posts. Occasionally I'll be posting links to other sites where I get ideas or references, and I hope you'll benefit from checking those out.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there are several projects calling my name....not the least of which is to go take some photos to post here!