Note: This post is equivalent to a #waylatergram on IG.

Something in me screams “IT’S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!” when August hits. Mostly in a panicked way, because Christmas shopping ranks in my Top 3 first-world-problem-stressors, and there’s only ONE QUARTER of the year left to figure this all out. One quarter!! Extra stress points go to thinking of co-worker gifts. I guess I don’t have co-workers anymore -_-, but since I used to work at a school, there were always tons of people I wanted to give a little something to, and seemingly not enough money/time/creativity to go around to make it happen. So last year, I got a head start on co-worker gifts… and when I say head start, I mean… ONE YEAR IN ADVANCE.

Yup.

My friend and I got together at the end of 2011 (!) to try a reusable coffee cozy tutorial (which I can no longer find online…………..boo) to make these:

Okay, well, not exactly that one. At first we made a ton with printed cotton fabrics and oversized buttons, but we quickly discovered that cotton burlap + wooden buttons (leaves and hearts) was the way to go…. i.e. the cutest.

    

After our experimental session, I went home and made 20 more. It was like a one-woman sweatshop with tons of under the breath cursing, burning eyeballs, and picking thread off my carpet. I collected Starbucks tall coffee cups all year (i.e. 2012), minus the holiday season, when the cups are red and Christmas-y, which I assumed would make the final presentation look a little less clean. Let me just say that some Starbucks stores are extremely paranoid and stingy about their cups. One barista wrote “FREE CUP” in huge letters with a Sharpie before she gave it to me…. LEST I BREW MY OWN COFFEE AND SELL IT IN THEIR ONE CUP? Ridiculous, and a waste of a cup.

Moving on.

The cup served as instant packaging, and inside, I stuffed some red tissue paper, a Starbucks gift card, and a bag of chocolate covered almonds. Then I safety pinned a homemade tag to the cozy, wrapped the entire cup in clear cellophane, and tied it off with some red polka dotted grosgrain ribbon. Done and done.

  

I’m sad I can’t find the original tutorial I used, but here are few that are pretty similar:

Practically Functional
Wait til Your Father Gets Home

These tutorials (as well as many others found online) seem to use felt, but I feel like using fabric + fusible interfacing (like I did) would be a bit more durable and washing-machine friendly.

What is fusible interfacing? Basically a non-woven fabric that adds stiffness/thickness to fabrics. One side is coated with a dry glue. When heat is applied (through an iron), it melts and adheres to the fabric that needs stiffening. Good for a coffee cozy because it provides some extra insulation as well. 🙂

Whew.

Only 4 months left ’til Christmas. I’m already behind. 😉