Teacher Gifts in a Pinch!

Tomorrow is my middle daughter's last day of preschool for this year. Boo-hiss. She loves it. Almost as much as I do. I wanted to put together something special for the two wonderful women who teach her class. How they find the grace and patience to nurture a room full of three and four- year-olds, and always smile at the end of the day.... I'll never truly understand.

I had grand ideas of cranking out some vinyl lunchbags. That were supposed to be get finished for Christmas, P.S. Still haven't totally worked out the kinks in the pattern, so those will be next year's Christmas gifts. (ahem, rather than procrastination, let's call it, "planning ahead.") Instead, I "whipped up" these two little beauties (and one prototype in need of some surgery before her camera debut.) I am quite happy with how they came out, considering I didn't find ANY online tutorials (and believe me, I tried) that had the right size, shape, or materials for my plans. I did love this image, from this lovely blog, and did my best to come up with something close.

Perhaps my favorite feature is the handmade cards.
Tied to a small CoffeeBucks gift card, of course.

Tuck the gift card inside the pouch, and who needs wrapping paper?
You're welcome, environment!

PS: This project is easy. As in, completed during the daytime hours whilst two babies and a three-year-old were present in my home. Under my solo (extremely watchful, not at all distracted) supervision. Most of the previous statements are pretty much true.

PPS: I'll also be posting (soon) my very first ever tutorial! WooHoo! I have even tested it on some very gracious and supportive sewing friends. Perhaps now former friends, as they performed the test as part of a sewing project for our elementary school's Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. They really had no choice BUT to participate. Otherwise, they risked the guilt and ridicule I would have subjected them to for "not caring enough about teachers" to participate. Clearly, I have no shame when it comes to appreciating teachers.