Recycling Drain Tiles

WOW challenge #17:  "With Earth Day this week, let's create something in honor of our home. You can focus on recycling, nature, etc. Maybe try your hand at gardening or find a great new use for your soda cans."

These tiles (I think they are leftover drainage tiles that the farmers use in the fields) were laying under the bushes when we moved into our home here about three years ago. I've been trying to think of a use for them. I finally figured it out!
I stacked four small ones on one side of the garden shed door and three larges ones on the other side. I filled all of them about half way (or more) with dirt, finished filling them with potting soil, then added flowers.  I had wanted to plant flowers in front of the shed but wasn't looking forward to digging up the ground there and it hadn't ever had anything but grass and weeds... it was really hard.  This worked out great.
 
Flowers in front of the shed.
Check.
Very little work. 
Check.
Tiles no longer looking messy and abandoned under the bushes. 
Check. 
 
Hmmm. 
All this "Check-ing" . . . .
can you tell I've been watching American Idol.

Next I have to figure out what to do with this odd piece.  It's square and clay-like.  It looks like the square things at the top of our fireplaces' chimneys.  I'll probably fill this with flowers too but it's HEAVY.  And I have to find a place for it.

Vintage Linen Lunch Bag Tutorial

You won't mind "brown bagging it" with this fresh looking lunch bag that can be used over and over.  And it's easy to make!

Step 1: Gather your materials
1 piece of vintage linen cut 11" x 20"  (bag exterior)

2 pieces of vintage linen cut 3" x 12" (bag handles)

1 piece of solid coordinating fabric cut 11" x 20" (lining)

2 pieces of solid coordinating fabric cut 5" x 5" (flower)

Thread

Ric Rac

Step 2: Construct handles

Press both 3"x12" pieces in half lengthwise.

Open.

Fold long edge in to pressed line on each side.

Press each of these new edges, but don't press over the first pressed line. 

Fold in half again lengthwise.

Top stitch close to each edge.

Set aside.

Step 3: Construct bag exterior

Fold 11"x 20" piece of vintage linen in half, right sides together.

Sew along both sides.

Draw a 1" square at each corner of the bottom of this piece.

Cut out square.

Manipulate one of the bottom corners that you cut so that sewn seam touches the start of the bottom fold - you should have raw edges of fabric on each side of this point - sew together to form one side of a square bottom.

 Repeat with the other cut corner.

Step 4. Construct liner

Same way you constructed the exterior...

 

Step 5: Put it all together

Turn liner bag right side out. 

Place liner bag inside exterior of bag (which is inside out... so right sides are together). 

Place handles between these two pieces with the raw edges of the handle just barely sticking out. The ends of the handle should be about 3" apart.  Pin in place.  Do this with each handle.  (You may find it easier to place the handles if you pin them just to the exterior first, then insert the liner and repin.)

Stitch almost all the way around, leaving about 2 - 3" unsewn.

Use opening left to turn bag right side out.

Topstitch all the way around the top of the bag including the opening you left.

Step 6: Embellishing

Topstitch ric-rac just below the edge of the top.

Make flower by tracing a circle (I use a small coffee container) and sewing the two 5" squares together on the circle.  In the center of just one of the circles cut a small opening. 

Pull circle through this opening so the seam is inside.  Hand stitch - with large stitches - a circle in the center of the flower; leave long thread hanging.  Stuff the center of this little circle with bits of batting. Pull on thread to gather circle and this will ruffle the outside edges of the large circle and will form the flower.  Hand stitch to the bag around the edge of the little circle.

Load and go!

This is my first tutorial...

any suggestions, questions, and comments are welcome!