Table trough for crafty stuff

I think all my posts start with, "have you seen this ________? I've been wanting to make one".

Same with this post. I saw this recessed trough thingy for drinks in a table on pinterest. A "drink chiller" (I saw one for succulents too and want to do that one at my sister-in-laws!). So I saw the drink chiller one and wanted to make it:) Now I have! I love when I can check things off my pinterest list. 

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I bought a 14.75" x 7.75" plastic planter box from Home Depot for $4.98 with a lip on it.

I used a spade bit (I think that's what it's called)

a drill and a jigsaw

my table is 3feet x 4feet.

after finding the center of the table, I flipped the planter upside down and traced the outer edge (my planter is bigger at the top than the bottom so I didn't want to trace the bottom) After tracing I went back and drew a line all the way around the inside of the first line, coming in 1/4". This is so the outer edge (the lip of the planter) will rest on the table and not fall through.

I then drilled with the drill bit above, a hole through each corner so I can get my jig saw started and get to each corner (see 2 pictures up). After drilling I then cut with my jig saw all the way around it (starting in one corner hole) making sure to cut on the inner line.

After cutting I just dropped the planter in and it was done!

Below is the underside of my rickety table that Ava drew on (she drew on the top and the bottom). This table is old and will be thrown out when Ava stops coloring on it so I didn't mind cutting a hole in the center.

You can put utensils in it, condiments, napkins, chips, anything! We're going to put craft supplies that get used the most.

I wanted to show how much room there is for knees. I don't hit it either when I sit at the table. 

And above is my dinner. Just showing there is lots of room on the table still.

*Thanks Dad for your input on this! I never would have thought to use the spade bit and drill holes first.

Teacher Gift: Make your own banner

Have you seen these make your own banner kits? They are so cool! I thought they were only available in Australia so I started to make my own. Then I thought, these would make AWESOME teacher gifts! You can have them say ANYTHING and they can easily changed because it's held together with brads. SO I started planning and noticed this was going to add up price-wise. I looked some more on online and discovered...it's not so hard to buy online. Duh. I just never searched for another brand. I have bought but not received yet, this brand from amazon and will give this to Emily and Ava's teacher as an end-of-the-year gift. I will still make my own because I can make it in the colors I want and size I want. The "I like big books..." banner is only about 2" tall where-as the others are about 5" tall. 

Meow is the Time was made for my niece Bird. Above is my girls room but it doesn't live there anymore.

I gave the Stay Gold one to Jessica (my sister-in-law) because after I made it she reminded me her boyfriend has that tattooed on his knuckles! Duh! I loved loved loved The Outsiders book when I was younger and "Stay Gold, Pony Boy" is a very well known line from the book/movie.

The above one is for my friend Jenny B in Japan. She's a teacher over there and I thought this would be awesome in her classroom. She LOVES to read and of course can appreciate that this is a play on the song by Sir Mix-a-lot called I LIKE BIG BUTTS. Thank you whoever thought up the above saying (got that on pinterest).
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Below I have made available to you the alphabet pre tabbed! I've never done this before so I have no idea how it will print out but if you have a Silhouette machine you can save these pictures below to your computer, then open in the Silhouette software and trace. If you don't have a cutting machine you should still be able to save to your computer, print, resize, trace, cutout and admire. let me know how it goes if you do use them.

I have included a blank bar below for spacing if you don't want to use a symbol in between words.

I do plan on making numbers and punctuation but I figured I had better post this now or it's never going to happen.