How-To's Day: Make Heat Pads/ Ice Packs

 (Here is an example of one I made for my Grandpa)

Before the Holidays, Sharon and I stumbled upon this amazing project on Pinterest from blogger elm street life. It is a DIY Heating pad that you can also put in the freezer and use as an ice pack.

 (image via elm street life)

Whitney's project is awesome so I will just be adding my tips and findings here.  For full instructions head over to her post here. 

What I wanted to show you today for the tutorial are some variations I came up with for mine that I am using as a neck warmer/ shoulder saver.  The holidays have taken most of my shoulder strength from me and this heating pad has been a great help with eliminating some of my chronic pain. I didn't stitch as many separate compartments to this heating pad so that it would mold to the curve of my shoulder and stay put.

Note: When cutting the 2 pieces of fabric I cut both pieces 13" X 6"

First thing I found was a bundle of dried Lavender as seen below.  The lavender is quite fragrant while stripping it (aka, get some air breeze of some sort or it will take you out!) Plus it takes a bit to strip it for yourself...

So, to help with time, cost , and hassle wise- My trick to using dried Lavender if you are in a pinch trying to source it is Trader Joe's has these sweet lavender dryer bags which you can dissect and get the dried lavender. As you can tell it varies a little from the Lavender I plucked from the bundle (it is the top one that has less color...).   

I did various tests between the two, the fragrance is pretty much the same; they just look different. If it comes to looks alone, stripping it yourself (minus the people who are awesome and have it in their gardens) can't begin to compare to the TJ's hack. 

Using any dried bean or corn (minus the popcorn-duh, but thought I should note anyway) as the stuffing works really well for the body of the pad.  I find the smaller beans heat more quickly and hold heat nicely. Also, I used a cup used to fill an iron to load the filling in the pouch. It not only helped with accurately pouring the pieces into the flipped holes of the fabric, but it also gave me a receptacle to mix all the ingredients together. :)

Everything else I followed Whitney guidance from her tutorial except I only stitched across the middle making two sections to the heating pad/ ice pack.

I wish this was a longer tutorial :( but I am only just starting to get in the grove for the New Year. Between re-grouping and feeling crappy it is taking me some time to unwind from the Holidays.

On to another topic: the fabric of this heating pad brings me to one of my resolutions this year: Focus on my stamp collection and fun stamp projects!!! Stamps are so pretty and I have so many of them I really need to start putting them to good use!

What are some of your resolutions?... Creatively? Personally? There are just so many to choose from! I am trying to set reasonable goals for myself this year. 

For instance, Kevin and I took a walk before he went to work today.  I am trying to have a physical/ lifestyle challenge resolution, a personal growth resolution, and work resolutions. It's a tough decision skimming down resolutions to a handful when I am setting up creative goals, therefore the compartmentalization of all these resolutions.  

It is never good to set yourself up for unrealistic expectations that if you have a slip you let yourself tailspin into oblivion.  That is my main going for 2012 (LOL). Don't tailspin into oblivion!

 

Best wishes for all your hopes and goals for 2012 and I look forward to more talk of resolutions to come...

XOXO, KC