And what to do with those leftover coffee bean bags?

And what to do with those leftover coffee bean bags?

Why make a bag outta of 'em of course?!

tho I am not a DIY type nor super crafty--I am determined to recycle, reuse, put good leftover coffeebean bags to use... at least for myself, as I doubt I would share these with anyone else (but I did find a few in searching for How to Make a Bag who can sew 'n are selling them online too hah?! this is 'not' one of those....)


you can see I had a lot of material to start with, there could be more than one tote bag made with all these - if I care to make another after just this 'one' hah (we'll see how it does...)

chose the more colorful ones, but local to start
the all brown ones will save for another bag, maybe

cut them open, took out the plastic vents 'n lay them out to see how well they'd fit into a square
found an old thick plastic rectangular bag to just cover with coffeebean bags 'n duct/duck tape
used the regular silver duct tape 'n the fun duck tape with trailers/flamingos on it
and started placing 'n cutting tape 'n placing to hold down all the edges of the coffeebags

front side one - #sweetbloomcoffeeroaster bags

back side two - #novocoffeeroasters 'n #loyalcoffeeroaster

side side one - #holdfastcoffeeroasters at #peakplacecoffeehouse

side side two - #storycoffeeroaster Walden 'n Colombia

front 'n bag hanging - left to do, the handle
if will make short or long or wider

bottom of the bag - an extra #novocoffeeroaster bag


note: when couldn't find what I wanted online, just made it up as went along
am wondering tho if should of covered in say clear contact paper to make stronger 'n more water repellent (esp when get to putting the brown paper outside coffee bags together...)
and also on the inside if should cover a piece of cardboard with--yes, you guessed it-- duct tape or duck tape for an also stronger bottom to actually carry stuff inside this tote bag...

so is that 9 coffeebags recycled reused 'n had used a lot more coffee beans than that during the year
now to figure out what else to do with them (make more tote bags? go the route of making purses like some others have done, or offer a never ending supply to whomever is actually sewing 'n making these bags/totes/purses for sale online... maybe in order to help a charity or say like the local coffeeshops are doing who bought water filters for coffee farmers in El Salvador this past Christmas time... at $40.00 each, so there's that idea, left open for another time... hmm...)

Peace Love Coffee y'all ox....



and about those other online coffee bag duct tape purse makers...

Dollar Store Crafts...

http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2009/08/coffee-bag-duct-tape-purse/

a different shape than mine, but like their handle idea (if can't figure out one, may copy this one - only longer version)

Ten Thousand Villages...

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/mosaic/diy-tote-bag-fair-trade-coffee/

use to shop here in Houston, TX - but don't recall bags/totes/purses made out of fair trade coffee bags 'n here they use 10-12 of them, so more than I did on this shaped one... also there is sewing involved 'n as I don't own a sewing machine any longer, did not try to make this one (but it would be better 'n stronger for sure if sewing together, especially is thick strong thread or even a nylon thread...)




this image from Pinterest is what a friend sent me as a message on Instagram to tell me what I could do with coffeebags to make a tote bag - which is what launched me off into finding what I could online then just taking scissor to bags 'n started taping hah?! (of course mine does not look like this one, but I like the handle idea... if I go from the outside 'n not the inside, hmm... plus they used all black duct/duck tape on this one...)


Of course there is Instructables...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Duct-Tape-No-Sew-Tote/

this bag was too fancy for what I was thinking... but I have gone to Instructables before when living in Norway 'n was trying to explain to a small group how to make a pinata, so we got on there for the paste making especially then got balloons 'n newspapers 'n crepe paper 'n just had it hah?! (it was not possible there to buy them 'n you wouldn't want to have one shipped in - was for charity so we made them 'n I donated all the materials, along with my kitchen table to make them on at the time...)


about Etsy - Yes, there are a lot of bags on there... but all I can see are the burlap coffee green bean bags made into bags/totes/purses... so if you want to look there, go for it...

on Amazon - lots 'n lots of printed DuckTape Brand DuctTape... also Washi Tape in fun things like Totoro, only that's like masking tape 'n not strong enough for bag making I would think (beware, easily distracted by such cute designs... like my trailers with flamingos wasn't enough?!)

example - so many designs on or off line it's ridiculous, I never knew... browse online or a craftshop, like Michaels maybe or even the hardware store, on 'n on (geesh even the grocery store or Target or Walmart... )

If you really fall hard for Duck Tape/Duct Tape Designs, there is their webpage...

http://duckbrand.com/

Happy Camper - isn't it just...

This is what I found 'n used on my Coffeebag tote bag (attempt no. one - almost a shame to have wasted such FAB designed Duck Tape/Duct Tape, but it's so cute, why not... was hoping it would make me make it better even... hmm... maybe, maybe not... at least I might just use it, if not for the local coffee roaster coffeeshops coffee bags--then for the cutest Duck/Duct Tape right hah?!)

OK, New Year Back to Blogging?! Coffee Blogging....

OK, New Year Back to Blogging?! Coffee Blogging....

I will not review last year from when I apparently got caught up in coffee adventures or coffee experiments 'n just didn't make it back to blogging about it at all?!

So starting again I will post a few pics of last year's coffee beans 'n coffees 'n coffeesleeves from when I forgot my Keepcups 'n then pics of those Keepcups or waterbottles or coffeemugs too - which is on my List of What I Should Be Doing This Year... remembering my various size Keepcups, the espresso tiny one being my all time Fav?!

And after I've been all over Colorado Springs, there is still Denver to venture over to 'n before we know it another Caffeine Crawl will be here in CO--Yay?! (as I write am missing the one in Cali 'n next month will be the one in Htown, where I moved from... ) It's all I can do not to hop a plane 'n make it a year of going to Caffeine Crawls around the country hah?! sigh....

and there were the #beans, the lovely lovely #coffeebeans 'n #coffeebags love me some #labels too (that Marketing Major in me from way back, who wanted to go into Advertising, can't 'not' be attracted by labels, especially coffee labels?!)

#novo #novocoffee #novocoffeeroasters #sweetbloom #sweetbloomcoffee #sweetbloomcoffeeroasters #counterculture from #copperkettlecoffee #missioncoffee #local #artistsbags #loyal #loyalcoffee #loyalaf #loyalcoffeeroasters #buildingthreecoffee #bldg3coffee #buildingthreecoffeeroasters #klatch #klatchcoffee #klatchcoffeeroasters from #cafevelo #switchbackcoffee #switchbackcoffeeroasters #fiftyfiftycoffee #peakplace #peakplacecoffee #peakplacecoffeeroasters #holdfast #holdfastcoffee #holdfastcoffeeroasters #storycoffee #storycoffeeroasters aka the #tinyhousecoffeeshop #shiftcoffee fundraiser for MER ThriftShop coffee roasted by #purplemountaincoffeeroasters #blackforestcoffee #blackforestcoffeeroasters #randrcoffee #randrcoffeeroasters from local Farmers Market #HighRiseCoffeeRoasters in #OCC 'n lastly a #coffeeswap coffee #coolbeans #coolbeanscoffeeroasters from coffeeswapper in Atlanta, GA I think going thru #coast2coastcoffeeswap in the US while I'm still awaiting my coffeeswap beans from Third Wave Wichteln from Christmastime (I keep watch for photos on fb or ig of my beans sent being received 'n enjoy all those getting their beans until mine arrive?!) aka Secret Santa Coffee Swap...

and some of the #coffeecups from when forgot the Keepcups 'n there will be less of these this year for sure (think I've forgotten my Keepcups once so far, with them in the dishdrainer prob?!)

many of these from the local coffeeshops 'n coffeeroasters have bags for above, but from a chain in Castle Rock DazBog which I'd rather go to Lost Coffee 'n their 2 shops in Castle Rock instead tho don't have a cup from them in this lot...

opps, plus a coffee cup from #copperkettlecoffee that only popsup 'n this one prob from a Welcome Fellow event where they popped up - tho during the Caffeine Crawl Colorado Springs they popped up in Brooklyn on Boulder during the day (when of course in the evenings - Wed thru Sat's - there is Prohibition style gin classic cocktails from the local gin distiller--Lee Sprits?!)

there's one went to Denver stop in to #SessionCoffee which had just opened 'n will go back again (their gf poptarts were ridiculously big 'n yummy too?!)

not to forget the 2 coffeeshops in #ColoradoSprings that did the promotion event for Gilmore Girls whose cups had quotes from the TV show on them on the one side 'n snap chat logos on the other side that did not work on my phone nor a barista's phone I talked into trying for me along with my niece I text so don't know what was wrong with that (too many people on at the same time for the day or what?!) plus there was 1 more coffeeshop in town going along that I didn't know about at the time so missed them, but made it to StoryCoffee 'n UrbanSteam for my free fun cups while supplies lasted for the 2nd season of Gilmore Girls 'n their fav local coffeeshop guy with the attitude hah?! (now maybe I should go watch more than a half a show this season...)

one more I didn't get a bag of beans from yet #InertiaCoffee who I'd met at the event in Castle Rock on their Fair Grounds, but now they have a lil shop open - which they've moved their roaster into 'n have just started FacebookLive before going to a Podcast I think it is (not to forget their e-mails of Coffee Facts for the Day/Week is it, that has been a refresher in coffee education... like do you refrigerate your beans or use them as fertilizer etc....)

and twas some fun when I did the best of from last year in Colorado Springs, CO 'n the year before in The Woodlands, TX (just north of Houston, TX) over on #ig #insta #instagram therre was lots 'n lots of coffee hah?! so that trend will continue this year fo sure!!

end of last year I recycled early 'n so the #coffeesleeves went into the recycle bin Nov/Dec maybe,
but all the fond memories from the year, from the coffees, the coffeeshops, the beans... sigh... 'n all the ones to come this year... eee...

Yes, it is time to do just this #getshitdone 'n thanks to #WelcomeFellow can do just that?!
hmm... now this reminds me I have not only a set of Fav FAB Keepcups but also #coffeemugs 'n now must go find them, then I'll be done 'n ready for the day of Let's Go Get Some Coffee Somewheres!!

and some of the Top Fav FAB #CoffeeMugs in my lesser collection, as we've moved 'n moved 'n moved I've had to recycle them on--but these still a few I will never let go?!

#buildingthreecoffee #bldg3coffee #LoyalCoffee #loyalaf #htown #flyhighlittlebunny front 'n flipside #CaffeineHell (from a Fav FAB Silver Jewelry shop in Houston, TX - that last time I lived there they're still there 'n one very lucky special year from me they made these mugs... I shoulda got a dozen of 'em?!) pottery mug from Venezuelan potters up in the mountains near Puerta la Cruz where lots of creatives lived 'n worked #TaiPotters (since all the chaos in the country continues I have lost touch with them as well as the expats that were there when I was there 'n the Spanish English students that out family knew there... but all the moves since then 'n still have 2 of their mugs!!)

and the #Keepcups collection with that fav lil espresso machiatto size one caught out in the wild
plus one more from #LoyalCoffee #loyalaf a #sticker on the best place for it a blue #SwellBottle

one more thing I'll be waiting for, that didn't show up in time for the holidays last year - but they were nice enough to send out postcards to cleverly "Celebrate the Wait" from the GIR Team LoveIt!
So my #Evercup by #Voltaire from their #Kickstarter fundraiser is going to show up in this New Year sometime 'n I think it's worth waiting for (got my Keepcups to keep me going until I can try this new travel cup in town for my coffee while road tripping or whatever else comes my way?!)


Onward into 2017 where there will be drinking of good coffees, mostly espressos, 'n coffee cuppings, coffeeshops, coffeebeans, coffee roasters, a Caffeine Crawl (maybe I can squeeze in more than 2 routes this year too) 'n a Coffee Competition to follow next month starting in Austin, TX (I'll be watching it all livestreaming online I'm hoping, fingers crossed--got some local coffee peeps going so must cheer them on!!) Go Colorado Springs Coffee Community!!!!

Peace, Love, Coffee!!!