DIY Felt Xiao Long Bao

My family loves eating xiao long bao (soup dumplings).

I recently thrifted a bamboo steaming basket (xiao long), which my mom has always wanted, and thought it would be cute to give it to her filled with felt xiao long bao. I cut 6 circles of off-white felt, and pinched around the top while sewing the flaps down, to make little dumplings (bao).

They look (almost) good enough to eat! Though they are filled with stuffing instead of meat and veggies.

<3 Mandy

DIY Spaceless Neck Pillow

Whenever I travel, I like to carry a neck pillow with me on the plane to keep my neck supported, especially if I want to sleep on a redeye. The only problem is that it takes up so much space, and is only useful for the plane; you just have to lug it around for the rest of the trip. I saw an ad in an email from REI for a puffy jacket that has a carrying case in the form of a neck pillow, and thought it was a great idea. I carry my rain jacket in a carrying case to keep it packed away until I need it. I didn't need to buy a new puffy jacket, and thought it would be easy to make my own pouch. The project only took 20 minutes to complete! Here's how I made it:

Using my usual neck pillow as a guide, I traced the outline onto a folded sheet of fleece fabric. I cut the shape out, leaving one edge intact.

I sewed along the edges with a sewing machine, leaving a hole the size of my fist, to be able to stuff my puffy jacket into it.

It worked out perfectly, is just as comfortable as my favorite neck pillow, and takes up practically no space. I can wear the jacket while at my destination, and the case is flat and small.

Comfy travels!
<3 Mandy