Project 22 - Chuppa Chupps carry pack

Another one for the kids today!!! (Big and little!!) Apologies in advance for the poor quality pics!! These could be party favours, hung on the tree or used on the table!

You will need:

Sheet of thick paper I used American Crafts A La Carte papers

4 Gromlets

Big Bite

Ribbon

Large designer eyelet

Tissue paper

4 Chuppa Chupp lollies or similar

Double sided tape

1. Cut a piece of the patterned paper 10 cm by 26 cm. Score at 2cm from short edge then 12cm, then 14cm then 24cm. Score at 2cm up from one of the long edges right across.

2. Using the large designer eyelet and the Big Bite, make a hole in the front panel of the bag and set the eyelet for decoration. You could use something else to decorate if you don't have a Big Bite.

3. Set some gromletts in the top edge of the bag where you want the ribbon handles. These just stop the ribbon from pulling through and tearing when you carry them. Punch holes in the centre of the gromletts using the big bite.

4. Thread through two lengths of ribbon for the handles and knot on the outside for decoration.
5. To assemble the box, apply double sided tape along the inside of one of the sides. Cut up to the lower score line on the long edge at every vertical score line. Overlap the side seam and stick in place.
Complete the base of the box like wrapping a parcel, fold in the sides first and then one of the longer base pieces, applying double sided tape to each piece as necessary. Complete with scrunched piece of tissue paper in the base to support the lollies.

December Daily - Day 22

Very simple, piece of patterned paper on the other side of yesterday's black page.

Pop by tomorrow for anither crafting project! TFL x

Project 21 - Voucher Vases

Last year I was looking for a novel way to give money or a voucher and I came up with money wallets. This year I decided to get a bit more creative and make a nice gift for a gift card that looked a bot more special, I came up with voucher vases!

You will need:

A small bud vase (mine were from IKEA)

Five bamboo kebab skewers

Patterned paper

Buttons

Candy Cane

Ribbon offcut

Curling ribbon

Cellophane

Silicone Glue

Flower rubber stamp in large and small

Ink Pad

3" Woodware scallop circle punch (purple)

Smaller Woodware scallop circle punch (Blue)

Aluminium garden wire

Fine nosed pliers

1. Stamp the flower images on to the patterned paper in two different sizes. Pucn out using the scallop circle punches or hand cut if you prefer.

2. Layer the flowers up using silicone glue and add a button for the flower centre. Glue the flower to the bamboo skewers using the silicone and leave to dry overnight. Add leaves cut from green paper if you want, but not too far down the stems or they will not go in the bud vase.

3. Cut a long length of wire and curl one end around the fine nosed pliers to make a spiral, like we did for the photo holder. Flatten it gently and this will hold your gift card.

4. Tie a short piece of ribbon around the neck of the bud vase and knot or tie a bow.

5. Arrange the flowers in your hand in a bunch and add the gift card folder. When you are happy with the display, hold the stems together temporarily with some sellotape. Using a long length of curling ribbon, wrap tightly around the stems and knot it tightly. Curl the long ends that remain using the blade of your scissors. Feed the long ends into the bud vase and then the stems of the flowers. Check you are happy with the arrangement and then wedge them in place using the candy cane stick.

6. Cut a long strip of cellophane about 50cm wide, stand the vase in the centre and bring up opposite corners and staple. Make pleats in the excess at the sides and staple in place. Curl a long length of ribbon and staple to the top. All you need to do now is add a gift tag! Garden vouchers are great given this way!!

December daily - Day 21

Another spare black page from a mini album. Just add patterned paper and a couple of tags.

Pop back tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 20 - Wreaths and Garlands

This year I have made an outdoor wreath an indoor wreath and a spice garland for the kitchen! All would make great gifts too!

Outdoor Wreath
You Will Need:
A plain wreath of green artificial spruce (Homebase or similar)
3 Christmas Ornaments that will withstand outside
One reel of wire edged ribbon
Nutmeg, Cinnamon sticks and dried orange slices
Felt star or similar
Welcome plaque made from Balsa wood or similar painted with word "welcome" and sprayed with spray varnish
Florist wire

1. Lay the wreath on the table and begin by placing items around the wreath to check the arrangement, remember odd numbers of things are best design wise!!
2. Tie a bow in the wire edged ribbon and place to one side, twirl the ends. Punch holes in the top corners of the sign and thread wire through the top to hang up. wind it around a pencil to get a twirl effect before threading back through the other side.
3. Once you are happy with the placement of the items, wire them on to the wreath using the florist wire. Hang from the door with a wreath hanger (I wire mine to this to stop thieves!!!)

Indoor Wreath
You Will Need:
Corrugated cardboard
Sheet music
Patterned paper
PVA glue
Foam spreader
Maya Mist - iridescent pearl
Heidi Swapp clear extras - runway
Twine

1. Draw a circle on corrugated card and cut away the inner circle to create a wreath ring about 8 inches in diameter. Cut a second one and glue them together for strength making sure the corrugations go in two directions. Leave to dry. Cover one side of the wreath ring with the patterned paper. Tie a loop of string around the wreath ring at this stage to hang up with later.
2. Cut the sheet music into oblongs of various sizes about six inches by four - some bigger and some smaller.

3. Roll each oblong of sheet music into a cone shape and spread glue along the edge to close the seam. Arrange the cones on the wreath ring and apply with PVA glue. Go all around the wreath ring in one layer and leave to dry.

4. When dry, arrange some extra cones of sheet music to cover any gaps in the first layer, so the wreath ring is not visible underneath.

5. Decorate the wreath with 3 clear extras and spritz with Maya Mist in iridescent pearl.

Spice garland

You will need:

6 oranges

1 pack of nutmegs (Mine were from Holland and Barrett)

1 pack of cinnamon sticks

1 box of bay leaves

scraps of fabric

4 mini wooden cotton reels

twine

1. Slice the oranges and lay on a baking tray. Dry them in the oven on a low heat for a long time, turning regularly until they have dried out fully. They smell gorgeous by the way!

Meanwhile, drill a hole through each nutmeg using a cordless screw driver and a fine drill bit. They are quite soft!

2. Group the cinnamon sticks into bundles and tie up securely with twine. Rip the fabric into strips, with tatty edges.

3. Using a darning needle and some twine, start threading all the items on the string in groups, being random with the order. Ties scraps of fabric here and there between items. Make a loop in each end of the twine to hang it up with.

December Daily Album - Day 20

The other side of the jar shaped page. A small piece of patterned paper is stuck down on three sides to make a pocket. A card from some Anna Griffin ribbon makes a pretty tag with a ribbon pull added to the top.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 19 - A Carrier bag holder

Last year we made and apron out of a tea towel, this year we are making a bag for bags! If you are like me, you have a bag of bags, just in case!!! Less now maybe than before, now we have bags for life, but those I do get I am determined to keep and recycle, so this would be a very useful gift. I did machine applique on this one, but again you could use Bondaweb and just cut out the letters and iron them in place!

You will need;
A linen type tea towel (not a thick towelling one with pile)
Scraps of patterned fabric
3 Buttons
Embroidery thread
20 cm narrow Elastic
1 metre of Cord
Thread
Sewing Machine
Safety Pin

1. Iron scraps of fabric big enough for your letters on to Bondaweb or I used iron on Vilene. Cut out the letters big and chunky to make them easier to sew around.
Open out the tea towel flat, long edges at the top and bottom, and pin or iron the letters in place in the centre of the towel.

2. As I used Iron on Vilene, I had to pin my letters to hold them still and then carefully stitch around the letters using a satin stitch, that is a zig-zag stitch of about width 2 and length of a half. Iron the letters again after sewing to flatten them. Sew buttons on with embroidery thread for the holes in the letters B and A.
3. Fold the bag in half with the letters on the INSIDE. Join the two short edges of the towel together with a straight seam. Remember to reverse at each end of your stitching to secure!! Turn the right way out.

4. Fold a hem to the inside and stitch, at the top and bottom of the bag, leaving an opening to thread the elastic and the cord. At the top, thread the cord through the channel you have made, using a safety pin to push it along. Knot the two ends of the cord. At the bottom, use the safety pin to thread the elastic through, Pull up until you can get your hand inside comfortably, then knot the two ends together.

A great hand made gift that will tidy up a few kitchen cupboards I am sure!!!

December Daily - Day 19

This page is another of the jar looking pages I got from the hairdressers!! This time I covered the whole page in patterned paper and then tied a ribbon around the neck to make it look like a jar! I threaded a tag made from Anna Griffin paper on to the ribbon to look like a label.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

P.S. Only one more week to go to the end of the countdown!! Wow!

Project 18 - Reindeer Poop!

Yes you did read that correctly, it seems to be all the rage at the moment! It will bring a smile to childish faces young and old!!

You will need:
Chocolate Raisins
cellophane and curling ribbon
Scotch magic tape
Double sided tape
A4 sheet of thick patterned paper like American Crafts
Woodware circle punch and scallop circle punch in blue
Tiny alpha stamp set
Black ink pad
Brown chalk eye ink pad
Offcuts of red and brown paper
Tiny brads
Pennant stamp (Pink Persimmon)
Flower brad
Silicone glue

1. Make a cone of cellophane and secure with Scotch magic tape. Fill with chocolate raisins, tie with curling ribbon and curl.

2. For the reindeer character head, sketch a head shape with ears on to plain brown patterned paper and cut out. Ink around the edges with dark brown ink pad for shading. Cut out an oval in red plain patterned paper, ink the edges and mount on to the reindeer face with a large foam pad. Cut two small red ear shapes to sit inside the ear for contrast. (See close up of face below.)Pierce and add two small brads for the eyes, quite close together looks cute! For the antlers, punch out a scallop circle in brown. Using the plain circle punch clip small amounts off the edge of the scallop in sections to make antlers. You can get three equal sized antlers per scallop circle. Put these on one side for later.

3. Stamp the pennant stamp in a colour to co-ordinate with your paper for the cone. Stamp the outline stamp over the top. Using the small alphabet stamp set, stamps the words "reindeer poop" in black.

4. To make the cone, fold the A4 sheet of patterned paper in half and just pinch at the centre point - DO NOT CREASE IT ALL THE WAY UP! This gives you a centre point to form the base of your cone from.

5. Before rolling the cone, apply double sided tape along one corner of the paper in two directions as in this photograph. About three inch pieces are long enough. Starting with the tape at the far edge, away from you, curl the cone shape, keeping the base nice and tight. Remove the tape backing as you get there and secure the cone closed by pressing lightly.

6. To secure the cone closed, pierce a hole with a pricking tool at the final edge of the overlap and push a brad through to the inside of the cone and open put on the back.

Slide the cellophane bag of chocolate raisins into the decorative cone.

7. To close the cone, fold the top open point down on to the back of the cone and secure with scotch magic tape. Fold in both pointy "ears" of the cone to the back and crease, to help hold the cone closed. Apply a small amount of glue to the point of the pennant and slide into the seam on the top right hand corner.

8. Using a small amount of silicone glue, apply some to the reindeer head and place on the front of the cone for decoration. Apply small amounts of glue to each antler and tuck them behind the reindeer face. Allow to dry.

These could also be made in traditional colours and placed on the Christmas table as table favours. Fill with everyone's favourite sweets of small gift instead of a cracker!

December daily album - Day 18

This day is the other side of the plastic notebook cover that has a pocket on it again. I covered the inside of the cover with a piece of patterned paper and then made some tags from Anna Griffin paper that looks like antique Christmas cards. I cut them out individually and mounted them on card to make tags. Punch a hole and add some ribbon to each one.

As an extra page, I covered this thin "bottle" shape page (another find at the hairdressers shop!) with patterned paper and added some eyelets and the word NOEL cut from backing paper. This page could always be moved to where extra space is needed as it has no number on it "a floating page!"

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 17 - A Christmas Apron

Whilst browsing through a magazine recently, I came across the advert for this Vintage apron from John Lewis. My mum is always wearing an apron and has asked for some new ones for Christmas, but I thought it would be nice to make her a kit up for an easy sew apron she could make herself. The fabric reminds me a bit of Cath Kidston, whom I am always raving about! And I may make her one up in that, but there are loads of fabrics out there for you to choose from and suit them to the person's personality! A kit is a great gift if you are not a sewer and better to make a little decorated pack up with trimmings and thread and present it nicely. Cheaper than £15 pounds too!

Last year you remember I made a Christmas apron using a vintage pattern I bought from the USA on E bay. I also made Cath Kidston aprons using this vintage pattern I bought on a French antique market.This year a friend gave me a piece of Christmas fabric she had bought at a craft fayre and asked me to make her the apron as she does not sew. That's another gift you could give! Your time and expertise. I used the vintage pattern above and made her this! She was delighted!

However you do it, think about making a Christmas apron! I have even started wearing one for crafting! Saves getting glue and ink on my clothes!! How about a craft apron then?? Iron some scraps of fabric onto Bondaweb and cut out a design, then iron it on the front of the apron! There you are, personalised!!! I sew, so I can applique around the edge using a small zig zag stitch, but you don't have to! Maybe you embroider and could buy an apron and embroider a message on the pocket. Loads of ideas! And don't forget the quick apron you could make out of a tea towel as described last year! Check out the link at the bottom of this post to 52 free apron patterns! Now what's your excuse????

December Daily - Day 17

You can just about make out a clear page from a Papermania acrylic album that I have applied a rub on to, in cream. This could be used for the 16th or the 17th as extra space. Behind it is the page labelled 17, made from a plastic cover from a notebook. I stuck a piece of patterned paper on it using some silicone glue. You see, don't throw anything away!!! This I trimmed with a Making Memories fabric tag from their Fa-la-la range to add some texture and another 3D tree from Anna Griffin.

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Updated to add just found this link for 52 free apron patterns!

Project 16 - Shopping List holder

Everybody needs a shopping list! From the very old to the not so very old!! These are vintage inspired shopping lists, a perfect Christmas gift.

You will need;
A piece of wood/MDF or BIA Chipboard covers 10"x10"
Photocopy of a vintage magazine page
Sheet of music or music backing paper
Distress ink old paper and tea dye
Foam blending tool
Craft sheet
Pretty paper Napkin
1 sheet Patterned paper
PVA glue
Foam spreader
Vintage playing card or similar
Vintage kan-u-go cards or alphabet stickers
Small square punch (Yellow Woodware)
Blooms
Buttons
Chipboard swirls
Paint dauber
Rub ons
3 Large eyelets
Cropadile Big Bite
Large bull dog clip
Ribbons/lace
Stick pin
Bead
Sand paper
Dark brown chalk eye ink pad

This first notepad holder was made using the wooden lid from a two bottle wine case we were given last Christmas. I used the base to store my alphas and had not thrown the lid away and now I have found a use for it! The other two are made from BIA clipboard covers that work just as well.
1. Ink the photocopy of the vintage magazine page using a distress ink pad on a craft sheet and a foam blending tool. The original would be too thin to use. Ink the edges with the darker Tea Dye ink.
2. Tear pieces of sheet music and ink these edges too. Arrange on the wood and glue down using the PVA and the foam spreader. Spread glue thinly over the top of the whole sheet of wood.

3. Separate the layers of the napkin. They are usually 3 ply and you just need the top patterned layer for this. Smooth the napkin on top of the wet glue on the piece of wood and spread glue over the top of it trying to make a few creases here and there for texture. Don't worry if it does not cover the whole of the wood surface. Leave to dry for a while, in a warm place. When dry, trim the edges with a craft knife and sand using a sandpaper block to smooth. Ink the edges using a dark brown ink pad.

4. Punch hole carefully in the wood using the Cropadile Big bite being careful not to break it!! If you feel too much resistance, use a wood drill instead. Insert the large eyelets and set them in both top corners.

5. Work out where you want to place the list and the bulldog clip. Mark with a pencil and punch another hole using the Big Bite and set another eyelet. 5. Arrange your embellishments, rub ons etc to suit you and add a long length of ribbon, knotted, to hang the board up. Punch the letters out of the Kan-u-go cards using the square punch to spell the word list, add an odd "s" from another alphabet set.

Thread some ribbon through the holes on a large button and slide it to the mid point. From the back of the board, thread both ends of the ribbon through to the front and tie on the bull dog clip with a knot or bow.

Glue a sheet of patterned paper to the back and trim around the edge using a craft knife to neaten. Sand the edges and stain them with the dark brown ink pad.

Here are two that I made using vintage cook books and BIA clipboard covers. The first one also has a small blackboard on it, a piece of chipboard painted with blackboard paint.

This one uses a 1950's "How to Ice a Cake" booklet in that vintage pink! I am going to add mini bull dog clips to the side for receipts too!

December Daily Album - Day 16

This page is simple, a Theresa Collins Die cut shape I had left over from a project. I added a 3D tree embellishment from Anna Griffin to fancy it up!

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx