Friday Find ~ Advent Garland

If you’re looking for an advent calendar that also makes a cute decoration, then this could be the one.

It’s easy to make with only a small number of readily available supplies. Perfect when time is short. The instructions can be found at Bugs and Fishes along with templates for all the shapes. The designs would also be great for simple Christmas cards to make with your children to give to their friends.

Laura has lots of great tutorials and if you’re a fan of felt, you’ve probably already come across her blog. If not, then go check her out. What are you waiting for?

I’ll be back tomorrow with a Christmas card design of my own.

Easter Treat Holder Tutorial

I saw these carrots on the Bo Bunny blog and mentioned I was making some for my nieces and nephews. A couple of people asked how to make them. I must admit I had assumed there were instructions, if you followed the link in my previous post, but it would seem there are not.

Rather than doing my usual FTILTF, I’ve put together a tutorial on how I made mine. DST = Double Sided Tape

Take a sheet of orange scrapbook paper and cut a piece measuring 6” x 4”. I have seen various measurements for the ‘sour cream containers’, but this meant I could get six treat holders from one 12” x 12” sheet. Turn it to the wrong side and apply DST down the long side and top and bottom edges, as shown in the photo.

Remove the backing from the tape on the long side and the bottom edge. Carefully roll the paper into a tube.

Seal the bottom of the tube together (the seam running from top to bottom is on the left side underneath) and put your treats inside. Turn the tube (as in the centre of the picture) remove tape backing and seal the top. Snip off the corners on both ends.

Cut a piece of green paper to measure 6” x 2” and fold in half, matching the short edges. Cut the paper to make a fringe, leaving about 1/2” uncut at the folded edge. Curl the paper over your fingers and then fold the long sides over each other.

Staple the carrot top onto the back of your carrot, with the seam in the middle. Punch a scalloped circle from coloured paper and a circle from white card. Glue them together and attach to the front, using a couple of foam pads. This will cover the rough side of the staple.

I used caramel bunnies inside my carrots, but you could use mini eggs or jelly beans. I’ll be personalising them with my niece’s and nephew’s initial letters. All ten of them have a different letter, which is handy.

The carrots on the Bo Bunny blog have had the tops crinkled with a paper crimper, but I don’t have one, so I’ve just left them as they are. If I was making them for very young children I think I would avoid using the staples altogether. Instead I’d put extra strong red backed DST all the way across the top edge and sandwich the carrot top inside when I sealed it.

I hope that all makes sense. Any questions just ask and I’ll do my best to answer. Apologies for the dark photos. It’s a very dull day here and I’m banished to the kitchen, while the lounge walls are being painted blue. Hooray!

Have a lovely Easter weekend.

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #148

It’s kitchen table crafting for me this week. It’s also the school holidays, so finding a moment when it is clear, of food or children’s activities, is rare!

I found a few minutes, before they were up this morning, to cut the paper for some sour cream containers. The idea is to make them look like carrots and fill with mini eggs. I’ll be handing them out to my nieces and nephews on Easter Sunday. It’s also my niece’s 18th birthday that day and she is having a tea party for all the family. I need to finish her card and make one for her sister, who is 20 tomorrow.

Fingers crossed for an empty kitchen table at least once today. Although that may not be until the children are in bed, if we have more rain. Yes, I know the gardens need it, but children on their school holidays don’t!

Head on over to Julia’s place for more crafty spaces. A few people asked about the woodgrain stamp I used and it’s from Hero Arts. I’ll be back on Friday with a few more Spring themed projects. Last week’s list is here, if you missed it.

ETA As Rita asked so nicely, I have written a tutorial which can be found in the next post.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Spring

After a little break from the Friday lists, I’m back with some Spring themed projects.

Bunny finger puppets from The Purl Bee.

Chicken juggling bags from pom pom emporium.

Linen bunnies from EAB designs.

Subway art painted Easter eggs from Lil’ Luna.

A bunny fold napkin.

I found the last one on Pinterest and sadly the link leads nowhere. However, with a bit of googling, I found some instructions here and have since discovered the photo is from Martha Stewart.

I decided to go back to using photos in my Friday Five, but I’m hoping that anyone wanting to pin any of these ideas will click through the links first. Thankyou.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ More Hearts!

Along with rainbows, stars and butterflies, I have a bit of a thing for hearts. It was difficult to pick just five last week, so here I am with the ones I left out.

A felt covered heart wreath from the idea room.

Teeny tiny crochet hearts from Attic 24.

A handwritten applique heart from Alisa Burke.

Mini heart brooches from the Purl bee.

Quick and easy paperclip hearts from How About Orange.

Next month I’ll be focussing on patchwork and quilting for my Friday favourites. Something different on that theme for each of the four weeks. I hope you’ll join me.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Hearts

With Valentines Day less than a month away there was only one theme it could be today.

An altered heart shaped box from Alisa Burke. There is room inside for your bits and bobs and the top is a pincushion. Love that doodly stitching.

A felt garland from Betz White.

 

An appliqued t-shirt from iCandy handmade. This looks like a really simple technique, yet it’s such an effective result. I’ll be trying this out for sure.

 

Heart shaped crayons from the long thread.

An appliqued cushion from Simple analogy.

Flying through today while I wait for my cookies to come out of the oven. I’ve got an old school friend calling in for lunch, on his way from Devon to London. Can’t wait.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Advent Calendars

As the title suggests, I’m showcasing a few of my favourite ‘Countdowns to Christmas’ this week.

Brown paper packages tied up with string.

 

Maya Road envelope banner.

Brown paper bags, decorated with a free printable.

Felt pockets and printable dangles.

Magnetic tokens on a tray.

I’m now thinking that I should have saved this theme for 10 Things on the 10th, as I could easily have listed double the ideas. There are so many gorgeous versions out there, I’m spoilt for choice. Now which one to make?

Make & Sew

If you are a fan of Cath Kidston, then you might be interested in these two 52 page booklets free with the Telegraph this weekend.

Part One is with today’s paper (Saturday) and then Part Two tomorrow.

I’ve got Sew! and it’s a lovely book, although the instructions are a little sparse sometimes, if you’re new to sewing. The 40 projects, of varying difficulty, include several different bags, cushions, aprons, tablecloth and napkins, quilts and lots of gift ideas. There is a full size pattern sheet with all the projects on it. Everything you need (except a reel of thread) to make the bag pictured on the front cover, is also included with the book, making it great value.

I wasn’t so impressed with Make! After a flick through I decided it wasn’t for me. There are 48 projects, which mostly involve decorating ready made items with applique and embroidery. 16 templates are included and the cotton tote bag shown on the cover, in its plain state, ready to pretty up.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more on the 52 Weeks of Mail event.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Gifts Part 3

Pre teens this week and I promised it wouldn’t all be sewing, so this lovely friendship bracelet kit doesn’t involve any!

Back to sewing, but this set of beanbags is really very simple. You could make these in any colours and there is even a link to some printable cards with different game ideas.

My daughter and her friends had great fun building a den at her sleepover a couple of years ago. A Fort Kit would have been ideal for them. 

I also found this girly version with a much easier way of making the ties, which didn’t involve a million yards of bias binding. That’s got to be a bonus.

I would have loved a sewing box like this when I was a little girl, although I’m not sure about sticking pins into a pretty little face pin cushion!

No sewing needed for this cute monster tote, the design is glued on to a ready made bag. It reminds me of Where the Wild Things Are, a much loved favourite.

I’ll be back with Part 4 next Friday, which will be gifts for teens and I’m hoping to find some good ideas for boys.

Five Things I’m Loving This Friday ~ Holiday Fun Part 2

Because there is always room for more fun during the Summer holidays, here are a few more ideas.

Finger puppets. There is a tutorial here showing how to make the pig and you can use the photos for inspiration to make lots of other animals.

Of course you’ll be wanting a theatre to put on your show. This one is made from a simple cardboard box.

I love this playmat made from a shower curtain. You can personalise it by drawing your own town and then let the children go wild with Sharpies and crayons.

We seem to be going through 4 pints of milk almost daily at the moment, so a craft that uses the empty plastic bottles has to be a good thing.

Both my children love to read and when it’s time for lights out, the bookmark can never be found. We’ll be making a supply of these I think.

Have fun if you try any of these ideas.