Santa Matchbox Christmas Tree Decoration

More matchbox Christmas tree decorations today, on which I managed to use up a whole pile of wooden Santa's I had forgotten I’d even got, until I went rummaging in some boxes on the top shelf of my craftroom looking for something completely different!

I have been sitting and putting the matchbox trays together while watching X Factor………
……  and then putting the covers together upstairs, when there is nothing on the tele…………. trying to resist the urge to just try one or two teddies, just to make sure they are not erm…… stale!!!
I am really loving all the possibilities these matchboxes bring …… with ideas for all the year round……

…… and with that in mind I need to keep my eyes open for cheap decorative self adhesive borders, tape and ribbons or dies to cut narrow borders with to decorate the sides, as I am now running low …. though normally I am very much a less is more gal, on these boxes I think the more bling and embellishment the better.

When The Red, Red Robin Christmas Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and is made using a hand cut blank of PaperCellar Christmas patterned card.

When I last went down to London, I was under strict instructions to bring Marc ten packets of these Paperchase robin stickers (£1) with me, and can you believe it, he still needed another five, as he has sixty robins on a branch cards to make for his partners sisters school!

And, the idea for this card came from one of our sessions when we just throw ideas at each other for hours on end ….. needless to say, this was one of Marc’s ideas, which I think is genius ….. and so simple!  All I had to do was find an image of the sheet music for “When the Red, Red Robin….”  that just had the words “When the red, red robin, comes bob, bob bobbin along!” on the first line,  I thought it might be a nightmare, but I hit gold almost first time.

I then had to copy, paste and print the image to fit a 6ins x 6ins card, and then mat and layered it on silver mirror card …… before finally adding the robins, with a tiny bit of doodling to indicate that they were bob, bob, bobbin!.

It’s an idea I think could be developed further ….. and fortunately I have got a couple of spare packs of robins to work with, even if it’s after Christmas. These robins have so much potential!

This Christmas, like Halloween has been a poor year for “good” stickers, my staple for cards etc. …… I know I could stamp …… but you know me, I am such a lazy crafter!!!!

Following On ……Fiona Says …..

Following on from my excitement on finding Mason Jars in PoundWorld Fiona sent me this e-mail and photos ……

“Just seen your post about the mason jars, it is a big thing in America, all my relatives use them, I was soo excited when I saw them in Poundworld and just thought I would let you see what I did with them, they are filled with hot chocolate fixings”

Fiona

Now there’s an idea …… not sure where Fiona’s Santa hat’s have come from, or if she’s made them …….  but I am wondering if the wine bottle toppers I have seen in Poundland might work?

Poundworld Glass Drinking Jars

I think you can see how fast these were selling in Poundworld yesterday, and I just couldn’t resist either!  I loved them these drinking jars when I saw them in Vegas and did bring a couple home with me, despite needing to pay extra luggage allowance, because at the time they were hard to find in UK and very expensive!

So I bought a couple as small fairing presents for friends ….. and a couple for my glasses cupboard ….. and I think you will know by now from what I will be drinking my festive Barcardi and coke this Christmas …… so classy!

Tiny Gingerbread Men in A Tiny Jar Christmas Tree Decoration

This was one of those projects I was concerntrationg on so hard I forgot to take any pictures as I was going along …… doh!

It’s a one off for one of the girls in my office who this year has gone mad on gingerbread men for her festive decor ….. and I thought this would be a tiny something for her tree.

The bottle is about 4cm tall (from The Works 99p for 6) into which I have put seven tiny fimo gingerbread men made using the tiny silicone mould I bought a couple of years ago from Etsy and a few tiny hologram stars

I have used a small silver spacer bead cap with a silver screw eyelet on the top for the thread ………

…… and a larger one on the bottom with a flat backed gem in the middle, using E6000 glue to stick them on with.

A red gingham ribbon tied round the top finishes the whole effect.

Tiny Christmas Tree In A Bottle

As you know I have wanted to make a tiny Christmas Tree in a bottle for ages after stumbling upon them on Pintrest…… and at last finally, look what I’ve done, I am sooooooooo chuffed.
I have been hampered by not finding what I believe are called bottle brushes in UK, I realised I would have to look for the in USA but oh my life the postage when I thought I had found a supply.  Then finally I found some (1in high)on Etsy, with a reasonable P & P and my heart sang!!

My next obstacle was the bottles and there I had to take a leap of faith, I measured the ones I had from The Works and worked out that they “ought” to fit so bought a few more.

When the trees arrived all went like clockwork when I experimented with the first bottle as the tree just slide in (picture below)

So I started blithely painting and glittering the first twelve trees, with a mixture of white paint and PVA and then a sprinkling of translucent micro glitter

Then disaster struck  ……. after putting a circle of white glitter paper inside the bottle, to look like snowy ground, (a very fiddly task), and the trees were dry,  I attempted to one into a bottle …… only to find they just wouldn’t go beyond the neck of the bottle, no way would it slide in …. the first one must have been a fluke!!!!  I was distraught! But I was determined I would not be beaten.

Then I had a eureka moment and removed one of the tree bases and replaced it with a wooden bead …… it worked and still looked in proportion!  So all bases were then duly replaced ……

Putting the trees wasn’t a problem, I used E6000 glue on the bottom, but had to keep checking as it dried that the tree didn’t lollop to one side …. so had to twiddle with them every so often to make sure they were centred.

While they were drying I got on with the corks, simple gluing on a decorative spacer bead and a tiny eyelet.  It was tempting to add something round the neck of the bottle but that obscured the view of the top of the Christmas tree and that was what the idea was all about, so in the end I decided that a pearl on the hanging thread was enough.

So there you are, I have finally made something I always wanted to make but didn’t have a clue how to ….. I will give the bottles (if I can bear to give any away) to special friends instead of a card, cards are usually discarded after Christmas, but this token can be put on the tree year after year.  

Wooden Heart Tree Decoration

This was an experiment,  but I think it’s an experiment I won’t repeat as I feel that I may have over egged the pudding ……

I just wondered what it would look like if I took the original, plainer heart and coloured in the flowers and swirls and added a few flat backed gems and pearls …. and then a gingham ribbon ……

I should have left the original as it was, less is more!!!

Chocolate Sprouts Christmas Tree Decoration

Do you remember the nets of chocolate sprouts I found in M & S a few weeks ago, well, I have finally used them!!!
I put them in matchboxes to hang on the Christmas tree.

I used my Stampin’Up matchbox die to cut the boxes and have finally found a way of folding and putting them together without driving myself demented, with thanks to YouTube!!!

I found an image of a Christmas sprout, copied and pasted it, so I had enough to put on nine boxes (enough for the number of sprouts I had) and then further embellished them by adding glossy 3D paint to the hats and bobble, googly eyes and a smiley mouth, and left for 24hrs for the paint to set.

While they were drying I put the matchbox covers together trying to use as many of the odd bits and pieces I have in an effort to use up stuff, rather than buy any more!

I also decided to go the whole hog and added holly confetti and berry flat backed gems to the sprouts hats, plus a few gold peel off corners here and there.  The gold foil, sentiment circles come from Craftwork Cards.

I secured the ribbon hanger using an eyelet set with my cropodile and then added a bead for extra detail and colour.

The matchboxes are big enough hold eight sprouts.  I have lot’s of “pretty” papers and stickers to make matchboxes for the ladies …. but I think these are a perfect alternative for the boys.

Robin Christmas Tree Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and is made using a hand cut blank of PaperCellar Christmas patterned card.

As soon as I saw these Paperchase robin stickers (£1) I knew they would be brilliant for making a robin Christmas tree, because the pack included robins that faced both left and right, which doesn’t happen very often in packs of stickers.

The ones wearing the scarves in particular were perfect for using at each end of the bottom row.

All I have had to add to the design was the tub using small, square, flat backed gems, a red flat back gem star on the top and a few dots here and there to fill in the spaces.

Fimo Snowman Pendant Tray

I think this is a posh version of my bottle cap ideas!!!!

Marc reminded me about the 1in pendant trays he sent me a while back, saying that as they are a ready made pendant, there would be no fiddle farting about punching holes and attaching jump rings as with a bottle cap.

So I had a go ….. the snowman ….. agh, as well as working on such a tiny scale, working with white fimo is a nightmare, trying to keep it white, especially when adding other colours. And, this is my second snowman, after getting the first one just right …. I only went and put him in a oven that was too hot and burnt him!!!  Can you burn snowmen?

However, while this second version was cooking, I prepared the pendant tray, making a background of plain blue and glittered paper and doodling a few snowflakes.

When the snowman had cooled I glued him into the tray using E6000 glue, which is really strong and then filled the tray with Anita’s 3D clear gloss finish to add a bit of depth and dimension.

I am particularly proud of the snowman’s arms …. boy were they fiddly!!

The Duch Does A Bit Of Poundland Shopping ……

I couldn’t resist these Christmas friendship bracelets I found in Poundland this week ……..

I had been looking at something very similar in an accessories shop that I have also been known to frequent in the past for their stickers (sadly, not such good value or as inspiring these days) but their bracelet set was £6, (which I see are now reduced to £1.80) and believe me they are identical!!!!  I feel I need to purchase a few more sets just for fun fairing gifts for my friends to start Advent season with ……at 20p each, it’s a no brainer!!!!!

 http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_2,acc_2.2/4841919900#

Tiny I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas Bottle Tree Decoration

Oh my life, if you only knew how many times I fiddled and farted with this idea to get it right!!!!!  Nothing I tried looked right.

The corked bottle came from The Works and is approximately 4cms tall (pack of 6 for 99p). The first thing I made was label, but forgive me, I don’t have the file on this computer and so cannot remember the name of the font or size, but believe me it’s small! I made a whole sheet of them, just in case I want to make some more bottles.

On the cork I used a small silver spacer bead cap with a silver screw eyelet for the thread, and then added a tiny, white snowflake button. I tried all sorts of thread, but in the end the only one that was soft and pliable enough for the hanger and round the top of the bottle was white embroidery cotton.

Round the top of the bottle I wound more cotton and then attached a small metal snowflake charm and tiny blue bead to add a touch of colour.

I filled the bottle about half way with tiny polystyrene balls that I have had for years and a few hologram stars.

Now that I have the first one made and the formula to do it sorted I am planning on making a few more …….

But ……  what I am really desperate to make is something like this (below)  ……. using what I believe are called bottle brush trees and which are impossible to find in UK.

confessionsofaholidayjunkie.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/christmas-in-july-day-7-magical-holiday.html

I finally found some from US on Etsy where not only was the price reasonable but so was the postage and anxiously await their arrival  …… On one occasion, thinking I had found what I was looking for by the shed load I blithely filled my basket, only to find at the checkout that the postage was $36 …… double the cost of my shopping!!!!

I think I may have start a campaign to bring the miniature bottle brush tree to British crafting …… you watch next year they will be everywhere!!!!

Nine Square Robin Christmas Card

This card measures 6ins x 6ins and is made using a hand cut, white linen effect card blank.

Well, it was a no brainer, these Paperchase robin stickers (£1 per pack) were made to go on a nine square card.

Lots of mat and layering, and nine punchies using my Xcut small scalloped square punch, plus a bit of faux stiches and a few dots here and there. Simples!

Message for goodthings

In answer to your comment – e-mail me and I will see what I can do!

W.E Interiors Theatrical Live Window Event

OMG .......  I have excelled myself, it may have taken me over 5 hours, but I finally worked out how to bring you the short video that was made for W.E. Interiors Theatrical Live Window Event last Saturday 8th November   ……. so that you could just get a flavour of what a brilliant evening it was. Seeing it now from the other side of the window, I can't get over how brilliant it all looked and I reckon as an ad it could rival John Lewis any day!!!
https://www.facebook.com/weinteriors

Wayfair UK

Exciting news Chez Fiddle Fart, I received an e-mail from Marne representing a company called Wayfair UK (http://www.wayfair.co.uk/), a company that has "a zillion things for the home", and new to me, saying that she had seen some of my up-cycling projects and wondered if I might like to peruse the Wayfair site to see if there were any products that might inspire me to produce a tutorial exclusive to their site ........  are Maltesers my confectionery of choice?????? Well, I had to say yes didn't I?

To be honest at the start  I struggled, all the items are lovely, so lovely that in my mind fiddle-farting with them would have been like gilding the lily!

However, prompted and persuaded by Marne I have settled for something very, very simple and which will work to a festive theme ...... but that is all I am allowed to divulge.  If all goes well I am hoping that my tutorial will "go live" at the end of November and then I will reveal all through a link to Wayfair ......

In the meantime have a look for yourselves, I have soooooooo many new objects of desire now it’s impossible!!

Patchwork Christmas Card

This card measures 6ins  x 6ins and is made using a hand cut white linen effect card blank.

This year I am aiming to make cards that are very quick and simple in an effort to use up a lot of the stuff I have had for years, and as such have been taking a closer look at all my 8” x 8” Christmas pads, in particular looking for papers that have a patchwork pattern that can be used as a whole or papers that have a small pattern that can be up cut into squares or stripes to create a patchwork effect.

This paper falls into the “using whole category”, which just needed mat and layering on white and then red.  All I had to do then was add a Craftwork card Christmas sentiment circle on a strip across the top of the card with a few large, flat backed gems.

I have to admit adding tiny gems and micro glitter to the pattern isn’t that quick, to be honest it’s down right fiddle-farty, especially as my eyesight isn’t what it used to be and as a result I have had to buy a pair of 3.00 readers from Poundland to wear over my contact lenses especially for the task.!!!

Christmas Nativity – Angel in A Bottle Cap

Last bottle cap today …..

A little angel with a decidedly dodgy hair cut. Her original hair colour was blonde but it didn’t show up very well.  I think if I dare, looking at this picture,  I need to add just a tiny weeny bit more glitter to her halo.

Now …… no I try to do a snowman in a bottle cap? ….. Might tap me a few days, but I’ve dared myself now!!!

Christmas Nativity–Shepherd And His Sheep in A Bottle Cap

Today ….. my shepherd and his sheep ……

My favourite bit ? His crook …… it’s sooooooo tiny and this time last year I wouldn’t have had a clue how to go about making it …. but thanks to Marc and all his expert jewellery making technique tutorage and patience (none of which he say I have!!!!!!),  it was a doddle …. thank you Marc, you taught me gud and proper!!!