Knitted Mug Hug

I just love it when someone introduces me to an idea I have never come across before ….. I was so inspired last night that I sat knitting while watching The Apprentice, which as you know is sacrosanct!  It’s a Mug Hug!

…….. A little wrap around cosy for my mug (a definite too much time on my hands project!). It’s from this book – Knitted Mug Hugs!

I’ve used a red cotton type double knitting wool and size 8 needles for my hug and then embellished it with a large mother of pearl button to fasten it and small pearl heart shaped buttons on the main body.

I couldn’t believe it when I Googled the idea … I got so many wonderful results.

There is so many fun ideas out there,  that I don’t know about  ….. agggghhhh, if only I didn’t have to go to work!

Introducing Bodger and Badger

I love it when I get e-mails from followers and it’s even better when I get pictures too. Aren’t these soooooo cute, made by the super talented Megan (and her mum, Tracey). Me thinks I had better watch out!

Button Bags in Handbag Packets

I’ve had these large buttons for ages and thought it was about time I used them.

There’s nothing fancy about the idea, all I’ve done is stick a brooch fastening on the back with super glue.

It’s often the packaging that can sell a craft item so I thought I would put the badge/brooch in a little handbag made from a narrow cello bag, embellished with a topper, stickers and ribbon.
I have made the topper with just a small scrap of card, scored and folded in half, and then cut off the corners

My Homage To I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!

How sad am I? I just LOVE I’m a Celebrity ….. and this year I have a very soft spot for Nigel Havers, as Monkey would say, nom, nom, nom!!!!

So in honour of one of my favourite programmes I have made some Bush Tucker Trial Bags …. complete with truly disgusting, liquid filled jelly creatures!

I can hear my sister saying right now “Helen, you have too much time on your hands”

Especially as I have found time to decorate the back of the packets as well!

What’s In My Shopping Bag Today.

I am really trying to cut back, like every crafter I know, I’m always saying “I have too much stuff”  but I then, can’t resist a bargain, like these large puffy fabric stickers from Poundworld.  They are much larger than most of the stickers I use, but they are just so cute.  They had two other designs, but I resisted, thinking this was the set I would get most use out of.

This next item is pure indulgence ….. £1 from Morrison's, it’s for my festive desk at work….. it even changes colour, how brilliant is that?

I’m afraid my desk takes on a rather grotto-esque appearance in December, with fairy lights round my computer screen, and along my shelves, I have lots of  light up Christmas pens to use and drink from my festive mug ….. and that’s just for starters ……! I’ll post a picture when we are in the season of goodwill!

Finally, do you remember the gingerbread man moulds I was thrilled to find ….. well they have arrived safely all the way from Japan ……

….. but are just a tadge smaller than I had anticipated !! Oh my life!!  However, I am still thrilled …. I am going to make such cute 9 square template cards in the New Year!

A Poppy for Remembrance Sunday

As it’s Remembrance Sunday today I thought I would make something appropriate for the day and which I intend to give to my mum when I see her next.

The poppy was free a digital design download from Quickutz Silhouette where I have a monthly subscription.  As it was free, I don’t think it would be wrong of me to offer a copy of the file to anyone who would like it.

The centre is a huge silver brad that I have painted with a ceramic paint pen, as I didn’t want to use a black button on this occasion

If there was a crafting tool I would like to buy that I don’t think has been invented yet, it would be a “crumpler” – I love the crumpled look, but I’m not sure how to do it properly, I end up screwing things up into a ball over and over again but often risk the paper getting torn ….. come on Tim Holtz invent something for me – I am a damsel who needs to distress!

Kindness Day – 13th November 2010

This week I was overwhelmed by the kindness of one of my followers – Marc (he’ll hate me for writing this, but tuff mate!!!). He posted a message in my “chat box” one day last week saying that  he’d like to send me a copy of Tim Holtz’s Compendium of Curiosities, a book that I  have “lusted” over for ages, he also said he might add a few other bits to his parcel.  Well, the parcel arrived on Thursday and it made me cry …… that’s all I’ll say, because I’m filling up again now as I type this,  but “Thank You Marc” ……….

For more information check out http://kindnessdayuk.com/news_and_views.php and/or  http://mumsmonkey.blogspot.com/

Crafty Christmas Toothbrush

Remember earlier in the year when I bought these toothbrushes for 10p from Asda?

Well, this is what I have come up with using my “Sharpies” permanent pens for Christmas 2010 …..  I did post the first toothbrush I decorated a while back, it was flowery with tiny gems stuck in the centre of each flower, however, I road tested it while I was on holiday and the “Sharpies” didn’t hold out quite as well as I had hoped, so I have applied a couple of  thin layers of clear varnish to this one, which I hope will endure the vigour's of the Festive Season!
I know it’s sad and I should have better things to do ….. but what the heck ……. I am going to make a couple more and put them in two Monkey's Christmas Tut!
 
Ho, Ho, Ho!

Bulldog Clips for Mini Calendars

A couple of people have been asking where they can get mini bulldog clips for calendars etc., last year I bought mine from this e-bay seller - and received excellent service.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/144-Spring-Paper-Clips-Bulldog-Type-Small-21mm-Yellow-/200532897068?pt=UK_BOI_Office_Office_Supplies_Stationery_ET&hash=item2eb0b12d2c

He has them in yellow and pink and they cost £3.50 for 144 plus £2.24 P & P.

Date Book with Pockets

I wasn’t sure what to call this little book …. it’s a bit of everything really.  I’ve made it using my Bind It All and have put in twenty pages that I have edged with doodled lines.

On the first page I have put a complete Anita’s calendar tab, but on the next twelve pages I have split the tab up so that I have one month per alternate page.

 

On the other page, I have made a small pocket to put receipts, tickets, etc. in.  I am forever looking for receipts and scribbled pieces of paper with phone numbers on …. I thought  this would be a handy way of keeping them safe.

I’ve then decorated each page very simply with punched flowers etc. because I didn’t want the book to bulge

The back pages are for addresses, birthdays etc. I have just handwritten the titles on them and left the rest of the page blank.

Christmas Pudding Tree Decoration

I’ve made this Christmas pudding tree decoration using a tin from a set of twenty four wedding favours bought from HobbyCraft, it was an expensive impulse buy, but now I am determined to use a few of them this Christmas …..

I drew round the tin and made the pudding base with brown Bazzill paper, topped off with white glitter paper. I’ve glued a loop of thread between the two paper layers so that the tin can be hung on a Christmas tree branch

That’s all there is to it. The holly is made using a punch, and I’ve doodled a few currants using  white and black gel pens and finally, no project of mine would be complete without a few flat backed gem berries!  All I need to do now is find a few sweeties to pop inside.

Snowman Soup – New Packaging

I’ve come up with a new design for my Snow Soup packets.  Last year they sold really well and hopefully the new design will attract new and old customers.  I will put a sachet of hot chocolate, some mini marshmallows, a candy cane and a red foil wrapped heart shaped chocolate in a square cello bag.   I’ve used a digi scrapbooking set called Little Joys to make up the design from:- http://sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/product.php?productid=16188&cat=0&page=3

Alphabet Beads - Top Tip

The alphabet beads I have used the the project below were a present which I believe came from Cox and Cox http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/products/alpha-bead-kit-60gm3mtr-cord and I think they were quite expensive at £6.

However I have done a little research for you on e-bay.  There are lots of alphabet bead sets, but also it is possible to buy sets of 50 single vowels like a's and e's, which is brilliant as they are the first letters to get used up.  So what I would suggest, if you are making bracelets etc. for Brownie groups would buy a couple of alphabet sets plus a extra set of each vowel - the shop below has sets of 50 single letters for 90p + 90p P&P

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Angs-Attic/Alphabet-Beads-by-the-letter-/_i.html?rt=nc&_fsub=2079338015&_sid=76809655&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1581&_pgn=2 - and I don't think it would take much to put together a matching set.  Hope this top tip is of help!!

Friends Forever Friendship Bracelets

I made these bracelets for a friend’s daughters 16th Birthday sleepover.

I’ve used alphabet beads, 0.5mm red waxed cord, spacer beads and a few left over stickers.

The bracelets couldn’t be easier to make.

I made a sheet of backing cards using publisher and cut them to fit the cello bags I wanted to package the bracelets in.

To make it look a bit more professional, I  have added another piece of card on the back so the surplus cord on the bracelets cannot be seen and a fancy 3D sticker as a bag seal.

I know it’s all a bit of fiddle fart but sometimes it’s the packaging that makes all the difference, a bit like Easter eggs!

Christmas Pillowcase

Do you remember the brocade pillowcase I got from a local market for £1 a few weeks back, well I’ve embellished it ……

I know it’s only a few clear flat backed gems, but it’s going to look so beautiful at the bottom of someone's bed this Christmas.  I am still toying with the idea of gathering it with a thick black velvet ribbon just under the embellished bit, but I’m not sure, I need to see what it looks like with presents in first.

Stamped Paper Flower Bulletin Board Pins

The original idea for these bulletin board pins came from:-http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2010/08/make-silk-flower-bulletin-board-pins/  where they were originally made from silk flowers, but I thought I could adapt the idea with materials that I had already.

To make my version I’ve used paper flowers, black StazOn ink and part of a Stampin’ Up stamp that had writing on.

For the centre of the flowers I have used these pins, which were a carboot find, bought for a few pence. I think that they may have originally been something to do with upholstery, but they are ideal for this project.

I stamped all the flowers first and then threaded them onto the pin, applying  plenty of strong PVA glue under the pin on the first flower and then a adding a dab to the centre of each layer to keep it all together, I find PVA adds a bit of strength to paper projects like this.

That’s all there is too them, not heavy duty I know, but pretty and a bit different.

I’ve made quite a few and will be putting two sets of four in my many pocketed Advent Calendar.

Snowman Soup

This is the snowman card I put in the Snow Man Soup packets

I used a square cello card bag to put the ingredients in, the card faces the front.

Behind it I put the hot chocolate sachet, candy cane and a small cello pretzel bag cut down a little for the marshmallows and a few metallic confetti stars.

A couple of people have asked me about this stamp - I got it from The HobbyCrafts Show at the NEC Birmingham a couple of years ago and it is beautiful in its simplicity.

It's called Grove of Trees, Ref. H895 and is available from The Craft Cow, prive £7.20
http://www.thecraftycow.co.uk/Flowers-Foliage-Trees_B22T0Z.aspx?page=1&sort=Default-ASC