Wonky Snowman Gift Tag – Snowmen Don’t Have Ears!

Following on from yesterday I spent far to much time working on this snowman tag trying to get him to look right before realising it wasn’t me being ultra fussy, it was the wooden tag!

At first, I thought, from the outline that the snowman was wearing a hat, but though I tried to cut several out they never seemed to fit or sit well on his head, so I gave up and gave him a self adhesive Santa hat (from Yellowmoon).  I then gave him a scarf using scraps of paper and that seemed to work OK ……..

…….But trying to get a cute snowman face was a nightmare.  I used a fimo carrot nose (moulded and then baked) because I thought it would add character and extra dimension, but no mater where I put his eyes and mouth he always looked decidedly dodgy. I really thought I was losing the plot, then I looked again, what I thought was the rim on his bobble hat were ears, and I am sorry, snowmen DON’T have ears!!! I was trying to create a snowman face, but what I was actually seeing was a cartoon “human” face …… and, what made it worse, when I really looked, was the ears weren’t even level …..

So, this snowman is destined for the bottom of a box, to remind me, whenever I happen upon him, to look carefully an snowman blanks ……because, for me at least, snowmen don’t have ears!!!! ……

January Furniture 2017 – NEC Birmingham

I am sooooooooo cross with myself!

On Friday and Saturday I was with Ian (Marc’s partner and my Eurovision companion in Stockholm) http://www.furniturepresentations.com/ as part of his team  at The January Furniture Show 2017, and despite having my camera tucked into my bra at all times, I failed to take any of the “money” shots I wanted to share on this post,  I just can’t believe it! We never stopped in those two days, in my mind I was taking the pictures, but my camera says otherwise. We were so busy, getting my camera out, especially on the second day was the furthest thing on my mind, despite being in such a visual environment! 

 

I wanted to show you how Ian can transform a large, empty space into something so wonderful you actually believe it’s the real thing, this year he transformed the VIP hospitality areas into an American Speakeasy, A Glitzy Piano Bar and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory ……… and all I have to show are a few very basic “before” pictures…….. aghhhhh    

For these areas Ian had hired or purchased hundreds of props, too many to mention, from tables, chairs, sofa’s, desks, chaise longs, curtains, huge ice cream cones, flowers, plants, and the most massive and beautiful chandelier ever  …….. and what did I get? ….. ziltch!

All  I have got are a few pictures of the two stands that Fiona, Lynn and I dressed.

…… and these are not really the finished results, most of the flowers and plants hadn’t been added, the black bowls above were filled with red primulas and the catkins in white vases moved against the wall on a box not seen in the shot.

I would be really ***p as a insightful cub reporter!

What can I say ……

I am as useful as just one of the many huge piles of rubbish that filed all the gangways as furniture and props were unwrapped and before the cleaners came in to clear it all, ready for the carpet to be laid throughout the massive site, across five halls.

The two three things I will take away with me this year are:- that I learned how to wire a gerbera and use a VAX ………..oh, and when I got to my daughter’s house in Wolverhampton on Saturday evening, I feared I might never be able to move again!

On Saturday morning before we left for the NEC, I did manage to take a few frosty pictures from the Cottage in Worcester as the sun was coming up  ………

It was looked so magical.

Wooden Reindeer Tags _ Poundland Wooden Christmas Tags

I do so miss a poundshop, I can’t believe Evesham doesn’t have a single one, the nearest ones are in Worcester, which I will undoubtedly frequent in the coming months and of course a shopping trip is de rigueur whenever I return to Wolverhampton.

I found these wooden tags in Birmingham Poundland before Christmas, and knew I could do something with them. At £1 for 8, that makes them just 12.5p each.

It was the reindeer that “sang” to me first …….. something very simple and basic, all they would need was googly eyes, and a fimo nose (moulded and then baked). 

I was nervous about using my Whisper felt pens on them for fear they would bleed into the wood, which they did, just a little, but I think I got away with it.  I then added a little faux stitching round the edges using a black fine liner pen but decided against adding a mouth.
I like to add a bead to the hanging thread, it’s just an extra detail that I think makes an ordinary tag look that little bit more special.

I knew it was the nose that would make or break the tag, it would either give the reindeer it’s character or turn it into the reindeer from hell, just because the proportions were wrong ……. and in this instance, the nose worked!!  I used E900 to glue the nose as I knew PVA wouldn’t be strong enough and didn’t want to risk it coming off.

Tiny Gingerbread Men In A Bottle Christmas Decoration.

I am not sure if I am going to make many bottle tree decorations this year as I was pretty bottled before Christmas which is probably why this one was left unfinished in the cupboard (until now), after I ran out of time and/or steam on the bottle front.

The gingerbread men are absolutely tiny and are actually sugar cake decorations, part of a dispenser of sugar strands and red, green and white balls  I found in Home Bargains for less than about 80p.

I simply wrapped a red cotton thread round the neck of the bottle and hid the knot with a very small, paper poinsettia embellishment.  The thread is red and white butchers twine which goes with the theme as does, I think, the attached silver jingle bell.

As I say, at the moment I feel a little bottled out, however should I see any other inspiring tiny bits on my mooching expeditions that would fit, I wouldn’t rule out the idea out entirely.

Valentine Sweetie Bags With Ladybird Tags.

Today an idea for using the chocolate ladybirds I found in Home Bargains and a couple of mini packets of Lovehearts.
I used layered scalloped edge and plain circle punches to create the tags.
I used red gingham paper and ribbon for a red Valentine theme, however, by changing the ribbon to a bright green I thought the ladybird chocolates could also be used for Easter bags, the Lovehearts being swopped for a  few small foil wrapped eggs.
The tags took a matter of minutes to put together.

A bit of faux stitching and few dots using a black fine liner pen here and there finish off the tag and make it pop.I haven’t priced them up to the exact penny, but I reckon taking all items used into consideration, including the cello bag, these favours would cost approximately 45p to make and could easily be sold for between £1 and £1.50.

Wooden Heart Ladybird Gift Tags.

Today four tags using the smaller, spotty hearts from the hanging Aldi Christmas decoration (reduced from £3.99 to £1.99) I bought solely to take apart.I have followed on from yesterdays house tags, the ladybirds and keys were the right proportion to the wooden hearts. 

The keys hang from a fancy jump ring taken from a charity shop necklace bargain and I have used a wooden red bead to bring it all together.  There’s really not a lot to them.  Whenever I make anything I always have a sort of story in my head that links all the parts used together and makes sense, to me (at least).  It started with the idea of making a gift tag to put on a New Home present …. sent with love - the heart …… new home – the key …… and the ladybird – well somewhere in my head there’s a nursery rhyme that starts “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home” ….. be honest, the rest of the rhyme is rather macabre ….. but, that’s the way my mind linked everything on this project.

I have used all the parts from the Christmas decoration, except for four small hearts that have a metal heart in the centre, the ladybirds just didn’t gel with them, so I need to come up with another idea to justify my buying a “bargain”

Sticky-Beaking The Progress In My Guest Room.

Well, the much planned for compartment shelving has been finished in my Guest Room, it took two and a half days and I am so chuffed with the end result, it cost some of my kids inheritance, but I think they were worth it. They are built to last and I reckon it would take an earthquake to move them!

I was aiming for a loose/layered/informal bohemian feel (I do like to work to a theme as you have probably noticed), but my initial choice of Ikea units/bed has a more structured contemporary feel, as does the new shelving, so it’s all down to how I accessorise the room, however I have to say I am now moving towards a 60’s/70’s glass and kitsch look  ……..

……. but whatever,  it will take time to achieve and undoubtedly lots of happy charity shop mooching for treasures, wooooooo hoooooo hoooooo!

The wall of drawers and other new shelving was primarily created for the storage of my craft stuff.  I intend to leave the top larger drawer in the main unit empty for guests to put their stuff in when they stay. They will also have the use of both bedside units, plus two hooks on the back of the door and the knobs on the mirror to hang their things on.

I have already started filling the drawers of the smaller unit; stamps/inks in one, punches in another and label makers and ribbons in the bottom one.

The aim is to move all my crafty bits and pieces from the unit in the hall cupboard to the guest room to then make room for Iris and Bertie’s toys, plus bulky household supplies, like washing powder etc. when bought on offer in bulk.

After quite a bit of calculating, I will also be ordering an assortment of boxes from Ikea’s Tjena range in light blue for the shelves above to house embellishments, 6” x 6” papers, etc. While under the bed I have already have  large plastic boxes for A4 card, mirror card etc.  I hope it will all flow.  Since restarting blogging I have been going backwards and forwards for stuff from the hall cupboard to craft with and it has proved to be cramped up nightmare. Once everything has been moved and a lot of sorting and labelling done, putting my hands on materials will be a lot easier, without having to take everything out every time time I need something.. I was very, very spoilt to have a craft room in Wolverhampton, I have to admit to hankering over it a little  …… but in the coming months hopefully my new system will work.

The only eyesore in the room now is the mirror! It still needs a little more stripping of the chalk paint I used which created a hideous mess. The original colour was cream, and I have now decided to forget about using any other fancy colours on it, it will be simply glossed white ……. to show off all the twiddly fiddly things I plan to put on it.  With hindsight I should have put off buying it until the room was finished, but there again, hindsight is a wonderful thing!