Wooden Snowflake Wreath

I have wanted to make a delicate, snowflake  wreath for ages ........

....... it’s just the inspiration wasn’t there, however when I found a small, 7.5ins wooden embroidery hoop in a local charity shop for just 25p (giving me two frames to make two separate wreaths), I felt I no longer had an excuse not to at least play a little.

I started by taking the inner hoop and painting it white using a Wilko emulsion tester pot.

While the hoop was drying I sorted out all the white wooden snowflakes I had (I have no idea where any of them came from!). I found had three different sizes and shapes.

I only had twelve of the smallest snowflakes, so I decided to space them evenly round the hoop first and then add the largest snowflakes in between them, over the top, again spaced as evenly as I could (I hope that makes sense). It’s a little clearer on the reverse side.

When these were all securely in place, I added the snowflakes I had the most of in the middle of the largest ones ………

…… and then, emboldened by the way it was all shaping up, added another layer of them on the inside.

…….followed by another one on the outside, adding more dimension and width.

The wreath then needed some shine, as although pretty, it was a little flat, so I put a silver confetti snowflake in the middle of all the snowflakes …….

……. with a flat back pearl in the middle and a clear flat back gem in the centre of the original spacer snowflakes.

The final touch was a generous, but I hope, subtle application of Glitter Crystal Diamonds on all snowflake branches ……..

…….. which was a nightmare to capture in a photograph, with glitter it’s always a matter of lighting, in this spring daylight I wondered if I had actually put that much on, however I found it came into it’s own by candlelight, where it does look quite magical and exactly how I envisioned in my head.

Finally on the back I cobbled together a small loop to hang the wreath by, made by using thin, silver jewellery wire.

Now........ what to do with the other half of the embroidery hoop?

Christmas Cookie Cutter Tree Decorations.

When I first saw this idea for using metal cookie cutters to make Christmas tree decorations on Pinterest I absolutely loved it, but when I started to work out how I could make them myself I was sure they would involve far too much fiddle fart and have me heading for the gin bottle ……….

…… but when I saw The Works had reduced their festive cookie cutters from £3 to £1.50 after Christmas, the idea was still niggling at the back of  my mind, so by investing in two packs I guess I committed myself.

I decided using washi tape to go round the outside of the cutters would be the best way to go, no fiddly gluing. Fortunately I had a whole pack of at least 12 assorted polka dot rolls from The Works bought a while back.

This couldn’t have been more perfect, as it was just the right width to fit neatly under the bottom rim of the cutters, leaving a little of the metal exposed.

The bit I was dreading most was gluing the backing paper to the cutting edge of the cutters as it was sooooooooo narrow. I used papers from a Works Christmas 6” x 6” paper pad (£1) because the designs appeared to be pretty much in proportion to the size of the cutters, washi tape and the embellishments I planned to use.

I glued all round the cutting edge of the cutters and stuck them directly onto the paper, giving them plenty of time to dry thoroughly.

To make trimming the excess paper easier, I found fringing the paper all the way round, right to the sides of the cutter first and then cutting round with small fine scissors was so much less fiddly, although there were lots of little bits to sweep up after!

All was going well …… but I didn’t like the plain white back, so I repeated the exercise again, covering the blank side with another design!  This also helped make the back of the cutter a little more substantial.

*Now, when I make up the rest of the cutters, I am going to spray glue two sheets of paper back to back, making it double sided, which should then help cut out the fiddle fart.  I also think I should do this background stage of the cutter first, before I add the washi tape.

When all was dry I put a little faux stitching round the edges, using a black fine liner pen to neaten things off.

Then it was time for the fun to begin, adding all the embellishments. I have a little stash of vintage style, wooden figures left over from Marc’s Christmas wreath plus charity shop finds which I thought would be perfect to go in the cutters. There was a little trail and error to find which figure would fit best into which cutter, but I could see that everything was all about to come together.

I had go through my “fiddly bits” boxes to find other small embellishments that would fit in the background and/or round the sides. The proportions are a little out of kilter on this project but I think I can cut me some slack just this once! To stick them I used E8000 glue as a really secure fix was needed on such a narrow edge. 

The  final touch was a small, flat jewellery bail on the back of the decoration from which it could then be hung.

Needless to say I am thrilled with how these decorations have turned out ……. only another 16 to go!

World Book Day 2022

 

Guess How Much I Love You – Christmas Block Christmas Tree Decorations

I guess this idea is more repurposing than crafting …………

I found this box of 16 “Guess How Much I Love You” wooden blocks in a Charity Shop in Cheltenham for just £2, it was a no brainer, as the book is a staple with Iris and Bertie. I thought I would simply give them a set of three cubes each with the three different quotes from the story, perhaps glued together, to put on their bedroom shelf or in their treasure box, I still might …….

…… but then I wondered if I could also make a very basic Christmas tree decoration using them.

I would have liked to have given them a cube that also had their initial on, but although it worked for Iris it didn’t for Bertie.

Rather than over egg the pudding I simply put a tiny, silver, screw eye hook in the top of the cubes and then passed and knotted a silver thread through from which to hang the cube.

I really don’t think they need anything else, however any suggestions would be gratefully received.  I will do the same with all the other cubes as fairing gifts for very special family and friends.

Mini Children’s School Christmas Cards – Using Up Old Bits and Pieces

I had the idea of making Iris and Bertie a box of Christmas cards each for school in a concerted effort to use up some of my humongous pile of stash ……

However, my first stumbling block was sourcing small enough envelopes, (80mm to 100mm square, max) to put them in,  but oh my goodness, the price! When packs of “school cards” are sold at just £1 for 30 mini cards, it would be cheaper to buy several packs just for the envelopes and then use the front of the cards to make tags (????) Madness ……. however an idea I may have to consider, especially if I want white or coloured mini envelopes, because thirteen quid, I aint paying!

In the end opted to buy 100 manila pay packet type envelopes, 100 for £3.70 (eBay) and then dress them up using pages from a 10cm x 10cm Christmas paper pad and scraps of Kraft paper cut for the name tags.  All very pretty, but let’s be honest, they’ll be the first thing to end up in the bin!

I cut 9cm square blanks using Kraft card, covering the whole of the front, again, with pages from a mini Christmas paper pad.

The 3D gift tags  came from Home Bargains before Christmas, with me thinking that at about 89p for 24 they would make pretty cheap toppers.

Cutting the front of the tags off, I mat and layered them on red and silver card and then stuck them on the front of the cards  ……

…… adding a little DecoArt Snowriter to the hats for extra dimension and texture.

I may add other embellishments and Ranger Glossy Accents when I get in the swing of things, when I can commit to a day of simply making nothing other than these delights!.

Yes, it would be an awful lot simpler and cheaper to resort to the 30 for £1 packs, but there again, what are Nannies for and what else could I possibly do with my time!

Small Thank You Matchbox

Bertie’s school year put on afternoon tea for their grandparents as part of their project for the term. It was soooooo lovely to be invited and I thought it was only manners to send his class a special little “Thank You” from me.

I didn’t want to make a card, little ones love boxes with hidden surprises so I decided to take one of the Papermania Bare Basic, large matchboxes I found in the three items for £1 basket in a local charity shop, so they worked out at 33p for a pack of 3 or 11p each, bargaintastic!

As the box was a little deep I built up the bottom with several layers of cardboard scraps

…… before adding a “proper” bottom, with a handwritten message on pale green gingham paper ………

…….. and puffy stickers that I believe originally came from Paperchase ages ago.

I used the same paper and embellishments on the top of the box ………

…….. the two sides ………

…….. and both ends …….

……. keeping it all very clean and simple.

I sent it into school with a chocolate heart each for the children as an extra little treat and thank you for all their hard work. Thank You’s are a very important lesson to learn for little ones and it’s up to us adults to lead the way, instead of always seeming to ask them “What do you say?”