Challenge: Handmade 2010 xmas

mary-op

ginger ........pleased your son is on the mend. It must have been a worry for you.........hugs(((:o)))
Love the pill idea...........:T
I saw something on a site last year and always meant to do it..........it was elastoplast(not real ones just paper cut to the shape of a sticky plaster) with a quote on each one about love, inspiration etc. Never have done it.............yet anyway.

So many ideas keep cropping up on here.......I've spent nearly all day tidying my sewing box then stitching a patchwork border along the edge of a tea towel.............one edge done, one to go..............lol:rotfl:

RedcarBlonde

gingerandrubarb wrote: »

Good idea about the fudge kebabs Mary-op :T i know others who get the little sweet papers in pinks and blues and wrap fudge cubes up for their teenagers too, i wonder if the fudge would work in chocolate moulds?
Let me know how your OH gets on with the fudge though. I am not the best at technical cooking but this recipe is really simple and really easy, I like easy but tasty recipes like shortbread, If anyone wants a shortbread recipe or a simple but melt in the mouth truffle recipe (hard choc outer and smooth glossy melt in the mouth inner abit like lindt ones) then let me know,
they're all really easy to make and look fab as xmas gifts :rotfl:

please could you send me your chocolate truffle recipie

BabyJayne

I have made some button wired hearts. Instructions were on the hobby craft website.
http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/Pages/Ideas/Idea.aspx?id=1259
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I did mine slightly different, I put buttons all the way round rather than spaced out in christmassy colours (pearl creams / reds - thought they would look nice on the Christmas tree.

I have also been making little felted birds / hearts, thought these would also look good on the Christmas tree or strung together as a garland

mary-op

I did a button heart but when I tried to hang it up from the middle it went all out of shape so I ended up hanging it from edge to edge at the top (hope that makes sense) that way it kept its shape. Want to do a few more to dot around the place.

Have done some fabric hearts and trees that we drape across the dresser.......doing a few more for this year.

Carla-Jade

hi everybody- i just joined today after my friend recommended it

ive jsut started work after loosing my job 6mts ago so my credit card took quite a hit. so this year im doing christmas more personal & cheap. so for my dad ive made my first ever christmas cake :T for mum i made a collage of family photos with our past pets included, got them in a frame.

id love to make a centrepiece forthe table too but not sure where to start. im up for making cards- off to the shop tomorrow for card, glue gun, glitter glue, stamps, buttons & ribbon- anybody got other ideas what i could also get?

gingerandrubarb

Carla-Jade wrote: »

hi everybody- i just joined today after my friend recommended it

ive jsut started work after loosing my job 6mts ago so my credit card took quite a hit. so this year im doing christmas more personal & cheap. so for my dad ive made my first ever christmas cake :T for mum i made a collage of family photos with our past pets included, got them in a frame.

id love to make a centrepiece forthe table too but not sure where to start. im up for making cards- off to the shop tomorrow for card, glue gun, glitter glue, stamps, buttons & ribbon- anybody got other ideas what i could also get?

Hi,
Welcome to our crafty thread :T theirs lots of ideas on here and some find it handy to read through it with a notebook as we are all posting new ideas
As for cards and crafty items, i would suggest the basics first of all such as cardstock, (or scrapbook paper, generally 12x12 is the normal sized used) double sided tape or sticky dots, (try poundland) and the foam squares,
A few colours of inks and some rubber stamps that can be used over and over again, (you can hand type your card inserts and fold and glue into the inside of your cards, so no point buying inserts )
Theirs also plenty of things you can print such as backing papers, decoupage sheets, pictures, toppers etc... but ribbons, sticky crystals, buttons, beading wires are all something that come in handy with all crafts so you'll never not have a use for them, felt squares or fabrics are useful also, (cut up old towels,clothes etc..) and you could always buy lovely wrapping papers (fifties inspired ones in home bargains and print ones in poundland) and use those as backing papers,
Old books (even telephone books) tea stained are lovely for vintage feeling cards, feathers from the garden, dried flowers etc.. are also useful,
Have you seen the tutorial for the yarn tree's centrepiece? http://pretty-ditty.blogspot.com/2009/12/yarn-christmas-trees-tutorial.html or their is an equally nice plastic bag yarn tree (it is lovely ) http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/plastic-bag-yarn-christmas-tree


£1,£0.50 and lower craft items accept paypal (i use these all the time, they just had a 25p sale and i got 2 FREE kits of see'd's alphabet stamps with the acrylic blocks) http://www.madaboutcards.com/

Craft pound shop, fantastic craft designer items (no paypal) but reliable http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

Card backing papers (free printables) http://www.cardmakingandpapercraft.com/cardmaking-papers

Clipart (toppers etc) (free printables) http://www.clipartandcrafts.com/

Vintage Printables (backings,toppers, tags etc) http://vintageprintable.com/wordpress/

Free modern fabric swatches (really are good) http://www.bemz.com/orderSwatch/

Ideas and crafty tutorials http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/

Hope these help a little, if you need any more suggestions just let us know x :T

gingerandrubarb

QUOTE=mary-op;37119204]I did a button heart but when I tried to hang it up from the middle it went all out of shape so I ended up hanging it from edge to edge at the top (hope that makes sense) that way it kept its shape. Want to do a few more to dot around the place.

Have done some fabric hearts and trees that we drape across the dresser.......doing a few more for this year.[/QUOTE]

Hi Mary,
those sound lovely, I've been making fabric hearts also, will need to upload those soon, (just got a new laptop so figuring my way around it :rotfl:)
would love to see your draped hearts and tree's, those sound really creative, did you use a pattern or make them as is? x

gingerandrubarb

Carla-Jade wrote: »

hi everybody- i just joined today after my friend recommended it

ive jsut started work after loosing my job 6mts ago so my credit card took quite a hit. so this year im doing christmas more personal & cheap. so for my dad ive made my first ever christmas cake :T for mum i made a collage of family photos with our past pets included, got them in a frame.

id love to make a centrepiece forthe table too but not sure where to start. im up for making cards- off to the shop tomorrow for card, glue gun, glitter glue, stamps, buttons & ribbon- anybody got other ideas what i could also get?

I forgot to say, that once you have all of your basics, (and considering all of the easy tutorials and links we post) you'll probably catch the crafty bug, the symptoms are...
1.carrying a notepad at all times as you never know when those inspiring ideas will pop up
2.thinking about craft non stop, even in the supermarket when looking at a tin of beans and deciding if you should buy a bigger tin as the tin can may be of use after dinner :rotfl:
3.Having crafty eureeka moments while cooking dinner, on the loo, brushing your teeth,
4.Seeing a pack of eyelets and telling your hubby/partner/children you must have them as they could 'come in use' at some point in the future,
5.Dreaming of owning a sizzix/cricut/fiskars anything/potters wheel/silver clay/craft studio! and working out what you can cut down just to be able to afford it, :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

No seriously i was going to say.. that if you make a few of your crafty items, you could start an Etsy/Folksy/MISI (make it sell it) shop/s to keep you busy and earn some money while your not working,
You never know it may become a full time career if you find the craft you love doing :T

gingerandrubarb

Last post for tonight ...honestly.
Glad to see i'm back with my numerous posts at the back of each other lol,
Has anyone got anywhere down their crafty to do lists yet?
I eventually done my christmas to do list, :j and i just purchased 'sew pretty homestyles' by Tone Finnanger of Amazon which has made me add a heck load onto my list (they're just so super sweet)

I shall be uploading all of my crafty pdf file patterns onto my blog over the weekend so look out for the link, that way you can all pick the ones you want (theirs an adults ballet pump slippers one and umpteen bags and a red sock monkey one)

got-it-spend-it

Hello my crafty lovelies. I was just having a nosey at gingerandrubarb's blog and clicked through to the Making Magazine site (which I am totally gonna buy if I see it in the shops) and they are giving away a free crafty book, just pay P+P. Details here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2766188.