Challenge: Handmade 2010 xmas

midnightraven3

i made the page esmer
and thats about it

problem i have just now is i work till the light goes, then its no good for taking pictures, i shall try and remember and take pictures before i make up my baskets on sunday, and start trying to get my head round this blogging business:D

you make it seem so easy!

esmer

I just take photos as I go....... Then upload, I have a nice FREE tool for resizing the photos so its quick and easy to upload. Cant afford adobe photo shop, but FastStone Photo Resizer is good for basic stuff.

I added more packaging ideads to my blog for my bathbombs.

Where could I get Raffia from? I think it would look nicer tide with that.

Thanks all, sleep well x

midnightraven3

morning:D

last year i wanted rafia
said to my daughter (art student) could she look out for some
she phoned me, the art shop had it but it was only a small wound up "thing"
i said bring me 3, lets see how i get on

she comes back with 3 "shanks" of rafia
i opened one up, teased one strand out and the rest ballooned 40 times in size:rotfl:

depends what you want it for, from my experience you get stuff you can use as filler/packaging, its not as strong and its cheaper, if you want to tie it round necks of jars etc, buy a better one, but it can be expensive (very expensive in comparison but a little goes a long way) i opted for a more rustic string for my jars this year than rafia, it can be a bit tempremental, and one tempremental thing (me) in this house is enough:rotfl:

catherinevegh

Wow.
Long time since I looked on here ( and posted) think I will make a special effort next year to look more and post more and take photos AND UPLOAD THEM!!!!
you are all a true inspiration.
At my fairs people keep asking where I get my ideas.... I just wink and say Trade secret! eek hope it was not any of you!!!!!
I think I have finished for this year but will have to rego through a couple of these threads and make notes of bits to make for next years fairs.
Hope that Flying Pig will set up a year round gifting thread. Her christmas one is great.
Merry Christmas one and all
I will post next year as cheekycat1

mary-op

esmer - I tried raffia last year (managed to retrieve some from a birthday pressie I'd had)........got in such a pickle with it and it looked untidy by comparison to what I seen so this year I've opted for string or ribbon or leather cord (managed to get whole bundle from charity shop for 50p but used it all now:()
If you really want raffia is there a florist near you who would sell you some ?

Another cold day (whats new ??) so I've been wrapping kitchen organiser/button necklace and notebook I'd done for mums friend and a friend of mine...........once I'd decided who was having which one............ran out of sellotape but found some lurking in the drawer thank goodness, then there was the battle to find one of the bag full of jiffy bags I save if I send for anything that they would fit in. Got them done with OH laughing his socks off at the amount of parcel tape I'd put on -(wanted to make sure they didn't burst open)..........now run out of wrapping paper........haven't got any brown paper........did think about tin foil and decided against it. I'll not get out till this snows all gone and there's no risk of slipping over so OH will have to use his ''good taste'' and get me some decent paper.............lol:rotfl:
Total cost of what wrapped up
Kitchen organiser - about £1.......already had paper and placemats, off cut notebooks from printers were 25p and printed off calendars from internet.
Button necklaces - cost nothing as I used mums old buttons
Notebooks...........recovered on I had and re-vamped the other so no cost there.
so, 2 pressies for around £2.50.......not bad..........postage will be more I bet...........;)

Hi catherine - have to remember your new name for the new year:)

midnightraven3

mary you are like a little fairy (or should that be devil:D) sitting on my shoulder

today again you have spurned me into action
and i have everything all finished
and i have completed 6 of my baskets

its just a case of going along my production line, picking the contents, cellophaning the baskets, and making them look pretty
hopefully i shall get them all done tomorrow

made a tea for one "hamper for a little old lady
i dont think she would appreciate my cake soaps etc somehow

mary-op

midnight -wish you'd spur me into the same speed of action...................lol
Love the tea for one ............did an ''elevenses'' box for MIL the other year mixture of tea and coffee, (morning and afternoon) biscuits, puzzle books and pen, china mug and some mini jams.and I cross stitched a little coaster with a cup on it ............didn't look as nice as yours though............its brilliant:T
Course you could fly up here if you've finished and do mine for me....................lol:rotfl:

esmer

Love the Tea for one Midnight! I need to get some trays, they had some wooden ones in a shop in Glasgow for a pound, wish I had just got them now, I will see if I am in town next week

lizalloareds

Esmer do you live in Glasgow, i live near stirling

midnightraven3

i couldnt sit & think about baskets needing done
so i went and finished them all

just need to make a pretty for them
i have made 2, and dont really like either of them:(

opinions?
i dont really like either of them, so you wont hurt my feelings:rotfl:

any ideas what i can do instead?

i dried orange slices, and tied it up with a cinnamon stick



or maribou & poinsettias



here are my (almost) finished baskets
they are everywhere!:rotfl: