Thank you
 

Thanks for that Griffen. Lovely idea. Keep them comin'.

How did I miss all this?
 

I don't know how I missed all the new ideas :)

Thanks Paprika those are lovely!! Now I just have to bruch up on my (very) rusty sewing skills.

Decided to sew stuff and have made a start so I'll carry on :os

I think some of the others in the family are doing lovely foody things :)

I would tell you all what I'm making but both my sisters are avid fans of the site so it would ruin the surprise he he!

Feel free to pm
 

I don't mind you pm'ing me (cos I'm very nosy!) and you can send some pics too if you like!
By the way folks will be posting up some pics soon of the things we've done so far. The cd's came out gorgeous. I got a gatefold card from a good friend last year and it was so pretty that I couldn't get rid of it so it's now making a lovely 3d image on one of the cd's. Thanks paprika. I tried to photograph them last night but a certain vain 3 1/2 year old had wasted the batteries on the camera from constantly sneaking off with it to look at pictures of herself!

Dog Decorations!
 

Don't forget the furry friends when you are decorating this Christmas!
This is a little bandanna I made for my yorkie, Pretty.
Sorry pic is a bit blurry...this pampered one is a reluctant supermodel!
I now have to make two more or the others will be jealous...

Salt dough recipe
 

Here's another recipe for salt dough that I found. Haven't tried it yet so...
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe

Supplies:


4 cups of flour


1 cup of salt


1-1/2 cups of hot water


holiday cookie cutters


decorations - glitter, paint, beads, etc

Unapam, one pampered pooch you got there - and I thought our one was bad! She's whinging at me when I start typing cos she wants to be constantly petted! Nice handiwork.

What about this too guys?
 

I have loads of this paper that I had left over from a wedding invitation order. I think this is lovely.

Oh Lord that is one of the cutest things I've seen in a long time!!

I think my Yorkie might have to get one of those :)

How did you do the writing? Do you have a mega fancy sewing machine?

Beautiful
 

That is beautiful Bluecurlygirl!!

I was actually thinking of asking you for some of that paper for arts & crafts. (it is you giving it away right). Also I am looking for ideas for my home made wedding invitations and these might be perfect!

Is there any left?

My apologies to Bluecurlygirl!

Here is the person giving away music sheets...

http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=38949

sewing machine
 

My sewing machine embroiders for me. I'm afraid I'm not that good by hand!

You could do the same thing with a Tippex pen (the one with a really fine point) and put dots around the edge instead.

music decorations
 

How are they done? I absolutely love them and have some music paper.

So do you just write it out and follow it with the sewing machine yourself? or do you have a fancy thing to type into and the machine does itself!

Origami
 

I'll post up the link to the craft site this evening when I get home from work. They're gorgeous aren't they?

Here you go actually...
 

Domesticali shares a photo tutorial showing us how to make these sweet origami mini-wreath ornaments. I love that she used sheet music to make these--very ...
blog.craftzine.com/archive/2008/11/how_to_origami_miniwreaths.html
Labeled CRAFT:Blog

Okay I tried to get into that myself & it didn't work. Someone else posted up craftzine link on this thread and I found a treasure trove on it! Really worth a look - chairs out of clothes hangers!! Anyway, go to www.craftzine.com and search for origami wreaths and you'll get the link that way. Have fun! I am.

wreaths and dog bandana
 

Hi, my sewing machine has a microchip so I just have to type in the words and it does it for me. Before I had that I used to use the Tippex pen for things like this. (Tippex is indestructable and washable...have you ever tried to get it out of you clothes?)

I found the exact tutorial for the music wreath on www.domesticali.typepad.com It is a blog posted late November. So click on November in the Archives on the right hand side and scroll down.

I printed it off and I am going to try it tonight. It looks REALLY easy. I'll post a pic if it works out.

UPDATE: I made it and it is easy. Here is a photo and another of it in situ hanging from the candle holder

Me too
 

I made mine last night and it only took a few minutes. The instructions sounded tricky but when you put it into practice it's no probs. And they're so cute.

Instructions
 

I can't see that site in work :'(

Is there any chance if someone gets a chance they could copy and paste it into this thread?

Looks beautiful by the way Unapam!!

This is the thread but the pictures didn't come out on it!
 

A little paper ornament - simple to make, perfect for popping inside a Christmas Card. Want to have a go? I promised a tutorial, so here's what to do.



You'll need to begin with a rectangle of paper 4cm wide by 8 cm long. Choose paper with a bit of body - really lightweight stuff won't hold the folds as well or appear 3 dimensional when finished. I'm using some nice old sheet music.


Fold your rectangle in half lengthwise ( keep the prettier side out if your paper is only patterned on one side) to give you a folded strip 8cm by 2cm.

Fold in half crosswise so your piece is now 4cm by 2cm (like the one on the left). You then need to fold down the corners at each end of the strip.

Hold your folded strip with the open edges to the top. Grab both layers of the top right hand side and fold them at 45 degrees to meet the bottom edge. Then do the same with the top left hand side.

You will be left with shapes like this. Each wreath takes 8 of them to complete.

Hold the first piece by the points. If you look carefully at the top edge, you'll see that there are two little pockets formed between the layers of paper. If you imagine they are numbered 1 2 3 and 4, you need to slide one folded point of the next piece, between layers 1 and 2 and the other between layers 3 and 4.

I wish I could just show you, it'd be a lot easier! But try it, it's simpler than I am making it sound.


Push the second piece down into the first until the tips touch the bottom of the pocket.


Then go on with the third piece in exactly the same way.

Continue round. The eighth and final piece gets the tips of the first piece tucked into its pocket to complete the circle.

Fiddle with them to adjust so the wreath looks an even shape.

I added a hanging loop by threading a bit of embroidery cotton through one of the tips using a needle.

You could go to town with fancy Christmas papers, upcycled glossy magazines, text from an old book - the origami wreath world is your oyster.

lovely smelly decorations
 

hi there just another idea for decorations and ofcourse they smell very festive too...
you'll need some fine cinnamon and some applesauce (if you dont have applesauce, craft glue will do)
mix together till you get it in a dough, roll out flat, use cookie cutters to cut shapes (great fun for little ones) and poke a little hole at the top. dry on radators or bake at low temp in oven till dry - you can then use glue and glitter ( i use the cheap glitter glue tubes you buy at the pound shop). The smell is out of the world... no need for those pesky plug ins... LOVE IT!!

you can also paint glass bottles with cheap glass paint you get from craft stores, pop in a tealight , poke some holes in the lid for ventilation and Voila! I spray my shrubs outside with glitter spray and place "tealight bottles" with lids on all around. The sparkle from the litter by candle light is amazing!!

Thanks wendywii
 

Love the name too - I have visions of a happy woman always twirling!! Lovely ideas. Was going to make the jar lights anyway but hadn't thought of the glitter on the plants outside! Very interesting.

Thanks again,

Emer

Bored in work
 

I'm making these in work ha ha!!

Beats doing any real work!!

Very nice!
 

I like it - very colourful.

Oh wow - I feel utterly inadequate. I have as much craft ability as the wall in front of me. How I wish I could do all the fantastic stuff. Thanks for all the ideas, I might just try something. I love the CD ideas. I hate hate hate it when I buy a newspaper and there is a stupid CD in it. I cant bear to throw it in the bin, so I keep them, forever!!
Any ideas for plastic tubs. I am a bad person who buys vanish stain remover powder in the big pink tubs and those yummy mini snowballs in Lidl. And although I put them in the green bin, I worry that they are still going to end up in landfill. I have some beside my desk and I shove pens and scrap into them.
Thanks and keep up the good work. And thanks for the links to the great craft sites too! :o)

Idea for Greenone
 

... and anyone else that wants it. Don't know quite how to do it yet but fill one with sand maybe and cover it with some scrap paper (or photos of christmases past!) Make a small christmas tree to plant in it give it pride of place! Few pebbles, leaves on top!! Going looking for plastic tub...

Love the post you left on budget wedding tips by the way - your aunt is a clever lady! Thanks for sharing - it's gorgeous.
Sorry for subject change - back to thread sub, & search for tub!!!!

Rag Wreath
 

This wreath was made from a piece of strong cardboard. I used a large plate to draw the shape and then a small plate to draw the opening inside. Cut them out.

Then I roughly cut out strips of white fabric (from Maxi -JT member) and wound it round the shape. Next I cut three long strips of same fabric and loosely plaited it and stitched the plait over the covering fabric.

Cut out some dove shapes from vintage music paper (from Shuvmed JT member) and hung a paper star (as seen earlier on this thread) and an old ornament from it.

Finished it off with a piece of white crushed velvet loosely tied into a bow(also from Maxi)...

...And voila! a very shabby chic Christmas wreath. There are threads and rough edges visible but that is part of the shabby charm (so says I anyway!)

Absolutely stunning
 

I'm definitely going to do this now. Thank you so much Unapam - (personal note - don't give up on the card please.)

tubs
 

Why not paint the plastic pots and tubs or decoupage them with paper. Stick those wobbly eyes on (the large ones) a red pom pom nose and a big smile. Make two little holes in the bottom. Thread two pieces of string or bendy wire through the holes ( make sure the ends in the tub / pot is tied in a knot). I use old wine bottle corks, paint them black, poke a hole through them and thread through the wire / string. This is the legs for your little tub man. Fill with sand and place on the edge of windowsill. a little festive windowsill sitter! I think if you had a little plant in there like rosemary or thyme, it can be the little sitters hair. I think your little one would have great craic giving them haircuts!!
ps. a little tip - I also use a bit of bonding - just a layer or two over the paint and eyes - irish weather will wash everything away if they sit outside. Inside, they'll be fine.

if you can pull the labels off the tubs, you can make your own little gift tub. Fill with bath goodies etc. It will make a lovely gift. Or maybe if you have friend who can take a joke, you can use the vanish tubs (i dont know if you can remove the label, its printed onto the plastic isn't it?) with some household cleaning goodies, maybe a pair of gloves, a dishcloth, a little scrubbing brush, a little sample bottle of handlotion.... a gift voucher for grocery shop such as dunnes or tesco?h

ahhhhh bluecurlygirl, you've inspired me now to start a new thread... hahahaha we'll call it "recession x-mas gift ideas" hahahaha

fabric wreath
 

If you cut a few sticks and plait them together and tie bits of tiny left over fabric scraps and ribbons on it and hang a heart shape or something in the middle you gonna have a lovely wreath from material you couldn't really use for anything else.
It's a pity I don't have enough fabric scraps to make one... :(

For the window you can use glass paint too, it's lovely, you can draw angels, snow covered houses, snowflakes...

Tea Bag Folding
 

You could try tea bag folding. Stick two together back to back, with ribbon in between to make a loop.

Details on how to do a basic Tea Back Fold can be found here, however there are many ways to fold these.

http://www.cardinspirations.co.uk/te...ag_folding.htm

It was the photographs from bluecurlygirl, Elnr83 and Unapam that reminded me of this. Thanks for the memory jog.

Tea Bag Folding #2
 

Here is another tea bag folding site, with more ways of folding.

http://www.geocities.com/teabagfolding/index.html

Hope they are helpful.

I would love to see the faces on certain people if I did that - lol!!

Seriously though - isn't this Christmas present thing outrageous. We'll all be back here in Jan giving away stuff that we already have 20 off. Maybe we can swap around for what we really need!

Tubs
 

What about thinking of children when you re-use those tubs? What about filling them with home made playdough or little treats? Or just turn them upsidown paint silver or gold and make into large Christmas bells!! Good luck with them!

You could also make them into a pot sitting down guy!! One for base, turned down open side up, then glue another on opposite of course and on and on, hope you get the idea!!

Pizza base idea
 

This decoration uses the styrofoam base that comes with some pizzas.

Cut around the edges to give an uneven shape. Place half a styrofoam ball
(or a cotton wool ball) stick on google eyes (or black beads) and a carrot shaped piece of paper for a nose and a piece of fabric for the scarf.

Next you print out or handwrite the text and stick it on.

The text reads..."Every time a snowman melts...A snow angel goes to heaven!"

Articles from old lace
 

This is so easy to make, costs nothing, uses all repurposed materials, looks expensive, is unique and only takes about a half an hour!

A circle of cardbaord covered with strips from an old lace curtain. The scalloped edge of the same curtain gathered a little and stitched on to the covering lace.
Add an origami paper music star and finish off with a selecton of broken costume jewellery (mine came from BiBi who sent me box of trimmings and broken jewellery) Thanks Bibi.
I have added some mistletoe to it but can't decide if less is more....What do you think?

hi all
 

wow, u lot are a clever bunch!

i've enjoyed reading all ur ideas and i must say, it makes u stop and think about the money we spend on expensive decorations, when we could make our own.

paprika, i made the star,2 of them lol and i have to say that although it looks hard to make, it is soooo easy!!!!!!!

i made my from A4 paper, then put some water based glue about them and threw glitter at it...looks beautiful and expensive.

i tried including my son, but he wanted nothing to do with it...kids eh!

unapam, that lace wreath u made is just beautiful!!!!!!

i'm going to make one of these for myself...really unique.

it looks like something from victorian/edwardian times.

keep up the good work.

all the best,

tas

I agree with you Tasmin. It is crazy what we spend/waste on these things. When we make our own it is so satisfying and each one is a
one-off "designer" creation.

I'm guessing that these things we have shown here would cost a fortune in shops. When you consider they are made from repurposed materials that are readily to hand ...and so the cost to the earth is zero - well I love them all the more. I am thinking of making some of these wreaths as gifts. Thanks for your kind comments.

Hi Unapam
 

The wreath is beautiful!! How do you come up with the ideas. I wish I was half as creative as you.

With the mistletoe I think less is more. I liked it more before you put it on but that's just my humble opinion :)