Quick Notepad Gifts

Hi there,

Just playing catch up again with some DT projects...

This week, over on the Seven Hills Crafts blog, I shared these notepads which are 

shop bought jotters that I've added a decorated cover too....

They're very simple to make and make something quite boring look rather pretty.... you can even add a piece of thin magnet to the backs so you can put them on the fridge.

They were great fun to make and colour... I shouldn't have a favourite but I

 think it has to be the Kraft coloured one 😉

I have a few more details here on the SHC blog but really it's just a scored and folded strip of card.

They make handy little gifts when slipped inside a cellophane bag 

with a brand new sharpened pencil 😊

I also missed sharing another card using the Woodland Basics dies from Wplus9...

I love the white on white (cream on cream in this case) but I felt those dies needed an 

injection of brown into the design, love this combo.

The dies are layered 3 or 4 times to add dimension without having to 

cut fiddly pieces of foam dimensionals.

More details about this card can be found over on the SHC blog here :)

Thanks for stopping by

Jenny x

The Gift of Coffee

Mmmm... the gift of coffee indeed or to be more precise... gift cards for coffee shops!!

My blog project this week over at Make the Day Special Stamp Store is a couple of 

gift card holders on a coffee theme and I broke out my new stamp set 

called Let's Chat by Concord & 9th.

These are great stamps from a new stamp company and they're now available here in the 

UK courtesy of Make the Day Special Stamp Store :)

I love the unique top view of the cup and saucer in this stamp set and although you are given some lovely scripty phrases to place inside your cup, I wanted to be a creative Barista and give my drink a seasonal theme. I used Paper Smooches holly dies to make a stencil and sponge brown ink through to mimic an arty dusting of chocolate :)

I used the MFT Blueprints 16 to make my card .... 

it's such a useful set with lots of components to play with ;)

My second card uses a solid stamp from another Concord & 9th set called Lots of Blots... it's a bit smaller than the space in the cup so I had to do a touch of water-colouring to fill in the gap around the edge but I reckon it would pass as a creamy message in a coffee??!! :)

More details and links to supplies can be found over on my DT blog post here if you're interested :)

Thanks for stopping by :)

Jenny x

Snowflake Tree Decorations

Hi there :)

Monday is my DT day over at Make the Day Special Stamp Store and today I have been sharing these Snowflake tree decorations made using the MFT Pierced Snowflake dies....

I've been cranking these dies through my Big shot to create multi layers in brown and white card then finishing with a sticky back wood paper on one set and white glitter paper on the others. I love how the different materials give a totally different feel and theme.

 The greenery at the top is made using Under the Mistletoe dies from Wplus9 cut in two shades of green card, I trimmed the branches into smaller sections and added red liquid pearls for berries.

The glittery flakes just have a white bow and silver bells.... both sets make the softest tinkling when moved and I'm looking forward to hanging them on our tree :)

For more details you can visit my DT blog post here

    

Thanks for stopping by :)

Jenny x

Christmas Project Wrap up!!

Well it's that time of year when we're all running around like crazy people, preparing for the big Ho Ho Ho!!! and I've been neglecting my blog more than usual lately for that very reason.

I thought I'd pop by today though to share the gifts I've made for James's classmates and staff this year.... it's his last year at school so probably the last time I'll do this :(
I shared the chocolate Brussel Sprouts gift bags a couple of weeks ago for the staff but I have also decorated candles for them this year using Lawn Fawn Stamps....

 I really enjoyed decorating candles last Christmas and luckily the staff are all different this year so I could make more... not to mention I bought a fair few candles from Ikea because they are such a nice size to decorate *wink*....I have a photo tutorial over on the Make the Day Special Stamp Store blog if you'd like to know how to do them.

James's class is smaller in size with only four others besides him this year so I made them a Chocolate Rice Krispie Pudding each .... plus an extra for quality control purposes *wink*

...... and with help from the Stampin Up Gift Box Punch Board I made some packaging for them...

The circular collar in the base was an attempt to keep them from rolling around the box..... I can only hope they got into school looking the same as they left home!!!

Well that's about it from me before Christmas, James finishes for the holiday break tomorrow and then Hannah arrives home on Saturday.... looking forward to being altogether again for Christmas :0)

I've not been the best blogger in recent years but whether you're a regular visitor or have just happened to stumble here for the first time, I want to wish you all A Very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year :0)

Jenny x

Don't Forget the Sprouts!!

Pinch and a punch and all that...first day of December!!! Yep panic starting to set in but at least I have some ideas for teacher gifts this Christmas starting with these chocolate Brussel Sprouts I found in Marks & Spencers this year.....

 This is my DT project over at Make the Day Special Stamp Store today so all the product links can be found over there.
I was super excited when I found these foil wrapped chocolate balls, they are already very authentic looking in their green net bag so I just decided to give them a red Goody bag to sit in and a new tag..

The sprouts are a snug fit in the bag so they dome nicely through the aperture in the plate. I wanted to leave them in the netting and just added a new tag in place of the shop one :0)

M&S also have a bag of chocolate balls made to look like clementines in this style which have a hint of orange flavour in the chocolate!!!....... Well..... I'm pleased to report that, according to the label, these Sprouts are just chocolate!! Phew...not sure the world is ready for Sprout flavoured chocolate !!!!

Righty-ho.... two more to make and then onto the next project :0)

Thanks for stopping by :0)
Jenny x

Mini Christmas Card Set and Box

Hi there :0)
I've been busy making a mini set of Christmas cards using Lawn Fawn stamps and dies for my DT posts over at Make the Day Special Stamp Store, which incidently is the best place to shop in the UK for your favourite US stamp companies.... lots of choice and a fast friendly service..... Thats what you call a shameless plug :0)

The weather here in the UK has turned decidedly wintery today so what better time to share them !!
They're all 4x4inches and lots of fun to make... James has already laid claim to them to give to his friends and his favourite is the Christ-Moose.
Lots of photos coming up...

 The box is made using a tutorial I found on You Tube which I reduced in size so it would be a snug fit for my cards. It can be made using a sheet of A4 card and I have a photographic tutorial over on my DT blog post here :0)

The two penguins on the ice are my favourite design so I had to repeat it for the box front and just change up the sentiment.

Right best go and warm up, all these images of snow and ice aren't helping my keep warm on such a gloomy wet day.... I'm trying not to give in and put the heating on yet so perhaps some vigourous housework will help instead!!!

Thanks for looking
Jenny x

A Chocolate Gift

I'm just 'popping' by to say A Happy New Year to all my followers and Blog Readers :)

I haven't managed to get in the craft room this week or get on the computer either so I thought I'd kick start the blog off again by sharing a Chocolate Gift I made for my brother for Christmas to go with his pressie.

Novelty silicone ice cube moulds seem to be the thing at the moment and having seen some retro designs in the shops, I searched on-line and found a Lego Man ice cube mould .... ideal for my brother, we used to spend ages playing with our huge collection of Lego sets in our younger days, and still will given the chance:)
Not content with just giving the mould I decided to use it to make little chocolate men, seeing as it was made of silicone!

Whilst they set in the fridge I went about 

making a box for these little guys to sit in.....

First I made the insert so they could lay straight...... the good 

ol' Houghie board was so useful for this project!

It had to be bright primary coloured card ...... just like the Lego Bricks!!

The base and lid were made with some simple 

measuring and scoring ..... remembering to make the 

lid slightly larger than the base!!! 

I used a rectangle nestie to cut two windows in the lid before 

assembling the sides and then 

stuck two pieces of acetate behind them.

Here they are sitting in their box and peeking through the windows

My Lego brick label :)

...... and here's the finished gift, I didn't think a 

ribbon would look good to hold the box together 

so I just used clear round sticky dots.

My Brother appreciated the novelty chocs and the retro mould too :)

So another year is coming to a close and I will try and see the New Year in .... the only way 

I'll stay awake is if I'm in the craftroom !!

Thanks again to all you wonderful crafters who come and 

visit my place in the blogland, you're comments 

truly appreciated, especially as commenting 

time is potential crafting time!

I know I'm still playing catch up and hopefully 

normal service will resume from now on :)

See you in 2012 ...... midnight Monday to be precise, 

with the first challenge over at St Luke's Charity 

Card Challenge of the year.

Catch ya then XX

Jenny