12 Days of Christmas - Handmade gifts, DAY 12

So this is my last gift idea in my "12 Days of Christmas".

 

I purchased simple metal headbands from a drugstore and embellished them with fabric flowers, which I made with "Fun Flowers Bigs L" die. I used the "Spice Cake Designer Fabric "and some tulle. I upholstered 2 plastic buttons with the fabric and stiched thigs together (you can use hot glue gun also)

You can easily make the flowers into hair clips also (1 flower per clip).

This is a great gift idea for a little girl or even a co-worker!

12 Days of Christmas - Handmade Gifts, Day 11

 I've wanted to do one of these pouches ever since I got this Summer Smooches Designer Fabric. I have a bread "basket" in this style and thought that I'd like to get couple of smaller pouches for keys and other nick-nacks.

This is not too big - the bag is approx. 5" wide and about the same hight.

Took me some time to figure out how to do these, but I finally managed it.

What I did, was I cut a template from paper for the bottom circle. Then I measured around the edge of the circle. In this case the circle is 36cm/14-1/4".

I then cut 2 circles out of matching fabrics and 2 rectangular banners (36cm long each, about 7" high.

I sew the two rectangular banners on the long seam, ironed them flat and stiched the edge to make it crisp. Then I adhered the circle to the matchin fabric. At this point you would have a cylinder shape, with the side seam open. I stiched 90% of the side seam (in-side-out) and then turned the pouch around and hand stiched the rest.

I love how it has two sides and you can turn it around if you wish. I'm going to make another one with Orchard Harvest Designer Fabric (the striped and the pear patterned ones) and one with the Comfort Cafe fabrics.

12 Days of Christmas - Handmade Gifts, day 10

This is a great gift idea for the coffee lover in your family!

Purchase one of those clear acrylic covered coffee cups (for example from Starbucks). They usually come with a template so you can cut out a right sized piece from your Designer Series paper and decorate it to your liking. This one is mine from the summer time using "summer smooches" DSP.

I did have couple of other samples, but for some reason they post sideways - so I won't bother :)

My current one is actually made with My Digital Studio 2 - and it is the same picture as my blog header.

You can embellish your mug with photos (to make it into a scrapbook page), a nice greeting, a poem, or just enjoy the beautiful Designer Series Paper!

12 Days of Christmas - Handmade Gifts, day 9

 

 

This is a great idea for the ones you don't know what to give, or if you might need some "extra" gifts in case you happen to receive a gift from someone you had not bought a gift. I always make few extras and bring them with me to the office (just in case).

 

I got some empty journals from the clearance rack at Chapters and covered both the front and back with a piece of Designer Series Paper (this one is from the Twitterpated selection - but this would be a great way to use some odd pieces or retired DSP. Then I covered the spine with the new Two-Tone Ribbon (now this was not very smart of me, since this won't be available for public until January 3rd). But you can use any ribbon - the wider, the better. I don't recommend covering the spine with DSP, it won't last and won't look nice. I then adhered a piece of 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon in Basic Gray to the front and left the top part extra long to make it work as a bookmark (so atleast the length of the book, plus make sure you have some extra to tie your trinket.

 

This trinket is actually something I found on the street - call me cheap! but works perfectly for this journal! What do we learn from this??? Never throw anything away "someones trash is another ones treasure" (I usually tend to think that "someones trash is still trash")

 

Then I used a stamp set (again from the Spring catalogue called "Feel Goods". This is the greatest set - and one more thing not available: " Canvas Creations"

 

Now - don't get discouraged!!! You can use any fabric - or paper for the base of the stamp.

and you can use any stamp set for your sentiment or picture.

 

Just a note for future: The canvas absorbs a lot of ink - I used Black StazOn and had the hardest time to get a decent image - I think the new classic black might be more moist than the StazOn.... Or maybe the black craft ink.... I have to play with these a bit to see what works best on the canvas.



12 Days of Christmas - Hand Made Presents, day 8

This is the easiest thing to make and would make a pretty trinket for a young girl. You can make this into a bookmark also - just add a piece on both ends.


What are they made off??? WASHERS!!!

I got these from RONA and they are called Fender Washers. The size I chose is 5/16 but it's actually a bit small to use with 1-1/4" punch so what I did I sanded the edges to fit the paper to the washer.

I used the Twitterpated DSP on my washer. Oh and if you make a bookmark - don't use a stretchy cord - works better :)


This is what you do:

1. cut the SMALLER circle on your choise of Designer Series Paper (you will need 2 since you want to decorate both sides). Just make sure you punch the hole as far into the paper as your punch (Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack - round punch). Then line your 1-1/4" punch so that the small hole is in the middle of your punch opening.
2. Mod Podge the washer on one side and adhere the punched circle on the washer. Set to dry on a peg suspended in the air or flat on the table.
3. once one side is dry - mod podge the other side and adhere the second circle - let dry
4. when both sides are dry - sand the edges (if your paper goes over the edge)
5. cover the paper with Mod Podge (you can use crystal Effects also, I find Mod Podge dries faster and will not show brush marks as much - sponge brush is actually best on this project!)
6. once the paper is dry - get a string of stretchy cord (from jewelry making department). I used a silver strech cord, but if you wish the cord to be less visible - you can use the clear Stretch Magic bead and jewelry cord (I recommend the 1.5mm). JUST REMEMBER TO MAKE THE CORD LONG ENOUGH!
7. Tie a loop on your string, and then pass the cord around the washer. Since the cord is stretchy, you will not have any problems putting it on.

This would make a great stocking stuffer too - or a teacher gift??


12 Days of Christmas - Hand Made Presents, day 7

Make a shadowbox for your loved one. The base is a 7Gypsies display case and each cubicle is 4x6". I chose to crop and cut my pictures to showcase some paper and stamped images behind. Then I embellished the frame with punched out tags, hearts and ribbon. The letters for "LOVE" are done with "letter-it"-stamp set (Soft Suede on Very Vanilla card stock). I hand cut the letters and mounted them on Baja Breeze card stock and handcut them out again.

This particular one I actually gave to my husband for Valentine's Day, but I cannot risk on posting this years project. The recipient might see it here. You'll get to see it after the holidays :)

12 Days of Christmas - Hand Made Presents, day 6

HAPPY 95th INDEPENDENCE DAY, FINLAND!

Okay, then to business...

I made these post-it-note holders last year and everybody liked them so I have to do some more this year too (haven't finished this years ones yet, so the pictures are from last year). Again I had used retired products on these- but this way you actually get to use your own imagination on what to use :)

The pens are from Staples Business Depot and they come in a pack of 10 of 12, cannot remember exactly (and I have tossed the packaging so cannot even check)

Post-It Note and Pen Holder (for post-it notes sized 3” x 3”)

• Cut your base card stock into 7 ³/₈” x 3 ¼”
• Score the card stock at 3 ¹/₈”, 3 ½” and 3 ⁷/₈”
• Fold the card stock in the middle score line and cut 2 slits from the outer score lines to the center score line.
• The larger part (3 ½”) is the base of the holder and the narrow scores are the part for the pen.
• Fold the holder (remember to push the pen holder “slit” up and adhere the part staying under the pen to the back page)
• stick the post-it note to the base (double sided tape/sticky strip)
• Decorate the cover and add pen (I used mini gel pens from Staples)

 

12 Days of Christmas - Hand Made Presents, day 5

I used retired stamp set and Designer Series Paper for this candle set, I also folded a divider inbetween the candles, but it is not necessary for this to look pretty. Think of also just doing the cover from clear window sheet - that way the candles can be seen even without opening the box.

And you can use the tissue paper method also on pillar candles. Just cover the tissue paper with a sheet of wax paper and hold tight when heating the stamped tissue paper into the candle. You can remove the wax paper when the candle has cooled down.

1. The box starts as a 3-3/4x8-1/4" piece.
2. Your longest score lines are at 1/2", 1-1/8", 2-5/8", & 3-1/4"
3. Your short score lines are at 1/2", 1-1/8", 7-1/8", & 7-3/4"
4. Cut out the shaded areas and on the cut line to make flaps.
5. Decorate box as desired.
6. Crease all folds well with bone folder.
7. Apply sticky strip  to the 4 outer most sections and assemble to box.
8. The box cover is made from a 5x6" piece. 
9. Score lines will be 6" long at 5/8", 2-1/4", 2-7/8", & 4-1/2".
10. Crease folds well with bone folder and put sticky strip on one edge flap.
11. Decorate top as desired. 
12. Peel the sticky strip and wrap cover around box, adhere flaps together.
13. Fold a piece of tissue paper into 4 layers, and sandwich between 2 layers of copy paper. Punch out your 1-3/8" circles. Leave between the copy paper layers and punch 3 times in the center with the 1/16" punch to make a hole big enough for the wick to fit thru.
14. Stamp tissue paper with desired images.
15. Slide tissue paper over the wick onto top of the tealight.
16. Put tealight down! Do not hold for this step. Heat top of tea light  with heat gun until the tissue  paper melts into the wax. All done!

Here is the diagram for the box

12 Days of Christmas - Hand Made presents, day 4

Village of Cuteness

These wooden decorative houses are such a pretty decoration - through out the year! We first did these at the Stampin'Up! Convention in 2010, and these are based on those - but I changed things up a bit and used new Designer Series Papers.

My Father-in-Law helped me two summers ago cut all the house shapes from left over 2"x4" lumber (I think we cut some 2"x6" shapes too). Then I just sanded them lightly and painted them with acrylic paint. Rest is pretty much paper or various little trinkets. The door hinges are a retired Stampin'Up! product (little paper clips) and the key is from a retired embellishment set, but you can use what ever little trinkets you find.

I made these more generic ones, so I can actulally display them through out the year but I have seen them made into Halloween and Christmas Houses - I guess what ever holiday you have at hand :)

Here is an other look at the houses

12 Days of Christmas - Hand made Presents, day 3

This is the best gift ever - atleast that's how I feel :-)
First of all - it is super simple and in-expensive and most importantly: IT IS VERY USEFUL!!
You are always looking for coasters and since I'm obsessed by them - I have them all over the place. And this causes an other dilemma - they need to be pretty so that they can be left on the tables :)

So what I did was this:

• in-expensive kitchen tiles (you can choose what ever style you like - even different colour!). I got mine from Rona, but most home hardware shops would sell them
• Clean the tiles
• Stamp your preferred image (in this case I used the "postage due"-set with StazOn black (or white) ink. Note! The ink has to be waterproof!
• Mod Podge (or you can use Stampin'Up! Crystal Effects) over the stamped image
• adhere either cork feet/base or those clear "bumps" which you use on your kitchen doors and drawers (available at the home hardware stores - usually where they keep their kitchen door hardware)

ENJOY!

12 Days of Christmas - Hand Made Presents - day 2

My second present is a pin cushion in a frame. The one at the background is a frame from IKEA and fits a 4"x6" picture. I call this my "serious seamstress" version, as the cushion is very large (well - you could make it into 12"x12"). The smaller frames are from Michael's and are much smaller and work nicely with just your "sew on a button" seamstresses :)

With the pin cushion, you remove the glass or plastic to allow the fabric to pop out of the frame. I used hot glue to adhere the fabric to the frame and then added the background. And a great tip: fill the cushion with STEEL WOOL! why?? this keeps the pins sharp! So there is my tip for all your seamstresses too

12 Days of Christmas... Hand Made Presents - Day 1

As my "12 Days of Christmas" I decided to showcase 12 different gift ideas, that you can easily get ready before Christmas.

Explosion Box

My 1st day may seem like more work - and that's what it actually is, but atleast you now have time to work on it.

I used the "Merry Moments Simply Scrappin'" kit (from the Stampin'Up! Holiday Catalogue, p. 9).

Explosion Box without lid

The kit allowed me to do 2 boxes (well... probably would have allowed more, if I would not have made a mistake with the lid size TWICE!!! and not used so many embellishment stickers on the boxes :)



Explosion box open (outside)

 I didn't add pictures to this one - I thought the person receiving this can add their own holiday pictures to it afterwards and personalize it to their liking.

The last picture shows where the slits are on the pages. If you prefer, you can cut the 4 corner pieces out all together, or if you want to make it even bigger, you can add a second layer to it. Just use a slightly smaller cardstock to start with, so that it fits inside the box!

And finally, here is the template for the box. Have fun!