Papier Mache Bowl

Well hello!

I am blogging after quite some time!  When I came back from India at the end of June I didn't really have anything to blog about and I haven't been feeling very creative so had not made anything much either!

Recently, I've been thinking about what to make for Christmas this year and have made a few things.  I am flying out to Goa on 1 December for 3 months so won't really need to do much this year but I will make up some things to take out as gifts for friends.

One thing I have made are these large gingerbread men to hang from the door.  They are quite a bit bigger than my usual tree decoration ones and look lovely hung on doors.  I am going to personalise them with a tag like the one in the photo below.

I've also made some more of the tags I used on the gingerbread men and put Christmas words on them.  They are quite a nice little size to add onto gifts.

I've also made some more little fox brooches which are cute.

I have been getting messy this week doing a papier mache bowl.  I started making the bowl as something to do with my 7 year old niece but she lost interest after about 5 minutes!!  Anyway, as I had already started it, I thought I may as well complete the project!!  It was messy work and pretty time consuming but I love the end result.  I haven't done papier mache since I was a kid!  

The bowl is around 14cm in diameter.  It is quite solid and has a good weight to it as well.  I am looking around the house for a larger bowl now so that I can make a fruit bowl!

That's it for now!

A Small Christmas Gift for Friends.....

A few days back I went out for dinner with some friends.  We all used to work together many years ago at an insurance company and we try to meet up for dinner whenever we can.  We call it our Supper Club!  We like to try a different restaurant each time and this time we went to Turtle Bay - a newish Caribbean restaurant in the centre of town.  I've actually been there before for lunch and an afternoon of cocktails!!  I really enjoyed it the last time I went and I was keen to try it on an evening.

Anyway - I wanted to take a small handcrafted gift along for my friends.  I decided to give each of them one of my handcrafted felt Christmas Pudding tree decorations and I also made them a tiny little felt gingerbread man brooch.

I've put a 1p coin next to them to show just how small they are!!

Next for the packaging.  I've recently taken delivery of my new We R Memory Keeper Gift Box Punchboard.  These are a fantastic invention and you can create lovely neat boxes in no time at all!  Here are the ones I made using Kraft card, I used the backside of one sheet and it is a different shade!

I wrapped the pudding and the gingerbread man in some tissue paper.  I love this paper, it is from Ikea, nice and bright!!

Now to decorate the outside of the box!  I recently dried some orange slices.  I think they look gorgeous dried and can be used for all diferent things.  I have put some on my door wreath this year as well!!  They are perfect for decorating my boxes!  I used a glue gun and stuck a Star Anise to the top of each one - mmm Star Anise smells lovely!!

I wrapped a small paper doily over the top of the box and stuck it down.  I then used my glue gun to stick the orange slice ornament on the top of it.

Cute aren't they!!

I popped them into a kraft paper bag with a stamped sentiment on.

and then made a quick stamped tag to finish it off!

My friends were delighted with their little package and actually thought the decorated box was the gift!  They were reluctant to unwrap it as they didn't want to spoil the decoration!!

Thanks for stopping by today x

Christmas is Coming........

Oooh Summer is finally going away here in the UK.  Feel sad to see it go to be honest as I hate the cold weather!!

Anyway - with summer going, the next thing to prepare for is Christmas!!  Can't believe I am saying the 'C' word in September!!!!

I am helping to organise a Handmade Christmas Market this year for my local area as we have alot of talented crafters!  I will be having a stall there so have been making felt Christmas tree decorations ready to take along.

I wanted to do a few different ones from last years - I get bored of making the same things over and over!!   These are what I have made so far

A gingerbread house

Christmas tree

Gingerbread man

Christmas pudding

Elf

I used a pattern from Auntie Pitty Pat's for the elf and altered it alittle to my own requirements.  I love this little elf!!

For the last few years I have been wanting to make cinnamon dough tree decorations but all the recipes are American and use an apple sauce mix usually a brand called Motts?  I am wondering if I could use the British apple sauce that you get in jars in the UK instead - does anyone know if it's the same?  Have any of you in the UK tried to make them using this as a substitute and if so were the results good?  I love the smell of cinnamon especially at Christmas!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Felt Christmas Decoratons

It's nearly that time of year again!!  I've ben busy making up some cute felt Christmas decorations which I thought I'd share with you.

Felt is such a lovely thing to work with and I just love love love Blanket Stitch - it is such a satisfying stitch to sew!!  It really brings and item to life!

Here are the decorations that I've made so far

Reindeer

 



Christmas Pudding

Christmas Tree

 



Treat Holder Stockings

 



Gingerbread Men

 



 

Robin

 



 

 

I stuffed them all this year, so they are abit different to last years and I've done a few ones that I haven't made before as well.  The little stockings I have not stuffed and I have left the top open so that a chocolate or candy cane can be put into them and then hung on the tree.

 

 

They are all available to buy over on my Facebook page which you can find here.  I only post to UK addresses at present though.  If you aren't on Facebook but would be interested in purchasing some, they are priced at £3.50 each except for the stockings which are £3.00 each.  Postage will be calculated on your order and added to this.  You can email me bumblebeescraftden@gmail.com