New Boy Sock Monkey

I have had several orders for sock monkeys and this latest one is for a baby boy so I made him with felt eyes to make him nice and safe.  I gave him a nice warm scarf to keep him warm!

I really like the way he turned out and hope the little boy likes him as well!!!

Winner of my Candy!!!!!!!

Many thanks to everyone that entered my Candy Givaway.  I've used Random.org to pick a winner

And the winner is

The 18th comment was made by

Yvette

Well done Yvette - can you let me know your address so thatI can send your goodies to you!!!!

School Christmas Fair

Yesterday I went to a school fair and set up a stall of my crafty bits.  I had quite alot of things and as always the table is never large enough!  Luckily, I took a small folding table with me and put that up alongside the table the school provided.  My stall was still full up and I didn't manage to put out alot of my jewellery but I was happy enough with how it looked. 

I had taken my sock creations to the fair and they generated quite abit of interest and I managed to sell 2 of them and a sock kid so was pleased with that.  I sold some toiletry gift sets I had taken as well as alot of my crafty makes, a button ring, a scarf and a purse.

The fair was from 1-4pm but I did better in those 3 hours at that fair than at a fair I did last year at a school that was for 5 hours!!!

I've never seen such a great turnout for a school fair and it was very well organised by the parents and teachers.

Here's a photo of my stall - it looked abit full but I just had so much stuff!!!!

I have Candy!!!!!! - NOW CLOSED

I have some Candy up for grabs. It consists of various bits and pieces including some things that I bought in the US.

Up for grabs is

Cuttlebug 'Princess' embossing folders

Various card toppers

A leaf clear stamp

1 reel of ribbon

1 card of ribbon

Christmas peel offs
Transparency frames
Word stick pins
Stick on letters and numbers

Brad tops

Stickers
16 sheets of Origami paper

In order to be in with a chance of winning you need to

1) be a follower of my blog or become one

2) pop my givaway in your blog sidebar - I have had a few people ask how to do this so I have done a quick tutorial here

3) leave a comment - make sure you leave a comment otherwise I won't know you have entered!!!!

It would also be great if you could become a 'fan' of my Facebook page here - not compulsory though!!!

Sorry - this is only open to UK people.

I will draw a winner on Sunday 28 November so please make sure you have entered by 6pm on that date.

Many thanks and good luck!

NOW CLOSED

Blog Candy Reminder

Hiya - just a reminder to all of my followers or would be followers that my blog candy givaway closes on Sunday evening.

There's still time to enter it by becoming a follower if you aren't already one and posting about my candy in your blog sidebar.  Would be great but not compulsory if you joined my Facebook group as well.  Lots of great ideas for Christmas gifts in my shop which is attached to the group.

Many thanks

Reindeer Poop

Today - I've made some Reindeer Poop!  In fact these are just chocolate covered raisins so nothing yucky about them!!!

I decided to make little 2,4,6,8 boxes - named because you score at 2", 4", 6" and 8".  I made them in a bright red and squeezed in the sides so that I got a kind of star shape at the top.  I punched a small hole on each side and after putting in my pretzel bag full of choccy raisins I threaded through a red narrow ribbon and then put a tag on and tied a bow.  I finished it of by sticking a reindeer diecut made from my new Quickutz die and then to stop any dirty finger marks on the box I put it in a cello bag and tied the top with the red narrow ribbon.

I looked for a poem and found one that but then I changed the wording on it and came up with

this one

Santa is coming with his reindeer group

While Santa leaves gifts,

The reindeer just leave poop!

Here’s some Special Reindeer Poop just for you!

Coaster Calendars

Mini calendars are another thing that I had bought with the intention of putting them on kitchen organisers but as I am no longer making them had several to spare! My dad had brought home a pile of new beermats the other day so I had a look around on Youtube and found a few ideas on there and made a coaster fridge magnet with the calendar on the coaster. Very quick and easy but they look quite sweet! Again - lots of ideas for this on Youtube so take your pick!

Post It Note Holders

I had a block of Post It Notes and was going to make kitchen organisers with them but changed my mind.  I was browsing around and found a cute tutorial on youtube for these simple post note holders.

They are nice and quick to make.  Have a search on youtube as there are lots of different tutorials.  I used the freebie digi from Tamara's blog again.

Pretty Notepads and Pens for my Craft Fair

I've been busy making lots of different things for a craft fair I am doing this Saturday.  I didn't want to make lots of the same thing as I am not sure what will sell well and don't want to get left with loads!!


I was looking at a few blogs and found Tamara's blog with some lovely ideas on it.  I covered some skinny shopping jotter type notepads and used the lovely freebie digis from Tamara's blog to go on the notepads.  I also slid some matching design paper into the barrel of a pen and then tied it to the notepad with a co-ordinating ribbon.  I covered over the top of the spine at first but didn't like the way the paper gaped so decided they looked  nicer with the black showing or the design paper just to the top of the pad.

I really like the finished look so if they don't sell I will be using them myself!

Fab new Quickutz Reindeer Die

I have been looking at this die ever since I got back from the US and had seen it a few times on ebay but it had been discontinued.

Anyhow - I found a lovely lady called Doris from Doriscardmaking who stocked this one and many others at really great prices.  She was extremely helpful in advising me what ejection foam was and how to stack my cutting pads on my Cuttlebug.  I ordered the Reindeer die along with this Santa one.

They cost me £4.99 each on a Buy it Now with 90p postage for the first item and discounted thereafter.  I've used Doris's photo's so hope she doesn't mind!

I like the fact that these come in 2 dies as it means you can use coloured paper for the different parts more easily.  I also liked the sharp crisp cut these dies gave me.  I've already cut and assembled some of the Reindeer to go on my Reindeer Poop boxes!!!

Re-vamped Book Clips

I bought some book clips from Hobbycraft recently and they were abit boring and drab so I jazzed them up with some gloss, glitter and bling and packaged them and I think they look much better now!!!

Before

  After



More Magnetic Fridge Pegs

I've made a few more packs of magnetic fridge pegs - this time the colour scheme is Red.  These are my favs!!
I've added a co-ordinating flower to the packet to jazz it up a bit!

Some New Makes for my Craft Fair

I've been busy making things for the Craft Fair that I am doing on 27 December.

I've made tree decorations which contain mint crisp chocolate and have a thread attached to them so that they can be hung from a Christmas Tree.

Hair Clips - All packaged and ready to go!

I've made a few more of the felt hair clips and I've packaged them ready for the craft fair I am doing soon.

Here's how they look now

Yummy Cupcakes!

My sister is really making some lovely cakes.  Today she made some fabulous cupcakes and decorated them beautifully.

I've had 2 already but must stop myself from having anymore today!!!

I thought I'd share them with you - calorie free for you though!!!!

Cuttlebugging and Felt Hair Clips

Today I decided to see what other things I could cut with my Cuttlebug and I was very pleased with the way that it cut felt.  I used a Nestabilities die in it as they seem sharper than others and it gave a very sharp cut on the felt.  I also tried it on thin cotton fabric and it worked on this too - though not as good as on the felt as there were a few threads that I had to snip with scissors that the die hadn't cut through.  Still - overall was very pleased and made some felt hair clips which I may also pack up and sell at the fair!

What do you think of them??

Christmas Cookie Cutter

This is another thing that I have made to take along to the craft fair.  It will make a novel little stocking filller for someone.  It's a Christmas cookie cutter with a tag and a little poem on it.  I've also included a yummy sounding recipe for Christmas Cookies and then packaged them up ready to go.

Peg Fridge Magnets

I've been making these peg fridge magnets for a school fair that I will be doing.  I think they are quite nice and very useful. 

They have a magnet on the back of them so attach to your fridge or any other metal service and you can clip important bits of paper, coupons, appointment cards etc onto them.

Bah Humbug!

These are a great little stocking filler for the grumpy in your life!!!!  I got the basic idea of of Helen over at It's All Fiddle Fart and then the sizing etc from Splitcoaststampers which is a fantastic website!!!

They are in the style of mini sour cream containers (seen more in the US) or the old Calypso ice triangles we used to get in the UK - remember those!!!!  They each contain a handful of mint humbugs and are sealed up completely.

I finished them off with a label cust using Nesties Lable 1 and a bit of tea stain distress ink.

I will be taking some of these to a Christmas Fair that I am doing!!

Forgot to add that the paper that I used was free from Ikea - the bit after the tills where you go to wrap your items!!!  Lovely strong paper!!!

Finished Flannel Reindeer with tag

I wanted to make a tag for my flannel reindeers to make them look more finished.  I searched everywhere for a poem and was kindly provided with one by Kay over on MSE so many thanks for that!

Here is what the finished reindeers looks like now

You can find my tutorial here

You can find my reindeer poems here to go on the tags.

****Updated****

Ok just to answer a question regarding the cloth used:

To the lady that pointed out that it isn't flannel fabric but terry towelling - I'm in the UK we call the cloth a flannel and it doesn't refer to the fabric which is indeed towelling.  A flannel in the UK is a cloth that you wash with!!

*** Update - Thank you to those of you that have taken the time to comment, it means alot to me.  I've had some lovely comments and a couple of strange ones - I've ignored the strange ones as those people were just weirdo's!!!!  Thank you also to people that are following my blog and to those of you that have headed over to Facebook and liked my page Bumble Bee's Craft Den.

FYI this post has been viewed more than 94,000 times, I am flabbergasted!!!!!!!!

**12 Oct 2013** - this year's Flannel Reindeers can be seen here!!

New Flannel Reindeers

I've been making some Flannel Reindeers for a school fair that I am going to -  I made these last year as well and they were quite popular.  I need to get more flannels as I only had 6!  For anyone not familiar with these they are made from a flannel/wash cloth and have a bar of soap inside.  They make a nice novelty stocking filler.

Here's 2 that I made earlier!!!  The eyes on the right one are perfectly straight, it's just the angle that I photographed them trying to get the best light!!

UPDATE - Here my tutorial for flannel reindeers.

Birthday Cake!!!!!

My sister baked my dad a lovely birthday cake which I wanted to share with you all.  It's the first cake she has decorated with fondant shaped items and as my dad enjoys his allotment she decided to go for that theme and made fondant vegetables.

I think she did a brilliant job at making the fondant vegetables and the finished cake looked fab and tasted lovely.

Here it is

Chocolate Tree Decorations

Ok - I can't take credit for these, Helen over at It's All Fiddle Fart kindly shared this idea and many others.  Pop on over to her blog for some lovely ideas and some great tutorials.

They are made using Elizabeth Shaw mints.

On the back I listed the ingredients - gotta do this nowadays to cover for anyone that has allergies!