Easy placemats Part 1

I haven't blogged for ages as I simply haven't made anything for ages. However I watched an episode of Channel 4 'Make do and mend' and got this idea from there. Placemats. These are really quick to make and look amazing. People will be getting these for Christmas this year.

I used a tabloid newspaper as a template. One page. Fold into 4 and cut off the corners. Unfold and pin to a piece of folded fabric. Fabric is folded with pretty side in, so you can't see the pattern. Pin the paper to the fabric in each corner.

I used a biro to make some marks alongside the paper. Carefully remove each pin from the paper and re pin the fabric.

You should be left with this.


Sew and trim leaving a few inch gap anywhere (for turning inside out.

Easy Placemats Part 2

Turn inside out

Press

Press your opening flat

Machine about 1/8 inch all the way round for a really defined shape.

Right, It's party time....

So I have a little 4 year olds party this week. I decided to make these as party favours. Using Cadburys miniatures. I cut and wrapped new wrappers, stuck a jewel on and put them in pretzel bags from ebay. Each bag has cost me 50p in total, including everything. I bought the jewels from the works. Any paper will do and for the top you literally fold a bit of card in half, open it up, staple the cello back to the back bit. Glue/DS tape the front bit to the cello bag and you have these.
So that the lads who are coming don't feel left out, they got jeweled bars that were not pink!

New Year, new kitchen.

I finally got my new kitchen and I am thrilled with it. Hubs has worked soooooo hard to make it special. I haven't painted it yet or added finishing touches but I will be posting about making roller blinds

Haven't been Crafting too much lately

I have been busy this afternoon though, phew. I have been painting wooden clothes pegs. Yes, sounds really weird, but I got out my acrylic paints from the Pound shop and mixed white in with various shades to give me pastel colours and this is the result. Using a reel of magnetic tape I have put magnets on the back and plan to give these as small gifts. I also have a load of kids stuff which is magnetic on my freezer which can be cut into small strips for this very purpose.

I got this idea from http://www.itsallfiddlefart.blogspot.com/ww.itsallfiddlefart.blogspot.com/

I also got this idea from there, although I have done my own wrappers for big bars of Galaxy before now. Getting hold of Cadburys Miniatures is a nightmare and I have come to the conclusion that you can use any bar of chocolate and if it's in a plastic wrapper instead of foil, buy some cheap Smartprice foil from Asda as it's really thin and re wrap your chocolate so you can make your own paper sleeve.

Then I stuck little stickers from Paperchase or Accessorize on and placed them on a bit of card and wrapped in cello. Great table cards or in my case, something personal to add to the cash in the card. I plan to do loads of different sized chocolate using my own foil as the choc companies have obviously realised that if they stick plastic on Kitkats, it lasts about 20 years. Lol.

This card cost hardly anything to make. Some lolly sticks, sandpaper and a few little shells from the beach.

These are just cards I have made trying desperately to use up my stash. They are very simple. I really should make more cards as I used to be really good at ideas but somehow I have completely lost my mojo. Handmade cards are so much nicer.

I didn't know what to buy this couple

They got married abroad and have a house, family etc already, so I thought that some bulbs would be good. As I have written on the label, they will get a reminder every Spring of their special day.

This card isn't one of my best as my mojo was low at this point, but I think they will love it.