Tutorial on Decorating Gift Boxes

I'm a member of a local WI and this weekend I'm going to have a table at a craft show that they're organising at Margam Country Park. We are going to be in the Orangery so, if you are around then please come along.

Now why am I prattling on about the fair when this is a tutorial about decorating gift boxes? The answer is quite simple in a femail logic sort of way.

I am going to sell some of my handmade jewellery and I need some boxes to sell alongside the necklaces and bracelets so I though that I would get on and make some and make a video a the same time.

This is a very simple way of decorating boxes, but don't knock simple as it comes in handy at Christmas when you've lots and lots of packaging to do.

Happy Crafting

Yvonne

Tutorial - Midnight Blue Crystal Necklace

I've finally been able to get this video on Blogger. If you click the link below you will see the video. It's only 5 minutes long.

http://www.youtube.com/v/rK2I0RnMRxo?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=WgZ2EHdDnJFjnWjtE5X_qQ&showinfo=1

Midnight Blue Necklace Tutorial

Boy was I pleased with the outcome of this necklace. It's one of the things that I like the best:

Minimum work, maximum impact.

So what I did was simple.

I made up a set of connectors with a crystal through the centre to make them really pretty.

I used:
Tibetan Style bead frames, x 8 (2 packs)
100 Eyepins, Plated Silver Color, Nickel Free 30mm long, 0. 7mm thick, If you use this size you will not need to do any cutting.
Glass beads - 6mm Abacus 
10 Silver Colour Lobster Clasps, Nickel Free, 15mm
6mm Silver Color, Iron Jump Rings, Closed but Unsoldered, x 120

Tools required:

Round nose pliers

You will have lots of things over to make the next necklace.

Thread an eye pin connector making sure to put a crystal in the centre. Using a round nose pliers finish the other side with a loop.

I made 16 of these.

Connect the crystal elements with a jump ring until you have  a necklace of your desired length.

Finish with a clasp and your necklace is ready to wear.

Here's the video, or there would be one if Blogger would caaept the code. Try this:
http://youtu.be/rK2I0RnMRxo

Grab Boxes now Live

Just had to share this with you. We have the perfect Christmas gift over on Craft Fairy.

A picture speaks a thousand words.

Get them here:

http://www.craftfairy.co.uk/grab-box-590-c.asp

Two more silky strand necklaces

Well, now that I have the bug, I decided to make two more, Pink and purple this time.

Now, how many more colours of this fab silky thread do I have?

Lilac Strand Necklace

This is the latest of my necklaces. I decided to go for lilac this time. Love it.

It is priced at only £12. The perfect price for a Chrissie or birthday gift.

Christmas Pressie Idea

I bet that you're all stuck for Christmas presents. Well, think no longer as here is a quick and easy gift that you can make yourself. The cost to you will be small but the thanks and appreciation will be huge.

To make this bag you will need:

Small NATURAL JUTE Shopper 250 x 110 x 290mm
Garden Pastels Assorted Buttons approx, 50g - You will have anought left over to make more bags
Celadon Grosgrain Ribbon, 3m x 9mm Again lots left over
Celadon Double Faced Satin Ribbon, 5m x 3mm and again
Double sided tape

Lay your bag flat on a worksurface. About 6cm up from the bottom seam  put a strip of double sided tape.
Now use 3mm tape and put a few strips at random heights vertically down the bag front as seen in the picture.
Stick your ribbon to all of the double sided tape.
Using double sided tap again, stick buttons to the bag.
For added security, sew the buttons into place.

Necklaces for me and for sale

I've been making some necklaces this week as I was inspired by the ones that I saw on the East web site. So, these are my take on them.

The one really good thing about these necklaces is that they are perfect for using up those precious bits and pieces that you just couldn't resist, but then don't know how to use.

If you want to buy them, then please click here.

Here is one that I was inspired to make after seeing a TV presenter wear a similar one:

This is also for sale at the same place.

All Hallows Church

Yesterday i had a table at a small craft Fair at All Hallows Church in Miskin. It's not the usual huge stand that I have at craft fairs but I wanted to make it as striking as possible given that there is not a lot of time to set it up.

What I did was to put a cloth on the table first.
I then added the 4ft gridwalls for height and covered them with another white table cloth.
I pinned my beautiful corsage roses to the cloth and boy, did they stand out.
I had packed my ribbons, buttons and felt, etc into boxes. All of the boxes were the same size. It looks messy if you use different sizes.
I then added the price labels so that everyone could see what they had to pay.

What would I do next?
Cover the boxes with adhesive film so that they don't look so much like boxes. I think that pink of white would be fine. It will also make them stronger.
Tape the prices to the front of the boxes so that everything looks straighter. I am not a fan of higgledy piggledy.

Any suggestions, anyone?

Poppies for Remembrance

Christmas preparations are well underway and I am surrounded by red, green and some gold. So I thought that I would keep the Christmas colours going for a while with this green, red and cream card. It is also almost November Remembrance Sunday so this card is perfect for that too.
.

The stamp is from Stampinback and available here.
The ribbon is available here.
The buttons here
The sentiment here

To make this card you will need to stamp out the poppy on to a piece of watercolour paper or even hammer card. I used Stazon in Stone Grey to do this. Colour in the image.
Stamp out the saying and mount with red card.
Use some scrapbook paper to cover the base card and leave a thin margin all around the edge.
Use double sided tape to stick the ribbon to the card.
Mount the stamped poppy onto a piece of red card and stick onto the base card with foam pads. This will give it height.
Stick the sentiment and the buttons to the card and you're finished.