{scissor variations}

uncle's day origami

 

 

....on father's day we like to celebrate the superbness of uncles too

 

  

 

 

there are many, many tutorials for folding this tiny shirt---doing a search on the internet will yield a lot of results (....which is why i am not including instructions here)

often you will see the shirt folded using a dollar bill as the fold requires a rectangular sheet of paper 

try using thin sheets of gift wrap or deli paper as mentioned in some of my previous origami or folded paper posts

 

you can fold up an entire wardrobe of shirts in a matter of 30 minutes or less--it takes maybe 2 minutes to fold one of these once you get the hang of it

  

if you want to make a spiffy banner once the shirts are folded, you will see that they easily open up (like a book of matches) just under the collar. open them all up and lay a piece of string or ribbon inside, then close back up by tucking the main shirt body under the collars as instructed during the folding process. you can add a dot of glue on the string inside before closing if you want a more permanent piece.

 

i cannot recommend highly enough this book that i mentioned in the crane post--- especially if you are just learning origami + would like to do it with your children, nieces or nephews or students in the classroom . the book shows the hand positions + this guarantees success and confidence as you fold your way through the book.

 

 

+ don't forget a bowtie,

it's all the rage.

 

 

{projects past} easter DIY inspiration

 
 
  

here are some links to some of my past craft projects--hope you find something to inspire a little DIY action this special Spring weekend

 

Spring Bird + Bunny Garlands  {March 2009}

 

 

Doily Eggs {March 2011}

 

Spring Place Cards {April 2009}

 

Waxed Deli Paper Flowers  {February 2009}

 

Fabric Stamen Bouquet  {April 2009}

 

Itty Bitty WIre + Ribbon Buntings  {February 2009}

 

Flags, Swags + Bags  {March 2011}

 

 

Sparkly Peat Pots  {March 2011}

 

~ Happy Easter ~

 

pretty tear-off labels

 

 

 

quick + easy personalized labels to have on hand to address envelopes + invitations

 

Gather Together:

 

gummed packing tape (this comes in different widths ex. 2" or 3" and is available in rolls at office supply stores)

metal straight edge ruler

perforating tool (i prefer the Tonic perforating tool  as it is easier to hold + maneuver, however my beloved Tonic tool had an unforeseen canine accident...the one in the photo is a generic one from the craft store). These are quite inexpensive and will cost you approximately $4

self-healing mat (not shown)-do not use the perforating tool on your nice table top or directly on your work surface!

 rubber stamps + ink (stamps shown are from norajane--the tiny size is perfect for this project)

 

Cut off a length of gummed tape from your roll. Trim each end so that the edges are straight.

I chose 1 inch intervals to create return address labels-you may want to choose a larger area for a main address label---often I just use the width of the ruler to determine the label size

Holding your ruler edge firmly, run the perforating tool along the ruler's edge with a firm hand**

**If you haven't used a perforating tool before, I would suggest test running the tool on some text weight paper first to get a "feel" for it in your hand before using it on a final project.

 

...this is what it will look like on the "backside" of your labels

 

 

on the "right" side (matte, non-gummed side) of your labels add some images using rubber stamps + ink, if desired

 

Tear off labels as needed to address your letters, cards + invitations--simply moisten to adhere.

 

These are fun to tuck into a letter writing kit, or use them to make premade addresses for thank you notes at baby or wedding showers--adding a rubber stamped image means you can change up the "design" frequently.

Have a wood handled rubber stamp made with the recipient's address + include several "strips" of perforated labels as a house warming gift or teacher gift at the end of the school year.

 

{watch for PART II...later this week} 

 

flags, swags + bags

 

 

use your fabric scraps to create some decorative Spring accents

 

 

 

Gather Together:

1. fabric scraps that are long enough to cut "strips" from
2. covered wire
3. tacky craft glue
4. rotary cutter or scissors
5. ruler
6. bamboo skewers
7. small paper bags

 

 

Prep

using a quilt ruler + rotary cutter, cut your fabric into 1 inch or 1/2 inch strips. you will need 2 strips per flag, swag or bag.

 

alternately you can use a fabric marking pencil on the wrong side of your fabric to measure your strips + then cut out using a pair of scissors.

working with one set of fabric strips at a time, place them on your work surface with the wrong side facing up.

cut a piece of covered wired roughly the same length as your fabric strip.

 

dipping your finger in the tacky glue (this was the quickest method for me) loosely spread the glue along the edges of the covered wire. place the wire, glue side down onto one strip of fabric. using the finger dabbing glue method quickly add some more glue on top along the length of the wire.

 

top with a second fabric strip to make a "sandwich". allow to dry. i let my strips dry for a couple of hours.

 

{a flag}

take a bamboo skewer in hand and begin to wrap one of your fabric strips tightly around it. it will be stiff and you may need to work it a bit to bend it around the skewer.

 

trim off however long or big you want your "flag" to be. snip the ends on an angle to create a "notched" effect. it can be tricky cutting through the wire while trying to avoid cutting into the fabric by mistake. cut at an angle until you "reach the wire", then bend down and snip off--see below:

 
 

bend your flag to create a "wave" effect.

now bake cupcakes.

 

{a swag}

Snip both ends of your fabric strip sandwich as above to create the notched ends.

 

Bend + position to create a "banner".

 

 

Glue bamboo skewers within the bend areas from behind.

now bake a cake.

 

{a bag}

 

Take one of your fabric "sandwich" strips and glue it to the top of a small paper bag. you will want the strip to be wider than the bag so that there is some overhang on each side of the bag.

 

 

open them up (this prevents the glue from seeping through to the opposite side + sticking the bag shut) + allow to dry.

 

Fill with treats + fold down the top of your bag over the fabric strip several times + fold tabs in towards center of bag.

 

Variations:

• wedding cake swag banner. embroider a word or initial on cotton or linen. cut into a strip. take a second precut strip, glue 2 pieces of wire-1 on the top edge and 1 on the bottom edge--and place your embroidered piece on top. notch ends if desired.
• ribbon flags. make square flags or rectangle flags from your ribbon remnants.
• use sturdy paper strips to make your wired bag tabs.
• cut your bamboo skewers using garden shears to whatever height you like.
• use a fabric pen to hand write a greeting on your flags + swags

 

sparkly peat pot baskets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 use a small cheap paint brush {that you have dedicated to glue} to apply a thin line of glue around perimeter of your peat pots.

+ using a pair of tweezers place your sequins. experiment with different patterns.

allow to dry.

 --this takes a bit to get a rhythm going in picking up the tiny sequins-----slow + mindful crafting

 

eggs over easy with a side of doilies

 

 

 

 

 

 

easy egg spiff up for Spring....tuck them back into the egg carton to surprise the breakfast line cook

 

 wonderful tiny stamp from Norajane

 

{when stamping on eggs, use a bit of a rolling motion, while still keeping the rubber stamp on the egg shell, so you get a full impression/coverage of your stamp image --also i would recommend using Stazon Ink as it doesn't smudge}

DIY: mocha clips

 

 

 

 

richly colored mini clothes clips for your inspiration boards , mini banners, or for clipping your messages onto handmade cards + tags

 

 {supplies + directions below}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gather Together:

mini clothes clips

walnut ink crystals

jar with a tight fitting lid (size depends on how many clips you will dye at one time)

paper towel + spoon + old plate or dish

 

1.    Add a tbsp or 2 of walnut ink crystals to your jar. Fill about 3/4 full with warm water + stir (there will be bubbles).

2.    Add the mini clothes clips, replace the lid + let sit.

3.    Check your clips after an hour (photo no.5) and see how the color is coming along. The longer you leave them the deeper the color.  Photo no.6 is after 3 hours has elapsed.

4.    Remove from jar with a spoon and drain on a paper towel, blotting off excess ink. The ink WILL stain so do this step on a tin pie plate or dish that you no longer use for food.

5.    Allow to dry for several hours before using.

6.    Keep your leftover walnut ink in the lidded jar and store in a dry dark place to use again. It will keep indefinitely.

 

I often let the clips sit overnight in the jar---this results in a wonderful deep dark chocolate brown. Do keep in mind that water will cause the wood to expand if left too long.

 This is a great way to dye tiny wood items like clips, hangers + dollhouse furniture.

{if these look familiar, that is because we used to sell these the first year that we opened--and this is how we dyed them}

 

DIY: the en{wrap}tured drawer

 

 

 

it's that time of the year to to start collecting little bits + bobs to pretty up your gift packages--you can create a gift wrapping “drawer” that is small in size but big in inspiration. simply “pull” it out and take with you to whichever room you need to use it in.

Scour local flea markets + thrift shops for orphan drawers or simply designate a drawer in a furniture piece you already own. Really long drawers that are not that wide—are often a perfect fit for a book shelf.

 

Things I like to stock in my drawer:

 

Paper

            Various patterns, textures + weights of paper. This is the place to save your smaller scraps of those precious specialty papers leftover from bigger projects. Great for making tags for a last minute gift wrapping session. Use left over paper, junk mail flyers, wall paper or calendar pages to create gift card envelopes. Create a master template out of chipboard for future envelope folding sessions.

 

Tags

            Cut your own tags from various materials—wood veneer, cotton rag paper, thin aluminum sheets.

 

Reinforcement Holes

            I add these most often to glassine envelopes, as I love the contrast of the translucency with the kraft paper.

 

Interesting Labels

            Red border labels are my favorite, but I also love interesting stickers and tiny vintage pharmacy labels that quickly lend a certain unique charm to gift wrapping. Look for unique labels that have some ‘white space’ that you can write the recipient’s name on or label the contents of a box of baked goods.

 

String +Things 4 Tying 

             Waxed linen cord, Divine Twine + basic kitchen string are my favorites. Various textures + widths of ribbon. Sari shops have gorgeous ribbons + trims.

 

 Scissors

            Pointy precision scissors for snipping out small shapes or cutting a decorative element out of a piece of patterned paper. Pinking shears + scalloped edged fabric scissors for cutting out felt shapes and making fabric flowers from scraps.

 

Sticky Things

Glue sticks (UHU is my preference), Japanese tape for decorative elements on cards + tags. industrial strength glue dots are great for holding an item securely to a gift tag or gift top. Adhesive labels to use in place of tape if the gift wrapping only needs to be secured in a few areas. Scotch tape.

 

Florist Wire

            This thin wire is great for wiring bells and charms and sequins onto boxes + envelopes. It is available plain in various lengths, or covered in colors such as green or brown.

 

Vintage Millinery

            Cotton, linen + velvet flowers + leaves can add a depth of texture to a plain square box.

 

Letters + Numbers

Vintage + new numbers + letters made of  various materials are perfect gift toppers. You can personalise the gift by date, age, recipient's monogram or favorite number. Add as a single focal item on a handmade card--use a beautiful cotton rag card as your base for a really nice textural/design contrast. Wood, aluminum, plastic or glass--if it's a number or a letter I will collect it.

 

 Custom Rubber Stamps

            These are so affordable to have made at a local office supply company—pricing starts at around $7.00 and that is with a wood handle! Choose sentiments that can be used for any occasion—my most often used stamp simply says ‘FOR YOU’.

 

My Favorite Extras

Sequins. Tiny wooden clothespins. Grommets. Brads. Brass stencils. Pharmacy Labels. Handmade pin back buttons. Old buttons with metal shanks. Velvet fabric scraps. Glassine envelopes. Kraft paper.

 

I also think it is worth taking note of what kind of gifts you give. I tend to give smaller items such as jewelry, pottery, music, books and gift cards. This steers me towards thinner ribbon widths, brown paper + unique toppers as these items tend to be square or rectangular or go into smaller boxes. 

 

 Collected bits + pieces do not need to be holiday specific --your creativity is what puts the finishing touch on your packages.

 

{i'll be sharing with you some of my gift wrapped packages that utilize many of these packaging favorites}

 

 

DIY: wreath redux

 

 

 

something i like to do every once in a while is re-visit a vintage craft to see how i can make it work in my current decorating or holiday "making sessions"--follow along with my tutorial in Gifted magazine to make this vintage inspired wreath.

 

 

wreath variation {no. 1}

 

 

 

{box wire wreath frame + sparkly sentiment + ribbon for tying}

 

this is a variation of one of my diy projects from the recently launched Gifted magazine

 {enter this giveaway if you'd like a chance to win some crafting goodness}