Christmas Wrapping 2014

I'm back!! The first Baby Jones is on it's way in May next year and so the blog has taken a little back seat for a few months.

But I'm just in time for a little Christmas Eve wrapping show and tell. Nice and simple this year - these cards were some little thank you gifts for a few people. The red decorations were from our local Christmas shop.

I love this jar from K-mart ($6), I wish I'd stocked up!

And here is the family wrapping for the year. Decorations also from the Christmas shop, and white tulle and card is from Spotlight.

We are working and travelling over the next week or two but I'm looking forward to getting back into my paper craft and posting all about it on here soon.

Thanks so much to those who have had a peek at the blog this year, I hope you have been inspired in some way!

A x

Cork gift tags

I'm back! I hit a little bit of a creative wall for a month or two - and I lost my confidence! But I have decided to sell some goods with some friends at the next East End Markets in October so I had to start getting things sorted. These are a few gift tag ideas I've come up with. 

They are two layered - which I kinda like! The top layer is cork card and the bottom is Kraft card, which can be written on. I like that someone could keep the top layer long after a birthday, celebration or event is over. I painted the white circle and stamped on top.

Painted stools

Hello! We found a few stools at the Hospice Shop and they have served as bedside tables for the last year. We like the idea of not having a cabinet or bedside table with lots of shelves, because they just get messy and full of stuff! These stools only have room for a book or two, a glass of water and a phone so they are perfect for what we need. 

All they needed were a light sand, a quick paint and then another sand to give them the distressed, weathered look we were after. 

We are slowly trying to declutter and simplify our space, and it feels good! x

Duvet cover is from Ikea, and our amazing fluffy pillow is from the Warehouse.

Wrapped up

A few wrapping ideas using a paper book from Spotlight (Best of Meilleur D' by American Crafts) and some string and tags I had lying around. 

Card from the Warehouse, washi tape from Paper Vine

String from Armchair Collective, lace from spotlight

Lace from the hospice shop, doily from  our local discount
store, Instagram print from my sister.

Twine + tag from Little Paper Lane

String from Spotlight, tag by me

String Art

About a month ago, it was my turn to tutor Art Collective, so I chose something very easy and then I hardly had to tutor at all! They are very simple but effective, and took between 1 and 2 hours each to make. I snapped a few pictures of Meredith's (the deer) and my two...

Just a note, Meredith's deer is about 20cm in length, so considerably smaller than the diamond. Lots of fiddly hammering and stringing, but it paid off!

We used 19 x 1.60mm panel pins, and you could use anything like thin wool, bakers twine, embroidery thread or string. Just a tip - we found it helpful to tie the piece of string off on the same nail as you started stringing.

Big thanks to the very patient husband for knocking together some pallet canvases for everyone to use. I have a few spares so am looking forward to trying a few more ideas. But for now I'm loving the diamond in our lounge.

Gift tags

Trusty ol' Frankie magazine came in handy again! I had limited resources at the bach a few months back and so I used some washi tape I was given for Christmas, cut up some lovely pics from Frankie and bought some brown card tags from The Warehouse - will definitely be going back to get some more.

            

Kids Paper Projects

I had a few kiddies to entertain the other day, so thought a few projects would fill the time nicely. I hadn't planned to blog this but grabbed a camera just after we started, so here we are! These jars were inspired by this blog I found through Pinterest. We used Mod Podge to stick on tissue paper squares until the jar was covered, and then put a layer of Mod Podge on the top to seal it.

In our second project we used the same materials but we cut letters out of thick cardboard and then covered them the same way. I hear that these letters are on their bedroom doors now. Lots of fun!

Garlands

I made this bunting for one of our guest rooms, using an old calendar I found. I love the simplicity of just three large flags.

  This tea towel was gifted to me by a friend who went to Passionate Conference. I would love to frame it, but for now pegs and string will suffice!

 

Another garland I made - I think it took all of a minute. I am developing a little crush on white feathers I think!

Have a great week x

Packaging

I put together three simple packaging ideas... 

"Just because" tag from Little Paper Lane // Gold Washi tape from Paper Vine // Brown paper bag from Hardy Packaging

Brown paper bag from any good packaging place // Tag from Typo 

Map paper bags were a gift but this lady sews some awesome ones // String is from Arm Chair Collective in Sydney // White tag is from discount store + stickers from Kikki K 

Hanging with Lydia

This little one is talented! And confident in her washi tape choosing ability! We sat down the other day to make a card for her Mummy (who is pretty cool). She chose and placed all the washi tape and wanted to stick a balloon in, and put all the pompoms in too....the girl has got style. Check out her answers to the question "what do you love best about your mummy?" I have no idea what sha-ma is but she wouldn't stop saying it until I wrote it down, so it must be something really good.

You bring me joy kid x

            

Paper dresses

Bell Block Art Collective 29/5/14 : Paper Dress Garland.

 I used a few old Frankie magazines to make mine, and some new twine from Little Paper Lane. Uncle Google will help with the tutorial! A few of the other ladies made giant dresses for the wall, they are on my to do list!

Have a great week x