Oh, and in case you're wondering...I'm not worried about ruining the surprise because mom and computers just don't mix!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Just Giving Cash?
As a kid, I loved getting cash! As an adult, I hate giving it. I take a great amount of pride in finding the perfect gift, especially when I can put my own sarcastic twist on it. But this year mom really wants an industrial sewing machine and she'll be buying used. So I can't exactly walk into a store and buy a particular brand that she wants or even buy a gift card. As mush as I dislike sewing, I wouldn't even attempt to find the right used machine either! So what's a girl to do? Cash it is, but here is my sarcastic spin:
I know it looks like a jumbled up mess but they really are pretty when looked at one by one. Each petal is wrapped with floral wire, bundled together with other petals and then attached to a stem. I've gathered the stems and wrapped them with several strips of T-shirt and used an old spool to label the gift. I can't wait to see how many bills she tears trying to get the wire off! Mwahahaha!
Oh, and in case you're wondering...I'm not worried about ruining the surprise because mom and computers just don't mix!
Oh, and in case you're wondering...I'm not worried about ruining the surprise because mom and computers just don't mix!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Weekend Wrap Up for the Last Minute Shopper
Are you a last Minute Shopper? Hitting the grocery store gift card section on Christmas Eve? Here's a way to spruce it up a bit and personalize your gift giving experience. The best news is that it will cost you nothing to show the thought that you put into your gift.
First grab a magazine that you've already read and find a picture that reflects your gift recipients style, a favorite hobby, etc. Here's what you'll need:
You'll need to cut four pieces from your magazine; two from the cover or another thick page within the magazine and two more cut from your specially selected page. For a standard size gift card you'll want to cut your pieces 3" tall and 4 1/4" wide (for other sizes add 1" to the height and width of the gift card). You'll also need a sewing machine for this one.
Take one of the cover pieces and place it under one of the picture pieces and fold the top edges back about a 1/4". Then sew a simple straight stitch across the fold, this will form the clean finished top edge of your gift card holder:
Repeat for the remaining two pieces. Then place the two joined pieces together with the two cover pieces facing each other and sew them together using the fancy stitch of your choice. Remember only to sew along the three remaining raw edges:
And viola, now you have a one-of-a-kind gift card holder that you can slip into the branches of the tree, add to existing gift or just give it as is.
Well, that wraps up the Weekend Wrap up for the year. I hope you enjoyed it and took away an idea or two for trimming the waste from your holiday wrapping. I'm pleased to say that I didn't purchase a single roll of wrapping paper, bag of bows or box of gift tags this year. They were all hand made with my gift recipients (and the environment) in mind!
Whatever the holiday you celebrate, may it be all that you dreamed!
First grab a magazine that you've already read and find a picture that reflects your gift recipients style, a favorite hobby, etc. Here's what you'll need:
You'll need to cut four pieces from your magazine; two from the cover or another thick page within the magazine and two more cut from your specially selected page. For a standard size gift card you'll want to cut your pieces 3" tall and 4 1/4" wide (for other sizes add 1" to the height and width of the gift card). You'll also need a sewing machine for this one.
Take one of the cover pieces and place it under one of the picture pieces and fold the top edges back about a 1/4". Then sew a simple straight stitch across the fold, this will form the clean finished top edge of your gift card holder:
Repeat for the remaining two pieces. Then place the two joined pieces together with the two cover pieces facing each other and sew them together using the fancy stitch of your choice. Remember only to sew along the three remaining raw edges:
And viola, now you have a one-of-a-kind gift card holder that you can slip into the branches of the tree, add to existing gift or just give it as is.
Well, that wraps up the Weekend Wrap up for the year. I hope you enjoyed it and took away an idea or two for trimming the waste from your holiday wrapping. I'm pleased to say that I didn't purchase a single roll of wrapping paper, bag of bows or box of gift tags this year. They were all hand made with my gift recipients (and the environment) in mind!
Whatever the holiday you celebrate, may it be all that you dreamed!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Weekend Wrap Up: For the Football Lover
1. The sports section of the newspaper
2. The drawstring from an old pair of sweat pants
3. And a soda can (if you can find it, a Dr. Pepper NFL can)
You'll also need a pair of scissors, a sharpie, scotch tape, a hole punch, and a metal file.
Take the newspaper and wrap your gift just as you would with expensive wrapping paper.
You'll need a gift tag, so grab a soda can that is similar in color to a football. I happened to have a couple of limited edition Dr. Pepper cans that have the image of football laces down the side. Trace out a football shape and cut and file the shape. If you need a more detailed tutorial on effectively cutting a soda can, check out my YouTube tutorial.
Once you've filed the rough edges of your football shaped gift tag, use a standard size hole punch to make a hole at one end. Use your sharpie to mark the back (silver) side of the aluminum with the name of your gift recipient. Now you can wrap the package with the drawstring, threading both ends through the hole in the gift tag. Tie the two strings together to form a knot on top of the tag. All set for giving!
Friday, December 9, 2011
DIY Soda Bottle Snowflake Ornaments
This is a fun project for you AND the kids and it's a great way to reuse a couple of items that would have otherwise ended up in the trash or recycle bin. Here's what we're going for:
And here's my latest YouTube video to show you how to do it.
You can cut the plastic soda bottles into any shape your heart desires but if you're set on the snowflakes, you can pick them up in my Etsy shop.
And here's my latest YouTube video to show you how to do it.
You can cut the plastic soda bottles into any shape your heart desires but if you're set on the snowflakes, you can pick them up in my Etsy shop.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Weekend Wrap Up for the Traveler in your Life
If you have someone in your life who loves to travel, you can't resist this gift wrap idea made from an old map, t-shirt and a soda can!
Here's what you'll need; an old map, aluminum from a soda can, scissors, a hole punch, a marker, crazy glue and strips cut from an old t-shirt
Once you've wrapped your gift in an old map, tie a curled piece of the t-shirt around the box. Instructions for prepping the t-shirt strips can be found on my YouTube channel and you can always pick them up in my Etsy shop! Back to it, here's where we left off before the shameless plug:
Now for the name tag. I've used an old soda can to fashion a gift tag that resembles a luggage tag. Cut two rectangular shapes of the same size. On one of them, draw a 1/4" margin on all four sides of the back side of the can.
Then fold the can over and pinch in the center as shown below, make and X shaped cut where you pinched it. This will give you the room you need to insert your scissors and cut out the center of the "frame."
Once you've cut your frame apply a thin layer of super glue (I love this super glue that you apply with a brush) and adhere it to the other rectangular piece of aluminum, trim the edges and punch a whole.
Now simply use a sharpie to name your recipient and tie it to the package. You can even add a really big loopy bow made from extra strips of t-shirt that would resemble the shoelace bows that people make to identify their luggage among the sea of bags on the carousel.
Here's what you'll need; an old map, aluminum from a soda can, scissors, a hole punch, a marker, crazy glue and strips cut from an old t-shirt
Once you've wrapped your gift in an old map, tie a curled piece of the t-shirt around the box. Instructions for prepping the t-shirt strips can be found on my YouTube channel and you can always pick them up in my Etsy shop! Back to it, here's where we left off before the shameless plug:
Now for the name tag. I've used an old soda can to fashion a gift tag that resembles a luggage tag. Cut two rectangular shapes of the same size. On one of them, draw a 1/4" margin on all four sides of the back side of the can.
Then fold the can over and pinch in the center as shown below, make and X shaped cut where you pinched it. This will give you the room you need to insert your scissors and cut out the center of the "frame."
Once you've cut your frame apply a thin layer of super glue (I love this super glue that you apply with a brush) and adhere it to the other rectangular piece of aluminum, trim the edges and punch a whole.
Now simply use a sharpie to name your recipient and tie it to the package. You can even add a really big loopy bow made from extra strips of t-shirt that would resemble the shoelace bows that people make to identify their luggage among the sea of bags on the carousel.
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