Book Paper Wall Art...

I've been  making book paper wall art.  For me, there's no better creative therapy than Upcycling.  Taking a waste product I have lying around the home and creating something beautiful with it, is the  perfect  mood booster!

If you'd like to give it a go, these are the tutorials I used.

www.sinnenrausch.at

DIY Decorative Dahlias

www.theshabbycreekcottage.com

How to make a Book Page Wreath

Reduce ♥ Reuse ♥ Recycle

Paper Folded Tulips

Spring is on the way!  I can just start to feel it in the air!  To me, Springtime means tulips, and they're so easy to make with paper.  Not just any paper though, it needs to be pretty thin, 80 gsm or less.  Origami paper is ideal.

I used this step by step tutorial on WikiHow to make mine. 

For the stems I used floristry wires, wrapped with floristry tape and I cut the leaves from crepe paper.

If you don't have any origami paper you could use wrapping paper, a vintage map, recycle a book or magazine, or print your own design on to copy paper. 

Reduce ♥ Reuse ♥ Recycle ♥

Instagram - Most Popular makes of 2020

We are more alike than we are different.  In 2020 when times were tough the majority of us crafters found comfort in making and sharing our crochet blankets.

A global platform for making and crafting has revealed the most popular crafting trends of 2020.  LoveCrafts, analysed internal downloads of patterns, sales, and Instagram hashtags to determine the most popular makes of the year.

As you might expect, an easy sew face mask was among the most downloaded patterns. While cross-stitch kits were the most popular make-your-own kit and crochet blankets received the most hashtags on Instagram, with over one million posts tagging #CrochetBlanket.

The top five Instagram crafts of 2020

1. #CrochetBlanket 1million+

2. #MacrameWallHanging 942k

3. #CrochetDoll 783k

4. #MacramePlantHanger 373k

5. #KnittedHat 260k

The top five creative patterns and kits of 2020 in the UK

1. Easy sew face mask

2. Knitted fox and bunny dolls

3. Crochet rainbow of unity

4. Cross Stitch book lover bookmark

5. Knitted little Doctor bear

To view the top 10 Instagram makes, and see how the UK’s most popular makes compared to the United States in 2020 visit: https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/c/article/the-most-popular-makes-of-2020-according-to-instagram

Crochet stars

Another quick and simple decoration idea to fill the tree or decorate cards and gifts.  I used this 

Simple Crochet star pattern  from www.stitching-together.com.  

The pattern uses US stitch terms, for UK readers there's a useful conversion table and abbreviation list here on www.gathered.how.

The site also has a complete guide to crochet for beginners here.

Origami folded paper stars

I've made some paper stars to fill in the gaps on the Christmas tree. 

How to make Christmas woven paper stars...

Materials

Patterned paper
Ribbon
PVA Glue
Red and green ink pads
Geetings stamps
Bakers twine
Adhesive gems
Single hole punch

Instructions

These instructions are for the large star, to make the smaller sized star use paper strips 1.5cm wide and 15cm long.

Recycled Plastic Bag Flowers...

Found a great tutorial via Instagram to make a garland for the garden reusing plastic bags.  I've accumulated so many carrier bags from the grocery deliveries during lockdown.  I was delighted to find a use for them.

Make a Valentine's Day Wreath...

It's not too late!  Still time to make  Valentine's Day décor.  You can make this Valentine's Day wreath, learn how in issue 204 of Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine.
Or for more inspiration check out my Pinterest board.

Upcycled Denim Storage Bag

We've all got old jeans clogging up the wardrobe.  Free up some space, do your bit for the environment and upcycle!  Turn the legs into handy storage bags. 
It's easy, not much sewing involved and you can sew by hand if you don't have a sewing machine.

First cut off about 30cm from the bottom of the leg.

How to make a gift Box with a heart...

Show someone you love them with a handmade box full of their favourite treat.
My box has dividers inside designed to hold four chocolates, but you could do without the dividers and fill it with your chosen gift.

Origami Lilies with recycled paper...

I used this tutorial to make some Origami Lilies

As with most origami folds you start with a square of paper, the size of that square determines the finished size of the lily.

Wishing on a star card...

Supplies

Patterned paper stack and matching ribbons 

Nesting Dies - Star

Personal Impressions clear stamp set - Big Sentiments

Grey ink pad

Double sided adhesive tape

Foam pads

1. Cut a piece of white card 26 x 13 cm and score down the centre to form a 13cm square base card.

Christmas card recycling...

Every year I chose my favourites from the Christmas cards I receive and recycle them in some way. This year I simply made new cards from them.

DIY Bath Bombs...

LUSH  bath bombs, are always on my gift wish-list, the Butterball is my favourite.. This Christmas I got a kit to make my own!!! It was surprisingly easy...
The kit included all the necessary ingredients, a pipette and a mould; the instructions were really straightforward and I made 5 bath bombs.

Chocolate Muscovado Banana Cake...

Nigel Slater's chocolate muscovado banana cake is the perfect way to use up those over ripe bananas and any left over Christmas chocolate.    I've made it several times, it fills the house with a fruity sweet aroma and tastes delicious.
The full recipe featured in Red Magazine and is available online HERE.

All wrapped up...

Christmas 12" x 12" scrapbook paper
Christmas Paper Bows
Christmas Label stickers
Decorative Scissors - Pinking Design

1. Take a 12" x 12" sheet of scrapbook paper (preferably double sided) and bring two sides together,        wrong sides facing and stitch a seam along one edge making a tube.

Confetti Wedding invite...

White card – 300 gsm
Coloured paper

Vellum

2 hole office hole punch

Scallop circle die or punch 6 cm in diameter

Typewriter style font or alphabet stamps

1.    Trim white card to measure 15 x 21 cm and fold in half to make the base card.

Quick and easy Circle punch card...

Supplies List

Patterned paper
Buttons: red, blue, white
Baker’s twine: red
Stamps: Circle greetings
Card: kraft, red, green and white
Circle punches

1. Create six stylised flowers with circles cut/punched from card/paper and layered with a button in the centre. 

Father's Day Gift Set...

Supplies List

Digital paper pack – ‘Mustache and Necktie’ from Etsy.com
Cardstock:  Royal Blue
Number stickers
Alphabet rub-ons
Circle punches

‘Dad’ wooden sentiment topper.

Ribbon

Buttons

Rosette

1. Take a strip of card 4 cm wide and 30 cm long, stick a narrower strip of patterned paper in the centre, score at 0.5cm intervals along its length and concertina fold.  Join the two ends together with tape forming a ring, flatten in the centre and secure with a circle of card and strong glue.  Add ‘no1’ to a circle of card and stick to the centre of the rosette.

Happily Ever After...

Supplies List

Silver, black, ivory and green cardstock
White and Silver Embossing Powder
Clear Embossing ink pad
Vellum
Greeting Stamp. Similar one here
Bunting Stamp.  Similar one here
MFT Die-namics Rolled Rose die.  This Sizzix one is similar and as cheap as chips!

1. Cover the 12 x 15 cm card blank with silver glitter card and then mat and layer with black and ivory card leaving a narrow border between each layer.