A year in pictures

Yesterday I allowed myself an hour or two to craft for me!!! I have been so busy with the countdown projects and my craft fayre projects that I have not scrapped anything for me for a while!

Do you remember last year I did Shimelle's class "Scrap your day?" Well I enjoyed doing it, but decided that this year I would buy the same album again and so a year in pictures. As we finished Scrap your day in March it is running from April to next March! Well, I bought the Making Memories calendar to make it with, way back in December last year and I had set aside the Jenni Bowlin Calendar cards that came with my add on from my December kit from Studio Calico last year, but I had not got around to starting it. Friday night I looked back through my photos and made a start.

I always group my photo's on my computer in folders for each month. I have a pics folder and a craft folder for each month to keep them separate. So, on Friday, all I had to do was go back to April's folder and make a photo collage, using my selection of the best twelve pictures and print them out onto A4. I chose a layout that could be cut in two lengthways with the trimmer so I can easily mount the pictures on each page. I printed out the same for May right through to November. Yesterday I was all set to go!

I decided to dismantle the calendar to access each page more easily, I can reassemble it with my BIA later. The cover this year is chipboard with a scalloped edge. The pages are the same paper as last year, white, but I wanted to use vintage papers that had a cream background so I set about the edges of each page with Tim Holtz distress ink in "old paper" and the foam blending tool. Once the edges had been inked I started adding my background papers, by just cutting a 12x12 sheet in half and placing half on the page and half on the back of the previous page, so it opens flat as a double page of the same paper. (IYKWIM)

A pack of Jenni Bowlin journaling cards in black, also from a previous kit went perfectly with her vintage paper, so I have a journaling space on each month to record the events. I am only half way through, but I love the memories it has brought back already!! Things I had recorded with a photograph but forgotten!!

Getting sooooooooo excited!!......

about the start of the December daily project!! I am not a big journaling person, so for me this is not about what I will write as much as what I will record in pictures and ephemera too! I am a big collector of bits and pieces and I am sure this album will turn into a set of books or I will have to find enormous book rings!!last year I completed Shimelle's 'scrap your day' challenge where I photographed the 26th day of the month for a year and I liked the result. This year, I bought the Making Memories calendar again ready to complete my own version - a photo collage of snaps from each month with one or two items of journaling along the way. This will chronicle the whole year. As I completed Shimelle's project in March, bizarrely this will start in April 09 and go through to April 2010. Anyway, tonight I have been printing off my photo collages for April right through to November!! Just need to track down the album again now!!! Anyone seen it???? Today we finally got around to Barney's Christmas card photo shoot! I bought him a squeaky teddy in The Range the other day so I decided, in the absence of any fancy dress outfit, we would make one with that! Here are the best one's:I then nipped on to the Picnik photo editing site to enhance it with a Rudolph red nose and add some snazzy text! A quick edge with my photo editing programme and we are ready to roll!I have to tell you the little teddy is awaiting repair on the sewing table as the back seam did not withstand the squeaking Barney was giving it!! Lol!

Last night we wrote the 'bought' Christmas cards, (dare I say that???) so today, I really need to finish the hand made ones! You may think it is early, but with hubby's birthday next weekend, my sisters the week after, and DS1's the week after that, we like to get these out of the way early so we can carry on focusing on birthdays!!! TFLx

P.S. You will be please to here, I bagged a Studio Calico add on! Not so pleased that my stash delivery of last month's kit still did not arrive yesterday!! Bought a new bedroom TV though!!

700 post RAK!

Can you believe it??? I am on post 700???? When I started back in December 2007, I was not sure I would keep up my daily blogging but I almost have!! Give or take a holiday here and there!! I have decided to have a RAK to celebrate, as I did at the end of the Christmas countdown last year. I am giving away one of my little easels that I have made for my Etsy shop that display a 12 x 12 page. If you would like a chance to win one, then please leave a comment on this post saying which project you liked best in this years Christmas countdown and I will draw a number using Random.org next Sunday! Good luck!

Roses are green?????!!!

Well, in my case they were! I think this was my favourite class from the recent UKs cybercrop by Pam (aka Wombat) and Angel Crafts. The original class had a wedding photo on it to compliment the roses, and I had this wedding photo of mum and dad waiting to be scrapped! I decided (as usual) to take a vintage theme! I used Cosmo Cricket as my backing paper and the roses were made from Pink Paislee "charming" paper. Add in a Prima Chrystal swirl and some other bits and bobs and I even did a bit of quilling!! Ink all the edges with an olive green ink pad and the vintage look is complete. A couple of bits of lace and a couple of punch out butterflies and the job's a carrot!!! Just loved making those roses! although we were supposed to have more on the page!!

Right, better get off, going out to buy a new bedroom telly! TFLx

Job's for today list!

(One of my layouts from the recent UKs cybercrop. Those tiny rolls of paper all down the left hand side, make this very 3D. The checked fabric adds texture too. Basic Grey Wassail papers.)

To Do List:

Barney's Christmas card shoot - very late I know and no outfit yet!!

Last weeks ironing done

This week's ironing done

Upstairs cleaning (Got totally sidelined last week due to DS1's washing and ironing mountain from Uni!) some of it done

Walking the dog done

Listing things on eBay done

Studio Calico subscribers reveal 5pm done

DS2 Haircut after school 5.15pm done

Cook something for tea done

Ok, I can't see any crafting on there???? Yesterday was lost to the queen as I ended up taking DS2 into town for his Tap exam at ten and did not get back until 2, then did a quick processing of washing and drying and walked the dog, before nipping off to school for a two hour twilight meeting!!! Fortunately hubby had managed to follow the pasta recipe to the letter, so tea was on the table when I got in, but after tea, everything went to pot! I was so cold, I ended up getting into bed at 8.30 with the electric blanket on and next thing I know it's nearly midnight!!! Well, I must have needed it!! At least I was not sickening for something, as this morning I feel fine!

I set off yesterday with scrapping in mind, taking my camera into town as we have a German Christmas market this year, but I never got to it!! I spent ages in TK Maxx and Debenhams trying to get a few presents sorted. It is hubby's birthday next week, so thought I had better pull my finger out and get something quick!! (If he is reading this, which he does from time to time) don't panic!! It's sorted!! Lol!

Did I tell you I managed to blow up the bedroom telly??? No? Well that was something!! On Saturday night, I retreated to the bedroom due to "wall to wall" match of the day down stairs and suddenly, part way through my program, there was a flash and a bang and the telly went off and then there was a strong smell of burning plastic!!! I suppose it is an old telly and we can't grumble, we have decided it was about 14 years old, not bad these days for an appliance!!! I know how old it is, because it was the replacement for a telly that DS2 broke when he was only 18 months old!!! Yep! That's true too! Another funny story! (This post is turning into a Ronnie Corbett monologue again!!) DS1 had done his first day at school and he had been sent a first day at school card by grandma. I placed it on top of the telly and DS2 decided he wanted a closer look. He must have pulled himself up and the telly on the shiny mahogany video cabinet, went flying and the tube smashed on the floor! How DS2 did not get hurt I will never know! Anyhow, that was how I know when we bought this telly as it was the insurance replacement!

Ok, rambling over, I know how you have all missed these real life posts! Not!!! I can put it off no longer, Ironing here I come!

Updated at 7pm!

Pen drives wash at 40 degrees!!

I know this for a fact, because in the mountain of washing that accompanied my son home from Uni this weekend, was a pen drive in his jeans pocket that has been "missing for ages" apparently! I was just about to iron it when I discovered it and spent an anxious few moments wondering if he had all his work backed up!! Fortunately for me, unlike phones that can't swim, flash drives apparently can!! Another delight for me this weekend was the three day old wet football kit that was in a knotted carrier bag that had started to grow mould!! Due to his lack of funds, he had been unable to afford a washing machine this week and so had just brought it home!!! Well , I have to say it's not as bad as his mate who has not washed his bedding since his mum put the sheets on, on September 20th! Well, the Christmas countdown is over for another year! Can't believe how quickly that has gone!! I have a few extra projects that I will be sharing with you over the next few days. What else have you missed? Well, there was a cybercrop over at UKs and I only had chance to do a few layout classes as I was a bit heavily committed that weekend including my first ever craft fayre!! I had a great time at the craft fayre and it was interesting to see what was popular and what I have still got left!! I also wrote one of my funny poems, for a friend who has undergone reconstruction surgery after her mastectomy and posted a hilarious account of her fitting for a new nipple! Yes that is true and she wanted a poem to accompany her page!! I admire her spirit, scrapping her journey! I will ask her permission before sharing it here!

So back to normal posting for me! Still some craft work to do before Christmas!! TFLx

Project 25 - Biscuits for Santa!

Well, can you believe it, here we are at project 25 of the Christmas countdown, twenty five projects in twenty five days! I did worry when I started it again this year that I had committed to a lot of work, but I have enjoyed it all!! I hope you have too! Needless to say, just like last year, there are a few extra projects that will be appearing in the next few days, that did not quite make the top 25! I have tried to make it more varied this year and included crafts at various levels and abilities. I would also hope, that with my instructions, you could give any one of these projects a shot!! Christmas and it's preparations, still remains my favourite time of year, we feel stressed and under pressure, but somehow, we get there in the end! I am really looking forward to filling in my December daily album with you throughout the month and hopefully we can compare notes and ideas! So let's get cracking with the biscuits for Santa!

You will need:
Ready made ginger heart biscuits (mine were from IKEA)
Silver spoon Ready made Royal icing mix (just add water!) It is stronger than glace icing.
Small piping bags (I made them from a cone of greaseproof paper)
Star nozzle and straight nozzle for writing
Narrow gingham ribbon/Christmas ribbon
Cellophane
Small red sleigh bells (Paperchase)
Twine
Tiny Attacher
Scotch magic tape

1. Mix up the royal icing according to the packet instructions, make sure it is not too runny or it will not pipe easily. Pipe stars around the edges of the biscuits and write simple words in the centre of each one e.g. Santa, Ho, Ho, Ho, Noel, Joy, Peace etc Leave to dry overnight.
2. Cut a piece of cellophane roughly A4 size, turn under 1cm along one edge and crease. Fold in half to find the mid point and crease lightly on one edge only (like we did here.)
Roll around into a cone around this mid point, making sure it is a point at the bottom of the cone. Secure with Scotch magic tape.

3. Thread the heart biscuits on to a length of ribbon and knot. Place two biscuits, back to back and slide into the cellophane cone. Turn down the top point of the open cone and secure with more Scotch tape. Fold back each corner at the top and secure with tape.
Thread a sleigh bell on to a piece of twine, knot securely and staple to the cellophane, using the tiny attacher.

Have these biscuits at the ready to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve or hang them on the tree! If they last that long! A great little gift for any child. Not suitable for the under 3's as the sleigh bell is small.

A friend has made an arrangement of these biscuits, some scented hearts and a few hand made tags on some twisted willow sticks in a vase and made a stunning table centre!! Great perfume too! I use them to adorn my garland on the mantle piece in the lounge! I love the smell!

December Daily album - Day 25

This page is made from a large envelope, the one's that take a piece of A4 paper flat!! I folded it in half and kept it in one piece. I punched hole in the fold using the Cropadile, after I have covered it on all sides with patterned paper. It will be good to arrange photo's from the big day!!

In case I fancy carrying on after Christmas, I have added a few extra pages, maybe to add some special gift tags to or Christmas cracker jokes or even my thank you letter list! Who knows??!!

This page has an old leaflet from a parlour game that I have covered in patterned paper and I may use it to list the gifts I got this year!! Stash, stash and more stash, hopefully! Lol!

Thanks for playing along, and here's to the next Christmas countdown in 2010!!! Lol!

Project 24 - Coasters - teacher gift

I have to admit these are not a new idea, I have made them before on this blog, in fact it was my son who made them first here, however it suddenly struck me what a fab teacher gift they would make!! Take care with your laminating, she says, who managed to laminate one of these to the rollers on my machine and spent the next hour and a half taking it apart!!! If you put in something small, use the carrier sheet that comes with your machine!!! Lol!!

You will need:
MDF blanks in circles or squares
Paint dabber
Hot laminator
Laminating pouches
Patterned papers
Felt or similar for backing to coaster
Heavy duty double sided tape (DIY store)
Dark Brown ink pad

1. Using the paint dabber, paint the edges of your MDF blanks and leave to dry for a few minutes.
2. Choose your background papers and draw around one of the coasters as your template, cut out. Choose elements from other patterned papers and arrange a couple of things on the surface of the mat to see what works. Keep the layers minimal (or the laminating pouch wont go through the machine easily later on.) Ink any edges if required and hold in position with a small amount of tape. 3. Place the backing paper circles inside a laminating pouch and pass the pouch through the laminator to seal.

4. Cover the surface of the coaster with the heavy duty double sided tape, trim with a craft knife. Line up the laminated cover carefully and place on the double sided tape. You only get one shot at this so be accurate!!!!

5. On the reverse of the coaster repeat the process, this time using a circle of felt or cork paper. Ink the edges of the coaster with the dark brown ink pad to disguise any slight inaccuracies.

Great, simple teacher presents and very useful too! What about adding photo's or names or funny phrases? Possibilities are endless!

December Daily - Day 24

This is the pouch side of the photo wallet. I tucked the flap inside the wallet and then added several pages for photographs, made from black album pages. Some of them had patterned paper on and some have pleated ribbon under the edge. Lots of space here for Christ,as eve pics!!!

Pop by tomorrow for our final crafting project of the countdown to Christmas!!! Doesn't time fly when you are having fun!! TFLx

Project 23 - Laundry Bags

A great gift idea in two different sizes. You can use them to hang up in your room on holiday to collect all the smalls and keep them safe until you return home. I have done machine applique on mine again, but you could just iron on the design using Bondaweb or even embroidery. These are made from Linen tea towels that I have bought whilst on holiday! (Yes, I know I am strange!!) The blue one was a large tea towel from Italy and the red one was a smaller tea towel from a French supermarket.

You Will Need:

A linen tea towel

Scraps of cotton fabric

Vilene or Bondaweb to iron on the back of the scraps

Cord

Thread

Sewing machine

1. Draw some simple clothes or letters on to scrap paper and cut out. Iron Bondaweb on to the scraps of fabric, pin on the pattern pieces and cut put.

2. Fold the teas towel in half and arrange the clothing or letters centrally on the tea towel. Iron in place to secure. Open the tea towel out flat before sewing with a machine satin stitch as before. (Zig-zag stitch width 2 and length about one half.) Press it flat when complete.

3. With right sides together, sew the bag together across the bottom and up the side. Turn down a hem on the inside of the top of the bag, big enough to take the cord you have chosen, remember it needs to be washable!! Leave a gap to be ab;e to thread the cord in.

4. Using a safety pin, thread the cord through the channel around the top and knot securely. Check the cord will gather up, by drawing the bag closed. Your laundry bag is complete!

December Daily - Day 23

This date is my elder son's birthday, so I have made this page an envelope to store photo's inside. I took an old cardboard photo envelope and covered it with patterned paper on all sides. I added some large eyelets to stop the holes from tearing as there might be a lot in this page! I covered the folded edges on the wallet with ribbon - fabric and paper. I added a fabric tag from Making memories for decoration.

Pop by tomorrow fro another crafting project! TFLx

Project 22 - Chuppa Chupps carry pack

Another one for the kids today!!! (Big and little!!) Apologies in advance for the poor quality pics!! These could be party favours, hung on the tree or used on the table!

You will need:

Sheet of thick paper I used American Crafts A La Carte papers

4 Gromlets

Big Bite

Ribbon

Large designer eyelet

Tissue paper

4 Chuppa Chupp lollies or similar

Double sided tape

1. Cut a piece of the patterned paper 10 cm by 26 cm. Score at 2cm from short edge then 12cm, then 14cm then 24cm. Score at 2cm up from one of the long edges right across.

2. Using the large designer eyelet and the Big Bite, make a hole in the front panel of the bag and set the eyelet for decoration. You could use something else to decorate if you don't have a Big Bite.

3. Set some gromletts in the top edge of the bag where you want the ribbon handles. These just stop the ribbon from pulling through and tearing when you carry them. Punch holes in the centre of the gromletts using the big bite.

4. Thread through two lengths of ribbon for the handles and knot on the outside for decoration.
5. To assemble the box, apply double sided tape along the inside of one of the sides. Cut up to the lower score line on the long edge at every vertical score line. Overlap the side seam and stick in place.
Complete the base of the box like wrapping a parcel, fold in the sides first and then one of the longer base pieces, applying double sided tape to each piece as necessary. Complete with scrunched piece of tissue paper in the base to support the lollies.

December Daily - Day 22

Very simple, piece of patterned paper on the other side of yesterday's black page.

Pop by tomorrow for anither crafting project! TFL x

Project 21 - Voucher Vases

Last year I was looking for a novel way to give money or a voucher and I came up with money wallets. This year I decided to get a bit more creative and make a nice gift for a gift card that looked a bot more special, I came up with voucher vases!

You will need:

A small bud vase (mine were from IKEA)

Five bamboo kebab skewers

Patterned paper

Buttons

Candy Cane

Ribbon offcut

Curling ribbon

Cellophane

Silicone Glue

Flower rubber stamp in large and small

Ink Pad

3" Woodware scallop circle punch (purple)

Smaller Woodware scallop circle punch (Blue)

Aluminium garden wire

Fine nosed pliers

1. Stamp the flower images on to the patterned paper in two different sizes. Pucn out using the scallop circle punches or hand cut if you prefer.

2. Layer the flowers up using silicone glue and add a button for the flower centre. Glue the flower to the bamboo skewers using the silicone and leave to dry overnight. Add leaves cut from green paper if you want, but not too far down the stems or they will not go in the bud vase.

3. Cut a long length of wire and curl one end around the fine nosed pliers to make a spiral, like we did for the photo holder. Flatten it gently and this will hold your gift card.

4. Tie a short piece of ribbon around the neck of the bud vase and knot or tie a bow.

5. Arrange the flowers in your hand in a bunch and add the gift card folder. When you are happy with the display, hold the stems together temporarily with some sellotape. Using a long length of curling ribbon, wrap tightly around the stems and knot it tightly. Curl the long ends that remain using the blade of your scissors. Feed the long ends into the bud vase and then the stems of the flowers. Check you are happy with the arrangement and then wedge them in place using the candy cane stick.

6. Cut a long strip of cellophane about 50cm wide, stand the vase in the centre and bring up opposite corners and staple. Make pleats in the excess at the sides and staple in place. Curl a long length of ribbon and staple to the top. All you need to do now is add a gift tag! Garden vouchers are great given this way!!

December daily - Day 21

Another spare black page from a mini album. Just add patterned paper and a couple of tags.

Pop back tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 20 - Wreaths and Garlands

This year I have made an outdoor wreath an indoor wreath and a spice garland for the kitchen! All would make great gifts too!

Outdoor Wreath
You Will Need:
A plain wreath of green artificial spruce (Homebase or similar)
3 Christmas Ornaments that will withstand outside
One reel of wire edged ribbon
Nutmeg, Cinnamon sticks and dried orange slices
Felt star or similar
Welcome plaque made from Balsa wood or similar painted with word "welcome" and sprayed with spray varnish
Florist wire

1. Lay the wreath on the table and begin by placing items around the wreath to check the arrangement, remember odd numbers of things are best design wise!!
2. Tie a bow in the wire edged ribbon and place to one side, twirl the ends. Punch holes in the top corners of the sign and thread wire through the top to hang up. wind it around a pencil to get a twirl effect before threading back through the other side.
3. Once you are happy with the placement of the items, wire them on to the wreath using the florist wire. Hang from the door with a wreath hanger (I wire mine to this to stop thieves!!!)

Indoor Wreath
You Will Need:
Corrugated cardboard
Sheet music
Patterned paper
PVA glue
Foam spreader
Maya Mist - iridescent pearl
Heidi Swapp clear extras - runway
Twine

1. Draw a circle on corrugated card and cut away the inner circle to create a wreath ring about 8 inches in diameter. Cut a second one and glue them together for strength making sure the corrugations go in two directions. Leave to dry. Cover one side of the wreath ring with the patterned paper. Tie a loop of string around the wreath ring at this stage to hang up with later.
2. Cut the sheet music into oblongs of various sizes about six inches by four - some bigger and some smaller.

3. Roll each oblong of sheet music into a cone shape and spread glue along the edge to close the seam. Arrange the cones on the wreath ring and apply with PVA glue. Go all around the wreath ring in one layer and leave to dry.

4. When dry, arrange some extra cones of sheet music to cover any gaps in the first layer, so the wreath ring is not visible underneath.

5. Decorate the wreath with 3 clear extras and spritz with Maya Mist in iridescent pearl.

Spice garland

You will need:

6 oranges

1 pack of nutmegs (Mine were from Holland and Barrett)

1 pack of cinnamon sticks

1 box of bay leaves

scraps of fabric

4 mini wooden cotton reels

twine

1. Slice the oranges and lay on a baking tray. Dry them in the oven on a low heat for a long time, turning regularly until they have dried out fully. They smell gorgeous by the way!

Meanwhile, drill a hole through each nutmeg using a cordless screw driver and a fine drill bit. They are quite soft!

2. Group the cinnamon sticks into bundles and tie up securely with twine. Rip the fabric into strips, with tatty edges.

3. Using a darning needle and some twine, start threading all the items on the string in groups, being random with the order. Ties scraps of fabric here and there between items. Make a loop in each end of the twine to hang it up with.

December Daily Album - Day 20

The other side of the jar shaped page. A small piece of patterned paper is stuck down on three sides to make a pocket. A card from some Anna Griffin ribbon makes a pretty tag with a ribbon pull added to the top.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 19 - A Carrier bag holder

Last year we made and apron out of a tea towel, this year we are making a bag for bags! If you are like me, you have a bag of bags, just in case!!! Less now maybe than before, now we have bags for life, but those I do get I am determined to keep and recycle, so this would be a very useful gift. I did machine applique on this one, but again you could use Bondaweb and just cut out the letters and iron them in place!

You will need;
A linen type tea towel (not a thick towelling one with pile)
Scraps of patterned fabric
3 Buttons
Embroidery thread
20 cm narrow Elastic
1 metre of Cord
Thread
Sewing Machine
Safety Pin

1. Iron scraps of fabric big enough for your letters on to Bondaweb or I used iron on Vilene. Cut out the letters big and chunky to make them easier to sew around.
Open out the tea towel flat, long edges at the top and bottom, and pin or iron the letters in place in the centre of the towel.

2. As I used Iron on Vilene, I had to pin my letters to hold them still and then carefully stitch around the letters using a satin stitch, that is a zig-zag stitch of about width 2 and length of a half. Iron the letters again after sewing to flatten them. Sew buttons on with embroidery thread for the holes in the letters B and A.
3. Fold the bag in half with the letters on the INSIDE. Join the two short edges of the towel together with a straight seam. Remember to reverse at each end of your stitching to secure!! Turn the right way out.

4. Fold a hem to the inside and stitch, at the top and bottom of the bag, leaving an opening to thread the elastic and the cord. At the top, thread the cord through the channel you have made, using a safety pin to push it along. Knot the two ends of the cord. At the bottom, use the safety pin to thread the elastic through, Pull up until you can get your hand inside comfortably, then knot the two ends together.

A great hand made gift that will tidy up a few kitchen cupboards I am sure!!!

December Daily - Day 19

This page is another of the jar looking pages I got from the hairdressers!! This time I covered the whole page in patterned paper and then tied a ribbon around the neck to make it look like a jar! I threaded a tag made from Anna Griffin paper on to the ribbon to look like a label.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

P.S. Only one more week to go to the end of the countdown!! Wow!

Project 18 - Reindeer Poop!

Yes you did read that correctly, it seems to be all the rage at the moment! It will bring a smile to childish faces young and old!!

You will need:
Chocolate Raisins
cellophane and curling ribbon
Scotch magic tape
Double sided tape
A4 sheet of thick patterned paper like American Crafts
Woodware circle punch and scallop circle punch in blue
Tiny alpha stamp set
Black ink pad
Brown chalk eye ink pad
Offcuts of red and brown paper
Tiny brads
Pennant stamp (Pink Persimmon)
Flower brad
Silicone glue

1. Make a cone of cellophane and secure with Scotch magic tape. Fill with chocolate raisins, tie with curling ribbon and curl.

2. For the reindeer character head, sketch a head shape with ears on to plain brown patterned paper and cut out. Ink around the edges with dark brown ink pad for shading. Cut out an oval in red plain patterned paper, ink the edges and mount on to the reindeer face with a large foam pad. Cut two small red ear shapes to sit inside the ear for contrast. (See close up of face below.)Pierce and add two small brads for the eyes, quite close together looks cute! For the antlers, punch out a scallop circle in brown. Using the plain circle punch clip small amounts off the edge of the scallop in sections to make antlers. You can get three equal sized antlers per scallop circle. Put these on one side for later.

3. Stamp the pennant stamp in a colour to co-ordinate with your paper for the cone. Stamp the outline stamp over the top. Using the small alphabet stamp set, stamps the words "reindeer poop" in black.

4. To make the cone, fold the A4 sheet of patterned paper in half and just pinch at the centre point - DO NOT CREASE IT ALL THE WAY UP! This gives you a centre point to form the base of your cone from.

5. Before rolling the cone, apply double sided tape along one corner of the paper in two directions as in this photograph. About three inch pieces are long enough. Starting with the tape at the far edge, away from you, curl the cone shape, keeping the base nice and tight. Remove the tape backing as you get there and secure the cone closed by pressing lightly.

6. To secure the cone closed, pierce a hole with a pricking tool at the final edge of the overlap and push a brad through to the inside of the cone and open put on the back.

Slide the cellophane bag of chocolate raisins into the decorative cone.

7. To close the cone, fold the top open point down on to the back of the cone and secure with scotch magic tape. Fold in both pointy "ears" of the cone to the back and crease, to help hold the cone closed. Apply a small amount of glue to the point of the pennant and slide into the seam on the top right hand corner.

8. Using a small amount of silicone glue, apply some to the reindeer head and place on the front of the cone for decoration. Apply small amounts of glue to each antler and tuck them behind the reindeer face. Allow to dry.

These could also be made in traditional colours and placed on the Christmas table as table favours. Fill with everyone's favourite sweets of small gift instead of a cracker!

December daily album - Day 18

This day is the other side of the plastic notebook cover that has a pocket on it again. I covered the inside of the cover with a piece of patterned paper and then made some tags from Anna Griffin paper that looks like antique Christmas cards. I cut them out individually and mounted them on card to make tags. Punch a hole and add some ribbon to each one.

As an extra page, I covered this thin "bottle" shape page (another find at the hairdressers shop!) with patterned paper and added some eyelets and the word NOEL cut from backing paper. This page could always be moved to where extra space is needed as it has no number on it "a floating page!"

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 17 - A Christmas Apron

Whilst browsing through a magazine recently, I came across the advert for this Vintage apron from John Lewis. My mum is always wearing an apron and has asked for some new ones for Christmas, but I thought it would be nice to make her a kit up for an easy sew apron she could make herself. The fabric reminds me a bit of Cath Kidston, whom I am always raving about! And I may make her one up in that, but there are loads of fabrics out there for you to choose from and suit them to the person's personality! A kit is a great gift if you are not a sewer and better to make a little decorated pack up with trimmings and thread and present it nicely. Cheaper than £15 pounds too!

Last year you remember I made a Christmas apron using a vintage pattern I bought from the USA on E bay. I also made Cath Kidston aprons using this vintage pattern I bought on a French antique market.This year a friend gave me a piece of Christmas fabric she had bought at a craft fayre and asked me to make her the apron as she does not sew. That's another gift you could give! Your time and expertise. I used the vintage pattern above and made her this! She was delighted!

However you do it, think about making a Christmas apron! I have even started wearing one for crafting! Saves getting glue and ink on my clothes!! How about a craft apron then?? Iron some scraps of fabric onto Bondaweb and cut out a design, then iron it on the front of the apron! There you are, personalised!!! I sew, so I can applique around the edge using a small zig zag stitch, but you don't have to! Maybe you embroider and could buy an apron and embroider a message on the pocket. Loads of ideas! And don't forget the quick apron you could make out of a tea towel as described last year! Check out the link at the bottom of this post to 52 free apron patterns! Now what's your excuse????

December Daily - Day 17

You can just about make out a clear page from a Papermania acrylic album that I have applied a rub on to, in cream. This could be used for the 16th or the 17th as extra space. Behind it is the page labelled 17, made from a plastic cover from a notebook. I stuck a piece of patterned paper on it using some silicone glue. You see, don't throw anything away!!! This I trimmed with a Making Memories fabric tag from their Fa-la-la range to add some texture and another 3D tree from Anna Griffin.

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Updated to add just found this link for 52 free apron patterns!

Project 16 - Shopping List holder

Everybody needs a shopping list! From the very old to the not so very old!! These are vintage inspired shopping lists, a perfect Christmas gift.

You will need;
A piece of wood/MDF or BIA Chipboard covers 10"x10"
Photocopy of a vintage magazine page
Sheet of music or music backing paper
Distress ink old paper and tea dye
Foam blending tool
Craft sheet
Pretty paper Napkin
1 sheet Patterned paper
PVA glue
Foam spreader
Vintage playing card or similar
Vintage kan-u-go cards or alphabet stickers
Small square punch (Yellow Woodware)
Blooms
Buttons
Chipboard swirls
Paint dauber
Rub ons
3 Large eyelets
Cropadile Big Bite
Large bull dog clip
Ribbons/lace
Stick pin
Bead
Sand paper
Dark brown chalk eye ink pad

This first notepad holder was made using the wooden lid from a two bottle wine case we were given last Christmas. I used the base to store my alphas and had not thrown the lid away and now I have found a use for it! The other two are made from BIA clipboard covers that work just as well.
1. Ink the photocopy of the vintage magazine page using a distress ink pad on a craft sheet and a foam blending tool. The original would be too thin to use. Ink the edges with the darker Tea Dye ink.
2. Tear pieces of sheet music and ink these edges too. Arrange on the wood and glue down using the PVA and the foam spreader. Spread glue thinly over the top of the whole sheet of wood.

3. Separate the layers of the napkin. They are usually 3 ply and you just need the top patterned layer for this. Smooth the napkin on top of the wet glue on the piece of wood and spread glue over the top of it trying to make a few creases here and there for texture. Don't worry if it does not cover the whole of the wood surface. Leave to dry for a while, in a warm place. When dry, trim the edges with a craft knife and sand using a sandpaper block to smooth. Ink the edges using a dark brown ink pad.

4. Punch hole carefully in the wood using the Cropadile Big bite being careful not to break it!! If you feel too much resistance, use a wood drill instead. Insert the large eyelets and set them in both top corners.

5. Work out where you want to place the list and the bulldog clip. Mark with a pencil and punch another hole using the Big Bite and set another eyelet. 5. Arrange your embellishments, rub ons etc to suit you and add a long length of ribbon, knotted, to hang the board up. Punch the letters out of the Kan-u-go cards using the square punch to spell the word list, add an odd "s" from another alphabet set.

Thread some ribbon through the holes on a large button and slide it to the mid point. From the back of the board, thread both ends of the ribbon through to the front and tie on the bull dog clip with a knot or bow.

Glue a sheet of patterned paper to the back and trim around the edge using a craft knife to neaten. Sand the edges and stain them with the dark brown ink pad.

Here are two that I made using vintage cook books and BIA clipboard covers. The first one also has a small blackboard on it, a piece of chipboard painted with blackboard paint.

This one uses a 1950's "How to Ice a Cake" booklet in that vintage pink! I am going to add mini bull dog clips to the side for receipts too!

December Daily Album - Day 16

This page is simple, a Theresa Collins Die cut shape I had left over from a project. I added a 3D tree embellishment from Anna Griffin to fancy it up!

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 15 - Christmas Tree Decorations

Each year we try and add something new to the Christmas tree as a family tradition. I love shaker style so I try and get something with a folk art feel. Here I have made three different types of tree decorations for different level and abilities. The first type is a self assembly job and there are many sets out there and the kids love to help make them. The second is a decoration made from dried cranberries, the third is little sewn birds.

You will need:

Cosmo Cricket Buck Naked Ornaments (Christmas theme chipboard shapes)

Cosmo Cricket 12x12 die cuts to match the Buck naked ornaments (optional)

Twine

Paint dabbers

Stickles/glitter (optional)

Dried cranberries (from health food store)

Gingham ribbon

Florists wire

Fine nosed pliers

Heart template

Fabric offcuts

Stuffing

Thread

Sewing Machine

Button

Ribbon

Bird template

Pinking Shears

Embroidery thread

1.Fabric Birds

Draw around bird template on the wrong side of the fabric using light pencil or a water soluble marker pen. Place two layers of fabric right sides together and stitch around the outside, leaving a gap for stuffing.

2. Trim close to the stitching with pinking shears, clip the corners carefully and turn right side out. Make a wing from two layers of fabric, this time place then wrong sides together. Draw the wing shape using water soluble marker pen and stitch around the shape slowly using a zig zag stitch of width 2 that is very close together like a satin stitch (length approx 1/2). Cut it out close to the stitching with small sharp scissors, taking care not to snip the stitches.

3. Stuff the bird shape tightly, using a pencil to push the stuffing into the points. Close the gap using neat hand oversewing stitch.

4. Using embroidery thread, stitch the wing to the body using a large back stitch and knot the ends for decoration. Clip the threads. Stitch the button as the eye using the same technique and also the ribbon to hang the bird up.

1. Buck Naked Ornaments

If you are using the die cut shapes, find the parts that match the naked ornaments, including the layering parts, stick in place with glue stick or PVA and leave to dry.

2. Paint the back and edges of each ornament using paint dabbers or Maya mist. Leave to dry.
Attach fine string to the button shapes, which are to conceal the photo holder in the larger ornaments. This string forms the handle, so leave enough to get hold of. Thread each ornament on twine to hang on the tree, to maintain a shaker look to the ornaments. decorate with Stickles or glitter if required.

If you don't use the die cuts, you could paint each shape and add buttons, sequins, ribbons etc to decorate. The children will love to do this!

1. Dried Cranberry Hearts

Bend a 12" piece of wire in the centre, around the nose of the pliers and twist to form a small loop. Curl each side of the wire around the outside of the heart template and cross over at the bottom to get a nice heart shape. Do not close the heart yet as we need to thread the cranberries on.

2. using dried cranberries, thread each one on to the wire and slide it up to the apex at the top, carefully pack the cranberries on to the wire, but not to closely. This is a bit fiddly and you get a bit sticky but the effect is good!

3. When you reach the bottom on both sides of the wire heart, take the pliers and twist the ends together to hold it closed. Snip off any excess wire with the cutters on the pliers.

4. Thread a length of gingham ribbon from the centre of the heart and knot. Hang the hearts in an airing cupboard or over a radiator to complete the drying out process for a few days before hanging on the tree. Just three suggestions, but there are loads more!!!

December Daily - Day 15

You may recognise this day's page, as it is the top half of the Laura Ashley carrier bag I used for an earlier date!! Cover both sides with patterned paper and seal the open edges with double sided tape. Open out the gusset sides of the bag (which will form flaps to write in top and bottom of your page) and cover these with patterned paper too.

Punch holes in the long edge of the page and add to your album.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! Only ten more days of the Christmas countdown projects to go!! TFLx

P.S. Please let me know about any projects you complete and leave me a link to your blog so I can take a peep!!

Project 14 - Christmas Tapas

Last year we had Sweetie Blooms that were very popular, this year I have done a variation, called Christmas Tapas - a selection of little things, in this case, that are sweet! You even give a decoration and a pen pot too!
You Will Need:
A Christmas "pick" (my little people on a stick were metal, but you can choose what you want on a stick or stem.)
A metal or ceramic plant pot (mine were from Ikea)
Tissue Paper
Selection of children's sweets and lollies
Cellophane
Raffia
Flower stamp
Patterned paper off cuts
Stazon ink
Button
Silicone glue
bamboo skewer

1. Arrange the sweets inside the plant pot using tissue paper to support them in the best arrangement.2. Make the bloom for the pot by stamping a flower onto patterned paper and cut out. Add a smaller flower to the centre with silicone and a button on the top for the middle. Glue the bloom to a bamboo skewer as a stalk and add a few leaves cut from double sided green paper. Leave to dry then stand in the pot amongst the sweets. 3. Cut a long strip of cellophane enough to gather up around the pot and tie in position above the sweets and the bloom, with a raffia bow.
4. Slide the Christmas pick carefully into the centre of the pot through the cellophane. These are so cute and an enjoyable was of giving a few sweets without the wasted packaging!

December Daily - Day14
Today's page is a brown paper bag, with the open side acting as a pocket to add photo's or journaling cards. Decorate with patterned paper off cuts. Edge with a rub on tape roller for decoration. Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 13 - Gardeners gifts

This idea was an original one of mine, designed when I came across a basket of seeds in the garden centre. I know from personal experience, my dad is always in the garden and puts a 'post it' on the back door for delivery men to see! As men are also tricky to buy for, the idea just grew!! It could be perfect for gardening 'gals' too! When I was deciding what to give the gift in, the idea of newspaper pots came to me. Now I have a lot of brown paper bags to recycle from my kit club, so I decided to make mine from brown paper bags instead! You could do either!! You could use a sheet of patterned paper for gals!!
The signs are made from chipboard and I recycled a child's board book from a charity shop. They are not waterproof, as they are designed to be outside temporarily, but you could make them from MDF and varnish them if you want them more robust.
It is up to you how much you add to this gift. it could have extras put in like twine and maybe a gardening voucher, but I decided to keep the cost down as they were for the fayre and people could always add to them.

You will need:
Packets of seeds - 3 per pot
Off cuts of gardeners twine
Off cut of Kraft card stock or a luggage label
Plant labels
Permanent marker
Chipboard for the sign (new or recycled) or MDF
Patterned papers
12x12 paper bag or newspaper for the bio degradable pot
Double sided tape
Brads
Embellishments and alphabet 'Thickers' for the sign
Silicone Glue
Aluminium garden wire
Cropadile Big Bite
Large Eyelets
Fine nosed pliers
Alphabet stamps
Stazon Ink
Brown chalk eye ink pad
Glue stick

1. Group your seeds into themes. I made herb garden, salad garden and flower garden sets. Cut out a luggage label from Kraft card stock and stamp the title on the label using the alphabet stamps and Stazon ink. Tie the seed packets together with the label using an off cut of gardeners twine.
2. If using a recycled chipboard book, peel off the shiny surface layer carefully and cut the page to size. Round the corners.
Apply double sided tape to the edges and then glue stick to the centre. Place face down on a sheet of patterned paper (I used Cosmo Cricket Mr Campy papers as they had a garden feel) and trim around the edge using a craft knife.
Ink the edges using a chalk eye ink pad in dark brown. Repeat on the back.
3. Using the alphabet Thickers and silicone glue, apply your message to the sign, I mixed alphabets for a quirky look. I used various messages, some funny and some straight forward. Add buttons and other embellishments to decorate.
Punch and set an eyelet in the corner of each sign to take the wire.
Wind a length of wire around the nose of the pliers to make a coil. Thread through the eyelet from front to back then make a loop. Thread back through to the front and coil this end around the nose of the pliers. Adjust as necessary and cut off any excess.
4. For the biodegradable pot, cut the brown paper or newspaper into a 12 inch square. Fold into thirds in both directions then open out. Turn the paper over and fold into thirds on this side too, so the creases work both ways. Bring the corners of the two sides of the pot together which will create a triangle fold in the outside corner section as in the photo below. Crease and fold flat against the pot side, hold in place with a clothes peg whilst you fold the other corner to overlap it.
Now turn around and do the same on the other side of the pot. To hold them in place, punch a hole with the Cropadile and insert a brad. Hold the corner down using a quarter circle of patterned paper (I recycled a Studio Calico sticker!)
5. Place the sign in the pot and add the packets of seeds. I also added some plant labels tied up with twine and a permanent marker. You are all set to go!! Make one for the gardeners you know! Those signs will be unique!! Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 12 - Cowgirl Cookies

This idea came from a link here to the Bakerella site from a chat thread on UKs. I decided to take the idea and make my own version. After much recipe testing, I have come up with my recipe and I am sorry but I only work in ounces!!! If you need to change that, 25 grammes is equivalent to 1 oz in baking terms. You are giving the jar of dry ingredients in a decorative way, the recipient has to add the egg and butter etc when they make them.

You Will Need

Small Kilner jars Mine cost £1.50
My Cowgirl Cookie Recipe here for the ingredients
Cowgirl hat template here

Off cut of Pink card stock

Aluminium garden wire to make the handle

Fine nosed pliers

Beads and sequins to embellish the hats

Brown chalk eye ink pad

Large foam pads

Silicone glue

Ribbon scraps

Gingham paper offcuts

Scallop punches (Woodware pink and blue)

Ribbon off cuts

Sticky label

Cropadile

1. Wash the glass jars and place in a moderate oven and heat for half an hour to sterilize. Allow to cool slightly. Make a cone shaped funnel out of baking paper to help you fill the jars carefully.

2. Add the ingredients in this order; first a layer of plain flour and the baking powder, next the layer of rolled oats, then the layer of pink smarties, then the layer of chocolate chips. Now comes the important layer of soft brown sugar that need compacting down with the handle of a wooden spoon or similar. This stops the last layer of caster sugar from seeping through the layers and mingling!! I found this out by experience too!! carefully place the lid on the mix and seal tightly.

3. Using a long length of aluminium wire make a loop around the neck of the jars and twist with the pliers, twirl the loose end. Make a handle and twist around the first wire, loop it up and over the top making a tall narrow handle that the hat will slide on.

4. Print off the hat template and cut out the two pieces in pink card stock. Edge with the dark brown ink pad. Make a slit in the larger piece using the template as a guide, using a craft knife to cut the slit. Apply large foam pads to the brim layer of the hat and place on the hat to add dimension. Add the beads and sequins using silicone glue, leave to dry.

5. Print off the cookie labels on to card stock, from the Bakerella site. Punch out using the Pink Woodware scallop punch. Punch out scallop circles in gingham paper using blue Woodware punch to cover the top of the jar lid. Glue in place with Silicone glue.Make a hole using the small eyelet punch on the Big Bite. Tie with a scrap of narrow ribbon in a knot.

Before attaching to the jar, write the recipe instructions, by hand on the reverse of this label.

6. Slide the cowboy hat on to the wire handle of the jar. Add a scrap of spotted ribbon as a necktie on one side of the jar. Add a sticky label to the back of the jar with an ingredients list in case of allergies.

As an alternative, make cowboy cookies by taking out the pink Smarties and substituting more chocolate chips in a plain chocolate this time. The brown hat and orange ribbon gives this version a more masculine feel!! Makes 24 cookies by the way!!

December Daily - Day 13

This page was a brown envelope that I covered in patterned papers. I created a fastening by putting a large brad on the front of the envelope and adding an eyelet to the flap tied with string. Inside the envelope I have placed several journaling cards.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 11 - Heartfelt thoughts

Little wooden hearts with quotes and sayings, hand decorated for individual gifts.
I used MDF hearts, but you could buy a Maya Road heart album and make some chipboard ones instead.

You will need:
MDF heart shape
Acrylic paint
Patterned paper offcuts
Embellishments buttons, bows, chipboard shapes, beads etc
Sakura black glaze pen
String/twine
Hand drill
Glue gun or silicone glue
Glue stick
Sandpaper

1. Using the MDF shape, drill a hole for the string. If the MDF is thin you may be able to use your Cropadile big bite.

2. Paint one side of the heart with acrylic paint. Leave to dry. You may also paint the edges, although I covered mine with ribbon.

3. Glue the blank side to some patterned paper, using glue stick. Trim around the heart carefully with a craft knife and sand the edge smooth.

4. Find some quotes on the Internet or look in shops for ideas. I found several good ones when out shopping and made a note in my diary for future use!! You could write straight on the patterned paper with the Glaze pen, but I was scared in case I made a smudge or a mistake, so I wrote on a contrasting patterned paper and glued it in position when dry. You could ink the edges of the quote if you want.

5. Using the hot glue gun, glue some narrow ribbon around the edge, joining at the top in the centre. Glue any additional embellishments to the front of the heart.

6. Thread a length of garden twine through the hole in the heart to hang it up.

Here are a few I have made this year. Some are decorated with little chipboard hens I cut out and covered with little ribbon frills on the top. The metal hearts are made from the inside of a tomato puree tube, stamped with Stazon ink as shown before and cut out.

These are great little gift ideas. Look for heart shapes in the altered items section of online craft shops.

December Daily - Day 11 and 12

You wont believe it, but this page is made from a Laura Ashley paper carrier bag, you know the paper ones that they give you with smaller items in (any paper carrier would do!). I bought two mugs for a friends birthday and could not bring myself to throw the bag away! I cut off the handles flush with the top and then cut the bag in half across the middle. These pages are the bottom half of the bag with the base, later on you will see the top half!

Once you cut off the top half of the bag you need to turn the bag on its side so the base of the bag is on the right. This creates a hidden secret bit, where the base of the bag is. Punch holes in the left hand side which was the opening for the bag. Now cover the front and back of the bag in patterned paper and then the secret folded panel (which was the base) in a plain paper to match. I folded some K&Co sticky back lace over the edges to make sure all the white paper was not seen. I think this hidden part will be for journaling and the front will be for photo's.

The back of the bag is a page for the 12th of December.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 10 - Snowman Soup

An oldie, but a goodie, here is my version as I have never made it before and it will go a bomb at the Christmas Fayre!

Yet another project that does some recycling. I used brown paper bags that were 12x12 from my kit club and cut them down to make these!

You Will Need :

Brown Paper bags or parcel wrapping on a roll.

Off cuts of white snowflake paper

Off cut of black Bazzill card stock

Tiny piece of orange card stock

Ribbon

A Button

Two black brads

Dark Brown chalk eye ink pad

One sachet of Hot chocolate

A few tiny marshmallows in a cellophane bag

One candy cane

Printed Snowman Soup poem (Mine was from Nichole Heady Type pad here )

Circle punches in three sizes (Mine were Woodware punches in purple, pink and blue)

Sewing Machine and red thread.

Cropadile Big Bite

Tim Holtz tiny attacher

1. Using the circle punches, punch out three sizes of patterned paper (I used Magenta soft snowflakes paper offcuts from last year). Ink around the edges lightly using the chalk eye ink pad to add dimension.

2. Decide on your size of your paper bag. I made mine just big enough for the snowman. I cut an oblong of brown paper, folded in a small amount along the side and then folded it in half length ways. Stick your snowman to the front, overlapping each circle slightly. Add the brads and a small piece of card for the nose, glue in position. Open out the folded bag and punch a hole with a Cropadile Big Bite, centrally where the Snowman's body is. This is to take the ribbon to hold the candy cane.

3. Thread a button on to a length of ribbon and slide it to the centre of the ribbon. From the inside of the bag thread both ends of ribbon through the hole, out to the front of the snowman. (The button stops the ribbon from coming right out.) This is where you will tie your candy cane later.

4. Now you can sew the bag up the side and across the bottom.

5. Collect the items for the Snowman soup; the chocolate drink, the marshmallows in a bag and the candy cane. Place the chocolate powder and marshmallows inside the brown paper bag.

6. Cut a top hat from off cuts of Bazzill card stock. I folded the edges under to apply double sided tape to stick it in place.

7. print off your Snowman soup poem (if required) and punch them out using a scallop circle punch (Blue Woodware.) Punch a hole in the top and thread them on to a piece of string or narrow ribbon. Tie with a knot. Staple this label to the top edge of the paper bag with a tiny attacher.

8. Cut a length of ribbon to make a handle for the bag. Staple to both sides of the paper bag to seal it, making a cross with the staples to hold the ribbon securely. Finally tie the candy cane to the front using the ribbon secured earlier. Tie a knot.

Voila! One Snowman soup! Or should I say six!!

December Daily - Day 10

This page is another black album page I had spare. This time I threaded ribbon through the holes in the top edge and made a lacing pattern. I decorated both sides with a piece of patterned paper. The 10th of December is my sister's birthday, so should have some pics for this date! Inserted an antique lotto card too for extra space.

Project 9 - Picture Frame Album

This keepsake album was made using two wooden picture frames, joined together with some small hinges and a clasp. I made mine as a Christmas album, but it would make a great gift fro a Christening as a baby album or as a wedding gift with pictures from the big day. It holds some tags and an accordion album, but could hold mementos too.

You Will Need:

Approx 6 sheets of patterned paper (I used Cosmo Cricket OH Joy papers and a sheet of quotes/strip tease)

Two wooden picture frames 7x5 (Mine were from Dunelm Mills) Try to get wooden frames that are a bit chunky so the screws for the hinges have something to grip into. Also try and get ones that come with a frame mount inside ready cut to save you time!Offcuts of ribbon, blooms and various embellishments to decorate inside the frame.

Glue stick

Silicone glue

Double sided tape
Two small hinges and tiny screws

Bradawl to pierce holes in the wood
Small clasp to close the frame album

1. Undo the frames and remove the glass from one of them and carefully dispose of it, we only need glass in the front. Remove the mounting frame from the back frame too and keep this to one side.

2. Place the two frames on top of each other as if the album was closed and measure where to place the hinges down the left hand side of the front frame that still has the glass in.

Make small pilot holes with the bradawl for the screws and then screw the hinges in position carefully. Make sure they do not show on the inside. You may have to swap the screws for smaller ones. 3. Again, using the bradawl, make small pilot holes and add the clasp to the front edge in the centre. (I found I had this clasp in stock, no idea where from!!!)

4. Start working on the front of the album. Remove the hardboard and take out the frame mount. Put it together with the one from the back frame and glue with glue stick to make one frame that is deeper. This allows you to use buttons and things in the decoration inside the front frame and allows a deeper recess.

Now to cover this frame, glue it to some patterned paper, cut around it indie and out leaving a 2cm border. Clip into each corner on the inside. Glue the frame and fold the papers neatly over to the back.

Turn the frame over and glue a phrase or saying or title for your album to the frame itself.

5. Take the hardboard backing from the front frame and cover it with patterned paper. Place the covered frame over the top. Start to arrange your decorative elements in position, inside the frame border. Work out how you want it to look and glue items using silicone glue for strength. Make sure nothing is higher then the height of the frame mount apart from an odd blossom that can overlap the frame mount like mine did. Carefully place the whole picture inside the front frame under the glass, secure using the metal retainers that were in the frame originally.

6. As you can see from this picture the left hand frame is now closed and the metal sprigs are holding it in place. Now we need to work on the right hand frame.

Using the piece of paper that came in the frame as your pattern piece, (but trim a small amount off each side so it is not too snug) we are going to make an accordion album. I wanted mine to be in one piece, so I used brown Kraft parcel paper, but if you want it to be acid free, use something else. Keep this paper thin as it is going to be covered on both sides with patterned paper to make it thicker and if the album is too thick it wont fit inside the recess of the frame. Fold the accordion and trim the corners with a corner rounding punch. Cover this brown paper with patterned papers on each side, using glue stick and double sided tape. Round the corners.

Decorate the front page, with another phrase from the "Strip Tease" paper. Add a few embellishments and tie a ribbon around it to hold it closed.

7. Remove the hardboard from the back frame and cover it on both sides with patterned paper, using double sided tape and glue stick.

Apply a thin amount of silicone inside the back frame recess and push the hardboard into position. This is the back of your album and needs to be firmly secured. Wipe off any excess glue. Remove the metal sprigs in this back frame using pliers as the hardboard is now securely fixed without them.

8. Decorate the hardboard that is showing inside the front frame. I pieced together two patterned papers and place velvet ribbon across the join.

To finish the inside of the front frame, I made a series of tags in pockets, that would take photographs. Fold strips of patterned paper into three and stick along the seam and base using double sided tape. Make your four tag pockets different lengths for interest.

Cut some tags out of patterned paper and punch a hole in each one. Add ribbon to each tag. Slide into each tag pocket. Position each tag pocket inside the front frame, overlapping slightly. Start with the tallest tag at the bag and work down to the smallest at the front. Stick in position with double sided tape.

The album is now completed. Just add photo's!

What a mammoth post! I am now off to make another!!! Well, not today, but soon!

December Daily - Day 8 and 9

These pages were made using a jar shaped card that I got from the hair dressers, she was throwing them out! (They are chunky chipboard and I got several including the book ring that was holding them together!!) They are glossy black card, so I just added a piece of patterned paper to the front and cut around it using a craft knife. For day 8, I decorated with some twill tape and buttons in a contrasting colour. (The beer mat is from yetsrday's post!)

For day 9 I decorated in a red Christmas paper, leaving some of the shiny black card showing, with the twill tape forming a bow on this side.

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 8 - Christmas Chalet chocolate box

This adorable little house was an idea from a box of sweets I saw whilst on holiday in Germany. It could be used for chocolates, as a gift box or even as a little decoration with battery fairy lights inside. It is up to you.

You will need:

House Front and sides template here

House back and roof template here

Two offcuts of chipboard or corrugated card for the roof

Off cuts of patterned paper and Kraft card stock

One sheet of red Bazzill card stock

Off cut of ribbon and velvet Ric Rac

Anita's 3D white paint

White Cat's Eye Pigment ink pad

Craft knife

Silicone glue

Stamps Away birdie stamp and bird house

Black Stazon ink pad

1. Print off the templates and use them to cut out one house front and back in red card and two roof sections in chipboard or corrugated card. Glue the two roof sections to patterned paper and cut around the edges leaving a border. Cut across the corners to remove excess paper and then fold the edges over and glue in place.

2. Cut out the windows in the house pieces using a Kraft knife and the template as a guide. Score the house templates along all the fold lines shown on the template. Overlap the bases of the house front and back template and glue securely using a thin layer of glue stick or silicone and leave to dry.

3. Place double sided tape along all the flaps for assemble, just leaving the one where you will open and close the box. I left the house side on the front right as my opening, for adding the chocolates. Starting at the top, assemble the house by removing one piece of double sided tape at a time and pressing the joins together firmly.

4. Now the chalet is a 3D box, ink the roof edges using the white pigment ink pad to add dimension and appear like ice. Glue the two roof pieces in position. Make sure you join carefully along the top edge. Use silicone glue for strength. Allow to dry.

5. Stamp the bird and birdhouse on to Kraft card stock off cuts using the Stazon ink pad. Cut out. Glue in position on the front of the chalet, using silicone glue. Glue some velvet Ric Rac as the post for the bird house. leave to dry.

6. using the 3D white paint, dribble it along the centre join of the two roof pieces, acting as icicles. Where the roof joins the house under the eaves, dribble more paint around the apex, again to look like icicles. Add some to the windows too as a window frame. The more 3D the better. leave overnight to dry. When the house is completely dry, add some hollow Christmas tree decoration chocolates or fill with treats. If you want to fill with small sweets, add acetate to the back of the windows when the house template is still flat. This could also be a little lantern by adding a set of battery powered fairy lights. I have a set from Ikea and have seen some in Paperchase and in some Pound shops.

Safety: Be careful if the lights get hot. Don't leave it lit for too long.

December Daily - Day 7

This is another page of plain black paper from an album I had spare, covered in patterned paper and then I added a beer mat I covered on both sides with Anna Griffin patterned paper. I may not write anything on the beer mat, it may just stay in there as it is now I have covered it.

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 7 - Dog's Dinner

You know me and my regular make "Dog and cat treats" for Christmas, well this is my offering this year for the dogs, a right dog's dinner!

You Will Need;

A paper plate

Green chewy sticks (to look like green beans)

Dog biscuits (to resemble potatoes)

Something for the meat (either a vinyl squeaky toy or a raw hide chicken drumstick)

Cellophane

Ribbon

Double sided tape.

1. Make up piles of your "vegetables" and wrap them in cling film so they don't mix up on the plate. Stick to the paper plate with a piece of double sided tape, so they don't move during the wrapping. I used a piece under the meat too!!

2. Arrange the items so you are happy with them on the plate and then cut a piece of cellophane to wrap around it and overlap on the back Wrap the plate like a Christmas parcel and seal the ends underneath with tape.

3. To make the collar and disc for the label, print the words "Dog's Dinner" in a circle on "Word" print out on card. (Jo Kill has a fab tutorial on her blog for how to do this here.) Cut out or use a punch. Make a hole in the top and thread in a small paper clip or jump ring. Thread this 'disc' onto a piece of ribbon and tie in a knot underneath the plate. Hold in position on the back with a couple of pieces of tape.

Don't forget to remove all the cling film and tape before giving the dog treats!! And ration them!!

Just need to get my thinking cap on for the kittys now!!!

December Daily Album - Day 6

This page was just a brown paper bag that came with my Studio Calico kit and had a stamp in it. I left the blue label on it and just added some scraps of Christmas papers to both sides. I made hole in the side and reinforced them by adding large eyelets, this made sure the bag was much stronger to take some extra journaling cards inside. The large eyelets through both layers also stop the cards in the bag from sliding in the way of the holes for the book rings.
Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 6 - Photo holder

I typed all this up last night before I went to bed and it disappeared!!! Don't you just love blogger!!

Today's project is a little recycling number, using those individual glass jam jars you get in cafes. I have used one to make this funky little photo/message holder for your desk top that also stores a few paperclips too! You can see I have made quite a few, so how many scones with jam and cream must I have eaten??

You Will Need:

Tiny glass jam pot

Scraps of patterned paper

3 Buttons, one large, medium and small

Some thickish aluminium wire (from the garden centre) Needs to curl

Fine nosed pliers

Decorative border punch

Small circle punch

Cropadile Big Bite

Chalk eye ink pad to match patterned paper

Felt Flower

Off cut of ribbon to match flower

Hot melt glue gun

1. Carefully insert the lid of the jar under the Cropadile Big Bite (It will just fit) and punch the small eyelet hole in the centre of the lid. PLEASE DO NOT BREAK YOUR CROPADILE!!! The lid is soft but it is fiddly to get the rim into the machine.

2. Cut a thin strip of paper and apply your decorative edge using the border punch. Ink the edges using the ink pad. This strip should measure the circumference of the lid plus a small overlap. Using the small circle punch, punch out a circle of patterned paper for the lid and ink the edges. (I used my Yellow Woodware punch) Punch a hole in the centre with the Cropadile.

3. Cut a strip of wire approximately 10" long and wind a spiral around the end of the fine nose pliers. Press it flat and this will be your photo holder.

4. To assemble, glue the paper circle to the lid of the jar, lining up the holes. Glue the large button to the lid, lining up one of the holes in the button with the hole in the lid, now glue the medium button on top, again lining up a hole in the button with the one underneath.Now thread the straight end of the wire down through the buttons and the lid until it appears inside the jar. Bend over the bottom half inch of wire at a right angle. Using a large blob of hot melt glue, secure the wire in position to the underside of the lid. (I used lots!) Support the wire vertically until it sets.5. Now you can decorate the edge of the lid with the border punch strip of paper. Glue in place using the glue gun and where the paper overlaps add the small button to cover the join.

6. Finally add the felt flower; pass the ribbon around the back of the wire, then thread the flower on to both ends of the ribbon at the front. Tie a knot or bow to hold the flower in position. Add a blob of glue if you want. You can add a strip of paper to the glass jar as an option, I did on some but not on others that were more decorative jars.

I added a piece of paper stamped with "Hello!" to each photo holder and clipped a speech bubble paper clip to each one, so they could be used for fun messages. A super little gift to brighten any office desk or craft table!!

December Daily Day 5

This page was simple, a spare page from an acrylic album that I had left over from a project. I mounted some patterned paper on both sides to receive photos as December the 5th is my hubby's birthday!! I love the see through element to the album now.

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 5 - 3D Scene

This 3D scene is 12x12 and can be folded flat for storage or to post as an extra special card! This project came to me when I got out set of "White Christmas" papers by Rusty Pickle, that I bought last year from "Art From The Heart" but had not got around to using.I have checked and they have a few left if you want to have a go, give them a ring to find out. It is a more advanced paper crafting project, but certainly worth while. I have tried to include plenty of step by step photos to help you. If you can fold a paper fan you are off to a flying start!!

You Will Need :
Rusty Pickle "White Christmas" papers in
"Joy To The World" Die cut
"Jingle Bells"
"Let It Snow"
"Night before Christmas"
"Oh Christmas Tree"
"Oh Holy Night"
"Winter Wonderland"
(You will have enough left over off cuts to make a mini album later in the countdown)
Bazzill card stock - 6 Sheets altogether
Maya Mist in iridescent pearl
Adhesive gems
A chipboard Snowflake (mine was Cosmo Cricket)
Maya Road Stick Pins
Bakers Twine or thread
Charcoal chalk eye ink pad to distress the edges
Large foam pads
Double sided tape
Glue stick
Offcuts of corrugated card
Scoring board

1. Begin by mounting the die cut paper on to a sheet of Bazzill card stock for extra strength. Glue it with glue stick. Cut around the scallop edges carefully and distress using the chalk eye ink pad.
Decide on a "window" shape fro the front of your scene and cut this out in scrap newspaper. Lay it on the die cut and draw around it. Cut it out carefully using a craft knife.
2. To strengthen the other elements from the background papers, cut out the strips you intend to use and glue them to Bazzill card stock using glue stick. (Save the off cuts of the background papers for another project later on.) Now the elements are all on card, you can cut them out but make sure each strip stays the full 12 inches wide. I cut roughly around the children on the sledge, but left the card stock 12 inches wide.
The strip of trees I cut roughly around the top of each tree and then straight across the bottom. I snipped in towards the trunks of the trees to create more texture. The parcels I cut around individually as they will be mounted separately later. The deer I cut in a flowing arc to follow the design on the paper of deer prancing. You should have three strips of "scenery" now, the trees, the deer and the children on the sledge. Do the same for the children ice skating.
3. For each side of the scene you need to mark a sheet of Bazzill card in folds using a scoring board, turning over each time you score to create peak and valley folds. I scored about every 2cm. Pleat these as if you were making a paper fan!
4. Stick the background sheet of "Let it snow" paper to Bazzill card stock for extra strength. Apply double sided tape to the first valley fold of each side piece and stick the background paper in position, so you have a corrugated card stock along each of the two side edges. Press firmly in position.
5. Now we need to start applying the layers of the 3D scene, starting with the Christmas trees. If you want to ink the edges with the chalk eye ink pad. Make an extra little pleat of cardboard to support the middle of the tree section, slide it into position and stick with double sided tape. Stick the tree panel at each side, roughly half way down your background paper, into the second valley fold of your concertina side panels. You need to have room for the deer to prance above and the layers of children playing below. We use the trees first as they are small and so will be in the distance and we will use the larger items as we move forwards in perspective.
6. Ink the top edge of the prancing deer layer. Fold the concertina side panels in another layer, so you can glue these deer to the third valley fold on each side. At this point I decided to give the deer gems for eyes and a large red gem on one deer for Rudolph's nose! Again you need to prop the centre section up with a small piece of concertina folded card.
7. Repeat this process with the children skating and then finally the children sledging using the next two valley folds on each side of the concertina edges. The front layer should be the children sledging as they are the largest. Again support with longer concertina strips in the centre.
8. For the parcels, I decided to give them a shimmer using my Maya Mist. When spraying Maya Mist it does go everywhere, so I made myself a cardboard bin to control the mess! It does dry very quickly, just a couple of sprays of fine mist and one on the snowflake too.
9. To use the parcels, you will need to plan where you want them before you add the foam pads to make sure they will have somewhere to fix to! I applied some of mine to the lower right hand side of the sledging page where I had a gap! I saved some to decorate the outer frame too.
10. Finally the outer frame layer needs to be added. Trim off any spare concertina folds at each side that you don't need, leaving a nice flat surface to stick your frame to. Ink the edges of this concertina layer, as this will show behind the scallops of the front frame. Apply tape to the back of the frames side edges and the top layer of the concertina you are going to stick it to. Two layers of double sided tape will form a stronger bond. Strengthen the top and bottom edges by sticking some corrugated card strips to the upper and lower edges (this picture shows the frame on it's side! Whoops!)
Remove the backing strips of the double sided tape and carefully lower the front frame into place. Be sure to line your side edges.
11. To decorate the outer front frame, cut the holly flourish from the corner of the "Oh holy night" paper, trim close to the swirls and ink the edges. Stick this in the top right hand corner, slightly overlapping the open frame (see first photo.)
12. Add three Maya stick pins to the top right hand edge by pushing them into the corrugated card on the back. From one pin tie a length of thread or twine and suspend the 3D chipboard snowflake.
13. Finally add a few parcels to the front lower right hand side, using foam pads, slightly overlapping them so that they obscure some of the picture and add another layer. I gave my completed scene another spritz with the iridescent Maya mist, just lightly from a distance to give it a final dust of snow!! I added one of the "White Christmas" labels from the paper's edge to the front as my title.

To make it even more crafty, you could make up your own scene and include some real people in the activities, by cutting up photo's! Please leave me a link to your creations!

As this folds flat for storage, you could bring it out year after year. TFLx

Pop by tomorrow for another crafting project!

Project 4 - Chocolate spoons

Here are bags of chocolate spoons that you can use to stir hot milk and make a delicious drink! You could use them to stir hot chocolate too and make it even more yummy!! I have bagged them up in fives as a gift in a cellophane bag.

You Will Need:
A large bar of your favourite chocolate
A packet of plastic spoons - I chose desert spoons as the teaspoons were tiny!!
Bowl and spoon to melt the chocolate
Greaseproof paper
Hundreds and thousands (optional)
Cellophane bags and tie ties

1. Break up the whole bar of chocolate into a mixing bowl and melt it carefully, either over a pan of boiling water or in a microwave. If you are using this kind of chocolate, you will need to take care not to overheat it, or it looses it's "temper" Yes really, it does!!

2. Arrange the spoons on a tray that you have covered in greaseproof paper.
3. Pour spoons full of melted chocolate into each plastic spoon, being care full not to overfill or dribble the chocolate. This takes time and patience, but it looks better in the end! Sprinkle the spoon with hundreds and thousands if required.

4. When the spoons have cooled, bags them up in fives in some patterned cellophane bags and tie with the matching tie tie. Store in the fridge until needed.

My 450g bar of chocolate made me thirty spoons with a couple of spares.

December Daily Album - Page 4

This was a spare page from a spiral bound photo album that I had used for my holiday snaps and removed because it was not required. I attached patterned paper to both sides and edged it with Daisy D's transfer tape runner around the edges as fake stitching. The holes in the top could be embellished too and I will probably do this as I complete the page (on a later page I have laced them with ribbon.) This double sided card will be my page for December fourth. Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 3 - Scented hearts

This project is our first sewing project of the countdown. Dust off those sewing machines and dig out your fabric scraps to make some Christmas scented hearts! I used squares of Anna Griffin fabrics in red and cream for a "Shaker style." I have had these squares lying round for ages and I used dried cloves for the 'Christmas' perfume. You could use Pot Pourri.
These have two possible uses, either to decorate your Christmas tree in true "Shaker" style or they can be used as a gift for wardrobe and drawer scenting.

You will need:
Fabric scraps
Stuffing
Buttons
Embroidery thread
Ribbon
Cloves (From the spice aisle at the supermarket or health food store)
Heart template (I just drew my own free hand on a piece of folded paper)

1. Place two fabric square right sides together and pin the heart template to both layers. You can draw around it and then stitch or carefully stitch around it using the sewing machine, leaving a gap to allow you to stuff it with wadding later.

2. Cut around the outside of your stitching using pinking shears, leaving a small seam allowance. Snip carefully up to the stitching at the top "V" shape to help it turn right side out.

3. Turn the fabric heart right side out and begin to stuff the heart shape with wadding or toy stuffing. Intersperse the stuffing with some cloves (about a tablespoon full)to add a Christmas scent to the heart.

4. To close the opening, either slip stitch it with a needle and sewing thread or blanket stitch it by hand with embroidery thread to give it a 'folk art' look. Fasten off securely.

5. decorate the heart in primitive style using buttons and some large cross stitches. Stitch a loop of ribbon to the top to hang it from the tree or coat hanger in a wardrobe.

I have made six and they will be gracing my "Shaker style tree."

December Daily album pages 2 and 3

Having left so much space for the first of December I decided to make the 2nd a quick job! This page was made from a plastic cover I had removed from a notebook. The front was plain, but it had an inside pocket attached to it. I decided to use the pocket and made a selection of tags to write and attach photo's to for the 3rd of December. The front was covered with a piece of patterned paper, leaving a border. I stuck it to the plastic using silicone glue.

I also added a vintage Christmas card from an antique shop to this pocket. The tag is a luggage label and the other shaped pages are I think by Theresa Collins, I have had them a while!

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 2 - Pot Of Gold

This is one of my favourite craft projects from the countdown this year and as all good things, it came together by accident. It is my version of an idea that was discussed on the thread on UKs (I mentioned yesterday. )The idea was to make a pot of gold coins that could be used to give a lottery ticket as a present - a potential pot of gold! I happened to be in in Wilko's and found some tiny plant post they were selling off cheap. That, coupled with a wooden flower I bought in Germany last year, gave me the inspiration to do this!
You will need;

Corrugated card from an old cardboard box

Pot of gold template here

Green patterned papers

Coloured patterned papers for the flower

Scraps of Kraft cardstock

Raffia or string

Small alphabet stamps

Black ink pad

Green Ink Pad

Large brad for flower centre

PVA glue

Glue stick

Glue gun (Optional)

Cropadile

Small plastic 3" plant pot

Chocolate coins (One net does two flowers)

1. Print off the 'pot of gold' template and glue it to thick card, so it is easy to draw around. Cut it out. This can be your master template and can be used over and over again.

Draw around your master template for the pot and flower stem on to corrugated card. You need two of these, but try to get the corrugations going in different directions to add strength to the flower like this. Glue these two shapes together using PVA and leave to dry under a heavy book.

2. Cut out four plant pots, again trying to get the corrugations going in different directions. Glue the plant pots to either side of the flower, two on each side.

3. Cut out one flower pot pattern piece in ordinary brown parcel paper. Wrap this around the plant pot base of the corrugated card to neaten the whole flower.

4. Cut out pairs of each leaf and a pair of stems from green patterned or plain paper. This is important that you have a matching pair (A right and a left of each leaf and stem so they fit on the back and front of the flower. Stick them to the corrugated card using glue stick. Make sure all the brown card is covered. Ink the edges with a green ink pad and add details to the leaves using crayons or felt pens.

5. Using scallop and circle punches in various sizes, (or hand cut circles or die cut circles) punch out circles of different sizes. (I punched two large, two medium and two small using my Woodware punches in Purple, pink and blue. I also used some old pages from books for my flowers.) Ink the edges of the flowers if you want and secure together with a large brad.

6. Using the Cropadile, punch a hole in the rim of the plant pot. Make a small tag from scraps of kraft card stock and punch a small hole in the top. Using some small alphabet stamps, stamp "Pot of gold" on the tag, ink the edges in green and tie it onto the pot using Raffia or string.

7. Wedge the cardboard flower inside the plastic plant pot, you can stick it using a glue gun if you want to make it more secure. Place tissue paper either side of the cardboard plant to keep it upright and then add gold coins to the surface to fill the pot up, front and back.

There is a verse available on the internet for you to add to the tag, otherwise just paperclip your lottery ticket gift to the plant label. One very cheap and cheerful Christmas gift that could be a true pot of gold!!

December Daily album page 1 - My page one consists of a normal DL brown envelop which I added patterned paper to and punched with large eyelets. As December 1st usually means the start of all my lists, I decided to make a tall slim tag book for all my lists, card lists, present lists, food shopping lists etc etc, I used a set of "bottle" cards the hairdresser was throwing away!! I will type up my lists and glue them on each one. I am going to record how much postage is for a card this year too, maybe the cost of food and drink items too. Maybe the recipe for my cake and pudding, who knows what I will add!!

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project! TFLx

Project 1 - December Daily Album

Welcome to the 2009 Christmas Countdown!! 25 projects in 25 days!!! Can you believe it is November already?? So, get cracking!! These are projects that I have made, sometimes designed by me, or inspired by others, ideas I see in shops or indeed a fabulous thread on UKs (that I have referred to earlier about cheap and cheerful Christmas presents.) Some are old ideas given a new slant as I have not made them before. All of them are made for your enjoyment, so join in with whichever ones you choose. If templates are required, they will be available to download from Box.net, just like last year.
Project 1 - December Daily Album
I have been meaning to make one of these for some time as I love the idea of an album with all mismatched pages. This is Ali Edwards one here that gave me the original inspiration and she is about to blog here latest one for 2009 starting on Monday.

When it is complete, even before you start to record your December day by day in either words or pictures, it is already quite chunky, so make sure your book rings are big enough! Not sure mine are!!!

There are no rules as to what to make it from, you can be as inventive as you like!! I am a bit of a collector of things that "might come in useful" so this was a great opportunity to use them!!

If you know me by now, you will now my love of all things retro. Last year I had managed to snaffle a few of these Daisy D's papers that I love in the sales and now of course they are no more :(

My album was made from various things and I will show you each page in more detail, day by day as we go through the countdown process.

You Will Need :

Old paper bags and carriers. Covers from old diaries and acrylic covers from old notebooks, brown envelopes, odd pages from mini albums, beer coasters etc.

Cropadile or Big Bite

6 Large Eyelets

Large book rings

Ribbons

Embellishments various - buttons, bells, padlock etc
One sheet of 12 x12 paper with numbers on

Various sheets of 12x12 patterned paper to cover each page

A collection of tags from clothing or luggage labels (can be made from kraft)

Double sided tape

Gluestick

1. Select your pages and cut to size if necessary. I like them to be all different sizes.

2. Assemble all your pages in order and just have a look at them before you punch them with your Cropadile or Big Bite. I used a template of a page from an acrylic Papermania album, so that all my holes would line up.

3. Cover each page of your album using double sided tape and a gluestick to attach your patterned papers. I used, brown envelopes, paper bags and even a wallet from some photographs, all of which were unrecognisable once they were covered!

4. Once each page is covered and threaded on the book rings, choose a sheet of paper that has the numbers for each day on, that you can cut out. This one was from K & Co Swell Noel line. Cut out each number and glue on each page of your album. (You could leave this to do as you go along, in case you need a couple of pages for a day. I tried to make sure I had envelopes with lots of tags in for the days I know will be busy, like hubby's birthday and DS1's birthday!!!)

5. Trim your pages with various embellishments and also decorate the book rings. Again this could be done as you go along.

6. For the cover, you need to cover it in patterned paper and then punch the holes for the book rings. I then used eyelets in these holes to add strength. I also punched an eyelet in the front and back cover to create a ribbon tie, to make sure it stayed closed!!

Now you are ready to go. All you need to do is record something daily for your album. If you don't have time to write, then simply take a picture or two! Let's see how we get on!

Drop by tomorrow for another crafting project. TFLx