More Self-Closing Gift Boxes/Pouches

Hi Crafters 

I have been having fun with my new score board and having given away the first large Self- Closing gift box with some stationary and paperclip collection inside, I have been fervently making more.

I love making them and the concertina files so have made up packs to sell on Ebay and Etsy.

To make the postage better value I have put 2 Boxes in a pack and tried to pick feminine and masculine styles to cover all bases.

Next I am looking at my Christmas Stash to make Christmas versions of this box and the concertina file. Both can be sent with instructions to finish the construction and therefore posted and stored flat.

This is one of the combinations 

I should be ready with Christmas versions in July.  

Happy Crafting
Dee

Useful Utility Apron

Hi Crafters

Here is something for all you crafters who sell your items at craft shows and fayres

I found that when I was selling at Craft shows, it is easy to get muddled with your selling, when your stall gets busy. You have someone wanting to buy and to hand you  the money, and someone else with a question, and that is the one time you are looking for a bag to put the purchase in and change for the customer.

So I made a Utility Apron

This way I have everything at hand. Bag, scissors, ribbbon/string, sellotape, business card, telephone and money 

I can simply slip the purchase into a bag, pop in a business card and look professional in  a matter of seconds so the potential customer is not kept waiting too long. 

There are plenty of ideas on how to make the apron on Pinterest and YouTube and I have taken those ideas and made the pockets to suit my needs.

  

This one has 6 pockets altogether .

The bottom 4 are used for:

Scissors

Tape/string 

Phone 

Business cards

The bigger pockets hold money/purse and wrapping (bags and closures)

As I had enough fabric for 2 aprons, I have one for sale in my Etsy shop

These aprons have been made in 3 sections each of them lined, but I could have made them with just the main section lined if I wanted to cut the costs. This would depend on the fabric available for the project as unlined sections would need to be more robust fabric, such as curtaining, denim etc. As mine are made from new heavyweight cottton they did not require lining, but I had some finer curtain lining available so lined all the pieces, making this a solid apron.

Tip: This could easily be made from recycled materials such as old Jeans etc. 

Happy Crafting 

Dee

Concertina Folder & redesign

Hi Crafters

As mentioned in my April Blog, I have made a great folder from the Crafters Companion Kit.
It uses the A3 Scoreboard and A3 card that was in the kit.

It went together really easy after watcing the DVD, and I thought the folders were so useful.
You could use them to hold cards you have made according to the style, i.e stamping, die-cut, pop-out etc
Or file your cards according to celebration: Birthday, Anniversary, Thank You

Or you could use them as a recipe folder, ideas folder, photograph holder, Christmas organiser etc.

Having made a couple, and many of the other projects using the A3 card, I started to think about the A3 card I have in stock, which is limited. I can buy more, although pretty card in A3 size is not easy to find, and anyway I have a lot of 12 x 12 pads that I could do with using. So I redesigned the project using 12 x 12 stock 

The results were great and now I am able to use the 12 x 12 stash of card in the cupboard.

I have decided to make some kits to sell. The Crafters Companion Card is great quality and so I use this for the kit itself but the added bonus for the buyer is I give the instructions to make more using 12 x 12 card so anyone buying the kit can make more for friends and family.

Here are the two folders together

The pink/peach folder is made from the Crafters Companion A3 card, while the black & cream version is made from 12 x 12 card from First Edition.

The kits will be available on Ebay & Etsy shortly

Or check out Crafters Companion on Hochanda if you want to make one yourself without waiting for a kit.

Small Fabric Storage Basket

Hi Crafters

Back to sewing this week
I have seen several versions of these cute little storage baskets as well as the larger ones that are all the rage in home stores, and often thought about making them

So 1 set out and made a pattern from a demo on YouTube. I did not like the idea of using stiffening on the small baskets and so used felt as a lining. This has the advantage of giving firmness without weight, can be washed (gently) and makes a great pin cusion if using the basket for sewing items 

 My only error in this first journey was to pick a Christmas fabric, I was to quick to select and thought I had chosen a pattern that was all year around, however on completion of the baskets I noticed gingerbread men and reindeer in the print.

Still that aside I am very pleased with the results and have added them to my Ebay listing and Etsy Store 

They make great Desk Tidies

Makeup Storage baskets 

Sewing storage for all you bits and bobs 

They are also addictive, so I am sure I will making lots more.