Day 16 Gift box

I received the photobook I ordered some days ago and it looks really good... all it needs now is a giftbox which I am going to do myself.

You need:
Paper or cardstock big enough to cut out the pattern in one piece
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Double-sided tape

Measure the gift including the height. If you’re using thin card double the height so you can fold it over and make it sturdy. Cut all around the outerline of the pattern and cut again at the bold lines. Fold over the dotted line. Next apply some double-sided tape and fold the longest part under the sides to form a box; similar to a tray. That’s all folks!

Day 15 A day in my life

SUNDAY,

me with BABY dressed as DRAGON for CARNIVAL;

hubby been at WORK;

got a CAKE RECIPE from Mum.

Today I decided to draw a day in my life. The words in capitals above show the various components of the drawing!

Good night to all x

Day 14 Bead bracelet

A quick craft today... a bead bracelet. You need thread – here I used elastic thread, so maybe I don’t lose the beads nearly as I did :-) You will also need beads. A variety of beads are available from semi-precious, crystal and glass to wood, metal and clay. You can choose any colourway you want or something to match an outfit! You can even mix and match sizes; I used one size only here probably 12mm.



Cut a piece of thread double the length you need plus some extra for knotting at the end. Thread the first bead through and place a pen or pencil through the loop so the bead won’t move through the end. Keep on threading the beads and finish by knotting the ends together, and you’re done!



Peace & love x

Day 13 Wire & bead star

Hello again. Today’s craft may be more appropriate around Christmas and Christmas tree decorations. I had bought the material to do them for last Christmas but didn’t manage to. It’s a wire and bead star or snowflake.

You will need:
Wire star (I bought mine ready made; wire criss-crossed over each other and stun applied in the middle)
Beads (seed, crystal, pearls, silver, gold, tube, flower sequins)
Pliers
Split ring
Crimp beads (optional)
Polystyrene block is also helpful as a stand



You begin by sticking the wire in a polystyrene block. To place the beads I think it’s better to keep the wire in your hands. Put the smallest beads in first and proceed by size leaving the larger ones towards the end of the wire away from the middle. You can apply any kind of beads and it’s up to you about colour schemes. Leave the last ~5mm empty. Once you’re happy with how one wire looks, bend the wire at the end so that beads don’t fall off.



Finish off by applying a crimp bead or turn the wire on itself with the help of a plier. If you’re hanging the star, apply a split ring in one of the wire ends before turning the end fully in.



Take care always & have a nice weekend :-)

Day 12 Card insert & 3D decor foil

Card insert
You will simply need an A4 paper (if insert is for A5 card) and some imagination.

I created this insert with MS Word, by first searching ‘frame’ in clip art and then applying words inside the frame. The frame needs to ‘be sent behind text’ in text wrapping (right click and go to format picture). I have also applied a paw print picture which I found on the net. This is sent to back & behind text again from format picture.




Type the greeting, print and fold in half. You can also cut the edges of the insert paper with scissors having a decorative cutting edge instead of a straight one. Also shapes can be punched with a card punch, showing the paper underneath. Put it inside the card and attach with double-sided tape or photo corners next to the fold... and it’s done!





3D decor foil
The corner on the card was decorated with a decor foil. This is another great way to decorate paper, wood, plastics, textiles and wax (as in candles). It is very effective when designing monograms as I’ll show here.

You need:
A5 colored paper
3D glue for foils
Decor foil
Stamps & stamp pad (optional the pic shows an acrylic block with clear stamp)
Pattern design



It is possible to create brilliant effects with the decor foil and the 3D glue for foils. I applied the 3D glue for foils directly out of the bottle and onto the paper to be decorated. I printed the design directly on the paper and went over it with the glue. The bottle has a medium fine nozzle and it is easy to use – given a steady hand :-P




The 3D glue for foils dries up transparently, but it remains sticky. Now you can apply the decor foil. Important: the metallic or coloured side has to be above and facing you!
Press on well and gently go around all the corners and then peel it off. Repeat on all areas as needed. You will be left with the colour from the foil attached to anywhere the glue is applied. Foils are available in different colours. Clean any tools with water and soap.



Enjoy trying them for yourselves. Take care x

Day 11 Card-making with Digital crafts

Yippee, the book has arrived, so when I'll have a creativity block I'll know where to turn to :-)

Soon - on the 14th of March - my Mum's pet dog will be 1 year old and this event gave me inspiration for today's craft. I am going to prepare him a card. He wouldn't care about a card but Mum would be pleased :-)


You will need:
A4 colored paper
Photo frame print out
Photos (here I need 2)
Scissors
Double-sided foam tape

The Canon creative park is aother great site for digital crafts:
http://cp.c-ij.com/en/ I found what I needed under Scrapbook followed by Photo frame, one with bones ideal for a dog.



Then I opened the picture in Paint and 'cut' out the bone shape. I printed it on the same paper as the frame. This is the groundwork for the card. I will take some proper photos and stick them to this card using foam double sided tape to give it a 3D look. I will stick the bones in the same way and over the photo... finished project tomorrow. Sorry but I have been too busy.

Here's a photo of the dog - called Kimy!



There is an alternate way to add photos to the templates of frames downloaded here. Please find instructions here: http://cp.c-ij.com/en/help/help-scrap03.html
I could not do it since I need program updates!
I will try it eventually.

Take care, love libellunina x

Day 10 Decorating candles

Today I will be decorating candles. You can use practically anything. Here I’m decorating the candle with permanent colours that can be applied to various things, including, fabric, glass, paper and wood. They come in different colours and effects (glitter, pearl) and give a 3D appearance. You can also apply flowers or pearls, sequins and rhinestones with multi-purpose glue.

Note: check that the decorative material is safe near flames if you intend to use the candle other than for decoration. Burning paint may give off noxious fumes, hazardous to your health!

You need:
Candle
Colours, permanent
Pencil
Marker
Stencil (optional; search for swirl images)
Steady hand ;-)
Glue & pearls or other decorative material
Useful: toothpicks and wet wipes



Start by decorating the candle with designs. I did mine freehand, but if you have a stencil you can use it. The pencil didn’t show on the candle so I opted for a permanent marker. Go over the marker with the chosen colour.



Simply continue applying colours according to the design or idea you have. The toothpick is useful to remove any extra colour you might have applied (thus the steady hand!). You can also remove it with the tip of the pencil. Remove the paint from the pencil using a wet wipe.
Ideally, you should let the colour dry before applying flowers or sequins etc. This will avoid mess!!