Junk Makeover

We're moving all contents to a new site If you've come here through an old bookmark, please update accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you at the new  URL   😊   😘 I have to wear an access tag to work but I've never understood why the tag holders have to be designed the way they are. The lanyard that the office provides has a clip with sharp edges (red arrow), and my arms often get caught on it as I'm a naturally clumsy person. Also, the fabric based lanyard absorbs sweat and dirt so easily in this hot weather, it looks manky and disgusting. Not to mention that it is a plain ugly sight! I tried looking for a commercially made tag holder but they are expensive yet not very user-friendly; and they don't last. After a few scratches and losing some skin on my arms, I had to do something about it. I dug out some fabric scraps I've been keeping for a while, and picked this one - a family member brought some really nice materials back from a trip...

We're moving all contents to a new site If you've come here through an old bookmark, please update accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you at the new  URL   😊   😘    The making is pretty simple: View larger image in new tab or window 1. Material: some patterned or printed cardboard (old Christmas cards, Christmas merchandise packaging, etc), I cut these from last year's Christmas crackers packaging box. 2. Cut them into equal sizes: 2 per tree. 3. Take 2 and stick them together, back to back using double sided tape. 4. Make sure they are adhered nicely together, trim away any jutting out edges. 5. Cut each piece into 2 equal pieces. 6&7. Using a pencil, trace the outline of a simple pine tree onto each piece with a cut out shape prepared ahead (it can also be just a simple triangle). 8. Place 2 half-tree shapes together and secure with cellotape along the middle joining. Repeat with another 2. Fold each joined pair (c...

We're moving all contents to a new site If you've come here through an old bookmark, please update accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you at the new  URL   😊   😘 Then we realised that people aren't really aware of the free service because there isn't any signage apart from one bunting standee. So I offered to make them some signboards. This one here is for the booth top. Apart from the words being printed from my own home-use black-and-white laser printer, everything is taken from existing material in my craft box: the old textured paper it is printed on, the old backing cardboard, the red and green markers, red and green glitter pens, and the frame that is cut and pasted from last year's Christmas cracker casing. I also made a tent card for the counter top with the same material, plus a cut-out gift picture taken from the cover of an old Christmas card. Our dear friend Simon's kind greetings now help warming the hearts of many other...

We're moving all contents to a new site If you've come here through an old bookmark, please update accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you at the new  URL   😊   😘 I cut the boxes into short 4-5-cm strips and stick them in a random crisscross pattern to make a circle, with cellophane tapes. I've also used some left over old sequins (taken off from an old bag), an old red ribbon, and a "Happy Christmas" wording cut out from an old Christmas card. Easy peasy.

We're moving all contents to a new site If you've come here through an old bookmark, please update accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you at the new  URL   😊   😘 I have just made 8 Christmas cards (one of them already sealed in the envelope) to send to our family and friends - exactly 8 families. They are all made according to whatever I can find in my craft box: old felt I collected from God-knows-where, pretty pictures cut out from old magazines, old greeting cards, old mince pies boxes, tissue wrapping paper saved from packaging, sequins from old bag/shoe trimmings, etc. So you can see that they all look completely different - absolutely no homogenisation! The only NEW stuff I have used - really - are the envelopes. At least these cards will be appreciated more when received, as they contained real effort and love put into the card making process.