Artful table Ideas: For a beautifully thankful Christmas.

1. “Glad you’re here” by Making Lemonade. Image theirs.

As I have mentioned before on this blog, I am very sad that we don’t celebrate thanksgiving in Australia. This however gives me the opportunity to think thankfully at Christmas time.

Here are some simple ideas from around the blog world, that can be incorporated in your Christmas celebrations particularly in regards to the table.

Some are beautifully quirky, some ingenious, some worthy of a yearly repeat, some child friendly and some all of the above. Let me know if you get inspired and use some, it’s great to hear from you.

“The Giving Plate” by Adventures of an Orthodox Mom. Image from there.

“Conversation Plates” by Together Counts Blog. Idea and image sourced there.

DIY minimalistic cultery holder. Image and instructions from A Birds Leap.

A sock for your cutlery. Image from Pinterest.

Single place cards. Image from Pinterest.

Gold Spray painted animals (or possibly nativity characters) with paper luggage tags attached. Image from Style Me Pretty.

Another beautifully simple idea from Style Me Pretty. Image theirs.

Carnival Straws on Bottled drinks with tags. Source: Ruffled.

Would work just as well on green leaves. Image from Once wed.

Gratitude Rolls by Beauty and Bedlam. Image theirs.

SImple sensorial details. Image from Vintage House.

What I want for Christmas is thanksfulness! Source: The cottage at 341 south.

Kraft Paper table of thanks. Image from Art Bar Blog

Fruity Place markers. Image from Style Me Pretty.

THe Thankful Tree. Idea and image from Kids Activities Blog.

Or if you prefer pears….. This idea and image from The Knot.

Fairy Lights in jars. Image from Making Lemonade.

…. and if you just don’t know where to start because Finishing School wasn’t part of yours (or my) education…. Layouts. Source: daniellemj-workspace

Alternatively….. Image from Antiquaria Vintage.

What’s so Pinteresting about…… Advent?

DIY Advent Calendar by Design Sponge. Image sourced from there.

Meredith’s got a fabulous idea for fantasticly simple bible content here. Love it especially this close to Dec 1.

Cathy gives insightful day by day content here. 

Nicole….shares some great ideas here.

If you know what you want each day to hold, but need a little visual inspiration, have a look at my pinterest board here. 

This year I have an unusual plan which focus’s on letters….. we will see how that goes.

To see what we have done in previous years look here and here and here.

I just realised that our advent events for 2012 are not collated….. so I will get onto that.

Enjoy, and let me know if you come across anything inspiring.

39 Valentine gifts to make and give.

I’m a bit in two minds about Valentine’s Day. Some of me sits on the “It’s a created day that is all about retailers and spending money” and the other side of me feels it’s great to be reminded to tell the people we love….that we love them in a more intentional way.

This year I feel more of the second…. hence the post….. but have tried to make it a little more creative (rather than spendy) because self created things almost always* help communicate the love better.

Ideas For Creative Dates

1. Ice skating date in a Jar. Image from The Gunny Sack.

2. Hot Chocolate in a Jar (stay in) Date. Image from the Wintrop Chronicles.

3. Spar in a Jar. Image from The Gunny Sack.

Super Lovey- Dovey

4. 52 things I love about you in a jar. Image from The Gunny Sack.

5. Love Potion No. 9. Image from Shaken Together Life.

6. A little envelope of notes for your loved one. Image from Oh hello friend.

7. Sharpie Mug. Image Sister’s Suitcase.

For the Kids

8. Love Lead pencils. Image from The Gunny Sack.

9. Robot Valentine’s. Image from Lisa Storms.

10. Monster Pencils. Image by the 36th Avenue.

11. Don’t ever change…. Image from Jac & Lyn Murphy.

12. Burst My Bubble Valentine’s. Image from The Gunny Sack.

13. I’m Bananas for you and You’re Grrrrrreat. Image from Lisa Storm.

14. Arrow pencils and printables. Image from Design. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

15. Origami Heart Wrapped lolly Pop. Image A Kiss Of Colour.

Ideas to Bake

16. Nutella Love Letter Pancakes. Image by Kitchen Simplicity.

17. Sparkly Cookies. Image from The Gunny Sack.

18. Valentine snack mix. Image by Glorious Treats.

19. The Nutella/Espresso cup cake.Image from mandy Ash Craft.

20. Valentine’s cookies. Image Wedding Chicks.

21. Heart shaped pies. Image Babble.

22. Red Velvet Cupcakes in a Jar. Image My Baking Addiction.

23. Strawberry and Cream scones. Image Sanae Ishida.

Countdowns to Valentine’s Day (or count on….) 

24. The Valentine tree. Image from Simple as that blog.

25. Cute countdown. Image by Dear lizzy.

26. Bit late for this year….. A countdown to the day. Image from THe House Of Smiths.

27. 14 acts of love. Image from Make and takes.

28. Countdown to kisses. Image from the Olds family

29. DIY printable calendar. Image from Paige of Style.

30. Just one of the activities in the 14 days of love. Image from Pink Pistachio.

Cards

31. I love you this much. Image from Day in my life.

32. Sewn hearts card. Image from The creative Place.

33. Birthday candle card. Image from Real Simple.

Everything else.

34. Mini polaroid Magnets. Image from Ambrosia Girl.

35. Valentines “fortune’ cookies”. Image from Design. Wash.Rinse. Repeat.

36. Message in a bottle. Image from Oh hello friend.

37. Wall heart. Image Oleander and Palm.

38. Washi banner. Image: Fancy Little Things.

39. Printable PDF. Image from The girl creative.

* Yes if you have asked for something specifically ….or have been promised something and you receive a sweet handmade gift, you won’t feel the love!

How Pinteresting is….. harrysdesk?

Angels from the Christmas collection. Upcycled from men’s neckties.

As no-one was forthcoming with another Pinteresting idea, I decided to make a board of the items available via my etsy shop this Christmas.

If you have been following along, you will know it has been a very slow year for harrysdesk. Although all the girls are now in school, I have missed my studio greatly. Unfortunately, I haven’t designed a decoration for Christmas this year, but still have some of the past years designs available.

I have a few more items to upload over the coming weeks, so pop back, if you like, and see whats new. I hope to add more owls, hair-ties and t-shirts…… so watch this space.

Now it’s your turn!

What should my next Pinteresting idea be?

You can choose by commenting below.

It can be as quirky or conservative as you like!

 

Two shirts become one skirt.

An adults tunic dress and peasant shirt into a skirt for 6 year old.

Some of you may have already seen her in this.

A super comfy fun favourite.

….and so super easy …..

Sorry it’s been so long since an upcycle!

The Pop-Up Lollie Shop.

Lolly Shop at the school fete.

This year I took on the somewhat scary task of ‘stall coordinator’ at the school fete.

The idea for a lolly shop first came up a couple of years ago when chatting to my friend Belinda. At the time we both had preschool age and younger children, and so the idea just sat.

Saturday was our first fete. 10 hours of set-up and selling many, many lollies and chocolates later, my very helpful family (and 2 other families) ate dinner together and celebrated a job well done. A successful execution of a little idea.

I wanted to share a few photos of the fun!

Working together.

Selling….

Kindy mums, book-club mums, church mums and dads, 9 year old and her buddy Eve and 5 fantastic high schoolers worked hard not just on Saturday but in the weeks leading up to it.

I really want to say thanks to them for their cheeriness and energy while working really, really hard! A big thank you to Sue….. my sidekick for her fabulousness.

The kids couldn’t get enough of these pick and choose lollies.

It’s a pretty easy business model. If you want to do one for your school or church or organisation, I am happy to talk you through the process.

Just email me.

 

 

The other half of a GIANT list of fete and fair tutorials and printables…. (Part 2)

Oh, I bet you thought this was never coming!

You can find the first half of the giant list of fete and fair tutorials and printables here, along with the criteria I used to decide on what was included and what I left out.

If you still want more ideas you can see some past items we have made (although not all have accompanying tutorials)

Enjoy.

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1. The Scrapbooking Jar by Crate Paper Blog
2.  Chalkboard Serving Platter by Wit and Whistle.
3. Knitted Snake by Purl Bee 
4.  Paper Fortune Cookies by design wash rinse repeat.
5.  Pebble Mat by Junk Hippie 
6.  Clay bird ornament by JessicaJane Handmade.
7.  Owl cushion by button bird designs.
8.  Pillowcase shopping bag by Grow Mama.
9.  Mouse Ornaments by Family Fun 
10. Crocheted Washcloths by Purl Bee 
11. Monster Bags by harrysdesk 
12.  Pram cards by The Pleated Poppy
13.  Salt dough Christmas Ornaments by Oleander and Palm 
14. Rice filled heating Owls for children by Just another Hang Up.
15.  Beaded Heart Wand by First Palette
16. Circle Zip Earbud Pouch by dog under my desk
17.  Tea Bag gift Tag by The Studio Of Mae.
18. Cardboard Horses by Design Sponge
19. Mooshy Belly Bunny by Chez Beeper Bebe 
20. Felt Crowns by hellobee
21. Easy Drawstring Bag by Purl Bee 
22. Recycled Book Bird Decoration by Under the Table and Dreaming
23. Present Cards by Craft and Creativity
24. Babies Triange Dress by Purl Bee 
25. Monster Slime by all things simple 
26. DIY ice cream sundae box by family bits.
27. Monster bibs by stubbornly crafty.
28. Cloud and rain mobile by dailylike recipe?
29. Bunting by the yvestown blog.
30. Lunchsacks by All people quilt.

Enjoy….and let me know if you think you might make anything.

Monster/Fort Kit mash-up.

Yes, the monsters are back!

Lately…. I mixed together two of my favourite creative gifts into a monster/fort mash-up.

Previously,I have made fort kits  for gifts. I got the idea from saltwater kids, who got it at Bloom.

The contents of the monster pillow.

…and more recently I have been making monsters. You can see a tutorial here if you would like to make your own.

For this particularly creative  9 year old boy, I joined them together.

I’m particularly loving the eyes!

The monster fort mash! ….and a cheeky foot.

Would the 9 year old boys in your life like these?

 

Facebook Friday

A quick and easy idea…… Thanks Curbly.

Monster tutorial

The Blanket Monster. ‘Blanket’
Use me for a library bag, PJ bag, music bag, laptop bag…. things I haven’t thought of….bag.

Tutorial for A4 size monster…..

What you will need.

• a zipper (approx 49cm)
• 15cm x 100cm mouth fabric (red)
• 10cm x 50cm teeth fabric (white)
• an old blanket or bedspread with tasselled edge.
• small amount of fabric for eyeballs.
• 2 buttons.
• thread
• thick thread for sewing o the eyes.

How to make it.

MOUTH:

1.Cut 2 rectangles 49cm x 13cm for the mouth (red)

2. Fold each piece in half length-wise and iron.

3. Pin folded edge of red moth rectangle to zipper on either side.

Machine the folded edge to either side of the zipper….. but not too close.

Press.

hint: The further your fabric from the zipper the less likely it is to get caught when opening and closing….and exposes the zipper more, which is what we want in this case.

TEETH:

1. Cut 4 (or more) 8cm x 8cm squares for the teeth.

2. Fold in half diagonally and iron…..

….. fold in half diagonally and iron again.

TEETH!

3. Position the teeth (point down and cut edge matching the cut edge of the red) along the cut edge of the mouth (red) pieces. (I did 5cm from each end for the top, and 12cm from each end for the bottom)

ARMS:

1. Cut 2 rectangles 25cm x 14cm along the fringed edge. The measurements include the fringe.

2. With right sides together, machine down the non fringed edge with 1.5cm seam allowance.

3. Turn back to right sides… forming a cylinder like shape. Press with the seam down the middle of the arm. (this reduces the bulk in sewing it together later).

BODY (Part1) :

1. Cut 1 rectangle 49cm x 51cm. (blanket fabric)
2. Cut another rectangle 49cm x 20cm.
3. Machine (with right sides together) the rectangles on either side of the mouth piece along the 49cm edges.

4. Iron so that the teeth head toward the zipper ( press seams away from mouth on the wrong side)…..

EYES:

Cut 2 circles (black and white).

2. Position them on the smaller rectangle above the mouth.

3. With a needle and thick thread position and sew on the eyes.

BODY (Part2): 

1. Position the monsters arms where you would like them. Position them with the fringing toward the middle and with the seam facing up.

2. With right sides together and zipper open about 10cm, line up the cut edges of the triangles to form a large rectangle. Pin.

3. Machine the sides together. Stitch the seam again where the arms are positioned to reinforce them.

LEGS:

1. Along the bottom edge create the legs by measuring across 12cm from each side seam and putting a pin….then up into the monster 12cm and placing a pin.

2. With a ruler join up the dots and cut through both layers of blanket to create the leg shape. Machine together along the newly cut line. Seam allowance 1.5cm.

HORNS:

1. Now for the top (horns). Coming diagonally down from the top corners about 3cm and put a dot ( don’t come lower than your eyes) draw a line from one dot to the other using a ruler. This is your machining line.
2. Machine.

FINISHING OFF:

1. Trim excess fabric from the corners being careful not the cut your stitching.
2. Turn your monster inside out through the zipper hole.
3. Push the horns and legs out with the end of your scissors to get a nice point.
4. Press

5. Enjoy and love your monster.