Author: guernseyjane

Mini envelopes

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I made a stack of these for advent ‘calendar’ bunting. I used squares of 15 cm lightweight paper (and half A4 sheets of magazine papers), scissors and glue. That’s it.

With pretty side face down fold 1 cm in from the right, then 1 cm in from the bottom then bring the left side over to the (folded) right edge and crease, then finally fold down 3 cm from the top.

Unfold and cut along the crease lines. Chamfer (angle off) the edges as shown.

Glue the pretty sides of the two 1cm remaining tabs. this leaves the top flap open until filled when it can be stuck down or tucked in

These pockets are great for little gifts or gift cards and can hung on a tree or sewn into bunting. Halloween versions are fast and an advent series could be hand numbered and pegged on a string.

Placemats converted

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A quick and straightforward sew converted elderly placemats into storage bags and pots.

I folded a mat in half so that the fringed edges became the top hem then seamed both sides to make a simple bag. Then I boxed the bottom corners to give it structure.

Because these are heavyweight mats the finished article stands up well.

Smaller bags were made by chopping a mat in half and following the same simple sew.

Resin crafts

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Resin that cures in uv light is super easy to play with and the ‘Let’s resin’ kit got me hooked.

Key rings, pendants, earrings and embellishments galore.

Boring safety stuff aside (gloves and mask essential) I love this. And walking round craft and jewellry stalls at local markets I realise how many other people do too.

Thank you Frugal Crafter for the suggestion

Shoe deodorisers

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Made on the same basis as lavender bags, fabric sachets are filled with activated charcoal (as used in home aquariums). These are supposed to absorb the sweat in trainers and shoes.

The sachets are lined with dark fabric as charcoal is very messy. I decided to label them with fabric pens so recipients know what to use them for and will enclose a note explaining that the charcoal can be reenergised if warmed in the oven.

Adapted from a Crafts Channel tutorial

Upcycled, re usable cleanser pads

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A clear out of surplus hand towels too good to dispose of led to today’s make. Sets of make up remover pads to pair with my diy cleanser.

Sandwich the towel (bindings cut off) between sheets of cotton and pin. Then draw circles using a jar of glass as template. I use a Frixion heat removable pen.

Zig zag around the circles. It doesn’t matter if you go off piste a bit.

Then cut around the lines with pinking shears. Voila.

Left over to luscious…pineapple

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After the pineapple upside down cake…
  • Half a fresh pineapple chopped into 1cm pieces
  • Half an onion finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons raisins
  • 2 crushed cloves
  • 3 allspice berries crushed
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Throw all the above in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about half an hour before storing in the fridge. Goes well with ice cream, roast gammon or jacket potatoes. Sweet and tangy, I love it!

Apple leather

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A first attempt that worked out really well. 6 apples peeled, cored and chopped then simmered in as little water as I could get away with. I added a squirt of lemon juice and a spoon of sugar then puréed it all before simmering off as much liquid as possible. The paste then went into the dehydrator in a thin layer for 10 hours before being snipped into snack bites. Lasts well in a tin.