Creativity Quote ~ Tuli Kupferberg

When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge ~ Tuli Kupferberg

3D Paper Fruits and Vegetables

A simple way to make 3D paper fruits and vegetables is to cut out a shape in duplicates of 3 or more; fold the pieces together at the center and open, then sew with needle and thread at the crease to hold them as one.

Scraft-o Toy: Milk Carton Dog Trick

It only takes a couple of minutes to complete this trick. Amuse your kids on a rainy day over a warm drink with a Scraft-o toy creation or encourage them to come up with their own.

Butterfly Decor from Paper Umbrella

The holiday season is over and so is the string of parties, family gatherings and dinners. You've probably got your hand on a paper umbrella in one of your drinks. Here's another way of using parasol picks to decorate a future party, because one can never plan early enough. 

(1-2) Pull the tiny rubber band up to fully open the umbrella, (3-4) make 3 cuts toward the center with 3-2-3 umbrella spine intervals (paper umbrellas have 8 spines). Mind which two umbrella spines to assign as the butterfly's antennae (as most of these are irregularly spaced).

(5) Carefully tear paper where 'antennae' spines are projected, trim antennae to proportionate length. (6) Cut curve at the sides where the two lower wings are supposed to be, you can also cut the tiny part of the spines that peek at the sides. (7) Cut the wooden pick right below the band. (8) Decorate with them anyway you like: make a wall statement by using a double-sided mounting tape; or string them together to make a dainty garland.

Very simple to make, craftventure your way to these butterfly's papery transformation.

Here's to a colorful year ahead.

Creativity Quote ~Albert Einstein

Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions. ~Albert Einstein

Foil Lid Christmas Angels

Christmas is truly that time of year for crafters to get into creative mode and turn virtually anything into an ornament or a seasonal statement. Here are some tips to turn that aluminum foil lids from your children's formula into whimsical Christmas angel decors using only a pair of scissors.

(1) The pull~up ring is the reference point and will serve as the head. (2) Cut small slots on both sides of the aluminum one~third of the way from the ring. (3) Turn the whole thing into a cone, pinch the lower part of the ring a bit and (4) cut an inverted v-shape at the back of the angel.

 (5) Lay open and flatten out the cut portion. (6) Interlock the slots at the front. (7) Using the half part of another foil lid, cut the shape of the wings. (8) Fold at the center and cut an upright v-shape.

(9) Attach the wings to the back of the angel by interlocking the v-cuts on both. (10) Now the general basic shape of the angel is completed and you can proceed to embellishing and decorating it to your taste. (11) Aluminum foil can be embossed over any intricately designed finding like a perfume cap (12) or you can hand emboss it by using any sharply~pointed object.

You can decorate your angels further with other materials like craft beads or glitters and you can either hang them up on your tree or prop them on dainty bottles.

No Sew, No Glue, Fabric Pouch ( and it's not Furoshiki)

A no sew and no glue fabric (and tulle) pouch.

This project would work best on fabrics that won't fray much when cut. Although, any woven fabric will fray at least a little especially after washing, there are those that fray less than others. It would help to observe how the knit of the fabrics behave when inside a fabric store. Cutting the edge with pinking shears would also reduce fraying.

Materials:

1. fabric (I used flannel)
2. tulle (this is optional)
3. lace or string
4. pair of scissors
5. a ticket puncher

(1)Fold a triangle on your fabric and (2) cut. (3) Make another triangle fold to (4) prepare for cutting.

 (5) Cut a quarter of a circle. (6) Take your ticket puncher and start working on your holes. (7) The holes should be evenly-spaced and even-numbered. (8) Take your tulle and prepare to cut.

 (9) The tulle should be cut a little larger than the first fabric. (10)Fold it several times and (11) cut a round edge to make pretty ruffles. (12) Prepare to slide the lace or string through the holes.

 (13) Lay the two fabrics in place and start working on the lace. (14) Cut the lace several centimeters from the last hole. (15) Tie ends together and begin sliding the second lace at the opposite hole of where the first string came in. (16) Tie the ends of the second lace. Voila, pull the strings and your pouch is ready to go.

A little gift bag in time for the holiday.