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Homey Placemats & Coasters Holder

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The concept is simple, combine a clipboard to a wire clothes hanger, sew a roof awning cover and wear it down onto the hanger like the way you hang your clothes. Clip the placemats onto the clip board and hang the coasters on the buttons. You may change the color theme to suit the festive and your placemat and coaster sets, even adapt the design to have your own taste. Click next page to get the detail tutorials.

More Christmas Crafts coming up next. I begin to have more time to prepare and share more tutorials as the Christmas day is approaching. So please stay tuned!

Before flipping to the next page, Happy Thanksgiving!!! I will be putting up my Christmas tree this weekend, decorating Christmas tree with Christmas songs playing is one of my favorite event of the year.

{Get full details on next page.}

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Before and After Organize

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As you can see from the above before photo, I can’t even put on the lid to cover the box before stacking it up on the shelf. It is no joke when I need to get a specific ribbon out from the box. I found out I can free up a lot of space by removing the packaging of some of the ribbons. Some packagings especially the spools with big core are simply too bulky to keep. So, I decided to take those out. Then, I need to find a way to keep my ribbon organize and tidy otherwise they will get tangled up after a few digs. This is where the cardboard comes in place to wind them up and keep them in place. A tiny head sewing pins are handy to keep the ends on the winding. Read more after the jump to the second page.

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Never too later for some last minute Valentine’s project though it is just 3 days away. I have compiled 40 Valentine’s DIY tutorials for you to choose and many of them are my favorites too. Hope you will find them inspired to make for your sweetheart

This is the fourth and the last compilation for 2012 Valentine’s Day projects to make. If you have missed out the first 3 Valentine’s Round-ups, here are the links: Sew Valentine Round Up, Food Of Love Round Up, and, For The Love Of Yarn Round Up. 4 of them total up to 100 projects for you to make for Valentine’s Day, which will also inspired you to adapt the method and turn into some projects for special occasion through out the year. Happy crafting and …..
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

1. Valentine Heart at The Idea Room.
2. Say It With Love – Paper Heart Garland at Happy Clippings
3. Crayon Heart Valentines at Whipper Berry.
4. DIY Ombre Heart & Striped Canvas Totes at Four Flights Of Fancy.
5. “Love Struck” Pillows at Homestitched.
6. Painted Cross Stitch Pillow at Craft Berry Bush.
7. Painted Heart Bag at V And Co.
8. Sparkly Valentine Banner at Lemon Tree Creations.
9. Homemade Heart Soaps at Sun Hat And Wellie Boots.
10. Asterisk Heart Garland at How About Orange.
11. Paper Punch Heart Garland at Oh! Crafts.
12. Love You Bookmark at Mmmcrafts.
13. Book Love at Craft Berry Bush.
14. Upcycled Valentine Garland at Just Something I Made.
15. “52 Reasons I Love You” Cards Tutorial at Papervine.
16. DIY Project: Valentine Lightbulb at Design Sponge.
17. Pipe Cleaner Heart-Shaped *LOVE* Goggles at Make And Takes.
18. Heart-Shaped Paper Clips at Design Sponge.
19. Clothespin Planter at Family Chic.
20. Valentines Day Countdown at Infarrantly Creative.
21. Valentine Gnome at GardenMama.
22. Puzzling Cards for Your Valentine at Make And Takes.
23. Birdseed Hearts: Eco, Easy and Inexpensive DIY at Intimate Weddings.
24. Valentine Garland from Plastic Grocery Bags at Aunt Peaches.
25. Doilies & Hearts Tied on Jars with Strings Tutorial DIY at Crescendoh.
26. Chalkboard Hearts Ornaments at Embellishing Life.
27. DIY Chalkboard Picture Frame at The Moody Fashionista.
28. Salt Dough Hearts at One Clever Mode.
29. Salt Dough Tags at Intimate Weddings.
30. Gold Beaded Heart Pendant at Mod Podge Rocks!.
31. Chalkboard Craft at Creative Organization.
32. Love Letters Picture at 30 Handmade Days.
33. Clay Valentine Necklace at 365 Days Of Crafts.
34. Valentine Love Boats at Green Jello.
35. Love Potion no. 9 Labels at The Idea Room.
36. Friendship Bracelet Valentines at Dandee.
37. Love Pop Up Card at Under A Cherry Tree.
38. Pop Up Love Card at Cut Out And Keep.
39. Pop Can Key Chain at Diary Of A Crafty Lady.
40. Quilled Heart Pendant at Craftzine.

But, before I am allowed to go, I took one of the ghosts from the ghost lights and toss it in a glass jar. He has been naughty lately and not following the rules. This time he ain’t going with me, I hope he learned a good lesson and behave well when I am back.

Along with the ghost lights decoration, I found a bunch of mini mandarin oranges holiday lights in my store room which I have been decorating for my Chinese New year since years. Now, they become part of my Halloween light decorations. All I have to do is to draw the oranges with permanent marker, easy and quick!!!

Here is the round-up of Halloween crafts of 2009-2011:

1. Pom-Pom Jack ‘O Lantern
2. Pom-Pom Black Widow Spider
3. Sock Skeleton Couples
4. Skeleton Costume
5. Pumpkin Costume
6. Pumpkin Treat Basket
7. Ghost Lights
8. Mummy Holder
9. Candy Corn Memo Holder

Not enough Halloween crafts to inspire you? Here are some more from others which I think you might be interested.

That’s all for now… till then…. BOO!!!

Halloween Egg Carton Bats and Leaf Ghosts by Happy Clippings.

Pipe Cleaner Yarn Spiders by Make And Takes.

Pipe Cleaner Spider Ring by Crafts By Amanda.

DIY Spider Sacks by Modern Parents Messy Kids.

Orange Jack O’ Lantern by Momtastic.

Flexi Mummies by Family Chic.

Black Grape Vine Pumpkin With Lights by Jen Goode’s 100 Directions.

Halloween Candles by Fresh Home Ideas.

Ghost Jug Lights by Family Fun Crafts.

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Halloween Candy Corn Memo Holder

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This candy corn memo holder is perfect for desk decor during the creepy October. You can make the mummy pencil holder to pair with it and they make wonderful companion on your desk while you work. Or, as a table number holder or menu holder on your dining table if you are having friends and families coming over for a Halloween dinner or party.

It isn’t hard to make and I have gotten this candy corn idea after drinking from a disposable paper cone cup of a water dispenser machine. While I was drinking, I think: “Can I do anything with this paper cone cup?” The idea struck and so I took some of the clean cone cups and put them inside my bag… shhhh… don’t tell the manager that I st*le some cups from him yay… lol… As a reward for not telling him, ahemmm, here you are, the method to make the Candy Corn Memo Holder made from a paper cone water cups.

{Get full details on next page.}

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Halloween Mummy Pencil Holder - "Oh no! The spider is getting to me..."

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This mummify pencil holder is easy to make and kids can help in tearing the fabric into strips and wrapping it up. You can always adapt this method to wrap around a clean used food can or container. Or, turn it into napkin or serviette holder, or even utensil holder during the Halloween dinner with friend and family. And, may be as treats holder for Halloween lollypops, cake pops, stick bites etc….

Make a quick and easy Mummy Holder with an irritating spider climbing on it……

{Get full details on next page.}

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Basket Weaving - in Geometric Shape

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Material:
1. Thick Cardboard or paperboard, non-corrugated (around 1/6″ thick).
2. Felt for bottom and base.
3. Weaving material, example: yarn, twine, fabric strips, ribbons etc….

Tools:
1. Sharp scissors (able to cut thick cardboard)
2. Hole puncher
3. Tapestry needle (#13)
4. Clothes pin
5. Craft / Tacky Glue
6. Pen or pencil
7. Ruler

Download the basket weaving template (consist of triangle, round and square) in pdf format.
{It will either open in new tab or open a small window asking you to save it as file. If you can’t find the saved file in your computer, the default folder usually is in “/downloads”}
{If you can’t download the pdf pattern, probably you don’t have acrobat reader, download the latest version for free, here.}
Print it and enlarge 200% to get the size I made.
Trace it on the thick cardboard.
After tracing the template on the thick cardboard, use a pair of strong and sharp scissors to cut the template out.
Punch the holes with a paper hole-puncher.
Trace base on felt, cut 2 pieces.
Get the rest of the tools & materials ready.
Brush a layer of tacky glue on the bottom of the basket, press & stick the felt onto it.
Repeat the same to adhere the felt to the base.
Snip the edge of the felt follows the grooves between the fingers.
Being to weave over and under around the fingers of the frame.
Push the twine into the grooves of the felt that you have just snipped.
Keep on weaving over and under the fingers until the end of first round.
When begin the second round, you will notice that you are weaving in the reverse side of the first round.
A full wrap on both sides after finish the second round.
Continue weaving and push the twine down to make them closer to each other. This will avoid gaps in between and will also hide the cardboard away.
As you go higher, the frame will stand up vertically and form the side of the basket.
Continue until you just over the hole’s level.
Allow a long length of twine for rim stitching later.
Put on clothes pin and allow some room for rim making.
To make the rim, insert another type of twine through the space between the clothes pin by using a tapestry needle.
Since the length is quite long, divide the twine by halve and work both ends from middle.
Keep going round by round. Take note on the corners and arrange them neatly.
Lay the twine until it fully covers the top portion of the basket.
Secure the rim by stitching the original twine through the holes.
Stitch again on the opposite direction to form criss-cross pattern.
When reaching the corner, pierce through the gap and make another stitch there.
Hide all ends into the braid to neaten up the basket.
The basket is ready to be used.

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新年快樂！ Happy Chinese New Year!
A basket full of mandarin oranges symbolizes prosperity !!!

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Chinese New Year (CNY) is just around the corner, I am spring cleaning and decorating my house during the weekends. Last weekend, hubby took out a huge box of past year’s CNY ornaments and decorations, including this, this and this I made last year (click the links for tutorials and patterns). My son found his king crown – a large treat holder I sewed last year, I used it to put mandarin oranges. He refused to let me use it this year “This is MINE!!!!”, holding his crown behind his back while running away from me… he is being a classic “terrible 2″ toddler… he wants to be in total control!!!!

I need a new basket this year so I made this – Hexagon “flatten-able” Basket. Simply tie it up to construct a steady basket. It is easy to stow away when not in use, just untie the cords or ribbons to flatten and it won’t take up much storage space.

It is made of silk and satin for oriental tradition deco but it could be for any occasion with different color scheme and fabric. Just adapt the pattern to suit the occasion you are celebrating, for example, red/green for Christmas, orange/black for Halloween, white for wedding, etc…..

Following is the method on how to make this quick hexagon basket.

Difficulty level: Basic
Time required: Approx 2 hours.

Material:
1. Silk, 15″ x 15″
2. Satin lining, 15″ x 15″
3. Thick cardboard (about 1mm thickness), 15″ x 15″
4. Batting (low loft), 15″ x 15″
5. Cords (72″) or ribbons (72″) or china knots & loops (6 pairs)
6. Rick racks (optional)

Tools:
1. Sewing machine
2. Heavy sewing needle that can handle thick material
3. Scissors for fabric and cardboard
4. Drawing Compass
5. Pencil (sharpened)
6. Ruler
7. Right angle ruler
8. 3M spray adhesive (super 77) or equivalent
9. Fabric glue or hot glue
10. Matching sewing thread
11. Pins

Download the instruction on how to draw the cardboard. It is basically derived from 2 hexagons (4″ & 6″) with same center point. For detail on how to draw basic hexagon with step-by-step photo, click here.
If you have a wide printer, you can simply double the size the of the pdf document and print it out.

Cut cardboard by following the outer pink line of the drawing. Use cardboard as pattern reference, cut batting, cut silk and satin (with 3/4″ to 1″ seam allowance).
1. Cardboard
2. Silk
3. Sating lining
4. Batting
5. Cord
Mark the cardboard outline on the wrong side of the satin lining & silk.
Trim off the diamond shapes (between the flaps) from the cardboard. To prevent the sharp edges from spoiling the dedicated satin, smooth out all corners by trimming them round.
Spray adhesive on the batting and cardboard (follow the instruction on the can). It is sticky and tacky, so be careful when handling.
Position the batting (with adhesive side down) on the wrong side of the silk. Due to the slippery of the silk material, align the corners and outline before press the batting to the silk by hand.
Repeat the same to cardboard and satin.
Glide you hand across the right side the satin and silk to smooth out the adhesive and get rid of any bubbles captured within.
Place some fabric glue near the edges of the cardboard flaps. Fold the seam allowance and stick to the cardboard and batting for both satin and silk.

Secure the adhesion with pins on silk since it is a little difficult to set in place.

Spray adhesive to the wrong side of the satin set. With adhesive side down and wrong side facing each other, position the satin on top of the silk set.

Adjust the corners so that both layers are aligned. Pin to secure.
Cut cord or ribbon to 6″ length, 12 pieces. Insert the cord between the silk and satin with 1″ depth at the vertical edge of the cardboard. Repeat all 12 cords.
Sew near edges around the basket to stitch up both layers.
Top stitch around the cardboard. Note that the vertical lines are next to the cardboard and not on the cardboard.
Top stitch the smaller hexagon inside the basket, slowly to prevent needle breakage.
After finish sewing through the cardboard, the sewing machine’s needle is more or less damaged. Dispose it correctly.
Glue rick rack to the edges with fabric glue as optional decoration. Set aside to let it dry.
Bend the flaps and fold over  to form the sides of the basket.
Tie the cords or ribbons to entrench it.
The basket is ready to be used.

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Quick Craft: Pencil Holder {Tutorial}

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If you happened to find some paper cores or paper tubes from your kitchen, toilet, badminton court, craft room or writing table, please don’t throw them away, … recycle them into these yarn wrapped pencil holder and get back to school!!!!

There are many sources that you can get the paper tube for free, just to point out a few….. from your cling wrap, aluminum foil, or kitchen paper towel in your kitchen; toilet paper roll; shutter cock tube after your badminton match; yarn tube, fabric roll tube found in your craft room; even thermal paper roll of the fax machine!!! Turn the trash into treasure and help mother Earth in reducing the dumping load. I got mine from the raffia yarns I made for the recent crochet straw projects, i.e. beach bag, sun hat and the daisy brooch.

I made them for a recent charity event and all of them were sold during the pre-sale. Many came back to me and asked for more…. so I made a “come back” but in a DIY way. This is so simple to make and if you have the materials on hand, it costs nothing!!!!

Let’s get to the how-to after the jump…..

Materials:
1. Paper Core x 1
2. Thick Cardboard x 1
3. Stash Yarns
4. Stash Felts
5. Masking Tape
6. Craft Glue / PVA Glue / White Glue

Trace the circumference of the tube on the thick cardboard. Cut the circle out.

Attach the circle to the base of the paper tube with masking tape.

Cut a piece of felt and glue it to the base with craft glue.

Leave it for a few minutes or until the felt tack on well to the base before you start to roll the yarn around the tube.

Start gluing the yarn from top. If you find the yarn is a little difficult to attach to the tube, wait until the glue is tacky before wrapping the yarn around. The beginning is always the toughest part to start with for this project.

After wrapping a few rounds, turn the tube upside down and continue wrapping. I found that working from bottom to top is much easier than working from top to bottom.
You may change color of the yarn or just keep to 1 color.

Decorate the pencil holder with embellishment when the yarn is securely affix to the tube.
Wait till everything is dry, place the pencil holder on your desk to keep your stationary in it.
Easy, right?

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draw-hexagon-main1

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I can’t remember if I learned this during primary school, but I definitely remember the way my mum taught me while making hexagon quilt blanket for us… using a compass to draw…. My first lesson to sew a hexagon flower quilt block is to draw this cardboard hexagon templates. Till today, I still hear my mum’s voice mumbling in my ears….

“a perfect hexagon flower quilt block comes from precised hexagon templates”…..

Until I was a little older, I learned to use an angular ruler to draw hexagons in my formal education, like divide the 360° into 6 part in a circle etc…. But, I still love my mum’s way, with just a simple tool, a compass…. so straight forward and fool proof!!! If you are using computer aided software to generate hexagon template, this is one of the simplest methods…. just replace the compass with circles.

Draw your own size of hexagon template by using this tutorial to make your hexagon quilt.
{Get full details on next page.}