Recipe folder

Good morning Bloglanders

I'm back with a recipe folder I made last year. Actually I made two - one for a friend and one for myself as I'm a firm believer that charity begins at home.

Here it is:

I normally don't put a recipe in my folder before I've tried it out. (I must say, Pinterest is a lifesaver here) This leaves me with lots of scraps with handwritten recipes as well as ones torn from magazines. To organize my mess, I made this folder out of 2 paper bags - one with pink polka dots and one in black.  I just glued them together and folded in 3. In the middle I glued a shop bought notebook, to the right I inserted extra recipe cards and to the left some tags.  It stays on the table in our living room and when I see a recipe in a book, I put one of the brightly colored tags in and that reminds met to try it out ASAP.  If it stays in more than a month, I know that I'll never make it and recycle the magazine.  On the notepad I write things I see or hear like "how to do your rice in the oven".  (This one actually works for me - no more pots or stoves to clean afterwards) I just jot it down, try it and if it works, put it in my permanent recipe folder.

For myself I added a glassine envelope with "toys" to the left as I love to play when jotting down stuff.  My letters are home made - they are wonderful and I'll be doing a post on how to make them tomorrow. Let's call it "Toy Thursday"!

I'm also working on a new mini album (amongst a lot of sewing projects and heaps of office work) but this is a surprise for "Mini Monday". So, please come back to play as I'll be sharing my toys right here on my blog.

Have a great Wednesday!



The Play Date Cafe

Me again, still hopping around Blogland

Here is my entry for The Play Date Cafe color challenge:

My colors doesn't look like the ones in the challenge but that's just my enthusiasm exceeding my photographic skills once again. It actually looks very much like avo, blue mist and grey.

I love the stamps. They're from Papertrey Inc.



Easter weekend

Hi there Bloglanders

I'm so sorry that I'm so late with my post!  I had a wonderful weekend at the West Coast celebrating my parent's 50th wedding anniversary.  You know that I don't like taking pictures but as I've joined in the fun of  this challenge, I think I'm getting better. Look at this picture that I've taken with my mobile phone of Strandfontein.

I'm putting this in my Bucket list album X 10 000 as I would love to go there many more times.  I really love the South African West Coast.

OK, I did bring something easy and creative for you to make as well!  You know that I love giving little pressies to my neighbors and friends.  This year I did a cappuccino for 1 with instant cappuccino, heart shaped shortbread and marshmallows.

While everyone was fighting over Easter eggs, my cups were filled with ordinary items that can be bought in bulk and I'm sure it has been equal fun. (at a fraction of the cost)  Anyway, the parents normally plan the egg hunt and I didn't want to compete.  The best part is that I can now give refill packs whenever I see the children and they can re-use their cups for soup, hot chocolate and I even serve pudding in mine.

Normally I find it difficult to give something original to the boys and I guarantee you - this one is a winner!

Enjoy the rest of your (short) week and I'll be back tomorrow to share some creative fun. Please come back to play.

Love Notes for Mum

Hi there Bloglanders

OK, nothing in the Etsy shop yet but it is such a huge step and I don't know where to start. It's just that I don't want to rush into something and then have to re-do.  I'll just give myself this weekend to think about it.  You remember the little Love Note books that I made a while ago? Like this?

I decided to do one for Mother's day to thank my mum for the things she had done - like taking me to school and sport, cooking (my mum doesn't like this one but did it anyway), buying me stuff (she liked this!), buying me clothes (actually she made most of it!), etc. And now my Love Notes looks like this:

I did the front page peek-a-boo style with the Ma (Afrikaans for mum) peeking out from the first Love Note.

Inside:

I just printed letters onto a piece of paper, cut it up and glued it on again - I wanted it to look like mini letter stickers. I also added a different heart cut-out to each little note. I'm very pleased with the look and I think mum can even use it as a keyring.

The rest of the little books that I made were packed (I actually made 25!) and was delivered to a craft fair yesterday.  I hope they end up on a lot of mum's key rings this Mother's day.

Enjoy the rest of your Easter weekend and I'll come back to play on Tuesday.  Have a great weekend and remember:

Easter is in the air

Hi there Bloglanders

It's been some time that I'm telling you that I'm putting something in my Etsy shop. Well, it's going to happen today. I actually couldn't sleep last night. So, me and my new best friend Google went through all the how's and how-to's.  I just have to do it NOW!

Because you came out to play, I'm giving you a sneak peek.  These are my DIY egg warmers. (In Afrikaans it is eiermussies but my second best friend, Google translate doesn't want to give me an English option. If you know, send me a comment PLEASE) I thought they would be perfect for little hands to exercise some crafting skills and make something for Easter / Mother's day or for themselves.  Nothing complicated.  It's made of felt and the machine stitching is already done. All your kids have to do is decorate.  I included brads and flowers.  I stitched around mine with twine from The Twinery. 

And this is what the kit looks like:



These are orders - ready to be delivered later today.

Wish me luck and wave me goodbye. I have a lot to do. I'm going away for the Easter weekend and will try to do another post before then but things are rather hectic in my playpen!





Recycle

Good morning Bloglanders

First of all I can't resist to show you a picture of girlfriend #2's birthday pressie.  The cheapest wrapping paper possible, ribbon and a handmade tag.  I just love the look.

Maybe it was her birthday and all the beautiful wrapping paper that got me to this idea - to die cut the used wrapping paper!!!  I'm so excited because I hate to waste anything and it breaks my heart to throw away all these beautiful papers.  Her is what you do. Cut out usable pieces and as wrapping paper is rather flimsy, you can stack a lot of them. Then cut into your preferred shape (I used my good old Cuttlebug). TA DA:



I just folded it over some goodie bags and they are ready to give away.  I'm really, really proud of this new idea.

I hope you are excited as I am and will put in some extra effort to recycle, reuse and re purpose.

Have a great day!

Pressie stash

Good morning Bloglanders

My desk is still a mess but it is finally getting to the stage where I can see the dining room table again.  I can't wait for these projects to be packed to be sold / given away / filed.

Remember I said I'll be making a set of Christmas presents every month?  Well this is the ones I've done yesterday.  I have a lot of toys in my drawers but I find that not everyone scraps and therefore have to buy bags, wrapping paper, tags, cards whenever they need it. Such a waste of time!

Here is the mini wrapping stations I made:

I included paper and gassine bags, twine, tags, ribbon. tissue paper and cellophane. All packed into a beautiful (recycled) box.  Times 8 - and I am ready for all my special friends for Christmas!

I hope I have shown you how to create a special gift with things you normally stock at no extra cost. 

Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday and please check back for another play date.