Easter baskets, Rabbits and Paper bags

Easter Baskets, Rabbits and Paper Bags!

Spring is in the air and I am feeling crafty again.  My daughter (Colette) and her family (husband and three children, ages 16, 14 and 10)  recently moved to New Zealand.  She called to ask if I could help with her Easter Basket dilemma.
Easter is quickly approaching and all of their furniture, belongings and Easter Baskets are in a container, on a slow boat - headed for New Zealand sometime in May.  Colette was looking on several craft sites and came across a paper bag turned into an Easter Basket. I thought this would be easy to make and easy to mail. Since greeting cards are expensive there, I also made 10 hand embossed cards and added them to the package. That's more crafting that I've done since my surgery in November. Feels good to be back creating again.   And you know I love buttons - so I added a few of those as well!

Hand made Easter Bag/Baskets!

Please leave me a comment if you would be interested in the patterns!  I have also added some cute Easter Rabbit down-loads to my Etsy store!  Happy Crafting and Happy Easter

Merry Christmas and Happy NEW Year

Merry Christmas and Happy NEW Year

I have missed connecting with you on Etsy and here as I have been recovering from knee replacement surgery.  My daughter, Colette, had updated her blog and posted about some of the Christmas ornaments I made for her.  I hope you enjoy her blog and I hope to be back crafting and connecting soon!

Happy New Year!

Sally

http://ewe-scrap.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving to all

and for my loyal followers, I have a special digital download sale at sssstudio.etsy. Buy 2 digital downloads and get 2 FREE, of equal or lesser value.

When you order 2 digital downloads, type in the 2 free downloads, (of equal or lesser value) in the comment section so you will only be charged for two but will receive 4.

Give your Christmas season a jump start by downloading all your tags and gifts.

(This offer ended Monday Noember 28th - please see the FREE Angel Card offer below)

Angel Card Giveaway

Three holiday cards with handmade angels, paper pieced. Highlighted with squiggles, chalk and a vintage shell button. Use two cards to giveaway and save one for yourself.


The inside is left blank for you to write your own message: Merry Christmas, Thanks, you're an Angel or one of your own choosing.


Each card measure 5" x 6 1/2" and comes with a matching envelope.


Leave a message in the comment section and one winner will be chosen December 7th.

Christmas Angel Pattern

Angels abound at Christmas time but really are all around us all the time.
This Angel can be made from pattern paper or stabilized cloth. She can be used as an ornament or on a scrapbook page, card or tag.

Click on the pattern and save to your computer. Open from your computer and size however you would like. Print and have fun with the Angel.

Be an Angel and don't sell the printed pattern. (c)Sally Swift 2011

Glad tidings to you all,

Holiday Craft Tutorial

DIRECTIONS FOR NAPKIN RINGS:
Fold napkin ring paper or card-stock, wrong sides together.
Open folds, using glue stick, glue entire wrong side area.
Fold on fold lines. Press out any air bubbles.
Roll short ends together and glue overlapping ends using tacky glue. Clip, using paper clips or clothes pins, until dry.
Burnish edges with Distress ink.
For extra strength and protection, cover with Mod-Podge.
Add Harvest or Christmas Acorns with hot glue.
Tie ribbon in small bow and hot glue to top of acorns.

DIRECTIONS FOR ACORNS:
A. Cut fabric circles 1 1/2" in diameter. Using double thread and needle, Baste around edge of fabric. Pull thread a little to draw up circle.
Put a fiber fill ball into fabric circle.
B. Pull threads tightly and knot thread, clip thread.
C. Using hot glue gun, glue ball into acorn cap. Add button on top of bow if desired.
Repeat for all Acorns.

If you don't have a supply of acorns in your area, I sell them on my Etsy Shop: Alll Things Homey.
You can send me a message telling me what you need and I will make a custom order just for you.
I also have in my shop other items made from the stuffed acorns that might give you some decorating ideas.

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving to you and all that you are thankful for.

Sally

GOD'S BOUNTY - in unexpected places...

Sometimes God's blessings are right in our own backyard, or in my case, in the park across the street. Last fall, with two of my grandchildren's help, we picked loads of acorn caps. I listed them on my Etsy shop, not knowing if anybody would want them, but not only have I sold over 400 acorn caps, they were mailed in my Michael's boxes (see below). How cool is that.
TIP: HOW TO USE ACORN CAPS: Mine have small calico fabric circles, gathered and stuffed with fibre fill, then glued into the caps. Use to decorate. They are adorable just sitting in a glass bowl or basket. Decorate the base of a candle or a small wreath. If you are not a do-it-your-selfer, you can purchase some ready made from All Things Homey.

Most of the mailing I do for my Etsy Shops are small and fit in a mailing envelope but I hoped the day would come when I would need to mail larger items in BOXES. That would add expense for my buyers that I did not want to add.

One day, a few weeks or so ago, I was shopping at Michaels when I spied a buggy full of empty boxes! I had come on a day when they were stocking merchandise. I filled my buggy with their buggy full of small and medium boxes. Yeh, thank you Lord. The timing was perfect because within a week I had orders for my acorn caps and they were mailed in my 'Michael's' boxes. How cool is that.
Thanks for taking a look and Happy Fall to you all, Sally