Don't forget to enter my blog giveaway (two posts down)

JUST ABOUT TO GO IN MY ETSY SHOP...

Pretty pink romantic rose earrings

some tiny owls for your ears [sold]

...and a tiny little mousey playset,

that fits into a matchbox suitcase. [sold]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

Don't be afraid to be yourself!

HaPpY tHaNkSgiViNg

to all my American friends!

Blog Giveaway time!

And here it is, my blog giveaway.

I'm giving away this little owl necklace.

His name is Otto.

I made the focal bead from polymer clay and

threaded him together with some pretty

cobalt seed beads.

To enter to win Otto, all you need to do

is leave a comment here in the next week.

I'll put your names in a virtual hat

and draw one out next Wednesday.

Thankyou Diane Duda !

I've just received three lovely prints from

Dudadaze. I won her blog giveaway.

I can't remember ever winning anything else

- ever - so it was a lovely treat.

This is my favourite print.

'I believe in spontaneous dancing'

They will look lovely in my little girls room

when I finally get around to decorating it!

My next post will be about my blog giveaway !

Raggydolls

Artoholic was asking what else I'd sewn,

and I found these photos from 2000

when my older daughter was just seven.

These are two rag dolls I made for her.

I had thought back then of making the dolls

as a business, but it took me so much time,

that I decided it wasn't worth it.

Each strand of hair is sewn on individually

so that the hair can be styled and played with.

My daughter used to spend hours

putting clips and bobbles into their hair.

I guess I'll need to make make my littlest girl

her very own dolly some day.

At the moment, she is not much into dolls

so there is no rush!

This doll was her first, it was just named Raggy.

This is Anastasia, and she is a Princess.

Free Pillow Gift Box Template and Tutorial

I wanted to share one of my box patterns with you.
So here in a few easy steps is my pillow box tutorial.

Firstly, click on the template image for the larger size

and save to your PC. Now import it into your favourite

desktop publishing software.
I use Microsoft Publisher, even though I have Quark,
because I find it very intuitive to use.

I manage to fit two box templates on one A4 bit of paper.

To do this, I have the images sized at 90%.

I'm not sure if you can fit two on letter size,

but I would think you probably can.

(If you are going to resize the images,

make sure you do it equally horizontally and vertically.)

OK, so now you print your images on the wrong side
of a nice bit of patterned card. Card that is about the
right thickness for a greetings card works fine.


Now you cut along the solid lines, and score along

the dotted lines like so. Pre fold along the scores.


I like to use a circle punch to take out a semi circle each side
to make it easier to open the box when it is finished.
You'll see here where I have made the holes.
Actually if you make them on the panel where the flap isn't,
then it works better. Not like what I did here!
(I was too lazy to retake the photos)



Now place some glue on the flap and hold
together or use clothes pegs until the glue is dry.

Now push in the ends of your box, and voila!
A little pillow box for you. Now get creative, you can glue and stick
and decorate your little gift box to make it extra special.


If you make some, then I'd love to see!
Please send me a link.
Have fun.
Please feel free to use this pillow box
for your gift giving.
You may also use this to package items that you sell,
but please do not sell the pattern.

Need a different style gift box?
Why not have a look at my Free template for a Playing Card Box

Two little monkeys

Here is my little squishy monkey with the sock monkey

I made for her. His legs and tail turned out a bit long

but never mind! It just makes it more fun to swing around!

He is just called Sock Monkey!

However, Geninne has more imagination than me

and is asking for suggestions for names for her sock monkey

on her blog. Why not join in !