“The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.”
Richard Bach
Thursday thought…
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Handmade gift of the week: “Chocolate box” for men (or women)
Most men like chocolate, but I reckon given the choice, they’d like this box of “chocolates” more!
Image from www.tumblr.com
Why we love it:
- This is a great Christmas gift for the guy who’s hard to buy for
- It’s pretty easy to pick up these cute little bottles of booze from your local bottle shop. Lots of little bottles cover all tastes, or you could get lots of little bottles of their favourite.
- Look for large interesting boxes to put these little bottles in. We love this heart-shaped box, but you could use a Christmas-themed gift box.
- You could also include a couple of lovely tumblers to drink out of too.
Handmade card of the week: Balloon whale
What a clever (and super cute) way of using a balloon…
Why we love it:
- This card would be relatively easy and inexpensive to make. Materials required include: balloon, plastic eye, and card.
- If you’re feeling creative, see what other animal ideas you can come up with using a balloon.
- This card is really cute and would be suitable for men, women and kids of all ages.
- You can adjust your message to suit the occasion and the recipient.
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK: Burgon & Ball Tyre Plant Pots
Why we love them:
- These stylish little plant pots are made from recycled car tyres that would otherwise be sent to landfill.
- The multipanel design means that the pot ‘stretches’, depending on how much potting mixture you fill it with, so can accommodate various sized plants.
- They’re tough, and have rot-proof stitching so they’re designed to last.
- Great gift idea for eco-gardeners.
WEEKLY SPECIAL: Tweet Bird House NOW $12 (was $19.95)
Who doesn’t love birds in their garden? Especially the cute little birds like these Tweet Birdhouses attract. Each birdhouse comes neatly flat-packed in an easy-to-assemble kit.
Only while stocks last.
Handmade gift of the week: Family handprint picture
Image from etsy store, MyForeverPrints
Why we love it:
- This would make a fabulous family Christmas gift – especially for grandparents
- We love the tonal colours in this print – these would work beautifully with many interior colours. Keep colour in mind when you create your print. Whilst bright colours would really stand out, you want to make sure the colours you pick are going to suit the decor of your or your recipient’s home.
- Placing the smaller handprints on the larger ones is a great way of showing how small the kids’ hands are, but you could layout your handprints anyway you like e.g. from oldest to youngest or vice-versa, depending on the size and dimensions of your canvas.
- For the background, you could use a stretched canvas for a contemporary look (you also wouldn’t need to worry about a frame). Or look for an interesting card or paper base. Something with texture in a neutral colour would give a premium finish.
- You could easily make a print like this yourself using acrylic paints (wear old clothes as this could be a little messy with little ones!). Or you can get one professionally made (without the mess!) by MyForeverPrints.
- You could also write the kids’ ages next to their name.
- This is a lovely keepsake you could make each year – imagine seeing a collection of these prints on a wall from various years. Kids will love seeing how much they’ve grown over time.
Handmade card of the week: Birthday stripe card
Nothing says ‘celebration’ quite like bright rainbow colours, especially on a black background…
Image from www.meowchie.snydle.com
Why we love it:
- The colours used for this card are bright and striking, which definitely signify a birthday. However, the choice of a black background means they stand out even more. A white background would also be lovely, but give a completely different look again. Play around the your colours until you find something you’re happy with, and that suit the recipient.
- This type of card would be great for a man or woman of any age. You could even use this style of card for a child.
- The letters used for the word ‘Happy’ are slightly raised, which give a three-dimensional effect.
Thursday thought…
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Christmas Gift Wrapping: Bold Stripes
The great thing about stripes is that you can use them for anyone – at anytime of year. Striped paper or striped ribbon – this gift wrapping style works for Christmas, especially when teamed with red, green, gold or silver ribbon and accessories.
Image from www.classicchichome.blogspot.com.au
Why we love it:
- Striped wrapping paper (especially a bold stripe in a gender-neutral colour like this) should be a household-staple. It’s classy and great for any occasion.
- Paired with a green ribbon and Christmas gift tag, this wrapping has a Christmas feel, but without a hint of tacky glitter.
- Look for a slightly thicker, better quality wrapping paper. You’ll appreciate this if you’ve ever used cheap wrapping paper on Christmas Eve when you’re frantically trying to wrap last-minute gifts!
Image from www.eighteen25.com
Why we love it:
- Use whatever wrapping paper you like (plain kraft paper has a premium, organic look) and dress it up with these show-stopping striped ribbons.
- The addition of holly even makes the gift with black and white ribbon look Christmassy. You could also use a star, bauble, Christmas gift tag, or any other accessory that coordinates with your ribbon and wrapping.
