Gift-wrapping time

Year after year my giftwrapping style remains rather minimalistic. The wrapping paper tends to be brown wrapping paper (I nick from Ikea wrapping station) or plain white one. Others I've been known to use are old newspapers and pages from discarded musical note books. The ribbons (anything from old lace to silk ribbons), elaborate bows (the bigger the better!) and little decorative touches (candycanes and christmas tree ornaments tied into the bow) elevate make the gifts anything but boring

These woven paper hearts are such a timeless, Nordic classic and this year they were turned into the name tags for my Christmas presents - this time in a little more street cred black and white. Red and cardboard brown are another lovely combination, as is white and gold.

Ingredients:

card stock in two contrasting colours

scissors

glue

If you need, you'll find the pattern here.

Place the card stocks on top of each other and cut two identical parts (C). Cut the prongs and weave together.

Glue the ends together, trim the edges with scissors so they're perfectly even and glue the B- part in the background. Before you glue the top shut, don't forget to insert the A-part that you've folded in two for form a loop. If you want, you can decorate this with a narrow strip of the other colour.

Finish off with a hand-written message of prosperity and World peace and hey presto, your presents are done!

No matter how pretty these turned out, I doubt they'll be pretty enough to distract the recipients form the fact that their gifts are actually empty. Internet shopping and international shipping failed me miserably this year...!

With these this blog wishes all you dear readers a very happy holidays! I'll be spending my holidays at the Winter Wonderland that is Arctic Circle with my precious family and taking it easy(ish). Some posts have been scheduled to see you through the holiday and don't forget there's blog's Facebook-page which will be updated throughout the holidays. Thank you for this year - looking forward to a brand new year with all of you!


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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?



        

Paper baubles

One of the best things about the time leading to Christmas is all the arts and crafts. It's such a wonderful thing, making things yourself from the scratch all candle-lit and a glass of mulled wine spreading its heady scent. And since soon it's time to start decorating that tree, I'm going to share this decorative tip. This is quick, easy and depending on the paper you use, something that allows you to really express yourself.

You want to use thicker, card-like paper(leftover pieces of wallpaper are great for this!). This way they maintain their shape better and it's easier to adjust them into the style you want. You can use several different patterns and colours or keep it simple by alternating between one print and a complimenting solid colour. Old musical note books are beautiful for this.

For the baubles you see in the photos I used 10 discs each, but you can use more if you want to. Before gluing the last discs together don't forget to insert a ribbon.

Ingredients:

solid colour card stock
printed card stock
glue
wooden beads
string

Using a tumbler as the pattern cut similar sized discs out of the card stock and fold in the middle.

Glue two discs together on the back. You can trim the edges with scissors afterwards. Cut a piece of string, fold it into a loop, thread through a bead and glue to the middle of the stack of discs before gluing the two last discs together.

Spread the folds depending on which paper you want more visible.

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?

        

Let it snow, let it snow

The Gentleman was back in Old Blighty on business. The country was (once again) brought to a standstill as a result of snow. Death, taxes and snow in the winter, people... The roads were blocked, the airports closed and the flights cancelled. 


Like thousands of others he found himself stranded at the airport not knowing when and if he'd be able to leave the country.


While my English friends were complaining about the freezing weather (-2) Finland was soldiering on in -20. Going to work, getting around and making sure every flight departed on schedule. It takes a bit more than ice, snow or the Russian army to stop my countrymen!


That inspired me to pick up a pair of scissors and work on my Edvardian Schissorhandicarftmanship, in the form of snowflakes we used to make as kids. The results are around you. Seems OCD got the better of me again...