Project #156: DIY easter wooden gift tag

DIY Easter wooden gift tag
what you'll need:

*balsa wood
*awl
*cutter
*paint (3D-liner suitable for fabrics, wood, glass)
*designs of easter inspired theme
*transferpaper
*pen
*cord, safety pin...

Step 1:
Print out a design of a bunny, or easter inspired theme.

Step 2:
Place the transferpaper between your design and wooden surface.

Trace the contours of your design using a pointed pencil. I used black transferpaper, not the blue version.

Step 3:
Customize your design with the paint, I used a 3D-liner, it gives a nice effect. Let it dry.

Step 4:
Cut out your design.

Make a hole and put safety pin or ribbon through.

Let's start wrapping.....Happy easter Bloesem Bunnies

Project #155: DIY Paper Doily Bowl

When I was born  my mum gave all relatives and friends a birth present with some chocolates. To present the chocolates my grandmother crocheted more

than a hundred doilies and made bowls with it using a sugar-water technique.

I still love doilies so much and of course you saw plenty of DIY on the internet with the vintage crocheted doilies, but as I can’t find them in Zimbabwe I was looking for an alternative.

So I thought let’s try the papier mâché technique on the paper doilies, and yes….the paper version you can find here in Africa without any problem and I liked the result, hope you’ll like it too!

 
DIY paper doily bowl.

what you'll need:
*white PVA glue
*brush
*bowl
*water
*paper doilies
*balloon (waterbomb)
*glass
*newspaper/tablecloth

Step 1:
Protect your work surface with some newspaper or use a tablecloth

Step 2:
Blow up your balloon. Depending on the size of your doily you can use a normal-sized balloon or the smaller waterbomb balloons.

Step 3:
Make the papier mâché. You’ll find lot’s of versions on the internet, but this one is very easy and worked very well.

Mix In a bowl 2/3 white PVA glue and 1/3 water.

Step 4:
Soak the doilies in the papier mâché paste. Layer the doily on your balloon.


I tested a variety of doilies and the best result you’ll get with the thicker doilies often coated with gold or silver.

Step 5:
Let it dry. It can take 24 hours, so be patient.

Step 6:
Pop the balloon. It's possible that you need to shape your bowl a little bit.

Lovely to use as an eastern basket, flower, table or wall decoration…..Enjoy!

All images by Véronique

.. Pichouline

Project #154: DIY Heart-shaped Paper Holder

DIY heart-shaped paper holder

what you'll need:

*square paper (for example 15x15cm)

*cutter/scissors

Step 1:

Cut and use half of your square paper

Step 2:

Fold in half and unfold

Step 3:

Fold edge to edge at center crease.

Step 4-5:

Turn. Fold corners down to the corner of your triangle.

Step 6-7:

Open up and squash fold. Repeat on the other side

Step 8:

Fold corners to the crease and unfold.

Step 9:

Fold corners in. 

Step 10:

Fold edge to edge.

Step 11:

Fold the top of your inner triangle down.

Step 12:

Fold edge to edge.

Step 13:

Fold top corners down.

Final step:

To insert your paper: insert the corner of your paper into the pocket of the heart, fold the corner down to lock your paper and heart together.

Happy Valentines !

Project #152: DIY Ironing Beads Garland

DIY word catcher by Véronique from Pichouline

As a child I loved to make different shapes and designs with ironing beads. Still a lot of people do not know this lovely creative game.

As you know I love parties & this beads……so let’s make a garland with it!

what you'll need:
*ironing beads
*pegboard
*ironing/baking paper
*iron
*ribbon
*needle

Step 1:

Use the pegboard to make your circles, or any other shape.

Step 2: This step has to be done by an adult.

Preheat your iron to medium setting. Cover the beads with the ironing paper, you can also use baking paper. Gently iron on to your paper, for about 15sec, make sure the beads still have an open center. Depending on the beads and your iron the time can be less or more.

Once the design is cool, peel off your baking paper, turn around your design cover your design with baking paper and iron again. Don’t overheat it as you want to keep the center of your bead open.

Step 3:

Put a ribbon through the opening of your circle….

Tada….It’s easy as it is! Let’s party….!

Project #149: DIY word catcher

DIY word catcher by Véronique from Pichouline

Last summer I saw this in the window display of one of my favourite shops in Antwerp….so it was on my DIY-list for months now.

I have to admit, it was the most time-consuming DIY I have ever made. But more important, every time I see it, it makes me smile…this is the result….

Nice as a personalized christmas gift, no?

what you'll need:
*balsa wood
*cutter
*stencil / adhesive paper
*spray paint (assorted colours)
*wire


 

Step 1:
Use a stencil or make a stencil yourself. I think it's better to make your own stencil because the adhesive paper is very thin, practicale (because it sticks on your wood while painting) and you can remove it easily from your wood.

To make your stencil, print your words on an adhesive paper and cut out.

If you print the words make sure you print them reverse (mirror writing).
Use an easy font because you’ll need to cut out all the letters.

Step 2:
Cut the wood in strips. The size depends on the length of your word. The height of the strip is 3cm.

Step 3:
Attach the words on your wood, spray. Think about the result you want to get.

Step 4:
Make 2 holes in your wooden strip (top and bottom) so you can link your words with a wire. On my 'tools picture' you’ll see a metal wire but it worked better with a cotton thread, because your wordcatcher will move more. To fix your thread you can use a knot or a crimp bead. You can hang a lucky charm, for example, at the bottom.




Enjoy! Happy 2014!

All images by Véronique

.. Pichouline

Project #147: Tealight Advent Calendar

DIY Tealight advent calendar by Véronique from Pichouline

As we often have powercuts here in Africa and nowhere Christmas tree to find, I tought "let’s make a tealight advent calendar", so we can bring the Christmas atmosphere at home!
 

what you'll need:
*magnetic chalkboard wallpaper
*window marker / chalk / stencil
*24 magnets
*24 flickering tealights (on batteries)
 

Step 1:

Attach the magnets on the back of your tealights. You don’t need glue to attach the magnets because the inside of your tealight certainly contains metal so the magnet will stick to itself.

Start to draw the numbers on your chalkboard using a window marker, of course you can use chalk. If you don’t have a consistent handwriting (like me) you can use a stencil.


Let’s turn on the lights…one by one….let the countdown begin!

 

 

All images by Véronique

.. Pichouline

Project #146: Forest advent calendar

Forest advent calendar by Véronique from Pichouline

what you'll need:
*thick paper
*stencil & marker / stamps
*cutter
*double-sided tape or glue

Step 1 – make the forest:

Download the template of the tree here, print and cut it out. I designed some different sizes of trees so you will get a real forest. It’s easier to decorate your tree before you fold it into a box. Don’t forget to decorate the trees on the good side = side without the print of the template.

I decorated a couple of them with stamps, just use your imagination.

Write or stamp the numbers 1-24 on the trees.

Step 2:

Make incisions on the good side so your paper will fold easier. Fold on the dotted lines, so you get a tree, glue all tabs marked with the circle.

Tuck the flaps inside. To make sure your tree won’t “pop open” fix it with a sticker

Don’t forget to fill them up….Let’s start the countdown!

All images by Véronique

 

.. Pichouline

Project #144: origami star light string

Origami star light string by Véronique from Pichouline

what you'll need:
*A4 paper
*string lights
*cutter / scissors



Step 1 – make the star:
Cut  strips of paper +/- 12mm x 29,7mm. I’ve tried to make some bigger stars using the same ratio but they are not that “strong” than the smaller sizes.

The best result you get when you us thin paper with one coloured side.

Step 2:
Make a knot at the edge of the paper. Tighten knot gently and flatten.

Step 3:
Turn around. Fold the surplus of the paper inside the star. If it’s still too long, cut off.

Step 4:
Wrap the paper around all the sides of the pentagon, the paper will go in the opposite direction, keep wrapping, aligned with the sides of the pentagon, until you get to the end of your strip.

Step 5:
Fold the end of the paper inside. Your star has to look like a flat pentagon.

Step 6:
Push the sides of the pentagon, very gently and slowly. The easiest way is to use the side of your fingertops.

Step 7:
Make a little cross incision in one side of the star.

Step 8 – string lights
Attach all the stars to your string lights.

All images by Véronique

.. Pichouline        

Project #143: dyed honeycomb balls

Dyed honeycomb balls Flower Brooch by Véronique from Pichouline

I love honeycombs and the copper trend so I taught “let’s make a copper honeycomb“, and above all it's super easy!

what you'll need:
*acrylic spray paint
*honeycombs
*gloves

Step 1:

Put on your gloves to protect your hands. Hold your honeycomb and start to spray . The best place to do it is outside.

Think about the effect you want to create. I like the ombre effect, so I applied only a few layers of paint, don’t hold your honeycomb to close to the spray dispenser.

Of course you can choose other colours or apply 2 different colours….just use our imagination.

Enjoy!

All images by Véronique

.. Pichouline        

Project #142: Flower brooch

Flower Brooch by Véronique from Pichouline

I almost keep all of my clothing labels and small pieces of fabric in a big box, but after a while your collection becomes too large!
So what do you do with all those lovely ribbons, safety pins and fabrics?

Well with this DIY you can empty your box a little bit…

what you'll need:

* pieces of fabric
* ribbons
* safety pin
* thread & needle
* scissors

Step 1:
Cut out 4 flowers (a clover for example, very easy) out of your fabric.

Step 2:
Take 3 small pieces of ribbon and make a knot at the ends, they have to look like the stamens of a flower.

Step 3:
Sew the pieces of fabric (twist each layer) and the ribbons to each other.

Step 4:
Attach the safety pin at the back.

Of course you can make any other accessory with your flower.....Enjoy!

 

All images by Véronique

.. Pichouline