You could even add to packages of homemade biscuits or bakes.
Take a look at the recipe section of our website for more inspiration.
#christmasgifts
There’s something very satisfying about making your own cards and decorations, and if they don’t cost much, even better!
These two projects are perfect for creating with children as they’re so simple, but that’s not obligatory, they’re really fun to do by yourself too!
Materials
Pencil
White paper
Scissors
Craft knife
Cutting mat
White Tack or invisible tape
1 In pencil, at the bottom of a piece of paper, draw a gently sloping hillside with trees, buildings, and animals too, if you like.
2 Cut around the outline with scissors.
3 Adults only! Cut out windows and doors with a craft knife.
4 Affix to your windows with tiny pieces of White Tack or invisible tape.
Materials
Pencil
Dark blue or black cards
Paintbrush
White Paint
Cotton wool
Black pen
Small black buttons (optional)
Star stickers or embellishments
Glue (if using a button and/or embellishment)
1 Draw a feint outline of your artic animal. We drew a fox and polar bear.
2 Load your paintbrush with paint and tap to create ‘snow’ paint all over the card.
3 ‘Sponging’ with cotton wool, fill in your animal in white. You may need to twist the cotton wool to a point for any narrow bits. Allow to dry.
4 Draw an eye with black pen, and also a nose, or you could stick on a small black button, if you like.
5 Stick or glue a star in place.
Thanks to Jasmine and Maisy, my eight-year-old girls, for producing the artwork for this blog.
#christmasdecorations
And with these simple tags, you can add a personal touch to Christmas gifts without spending lots of time and money.
Here’s how:
What you’ll need
Methods
Christmas gifts tag
1 Punch a hole in a piece of rectangular card. Thread a ribbon through the hole.
2 Cut 3 squares in different sizes and stick them onto the card.
3 Adorn with ribbon and/or buttons to look like presents.
Christmas tree tag
1 Punch a hole in a piece of rectangular card. Thread a ribbon through the hole.
2 From green card, cut out 2 isosceles triangles of equal size (draw around the first to ensure the second is identical). Stick 1 triangle onto the tag. Fold the second triangle in half and stick only 1 half on top of the first – this gives a 3D tree effect.
3 Stick a piece of ribbon below the tree for its trunk and a star button or embellishment above.
Baubles tag
1 Make 2 tags as above or use ready-made tags.
2 Cut around 2 pence pieces to create as many round bauble as you would like – I have made 3. Stick 2 onto the tags and fold the third in half. Stick this on top of another to create a 3D effect.
3 Draw ‘strings’ onto the tags using a black pen.
4 Stick on other buttons/embellishments to create more baubles ‘hanging’ from the string.
#christmascrafts
#create
#happychristmas
Give one or two of these little arty ideas a try, creative children will love them!
Inspired by a gorgeous wildflower meadow we saw on a recent trip to the Peak District, we loved creating these dotty pictures so much that we made lots, mounted them and made them into thank you cards.
1 In pencil, sketch a couple of lines across the paper to represent a field and hillside.
2 Using paler colours first fill in the ‘fields’ with lots of coloured dots to represent wild flowers and grasses.
3 Add a tree trunk and dotty leaves.
4 Mount onto coloured card, if you like.
Making your own café can be great fun. Make (or bake) your favourite lunch, lay the table and add your homemade napkin ring to a paper napkin.
1 Thread beads (and a charm or two if you like) onto craft wire or elastic.
2 Tie a knot in the elastic or twist the craft wire together.
3 Place on a napkin.
In your café you could offer one or two of these chocolate lollipops – they’re great fun to make.
Calories 231 per portion
Fat 12g (7.4g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Ingredients
Instructions
Have fun!
#summerfun
#schoolholidays
Because it was such a momentous event (super exciting but also signalling the end to our era of clubbing!) I wanted something special that they could keep forever.
My friend must have liked them as
she has now asked me to create
one for her brand new niece.
Because they are personalised and handmade they feel really special, but actually they are really easy to make.
Here’s how:
Buy a frame with a mount, a selection of ribbons, a sheet of felt and an embroidery silk in the same tones.
#ilovecrafting
#newbabygift
#handmadegift
.
With the wind still whistling around our ears, rain pelting the windows and the clocks waiting another few weeks before they go forward, it’s easy to get despondent.
Lift the mood by creating something
lovely for Easter, and maybe give
one of your creations as a gift.
I have been recipe testing for the next diary recently and to save my waistline from ‘just one more taste’ I have been giving out little parcels of food to neighbours and to teachers/acquaintances at the school gate. People have been genuinely thrilled to receive something unexpected (and yummy of course!) and it really brightens my (and hopefully their) day.
So…..here are three ideas for easy Easter treats to share:
Calories 291 per portion
Fat 15g (6.5g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Ingredients
Instructions
Materials
Instructions
Ingredients
Instructions
#easterrecipe
