Category: crafty stuff

adventures in post, books, crafty stuff, fun stuff, happy mail, lifestyle boxes, stationery

Fun Stuff in this week’s post 

ramblingmads

Crafty Creatives #paperhaul this is a great box for stationery nerds like me. Every month you get a themed box of notecards, stickers or washi tape, notepaper, a notebook and postcards or wrapping paper. 

I ❤Homes #happymail box is a monthly box full of lovely little bits and bobs. There’s a theme and always a selection of things for you, your home and gifts. 

Prudence and the Crow send out a vintage paperback and other book related goodies including library cards, stationery, tea, sweets and stickers in pretty printed envelopes. 

adventures in post, art, crafty stuff, fun stuff, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Box of Lame 

ramblingmads

I keep seeing bloggers sharing their Box of Lame snaps on Twitter and Instagram, so I took advantage of That Lame Company’s post-Christmas sale to pick one up and see what all the fuss is about. 

I have to say I’m impressed by the speed of delivery – two days after ordering  (on a bank holiday) and it arrived. 

I was a bit disappointed by the packaging, just a plain brown box. But I guess it’s what’s inside that counts. 

Wax melts, Yankee candle, tree decorations, candle holder. 

Tea bags, sweets, hot chocolate reindeer and marshmallows. 

Art prints

Budget notepad, resolutions worksheets

To do list, motivational postcards. 

This is a really fun cheerful box of goodies. I haven’t bought anything from That Lame Company before but I definitely think 2017 will contain more purchases.  

crafty stuff, lifestyle boxes, reviews, stationery

Boxcitement ‘Under the Sea’ 

ramblingmads

Because it’s summer all the lifestyle/stationery boxes seem to be off to the beach. 

Boxcitement has gone a little further and is exploring what’s beneath the waves. 

🐋fluro coral pendant 

🐳anchor notebook with pen

🐬photographic print in mount 

🐟note cards and envelopes 

🐠Dead Sea salt pamper kit

🐡nautical badges 

🐙mylar stencil to decorate with 

🐚starfish confetti 

🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

the box’s contents are rather lovely and I can definitely see them getting some use. Here’s some close ups. 

I’ve already put the shell print up on the wall and the notebook has slipped into my bag for notes on the go. The badges will go on one of my bags, perhaps the beach bag that never gets a day out. 

challenges, crafty stuff, jewellery, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Blackheart Creatives DIY Jewellery Box

ramblingmads

I discovered Blackheart Creatives through Twitter and loved the fun things they sell.

image

So when they released a DIY jewellery box I leapt at the chance. For £20 you get everything you need to make some pretty cool, totally unique jewellery.

image
Unique and fun

I sat myself down in front of The Good Wife last week and had a go. Following the step-by-step instructions was super easy and since the box not only contained the components but also the tools I needed, there was no faffing about.

image
Super duper easy peasy

This month’s box contained a pair of earrings and a necklace, which you can put your own unique spin on and make something no one else has.

This was a limited run of 30 kits, but if there’s enough demand, I imagine there will be more in the future. The plan is to give you something different each time and build up your skills and tools at the same time.

The lovely Charlotte even made a how to video for you, if you’re all thumbs or just want tips from the pros.

As a not very crafty person I found it really fun and as you get something unique to keep and wear at the end, complete value for money.

To find out more, visit Blackheart Creatives online, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, they’re a friendly team and respond quickly, should you have any questions.  You can also see everyone else’s fab creations there.

ramblingmads

crafty stuff, life, upcoming

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

ramblingmads

image

I live with Christmas’ number two fan (his mum is no. 1) and this weekend we put the tree up and made our little flat all festive.

image

We also discovered that rats are scared of the sound of Michael Buble singing (or maybe it’s when trees suddenly grow inside the house). They quite like the sound of Santa Paws and extra treats.

image

We also wrote cards and wrapped presents to the sound of a gospel choir singing Christmas carols and discussed which films we will watch to get into the spirit.

image

We’ve started our own little traditions and have ornaments that mean something to us, like the way all the ones on my parents’ tree have meaning and a story.

image

I apologise in advance to whoever gets the cards I wrote last, my handwriting can only keep it together for so long before becoming unintelligible.

image

We have a mix of traditional and contemporary decorations. There’s a Nativity scene and a herd of reindeer, Santas and angels. We’ve even got our first few cards up.

image

Over the last few years I’ve got quite good at snagging cards and wrapping paper in January’s sales so we’re stocked up well in advance, not scrambling about trying to grab the last pack of cards or roll of paper.

image

I have a weird relationship with Christmas, growing up it was all about the Sunday School presentation and getting a decent looking Christingle orange and not having my hair set alight by my friend’s little brother (small boys and lit candles are not a good mix).

image

Presents were not ostentatious or in their multitudes, we had nice things but my mum the ex-hippy doesn’t really do commercialization and she’s religious.

image

My best memories are of Christmas days at my grandparents, with Grandad’s gag gifts while dressed as Santa and my Nan’s mostly sherry trifle. My cousins bickering over the post lunch TV selection, my dad sleeping off the two types of potatoes and the washing up being done in shifts.

image

ramblingmads

adventures, crafty stuff, friends, reviews

Make It Craft Fair 27 Feb – 1 March

ramblingmads

image

This Saturday just gone Cal and I went to a craft fair with my friend Ruth, her husband and their little girls.
Held in a huge tent at Farnborough airport, the fair featured dozens of suppliers, workshops, talks, try-it-yourself stations, with dozens of different crafts represented, from knitting to woodwork, metal sculpting to lace making.

I splurged on crafty bits, from buttons, to gorgeous purple yarn and other little bits. I also bought a new cutting tool and a build it yourself 3D advent calendar for Cal and I to work on together (he makes minature planes and things).

image

It was really interesting to see all the different crafts people do, and to see some wonderful examples. I bought a felting kit to make some Easter bunnies (new skill or giant mess?).

It was also lovely to catch up with my friend, we went to school together and now she runs her own knitting business emhttp://etsy.com/tippingknits or http://facebook.com/tippingknits

Her girls are very cute, aged 5 and 3. We bought them a cookie each – it was the size of her youngest daughter’s face, and they seemed to enjoy themselves a lot more than that. I also took on a new opportunity (more on that to come).

image

ramblingmads