The Christmas Challenge. Stamping.

Last week Phyllis (who is incredibly creative and versatile with her crafts) mentioned that she had a number of stamps and ink pads and was looking for ideas for what she could make using them.

Rubber stamps were a big trend in crafting a while ago and many of us ended up with some of these. I had heaps!  So of the designs didn't age so well and I donated those but others I still love!  I thought this would be a good time to get them out and make a few goodies.

There are just so many things you can use them for.  Lets brainstorm as we should put them back into use!

First of all I made a pile of gift tags.  These are always useful and also double as food labels.

My favourite stamps are crowns and chandeliers.  The addition of just a few dobs of sparkly glitter  (stick on dots or glitter glue) makes a difference! 

I am thinking stamping plain wrapping paper or delicate issue paper would be gorgeous.  Also something the kids could do.   A stamp in the corner of a paper napkin for a party... goodie bags and gift bags.

I stamped a pile of little white paper bags to use as treat bags for cooking gifts.

For a party you could have a theme... I am thinking I need to get myself a ballerina stamp...

Stamping works on fabric too.   You can make gorgeous ribbon just from torn strips of pretty florals or calico...

Of course you can stamp regular cards and envelopes, invitations etc.

Barb gave me these beautiful stamps.  I LOVE pretty envelopes.   The front of these look so pretty!   You could do seed packets,  envelopes to give cash or gift cards,  wedding stationary,  shopping lists, 

sticky notes...

I am working on making sets of recipe cards.  I really like recipe cards but I have just started on these with stamps Barb also sent me! 

When I complete this project I will show how it turns out.  

I would quite like to find stamps with herbs and medical bottles and write up the uses for essential oils and remedies for my medical cabinet.  Something to look out for.

Another possibility would be to stamp plain stickers to add to jars, bottles and baked goods.

My stamps will be out few a few days yet.  Today I am off to see Hilde and shop the southern area fruit and veg shops and op shops.  Also Aldi!  So I have a big day.

If you have uses for rubber stamps please share as I love it when everything old is new again and we can use what we have maybe in a new way!

Thank you Barb for giving me beautiful stamps... they are just right, the birds and birdcages are gorgeous and the mixmaster and cooking things are perfect for recipe cards and I thought if I get a plain hard cover book I would stamp the pages in the corners and create a cooking book or journal.

I hope your week is going well!  See you on Friday! xxx

The Christmas Challenge. Lately...

My latest additions to the present cupboard were clearance items after Mothers Day.  Nothing actually was obviously related to Mothers Day i.e. colouring in books, drink bottles, socks...  even Andy scored stainless steel drink bottles for taking to work for $3  (down from $12) and they were plain green not even girly so he is none the wiser!

Otherwise I have been card making and using up some of the bargain books I got from the op shops.  In the evenings I am crocheting.

Card making is a big saver.  Throughout the year we need cards and it is nice to have plenty on hand. As well as for greetings, notes and best wishes cards can make an actual gift i.e. a pack of five or six in a pretty box or in cellophane with a ribbon around them.  I have sometimes added a pen, stamps or address book.

I love having a good supply on hand and if I go away on holidays I love to take writing paper and cards and write actual hand written letters.  I keep a box for this and a card making session stocks it up again.


This month I got busy and cut up my rose books and made myself a fresh supply...

I had three good books so I ended up with main themes of colourful photos,  beautiful gardens and rose paintings.   All worked well.

All the little bits left over go towards making gift tags.

In earlier posts I have shown lots of cards I make and how they are useful.
Here is a link to a post about cards as gifts and some presentation ideas...  Cards as Gifts.

For some really easy instructions have a look at my tutorial Card Making Part 1   and Part 2 These are super simple!  If you are not confident with crafts this is a good way to get started.
When we are trying to save and get ahead there is nothing that gives you a boost more than being productive.  Saving is one thing... producing things is another.  Believe me... together they are a powerful force!

I tend to go through stages with my card making from fancy to simple.  It also will depend on the supplies I have.  For ages I loved to do ruffles and appliqués...

I like flowers and birds as my themes best but I have made a lot of childrens cards and I will choose books i.e. Beatrix Potter,  Winnie the Pooh, woodland creatures and so on.

For men I will get wildlife books and do deer, eagles, fishing type themes.  It is good to just follow someones interests and go with that.  In my family wildlife works but you could do trains, motorbikes or pretty much any theme.

Every time I am in an op shop I look for books with great images.  Old calendars can be good too.  Sheets of music, wrapping paper, magazines with good quality paper.... then think of bits of lace, appliqués, broken jewellery, ribbon, glitter, stickers, wall paper samples.... so many possibilities!

Today I am off to Aldi and the same supermarket that had the big special on roasts today has a big special on coffee.  Really big!  They just be trying hard to get people in the door!  Also it is sunny so the washing is going out!

I hope you are having a good week!

What are you working on now?

How is your present cupboard going?  

See you on Friday! xxx

The Christmas Challenge. Show and Tell for April Part 2.

On to the next photos for Show and Tell!  Thank you everyone!

Fiona made her parents 50th anniversary celebration cake.  It is just outstanding!

Fiona I am sure your parents were thrilled and you should be so proud.  This is just gorgeous.

She also make her nephews personalised pillows in their favourite theme...

This was another hit!  Well done Fiona what great work.  You also saved a fortune with all of this work! 

Bluey has been busy!  Jane isn't the only one smashing out amazing crafts!  Bluey has been making 

Lazy Susans.  First he made one for Jane then went into production...

How beautiful!  I personally think he could sell these as people could order them in various sizes to fit their tables etc.   

Phyllis has been busy!  She made Star Wars figures for her Grandson... (he is mad keen on Star Wars!)

The detail in these!  They are fabulous. Phyllis you are very inventive and clever!

Also she showed me how she makes package bows just using the wrapping paper she has...

Phyllis draws and she showed me how she makes a card to go with her gift... i.e. here the gift was a picnic set so this was the card...

So clever!  I love this sweet idea.   Phyllis you amaze me!

She also made doll clothes with a matching hat!

Melissa has been card making.  In one weekend she made herself a good supply!

Beautiful work.  

Cookie made one of her beautiful purses for her Granddaughter and she re strung her own Grandmothers pearls to make a bracelet.  What a special gift...

Thank you so much everyone.  I hope I didn't forget anything... if I did it is because I am unorganised and not on purpose!  

Now to get cracking and be productive for May!  I have made a lot of cards using my rose books.  I am working on a crochet blanket.  And I have added some bargains to the gift cupboard too.

Today I am heading off to a supermarket for some roasts as there is this amazing special.  I am getting as many as I can fit in the freezer plus one to cook tomorrow. Then on to Aldi!  

I hope your week is going well!  See you on Friday!  Thank you everyone for sharing your photos and inspiring us! xxx

The Christmas Challenge. Show and Tell for April 2018.

It looks like everyone was busy, busy, busy in April!  I love seeing what you have been making and it is so good to share ideas with each other.  Thank you to everyone who has sent me photos!

We will have two weeks of show and tell as there is a lot to show you!  I hope you are inspired with new ideas and also some tips on keeping costs down with your crafts as I include those where I can.

First we have Kathy.  She has been knitting...

I am always impressed with knitting socks as turning corners is mind blowing to me! 

Well done they are beautiful!

Kathy also makes up earrings as gifts.  She finds she can usually make them for $1 a pair as she looks for old jewellery to take apart and re make and this is a great source of beautiful and unique beads.

Kathy also said using clear fishing line is great for bracelets and necklaces as it is super strong and so cheap!   These are so pretty and such a personal gift.

Jane has been busy and completed a rug which is a gift ...

To me this is something that someone would have their whole life so they will always remember being given this! 

With Jane's gardening she saves seeds.   She has been making gorgeous seed packets from pretty paper to package them up in a gift worthy way...

I love this idea! And seeds are a great present and something to post in an envelope which is an added bonus.   Seeds can also be sold as Sewingcreations does. 

Jane also made a babies sun hat...

Beautiful work Jane as always! 

Cookie has also been busy.   She has been making purses from her husbands old jeans!  You would not believe a pretty purse could come from jeans but take a look...

Cookie made a whole series of these.  So beautiful! 

Cookie says she has become addicted to grub roses.  I agree they are fun to do, beautiful and embellish so many things in a gorgeous way. 

Next we have Tanya.   She has been sewing.  She is also very busy homeschooling and has eight children.  You are amazing Tanya!

Her little boys love anything with camouflage print! 

My girls loved skirts like these... I love the ric rack braid edging too....

Well done Tanya!  I know that children love it when Mum makes something especially for them.  Beautiful.

Teresa made great progress on her gift cupboard with some amazing buys i.e. kids pencils for 10c a dozen. Into the cupboard they went!    She also fancied up a lotion bottle to make it a beautiful present. 

I thought how this idea could be used for anything we might make up with essential oils too and that we could save and reuse pump packs or the foamy pumps and make them over for gifting. 

Thank you Teresa!

I will post more next week!  If you have photos you would like to send in then email me at brinkzi21@hotmail.com  

So far the week is going well!  We have had beautiful days and have rain coming.  I got all my washing done and dry yesterday just in time.  

I hope your week is going well!  

I am still responding to comments in Monday's post.  Thank you to everyone who shared there. I have a list of things to research as a result.  

See you on Friday! xxx

The Christmas and Gift Challenge. Dark evenings and crochet time.

Finally we seem to be past warm weather and in to true beautiful Autumn.  That makes this time my favourite for the whole year.   We had daylight savings end and now it is dark much earlier.   In summer we will have light until 9 or so but now it is dark before dinner.
This coincides with some TV that we watch,  foot ball and a favourite cooking show.
And this means actually sitting down of an evening and I get some serious crochet done!
I really think the season makes a lot of difference to the things I get made for gifts and for the present cupboard.  This is my time to really get going!

Over summer my gift making included lots of jams and cakes.  I have a whole year of fruit cakes lined up.  Many of these have been presents.   I finally finished and sent off a cotton baby rug for a little boy.

Then I had the fun of choosing some yarn for my next projects.  I am not sure it shows up very well but I this all has a slight glittery thread through it...

I also have some beautiful fluffy cream yarn that Mimi gave me.   I have two rugs planned, a pink glittery one for Harper and a little multi coloured rug (which will use up all the odd left over bits) for Harper's doll pram.   I want to sew a little pillow and sheets for that also.

As I shop I am watching for specials for more yarn. This includes the op shops as sometimes I do find yarn.  Other times I find things for general craft supplies like a book to cut up for card making or the beautiful cottons I found the other day!   

Still so thrilled about these!   My card making supplies are also really good and I can get going with some card making.  That is better in the day time where as I can crochet while watching TV  in the evenings as I don't have to look at it much.

Today is a public holiday for us (for Anzac Day) and the afternoon is a big football game and therefore an afternoon of rest and crochet.  Such contentment! 

I started the first rows of a rug.  The first rows are the foundation and the hardest bit.  Then it is easy! I had to look at my notes to remember this pattern that I love to do.  (Pineapple stitch)

There is no gardening to do for a few months at least.  The slow cooker is mostly on with soup or a casserole or baked apples....   so much more time to get things made for everyone and my gift cupboard.

Mum is coming tomorrow and she will no doubt have her knitting bag and several projects.   This time last year she was making knitted skirts for Harper and this year will be Scarlett too as she is walking now.   If I go to see Mum in the afternoon I generally take my crochet with me and we will both work on whatever we are making and talk at the same time.  

I can't say how much I enjoy this!   

If you have always wanted to learn to knit or crochet just do it. With You Tube you just have to find a "learn to...." and a teacher you can follow.   In a day or two you are off and running.  It is so much fun.  I now use this to learn new patterns.   I find it wonderful to start a new design.   I usually have to stop and replay some bits over and over but soon you "get it" and then away you go.   

Somehow handiwork is so relaxing and good.   It absolutely contributes to me feeling happy and busy at home.  When you need a break from other work sitting down to do a few rows is lovely too.

There is something about rows and changing colours .... I will think "I will just finish this row"  or "I will just get to the colour change" and that motivates me to get just a little bit more done!  

My basket of wool sits right next to where I sit on the lounge ready to go.   

What are you making at the moment?   Does the time of year change what you are working on?

Next week we will have show and tell so if you have projects you would like to share please email me at brinkzi21@hotmail.com  I already have some amazing things to show you!  Everyone has been busy with so many good ideas.  

I hope your week is going well.  If you are in Australia enjoy the day off and remember the sacrifices paid for our freedom and those currently serving. xxx

The Home Pharmacy. Essential oil gift making.

Early in this little series we covered how far a bottle of essential oil will actually go.  It is a long long way!   This means you might have sufficient oils on hand to make gifts and beauty supplies.

I have been dabbling a bit in both.  I keep hearing of people with great essential oil supplies that they have bought as some time and not used very much.  Turning these into gifts is a great idea, as well as putting them to work for you! We also might have oils that we love and work for us and others that sit there unused.... these might still be perfect for someone on your gift list or to go into a blend or even a cleaning product.

Someone told me about a site called Camp Wander.  I forget who and I am sorry I lost track, this is how things have been lately... well THANK YOU!  Her information and her products are amazing.  I wrote to her and but does not ship to Australia sadly.   The things I was learning studying sites like this led me to google lots of information on beauty products using essential oils and gifts too.

Because I am messing around with oils Chloe gave me a bottle of hemp oil.  No hemp is l not like weed lol it is a great source of Omega's and I was keen to try this!  It is an interesting very dark green...
Mum gave me a bootle of Emu Oil.  This is rather interesting. Unlike baby oil it is actually extracted from what it is called and I think they do not necessarily fully cooperate.  So that is a bit off putting.  (To say the least.)   But then I thought ok Emus are raised as meat in many places and I eat chicken, duck and turkey.... so I decided to think of it as a large turkey!  Emu's I might say do not look moist.  I had a close up view of one the other day as it ran in front of Dad and I in his ute.  We missed it by about one inch I think!  Anyway I have this oil and Mum is saying this has helped her sore knee more than anything she has tried so far.  And that is a lot of things.

On Camp Wander she has a beauty serum she called Ultimate beauty Serum.  The ingredients are listed and so you have the basic recipe.  As it turned out the number one ingredient was Emu oil.
If you search the internet for serum recipes you will find many with Macadamia nut oil and others.  I think you can successfully substitute oils.  Mimi has her recipe here which as Vitamin E, Neroli and Jasmine.    Most beauty products you buy are full of fillers and preservatives. the actual active and good ingredients are usually well down the list.  Most times the jar has cost them more to produce than the actual product.  With good ingredients we can replicate many of them and make a better quality version.
The Camp Wander ingredients were seven things and I have five so I made this up for myself.

The ingredients I used were Emu oil (most by far) Lavender 4 drops,  Frankincense 3 drops,  Geranium 3 drops, Rose 3 drops.  The bottle is a small bottle I think maybe 50 mls.  Anyway this is so nice!  It leaves your skin feeling heavenly and with a velvety texture. Not oily at all, just like silk.  I love it and so I thought given serums are $50 to over $100 then it is a lovely gift too.

The next one I made was Hemp and Lavender.

This is sold as a antimicrobial,  it is good for nails,  known to reduce redness and eczema, anti inflammatory and antioxidant and anti ageing... (what more do you need, really?!) oh and full of Omega 3 and 6.  Then bonus... it can be used to remove eye make up and at the same time moisturise your lashes and make them grow better.   So I made up some of these.  And it does remove eye makeup beautifully and you then feel as if you have moisturised already.

I made up some gift packs of both oils and I am thrilled with the treats I have made myself.

In an earlier post I showed how I made cleaning products and hand wash with On Guard oil blend and used this pack as a gift.  I made room sprays and hand sanitiser and these all add up to very nice themed presents also.

Last week I made two gifts using my oils.  You have to be the judge of who you think a gift like this is suitable for but I think anyone who is into natural therapies, has a particular health issue, is interested in alternative medicine... they might really appreciate something like this.  Chloe first gave me some blends she made up to try and this is what got me started.  I am so grateful as it lead to so much more!

Here with  Autumn setting in anything that fights germs and flu is a well timed gift.  I gave Allie two little rollers of On Guard and a cold and flu blend for breathing...

So far I have ordered my roller bottles with metal rollers from Amazon. They have cost $20 or so for a dozen.  This is where I get them from here.

I made my stressed and worried friend some relaxing and sleep blends and packaged them into cute little paper bags.

I also made Vanilla Spray.  This is with Vanilla Essential oil and it smells amazing.  It could be a perfume or a fridge spray.  I made some for both purposes...

In the war years my Nanna and her friend used Vanilla essence as perfume. They both ended up with brown patches behind their ears but still they smelled really good!   I love Vanilla and this is a stronger version than an essence.

Finally I made up some spray purse sized bottles.  I found these thanks to Mimi!  You can find them here.  For around $1 each they come in pretty colours.  I used half vodka and half water in these and made up a heap of germ busing sprays plus perfume sprays!  I go by ten drops of essential oil to one bottle.  I have found these suitable for purse perfume, sanitiser, On Guard mist, calming blend...

They are just lovely.  To make a perfume spray just go by scents you love.  You can google the main ingredients of any perfume and it will tell you what it is made up of.  I also made a sort of copy of Clarycalm which I love and that has Clary Sage, Lavender and others.  I really like that one.  That is a doTERRA Blend that I recommend as it is so calming.  It could be called Crisis Care! 

Since all of this I have ordered some other items on Ebay, some little velvet bags to put small bottles in and some lovely rollerball glass containers.  

You might have essential oils and carrier oils already on hand to be able to make up gifts and put them to good use for yourself.  If you have something and you are just not sure what to do with it then google away!  Many things are amazingly versatile and have many uses and something will be good for you or good for gift giving.   Look around and see how much these things cost ready made!  It is a lot! 

I just realised this is a Christmas Challenge, Money Saving, Beauty and Essential Oil post all in one!  

I will be making some more gift and beauty products so we will have more on this!

Do you have supplies you could put to use?

If you have an oil and don't know what to do with it then please post in comments as between us we will come up with ideas!

And if you have a recipe using essential oils for something beauty or gift related or an idea on this please share.  

Today is sunny and lovely. I am going to see Hilde and having a bargain hunting afternoon.  Mainly I am hoping for lots of veggies for soups and stews.  But I never know what I will find and I know Hilde has a basket of lemons for me and bunches of Thyme.  I have printed some of Mimi's recipes for her as I know she will love them (she doesn't use the internet...)

I hope your week is going well! xxx

The Christmas Challenge. Show and Tell for Feb. (catching up!)

Finally I think I have caught up with Show and Tell, after this post anyway!  There have been so many ideas I can use. I hope you find the same.  Also in this post seeing what Kelley has been making I can now picture her working away in her sewing room as I now know what that looks like!  So she has been busy!

She made little dresses and sun hats both from her stash of fabrics and from old bed sheets!

So much beautiful work in these!  It opens your eyes too that lovely fabric can be found in places other than an expensive store. 

Kelley also made gifts of purse sized tissue (kleenex) holders for her friends...

I love these and I love making a stack of the same item. This really does help build up the gift cupboard.

She also stitched cards...

Well done Kelley and even with travel and a new Grand Baby you achieve so much! 

Tanya made the sweetest gift for Harper.  Little fabric tea bags.  They are just gorgeous and such a hit! 

What an idea fro pretty little scraps! 

Also shopping bags...

Re using baby formula tins for all kinds of purposes...

Tanya also made beautiful baby shower invitations for her friend.  You are so productive Tanya and al with homeschooling too. So well done!

Vicky has been working on a Shabby Chic style patchwork quilt. I love the soft and faded colours! 

So pretty! 

Jen (from NC) blew me away again with her knitting...

She made this cardigan for herself. Amazing work Jen!

And she embroidered napkins for her Mum.  So beautiful and a lovely gift.   I think your Mum would treasure these Jen.

Cookie has been making  bags....

You are so talented Cookie!  And I know she has also made lots of baby items as she has a new Grand Son!

Mimi has  made beautiful  and useful things.  This is a home deodorising blend that can be sprinkled to clean anything from your mattress to your carpet.  A kind of dry cleaning really.   And very effective!

You can find the recipe here.  If you like natural cleaning and essential oils this is for you! 

Thank you all so much!  I love that we can make beautiful things, lovely gifts,  beautiful our homes and build up our present cupboard all with our own work and using things we have.  What happiness!

I hope your week is going well!   It is beautiful here.  Autumn days are the best!  xxx