Fish Ang Pow Lantern

Ang Pow Lantern (Oriental Lantern)

Ang Pow means Red Packets. During Chinese New Year, we give gifts of money to children and our seniors for luck. The money are put inside these beautiful ang pows. We got these free from the bank or we purchased them from shops, (only available during Chinese New Year). Click on pictures for enlargement of pictures and the instructions.

Potpourri Pickle Jar

Supplies:
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Pickle Jar, quart size, washed well
3 to 4 cups potpourri (*spiced apple or baked apple..any apple is great )
3/4 cups applesauce
1 cup ground cinnamon
3" cinnamon sticks..will need several
3 dried apple slices (if available)
5.......12" strands of raffia
Various dried flowers and berries..(will need these for bow accents)
Small red artifical apples (optional)
8" cotton crochet doily.....white or ivory
..........(store bought..or one found at yard or tag sale)
Tacky Glue

TOOLS:
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1" heart cookie cutter
small pill bottle
scissors

Cinnamon Hearts and Buttons Recipe
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.......Mix applesauce and cinnamon well, adding 1 tablespoon tacky glue and 1 tablespoon orris root *(orris root is a fixative to enhance scents longer. Can be found in craft sections with potpourri supplies, and is very inexpensive) When mixture is well blended, roll out on a cinnamon dusted tabletop.Roll to about 1/4" thickness..(doesn't have to be accurate, just kinda thin...) and cut shapes with the little cookie cutter and the mouth of the pill bottle. They will be used as tiny buttons..so poke 2 holes in center with a toothpick.Gently lift with spatula or knife, and transfer to cookie sheet...bake for 1 hour @ 150 degrees. As soon as removed from oven..poke thru the holes to make sure they stay open and can be used for buttons.
This recipe makes at least 100 or more shapes, depending on thickness and size. There will be lots left over for future projects, or to add to your potpourri bowls. They keep well in a cool dry area in a covered container.

Instructions:
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Fill clean pickle jar 1/3 full of potpourri. Make sure to insert dried apple slices, some cinnamon buttons and heart buttons, cinnamon sticks..and a few small red artificial apples(optional) are aganist the inside wall of the jar so that most will show. Add more potpourri as you go to hold them in place. when jar is full...(don't pack too tightly)......string one strand of rafia through doily where it will fit around the rim of the jar. place doily on jar..centering carefully. Tie raffia strand snugly, and snip off excess..glue knot. Make a bow with remaining raffia and glue over knot. Glue cinnamon heart on top of doily and cinnamon button in center of bow. Add accent flowers and berries..to finish decorating......

Note Cards

SOURCE: Craftworks

Materials Needed:

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5 x 7 Note Cards with matching envelopes

** for these ideas..use just plain white or pastel cards

Aleens Tacky Glue..(if not available, any good glue that is very tacky and will hold good )

1/8" wide satin ribbons..assorted colors

3/16'" feather edged satin ribbon..assorted colors

any kind of tiny iron on appliques...

tiny ribbon flowers...small lace

small dried flowers...

small bits of potpourri

any kind of tiny things you have around...

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Trellis Note Card:

* This uses 3/4 yard of the 3/16" feather edged ribbon

4 small floral appliques in colours of your choice

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Instructions:

1.... Position a length of ribbon from corner to corner, with the ends overlapping the edge of the card. Glue into place..being very careful not to smush glue onto the paper to far. Use this angle to position each of the subsequent ribbon lengths. On the sample shown, the ribbons are placed 3/4" apart. Experiment with color placement. Glue ribbons first one direction...then the opposite direction. Allow to dry. Use scissors to trim excess ribbon even with the edge of card.

2...... Referring to photo, glue tiny appliques onto card as pictured..or as you like them.....

***** This same trellis idea can be used for larger boards..bulletin boards..etc. Whichever lightweight board is used..pad it well, cover with gingham.. or satin..whatever fabric suits you. Instean of gluing the ribbon..crisscross the ribbon ...as in a diamond pattern..and at intersections where ribbon crosses at point..use heavy gold thumbtacks to hold in place. Attach hanger on back... to be hung. Is beautiful to hold pictures..lovely notes.. etc.

* Note... The cards can also be made, using tiny hole punch at botton, punch holes and thread ribbon through. Add lovely appliques in middle of card..or decorate to your wishes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Have also made these cards..using quilt patterns...and using paper as the "fabric"... use fine black marker pen to make "stitches"

I have make bunches of these cards, packaged them in clear wrap..and sold them as sets.

Memory / Wallpaper Angels

Memory / Wallpaper Angel

SOURCE: design CottonCandy by CC

Materials:

1 sheet.... pretty wallpaper sample page or...

an 8" to 12" sheet of pretty scrapbooking paper

Small wooden balls to use for head

*the size wooden balls depends on the paper size...

small amount of doll hair......or yarn that can be "frizzed"
small amount of gold tinsel, or anything suitable for halo

.........small trims, flowers, ribbons..bows, etc.

Tools:

hot glue if available...if not, regular glue will work. It will just take longer to dry

small amount of black paint...or fine black marker pen
***How to:
Take sheet of paper...both skirt and wings will be cut from this single sheet.

Cut off enough of top of paper to make the wings..and set aside.

Take remaining paper, and accordian pleat. When finished, staple widthwise about 1/2" down..may need to be trimed a bit.

Next, accordian pleat the wing section and fold in half.

See Fig.1.......

Next...

In the middle of wing section, either glue, hot glue or I have used a piece of clear tape to hold together.

Trim top of skirt so that wing section can be folded over and glued in the middle.

See Fig.2....

Next, take the bottom pleat of wing section...and glue to skirt. Repeat with other side.

See Fig.3

With fine tip black market..make two tiny dots for eyes...and use some blush for her cheeks...

Glue head onto middle portion of wing spread. Add the doll hair or "frizzed" yarn, and make tiny halo for your angel.

add any small trims to front..ribbons, bows..lace...whatever looks pretty.

*****These little angels are so cute....they can be used as Christmas ornaments, package tie on's.. she can go anywhere to any occasion.... just choose paper to match occasion...

Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig.3

Plastic Bag Flowers

Credit CC

Source: http://www.dannyseo.com/

Beaded Harem Slippers

Beaded Harem Slippers/Booties/Foot Warmers..........

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If you knit...you must try at least one pair of these house slippers/booties. They work up really fast, and the beads used are not expensive.

When the pattern was given to me ,there was no picture..... The best description is..they are simple ladies slippers/booties..and when completed, the beaded top folds down...and makes lovely little foot warmers.

Note: When moving ribbons..etc. from storage, I found this pair of little beaded harem foot warmers...and found a small ton of beads as well...so, here I go with more foot warmers...

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Beaded Harem Slippers
Materials:
2 oz. of 4 ply yarn
# 8 knitting needles
2 packages Bangle Beads ( will need 55 for each shoe )...*these are the see thru colored facated beads.... 8 mm faceted beads
*** Note...This will make like a ladies size 7 to 8 ...... For larger, or smaller shoes, use larger or smaller needles / and or yarn
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Instructions:
Before casting on, string on 55 beads. ........... then
Cast on 3 stitches
Row 1: K1, Slip bangle bead up close to work, k2 st
Row 2: Knit, Increase 1 st...in first and last stitch
Row 3: K1, *Slip bangle up close to work, K2 st...*, Repeat between * across row
Row4: Knit, Increasing 1 st in first and last st
** Continue last 2 rows, to Row 20.
( there will be 10 bangle beads across row on round 20 )
* Discontinue bangles from row 21 on to end
Continue to knit, increasing in first and last stitches on the even rows,
until there are 53 stitches.
++++Note... Can do a couple more rows for bigger feet
Then start to decrease first and last stitches, on the even rows,
until 11 stitches remain.
Now, do not bind off. ......Draw up the 11 sts for the toe.
Fold, with bangles to the outside, and sew bottom and 11 ridges on back.....

Simple Bag

THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE BAG. IT CAN EASILY BE MADE FROM A PIECE OF LEFT-OVER PATCHWORK SQUARE
OR APPLIQUE . IT CAN BE MADE ANY SIZE TO SUIT YOU. SMALL ONES MAKE LOVELY GIFTS WITH AN EASTER
EGG IN. OR LARGER ONES MAKE NICE TOILET BAGS FILLED WITH GOODIES FOR XMAS
SOOO---FROM TODDLER TO GRAN---START MAKING A BAG. DOSEW

CREDIT: DOSEW

Just a Note

Hi Iora and Dose.... and to the ones to follow..........

First, let me say thank you to Iora, who took the time to set this wonderful blog for us. She is a lovely lady..and it is an honour to call her friend.
Now to introduce me..... My friends call me Cat, aka CC.....and my home is in Texas. I am married, with two sons, lovely daughters in law..... four grandchildren... and 1 grand-doggie, ..and 1 grand-kitty.
Some of the things I love best are treehouses, where we as children, dressed in our grandmothers finest hats, heels..old jewlry...would climb those steps to sit safely in the high branches..to giggle and share our secrets........what tea parties we had !!!
..
I love the soft colours of ginghams and calicos..the whisper of soft creamy satins....
and older vintage laces......things of the past...the older aprons, soft hankies with embroidery and crocheted or tatted edges...and old cookbooks, cookie cutters..and salad/jello molds......

I enjoy quilting, crocheting, knitting {tho I'm not so great at it }. ...tole painting mineature things to add to shadow or memory boxes, working with dried flowers, making Christmas ornaments, embroidery, pattern collecting..( apron , crochet, quilt and crosstitch )...and another love I'm sadly neglecting......my family history.......
It seems now,...my favourite thing to work on revolves on Sunbonnet Sue and all her little friends....she is a gentle reminder of quiet times playing with paper dolls...or dressing the little dolls that were made for us..... a reminder of my mother, grandmother and all the ladies gathering , to quilt and talk..and of the wonderful food that each lady brought for their lunch.
And now....little Sue has worked her magic on two dear internet friends...Dose and Iora.
Three friends, three countries..all busily working away..........designing, and dressing Sue in her finest.......
What fun we're having......... There is lots of room in the treehouse...it's not just for Sue. Its for all of us to gather, and chat.....to share our ideas and patterns......we hope more friends soon join us..... The table is set with pretty gingham, the tea set is ready..and the tiny cakes are waiting...

Come and sit..visit for awhile..You are welcome in the treehouse....Cat...aka CC