I Love Office Products - Part 2: Fun Bubble Mailers (for mailing or for holiday gift giving)

Who doesn't love bubble wrap? That popping sound practically begs us to attack it, right? But of course bubble wrap is also madly useful, and bubble wrap mailers have given me peace of mind more than once (I just know that whatever I'm mailing will arrive intact).

Still, I don't always have a mailer lying around, and besides, the ones I use are just the usual business yellow type. How much more awesome to send bright, colorful ones whenever it's appropriate to be a bit less formal. And they can be bought. Here's a link to some on Etsy.

 Or Amazon:

But they tend to be sold in bulk, and sometimes I want just one. Also, making things is just so darn much fun, so of course, there are people online explaining how to make your own bubble mailers. Here's a website with all the instructions you need to create your own one of a kind decorative bubble mailers. She used scrapbook paper, but another instructional mentioned card stock or pretty (I'm assuming heavier) paper as options.

And, as usual, I've included an instructional video as well. This one was very interesting (with nice music) even though the envelopes she's making are a bit smaller than what I tend to use.

I've also seen videos where the crafter used double sided tape to hold things together (and also made larger envelopes), but all of them were very long and not particularly well made, so I hope the website and video above are enough to give you some ideas about how easy this is. I think I'm going to find this really useful this Christmas when I'm looking for package sending ideas (I think I'll reinforce Christmas wrapping paper with either heavy paper or white card stock).

Happy crafting and gift sending!

Myrna

Let Them Decorate Cake

I'm on a bit of a cake decorating kick, because we just had my mother's 90th birthday, and the bakery made us a very pretty (and delicious cake). Seriously delicious, with chocolate cake, raspberry preserve filling, whipped cream topping and butter cream roses. Yum.

But today, I'm all about the decorations. I would love to be able to decorate a cake and make it look beautiful, but since I don't really think that's in my skill set, here are some mesmerizing (and fairly short) videos of people creating cake masterpieces.

Those all seem to be way beyond my abilities (well, maybe I could manage the first one), but the one below is beautiful and it almost looks doable.

So, have you ever tried to decorate a cake? How did that work out for you?

Have a great day!

Myrna

A Doggie Christmas

Peter Thorpe is a photographer who has created many Christmas images featuring his dogs. Here's a short video from 2015. Raggle, the dog in the photos near the end, was supposed to retire, but when Thorpe brought in new dogs (see the article below the video), Raggle wanted to get in on the sets and treats, so she's still a Christmas puppy this year.

Festive Dogs 1990 - 2015 from peter Thorpe on Vimeo.

See Peter Thorpe's 2016 images starring Raggle, Lenny, Mazey, Whisky and Eric. So cute!

And...just in case I don't make it back here before the big day, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Seasons Greetings.

Best Wishes,

Myrna

Christmas Hacks

Christmas is almost upon us, and things often get stressful during the last few days. Sometimes we just need a little help. Here are some Christmas life hacks that may (hopefully) help make things just a bit easier.

Source

As always, I didn't think I could use some of those, but I did like the one about finding the end of the tape (that seems to be a theme with me this year).

The one below repeats some of what is in the last one, but I included it because I liked the sleigh package. That looked clever, inexpensive and easy.

Have a wonderful day!

Myrna

Putting Up the Christmas Decorations

We put up our Christmas lights a couple of weeks ago when we had a warm day, but I still don't have any of the indoor decorations up other than the poinsettias I put around the fireplace. Now it's time to put up the tree. I'll do that tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are some Christmas decoration ideas just for the fun of it.

Source

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Christmas from Tony Ditata on Vimeo.

I was amazed at how difficult it was to find Christmas decoration videos with traditional music (or any music, for that matter). At any rate, I hope your holiday is shaping up to be a wonderful one.

Best Wishes,

Myrna

Let's Make Some Stocking Stuffers!

Christmas may be weeks away but making things, even simple things, takes time. So I've been on the lookout for some cute or fun diy stocking stuffers. Here are some of the results.

I like the ones in this video, because the instructions were very clear, the results looked rather professional (but still with the homemade touch), and they looked like something most of us could actually manage. There's also plenty of room for making these projects your own.

A variation on the magnets might be to use wood shapes from the craft store. I'm not sure this image actually shows a magnet, but it certainly could be one if you wanted it to. 

Source - Abbey Hendrickson

How about a business card/credit card holder? This one is from Etsy and is fabric:

Etsy Shop

But you could also make your own from heavy decorative paper, as shown in the video below:

I really like these pretty paper pendants from the blog How About Orange (which very nicely allows me to post the image with a link back to the instructions). 

They're made using paper and Mod Podge (or the equivalent if that product isn't sold in your area). Here's the link to the instructions on the How About Orange site.

That's a good start, I think. I'm not an incredibly talented (or patient) crafter, but I could make these.

Talk to you soon! Let me know what DIY projects you have going on (they don't have to be stocking stuffers or even Christmas-related).

Myrna

Easy and Quick Paper Bag Stars

I'll confess that I haven't actually tried this, but these paper bag stars look so easy that, if I needed some fast party decor, especially for Christmas or winter, I could see throwing these together. The one drawback, of course, is that you need to have small white or colored paper bags on hand. I pretty much never have those, so a trip to my local party store would be in order. I'm sure the hot glue gun shown in both of these videos is unnecessary. Any kind of glue will do.

This one is the most basic. Plain white bags, plain stars, and the only other tools you need are some glue and a pair of scissors. You could dress these up by decorating them before assembly with markers, stickers, foil or any other way you can imagine to change plain white to something more exciting.

These are dressed up a little with colored bags, an extra snip (a bit like cutting a snowflakes) and a slightly different way of connecting the star once you have all the bags glued together. The only tool you need here that wasn't part of the last one is a brad for fastening the ends of the stars.

I'm including one more, not to show you the technique (it's the same), but to show how you can change the look by using fancier bags. In fact, you don't really have to even watch this one. Just look at the opening screen to see the result.

I've got some family gatherings coming up, and I really think this will dress up the party. 

Have you ever tried this? If not, have fun!

Myrna

DIY Gifts and Stocking Stuffers: Part 1

Every year I resolve to get started making gifts early, and I almost always end up rushing things at the end. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but there are undoubtedly those of you who are on top of things and want to get started. For those of you looking for some inexpensive and fun ideas, this post is for you. NOTE: I haven't tried these yet myself, but I intend to. They look as if they would be fun and are also practical.

Jewelry Refrigerator Magnets

Here's your opportunity to reuse/recycle some of those brooches/pins in your jewelry box or to pay a trip to your local thrift store (or visit some garage/estate sales) in search of thrifty treasure to turn into special gifts. The basic idea is that you're removing the back part of the jewelry and affixing a magnet to it. I could easily see sewing a little cloth bag or decorating a small box and tossing a few of these in for a pretty and sparkly gift. 

Source

For detailed instructions on how to make this happen, here's a written tutorial (with photos), and here's a video. (Here's the URL for the video, just in case.

Mason Jar Lid Coasters

If you visit this blog regularly, you'll know that I'm rather fond of DIY coasters. So these mason jar lid coasters are right up my alley. I've seen them with the lid painted, the cork liner decorated in numerous ways (including colored patterns) and others, like these on Amazon that are more rustic. You'll find many on Etsy, on Amazon, and elsewhere.

Purchase on Amazon

You can, of course, make your own. Here's a link to some instructions (these have lids that are spray painted, but you can, of course, leave yours the traditional silver). And here's a video

If you don't care for the mason jar lip part, you can always cut shapes from the cork and decorate those. The lid isn't really necessary, I suppose.

Key Chain Wristlet

I'm not a super fan of key chains, because...how many do you need and don't we all have more than enough? But these were so pretty and easy, and they had the added convenience of being a wristlet (I'm always worried I'm going to drop my keys), so here goes. 

You'll find some pretty ones online. Try Etsy and Amazon.

Buy from Amazon

But here are some simple instructions. Very few materials are needed. The ribbon is stitched to the cotton webbing and then inserted in the key fob, so not much sewing is needed. Most of the videos I saw demonstrated this sewing method, but I also saw one where fusible tape (iron-on tape) was used to affix the ribbon to the webbing and also one where only fabric glue was used. The very short video (here and below) uses both the fusible tape and stitching, so it's all up to you whether you prefer to stitch the ribbon to the webbing or to fuse/glue the parts together.

That's all for today. It looks as if I have plenty of simple crafts to get me started. More to follow.

Have a great day! (Also, check out my book pages. I've finally got them up on the site again).

Myrna

Is It Christmas Yet?

No, of course not. Not even close, but the other day a Facebook friend posted a video of Christmas ornaments made from peppermint candy. You know, this kind.

Source

Apparently this is a thing (I didn't know), because there are a number of videos online telling you how to make things by melting peppermint candy together and then letting the creation harden.

Here are the ornaments:

The video below is a bit long, but most of it doesn't have much to do with the actual project, so...feel free to fast forward. In the end, she creates a rather cute bowl made out of peppermints, so it's worth watching (if you're interested in making a peppermint bowl, that is).

How about a plate? This very short video shows you how.

Okay, I think I've had about all the peppermint ideas I can take for one day (I skipped the shot glasses), but I'm sure I'll come back to this idea when it gets a bit closer to the holidays. It seems to be a quick and inexpensive way to create ornaments...or bowls...or plates for the season.

Enjoy!

Myrna

Wrapping Gifts with Less Paper

It's getting close to gift wrapping time (for me, that is. You may have already wrapped some or all of yours). I'm always looking for ways to either reuse items, upcycle unconventional materials into wrapping materials, or, as in this case, use conventional wrapping paper but consume less of it.

I've seen the method used in the two videos below referred to as the Japanese method, although I haven't actually researched it. I like the first video, but the box he is wrapping is a perfect square and I wondered how that would work in a less ideal circumstance, so I found the second video to be very helpful. See what you think.

Have a fantastic day!

Life Hacks and Other Holiday Tips

With the holidays fast approaching, stress can easily creep in to your days. Here are some tricks to make life easier.

And if you're entertaining, you might like to fold those napkins in a creative way. This video by Grant Thompson (as was the one above) shows you how:

Enjoy! I hope your December is off to a great start!

Valentine's Day is Over, But...

This video of a woman named London Kaye yarn bombing the L train in New York on Valentine's Day was too good to pass up. I would never have the nerve to do something like this, but I'm glad that she did. Living near a big city as I do, I've had my share of boring trips on the L. The trains usually back onto less scenic parts of the city, and the rides can be long. So, as a passenger, I would have enjoyed this attempt to dress things up and make people smile.

Have a great day with lots of smiles!

Myrna

Valentine's Day is Coming: Let's Have Some Red

Red is one of my very favorite colors. I wear it a lot (no pastels for me, at least not often). So, I'm constantly on the lookout for fun red things.

This first item is from my house (hence, my poor photography). I bought it from a card shop one Valentine's Day years ago. I have no idea what you would call it, but it's a clear acrylic cylinder about 2 inches high and similar to an hour glass in design. There's a horizontal divider down the middle. Half the cylinder is almost filled with sand and when you turn it over, the sand pours through the black divider with holes punched on each side, and you end up with either a heart or the message "You're Very Special," depending which side you've flipped it to. Simple as it is, it has turned into a conversation piece for guests.

Red rain boots are always fun.

Amazon

A  crab-shaped purse

Amazon

Ruby Slippers

Amazon link

Or a vintage Valentine

Enjoy the day! Think red.


Myrna

New Year's Eve Traditions

Yes, I know I've been video-heavy this week. In part that's because I'm still getting my act together after the holidays. There's been a lot going on here, visiting and running around and cleaning and installing and repairing things and...lots of stuff. Mostly good stuff (well, except for those things that needed repairing, like a door handle that gave in to metal fatigue after faithfully admitting people to the house for decades). I do promise to move on to things other than "all videos all the time" very soon (the best books of the year lists, for one), but for today...more videos!

It been a long time since I've featured anything by a perpetual favorite of mine, John Green. So...with that in mind, here's his most recent Mental Floss with 38 Bizarre Items Dropped on New Year's Eve.

And since we're talking New Year's Eve drops, here are 50,000 balloons falling 30+ stories in '08/'09, just because that's kind of awesome.

I hope your days after Christmas has been restful (with no broken door handles). See you tomorrow!

Myrna

More Gift Wrapping Ideas

I really had no intention of adding another gift wrapping post, but then while searching for something else, I ran across this video, and the idea was just too cute (or maybe gorgeous is the word) not to share. I'm not sure I have the talent to do this, but I'd definitely like to give it a try (this is for you scrapbookers out there. You know who you are). LOL

The one below is super cute and simpler than it looks. It's made from one sheet of 12" x12' paper.

Note: There is one error in the video's audio. Beneath the video she said, "There is a mistake when I give you the first set of score marks for the box I say score at 1-1/2", 3" and 3-1/4" it should be 1-1/2", 3" and 3-3/4" sorry .... I get it right the second time I give the dimensions!

Lastly, there is this blog (link below) that has 187 templates for paper purses (which, I assume, one would use for wrapping gifts). It's a stamping blog, with lots of cute ideas for gift tags, but today I'm all about the gift boxes.

Dressing Up Your Gifts

When I was young, I would spend hours meticulously wrapping each Christmas (or birthday) gift, adding decorations and turning the presentation into a work of art. Then as the years passed, time became an issue, and gift wrapping became more of a way to conceal the present rather than a way to dress it up.

But now and then, there's a special gift or a special person who requires something different. Below are two ideas on ways to make a gift stand out from the crowd (assuming it's the right size for these projects). From Paper Guru.

Christmas Lights

I'm running behind today and trying to play catch up. So, for now, enjoy these Christmas lights (they're not mine, but they're pretty, aren't they)? (Apologies for the short post).

Source

Mary Balogh Novels and Christmas, a Perfect Match

Mary Balogh is one of my favorite novelists. She was breaking the rules in Regency romance and selling like hotcakes back when every writing workshop kept saying that you couldn't do what she was doing (write love scenes in a Regency). But her books also capture that wonderful romantic aura that has made this genre so special, and she has such a nice collection of Christmas novels that Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without them. I have all of her older books in print as well as many of her newer ones, but now and then I have to treat myself to an old favorite in digital form. Here's the one I just bought (love that cover)! It's a 2-in-1 of her shorter Christmas romances.

The Soldier, the Puppy and Me is Finally Here

The Soldier, the Puppy and Me is the novella I wrote for the novella anthology A Puppy for Christmas (3 novellas in one book). And while it's been for sale in the UK for the past year, it is finally available in the U.S. market. I had a lot of fun with this one. Fizz, the puppy, was a delight to write, and the book also features some of my favorite elements: a soldier, a small town with a true sense of community and an independent and warm-hearted heroine (oh, and Christmas, of course). If you get a chance to read it, I hope you enjoy it.

At Amazon

At Barnes & Noble

What is Labor Day All About?

Today is Labor Day, but...what exactly does that mean? We (here in the United States at least) get so used to the Labor Day sales, picnics and family gatherings that we often forget its significance. We tend to think of this weekend as the official end of summer, even though summer really doesn't officially end then and while we enjoy having the day off, very few people stop to contemplate the reason for the day off.

But it is a significant day. It's a national holiday, and those days are not chosen lightly. So, what's it all about really? Here's a TEDEducation video that explains why Americans and Canadians celebrate this day.