Christmas Gift Exchange

A sequel to the topic on Recycling last week, this week I will show you how I wrap some gifts with the 'trash' lying around my cardboard 'shelf'. I was pretty pleasantly surprised and excited at how it turned out to be. (So much that I decided to add a new label for it!)

I used:
- an empty UHT milk carton
- old wrapping paper
- recycled ribbon
- magazine paper decoration
- some glue (or tape) and- scissors

The taller one, which looks like a milk carton, is actually made of a UHT milk carton. I always keep the empty cartons for future uses, because the material is sturdy enough to hold and flexible enough to turn into anything you can think of!

I spoiled one carton while trying to make it look exactly like a regular milk carton (because I think it would be really cute). But I soon realize a much simpler way to get (90% of) the milk carton shape I want.

First, I cut open the top of the milk carton, washed it all clean, and air dried it. Wrapped it with some old Christmas wrapping paper I have for at least 5 years. Did I mention that I didn't spend a cent on the wrapping here?

Next, I cut the four corners around one-third of its height. The height was just nice to fit my gift in. Fold in the narrower sides and glue them together to seal the gift in. Punch a hole right in the middle of each of the wider sides and tie a ribbon through the holes. Lastly, add a magazine paper decoration to make it look beautiful.

I used the remaining wrapping paper to wrap the smaller box. I got the box from one of my online shopping. Did I ever mention I have a huge collection of boxes too? You never know when it will become the perfect box! (It can be really difficult to store my collections in my tiny HDB flat though.)

Anyway, learn how to make this amazing paper decoration from wrapping paper or magazine scraps

Right Here.

Now we don't have to any paper away anymore! We can recycle even the tiniest piece of paper!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

 As the title suggests, I'm a person who quite support recycling, especially when it comes to paper. I remember bringing all my books and notes from school to the recycle bin quite a distance away from my place when I was younger. Recycling isn't quite the thing in our country though, and since I've seen people treating the recycling bin as rubbish bin, I stopped bringing anything there.

That is why my place is overflowing with draft paper, magazine and flyers now. I even have a "shelf" made of cardboard just beside my table. Just because I believe that there must be something I can make out of these. Origami boxes, coasters and I even use them in my card-making. (That is probably my cards look different from those nice fancy ones on the Internet.)

Well, there may come a time where I would be willing to invest more on the materials (and tools) for my card-making. But for the time being, I'll just do what I can, and make the best out of it. =D

Dorayaki

Part of the contents of Christmas Gift Bags 2016.

A nice yummy snack that is also very much adorable!

Has been quite some time since I last made these cuties.

I used to draw faces on the cling wraps with markers

(started out as marking the fillings).

And since Burger King came out with the chicken fries again for Christmas,

I had all the reason to go through with this idea.

At first the idea was to decorate them with the stickers I had saved

the last time they had the chicken fries.

But since they came back with more chicken fries,

I helped myself to those sticker 'generously'.

Boy, do I just love how the cuties turned out.

So thanks to Burger King as the great sponsor of the decoration.

Anyway, I am not a big fan of the chicken fries.

In fact, I hate it.

I think it's too hard and yucky,

and I believe they were previously sold as chicken tenders.

But now there is not an inch of tenderness in it anymore.

(I still love their burgers much better.)

Okay. I shall now lead the way to the recipe

of this yummy, yet simple snack.

~Follow me here~

Crochet Beeeeeeees

Cute little bees flying your way today~

These were included in my Christmas gift bags last year (Time flies like bees too, and it's already 2017!!). Do check out our previous post for those Christmas Gift Bags too~!

Actually I found this crochet pattern a long time ago at the my usual site in search of cute amigurumi patterns. But since I never seem to have both yellow and black yarn in stock, I never put my hands into making them despite their cuteness. Until last year.

Well, I got fed up waiting and decided that it can't be that bad for a cute little bee to not have normal, realistic colors. Am I glad to have myself make the first.

I couldn't put my needle down once I got started. You could probably tell just by looking at the picture.

It is really easy to make as well. Probably take about 15minutes for one? Maybe 30minutes including all the weaving and sewing. Perfect for beginners!

Just look at how cute they are~

Since its pattern is really simple and symmetrical, I eventually flip the pattern and to give them a nicer face (instead of butt). Compare the photos with those below.

 

I believe you are itching to pick up that crochet needle and start crocheting away. So check out the pattern here!

 Or if you would prefer to purchase it, you can buy some here~!