My big project-the big 4-0 in a box!

Not my big 4-0, of course.  Mine happened a few years ago!  But it was my only sister's big milestone birthday and I wanted to make it extra special.  She lives about 600 miles away-the closest we have been in decades.  We are both military wives and would love to live next door to each other, but it just doesn't work that way!  So I started brainstorming a little while ago.  Should I throw her a party in a funeral home?  Fly her somewhere?  Hire a stripper?  Ok, none of those was going to be feasible, so I did what I do best--shop!  and create!  (well, in my case, copy other people's fabulous ideas) and worry about every little detail on every little project!  Because she is the one person in the world who will appreciate the time and love I put into every last millimeter of her gift!  So I decided to send her a box full of 40 presents. 
                                                   See?

I wrapped the whole thing in more kraft paper and
topped it off with 40 candles.

I found this idea on you are my fave (which is now one of my faves!)

Anyway, I spent an inordinate, but completely enjoyable, amount of time figuring out what forty things I would send her.  I decided to send several categories:  party in a box, my favorite things, crafty stuff, handmade with love, forty and punny, and miscellaneous for anything else!  Here is a list of some of the things I put in:

Favorite things:

truffles (lindt)

Bath and Body works candle, slipper socks, lip gloss

Party in a box:

Confetti (made with a 1" punch and tissue paper)

Balloon wreath (see this post)

Mini pinata (see this post)

40 candles

party horns

Handmade:

A halloween hanging

a mini clipboard covered with scrapbook paper

a twine covered letter (future craft in the car tutorial)

Forty and Punny:

Forty rocks-pop rocks

Forty blows-bubble gum

Forty sucks-40 dumdums in a box

You are flippin' 40- a nice cookie spatula

Whoopie you are 40-a whoopie pie pan

The best part was wrapping!  I love to wrap presents.  I love to wrap coordinating, cute presents.  I love spending many minutes finding just the right detail to embellish my treats!  I used kraft paper and black, cream and red as my palette.  Here are some examples.  

Brown kraft takeout box from thinkgarnish.com, canvas flower from canvas home basics.

Brown burlap bag also from thinkgarnish.com.  Canvas banner from canvas home basics, a crafty scrapbooking brand I  adore.

More canvas home basics, plus super cute ribbon and flowers from my local scrapbook store.  I think the flowers are Prima.

This is one of my faves.  I threaded twine through the grommets on the banner flags.  So cute. 

I mad a fabric flower out of the ribbon from above.  Put it on a giant gluber.

Side view of the above present.  Ripple cup from thinkgarnish.  Love that website!

And now some real pix from a real photographer!  T sent me these after she opened the box. 

There you go.  My labor of love.  And time.  And much kraft paper and twine.  Special thanks to my hubby who dealt with all this stuff in our bedroom for about 10 days, while I wrapped in my spare time!  Anyone need me to wrap anything?  I am available until December 24! 

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Another craft in the car!

I am back with another fun craft in the car!  I was still working on my huge project, so I needed every spare minute of crafting I could squeeze in.  This project:  a mini pinata!  Here is what you need:

Tissue paper.

Twine-doesn't matter what color. 

 It will be hidden.

Cardstock

Super tacky glue, scissors.

something to fill the pinata with

This cone pattern,  you can get it here

Cut two cones, one of each color of cardstock.
Fold the tab.

Roll the cardstock into cone shape,
 gluing along the tab.

Repeat, so that you have two cones.





Fill the cone with your choice of candy.

Glue the cones together.  This step is messy and awkward, unless
your cones are perfect.  Mine weren't, so I just held it together until
the glue set, about 2-3 minutes.

Cut a strip of tissue paper, about 2 inches wide and long enough to wrap around the middle of the pinata.
Fold in half lengthwise.  Dot some glue every couple of centimeters along the fold.  Cut a piece of twine
about 4 inches longer than the tissue paper.  Place in the crease, and fold over the tissue.  

It should look like this.

Take the scissors, and cut from the outside edge of the tissue
about 3/4 of the way to the fold, creating a fringe.
Repeat with another color of tissue.  Glue them around the
pinata to hide the seam.  

Ta da!  A super cute, mini pinata!  

Just don't use a big stick to hit it!  Maybe a spoon?

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