Inspiration {M}

Mini maze books are simple to make and require the minimum of materials. They are approx. 3 1/2 - 4 inches square so are an ideal size to give as gifts or make keepsake memory journals for yourself!
I have even made these with the children I work with and they have filled them with images of thier favourite things/ memories of people or animals who are no longer with them.

To make a maze book you will need:

- a 12 x 12" piece of thin(ish) card

- Stiff card / chipboard - cut into 2x 3 1/2 - 4 inch squares.

- Patterned paper of your choice for cover

- adhesives - I used double sided tape and Herma roller.

How to make:

Start with 12" card and fold in half, with fold towards you. To make the fold lines crisp you can either use a bone folder or the blunt edge of your scissors.

Fold top flap over back towards the original fold and yourself.
Turn over and repeat.

Open up and place card so that the fold lines are verticle to you, and repeat the 3 folds you made before.

When you open up the card this time you should have 6 fold lines and 16 squares that look like this

Now you need to make 3 cuts which I have marked out with pen for you to see. Make sure you don't cut too far!


Following the folds in the card, fold concertina style until you have a book shape


Put the book to one side and make the covers using your thick card/ chipboard squares and patterned paper. I cut my card to 3 1/2" and the paper to just under 4". Cut the corners off the paper and mount card onto back of paper, as shown Then to ease folding score paper along edges of the card with embossing stylus or similar tool.
Fold over all edges and stick down securely.

There are various ways to finish your book. You will need to decide whether you want to use both sides of the pages so that it's a double sided/ ended book or if you want to fix it to only open in normal book fashion. The book I made for this blog has a concertina type spine which I made using the reverse side of the paper and attatching it to the covers before fixing to the book.
I have also made one previously, lacing up the spine

I have great fun making these books and hope you will too!

Christmas {M}

For {M} I thought about Mince pies and also added a "Merry Christmas"!
I enjoy mince pies and am always trying different makes to find "the ultimate pie!" The pastry needs to melt on my tongue, the mince has to have just the right amount of tang and of course, it has to go nicely with cream!
I haven't yet had a go at making my own but maybe this will give me the enthusiasm to try some this year. I have put 3 recipes in the book but there are several blank pages I can add to if I come across any other recipes that look nice or easy!!

Enjoy!

Inspiration {L}

Following on from the Christmas L is Inspiration {L} – Lists!!

Every one of us has so much to do in any one day that one sure way to combat the potential stress and to prioritise jobs, is to make a list or lists!

It might be an idea to start off making a list of the lists you would like to make – sounds odd but this is what I had in mind:


My List of Lists to do

1. Craft commitments
2. Work priorities
3. Food shopping
4. Books to read
5. Films to watch
6. Days out
7. Birthday and Special occasion card/presents
8. What to take on holiday
9. Daily list
10. Housework

Each of these lists to do may have one list or more than one list. It’s a good idea to prioritise so that number one is the most important and it may certainly doesn’t have to stop at number ten, it could go on and on, but ten seems a manageable number for most list making.

The list should also be achievable, otherwise you are going to be disappointed and this in turn will create more stress which the list was originally meant to help eliminate!! (Don’t laugh – I do make lists and do aim to get them done, believe it or not!!)

I am thinking mostly of the daily list. I make a list of what I want to do in a day, be it vacuum, mop the floors, do food shopping, do new advertising for the shop, sort out orders, etc. etc. but in order for the complete list to be done you can’t put too many big jobs down, you have to be realistic and allow for disruptions, lunch, chatting on phone, picking kids up from school, etc. (and of these distractions I have many!).




A life revolving around lists sounds a little silly to some, but I have to say it certainly helps me. People who know me know how I can appear disorganized but I am finding that of late the list making is certainly a step in the right direction!

So whats on your list/s…………??!

Christmas {L}

Better late than never – Alphabet Funk Christmas {L} !!






I was going to go along the lines of Lights – but couldn’t find a half decent photo of any of my Christmas fairy lights so I finally decided on Lists. We all make lists at Christmas, in order to aid our memory and so we can manage to get things done so as to actually enjoy the few Christmas days that it is all geared up for.

This list of typical of some of the many things I want to achieve each Christmas and I usually do manage most of them!! I enjoyed doing this page as I love the colours and the paper – BG Snowed In – is to die for. I have to say, and some of you have probably gathered this, I absolutely love using my sewing machine and I think I am sewing on almost everything I do lately. I just love the look it gives, its easy, effective and a different way to using adhesive!!