Thursday, November 27, 2008

Dream job?

I didn't think I'd say this a year ago....I love my job!

I've been asked to make 'recycled' gift bags with a school next week. I have an hour and a half session booked, with 15 children. As I'm not sure how long the bags will take I thought I'd better have some other options up my sleeve.

Lucy told me about this fab tutorial and I just had to give it a go.


The Argos Christmas catalogue :

...with it's friend - Sainsbury's magazine:


I found a great tutorial for the gift bags here. I used two layers of newspaper to make mine and reinforced the base and 'the bit that the handle goes through' (very technical term!!) with cardboard.

I also found a tutorial (you need Adobe reader to open this one) for a really easy bag made from an A4 envelope.


Thanks to Ali for posting her great origami wreath tutorial I have another option if we need to fill the time. These are made with the weekend travel section of M-I-L's newspaper.
I've since made another 10 of these using some lovely old yellowed pages from a very decrepit encyclopedia...but no photo thanks to a very grey and dismal day.


Tomorrow's my day off and I have another girly present to make for another girly birthday party.....but I just want to knit socks.....
xxxxx

27 comments:

trash said...

I may just spend the rest of my life making those triffic trees!chriest

trash said...

oops sorry! I seem to have included the word ver!!

Ali said...

That's going to be a fun workshop!

dottycookie said...

Oooh, can grownups come too? I promise to help a little bit ...

Lindsey said...

Cool trees and so simple. I'm making a forest!

Kitty said...

Oh wow - thanks for all the triffic linky tutorials. Those magazine trees and bags are brilliant. What a clever old Hector you are.

x

Rachel said...

Fab trees! I've bookmarked that tutorial but haven't gotten round to actually making them yet. I think today may be the day that I do! And the gift bags look great too. What a pity I've already bought my Christmas wrapping paper!!
:)

French Knots said...

We have been making those trees from Lilly's tutorial too, my daughter took hers into school and next week has to show her class how to make them!

Lina said...

Fabulous job! I love all this recycled Christmas stuff!

Gina said...

Trees and bags are fabulous... more stuff bookmarked to do before Christmas.... How many days left???

Unknown said...

noooo, don't show me more cool things to try and make!

wonderwoman said...

i love those catalogue trees - they are a brilliant idea! you are going to have a great workshop - can i skive off and come?!!

xx

Locket Pocket said...

That's some fabulous makerage missus! It certainly cheered me up at work today - wish mine was the kind of dream job where you get to play at making things, I had to make myself a mini origami fortune teller out of a yellow post-it to soothe my shattered nerves this morning but it's not quite the same thing is it?

Definitely want to have a go with those bags!

Locket xxx

silverpebble said...

Ooh, love those newspaper bags and trees - this post should have been called 'the green queen does christmas' - so much recycled magic! Thanks for the top links mrs moog xxxx

BIG sister Ally said...

Ye old bag - wot a great make!

I found the christmas tree tutorial too but haven't yet found time to have a go. I think I chucked out the old argos catalogue the other day so will have to find something else to make one with.

I thought Trashy was getting in the Christmas spirit with her comment.

Ally x

Julie said...

OOh! Thank you for all the tutes and links. I'm definitley going to try some of those! Hope your gift bag class goes well.

I'm so pleased for you that the job is going well! :o)

hetty said...

Have fun making gift bags! Thanks for all the links. Great green stuff! My daughter will love to do some of these with her students.

Penny said...

Oh, those trees are nifty. Just the thing for watching TV.

Kaz said...

Ooohhh wow those are fab ideas. I think my recycling collector will be relieved when I try these out with my numerous catalogues.

But you are naughty too just like MRs Locket as there are now even more things to be made before Christmas!

Good luck wi5th the tute.

Kaz xx

Leanne said...

Love the trees ...thanks for all the great links. Good luck.... not sure I could cope with 15 children.

Selfsewn said...

Hi I like recycling to. I have just posted a bauble tutorial using old Christmas cards. Though you may well have made them already!

Right on with reading your blog.

Clare

Selfsewn said...

Its me again.
I do love your blog especially the fabric tubs, you are so talented.

Imagine my surprise when I recognised the New Forest, my patch!

Clare x

Bethany said...

Very cool crafts!!!!

picperfic said...

oooh...thanks for those links, I think my daughter and I will be making the bags and trees!

kath said...

When I was a kid, we used to make trees just like those out of old Reader's Digest magazines! Thanks for the memory!
I can't wait to make the bags!

Me, You and Magoo said...

love these ideas! I have just written a blog post about using recycled paper to make gift bows if you want to take a look.
Also, I bought some gifts from Bishopston Trading last year and they pack all your purchases in a recycled newspaper bag.
here's a photo of it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pouch_designs/2298618446

Anonymous said...

thanx for all this tuto ... your christmas tree is superb !