Mayke it May!

Ma'y'ke it May! #MakeitMay

New baby handmade card with pinwheels and buttons

As if I don't have enough to challenge my time with a career, two young children and a craft business, I've set myself a new project!

So here it is. It's May soon, and May sounds a bit like Make so I think May should be a month of making and that's what I'm going to do. 

Handmade papercut card - umbrellas

Every day in May I'm going to design a new greetings card. I will be using papers, embellishments, pens, buttons, bows and tapes and, of course, my absolutely indispensable Cricut Explore machine. 

Candle card -handmade - listed on Etsy

I am looking forward to being inspired to create new designs and sharing them here, on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and twittter.  

Card for men clothes line with pegs

Please let me know what you think, choose a favourite or let me know what occasion you'd like me to create a card for. 

Handmade birthday cards

My existing designs consist of: 

Wedding card

Engagement card 

Birthday card dress 

New baby card - pinwheels 

Birthday card - candles 

Children's age birthday card 
Wedding card 

Map Coaster Tutorial

With the trend for maps being so mahoosive at the moment, and my brother being a travel-lover, this theme always springs to mind when I'm thinking of gifts for him.

Last year for his birthday, he got my first travel art frame, made up of the destinations he visited on his round the world trip. 

This Christmas I wanted to come up with something for his home. His style is quirky and utilitarian and now that his girlfriend has moved in, she's added a welcome feminine touch. So I wanted something to give to them as a joint gift along these lines. 

Once I'd thought of the idea, Mum's charity shop managerial credentials were called into action. She sourced me an old wooden block game - you know the one where you build up the blocks and remove one at a time and try not to make it fall. It was actually an incomplete set but that was fine for this project. I needed just 12 blocks to make the coasters.  You could also use tiles, or any wooden squares to make these coasters. 

It's simply a case of covering each block in map paper. I used the maps that were in the back of last year's diary, but any A-Z, streetmap or atlas will work just the same. 

I used Decopatch Glossy Glue but any PVA will do the same job. 

Once dry, I gave the blocks an extra coat of glue, just to make sure it was completely sealed, especially as coasters have to cope with spilled drinks.  

Finally I added vinyl lettering using my Cricut Explore. This is my absolute favourite gadget but if you don't have one, I can provide you with vinyl lettering at just £1 per coaster. What about personalising them with a couple's name for an engagement or wedding present?  Contact @mummypuddleduck on Twitter, Facebook or Etsy. 

I finished by packaging them in a box - again made using the Cricut (I really can't recommend it highly enough) and adding a 'Handmade' ribbon.  The gift was very well received but I think I heard my brother mutter that he was going to put these on his wall rather than use them as coasters!

I'd love to hear your thoughts and see your creations after following this tutorial. And if I've missed out any steps, or something is unclear, please let me know. Happy crafting.  

Crafty Christmas

This Christmas we were once again invited to spend the special day with my Aunty and Uncle, my cousin, her daughter and my mom and dad.

Christmas is a very special time for us with many traditions that have established themselves into our day, such as the youngest member of the family placing baby Jesus in the nativity officially signalling the start of the festivities, a glass of champagne being handed to guests the minute they walk over the threshold and Santa's jingle bells making a second appearance after lunch. 

Washi tape bows

It's these little routines that make for such a special day and hopefully will make my children look back with the same warmth and fondness that I now do about my childhood Christmasses.

But the pressure to make Christmas special can be hard to manage. It's important to take a step away from it all and remember to enjoy the preparation, planning and the day itself. Whilst I have been lucky enough to never have had to cook a Christmas dinner yet, I do like to be involved in making the day go with a swing.

Monogram chair back decorations, created using Cricut Explore

This year I very much enjoyed the planning and preparation which involved making sweet treats such as fudge, marshmallow, gingerbread (Biscuiteers book of Biscuits recipe), Nigella's honeycomb, and not forgetting a dairy-free chocolate sponge with 'buttercream' filling (c/o Jamie Oliver) as well as the table settings and of course the wrapping. Gift tags, names and initials were designed and cut on the Cricut Explore with glitter card, and I made washi tape bows as well (via tutorial by NoBiggie who has a Washi Tape Christmas book - which is definitely on my wish list for next year!). 

They were all extremely simple, with time being a critical factor i.e. I never have enough of it but in my mind, very effective. Let me know what you think...

Cricut vinyl name monikers atop simple Christmas crackers 

Homemade marshmallow, chocolate fudge and honeycomb