22 December 2015

Secret Santa - "Show me the Money!!"

This year, our Secret Santa theme was "Show me the Money!". I had to put my thinking cap on, and decided to make a Money Tree. I had planned to buy a terrarium style container, but I found a pair of coach lights for tealight candles at a discounted price (the box was damaged), so even if the "tree" is removed, you still have a nice pair of lights....

I used some florist wire to make the stem, and some Aussie play money for the flowers. I had hoped that it would be brighter, but unfortunately they were purchased as-is from a $2 shop. I had also hoped to get proper play coins also, but I could only find pirate money, and I was trying to be as authentic as possible, so used actual coins.

I used a very simple origami fold for the flowers. There are numerous tutorials for "money folding" but this one looked the easiest. Basically, you fold the length of the paper concertina style, and then bring the edges together with a but of glue. It needed something else, so I used some 5cent pieces for the centres...

 
The stem was based on a twisted wire technique used for gemstones. Below is an example.... 


I used a citronella candle as the base, mainly because it meant that I could just push the wire into it and it would be pretty stable, but also because it was a cute little pot. I had hoped that it would fit into the tealight holder, but it didn't. I taped a tealight to the bottom so it would fit, and built up the base to look like it was meant to be that way. This can all be removed, since it is a novelty item, and the tealight can still be functional. I put all the extra flowers in the the bottom, to look like they had fallen off....



In order to continue the theme, I included some Money Tree Seeds. I used a small box that had some perfume in it and put a hole in it for a window. More 5cent pieces for the seeds suspended in a bag at the height of the window. It worked perfectly! I used a piece of plastic from a sturdy bag for the window.... 


I also thought about some witty text to put onto the back - a mix of financial terms and gardening. I think it's quite clever!


I hope whoever receives my gift appreciates all the thought that went into it! I will find out tomorrow.... ;)

21 December 2015

A cushion and another bag...

Many moons ago, I bought some fabric in a bag, and inside was a couple of embroidered designs - one a lovely lady, and the other a winter scene.

So I made the lady into a cushion, and the scene into a bag. They are a little more frilly than I usually like to, but I think they worked?

Finished size approximately 35cm x 35cm.



Finished size 50cm wide x 45 deep. Lined with curtain fabric for stability.