Eureka

If I had a F.A.Q corner this one might be the most frequently asked question by email from babalisme readers: "How do I create a professional looking, coordinating party decoration without spending much money/creating much DIY crafts?".

Fair enough, I think, most of party decorations demolished or even perished/lost/damaged in less than 12 hours after the party started. So, no one wants to really invest much time or money or effort in creating decorations, right? You know how fast party balloons gone? They're quite affordable, thankfully. But here is a little trick to boost extra "oooomphs" and generate extra "aaaawwws" to your party without breaking any bank account: Use cupcake topper ANYWHERE. Yes, I mean it, anywhere. These little dudes are usually easy to make and affordable as well. And..they are so versatile in terms of shapes and wording they can be used anywhere. Here are some of my ideas :

the cupcake topper "modeled" here is free, get it here if you haven't.

I may set the font too small to read so here are what's actually written there :

• as a cupcake topper, doh!
• as a party garland
• as a favor tag
• as a lunchbag name tag
• as a lollipop or party straw label

Do you have any ideas on how to make your cupcake toppers work real hard at a party? Or even after the party? Do share with us!

Paper Wonderland

As you wish, readers. Make some reindeer garland/bunting as in here. How to make it? Remember the children paper bag garland you used to make in kindergarten? Same treatment here. Anyhoo, if you're still puzzled here's how to do it.

1. trace the pattern into desired card stock/paper of choice, to avoid arthritis I suggest in not much weight than 90gsm.
2. did you notice the red vertical line on the pattern? that's where you should fold the paper (in accordion fold) and be careful not to cut through that line or your reindeer won't kiss.
3. once you finish, the reindeer chain will look slightly curved. If you're using A4 paper, and print the pattern by 50%, like I did, you'll need 3 chains of reindeer to make full circle.

Easy peasy. Talking about paper.. I have made and mailed my cards for little.lovely Christmas card project. I thought I told you I got scissors happy this Christmas. My first try on paper cutting, please do gentle criticism. Just kidding. Do harsh criticism if you like. Here's them before they hit the envelope.

My humble "box" tree. :)

This one is, obviously, inspired by 1948 Disney short, Once upon a Wintertime. As a kid I watched this over and over again, swooning to the song and the images. Thanks to youtube, I get to watch it again and again and again...

Today's to do list..

• pancakes for breakfast .. done. I'm too lazy to mix my own dough, I bought "the box"
• baby food for Baby G..done, but she didn't like the Gouda cheese I added in, so we hit "the jar"
• daily design works.. horoscope/zodiac illustrations, quite exhausting to figure out 12 different poses..
• play with Baby G
• another baby food for G, skip the Gouda add the usual cheddar
• snack for Baby G
• put her to an afternoon nap
• back to work
• write a blog..hey, I'm doing this! Consider this done!
• go out for dinner ..my husband is planning this, I think we'll hit another jar for G.
• put Baby G to sleep

Well, ... I wish I could put on one of these on my today's to-do list, but...sigh, OK, I hate to explain my incapability, but of course, I always love to share things!! Here are some of the best paper craft tutorials I'm dying to try.

remember this? the awesome Tuppence has written a tutorial for the cute bag.

design*sponge's paper scarp craft will make you think twice to discard any gift wrapping leftovers.

...and so is spotted sparrow's paper bow tutorial.

Simply delight the little ones with this paper magic trick from anise mouette.

June Printables : Deer and Shroom Pattern Paper

Don't you just love patterned paper? Since I always give a predictable printable (say that fast! ...you know, I mean, the kind of printable which the only instruction would clearly be, print, cut, et voila!) Let your creativity runs wild this time with "deer and mushroom" patterned paper I just made. After printing you can make just about anything with this paper! Wrap a gift, construct a box, line an envelope, decorate a cupcake, the possibilities are even endless than my previous printables!!

download.

I don't want to miss the fun too. Here's what I make with my "deer" paper: a miniature note book! I printed it at 25%, cut it, looked for some abandoned papers, cut-cut, and stapled, done! I really really love to look at your creations too, not just this one, all of your projects using one of my printables, don't forget to tell me, dearies!

Enjoy your weekend!

Merry Matryoshkas on the move.

If you have downloaded my merry matryoshkas gift tags set, printed, and heck, you still don't know what to do, hop over to SweetTidings now! Christy had creatively transformed (again) a predictable tags into one of a kind treasure! Steal her ideas and get crafting!

Merry Matryoshkas!

Matryoshka. I spend hours typing that word. Is it right now?

Without further ado...remember the matrysohka pattern I showed you earlier? You don't?? How dare you!! ... You know I'm kidding, you can always go back in time in blogs, so head here if you do forget. I was in a blogger swap, and one of my swap item was previewed there. Since the swap is over, I decide to share with all of you who were not in the swap, my merry matryoshkas gift tag set.

download

Enjoy everyone, and don't forget to share back what you've enjoyed. You don't have to have a blog and post about it, just a simple Flickr upload, or email me the photo will make my day. :)

Have a nice weekend.

*update* From now on all my printables will stay forever on the net! Tell me which of my previous printables you're craving about (just click freebies on the category on your right hand side) and I will share them again, eternally!

I'm back...

... from where, I don't want to tell you that now. It's going to be on my posts to come and I'm still uploading and selecting the pictures. For the mean time, since I really really miss you guys (and ladies!), I'm here to share with you a link to Lotta Bruhn's sticker set to download and print. Isn't she talented or what?

An opposite of a Dentist Office..

Janethillstudio's The Little Cake Shop

Ginko's birthday card.

Bakers Dozen's Blanca Gomez's card.

..guarantee to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Easter Gift Tags Printables is Here!

I am not really healthy at this time, (thank you for all of you wishing me better soon!), so here's my Easter printable, quite different from what I have planned, but I hope all my dear readers will love it. Fell free to download here, share, craft, and do anything with it, even sell it, maybe, but be a dear and send me a link to your creations using these gift tags, you don't have to post it on your blog, a flickr link or an email would make my day.

Earlier, my so called Easter craft plans including some Easter rabbit puppets, Easter paper game, and Easter build up paper diorama (hello, big dreamer!), but due to my condition and very limited time (my deadlines are still endless despite the holiday and my sickness, unfortunately), I just have the strength to do a set of gift tags. *boo-hoo* I know, I know, it's lame, so hate me, throw rocks at me, and dump my body at the sewer.

Nevertheless, making up for my weakness I'll share with you a list of things to do/craft this easter. Obviously, these ladies did their homework better than mine, so please visit them.

1. download lovable yet adorable art you can print yourself at Jen's FeedYourSoul.
2. making Easter eggs? Don't forget to decorate the holder too! Visit Zakkalife for the how-to.
3. enter Calamity Kim's giveaway to win a chance of a basket full of spring time goodness.
4. dyed some eggs with Lolly. (I swear she posted this craft tutorial first before Martha Stewart Living hit the racks!) The sweet Lolly has a bunny week running too, in case you're more of a bunny than an egg person.
5. make an artwork, yes, YOU make the artwork. You can do it by following sarahjane's easy step by step.
6. make a "baglets" and print them pretty ala Jessica from howaboutorange.
   
7. does my list suck or just can't get enough of Easter craft? Head over to Christy's to find better options, guaranteed.
   

The Clovers Finger Puppet Printable!

Happy St. Patricks day everyone!

I know I'm not Irish and not celebrating this holiday but, hey, it's always nice to have an excuse to celebrate something! To celebrate the day (and feeling extra lucky today) I'm giving you a free printable of mr. and ms. Clover here, and boy, they love to dance, so print them while it's hot and slip them through your fingers (they are not on the net forever, boys and girls!).

I love to make finger puppets, it brings me back to my kindergarten days. I was always putting this and that to my puppets and I remember making a lion once, I put many color shredded papers for his mane, some ruffled strings (I can't fine straight one) for its whisker, some beads because it came from Africa (my logic was poor, I know), and finally dabbing my crayons all over the puppets to illustrate fur. My kindergarten teacher said to me, in a Simon Cowell kind of tone, "It's a little over the top, don't you think? Why don't you just color it with crayon like your friends?" Well, I'm glad I didn't.

download me.

So, if you're unfamiliar with finger puppets, try my Clover for your initiation, next time, you can make your own. Here's how to ...

1. Cut along carefully until all white spaces are gone, yes, including 2 holes on each Cloverboy/girl.
2. Slip your fingers (usually your pointer and middle one) and make them walk, run, or dance! If you think you have smaller or bigger finger diameter than the holes I provided, before you print remember to adjust the pdf files first.
3. The hats and ribbons are their accessory. Slit the white line on top of their faces and slip the accessory's gray space behind. Voila.

As usual, if you play with mr. and ms. Clover please let me know. You don't have to blog about that, just put them on Flickr or something and let me know. I want to see their new feet.

If you need another clover craft head to Zakka life. She has the most utterly amazing clover craft tutorial.

Press me..

I don't know about everyone else, but I just love letterpress. There's something magical about different levels of paper it creates. It elevates a design into some kind of personal art instead of just printing it, it lets you know that a human actually involves making the design. Here are some of letterpress studio I adore.

Sweetbeets.

Fugufugupress.

sycamorestreetpress.

letterpressed and diecut card (punchable character) from Egg Press.

Don't you just love running your fingers through all these? Or am I just crazy here?

Download Free Gift Tags!

I think everyone is in need of decent gift tags since the Chinese lunar year and Valentine's day are approaching. I was thinking to make a related gift tags to those occasions but I know some of us don't celebrate either one one of them. So in respect of everyone's need, I decided to make tags that last whole years through.

Direction : print them, write your personal message on the back, tie them up with your favorite ribbon, and attach to your gifts. For personal use only, please, and don't forget to grab them quick, it's not on the net forever!! It's free!

Grab now!

Fantastic Toys, literally!

Meet Fantastic Toys who made really fantastic toys! My, he's really talented! All of his stuff have taken me back when chewing gum was a big matter, blowing it into a bubble was definitely a bigger matter, when holding a stick of a lollipop was heaven, and when all you need in the world is a white pony with pink mane. You'll be amazed at numerous things he creates, a certain little girl's wonderland, and aren't we all little girls inside?

Plushies, paper dolls, and everything nice! If you have the sudden urge to own these lovelies visit his shop, now! Drop him a nice comment too on Fantastic Toys' blog. And if you are really inspired, well, be more inspired by his turorial and freebies printable on his website.


via Bukubuku.

Downloadable & Adorable Calendars

Seriously, if you had to choose between these two, which one will you print and hang? Though choice, eh? Lolly's from Lollychops calendar is too good to be true, she even has numerous ideas including corner paper punch, your own photo, and glued paper to customize your own printable, including a step by step photo tutorial to assemble your calendar! Now, look at Del4yo's from Non dairy Dairy calendar, you'll have the urge to print away without any further thinking! I know that this is my second posts about her blog in less than a week time, but what can I say? I am obsessed with her! How cute are those bunnies!! So, if you had to choose, which will it be? For me? I'll do both.

Too Late for Advent Calendar? Not this one.

Non dairy Diary's blog is a cheerful, cute, and nostalgic one. Her illustrations are often child-like and sometimes folksy. I just stumbled upon the blog recently and my, am I regretting that! That means I missed a series of tiny houses advent calendar to make my own! Just look at them! Can you resist?

There are total 25 of the lovely little houses with different design. Here are my ideas for those who are dying to make this house but can't wait till next Christmas to come;

1. Any birthday coming right up? How old is the birthday boy/girl? 4? Then print and sculpt the number 4 house. Too bad anyone older than 25 can enjoy this gift.
2. Are you a kindergarten teacher or homeschooling your little ones? Have joy in learning numbers with these babies.
3. Make them and align them in your work desk, kitchen table, or book shelf. What for? Cuteness overload.
   

For more ideas visit Non dairy Diary.
Have fun!

Paper Craft Calendar!

I have always been a huge admirer of Canon Creative Park. It's a site mentioned in every design, paper craft and, craft blog, and so, I wasn't so thrilled to write about it since looks like everyone has talked about it.

But then I came across this lovely 2009 calendar you can assembly yourself on daily visit to the park. It's very simple you won't even need to sign up to the site. Just click download, print, and snap snap, you're done!

Wow. Isn't it? Wait. There's more. If you're a keen photographer you can even take a picture of a town from the calendar. Just level your camera to the houses, click, and you get a town view. Great for blog's title image, I guess.

And don't forget to browse the whole site. Lots of cool stuff not to be missed.