DIY zentangle gift boxes

Zentangle boxes are a great way to upcycle something we never run out of - toilet roll tubes - into something fun and functional. Plus doodles are a great way to relax.

Just remember to give the tubes a quick spray of disinfectant first.

You'll need :

toilet roll inner tubes

heavy roller/wine bottle

some circular objects to trace (tin can, small plate, thread spool)

pencil

rotary cutter (or any cutter you're comfortable with)

scoring tool

scissors

permanent markers

tissue paper and/or twine (optional)

 

Gently flatten the tube by hand

Use the roller (or wine bottle, if you don't have one) to sharpen the creases

Lightly trace a wide curve at both ends of the tube, using a small plate and a pencil (I've used my cookie cutter tin because it's the perfect size)

 Then cut the ends off with the rotary cutter. Go slowly and keep your fingers out of the way!

Use the plate again to score another, opposing curve at each end. I've used a glue spreader because I don't have a scoring tool. Be resourceful :o)

Use the smaller round object to trace a thumb-sized tab on both ends

 

Cut the tabs out, pressing the tube together and cutting through both sides

Fold the sides in...

And presto! We have a dinky little box :o)

To do the zentangles (a fancy word for 'relax by doodle'), I traced the folding creases on both sides (just because I think they look neater that way), then doodled away. I've left the folding sides blank on one side as they will be folded in first.

There you have it! A limitless supply of tiny gift boxes, whenever you need one. They're much nicer and sturdier than wrapping paper, cheaper than store supplied jewellery boxes, unique and personal

For extra security, wrap the gift in tissue paper before placing in the box. Then tie it up with some ribbon or twine (I'm addicted to twine...)

CraftyParties now taking bookings for 2014

My last CraftyParty of 2013 celebrated a 9th birthday with a dozen, very well behaved and creatively gifted, 8-9 year old girls:

We decorated denim pencil cases and sweet-filled Christmas baubles. Unfortunately, the party photos didn't turn out, but this is the sample I made for the girls to draw inspiration from:

 

The beautiful birthday girl really enjoyed her party - and loved the personalised gift I made for her:

Here follows a testimonial from the birthday girl's mum:

"We were delighted to have discovered Noodles Doodles Creative to hold a craft party for our daughter's ninth  birthday. Nerena was very helpful at the planning stage in giving us different creative options to fit our needs and budget. She led the creative party session with great enthusiasm, guiding our guests through the activities, helping them where needed, and keeping to the allocated time.

All the girls enjoyed the craft activities and had their decorated pencil cases and sweet-filled baubles to take home. The whole party was very organised, and there was virtually no mess left behind, a first in our house!

We would certainly recommend Noodles Doodles Creative craft parties to others."

Please contact me if you would like to have a CraftyParty and we can discuss the options available to suit your budget and taste. CraftyParties currently operates in and around Bexley/North Kent and I am able to travel around London, so please send me an email with any queries:

nerena@noodlesdoodlescreative.com

Parties last 90 min to 2 hours, from £12 per person (minimum 6, maximum 20 guests, dependent on craft chosen).

Please note that this time is required for completion of the craft, so extra time for a meal and presenting the cake, etc. (30 min should suffice) will need to be taken into account for the full party duration.

After we have finalised your requirements, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required to confirm the booking, with the remainder payable on the day. The reason for this is that most materials are purchased as required for each party.

CraftyParties are tailored to your needs and can be done for any age group or a wide age range, from birthday parties to team building events and kitchen teas. All materials, tools and protective wear are supplied, I will arrive 15 minutes early to set up and clean up afterwards.

Please feel free to also tell others who may be interested.

2014 starts with good news

Fantastic start to the new year: NoodlesDoodles Creative has been accepted into the Sidcup & Co business support programme! I am so happy to have been selected and can't wait to get into the business incubator on the the site of the Christmas pop-up shop at 9 Sidcup High Street.

In the meantime, it's time to get started on Valentine's Day craftiness, here is my handmade, personalised, retro tattoo-style brooch, inspired by Hetty & Dave's heart hair clip (as worn by the late Amy Winehouse):

Blanks, fired and ready for inking

Finished sample for me to wear, with my sweetheart's name on it.

These are made from polymer clay and come packaged in a cute recycled raw cardboard package.

Available to order now, at £12 each.

For orders, further information and payment methods, please contact me by email:

nerena@noodlesdoodlescreative.com

2013 was Noodle-tastic

2013 was a fantastic year! It was the year NoodlesDoodles Creative was born, and with that came exciting developments, new experiences, new people, many lessons and a lot of fun, especially in the last few weeks.

A couple of CraftyParties were held (with great success), the lovely Christmas Fair took place on a sunny, cold Saturday on Sidcup High Street and the pop-up Christmas Shop provided a short 'n sweet spell in retail up to Christmas Eve.

In brief:

More baby feet were cast...

...and dipped in paint

baubles were boxed, tagged, strung and hung on trees...

Gift items were made and displayed...

then sold indoors and out...

and I had fun with some lovely kids, making pencil cases.

Happy New Year to you all, and may you, like me, have many wonderful things to look forward to in 2014.