This week is special for two reasons:
One year ago the Crafts Inspire Me blog was launched! I can’t believe a year has gone by so quickly. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. You inspire me every day! Secondly, February 5th marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Pig 2019, is believed to bring joy and prosperity in all areas of life.
In honor of the Year of the Pig, this week’s craft is silly and very easy to make. You will never look at office supplies the same way again, and there is a funny story to go with it.
It all started with an extreme case of boredom. My brother had just graduated from college, and was hired by an international technology company. As you can imagine, working in a field like technology requires security clearances, and the approval process can be a lengthy one. All of the new hires were placed in a large room, sitting in individual workstations, with nothing to do but read. Because no one had been cleared to view company documentation, each person had to bring his or her own magazines and books to read to pass the time. Cell phones and computer use were not allowed. How much reading can you do before falling asleep?
Disinterested in his reading material, my brother noticed an office supply cabinet, and an idea struck. With a handful of pushpins and a pink pencil eraser, he set to work on his creation.
And here it is…
The Eraser Pig
The Eraser Pig was born! Pleased with the results, he made another trip to the cabinet and in no time he had created enough to form two teams for a five-on-five “basketball game.” Curiosity brought a few of the candidates over and the fear of dying from boredom made them stay to watch the “game.” When my brother’s clearance came through, he passed the eraser pigs on to others. For all we know, those pigs may still be making the rounds, bringing smiles and sparking imagination.
Pushpin Placement
If you would like to make one, you will need a pink eraser, and 6 pushpins (4 legs, the tail and snout).
Have you ever created something out of boredom? What did you make? Please share your story.
Happy Year of the Pig & Happy Crafting!
It’s the night before Christmas, and little feet tiptoe toward the tree for a sneak peek at the presents. We may not have done this, but we thought about it a lot. It’s human nature to wonder -What’s inside the box?
If your name is Mrs. Claus, you probably don’t need help wrapping gifts.
In fact, Mrs. Claus probably has a gift-giving closet that looks like this one. For the rest of us, there’s still a lot of shopping to be done and presents to be wrapped. Department stores typically offer gift wrap, but it can be pricey. Many retailers have eliminated this service and the gift boxes as well. Shopping malls offer gift wrapping, but the lines can be very long. Fortunately there are lots of solutions to make your gifts look beautiful.
Gift bags are probably one of the best inventions of all time. They’re sold just about everywhere, including the food stores, so when you’re running around last minute a gift bag is easily on hand.
These burlap bags are dressed up with the addition of berries and glitzy red ornaments.
This red and white gift bag has a built-in drawstring.
Amazon provided these festive gift bags, which my family passes back and forth for various occasions all year long. Unfortunately there’s no way of knowing which color you might receive, and some items are wrapped in paper instead of a bag.
A metal box is an intriguing way to package a gift.
Porcelain boxes come in a variety of shapes and colors for every occasion. These are perfect for jewelry or other small items, and can also be used to conceal a cash gift.
For the baker in the family, this fluted glass jar and lid will hold your gift now, and will be perfect for holding baking ingredients in the future. It could also be used as cookie jar.
Gift baskets filled with the recipient’s favorites is always a welcome surprise. You can purchase a roll of colored cellophane wrap or use regular plastic wrap to cover the entire basket, and tie a bow on top.
Some stores provide colorfully printed boxes, which are suitable for gifts any time of year, and can be stacked and tied with a pretty ribbon.
When using standard wrapping paper, you can always wrap the lid separately. By doing so, the box can be reused for years to come.
A floral pine cone stem and some ribbon were all that was needed to complete this package.
Don’t forget to add a gift tag. Some people save the pictures, from last year’s holiday cards, and use them as gift tags on this year’s presents.
For an all-natural look, recycled paper can be used, with twine instead of ribbon, some evergreen and a pine cone from your backyard.
A silver bow makes a statement on this aqua and silver wrapped gift.
A glittering gold bow makes the perfect topper for this dancing reindeer package.
A 3-dimensional snowflake has sprung to life from this pretty wrapping paper.
For a glamorous look, combine sparkling red paper, gold studded ribbon, and a shiny gold bow.
This perfectly coordinated metallic ribbon and paper is suitable for gifts any time of year.
Sometimes a really great topper steals the show. A bow like this one will be appreciated for sure, with its petal-like layers in full bloom and wisps of green ribbon leaves peeking out beneath. There’s a very interesting pattern of wildlife, holly sprigs, and guitars intertwined among the curvilinear vines.
Crafts Inspire Me 