Quick and easy

I needed a quick and easy present for one of my husband's aunties who recently became a great gran. I had a white mug stashed away in a cupboard 

along with some edding porcelain brushpens. The tips can be used for precise lines and brush strokes. I dotted her initial on the front and wrote "No1 Great Gran" on the back and left it to dry for 15 minutes.

Then it went into a preheated oven at 180 Celsius for 25 minutes to bake and was left to cool down in it: Finished, dishwasher safe and to be filled with sweets.

"What are you ever going to do with all those pics?" - Project 3

This one is done by someone else - I chose 20 photographs for the "Photobooks"-app on my Android phone, designed the layout and text and they printed the book for me. 
Once a month they print a small book for free and want £ 5,99 for postage and packaging, when usually they would charge £9,99 for the printing alone.  

The result is of good quality (that pic was shot rather hastily, on the book itself it is crisp and in focus :)) ), printed on glossy paper and a good format to post abroad. 
The only thing I don't like about the app is the way it accesses my photo gallery - it is rather haphazard, files of more than 8 years shuffled wildly and I have a hard time finding the one I need as I have to scroll through everything to even find the year I am looking for... :( Definitely room for improvement there.

"What are you ever going to do with all those pics?" - Project 2

I found a kit to create my own canvas frames (ca. 18x24,5 mm), containing three plastic frames, three canvas A 4 papers and one acid free tape system. 

Attach double sided tape to the front of the plastic frame and remove the backing.

Centre the frame onto the back of the printed canvas, fold over the edges and click shut. 

Trim off any excess paper.

Done.

"What are you ever going to do with all those pics?" - Project 1

I have way over 100 000 photographs stored on my laptop - surely I can use them for a few gifts? I'm able to print out most versions myself as long as they stick to standard DIN A 4 measurements, so I got a set of 2 UK-standard soft cotton white pillowcases. 
They don't fit the standard pillows of the country they are intended for, instead I will cut them off and turn them into cushion covers.

I printed out some pictures on transfer paper to iron onto the cushion covers. They were stored in a draw string bag when I bought them, so I will use that one as well and maybe turn the cut offs into bags too.

Set of pillowcases  £ 4.99, transfer paper (2 in a pack) x2= £ 2.- 
Five presents for about seven pounds, easy to send internationally because they aren't heavy and with personal photographs on them? :D  

Foxy Bookmarks

Some easy Origami Bookmarks as little gifts. They weigh almost nothing so are good to send by post internationally. I'll just slot them over the edge of the cards.

DIY plant irrigation

Take 2l Sodabottles, tap a hole into the lid with a nail and a hammer, fill, screw lid on tight and upend into the pot. Those tomatoes are thirsty!

Send your pics

I tried Touchnote, the app for android phones that prints postcards from the photographs on your smartphone and sends them worldwide. I haven't seen an example of them yet, but I tried the canvas option to see how the print would turn out and I think the quality is okay. This one will be a present.

Still with the Photos

Personalized gift

Trying out a new toy

Transfer No 1

Okay, it's not exactly new but it has been sitting around for long enough without me trying it out on something or other. And as Transfer No 2 went spectacularly wrong I turned it into "Punk Vampire Kitty" instead with this Stud Punch. 

His favourite present

was the one I made myself, because this is where we met.