Today I've been finishing my miniature desk dusters.
These are made by winding the stems of 3-4 of the bunches of vivid coloured feathers together to form a little duster shape. I've been buying these, seen below, at 10 for $2 at the sale at feather.com.au.
I'm then winding double satin ribbon around the stems and gluing the long edge with craft glue, and tying toning deeper coloured slim satin ribbon around them to finish.
If the feathers have long stringy bits overhanging, I trim them to make them look neater and more compact.
Here's one with a teaspoon next to it for scale.
Cute, huh?
They'll be packaged in hand made pillow boxes like this...
There are templates all over the internet for folded gift boxes. These are really easy and you generate 8-10 gift boxes from one sheet of project cardboard. So much nicer than bought ones, as you can choose any cardboard you like to make them. Mine is a soft green marble look cardstock.
My gift boxes are tied with hand dyed crepe paper 'ribbon', (this one is softest peach along the edges but you can't really tell in the photograph), and topped with another bargain buy from feather.com.au, their fabric flowers at 15 for $2. I mentioned these the other day on my gift wrapping post using the base of a bunch of celery to stamp gift wrap...see it here.
This one is a cute denim one, perfect for a teen, or tween girl. And the bonus is that they get to keep and wear their rose gift topper as a hair accessory or brooch.
Someone said to me yesterday that they'd wear their feather duster as a corsage too. Okay....if that's what works for you!
Some of my little feather dusters have rhinestone handles too. Very flash indeed. I'll share photos of those soon.
How are your special DIY gifts coming along?
Mimi I love these and may have to put them on my to do list.
ReplyDeleteLast night I managed to find some 100% white cotton tea towels on eBay - I have been looking for a couple of weeks and while I found a place that sold similar their site was hard to navigate so I put it on my 'last resort list'.
Now I just need to get my hands on my mother in laws recipe book and get some of her recipes printed up on the tea towels - in her handwriting - thought they would make a great gift for the nieces and price wise will come in at $2-00 excluding the printing which I believe I can do at home with our computer.
I have soaps ready to wrap for some other friends - these are organic and retail at around $7- each but I picked them up for $1-50 - just working out the wrapping for them - too many ideas floating through my mind at the moment.
Pillow parcels would work, I know I have a pattern here somewhere for them. (One of those things that I have had floating around for a long time but never used.)
Last week I popped into a couple of op shops and managed to find some glasses that are perfect for creating a little succulent garden in - the glasses were -50 cents each. I just need to pick up some potting mix and small pebbles, the succulents we have growing in pots.
I am still working on a few other gift ideas.
Lynette
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Lynette the teatowels sound just gorgeous! I've never put fabric through my printer either but apparently it can be done. This is a thing I've had on my Pinterest to-do list for ages too, so I'll be interested to hear how you go! All of your gift ideas sound beautiful. Send me photos so I can post them here if you like. Love, Mimi xxx
DeleteThose tiny feather dusters are so pretty! What a lovely gift!
ReplyDeleteThanks Debbie. They are pretty adorable if I do say so myself ;0) Mimi xxx
DeleteLove! I use real feather dusters made from Ostrich feathers for my usual dusting plus have one on a long pole so I can reach ceilings etc. They are lovely to use. As a gift this smaller and prettie version is gorgeous! I just love it. So ok I will be copying this! Now to go look at that feather link... I have access to a fair few free feathers but adding coloured ones would be nice. Pun less I can find pink turkeys or something! Can't wait to see the pretty handles.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh...these are so cute! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
The little dusters are so cute! I want a bunch of them perched in a coffee mug on my desk just so I can enjoy the fluff and the pretty colors. They remind me of another project my daughter and I did a few years ago...perhaps we need to try that again for Christmas. Thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun DIY Mimi! Thank you for linking it up with the Art of Home-Making Mondays! :)
ReplyDeleteOh Mimi, boy are you busy creating such nice Christmas gifts. I love this idea to make dusters. Thanks so much for sharing you ideas with us.
ReplyDeleteWe hope to see you again next time at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
What cute little dusters! You are very crafty and I'm sure all your friends will thank you. I like the little pillow boxes too garnished with a rose. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAutumn blessings,
Sandi
I LOVE the idea of the little feather dusters. I want to find time to try them. I have several bags of feathers I could adapt. Thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteOh Mimi, these are just the cutest! I must make some {{smiles}} It's always a joy to have you at Roses of Inspiration. Thank you for joining the party. Love to you!
ReplyDelete