Category Archives: DIY

From a toilet paper roll to a beautiful christmas gift box

Posted on December 10, 2014 | 3 comments

Exchanging presents at Christmas is one of the most exciting rituals. Sometimes you find yourself wondering how to wrap small items, money or gift vouchers in other than a simple envelope that might be lost between the huge colorful gifts! These handmade gift boxes are the perfect solution.

Turn a toilet paper roll to a beautiful christmas gift box in just 10 minutes. Yes it’s a toilet paper roll!

Flatten it with your hand and fold half moon on both ends front and back. The box will come together even without glue.

Now unleash your creativity in decorating the box. You can use anything that comes to your mind.

Start timing ; Cover it with a red paper, wrap around a golden thread, attach 2 small bells to both ends and stick a small ornament. I used a star made with salt dough (already showed how to do in a previous post). Stooooop! I bet it took less than 10 minutes.

Here are four other ways to decorate your gift box

1. beige paper, green striped washi paper, red ribbon and green button
2. doily lace paper, red polka dot paper. red ribbon, 2 red buttons
3. green polka dot paper, golden paillette thread, 3 salt dough stars, 3 green stars made of sugar
4. red polka dot paper, green ribbon and small santa hat

Let your gifts stand out this Christmas, and make your loved ones excited about the wrap more than the gift itself! I would say give a double present this year!

Always add your personal touch to anything you offer, it makes you presents more precious and full of thoughts and love. Ditch expensive wrappings and go simple and creative with materials you already have at home and impress your family and friends.

You still have time to save the toilet paper rolls, don’t throw them! Make extra gift boxes, fill them with candies and make all the children you know happy! It could be children you don’t know…. This is actually what’s all about in Christmas.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!

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Posted in design, DIY, special occasions

Tagged blog, christmas, christmas gift box, DIY, gift box, gift boxes, homemade, how to do, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, step by step, toilet paper, toilet paper roll, wrapping

What about homemade gifts for Christmas?!

Posted on December 8, 2014 | 4 comments

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time when you most receive and offer gifts. Personally, i love homemade gifts, adding your personal touch and thoughts, turns any simple gesture to a gift of love. At the end this is what Christmas is all about, no?!

Let your presents this year be expressive, offer JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE… homemade shortbread cookies to your loved ones. Remember my motto?! (Mother teresa quote) we don’t do big things, we do small things with big love!

Very simple and creative! Bake letter cookies and create the word you would love to wish for the one you are offering to. Place it in a box, bag or any package of your choice and spread the joy!

Doesn’t make you smile to receive one of these cute packages? or see your name made with cookies on your plate at the Christmas eve?

I am sure your colleagues at work, neighbors or friends will be happy to know you were thinking of them and that you made specially for them this little unique gift full of love.

This year I am offering joy to my loved ones. Wishing you all the happiness in the world, and may the birth of Jesus flourishes joy in your hearts!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!

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Posted in dessert, DIY, special occasions

Tagged blog, christmas, christmas cookies gift, christmas gifts, cookies, homemade, homemade cookies gift, homemade gift, homemade gifts, jaymmy, joy, love, marmite et ponpon, packaging, recipe, shortbread cookies

Snowman fridge – crafts for tiny hands

Posted on December 3, 2014 | 4 comments

At christmas, people find themselves shopping for fancy decorations, huge and expensive trees that they compete over (as if there is a reward at the end of the season)and they end up paying leg and arm to decorate their houses. The result is forbidding their children from touching anything or enjoying the festivities.

The only reward that matters is seeing my son enjoying a real Christmas and living it to bits! To your kids, touching, discovering and playing with the colorful decorations means more than just admiring. Therefore, i never buy any decoration that i wouldn’t let him touch. In a previous post i showed you how to make handmade ornaments , my son loves to decorate and redecorate his own tree with no restrictions, we call it “le sapin de Nady”. The best way to introduce Christmas to your toddler is letting him live it.

Today we are doing a snowman fridge! The simplest ideas are the most striking. I enjoy crafting with Nady, especially he has a go at arts and crafts, i find it as fun and quality time together. All you need is self adhesive colored papers, but if you don’t have you can use regular colored ones and clear contact papers.

5 black small circles to make the mouth
2 bigger black circles for the eyes
an orange triangle for the nose
any colors you like to make 7-10 rectangles to form the scarf and 3-4 circles for the buttons.

If your fridge is not white you can still do it the dishwasher or a white door. I love the rich simplicity!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!

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Posted in design, DIY, special occasions, way to play

Tagged art and craft for kids, blog, christmas, christmas crafts for toddlers, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, snowman, snowman fridge, way to play

Reindeer advent calendar DIY

Posted on November 27, 2014 | 4 comments

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, the flying reindeers leading Santa Claus sleigh will surprise you with a treat everyday 🙂

I know it’s not the time to start the countdown, but if you are willing to do your Advent Calendar by yourself as we did, you will need to prepare for it. Anyways it’s in three days.

So easy and fun to do. A great way to introduce Christmas to your toddler and live the fun of the season everyday. You will need:

25 beige paper (200gsm) not too thick. you decide on the size depending how big you want to make the cone head
brown felt to do the antlers, i used approx. quarter meter. If you can’t find felt, use any thick paper to let the antlers stand.
25 red pompoms for the nose
50 wiggling eyes
red thread
25 clothspin
numbers from 1-24
UHU liquid glue, and UHU patafix to fix the clothspins on the wall

As the step by step above picture shows, create a cone very similar to the popcorn one. stick the eyes and nose, better say let your child enjoy sticking them in the right place! Cut the antlers and stick them (i used the UHU liquid glue), make two holes on both sides to insert the red thread. The last thing to do, stick the numbers on the clothspin and attach it to the thread.

Attach them on the wall in tree shape from 1 to 24. I used UHU patafix to not spoil the paint. You can hang them on a wire (thread) next to each other if your plan is not to fix them on the wall.

Let the countdown begin!

I kept the last 2 rows empty, Nady has always his new games and rules, he was enjoying hiding his small toys. Anyways we won’t be here to use them, didn’t i mention we are going home to celebrate Christmas with our family??! Yes, we are and can’t wait!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!

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Posted in design, DIY, special occasions, way to play

Tagged advent calendar, blog, christmas, countdown, DIY, how to do, jaymmy, marmite et ponpon, reindeers, reindeers advent calendar, santa, Santa Claus, step by step, treat

Napkin folding christmas tree

Posted on November 26, 2014 | 13 comments

Christmas eve dinner with the family is one of the traditions! Since we got married we managed (so far) to celebrate Christmas eve with both families together back home. This is what i call joy comes in a bundle!

Dressing the table for the occasion is so fun. Everything is fun about Christmas, i know i am saying this in each post, but what to do, dear Christmas i love you so much!

Origami, this art of folding, always allured me ! I love how you can transform a flat sheet into a 3D shape, any shape!! Here is a step by step tutorial to know how to fold a napkin into Christmas tree shape.

You can leave it like this:

Or you can add an ornament on top, could be a star, bell or Santa hat like i did!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!