paper sleeves and monograms for plastic containers

Despite all the fancy packaging choices at stores, giving away your holiday home-baked goods in plastic containers isn’t necessarily such a tacky thing (given the right accessory!).

With your favorite heavy stock cut and folded into a sleeve, your ordinary disposable plastic container is easily dressed as a pretty little package for giving away anytime, not just Christmas.  Punch out a monogram and make it more personal!

I first designed sleeves like these for Christmas favors way back in 2003.  That was the time I realized store-bought holiday tins and boxes (though printed and pretty) are three things: 1) lacking in personal touch; 2) pricey (if considering volume gift-giving); and 3) not exactly what I want.   Since then, and every year, I looked forward to making treats packaged in my own custom (most importantly: cost-effective!) designs which I gave away to family and friends in lieu of a Christmas card.  This style is most personal to me, out of all annual packages I’ve designed in the last 8 years because this is the project that inspired my need for custom Christmas packaging going forward.  It also happens to be the simplest.  Overtime on this blog, I would love to share with you each and every one of my past annual custom packages given to my family and friends and co-workers, however, I will start from the very beginning with this simple piece from 2003.

From the original batch in 2003.

My “Kuya” (“Big Brother” in Filipino) thoughtfully kept and preserved the original package I gave him (down to the bits of brownie stuck on the inside lid of the container — eeew!).  Seeing it after eight years is what inspired me to post this project on this blog.  But for the blog, I wanted to change it up to show some patterns I currently love: plaid, cane, and herringbone.

Of course, it would be a long search to find the exact blue shades of plaid, cane, and herringbone cardstock to match the containers, so I opted out of that challenge.  Instead, I quickly designed my own plaid, cane, and herringbone paper using none other than Microsoft Word (a hack job I often do…which leads me to the thought that perhaps one day in the coming year, I will have a little blog instruction on how to easily utilize MS Word as a design tool, if you do not want to spend the big bucks on Adobe’s sophisticated offerings).

You will need to measure your plastic container and cut and fold your stock accordingly.  I suggest a container no larger than 4″ in diameter, such as the ones I used, otherwise you will encounter the impossibility of fitting 12″ cardstock around it.

To remedy any gaps (due to lack of length of paper), overlap a tiny strip with a greeting for an added touch.

thank you, instructables!

Lookie what came in the mail today!  A package containing a Nikon Coolpix, an adorable T-shirt and matching patch.  I have instructables.com to thank for the wonderful prize I was awarded for my entry into one of their Halloween Contests.

Remember the wearable gory brain I made with caulking and a fitted cap and wrote for Craft for Halloween?  Well, I entered it into the Instructables Halloween Photos Challenge and won Second Place.  Yay!  Many, many thanks!

 If you want to have your mind blown away, you ought to check out the projects over at Instructables.  I get lost in a pool of creativity every time I poke around over there.  Lots of superdupertalented crafters!

paper clip christmas cards

So I thought (we all thought) my paper clip Christmas crafts were done with.  But I realized I hadn’t crafted a single Christmas card for the blog this season.  Gasp!  Is Christmas ten days away?  

Given my recent posts, paper clips were right here within reach and this was just too easy.  I happen to have a huge tub of colored paper clips with perfect shades for Christmas shapes.

These cards can be easily crafted by little hands.  Just dab the paper clips on some glue and design away.

macaron moment at ladurée in nyc

I haven’t been toParis.  I could’ve been had I accepted my parents’ generous offer to have a family trip a decade ago, but I declined because I wanted to take summer courses on Late Baroque art and architecture here in Toronto.  So off they went, mom, dad, and brother, to celebrate mom’s 50th in Europe and to see, in the flesh, the very places and art works I was studying in my books.  Go figure.  Sigh.  Going to Paris on dad’s dime is an opportunity long gone.  But I digress. Paris has come to us in 2011.  Here it is, Ladurée‘s first and only North American branch opened in New York City late this summer.

I was in New York over the weekend to give O.T. emotional support as he signed a rental agreement on a new apartment in  Hudson Valley, home to IBM’s headquarters and many campuses.  As of Monday next week, he will be designing computer chips for IBM after several years of doing so for AMD.  It is a very stressful time for him and a little sojourn was in order.  A macaron moment!  We spent a couple of hours in Manhattan for one purpose only: to indulge in macarons.  Ok, fine, I admit.  This was really more of my thing, but I was happy he conceded.

I love macarons, as I’ve recently attested through creating my own plaster macaron ornaments.

I was armed with $150 and managed to afford one box of 24 macarons and three boxes of 6 macarons as gifts, and a bag of 4 macarons for O.T. and I to snack on, leaving me $13 under budget.  Yes, $137 gets you less than four dozen macarons at Ladurée, which may be hard to stomach, despite being able to scoff down a teeny macaron in two bites.

As for the taste of the macarons, I hate to say this, La Bamboche and Ruelo in  Toronto are still my favorite, considering the exotic and innovative macarons they serve such as green tea-sesame, rose-lychee, mango-green tea, and yuzu, among other delightful flavors.

But isn’t Ladurée’s packaging so pretty?  With less than four dozen macarons, perhaps I paid more for the packaging than I did the sweets.  I love the details, down to the custom-cut wax paper that lines the boxes and the golden seal that secures said wax paper (in the box of 24) and the elegant slip of paper listing all the flavors available.

It’s an indulgence indeed and one I could only excuse now that it is Christmas.

chalkboard christmas cone

For a while I felt chalkboard crafts have grown tired, but I just couldn’t resist another!  It’s been a while since my last (the 3-D chalkboard cake I made for Craft was back in July).  What I also couldn’t resist (the carrot Easter basket I made for Canadian Living‘s The Craft Blog glares at me daily as it hangs by the doorway to my craft room) is another project using a dollar store safety cone…

So here it is, a chalkboard Christmas tree born out of a love affair between chalkboard spray paint and an orange safety cone.  And a couple of sprays of primer (you don’t want to skip priming!).

This project has actually been sitting on newspapers on the floor for the past week, dried and unattended for days.  I was so wrapped up in researching (nightly; obsessively) my own Christmas present to myself, erm, to Paper, Plate, and Plane (i.e. a new camera!), that I forgot all about it.  Then this morning, amidst packing my lunch for work and packing my clothes for an upcoming weekend in NYC with O.T., I remembered it was incomplete.  I hastily scribbled some designs before leaving for work.  As much as I would’ve wanted to spend time on them, I couldn’t.  But if and when you make one for yourself or your kids or grandkids, I wish you many hours of doodling merriment!

silver christmas tree from paper clips

Push pins.  Rubber bands.  And now for my final installment of Christmas décor out of office supplies.  A $4 box of 1,000 paper clips made up this avant-garde tree.

I was most looking forward to creating this out of all four trees I made, assuming all four would be equally simple.  I was wrong about this one.  The concept is simple, but, admittedly, fussy to achieve.

First you have to create a garland of paper clips by stringing them through a thin, light gauge wire.  I calculated about 2,000 consecutive seconds (33 minutes, at 2 seconds per paper clip) to finish this first and important step.  However, I was also intent on having each paper clip face the exact same way and discovered it was best to string the paper clip through the end that has a smaller loop.  The smaller loop acts as a lock to prevent the paper clip from shifting as much as it would had it been strung through the larger loop.   And I didn’t account for several spills.  Oh, also, 1,000 paper clips weren’t quite sufficient.  Luckily, I had some extras stashed from when I designed my paper clip necklace last December.   I used about 1,100 paper clips all in all, and the garland took much longer than the time allocated.

Then attaching the garland to a 6″ Styrofoam cone is presumably simple, too.  But not.  I inserted one end (at least 1-1/2″) of the wire into the side of the cone and started wrapping the garland around the cone (it really is important to use thin wire and not string, as the purpose of the wire is to be stuck into the cone).  This was when I ran into the problem of paper clips bunching together.  After several ineffective attempts, I managed to keep the paper clips aligned and flat on the table as I slowly wrapped the garland upwards.   I made sure I formed the wire along the cone to minimize the garland from sliding down (the weight of 1,100 paper clips will slide down).  Again, another important reason to use wire: so that the shape can be maintained.  When that is done, then the rest is simple.  I just secured the wire (at least 1-1/2″) into the top of the cone.

Despite it all, I’m glad I did this and the other trees!  If you’re just tuning in now, over the past three posts I made crystal Christmas trees from push pins, a shag Christmas tree from rubber bands, and rubber-band wrapped trees.  Enjoy!

rubber band-wrapped Christmas trees

I had enough rubber bands to spare from my one-pound bag to make these rubber band-wrapped Christmas trees as the third installment of my Christmas décor from office supplies.

If you’ve missed the previous two, you can find crystal Christmas trees from push pins here and a shag Christmas tree from rubber bands here.  And if you’re not into shaggy trees made of rubber bands, these here are chic and just as easy.

Cover Styrofoam cone with rubber bands horizontally.  Then vertically.  Done!  Now wasn’t that quicker than wrapping and gluing cones with sisal?

shag christmas tree from rubber bands

Now, now.  We all know the 70’s have made a feverish comeback.  Middle-parted long hair, wide jeans and trousers, and elevator wedges are rapidly ousting teased poufs, skinny pants, and flats.  Now onto 70’s shag for some home décor!

As you know, I’ve spent the majority of my weekend making holiday décor out office supplies.

So, I reached for a huge bag of rubber bands at Staples (a pound for less than $4) to hail the big comeback of the 70’s with a quick-n-easy shag Christmas tree.  No, not that kind of quick-n-easy shag.  Umm.  Indeed, a very quirky craft compared to yesterday’s classy crystal Christmas trees from clear push pins.  But who doesn’t love quirky?

One pound of rubber bands is more than enough to make two 9″ shag trees.

1. Cut one rubber band open.  Thread through rubber bands.

2. When you have enough rubber bands threaded through, tie in a knot to close.

3. Take your ring of rubber bands and place around the bottom of Styrofoam cone.

4. Cut all rubber bands open.

5. Continue steps 1-4 until you have your tree covered.

Now that I’ve stared at this craft for too long, I think I might add paper wings to the sides and a small Styrofoam ball (with closed eyes and a smile) on top of the tree and I’ve got a very unique Christmas angel!  I shall try it out…

Another variation of rubber band Christmas trees to follow.

crystal christmas trees from clear push pins

So this is what my container of push pins got me.  Crystal Christmas trees!  Ok, not to rival Swarovski.  However, an acceptable substitute for those on a dime.

These plastic push pins really shine, far better than I imagined.

One container of 500 push pins (which I picked up at Staples for $6; likely cheaper for lucky Americans with better pricing south of the border!) is enough, with few to spare, to cover one 9″ Styrofoam cone.

Up next (tomorrow), two variations of Christmas trees out of rubber bands…

christmas décor from office supplies

I’ve been busily crafting some chic (and unique!) Christmas décor out of office supplies.  Yup.  Office supplies.

I went to Staples and splurged on a box of 1,000 paper clips for $4, a container of 500 clear push pins for $6, and one hefty one-pounder bag of rubber bands for $4.

Out-of-the-ordinary Christmas décor coming your way over the next few posts…

christmas holiday ideas

I’ve been working hard all weekend and just finished a handful of curious Christmas crafts!  But before I forget, here is a recap of all the fun and festive ideas I shared on this blog last year so you can find it all in one place!  I didn’t realize I made so many (which reminds me how horribly slow I’ve been this year).  If you didn’t try them last year, I hope you may try some this year!

CRAFTS AND DÉCOR IDEAS

Rolled Paper Christmas Ornaments

With some strips of paper and mounting tape, you can roll these simple paper ornaments, then go crazy with the quilling (as I wish I did).

A New Life for Old Plastic Ornaments

Grant your old plastic snowflake ornaments a new life.   Print beloveds’ names on cardstock, cut stock into circles, and stick circles to your ol’ plastic snowflake to use as dazzling place cards and gift tags.

Lego-inspired Advent Calendar Treat Boxes

It’s way past December 1st, but if you still got time, you may finish this in time for Christmas.  My favorite Christmas craft last year that nearly had me cross-eyed!

Decorative Sequoia Cone

Why dispose of those brown shopping bags when you can cut them up and tape them together to form a ginormous brown bag sequoia cone as a table centerpiece?

Lace Wreath

What can you get from a long balloon (the ones that magically turn into poodles and swords), a doily, and some glue?  Well, an stylish lace wreath, of course.

No-knit Mini Stockings

Here’s one for my fellow non-knitters!  Take your old red gloves and white gloves (or your festive colors of choice), cut up the fingers, switch them up, stitch them up, and you have teeny weeny miniature stockings fit for your Hershey’s kiss.  (Or a diamond ring?  Or a modest diamond necklace?  Or a humble pair of wee diamond earrings?  Men should read this blog more often!!!)

Christmas Stocking Cards

If you’re thinking “That lady over at Paper, Plate, and Plane has lost her mind, taking all of life’s precious time to hack gloves into mini stockings”, really, it ain’t for naught!  Those mini stockings are perfect to append to your handmade cards then fill with love such as greetings, or cash, or diamonds (right, gents?).

Paperclip Statement Necklace

I wore this necklace recently to the One of a Kind Show here in Toronto last weekend.  I was stopped over half a dozen times by strangers who were curious about such a statement piece.  Upon closer inspection, they discovered it’s made of paper clips, and even more gratifying were their reactions (considering people at the One of a Kind Show pay for handcrafted items like hats for $200, I take their gleeful reactions as gratifying).  Last year’s paper clip necklace was worth my efforts and I’m not afraid to keep wearing it!

Creative Gift Wrapping

Make monogram-window gift wrap.  Lace-up a doily around a mailing tube.  Fold and pleat a gift wrap and shape into a gift bag.  Turn a gift wrap into a gift envelope with spool.

Foil Pan Rose Topiary

Foil pie pans turned into rosettes turned into a topiary.  A surprisingly simple task with spectacular results.  I still have mine as my year-round coffee table centerpiece.

Date Stamp Gift Wrap

Take your printy-dater stamps and some large sheets paper (I love kraft) and stamp the date away!  I made stripe, criss-cross, herringbone, and snow patterns last year.

FOOD IDEAS

Po’ Boy Truffles (Grown-up Rice Krispie Treats)

Turn your rice krispie treat into a liquor infused grown-up indulgence!  I’ve used in the past various rice krispie combinations such as coconut rum, coffee toffee, amaretto, Canadian maple walnut, and many others (the list is long).  I made dozens of these last year (candy cane po’ boy truffles) as favors for a charity event. 

Peppermint Favor Boxes

Yes, two Styrofoam bowls and red electrical tape can turn into peppermint candy favor boxes.  I filled mine last year with, as mentioned above, dozens and dozens of candy cane po’ boy truffles.

DIY Cookie Stamps and Pleated Cookie Wrapping

Design and make your very own cookie stamps by simply cutting out a plastic sheet (a chopping board, and a couple who wrote me last year substituted with plastic margarine lids — fantastic recycling!).  Then, as something out-of-the-ordinary (for cookies anyway), wrap your cookies like you would soap!

Food Bouquets

Skewer food and  place in vases to make food bouquets this holiday!  Pinwheels, prepared foods, desserts, you name it.  You can skewer almost anything!

Chocolate-covered Roasted Chestnuts

For easy and elegant seasonal treats, dip roasted chestnuts in chocolate.  Pack in pretty little truffle boxes.

Coconut Mochi Snowmen

Homemade mochi using coconut milk and rolled in coconut flakes make up these coconut mochi snowmen.