Paper Craft Cherry Blossom Mobile Lantern

{My Poppet Makes link}

The past couple of months I've had an amazing paper craft project in the works. It's been a while coming, and I'm so thrilled to announce that it is finally... finally live at My Poppet Makes. Happy clap!

I take immeasurable delight in flowers, culture and ornamentation. So it was an absolute passion project producing this Japanese inspired cherry blossom mobile, which doubles as a lantern.

In you're looking for other crafty projects here's a list of other recently produced tutorials:

Kidspot: Bunny Pop

Kidspot: Jewellery Frame

My Poppet: Collage Made Stationery Set

For more craft, and lifestyle based articles I recommend you visit the following:

• My Poppet
• Sew a Softie

Perhaps look at ordering a craft book or two. I can recommend:

Make in a Day by Cintia Gonzalez-Pell (the mastermind behind My Poppet), which is also available as an e-book.

Dover: Make in a Day

In closing I just want to say: 

Stay safe

Stay sane

Be calm

Be sensible

There are solutions

Use this time to run self care

Text your friends and loved ones

Read a book

Craft stuff

We'll get through this

and

Don't Panic

Today's Post is Brought to You by the Letter P

Why am I talking about the letter p? Because my recent content incidentally starts with the letter P. Such as paper doll... pom pom... and even pony.

Let's get into it so I can take you on a creative journey.

{My Poppet}

You will find my printable paper doll design over at My Poppet. For those who remember and loved paper dolls will appreciate this free printable.

{Kidspot}

Head on over to Kidspot. There you will find my hilarious Pom Pom Shoes DIY.

{this blog}

Then head back to my blog and you will find a sewing tutorial for a flying pony. It comes complete with instructions, and a video (should the instructions make no sense whatsoever ;)).

Sew a Flying Pony

I have create a sewing project for you to try.  With the supporting content video and instructions you can make your very own Flying Pony. How neat is that?

Collect some materials, biscuits and a friend (or two), and get started making this cute flying pony. FYI, the wings can be moved.

You will need:

• 3 felt sheets (different colours)
• 4 buttons
• Pen
• Thread
• Needle
• Hobby fill
• Dressmaker pins
• Haemostat or chopstick
• Craft scissors

Steps:

1. Copy and print the below template, and cut out the pattern pieces.

















2. Place the pattern pieces on felt. Draw outlines of the pattern pieces onto the felt.
Felt 1 – body, ears.
Felt 2 – tail, mane, fringe.
Felt 3 – wing.

3. Cut out the drawn felt pieces.

4. Pin the fringe, ears and mane to the top of a body piece, as per the body pattern reference markers and plain stitch together.

5. Roll up the tail piece along the length, pin it and plain stitch closed.

6. Pin together the two body pieces, with the fringe/ears/mane sandwiched between.

7. Sew along the body perimeter, 3-5mm from the edge. Keep the horse bottom open.

8. Stuff the body with hobby fill.

9. Slip the tail into the bottom opening and pin into position. Sew closed the bottom opening, making sure to stitch into the tail.

10. Stitch one button into either side of the horse’s head, as per the reference marker. The easiest way to do this is to feed the needle from one side of the body to the other, through the holes in the buttons.

11. Layer and pin each pair of wings. Plain stitch lines into each wing piece, as per the reference markers.

12. Position and pin the wings onto either side of the horse’s middle, as per the reference marker. Stitch one button into either side of the wing, as per the reference marker. Do this by feeding the needle from one side of the body to the other, through the holes in the buttons. You now have your very own flying horse.

Go Ahead! Make Your Own Sloth

© Melissa Gaggiano

How could I not be excited? Today I am launching my first craft tutorial ebook, and it's all about the sloth.

This book has been quite a few weeks in the making. There were times I wasn't sure this would actually come together. But a combination of perseverance and getting some sleep, made it possible.

And now, I present to you "Sloth – Felt Design Tutorial", available on my Etsy store.

This PDF download provides you with all the information you would need to make one of my cute sloth designs. It includes:

- material and tool listing
- simple, step by step instructions with matching photographs
- pattern pieces template page

The dimensions of the doll presented in the tutorial are as follows:
Height – 17 cm
Width – 6.5 cm

A little background story...
This sloth originally emerged as a much larger doll that has showcased in a Leonard St clothing boutique in Melbourne. The original sloths wore doll size clothes, replicating Leonard St fashion. For more information about this – Leonard St Sloth.

I then decided to product a smaller scale of the sloth (without clothes), and make it available as a tutorial, for you. Which is where this book comes in.

Visit my Etsy store and buy your own copy of "Sloth – Felt Design Tutorial".

© Melissa Gaggiano

Ladybug Loveliness

 

And now for the latest and greatest in news. I have produced a lovely ladybug tutorial for My Poppet. It is the perfect thing to make for yourself, or your favorite bugaboo. So, head on over to My Poppet and find out how you can make this cute little bug.

My Goodness, My Poppet

My latest project for My Poppet has now gone live. How gorgeous is this paper butterfly lantern. To find out how to make this project, head on over to My Poppet.

I've made one of these My Poppet toadstool pin cushions for myself. It was so good, my youngest asked me to make her one. So I did, with just one lil' tweak - needle felting the spots on. It was so effective. Visit My Poppet, and give this super easy project a whirl. You will not be disappointed by it's cuteness.

Tuxedo Mask, Mermaid + Other Cuties

This has been a week of announcements and other fun things.

Firstly, there is this finger puppet tutorial that I created for mypoppet.com.au. If you're a fan of Sailor Moon and making crafty things, then this project is for you.

My Poppet Project

In Handmade magazine, issue 37-3 you will find my Lambie doll design. Lambie is as soft as a pillow, if not, softer. You will want to make this fellow and tote him around for cuddles.

I was commissioned to make "Mirabella", a cloth mermaid doll. She was constructed using a variety of techniques:
- She is machine and hand stitched.
- Her facial and body details have been painted and drawn.
- Her hair is partially needle felted.
- Her body has internal armature.

In other things I have been constructing miniatures. Miniature food...

... and miniature sloths.

Le Papier Apartment

My Poppet Makes

Here it is! My April contribution for My Poppet Makes is now live, and you know what? It's a good day for paper crafting... Ah! Who am I kidding? There isn't a bad day for crafting and making. So, head on over to My Poppet Makes to find out how to make this Parisienne inspired paper apartment.

Tree Top Flamingos

my poppet.com.au

Here it is! My latest design-craft tutorial for My Poppet. It's got everything you would want for this time of year – flamingos, pom-poms, with a Xmassie twist. So come along, check it out here. More importantly, try it out.