Packaging Your Home-Made Jewelry Elegantly

I have shared a number of blogs with you where I introduced you to the art of jewelry-making. However, the presentation of jewelry is as important as the appearance of the jewelry itself. Recall for yourself the grand boxes and containers that your own jewelry came packaged in when you bought it. I share a couple of inexpensive packaging ideas with you in today's blog, that will make your already pretty home-made jewelry sparkle even brighter. Am I still in time for your Christmas gifting ideas?

The jewelry I want to include in the package is already made.

I've kept these two boxes after receiving a gift as I adored how presentable they were. I have often used re-purposed packaging in my blogs and I saw real potential here. Having shared a number of blogs on folding your own boxes, I am not going to repeat those here, but if you wish to fold your own sliding boxes, you may want to look this blog up:

Turning your Adult Coloring Pages into beautiful Sliding Gift Boxes

If you like the idea of the square-framed boxes, you can combine the blog above with the one below, to fold your own square-framed sliding boxes:

Folding a Box Frame

I love the striped edges on the boxes and decide to keep those. I will only cover the bottoms and tops of the lids. I find matching paper and measure the areas I want to cover. I then cut the paper out to match those measurements.

I stick double-sided tape all around the edges of the surfaces that will be covered.

I then lay the covers in place. I do this for both tops and both bottoms of the two boxes.

I then select a number of embellishments to decorate the boxes with. My jewelry is intended for a little girl who is turning 5 and I keep the decor in tune with this. You can make yours as elegant or as playful as seem appropriate for your intended recipient.

I have the option of simply removing this inner partition, but this will work wonderfully for arranging the earrings and I decide to keep it. I measure the inside measurements of the partitions.

I then use the off-cuts from covering the boxes to cut paper squares that will fit inside the partitions.

I then use an awl to make a tiny hole in each of the paper squares.

The earring hook is slipped into the paper square.

The earrings are then laid in place, each in its own partition.

Doesn't this look more presentable than simply slipping the earrings into a bag, or similar object?

I then slide the whole inner case into a cellophane bag.

The ends are neatly folded in and taped down.

I then finally slip the lid back on.

The contents of the second box will be slightly more tricky to package. I am dealing with a variety of necklaces and bangles of different sizes, lengths and shapes. I will deal with each individually.

I start by measuring the inside of the box to determine the ideal size of my packaging. I then use the off-cuts from covering the boxes to cut backings for the jewelry from.

I cut tiny squares for the beads to fit through the paper.

I slide the shortest necklace through these holes and clasp it at the back.

I simply twist it to make it shorter in the front.

The view from the back.

I now slide the whole parcel into a cellophane bag and tape the open end shut. I could also melt it shut with my sealing machine, but I do not wish to make this too tricky to open for a 5-year old.

The packaged necklace is then places inside the box.

The multi-string necklace is treated much the same way, except that I make the holes much larger to accommodate the increased bulk that should fit through it.

As it would look very untidy to fold the extra length back in the front, I pull it through to the back.

It is then neatly tucked away behind the backing paper.

This necklace is also slipped into a cellophane bag and sealed, before being added to the box.

The third necklace is treated much the same way as the second. This time I do not want the excess bulk in front, as the focus is on the pendant in this case, and the bulk will distract from it.

The bulk is once again neatly tucked in, the necklace slid into a cellophane bag and the bag sealed shut with tape.

This necklace is also placed inside the box.

The bulkiest, and least flexible of the bangles, is the one on the memory wire. I cut the backing paper to fit the size of the bangle.

It is slid into a cellophane bag.

You can cut the bag smaller, or simply fold it back and tape it shut.

The charm bracelet is treated the same way as the necklaces. Be sure to make the holes big enough to accommodate the charms. Fasten the clasp at the back, but leave the majority, if not all, the charms at the front of the card as these are the show pieces of this item.

Slide the bracelet into a cellophane bag. Fold and tape shut.

This last item is then added to the box, making this little box a regular treasure trove of jewelry layers waiting to be discovered.

I now have two very presentable boxes that make a very appealing set.

I once again slide the tray of the second box into its own cellophane bag, fold the edges in and tape it down.

It is time slide this lid on.

Doesn't this make an adorable gift even before it is opened?

Time to make a little girl happy.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
For more crafty ideas and great products, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
You can subscribe to this blog and receive regular updates by email by simply registering your email address at the top of the current blog.

Home-Made Ginger Beer Version 3

The days are long and hot and we have a bit more personal time on our hands. This is the ideal time for home-made ginger beer. I have shared my two grandmothers' recipes with you in previous blogs (see links in the blog), but have been reading and experimenting with a couple more recipes. I think I have finally nailed one that will be pleasing to the palette. Let me know what you think.

I needed three lemons for the ginger beer, but had only these sad looking ones available. They may not look great, but at least the juice inside is still fabulous. I would need the grated peel of the lemons as well, but these were no good for that purpose any longer. That is why I simply opted to use candied peel instead. If you are working with fresh lemons, I suggest you add the zest, rather than settling for second best, the way I was forced to.

Squeeze the juice, the flesh and the pips into a bowl. The ginger beer will be strained before serving, so it doesn't matter if all these particles are added.

You probably grated the skin before squeezing the juice out. Now add the zest to the juice. Set this aside.

If you have fresh ginger, you can peel it and put it through a chopper. Otherwise you can add crushed ginger. Measure 1/2 cup (125 ml) crushed ginger and keep it ready to be added a little later.

Boil 2 litres water. Pour the boiled water into a very large mixing bowl. Add 4 litres cold water as well.

Now add 700 g white sugar to the lukewarm water.

Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Add two packets of Instant Dry Yeast and 2 tablespoons (25 ml) cream of tartar to the mixing bowl. Add the ginger as well.

Stir well to dissolve the ingredients and to mix everything together.

Add a small handful of raisins/sultanas.

Set your lemon juice mixture aside. This will only be added in a few hours time.

Cover the mixing bowl with a net to keep unwanted visitors of the non-human kind out and leave at room temperature to ferment for 2-3 hours.

Once the fermentation process is well on its way, the ginger beer will begin to look like this.

You can now add your lemon mix to the mixing bowl. Stir well.

Cover again and leave at room temperature to ferment overnight.

This is what my ginger beer looked like the next morning.

Stir it through.

We now need to strain the ginger beer. I find it simplest to line a large bowl with fine netting.

Pour the ginger beer into the lined bowl.

If you do not have a large enough container, you can work with a smaller one and do it a little at a time, rather than all at once.

Gather the netting together and lift the strained bits out.

Pour the ginger beer into bottles.

Leave enough space at the top for the fermenting beer to expand. I add roughly 5 fresh raisins to each bottle to ensure further fermenting.

Screw the bottle tops on lightly. Do NOT tighten. Fermenting gas need to be able to escape, or the bottles will explode.

By the end of the day, my raisins had swollen slightly and was starting to move up and down the bottles. I put the bottles in the fridge just before turning in for the night. We would have ice cold ginger beer the following day!

The next day I served ice cold ginger beer to the family and it was welcome relieve to the scorching heat. This recipe is not as sweet as the other two recipes I've shared, but it is absolutely delicious.

If you would like to try out the previous recipes I shared for making ginger beer, you will find them here:
Brew some Home-made Ginger Beer

Or try this recipe:
Making Ouma Marietjie's Ginger Beer

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
For more crafty ideas and great products, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
You can subscribe to this blog and receive regular updates by email by simply registering your email address at the top of the current blog.