Pretty Paper Studio For Me DIY Kit (May Edition) – Review…

If you have been following me for a while, you will already know my love for Pretty Paper Studio. For those that are unaware of who they are, let me introduce you…

“Pretty Paper Studio is a paper craft haven that Nielouphar Abdurahiman set up in April 2012, out of a huge love for crafting and the desire to preserve personal memories. Through Pretty Paper Studio we hope to make your creative pursuits easy and fun. By yourself or with your family.” ~ ppsuae.com

As well as an online store, it is a platform for members to share their own pieces of artwork via the Member Gallery, share tips and tricks on the Message Board, learn new things via tutorials, and the latest venture of purchasing your very own For Me DIY Kit.

What is a “For Me” DIY Kit?

“‘For Me’ DIY Kit is the perfect way to give yourself the much-needed downtime after a busy day. Each kit will come with a surprise DIY project, all necessary supplies, and detailed instructions. You will additionally be given access to a private video tutorial. The kit will also include few carefully curated products from local makers and artisans. Through ‘For Me’ DIY Kits, we aim to not only help nurture your creativity but also support artisans and small businesses in the UAE. Remember, this kit is for you – for your love of making, and for utilizing the most of your precious quiet time.” ~ ppsuae.com

Being a stay at home mother can often take it’s toll on you. Your life is ruled by your little ones, and often “Me Time” is a non-existent but very much craved for desire in your life. Even though, I have my passion for blogging to keep me going and busy, sometimes I crave some downtime.

I miss the days back in school, carried forward into college and university, when I would be bent over my table painting, mixing colours, adding textures and playing with compositions. My love for art runs deep, and though I have my favourite mediums, being creative in general is something I pride myself on.

When I was introduced to Pretty Paper Studio’s For Me DIY Kits earlier this year, it reignited my love for arts and crafts. You can read more about my experience with the first ‘For Me’ DIY Kit and more about Pretty Paper Studio here. The first one involved water colours, my favourite art medium by far, so I was hesitant as to how the second May edition would beat the initial experience for me. However, when the May kit arrived and I did an unboxing of it on my InstaStories, I was like a kid in a candy store and couldn’t quite contain my excitement!

For Me DIY Kit – May Edition

The May Kit include crafting your very own Whimsical No Sew Pom Pom Tote. Here are all the items the kit includes:

1. A good quality medium size white tote with base – 13.5″ x 13.5 ” x 2.5″

2. Pom Pom Maker – 4 sizes – 3cm, 4.5 cm, 5.5 cm, 9 cm

3. Yarn

4. Iron-on Cloud Patch

5. Adhesive

6. Written Instructions

7. Private Video Tutorial by @remadedxb

Handmade For You in the UAE

8. Houndstooth Jacquard Pouch with Handcrafted Tassel Zip Tie by Ragmatazz ~ Such a great size to fit your craft supplies into. I must admit, I have been keeping my pens and other stationary in the plastic stationary bag that they came in, so it’s about time I moved them all into this chic pouch. I have in fact been following this brand already on my Instagram for a while now because I absolutely lovely their creative woven designs, especially their groovy reversible jackets!

9. Scented Sachet in a cute Owl design by Pictoresca Design ~ This smells divine and is currently hanging on my headboard to soothe our active minds to sleep. It can also be placed in your drawers to keep them smelling fresh thanks to it’s long lasting scent.

10. A pair of Quilted Coasters by Quilted Tales ~ These quilted coaster are double sided – grey on one side and black on the other, to suit your interiors. Quilted Tales have in fact featured on my blog before, so you can read more about the brand here.

11. Homemade Lavender Body Butter by Raw Sensations ~ I have only just today finished using this up because I had been lathering it on myself for the past few days. It smells delicious and melts on your body given your body temperature. This body butter is handmade using raw unrefined shea butter and organic ingredients. Your body couldn’t be pampered enough!

Making my No Sew Pom Pom Tote…

It just so happened that the day after I received the DIY Kit, my husband took my son with him for his annual company Iftar. This meant I had ample time to myself, and if it wasn’t for the Kit, I would probably be there twiddling my thumbs all evening, calling every half hour to check up on Master Z.

I cracked open the kit, and with the help of the video tutorial, I was able to make my Pom Pom Tote. I loved that every item was individually packed, and the attention to detail is amazing, something that I have noted before too with orders from Pretty Paper Studio.

I began by making the pom poms themselves, twirling the yarn in and out of the pom pom makers. I made three different sizes, using the given templates. Making them was so nostalgic as it brought back childhood memories of me making them with my older sister using donut shaped cardboard cutouts. It was far more complicated using cardboard because it was easy enough to cut into them and have the yarn fray out of control before you got a chance to tie it together. So I was pretty thankful for these modern contraptions that clicked together and kept the yarn in place.

As I mentioned before, I wasn’t sure if a fabric related kit would beat it’s predecessor of water colouring, but the pom pom making itself was incredibly therapeutic. Which I guess is the whole point of a kit specifically “For Me” and to achieve the desired downtime!

Once the pom poms were made, I made an extra one for Master Z to play with when he got home, and I am happy to report back that there was still plenty of left over yarn for me to use at a later date. I then proceeded to iron on the cloud patch, again made easy thanks to the video tutorial by reMADEDXB, so amateurs like me do not need to fret about getting it wrong. I stuck on the pom poms using the provided adhesive, and voila! My Tote was ready.

Except…

Except of course there was still some time left till my boys got back, and I wanted to make it a little more unique…So I got myself a handful of sequins (also from Pretty Paper Studio) and dotted them under the cloud as if to look like shimmering droplets of rain.

I initially started sewing them on, but thanks to my shameful sewing skills, I decided against that and proceeded to simply stick them on using the provided adhesive. I am so happy with the final result, and have in fact decided to gift this to my grandmother when I visit England in August. (Her sewing and Knitted Doilies are GOALS by the way!) I am sure it will be very much treasured, and think the outcomes of these kits can be great to use for yourself (as I did with the first painting that sits on my windowsill) or as a handmade gift for a loved one. In fact, given the season, the May DIY Kit makes for a great Eid Gift too, as a treat for yourself or a loved one!

I would highly recommend these kits, amateur or not, for anyone with a spark of creativity and interested in making something that fills themselves with pride and give them something else to think about rather than dirty nappies and who next to arrange a play date with!

Pretty Paper Studio

You can order your very own “For Me” DIY Kit (May Edition) from the PPS website here. You can also stay updated with the latest Pretty Paper Studio has to offer, including live tutorials and tips, through their social media: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest.

Are you a crafty person? Have you tried out any of Pretty Paper Studio’s DIY Kits? Did you enjoy creating your masterpieces? Feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comments section below!

Note: This is a sponsored post, in collaboration with Pretty Paper Studio. However, all views and opinions expressed above are honest and solely my own.