Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Old Fashioned Candy Tins

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Candy.com – Old tin lunch boxes $12.95

My 5 Year old started School this year which brought up fond memories of my school years. One of those memories was carrying around an old tin lunch box.  I can’t recall for the life of me what the character was and it’s surprisingly bugging me. If I ever go into deep hypnosis therapy this will be one of my deep embedded questions. “What was my lunch box character?” Do you remember what was on your lunch box?

So to cut a long story short, I have been searching high and low for adorable lunch boxes and then once I find the perfect one I will find a reason to buy it.

Here is my find and here is my reason : Party Favor Boxes for a chocolate themed 4 year olds party. I know the kids probably wont appreciate it, But the thought of every parents having a mini trip down memory lane excites me and outweighs the cost of these tins.

Decorative storage around the house would be quirky.  What else could you use these tins for? Add your own great links to tin finds in the comments below.

 

Have you read?

Christmas Stick and Stitch Embroidery Pattern – Etsy Review

I am a little bit in love with these kinds of stick and stitch embroidery designs, because they are exactly the sort of project that gets you started straight away instead of sitting in a pile while you overthink thread colours and transfers for three weeks. The Christmas Stick and Stitch Embroidery Pattern from HoopArtStitch is a water-soluble peel-and-stick hand embroidery transfer, not a machine embroidery file, and Etsy lists it under craft supplies with fabric stabilizer and ink as the materials.

What makes this set especially appealing is how approachable it looks. The listing images show a pack of 12 Christmas-themed designs including a tree, ornaments, mug, pudding, reindeer, presents, mittens, mistletoe, bells, a poinsettia, and a car with presents on top, with the motifs shown at around 1.5 to 3 inches. That size feels very manageable, which is often exactly what helps people stay motivated. You can actually finish one, feel clever, and then want to do another instead of burning out halfway through some giant “character building” hoop.

I also think these are a great option for beginners because the hard part of getting the design onto the fabric is already sorted. You just peel, stick, stitch, and wash it away when you are done. That simple setup is a big part of why stick-and-stitch packs are so satisfying. They remove a lot of the fuss, which means you get to the fun part faster, and that alone can make hand embroidery feel much less intimidating. This is an inference based on the product format shown in the listing.

The shop side looks reassuring too. HoopArtStitch is marked as a Star Seller, which Etsy says means the shop consistently earns 5-star reviews, dispatches on time, and replies quickly to messages. The item reviews shown on the page are also very encouraging, with buyers calling it “very easy to apply, good designs for a first timer,” “exactly what I needed and excellent quality,” and “I really love this product.”

Another nice little sign that people are genuinely drawn to it is that the listing was posted on 15 January 2026 and already has 1,585 favourites, which is a pretty good indication that this style of project is resonating with hand stitchers.

Overall, this feels like one of those easy Christmas embroidery projects for beginners that is genuinely motivating rather than aspirational in a stressful way. It is cute, practical, and has that instant-start appeal that makes you actually want to sit down and stitch. And honestly, I completely get why you are in love with them. Sometimes the best craft supplies are the ones that make it easier to begin.