A lot of the techniques I share can be used in many different applications. Sometimes you need to find a gift for someone who is a bit tricky to buy for.

Make a simple and super special notebook for that special someone. Decorate a plain notebook with a fun patchwork birds book cover and you have that special gift. So simple, but so effective. The basic birdie shape is repeated and special characteristics are drawn on with a marker.

Even better, if you are on a budget, you can use all your leftover crafting paper scraps. And remember we don't have to have patchwork birds. You could do another animal, other characters or even letters.

Make wrapping paper, gift bags, gift tags, greeting cards, name tags or anything else using this simple technique.

See above the basic template for the bird shape. Obviously you do not need to copy this. Maybe make up your own fun character. A cat, a dog, a dolphin, an elephant. It could be anything. Find simple characters online, download and make your own templates.

Draw or copy the bird shape onto card.  Use an old cereal box or similar. Cut out the template and draw around it, tracing the shape onto your patterned papers. We are going to need twelve little birds for our birds book cover project.

All your birds can face the same way or maybe flip your template and have a few facing the other direction. Just for fun.

Cut out all your birds and layout the arrangement on the note book cover. Then cut out some wing shapes. Mix and match the patterns and designs. Not all the birdies need to be fluttering. But again, design the layout to your liking.

It is best to layout the birds first before just jumping to the gluing. This way you can fine tune their placement. Lay out the birds in a grid pattern, three across and four down.

Once you are happy they are positioned well, start gluing them down. Some wings can be glued beneath the birds and some wings are glued on top of the birds. Have fun making some feathered friends.

Finish gluing all the various patchwork birds on to the book cover.

Now we need to give them all a little personality. Pick up the brown felt tip pen and draw a little beak on each of the birds. Use the black pen to draw dots and curves for eyes. Finally draw little stick legs on each bird and we have ourselves a lovely birds book cover.

Have fun with the details.

These hand made gift might seem simple, but they are lovely things to keep and own. And those receiving a gift like this will cherish and love the design and more so the meaning.

Have fun with these little patterned characters. If you are giving a gift you may as well go ahead and make a gift tag.

Please let me know in the comments how you get on.