Have a WONDERFUL Day

Guest Christmas Crafter – My Auntie Beth

There has been a video going round on Facebook demonstrating how to make a Christmas wreath using a pool noodle and my Auntie Beth had a go, with fantastic results …….

https://www.facebook.com/Hometalk/videos/1600223349995215/?pnref=story

……. only she didn’t have a pool noodle so used bubble wrap instead, ingenious! She rolled a length of bubble wrap to make the circle base, using string to tie it in sections to keep it all together. Next came more tying when she fastened an assortment of baubles and other festive ornaments to the ring. The final flourish and piece de résistance was created by wrapping a red feather boa and a length of green tinsel round and in between the baubles, hiding the bubble wrap in the process and pinning it in position.  Simples!

I didn’t have time to make one myself this year, however, I am considering having a go for Easter.  In the US they make door wreaths for every occasions, so I might even have a go at a Halloween one too, so watch this space …… my eyes are now firmly peeled for a cheap supply of pot pool noodles.

Two Snowmen Matchbox Christmas Tree Decorations

Two snowmen Christmas tree decoration today using matchboxes from a pack of 8 from The Works (£1) The matchbox measures 5cm x 3.5cm, just enough to put in a small chocolate or perhaps some Christmas money.

The snowman on the first box came from a set from from Hobbycraft, but I believe they are now out of stock online, originally they cosy £1.50 for a pack of 9.

The other larger snowman was from a box of small wooden tags/decorations from The Works (sorry no link)  The Christmas sentiment down the side of the box is cut from a roll of Washi tape from Dovecrafts North Pole range (bought from The Works £2).

The matchboxes are both lined with the same paper as on the outside.

 

I punched a hole in the top of the box and threaded through a hanger using striped red bakers twine and matching red wooden bead. A tiny amount of faux stitching using a black fine liner pen finishes off the box.

My Little Wooden Mice and Christmas Fairy Door.

I found these little wooden mice at the Wolverhampton Christmas market the last time I went “home”. They only cost £1.25 each, well, at that price it would have been rude not to have bought just a couple!

And I knew exactly what I was going to do with one of them at least ………

He was sent climbing up the wall next to the lounge, I though it would be something cute for Bertie and Iris to look for when they come over………..

…… like my fairy door, which is “hidden” behind my storytelling chair ….

….. and all dressed up for Christmas, I even have got a tiny cheese board ready for Santa when he visits on Christmas Eve!  I really do need to go out more!

The other mouse is currently sat sitting on the bedhead in the spare bedroom, but I think when the room is finally sorted out in the New Year ,he might just find a new home, if I can find a suitable “house” for him to live in!

Another Reindeer Matchbox Christmas Tree Decoration

Another reindeer Christmas tree decoration using a matchbox from a pack of 8 from The Works (£1) The matchbox measures 5cm x 3.5cm, just enough to put in a small chocolate or perhaps some Christmas money.

This time the reindeer head comes from Hobbycraft, and already came with the faux stitching would you believe.  All I have added was a red flat backed gem for his nose, two very small, black, domed stickers on the eyes, and a bit of a body in the background using a scrap of brown paper.  I have looked for a link on HobbyCraft, but can’t find them on their website, so they may no longer be available. They originally cost £2 for 6.

The Christmas sentiment down the side of the box is cut from a roll of Washi tape from Dovecrafts North Pole range (bought from The Works £2).

The matchbox is lined with the same paper as on the outside. 

I punched a hole in the top of the box and threaded through a hanger using striped red bakers twine and matching red wooden bead. A tiny amount of faux stitching using a black fine liner pen finishes off the box.

Santa’s Special Christmas Penny Mix Bags

I made a few Santa Penny Mix bags as little fairing gifts for friend’s children. When I was at work I made so many of these for all occasions and they always sold like hot cakes.

To be honest, there’s not an awful lot to them.  I just collected an assortment of chocolate santas, snowmen, coins, tokens and candy canes on my travels to put in the bags ……..

……… and then made tags using up odd scraps of Kraft card and decorating with little festive scene with Santa stickers found in Poundland.

The tag was then tied on to the bags and a green ribbon added, that’s it!

Since I started going to Slimming World, I have been eating a awful lot of satsumas and clementines and as a by product have also been saving the small wooden crates they come in.  Hopefully I will be selling a few of my bits and pieces in Moo Moos, my Evesham café of choice,  in the New Year and “tarted” up, I think the crates will be a cheap but effective storage and display unit to put them in.

Santa Tags For Iris’s Sweetie Bags.

Well, you can’t give a sweetie bag without a tag, can you?

I have to admit that I am not that keen on the wooden Santa’s, but as they were only 50p for a bag of about ten (I think) they owe me nothing.  Perhaps a little white or translucent glitter on their beards, hat and coat trimming could juzzz them up, and the parcel could be coloured in carefully with a Sharpie pen, but, on this occasion, time was of the essence!

The tags were cut from a scrap of Kraft card, I just added some snow and a dimensional snowflake sticker (Lidl 99p pack of 30 assorted sizes) and a bit of doodling, using a white gel pen and a black fine liner. I then got a little unnecessary and added a few tiny clear flat back gems on the doodled snowflakes!

Next it was Iris’s turn to put her name on the back of them, with slightly cakey fingers, bless her.

Then, I can’t believe it, I was so wrapped up in the moment I completely forgot to take any pictures of the finished sweetie bags, doh!

…… so, you’ll have to use your imaginations when I say that I simply tied the tag to the top of the bag and then tied a Christmas green bow over it to hid the thread.

A Few More Elizabeth Shaw Mint Favours For Iris’s Sweetie Bags

We wanted Iris to take a small Christmas fairing into nursery to say thank you to the staff, so it seemed a perfect excuse for me to experiment with some of Christmas stickers I have bought this year but not yet used on a few more Elizabeth Shaw Mint favours.

I decided to use a mixture of red, white and silver card as the backing for the stickers.  The chipboard stickers above came from The Range, sorry I don’t know the manufacturer. I have found from past experience that a black Sharpie pen is perfect when trying to doodle on silver or gold mirror card, it doesn’t smudge.  I have used a white gel pen for some of the faux stitching.

I went a bit glittery with these reindeer heads from Hobbycraft, (which I believe are now out of stock), on a burgundy and white spotty background, edged with a little faux sticking using a black fine liner pen.

And then, my favourites, using chipboard reindeer heads, again from Hobbycraft (and again sadly sold out). If I were going to fiddle fart even more on these, I might have used a red flat back gem on the nose and some tiny black domed stickers over the eyes, for extra dimension.  However, I have set a few stickers aside to use on a few cards later on, when I have more time.

Also, If I make Elizabeth Shaw Mint favours again next year (as I surely will), I think I will start putting a small, matching ribbon loop between the mint and the card base so that they can be hung on a tree or branch, that way they can be seen for a while before the eating of.

Marc & Rick's Worcester Cottage Garden

I don’t think I will write much today, I will just let Marc and Rick’s Worcester Cottage Garden do the talking ……

All the pictures were taken yesterday morning (16th November 2016).  I have never taken pictures of the garden so late in the year.  Usually I have done it in the summer, when everything is so green and vibrant.

But in the midst of winter it takes on a completely different and mature look, the vibrant glossy summer colours now faded to faded terracottas and muted greens.

When I marvel at how everything looks so right, Marc will just pass it off and say that it was just thrown together just like that, but I don’t believe it, they such an eye, design and art having always been their career.

It’s also finding the pieces and then leaving them to weather naturally.

I would be too impatient ……..

……. everything would be too precisely positioned……..

……. and the natural look I crave would be completely lost. It is an art.

Every time I look I see something I haven’t seen before.  It’s so unbelievably peaceful, it looks so effortless, and it’s such a constant source of inspiration ....... it’s Marc and Rick!