Day to Day

Cousins!

Oscar, Bonnie and Kama came up to visit us today - it was great having the cousins altogether.  Six big and little kids was serious fun!  We headed off to the beach after lunch so everyone could have a swim since the weather was so warm.

Here's a little button wreath tutorial for next Christmas...so cute! I made one and added some wired stars around the outside.  Super quick and easy.

Mintie wreath, new toy & babushka toppers.

I know, I know...two posts in one day, that's a bit crazy.  I finally have my camera back though.

The mintie wreath is for James (to eat gradually over time).  The lovely lady at our local art shop told me about this idea. It's a coat hanger twisted around into a circle and then you tie on a whole batch of minties with sewing cotton (so that they can be pulled off quickly and easily).  I was thinking to myself perhaps a packet of minties would fill the wreath but over 100 minties later and about 2 hours of tying them on, it was finally finished.  Really, I should have added more up the top to bulk it up a bit more...but I was slightly sick of tying them on (slightly being a huge understatement).

James thinks it's wonderful!

My new toy for Christmas...I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have an overlocker...now I just need to work out what to overlock with it!

I've also been stitching these babushka pencil toppers for our school fair next August (yes, crazy hey starting so early).  The idea came out of my Cotton Time magazine - they had the dolls stitched onto a gift box. 

Here's the pattern if you would like to make some.  Right hand click on the template below and save to 'my documents'.  Then print out on an A4 piece of paper and cut out.  Use the template to cut out a back and front for the pencil topper.  When stitching it together, be sure to leave an opening for the pencil at the bottom.  Add a touch of glue after you slide the pencil in to hold everything nicely in position.

I'm also doing two other designs - house and car.  If you'd like the patterns for these let me know and I'll post them here also.

Christmas layout

Still no camera to photograph the mintie wreath.....or my super duper early Christmas present that's all set up on my craft desk ready to go - but tomorrow, I promise.

Here's my Christmas layout for the Aussie Scrap Source blog ...there are some seriously gorgeous layouts, cards and Christmas off the page items over on the blog if you want to pop over for a peek.

We're enjoying the first day of holidays.  This morning we popped down the Huon to see Beth and Kama.  Bonnie had her stitches out this morning, so we went early so that I could help hold her while they were removed - she was okay with it, just giving a little cry and had some serious wriggling around towards the end.  Oscar has come home with us for the day and they are all busy playing doctors in the fabric cubby house.

Hmmm

I really wanted to share a photo or two of my mintie wreath that I've been working on for James (he just loves minties)...but my camera is out at a barbecue tonight -  so instead here's a late night pic of last night's orange/clove stabbing session.  I didn't know your fingers could become so sore from pushing cloves in oranges!  They do smell lovely though.

James and Bella are officially on holidays now for Summer.  It's my favourite time of year having them home all to myself for nearly two months.  The holidays usually bring lots of cousin visiting (yes Oscar, you can come to Auntie Lissa's house for a sleep over and stay in James' room), trips to the beach for crab finding, a little crafting, the movies, baking and playing together....once we get over Christmas ofcourse!

It's raining reindeers!

After seeing Nic's beautiful yummy scrummy reindeers that she made I just knew that I had to make some too!

These little treasures are for Bella's Christmas party at school today...aren't they cute.

Go here to see Nic's gorgeous reindeers and find out how to make them.

Thanks Nic, I love them! 

The jube ball

After school yesterday we picked up some jubes, toothpicks and a styrofoam ball so that Bella could work on her own little jube ball to hang on the tree.

I thought I'd share a couple more of my Tarisota layouts for this month too.

Preparing the gingerbread house

James has been wanting to bake and decorate a gingerbread house all year, so I promised that we would on Christmas Eve.  I've been madly looking (perhaps obsessing) over some gingerbread houses on Flickr and my friend Suz has also sent me through a recipe/photo of the most adorable baked house complete with stained glass windows and little snow trees adorned with icing sugar.

We've decided on Red Tulip after dinner mints for the roof tiles and today I picked up this box of 3d cookie cutters from Habitat to make a few reindeers (maybe even a sleigh and Father Christmas himself) to gather outside the house. 

I found a really cool template for the house here and there are some great instructions there too for virgin house makers like myself.

But, what I really want to know is...what type of lollies/sweets have you used on your gingerbread houses?  I thought a path out the front of the house would be nice too....what sorts of things would be perfect for this?

Christmas craft - felt photo stockings

I made one of these photo stockings a few years ago using a photo of James and Bella.  The photo has survived perfectly - I just fold it in half at the end of the festive season and roll a tea towel around it before storing so that the pic won't get scratched.

This is a simple version of my orginal one.  I made it out of felt for my nephew Oscar and it's far less embellished and quite smaller than the first one.  I think he'll like it though....what little 3 year old doesn't like seeing a photo of themselves?!!

The stocking is approximately A4 size, which is perfect if you buy your felt by the sheet instead of the metre. 

 

If you would like to make a felt stocking, right hand click on the template above and save to 'my documents'.  Then print out on an A4 piece of paper and cut out.  (Sorry I still don't know how to do a pdf file, but this should work nicely).  Use the template to cut out X2 felt stockings (front and back).

Machine stitch some twill or ribbon right at the very top of the stocking - I've used twill purchased from Ribbons Galore (they have a sale at the moment too).

Machine stitch a photo onto the stocking - remember to hold everything nice and flat while you are stitching to prevent any bumps forming under the photograph.  I held my photo into position with some double sided tape, which helped keep it nice and straight.

Machine stitch another row of twill or ribbon directly underneath the photo.  To prevent the edges of the twill/ribbon fraying I used some Strano Ribbon Stiff.  Add a few buttons and then blanket stitch the stocking together.  You could also machine stitch the seams together.

This was a quick project...from start to finish it only took me about 30 - 40 minutes.

 

Here's the back of the fabric postcard (for Sarah).  It has also been created from fabric, but I'm sure card would work nicely too.

Day 25 - Japanese crafting

I thought I'd share some festive images from the Christmas issue of Cotton Time.  Isn't Japanese crafting so beautiful!!

This week's dare over at the Daring Card Makers Blog was set by Gillian.  The theme is 'inside out' - pop over to the blog and have a look if you would like to join in the fun!  Here is my card:

The inside of the card:

 

Sarah - I'll try and take a photo of the back of the postcard and post it on tomorrow's post for you.  It is also made from fabric :O)

Day 24 - For the little ones

Aren't they sweet?

These little Ferrero Rocher Christmas trees are a special treat for James and Bella to say congratulations on having such awesome school reports (okay...they don't actually bring home their reports until after school today, but I'm sure they will be good!).

This idea was out of a craft magazine from several years ago...my Mum saved the article for me so I thought I'd share. 

Simply roll a pipe cleaner around a pen or your finger and then push it all out to create a little tree shape.  Jab the top of the Ferrero Rocher's (or whatever treat you are using) and poke the pipe cleaner in slightly.  Decorate with little stars (use craft glue to adhere).  The stars I bought in a pack from Chickenfeed (like a $2 shop).

Also..I just have to share this amazing Christmas tree fabric postcard that came in a package today from my friend Kaylin.  Isn't it scrummy!!  It's all fabric....even the back of the postcard is fabric. Just so beautiful.

Also, does anybody happen to know something fabulous to help with scars?  My little niece Bonnie had a fall today and has ended up with a nasty cut right across her forehead that needed stitching.