Handmade Christmas: Sweets!

The last of my handmade gifts. For each family member I made florentines or truffles. For the truffles I used this recipe and for the florentines I used Nigella Lawson's recipe from 'How to be a Domestic Godess'. Delish!

Handmade Christmas: Pot holders

This is the green set of oven mitts and pot holders which I mentioned. I had hoped to make all the pot holders in the star quilt style but that was the first bit of 'proper' quilting I've done and it took longer than I expected. I had to just revert back to my usual 'casual' style patchwork. I was happy with how it all looked. See how one of the fabrics is a detailed map? I love that fabric.

Homemade Christmas: Shopper bag

A few months back my mum told me she'd lost here shopping bag so she needed a bag which folds up flat in her handbag. Voila!

Handmade Christmas: Hot water bottle cover

From the collection of fabrics I've been printing recently I made a patchwork hot water bottle cover for my good friend Joseph. The photos aren't good quality as it went dark by the time I finished it. This was a project which involved lots of swear words. After making the entire thing I realised the hot water bottle didn't fit! Lots of cutting, mumbling and re-sewing made everything alright.

Handmade Christmas: Photo Album

My parent recently went on a trip to New Zealand so I made my Dad a photo album using all different papers. The cover was from an old album I picked up years ago and then I changed the pages. I painted a design on the first page with pictures of the wildlife they saw on their trip.

Handmade Christmas: Oven mitts

I hope you had a happy and enjoyable day with your loved ones yesterday. My day was spent with my family and consisited of eating, drinking, lots of excited present opening by little ones and a little woodwork in the garage, you know for some quiet time : )

I managed to make most Christmas presents for family and friends this year and those which I did buy where mostly from Sonia's or Melissa's shops. So I was happy and looking forward to giving them out on Christmas day. Over the next week I'll show a present each day which I made. I'll start with the pot holders and oven mitts I made for my brother and his wife. I loved making these and made another set in green for my other brother and his wife. What presents did you make this year?

Happy Christmas

A Christmas tradition of my sister in law's, little marzipan fruits.

Wishing you a happy Christmas.

Hope your day is filled with cheer.

I'll be showing photos of the gifts I've made starting tomorrow. Hope to see you then. x x

Deck the halls

I'm so enjoying the cosiness of my home at the moment. Each evening I walk home from work looking  forward to getting in, putting my slippers on and drinking some chai tea. I'm like an old lady! But I still didn't have any Christmas decorations up until this week. We don't get a tree so I find other ways of celebrating the season.

a basket of tangerines on the table

a garland of bells and pinecones hung in a doorway

candles are lit each evening

decorations hanging from our palm

and of course cards hanging from the mantel.

Just got to get those Christmas cards out now.....

Hope each of you is having a cosy, positive and not to exhausting week.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?......

No, it's........Supercroc!

'What's this, a fish?' Daniel asked when he saw it. 'No. it's a crocodile!' I answered.

After much discussion with friends and family we've decided it could ba a piranha, a tadpoal or a fish, but most of all it looks like a newt. Hmmm. I don't think my nephew will mind. Well, as my brother said, his one year old son hasn't seen a crocodile before so it won't make any difference to him.

I think next time I'll get a book out the library about making soft toys and actually follow a pattern : )

Happy December

Happy December! This is the picture I'm sending out on my Christmas cards this year. Not much making has been going on here recently, just Christmas cards and wedding invites for friends. I have a long list, which I haven't started, of things I want to make people for Christmas. Really should start that soon....How about you? are you making lots of gifts this year?