Quick Christmas Gifts

Day 2 of our Christmas book countdown advent

23 days till Christmas

Quick Christmas Gifts - 25 designs for perfect presents.

This little Christmas craft book has a focus on cross-stitch but even if you're not a cross stitch fanatic, there's instructions to a variety of charming crafts you can give as Christmas presents. 

50 Christmas Things to Make and Do

Day 1 of Christmas book countdown

(24 days till Christmas)

This one has been with us for years and it's a unanimously acclaimed favourite.

It's got lots of great crafts to so with kids. Here's just a taste:

Christmas Book Countdown Advent Calendar

 This year, instead of a Christmas advent calendar (see advent diy here), we chose to gave a book countdown advent with the various Christmas children's books and craft books that we've picked up over the years.

So we'll be counting down the days to Christmas with a craft or children's book each day till December 25.

The King's Revenge

Polka Dots, Flowers and Butterflies Tote

Handmade bag with polka dots, stripes, butterflies and flowers.

All fabrics used are 100% natural lightweight cotton. 

There's a magnetic snap to keep it closed and two inner pockets: one with a zipper and one without.

The combination of fabrics is a jumble of some of my favourites.

It's a bonus that the bag itself is also very light and practical.

You can find it here.

Mini Flower Headbands

Dainty little fabric flowers in a variety of colours, ready to be made into headbands.

I like the simple, unfussy, look of just one little flower on the side of the metal band.

On occasion though, I am tempted to add two -or even three- flowers on one headband....

I'll be listing a couple in my etsy shop soon.

The Flower Garden at Eichstatt

If you're looking for beautiful old botanical prints, you can't do much better than the amazing flora prints of the Flower Garden at Eichstatt.

Vintage Fabric

This is a vintage piece of fabric that I'm holding on to, waiting for the right project to come along.

It's a beautiful, sturdy cotton canvas in the most outrageous autumn colours and dates from the 1970s.

It's a vivid combination of brown, orange, black, burnt orange, brick red, muted light green and some white.

It sure is eye-catching!

And I love the close-ups.

Pinata Party!

I've been making these colourful pinatas for birthday parties lately. 

They're always such a hit with the children - as well as the adults. 

And they're such fun to make!

Fashion Ads of the 20th Century

365 days of Fashion Ads of the 20th century by Taschen. This book is full of wonderful colourful fashion from the 1900s through to -and including- the 1990s.

Each double page has a full-page ad on one side and a witty quote pertaining to fashion on the other.

It's a fun book to look through on a rainy day - which certainly fits this season- or go through for inspiration.

Tassel Inspiration

 Having fun looking looking through old craft magazines and unearthing 'mythical treasure'....

Still Summer

The weather is wonderful. The sun is shining and it's nice and hot. 

No need to say goodbye to summer just yet.

Tamara

Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980). The star painter of the interwar years aka la belle Polonaise.

This is her self portrait titled Autoportrait or Tamara in the Green Bugatti (1929).

Art deco at its finest.

Octagonal Green Floral Origami Bag

This is the reverse side of this green floral octagonal bag.

The fabric used is a fairly heavyweight cotton with discreet green stripes in an almost sage hue, with superimposed floral details in a more vivid green.

You can see the floral fabric of the other side peeking through in this picture.

Green Floral Origami Bag

Another extra large origami bag in a green mix. This one is also fully reversible with a pretty floral on one side and a delicate stripe on the other.

The handles are denim for strength and durability.