Best wishes to everyone for a very Merry Christmas.
I hope you all have a wonderful few days and that Santa brings everything you wish for.
Merry Christmas
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Author Archives: Crafty Kath
Our Handmade Tree
This year I’ve let my daughter have a tree in the hall, and given her a huge box of decorations. The box was full of handmade decorations, some made by her through the few years of her life in nursery and school. It’s been a real journey of remembering watching her decorate the tree. She made one of the decorations at playgroup when she was only just 1! It’s great to see how she’s grown as some of the decorations she’s made at school have her photo on.
Once she had reminisced with me over all her decorations, she got out some of the decorations I’ve made over the last twenty years or so. I love the little snowballs at the bottom of the tree. They were some of the first decorations I made over twenty years ago. So there’s a real mix of little stockings, snowflakes, hearts and some Jean Greenhowe decorations (including the snowballs). We love our little handmade tree and long may we keep adding new decorations to it.
Merry Christmas
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Christmas Tree
Yesterday I took my Christmas tree decorations to my local sandwich shop to decorate the Christmas tree. It’s so nice decorating someone else’s tree for a change. This year the tree has little stockings, crackers, snowballs, snowflakes, stars and hearts.
All the decorations are for sale at £1 each or 6 for £5.
Pop along for some breakfast or lunch and have a browse.
Happy Christmas
x
Christmas Cards
December is here already. Where has 25014 gone?
I have been frantically trying to make enough Christmas cards to put on a stall, but so many have gone already that I’m only left with a few. So here’s a selection of the cards I have made using some recycled bits and pieces.
First up I have 4 robin cards.
I rescued these little robins and they are so cute with their little legs that wobble. These cards are available individually or as a set. These are a limited edition of 4.
Next up are a new design of button baubles.
Button Bauble Cards
I have made 4. However, I can make more although they would be slightly different depending on the buttons I have available. I really like this look and it’s quite different for me. Again these are available individually or as a set.
Finally I have one set of the snowman tag cards. These are made using white buttons and are mounted on Christmas papers.
I would love to know what you think of these cards. I have a few other packs and individual cards left, pop along to have a browse and let me know your favourites. Christmas Cards
Happy Christmas
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Winter Baking
I made my Christmas cake several weeks ago now and it smells amazing whenever I open the tin to feed it it’s weekly slug of brandy. But every time I open the tin it makes me want to sneak a nibble! So I decided to get out the Paul Hollywood book that hubby gave me for our wedding anniversary. Wow what a fabulous choice of cakes in there.
I’ve made 2 Ripon Spice cakes so far. They are a great alternative to the full fruit cake with a lot less fruit and light sugar. But it smells divine when it’s cooking filling the whole house with a spicy aroma. It’s a fabulous tea loaf and Hubby likes to spread it with butter. I’m quite happy just with the cake a brew!
We’ve also had a go at some of the bread. Here’s my husbands’ first go at the Crusty Swansea.
I can thoroughly recommend this book. The recipes are easy to follow and the tips for kneading are great.
I’m making myself hungry again now seeing these pictures. I was going to start crocheting a snowman but I might have to bake another cake instead!
Happy baking
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Newsflash
I have had to cancel my stall at the Bolton School Christmas Market this Saturday (29th November).
If you were planning to pop in to say hi, I’m afraid I won’t be there this time, however, please contact me to place an order and I shall get all stock orders out this week for you.
Winter Garlands
Over the last few weeks I’ve been making garlands to hang around the house over Christmas. It’s been a great way to practice my crochet and I’ve been spoiled for choice with all the gorgeous patterns out there at the moment.
My first one is made using some King Cole dk yarns and was from a pattern on Craftseller magazine. I started this whilst I was in the hospital recovering from my second foot operation. The fairy lights appealed to me as there’s no need to change bulbs or batteries and the garland can even be put in the washing machine! It measures well over a meter in length and drapes beautifully from the fireplace.
Having really caught the bug for crochet I found another pattern in an issue of Knitting and Crochet magazine. This time for a shorter garland, which looks lovely over a door. With my daughter being mad on Frozen still, I thought the stars looked quite like snowflakes.
I’ve made a few of these as they look so pretty over the doors.
I’ve just recently finished another couple of garlands, as I discovered a stash of cotton in my yarn bag. The cotton is lovely to crochet with and it really holds the shape of the stitches well. I’ve made a little flower garland in cream and a dark turquoise.
Finally I’ve made a 3 metre long garland, ideal for the hallway, using red, green, cream, white and beige cotton for the stars.
All of the garland pictured are available for sale, so be quick if you want them as these are all one-offs!
Happy Christmas crafting
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Giveaway Winner
And the winner of the 5 crochet hearts is……..
LOUISE KILBURN
Thank you to everyone that entered and for all the lovely ideas. I shall be using some of them in the future I have no doubt.
Crochet Hearts
Louise has chosen a set of red and white hearts. I hope they look lovely on your Christmas tree.
Happy crafting
x
Crochet Hearts
I’ve been working on some crochet hearts recently, perfecting the design and trying lots of different yarns. My question now is what to do with them all?
I’ve thought about making a garland with some. Maybe putting some onto cards, or making them into brooches. I was also thinking about having them as Christmas tree decorations. I’ve had one suggestion on my facebook page to make them as wedding favours.
I’d love to know what you think I should make with them. Comments below by 10th November 2014 and I’ll put all names in a hat to win a set of 5 hearts in a colour of the winners choice.
Happy crafting
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A ‘Frozen’ Christmas
My daughter and many of her friends are still mad on Frozen, so instead of letting it drive me mad, I’ve decided to go with the flow and take some inspiration from it for my Christmas cards this year.
There seems to be no let up in the popularity of the film and I have to admit to liking it too, although watching the dvd twice a week is starting to get on my nerves a little bit now! I love the snowflake symbol on all the merchandise, so what better then using snowflakes on my Christmas cards and in some of my crafts too?
I bought a lovely little snowflake die from X-cut and went a bit mad cutting out snowflakes from different papers and cardstock. I think they work particularly well cut from holographic card. I’ve tried to stick to traditional icy colours – mainly white and silver. But I thought I’d try some in a more vintage colour palette too, so out came the kraft card, cream mottled parchment and a darker cream cartridge paper.
I also used a nesting punch set from x-cut to make some mounts for the snowflakes. They are the postage stamp style punches and they work nicely to add a hint of extra colour to the design. I’ve used a selection of cool blues, kraft card, white cardstock and some recycled paper. The blues really make the snowflakes pop out.
My daughter particularly likes the pale blue as she thinks it looks very like the ones in Frozen. What do you think?
Happy crafting
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