Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello everybody, just a quick post today, probably my last for 2010! I wanted to share some pics of the gorgeous ornaments I received in the kiwi christmas ornament swap- they are looking so lovely on our christmas tree. Thank you so much to my fellow swappers!

From Jodee at www.divineserendipity.blogspot.com

From Dione at sew-funky.com

From Alexis

From Leonie at kiwiatheart-leonie.blogspot.com

From Deb at Works in Progress

I hope you all have a wonderful christmas and a very happy new year- thanks so much for reading my blog this year- looking forward to lots more crafty fun in 2011!

Merry Christmas from Megan x

photo gifts

I saw this fab idea on Angela's 'Striking Keys' blog where she took photo's of her little girl's favourite things and printed them out into an album....

http://strikingkeys.blogspot.com/2010/10/eskys-word-book.html

I've had the idea bookmarked for ages now as I thought it would make a great Christmas present for Stella (21 months old). It can be a bit tricky buying for this age but one thing they really seem to love is seeing and naming their things and their family so I knew this would be a goodie for her. I just went around the house finding and photographing her favourite things and then used scrabble letters to spell out the words. I also put in some family photo's and things she really loves like the playhouse and the rocking horse.

I've never used an online printing service before but after seeing my sister's wedding thank- you cards I decided to go with Snapfish. It was great- the photo's were quick and easy to upload and I received my book within 4 days of ordering it! 

The other reason I went with Snapfish is that they had a great special on their photo gifts- 40% off photo books, calendars and greeting cards! So my book including shipping cost just over $18 for a 20 page soft cover book which I thought was pretty good. I just took a look and it looks like they have a 20% special now which is still something!  I also ordered a calendar for my mum and some Christmas cards as well.  

I'm going to make one up for Amelie now.  I'm doing her one a bit differently so can't wait to share that too!

I've been really slack with printing photo's this year- I haven't actually printed any all year so I have a big project on my hands going through my iphoto albums and choosing pics. I've been doing it by month to break it down a bit but I'm still only up to March of this year!!! I just keep thinking about all the stories I hear about people losing all their photo's because their computer broke down or was stolen so I really need to get some printed!

Hope you are all surviving the christmas rush and enjoying this hot weather ( if you've got it!)- it's 26 degrees here in Tauranga today!

Thanks for visiting, and thanks Angela for the great idea.

Megan x

felt gingerbread houses

Last Christmas I came across this gorgeous gingerbread house decoration on the cool blog How about orange.  The house was designed by the very clever crafter and author Betz White.
So this year when I signed up for the kiwi christmas ornament swap I knew what I wanted to make straight away! I bought the e-book with the pattern and instructions for the house and five other cute ornaments from here- http://shop.craftypod.com/trimmings.
The instructions were really easy to follow and although they took a little bit of time to make up they were definitely worth it (and I got quicker the more I made as you do). I made the houses slightly bigger than the pattern. One little tip - if instructions say to use craft glue don't think that PVA will do- I had a disaster with my first one trying to use PVA!!

I made up these little bags for my fellow ornament swappers.

And for my little ones I made a house each with their initial on the door and added a bit of snow and sweets to the roof.

I've received some gorgeous ornaments in the swap too so far so will share them soon :)

Megan

DIY kids art for christmas

 

Here's a crafty idea I got from a teacher years ago using your child's hands and footprints to make a christmas reindeer picture. This is a great way to keep a record of their little hands and feet and something to bring out each christmas to see how much they have grown!

You'll need
*some craft paper or card or even plain red and brown paper/card.
(If you are doing this with older children like I did yesterday at school you could just use plain white paper and they colour in the foot and the hands themselves- keeps them busy yay!)
*scissors, glue stick, pencil, black marker

1. Trace around your child's hands and one foot ( just go around all their toes, not each toe- see pic below)

2. Cut out the two hands and the foot and then draw and cut out a nose and an eye like this.

3. Stick on a plain piece of card like this.

You could reduce this on a colour photocopier and make christmas cards or gift tags too!

Happy crafting!
Megan

some christmas goodies

We had a fun day up in Auckland yesterday, first going to Butterfly Creek for a 4th birthday treat for a special friend of Amelie's, then heading into the city to see Santa at Smith and Caughy's.

They always have the most amazing christmas window displays- this year's was a sort of christmas themed story of Cinderella.

I like buying a few christmas goodies for our home each year in Auckland but we just ran out of time for shopping this year!  I found these in a little gift shop in Tauranga the other day though. I bought these lovely t-lite candle holders and this super cute christmas nesting toy. 

And here's a pic of my last christmas stockings (for this christmas anyway!). I made these for a friend's two little girls.

I hope you are all enjoying the lead up to Christmas. I've got my last day at work tomorrow and then I'm going to have a whole lot more time for crafting and other things, well until April anyway!

Megan

and the winner is....

My trusty giveaway helper is tucked up in bed so my hubby had to draw out the winning name tonight- he wasn't keen for a photo though!

Congratulations goes to ....

Lady Muck 

....for winning my crafty christmas giveaway!

This little parcel of crafty treats will be winging its way to you in Switzerland- just hope it gets there by Christmas!

Thank you all again for all your comments about my crafting 'journey' and the lovely ideas for christmas traditions- I have made quite a list from them. A few that come to mind now that I am hopefully going to do each year are the new PJ's on Christmas Eve idea, buying a christmas book each year, baking gingerbread men, taking a photo by the christmas tree each year, going berry picking, doing a christmas light trail and making a handmade decoration each year.

Hope you are all having a great weekend and thanks so much again for visiting my blog.
Megan

my creative space

I've received two gorgeous ornaments from the kiwi christmas ornament swap so far so today I'm on a mission to finish mine.

I gave Miss 3 a christmas crafty kit this morning after swimming which is so far doing its job of keeping her amused. I like gathering up a few crafty bits and pieces and making a little kit each year, the cost is only about $6 and it's worth it watching her doing her 'cwafting' as she says!

 Miss 1 is playing with toys and generally wreaking havoc on the house but at least she's semi busy, still I think I'll have to wait for her sleep before I make a start on my decorations though...

For more creative spaces head over to Kirsty's at Kootoyoo here...

Thanks for visiting and don't forget, my christmas giveaway closes tomorrow evening!

Megan

at my house

Well, it being Dec 1 and all I got out my christmas boxes today and made a start on putting a few decorations around the house.  I've got quite a collection now which is only going to get a lot bigger now that I'm a crafter!

I bought this wreath ages ago and just love it 

Christmas tea towels

Cute pic for December on my Peanuts calendar.

Our advent calendar my mum found in a little gift shop in Waipawa. I'm actually going to make an advent calendar like this beautiful one for next year but just ran out of time this year!

 

Christmas stockings ready and waiting

 

I get out the christmas books each year and try to add one or two each christmas to our collection. One of the comments on my giveaway from http://familyofgirls.wordpress.com/ was a christmas tradition of buying a christmas book for each child every year and writing the year so when they leave home they have a collection for their own children- I like that idea!

Miss 1 dancing to the christmas music we had playing while decorating (the hat stayed on for about half a second after pic was taken- she wasn't a fan!)

Hopefully time to have a read of some of these this afternoon..

Hope you are enjoying the first day of December too.... if you have a minute go and check out what other people are up to in their houses here (I'm a couple of days late!)

Megan

PS: Angie from ModernMake made this gorgeous advent calendar last Christmas and wrote a really neat list of Christmas things to do with her children from Dec 1 to the 25th- have a read here.  Her blog was one of the reasons I got into blogging! :)