19 Handmade Gifts for Women and Older Girls…. with Tutorials.

1. Chalkboard Necklaces by Henry Happened.

2. Felt Ball Necklace by Purl Bee

3. Twig Necklace by henry Happened.

4. Sewing Kit in a Jar by Martha Stewart.

5. Paper Clip Earrings by Evie-S.

6. Recycled Woven Rug by Craft Passion.

7. Fold-over bag by Noodlehead.

8. Little Letter needle Book by Emaykayee.

9. Silhouette Jewellery by Less than Perfect Bliss.

10. Feather Hair-clips by Henry Happened.

11. Clay Necklace by Henry Happened.

12. Embellished Resin Rings by Tatertots and jello.

13. Beach Towel Tote by Redefining Creativity.

14. Swatch Portraits by Purl bee.

15. Vintage hankie Pillow Cover by Noodle Head.

16. Fabric Beaded Jewellery by Make It and Love It.

17. Dip Died Scarf by Henry Happened.

18. Love letter Corsage by Less Than Perfect Life Of Bliss.

19. Confetti Earrings by Evie-S.

13 Handmade Advent Calendars…. with Tutorials

1. Pottery Barn Inspired Advent Calendar by Hallelujahs for Joy.

2. Bucket Advent Calendar by Curbly.

3. Pocket advent Calendar by Noodlehead.

4. Advent Tree How To by Paige + Russell.

5. DIY Advent Calendar (Burlap) by Funkytime.

6. Advent Calendar Tutorial (House) by See Mommy Sew.

7. An idea to adapt for Advent Calendar by Hambley Screen Prints.

8. Countdown Calendar by Maya Made

9. Button Advent Calendar by Craftstylish.

10. Fabric (Paper Type) Advent Calendar by Roots and Wings.

11. Simple Advent Bags by Moment to Moment.

12. Burlap Sack Stocking Advent Calendar by Making the world cuter.

13. Giving Advent Baskets by Molly Piper.

….no tutorials for these but I think you get the idea!

14. IDEA: Advent shoes by Great Craft Disaster.

15. IDEA or Purchase Advent Calendar Printed Pouches by nuvonova.

16. IDEA Printable labels by Poppy Talk.

16. IDEA Parcels in a parcel by Women bible Life.

More Ideas from Last Year

What our family did in 2010…including contents ideas.

What our family did in 2009….. including contents ideas.

Cathy’s content’s ideas from Women Bible Life (a simpler and more complex version….. keep going to the end of the post for the easier one!)

Ruth’s ideas via 168 hours

Jesse (Jesus) Tree reading ideas from the voice.

REPOST: Decorations to make and give.

Below are some instructions I wrote for my friend Nic at 168hrs about 3 years ago.

I though as part of my Christmas decorations post, I would share them with you also.

ANGEL BEAD ORNAMENT INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut wire about 60cm long.
2. Fold in half.
3. FEET : thread 1 small bead onto one thickness. Stop bead at bend in wire.
4. SKIRT: holding both wires together, thread 1 ‘drop’
5. BODY: holding both wires together, thread 1 medium bead (with large inner
hole).
6. WINGS: separating wire, thread approx 15 seed beads into one side, thread
wire back into the ‘body’ bead. Repeat for other wing.
7. HEAD: holding both wires together, thread 1medium round bead for head.
8. HALO: with both wires together, thread 1 bead cap (or daisy spacer bead)
9. FINISHING OFF: holding both wires together thread 1 seed (or metallic
bead)
10. Holding both wires thread one crimp piece and squash.
11. Using the same beads as used for wings, thread beads for about 10cm on
each wire.
12. With wires together again thread 1 crimp (and close) 1 seed bead and 1
crimp (close).

The sweetheart kissing ball from the Cupcake Cuppy.

Use the same idea to make Mary and Joseph.... if Santa doesn't take your fancy. Martha Stewart.

Image from kellishouse. A great instructional video at Activity TV

Upcycled stockings from Martha

Upcycled Christmas card balls. Martha Stewart.

Mmmmm.... Yes Please! We need a new wreath! This idea from Kiddley

Totally beautiful and downloadable. Thanks again Martha

Sweet simple table decorations as place settings. Or attach a ribbon for hanging decorations. Martha Stewart.

A great idea from Reese Dixon to make with the kids.

Beaded snowdrops. Thank you Martha Stewart.

Classically beautiful and made of hankies, by none other than Martha Stewart.

I know a lot of these ideas come from Martha Stewart. I do look elsewhere, but I always come back because she just has a gift!

Many of the ideas have downloads so they are as easy as they can be. Some have video tutorials and all of them are very doable…. even with little people or the craft challenged.

I would love to hear what you are planning on making, or if you have found other great ideas out there.

I am hoping I have inspired you do make just one thing for your family and friends this Christmas.

All images used in this post are from the websites they link through to. Just click on the photo and you are half way to made.

Decorations to make and give.

Below are some instructions I wrote for my friend Nic at 168hrs about 3 years ago.

I though as part of my Christmas decorations post, I would share them with you also.

ANGEL BEAD ORNAMENT INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut wire about 60cm long.
2. Fold in half.
3. FEET : thread 1 small bead onto one thickness. Stop bead at bend in wire.
4. SKIRT: holding both wires together, thread 1 ‘drop’
5. BODY: holding both wires together, thread 1 medium bead (with large inner
hole).
6. WINGS: separating wire, thread approx 15 seed beads into one side, thread
wire back into the ‘body’ bead. Repeat for other wing.
7. HEAD: holding both wires together, thread 1medium round bead for head.
8. HALO: with both wires together, thread 1 bead cap (or daisy spacer bead)
9. FINISHING OFF: holding both wires together thread 1 seed (or metallic
bead)
10. Holding both wires thread one crimp piece and squash.
11. Using the same beads as used for wings, thread beads for about 10cm on
each wire.
12. With wires together again thread 1 crimp (and close) 1 seed bead and 1
crimp (close).

 

The sweetheart kissing ball from the Cupcake Cuppy.

Use the same idea to make Mary and Joseph.... if Santa doesn't take your fancy. Martha Stewart.

 

Image from kellishouse. A great instructional video at Activity TV

Upcycled stockings from Martha

 

Upcycled Christmas card balls. Martha Stewart.

Mmmmm.... Yes Please! We need a new wreath! This idea from Kiddley

Totally beautiful and downloadable. Thanks again Martha

 

Sweet simple table decorations as place settings. Or attach a ribbon for hanging decorations. Martha Stewart.

A great idea from Reese Dixon to make with the kids.

Beaded snowdrops. Thank you Martha Stewart.

Classically beautiful and made of hankies, by none other than Martha Stewart.

I know a lot of these ideas come from Martha Stewart. I do look elsewhere, but I always come back because she just has a gift!

Many of the ideas have downloads so they are as easy as they can be. Some have video tutorials and all of them are very doable…. even with little people or the craft challenged.

I would love to hear what you are planning on making, or if you have found other great ideas out there.

I am hoping I have inspired you do make just one thing for your family and friends this Christmas.

All images used in this post are from the websites they link through to. Just click on the photo and you are half way to made.

 

Repost: Will I make it this Christmas?- Earrings

Vintage button earrings. Photo from Thrifty fun.

Turquoise hoops at mydailybead.blogspot

Earrings are great posting presents for friends and family far away.

These ones are made from Vintage buttons. Get the kids to help with these.

A how-to video tutorial can be found here for the hooped turquoise  earrings.

A very basic starting point for those who have never made earrings before can be found  at Clever Nesting.

Basic earrings. Photo from Clever Nesting.

Fabric lace earrings. Image from narialand

These lace earrings by narialand are easy enough for 6+ children to make. These have the potential to be an upcycled present if you can find a nice piece of lace that would otherwise be thrown away.

Fun at the fair…

4 year old and I headed off to the Craft and Quilting Show in Sydney today, and had a lovely time.

It is a very different trip when you have a little person in tow, so although we didn’t see all the things I would have liked, I think we saw all the sparkly stores and every stall with buttons.

We also spent a good percentage of our time sitting, eating snacks from the bag and chatting.

All in all she did a great job at being ‘gentle’, keeping her hands behind her back when requested and politely excusing herself when she wanted to be closer to the action. On the whole stall holders were happy to be chatted to and asked questions by her.

I even managed a few purchases….

"Stork scissors" one for me, and some gifts for the present box.

Much imagined but never before seen (by me) colourful crochet cottons, for handstitching harrsydesk bags. YES! It was hard to stop at 5 colours.

Loooovely wool shanks and big big needles. As you can see I couldn't wait to get started..... during one of our many 'chats'.

A very carefully chosen red plastic butterfly bead 4 year old is hoping 11 year old can make into a necklace for her. It's called Lucy Butterfly Fairy.

A Parliament of Owls

Today I finished the backs of the many owls I have been working on over the past months.

Some new owls are now available and will appear shortly in my shop. But…. why wait?

If you want to adopt one before they are offered to the world, let me know.

They are a small $12 and postage is free. Contact me!

For the girls that won one in the blogoversary give-away, let me know your favourite, and it will be in the post pronto.

Give Away: This is it!

You have only hours to make an entry in the blogoversary bag give away. Don’t miss out!

I have compiled a list of entries because I wanted to be sure everyone was entered the correct number of times! If I haven’t got you listed and you think you should be, let me know. If you are not listed and you want to be, there is still time!

But only until Midnight tonight!

1. Stepanie
2. Stephanie: Facebook
3. Stephanie : blogged at Moobear
4. Stephanie: tweet
5. Ali:
6. Ali: Facebook
7. Ali: blogged at Something this foggy day
8. Liz Cameron
9. Liz Cameron (fb)
10. Michelle
11. Michelle (fb)
12. Su
13. Sophie
14. Sophie: blogged at storms dressed as stars
15. Thora
16. Thora: Facebook
17. Laura
18. Laura: Facebook
19. Laura: blogged at Lily & Me
20. Nicole
21. Nicole: Facebook
22. Nicole: blogged at 168hours
23. Christine
24. Simone R
25. Simone.R: blogged at another something
26. Jo C
27. Jenny K
28. Jenny K: Facebook
29. Cathy McKay
30. Cathy McKay: Facebook
31. Cathy McKay: blogged at the Best Book co-op
32. Caroline E
33. Caroline E: Facebook
34. Caroline E: an extra because she wrote her comment as a poem. That certainly took some thought.
35. Rebecca
36. Lou Blencowe
37. Lou Blencowe: Facebook
38. charissa forrest
39. Heather
40. Heather: Facebook
41. Heather: blogged at epiphany
42. Kath
43. Kath: Facebook
44. Kath: blogged at listening space
45. Therese
46. Theresa: Facebook
47. Theresa: blogged at all my days all my hours
48. Mel
49. Susan Ravenhall
50. Susan Ravenhall: Facebook
51. Leah Egiziano
52. Meredith
53. Elizabeth
54. bec c

Birthday shirts

The scribbly elephant

The very girlie 'Love buttons'

Green Abix Swirl with black

There are more but I forgot to photograph them before I gave them! Sorry.

I am also trying something new with wrapping this year (where I can), reclaimed fabrics and ribbon.

This one was a pillowcase!

Recycled wrapping. No sticky tape, no paper.... theoretically no waste because it's re-useable.

Congratulations

Yesterday I had my 30oth comment, and to celebrate I am sending that person an owl.

This is Heleen. Find her and others in my etsy store.

This is the first of what I hope to be many give-aways on this blog. I alluded to this happening a bit more in my first post of the year.

Stick around, share your thoughts, and you never know what might come your way!

So congratulations Nic.

Let me know what colour you would like and I will send one out to you.