Christmas Music ~ Gloria

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Curly Christmas Decoration

Christmas Crafts ~ Egg Cosies

If you are having boiled eggs for Christmas breakfast, then these little egg cosies made to look like christmas puddings are perfect.  They are knitted by Funky Knitting Bunny

Christmas Crafts ~ Crocheted Snowflakes

We all dream of the perfect white Christmas and  at least with these beautiful crocheted snowflakes by

Kim's Colourway you are guaranteed a few flakes!

Christmas Music ~ On the way to Bethlehem

Christmas of my childhood always included a little bit of Val Doonican!

Christmas Craft tutorial ~ Quilled Christmas Decorations

Christmas Crafts ~ Crocheted Paper Chains

What a unique take on the christmas staple decorations "paper Chains"

Girly Bunches has crocheted rings are intertwined.  The colours are lovely.

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Elaborate bows

Christmas Crafts ~ Another Snugggly Stocking

The Crafty Bride has been knitting again, this time in an array of autumnal golds and browns.  Lots of lovely textures.  Another stocking that Santa will enjoy filling up.

Christmas Crafts ~ Christmas Gift Tags

These lovely festive tags are another  stylish creation from Buttercup Boutique.  I love the fact that they are all different, but are so clearly a set.  Great use of bits and pieces.

Christmas Music ~ White Christmas

Christmas Crafts ~ Christmas Cartons

Found this wonderful Christmas Carton made by A Spoonful Of Sugar  whilst reading my blogger dashboard this morning.  This blank milk carton has been turned into a festive receptical suitable for giving christ,mas cookeies or other such tastey morsel as a Christmas gift

Christmas Crafts ~ Fuzzy Christmas Trees.

Polymer clay, seed beads and pipe cleaners have been combined by Dready Derry Designs to create these cute little christmas trees with their gifts underneath.

Christmas Crafts Tutorial ~ Decorated Baubles

Christmas Music ~ Thorns in the straw

Christmas Crafts ~ Gift Wallets

Santa's reindeers adorn these beautiful gift wallets created by Gee Lizzie.  I love the festive green  and pastel look.

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Origami Wreaths

Christmas Crafts ~ Ceramic Heart Decorations

These ceramic star Decorations created by Dottery Pottery are really lovely, They have a antiquated feel to them and would look really at home on a christmas tree.

Christmas crafts ~ Button Decorations

Sewn Up Stuck Down has found a great way to use up buttons.  Her quirky little decorations are really great.

Christmas Crafts ~ Christmas Spiders

Christmas spiders created from beads

Tradition has it that the spider invented the tinsel we associate with Christmas.

This Christmas you can own your very own Christmas spider along with two versions of

"The Christmas Spider story"

Each spider (made for you in any colour of your choice) is accompanied by a handmade card featuring the stories.  The spider can then take pride of place on your tree.

The price is £6.00 incl P&P

To order simply email your request along with your name and address and I'll send you an invoice

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Beaded Candy Canes

Christmas Trivia ~ Silent Night

This famous and well loved Christmas Carol was first played on the guitar. 
The legend (which is believed to actually be slightly ficticious although based around the truth) tells the story of the carol. 

It was Christmas eve, the snow lay deeply on the ground as the priest entered the church.  He rubbed his hands together and hurried over the the organ, he really must practice before the mass that night.  The candle light flickered as he sat on the organ stool.  Carefully he opened the casing and stretched his fingers in anticipation of playing. Slowly he placed his fingers on to the keys and began to move them.  No sound came from the organ.  The priest pulled out more stops and tried again, but again no sound came forth.
He climbed down from the stool, took up a candle and opened the small door at the organ side.
Inside amongst the dust, he could make out the form of the bellows and as he reached into the dark cavern, his fingers discovered the reason for the silence.  Small holes had been nibbled into the leather.  The ragged little holes bore the teeth marks of the mice who took refuge in the organ.
The nearest organ repairer lived miles away, and there would not be time to call him out. 
The priest's heart was heavy.  What could he do?
Back at the rectory, he took a sip from the cup of hot broth.  It was as though the warm soup had woarmed his heart.  Putting the cup down, he hurried to his study and began riffeling through the piles of papers and then he grabbed a hat and went running down the street to his neighbours house.
Franz Gruber was sitting reading in his parlour when the frantic knocking came at his door.  He senced urgency and hurried to the door.
A breathless and snow covered priest began to talk in an excited manner.
The rest is history.
That night in the small church at Oberndauf in Austria A poem entitled "Stille Nacht" written by the priest Joseph Mohr was sung to a beautiful melody played on the guitar by Gruber.

Christmas Crafts ~ Gingerbread Garland

Sweet! This contemporary Gingerbread garland is created by Pink and Pretty Handmades anf just like the makers name says, they are bedecked with pink and pretty embellishments.

Christmas Music ~ Ding Dong Merrily on High ~ Celtic Woman

Christmas Crafts ~ Christmas Bunting.

How wonderful to decorate your house this Christmas with this beautiful bunting from Buttercup Boutique.  the choices of fabric and embellishments are lovely and festive.

Christmas Music ~ A King is born

Christmas Crafts ~ Stitch & Beads Toppers

These card toppers can be created by following the patterns and instructions available from Crafty Ferret.
There is still plenty of time before Christmas to complete these!

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Fairy light decorations

Aren't these little fairy light decorations great.  the shades are created from scraps of ribbon, fabric, lace and off cuts.  What a great way to use left overs.
The tutorial by Joli Parquet can be found HERE
Just think of the bits and pieces you have in your stash that would look great used in this project.

Christmas Crafts ~ felted and beaded decoration

It must have taken a lot of patience for Pumperum to create this little christmas bauble.  The felted bauble is decorated with delica beads and would look great on any tree.

Christmas Crafts ~ Jingle Bells

A cute little fabric heart decoration in pretty Christmas fabric complete with a "jingle bell" 

created by Jen Twinkle

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Recycled Woolly Christmas Trees

These jolly little Christmas trees are created from recycled woolly jumpers.  

You can find the tutorial HERE

Christmas Music ~ Evil Christmas Carols

This guy is so tallented.  He has no music score and yet plays the carols in a minor key so effortlessly!

Christmas Crafts ~ Snowflake Christmas Card

This is a lovely Christmas card created by Lynne from Lynne's Loft.  I love the blue and silver design.

Christmas Crafts ~ Miniature Embroidery Decoration

Sweet Hearts and Roses has designed and hand embroidered this stunning little decoration.  The variagated thread adds real depth to the wreath.

Christmas Music ~ In the Bleak Midwinter ~ Loreena McKennit

Christmas Crafts ~ Christmas Reindeer Card

This little reindeer is another of Tip Top Toppers creations.  I love the little jingle bell!

Christmas Craft Tutorials ~ Vintage Lace Heart Decoration

A beautiful ornanment to decorate your house this Christmas time  It is designed by Design by Laura Holtorf Collins.  The tutorial can be found HERE

Christmas Aromas ~ Pine

There are many aromas connected with Christmas.  Together they can evoke emotions and memories.

Pine

I remember the tree, each year a new one, but always the same laughter, exasperation as the tree in pot is carried through the patio door and placed in it's corner.  The comments about the smell as the bruised needles let forth their scent.  Then begins the decorating, each person thinking they know how it should proceed.  The lights, the tinsel, the decorations.  Each one carefully unwrapped from it tissue wrapper and placed on the tree, each one bringing memories of Christmas' past,  of those who are no longer with us.

Then the magic begins.  The lights in the room are turned out and the glow of the fire catches the ornaments, then the tiny lights are turned on and the tree springs to life, twinkling in fairy light.

CHristmas Crafts ~ Felt Baubles

Topcats Corner has been busy creating this trio of brightly coloured felt baubles.  Each one is decorated with blanket stitch and a star flourish.

Christmas Words ~ Shakespeare

Some say that ever 'gainst the season comes,

Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,

The bird of dawning singeth all night long;

And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad;

The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,

No fairy takes, or witch hath power to charm,

So hallow'd and so gracious is that time.

 

 

Shakepeare  Hamlet (Act 1 ~ scene 1)

Christmas Crafts ~ Button Trees

Cute felt trees with button embellishments created by Feltique

Christmas Crafts ~ Gold Chrstmas Cards

This lovely set of Christmas cards has been created by Nithria. They are very Christmasy with all the glittery gold.

Christmas Music ~ Christmas Cannon ~ Trans Siberian Orchestra

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Lacey Angel Decoration

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without an angel or two!

HERE is a lovely tutorial for making her.

Christmas Music ~ Sleigh Ride ~ Ella Fitzgerald

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Jigsaw Puzzle Wreath

I'm sure there will be a lot more wreath ideas on here before Christmas.  This one is made from jigsaw puzzle pieces.  The tutorial can be found HERE.

Christmas Crafts ~ Angel fabric panel

This country style angel fabric panel has been created by Home Spun With Love. The panel hangs from a cinnamon stick, so not only does it look good, it smells good too!!

Christmas Crafts ~ Glass slide Christmas decorations

These handmade Glass christmas decorations, handmade by The Grimm Exhibition would be a delightful addition to a christmas tree.  Featuring vintage style images they come as a set of 6 ornaments.

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ Pocket advent calandar

This is a lovely advent calendar to create.  it has lots of little pockets that can be filled with goodies of your choice on the run up to christmas.  The tutorial can be found HERE

Christmas Crafts ~ Bright & Breezy Christmas Card

All snuggled up for Christmas.

I love Ruths colourful Character.

Tip Top Toppers

Christmas Music ~ Mariah Carey ~ Born on this day

Christmas Crafts ~ Ceramic Gingerbread Characters

Aren't these cute ceramic gingerbread characters fab.  They'd look great on any christmas tree or tied on to a creatively wrapped christmas gift.  They are created by: Dottery Pottery

Christmas Crafts ~ Snuggly Stocking

The Crafty Bride has hand knitted this gorgeous stocking using assorted yarns.  I think Santa will really enjoy filling  this up!!

Christmas Crafts ~ Stained Glass Holly

 This stunning stained glass Holly leaves are created by Diomo Glass.  They'd look fab on a tree or hung in a window.

Christmas Craft Tutorial ~ 3D Stars & Snowflakes

This paper snowflake is one I made a couple of years ago.  They look amazing hung in a window and can be made in all sorts of sizes.

They are simply made from six pieces of paper and some glue. 

Very speedy and very effective.  You can find the tutorial to make them HERE

I also developed the ide to form a tree topper star.  For this you simply use 5 sections which makes it sturdier. Then spray with gold spray paint afterwards. 

Have Fun!

Christmas Music ~ The Christmas song ~ Natalie Cole

Christmas Crafts ~ My own Christmas Miracle

A couple of years ago, as I was preparing for chrismas, I was making backgrounds using an ordinary kitchen scrourer sponge dipped into pools of acrylic paint.  The idea was to create multicoloured rectangular backgrounds onto which I could stamp and emboss images.  As I lifted the sponge, this image of Mary cradling her baby was revealed.  There was no intention, to create this and I treasure it as an image of what Christmas is about.

Christmas Music ~ Christmas Pipes ~ Celtic Woman

Christmas Creative ~ An Introduction

Yes, I could resist it no longer and have decided to undertake another blog.  This time dedicated to a topic very close to my heart ~ A Handmade Christmas.

Christmas is an important time to me.  It's a time when I celebrate the birth of Jesus, and whilst the faith aspects inspire me, so too does the opportunity to decorate, create and design.

I would welcome any input from other creative people, so tutorials, handmade christmas items, stories, poems, thoughts, music etc are most welcome.  You can email me or contact me through the various online forums etc.
I really look forward to hearing from you.
Karen