Merry Christmas

Wishing you a merry Christmas with your loved ones and a happy and healthy 2019!

Make it Monday: Christmas Cards #2

 In a record late finish for me this year, I finished making Christmas cards this weekend. I sent fewer than usual this year but it still took forever.

 I used one design from last year and came up with two more using my Gonis stamps, cutter and pointer pens. I really like the finish.

 Also using Gonis products I did some special finger-painting cards with the kids which was messy but fun. They don't look as smart but I think they are a lovely keepsake for friends and family.

Gratitude

Santa?

Last week at the Kindergarten Christmas party, Joshua met Santa for the first time and he was amazed.  I noticed it again this week at the Christmas market.  It's so sweet, he's not scared but he's not sure what to make of him yet.

I also learned this week that St.Nicholas and Santa Claus are two different people in Germany.  It's only taken me almost nine years to realise this.  I'm not sure how long kids will go along with this given the rise in American films which are already confusing matters.  German friends are always asking me if we really wait until Christmas morning to open presents.

The children are still at an age where they don't really think about it too much but I think Isabella may start asking questions next year - why is it different for her and her cousins?  It's always been important to me that the kids have the magic of Christmas for as long as possible.  And even with one culture, they ask questions early.  "How can this present be from Grandma? - Santa brought it" etc. 

It also changes depending on religion - here the Jesus child brings the gifts for catholic children.

For now, I think we will just see what questions come and answer them as we go.  I'm just looking forward to having two happy children next week and some quality family time.

Make it Monday: Christmas Cards

I finally started making my Christmas cards at the weekend.  I am promising myself (yet again) to really get ahead of the game next year.  This is the latest I have ever been and it is so stressful!

The aim here, was to use my new blue ink from Gonis as well as the star stencil for the background.  I showed the card on the left at my parties last week.  I love the addition of the pearl dots and will be using more of those on the rest of my cards.

The blue doesn't feel that Christmassy to me so I will be changing up the colours on my next batch too but I still like these.  I am really happy with my stencils.  On the left are those I used last year and on the right are my new ones.  Both are looking good.

I'm also planning on getting Isabella in on the next round of card making too but this was a good start.

Christmas!

At the weekend we got our Christmas decorations up.  It's an event that I usually look forward to and really enjoy.  Usually...  This year I struggled a bit.  We were (are) running late with everything Christmas-related.  It feels like time is flying, I haven't started my Christmas cards and I ordered the first Christmas presents yesterday.  Isabella was very upset when the neighbours had their decorations up and we didn't.  I just wanted to get past Joshua's birthday first.

As promised, we went up in the loft and brought down the boxes.  I always forget how much we have.  The tree is packed and I wasn't too upset when a couple of ornaments were dropped on the tiles - although trying to stop a two year old running through glass splinters while you run for the vac, is an impossible task.  Stress levels went through the roof.

I also forget we always have new decorations from gifts the year before so it is nice to rediscover them and find them a home.

On the whole, I was glad we did it and I love the cosy Christmas lights on an evening.  I'll be happier when we have gotten everything ready (so that'll be about midnight on Christmas Eve...) but I'm starting to enjoy this not-so-slow slide towards the holidays.

Recipe: Christmas Punch

Ingredients:

• 1.2l cranberry juice
• 1.5l sparkling wine
• 500ml apple cider
• 400ml ginger ale
• 400ml dark rum
• 2 oranges, thinly sliced
• 350g cranberries

Instructions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl with ice.

Make it Monday - Salt-dough Christmas Decorations

 This week I promised myself I would do more with the kids so we started our Christmas projects and made these decorations over two nights.

 On the first evening I made the dough from 2 cups of plain flour, 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of water. It was very easy. Isabella loved making her own shapes. Joshua got confused between playdough and cookies but managed a few shapes too, with guidance.

 Once we had baked them a few times in the oven and let them cool, they were ready to paint.

 I let them loose with my Gonis acrylic paints and again, Isabella loved it. Joshua hated it. He liked the idea but preferred using his hands over the brush and just wanted to run around with paint everywhere. He managed a few designs though.

It took a lot of self-control to let the kids get creative and paint how they wanted but I love that we have some real keepsakes here. I would definitely recommend it. 

Make it Monday - Glitter Christmas Decoration

Today I had another Gonis presentation and I wanted to try one of my new Christmas products quickly to be able to show the guests an example.

I ordered the glitter creme last week and it is so easy to use and works really well with the other Christmas products that I have.  

This transparent Christmas bauble was the perfect surface for a self-sticking template and I applied the glitter with a spatula.  As with most of the Gonis products, I didn't need a lot.  

The bauble needs more colour for definite and I'm thinking about how to finish it but with the glitter itself, I am very happy.

Coming soon!

I used to dance ballet, I love watching the ballet and this is my absolute favourite so I am really excited about this film.  Maybe it's time to take Isabella to the cinema...

Make it Monday: Christmas Tree Decorations

And so it begins...

This week I made my first Christmas tree decorations of the year using one of the customer gifts from Gonis.  I painted them red with acrylic paint, stencilled some shapes on the front with relief paste and finished them off with my decopointer edging.

I am really pleased with the result and I'm looking forward to making more of these as there are two more shapes to the set.

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Spirit

Make it Monday - Tree Decorations

 At the Gonis party back in October, my order merited a free gift of two clear plstic tree baubles.

I bought some red and gold feathers to put in the baubles to add a bit of colour that matches our scheme.

I used my red and white Gonis paints. I was making some white snowflakes when the paint spluttered so I improvised, making a white background with a red snowflake too.

It's nice that they are different yet complementary. A lovely addition to our decorations in my year of create!

Make it Monday - Christmas Decorations

 Our tree seems to get fuller every year and I don't really think we need a bigger one. I aim to buy one decoration per year and we've received several as gifts. I like a tree that tells a story. There are memories on there from our first Christmas together, the first in our flat, our engagement, our first as Mr & Mrs, our first in the house, Isabella's first Christmas and Joshua's. This year we bought a small wooden decoration on our Harz holiday and I used my Gonis products to make two that I'll share with you soon.

As a result of this, and since the lower part of the tree is a bit emptier due to our curious one year old, I decided to repurpose some of the basic baubles. I bought a bit of greenery on sale at Netto, trimmed it down and filled four vases with that and the baubles. It was simple but effective. I love that it ties in to the tree and spreads the Christmas feeling around the room.

It makes a lovely centrepiece for the table when we host my in-laws on Boxing Day too. The best part is the beautiful smell of the real fir tree branch. I'll be making this a new tradition!

Make it Monday - Christmas Cards

 After four attempts, I finally got all of my Christmas cards made and written this weekend. Nico had ordered me some lovely cream cardstock and I put my Gonis products to work.

For the most part I used their stamp set with gold ink. I also took advantage of their example designs, just changing up the last one, which ended up being my favourite.

 Some of the designs had cut outs which stood off from the card with the help of some sticky pads. By far my favourite technique was the new paint pen used for the red baubles above.

I used the white paint pen to make this, the only December birthday card this year. I love the results and will be using more of these products in 2018.

Make it Monday - Christmas Tea Light Holders

 While Mum was here I got cracking on the first of my Christmas gifts so that she could transport them back to England.

 First we went to Ikea and stocked up on glass tea light holders.

 Then I got out my gonis stencils, relief paste and some spatulas and Mum helped me whip up forty of these holders with the help of some mulled wine.

 I love these designs and made up different pairings to gift to different friends.

 It's an effective technique. I look forward to making some non-Christmas ones next year.

Kirchweyhe Christmas Market

As I mentioned, we rounded off the nursery year by meeting some of Isabella's nursery friends and their parents at the local Christmas market.

There were four children (five with Joshua, though he slept in the carrier) and eight adults. We started the evening with a catch up at the big Christmas tree. The kids literally ran rings around us which helped tire them out.

Suddenly, Isabella ran up with a gingerbread Santa. A nice lady and her toddler grandson were handing them out as advertising for a local garage. We shared it out among the four children.

After a while we headed to the carousel where we all bought tokens and the kids must have had ten rounds and a go on each different part of the carousel. They loved it and it was a joy to see them together having so much fun.

Santa never showed but between the rides, the punch and food, the kids never noticed. I hope we can make plans to meet the others more often in the new year.

Season's Greetings

From my house to yours, a very merry Christmas.

More festive spirit