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.

Make it Monday - October Cards

This month I used my Gonis stamps to make the same design again, this time I used pencils to add the colour, washi tape for some texture and the Happy Birthday stamp on the front.

My next goal is to work on the backgrounds and get some Christmas inspiration.

Make it Monday: Friendship Bracelets

Yesterday I saw a video on Facebook which I unfortunately can't find anymore but it was something like this.  It was so easy, I thought I would give it a try with Isabella and she could do it.  It involved counting and colours, so she learned a bit too.

Of course, Isabella's concentration did not last very long so I ended up making most of these three bracelets.  One for her, one for Joshua and one for Isabella's little friend.  It was a fun, easy little make and it's great for using up scraps.

Conkers

Last week I used the new trailer with the kids for the first time to talk the kids conker collecting.

It really takes me back to my childhood when we used to try and knock conkers out of the tree in the park, long before they were ready so that we could play conkers.

The game is unkown here and the popularity of conkers among children correspondingly low. I've only really seen people collect them for decoration which is much more popular here.

I'm planning on using some of our swag for decorations both at home, and at upcoming Gonis presentations but today we used some for a bit of family craft time which proved fun for us all.

We made some little animals, here are some pictures, if you'd like to see.

Make it Monday - Oil Painting

Yesterday, I finally got around to finishing our four elements quartet. Nico did fire, and I did air and water a while ago. 

This could have been too boring (and maybe it is to some) but I love how you can incorporate texture with oil paints.

It was fun to experiment with texture and it was a quick little nap-time project. It takes a while to dry and then we can find a spot to hang them.

Make it Monday - Frozen Necklace

Isabella was inundated with Frozen themed craft gifts for her birthday.  Finally, I had time to open some with her yesterday.  The first one we completed was this necklace.  It's actually two bracelets but they can be joined to form a necklace, which she prefers.

Everything we needed was provided but we had to make most of the charms.  I've dabbled with jewellery making but never anything as fiddly as this and I'm really pleased with the outcome, especially since I didn't have the tools.

It was also really fun for Isabella and for me to do something together.  She often sees me making things but can't often join in yet.  This was perfect for doing something together and she has a pretty new necklace as a result.  Really looking forward to crafting more with her in the holidays and making more time to be creative with her and Joshua in the future.

Make it Monday: Goals!

With such a busy end of the school year and the hen do at the weekend, my creativity has hit a bit of a hurdle.  I've still got so many ideas in my head but I'm lacking the time and energy to get started.  I'm amazed I have kept up my ongoing projects such as the daily video and weekly crochet and Porject Life.

Today, I thought I would share with you some of the projects I am planning on cracking on with in the holidays.  It's always therapeutic for me to get these things out of my head and into words.

1. Sewing - trousers and/or trouser jump suit from Tilly and the Buttons
2. Crochet - catch up on the blanket patches and get ahead on some hats for Autumn gifts.  I also have a ladybird kit to make.
3. Paper crafts - August cards, new Project Life album.
4. Photography - change out our wall photos, Joshua's Dr Seuss poster, update Isabella's photo wall, photo book gift, Isabella's birthday photos.
5. Gonis - I have a meeting on the 10th July to start working with Gonis.
6. DIY - I'd like to jazz up a few things around the house and garden but I'm still searching for my inspiration here.
7. Video - keep up the daily videos.  We made it six months and I LOVE this project.
8. Painting - I still need to finish my oil painting quartet and experiment more with glass painting.

Here's to a productive and creative month!!

Make it Monday: July birthday cards

This week I got out my stash and my stamps and made these two cards.

It was fun and they're both unique to the recipients. I didn't even know I had the pink card but I love the glitter - it matches the gold ink really well.

I've not been crafting much lately so it felt good to get creative again. Lots more along those lines coming soon!

Make it Monday - Party Bags

Today I've been making little party bags for Isabella's party later.

We took some plain breakfast bags and stamped them with the same colours and shapes as the invitations.

Each one has a lolly, a little bag of skittles and a glow in the dark jewellery item. We also got some water guns on offer but they were too big so we'll hand them out separately. Can't wait!

Make it Monday - June Birthday Cards

Most of the June birthdays for us are in our German family and they don't really do cards.

Yesterday I finally used some of my black card stock. I jazzed it up with tape after I saw a tutorial online. I'm really pleased with it and it's a bit different.

Isabella turns four this month and I wanted to make her a special card. I used this big 4 and brightened it up with my Gonis gel paint. Then I stamped some flowers which matches what she did for her invitations.

Make it Monday - Birthday Invitations

 Isabella turns four this month and there's going to be a big party. As a child, I never liked having to pick and choose among friends and I hated being told "sorry, you're not invited, I'm only allowed ... friends." Since Isabella is so social and often praised for including everyone at Kindergarten, I told her she could invite everyone. Hence a day spent making twenty-one invitations and a week hoping half that number might already have plans.

 While we were out on Saturday, I stocked up on pink card and flower stickers. I found a tulip template online and resized it.
Today I cut out twenty-one pink tulips. Isabella helped me stick on the flowers, I added washi tape and wrote the friends' names and she went crazy with a flower stamp and my ink-pad. Then I wrote the details on the back.

It was a fun, practical project and Isabella loved helping. I always forget how easy and fun it can be to get her involved in crafts.

Make it Monday - Beanbag / Teddy Storage

The photo doesn't really do it justice. Today I combined this tutorial and a video I saw online to make Isabella a beanbag chair which is filled with her huge collection of cuddly toys.

I used the left over material from her cushions to help the colours match but I'm not thrilled with the effect. The project was quick and easy though. I enjoyed making this and getting to grips with the sewing machine again.

It's actually very comfy and we did today's bedtime story here tonight.

Height Charts

 Following on from Monday's post, I used the long weekend to get the second height chart finished and Nico helped me hang them in the kids' rooms.

The photos are adorable. They're such a fantastic visual record of how the children have changed so much already. I can't wait to see when they're finished (and the kids are taller than me!).

They look great, I was really happy to have made something for them that's a nice memory and also brightens up their rooms. I hope they'll last!

Make it Monday - Mini Pennant Bunting

Today I found time for another Mollie Makes mini-project. I made this cute pennant bunting - a new one for me and the two tone made it harder the the triangle bunting I usually make.

I love the colours and I used ribbon rather than bias binding which I find fiddly in regular size. This one is going over the fairies' corner in Isabella's room.

Make it Monday - Kid's Height Chart

For a while, I've been looking for a height chart for Joshua. Isabella has one with stickers but I haven't been able to find anything similar.

Then I saw this. It's one kit that can be a tree or a flower and I couldn't resist getting one for each of the kids.

At the time I didn't realise that it was a make-it-yourself kit but that's actually been half the fun. I finished this one for Isabella within a few hour and now I just need to fill it in and hang it up.

Just Joshua's to do now - good job it's a long weekend!

Make it Monday- April birthday card

Despite being my birthday month, we don't actually know many people with birthdays in April so between using up my stash and being creative I've just one to share with you this month.

I like the neutral colour theme, especially with the card being for a man. I enjoy making these relief designs.

Make it Monday- Glass Painting

Last week I finally tried my new glass paints that Nico bought me for Christmas. I tried them out with some of the jars we saved to make into tealight holders.

I used this lovely turquoise colour and one of my Gonis stick on stencils. The paint is a bit watery. The free-hand designs I tried ran and dripped too much. It even ran with the stencil but I quite like the effect.

Apart from that slight hiccup, things went well and I'm thinking of other projects with glass painting.

Make it Monday- January Birthday Cards

I allowed myself an easy start to crafting in 2018. Using papers from my Mollie Makes magazine, I made these four cards for friends and family with birthdays in January.

I love the colours and patterns and managed to find a less feminine pattern for my Dad.

Make it Monday - Fimo Photo Holders

One of my crafty Christmas gifts was a Fimo set from Nico. It's a bit like play dough for adults and it's surprisingly fiddly. Photo holders were the perfect beginners project for me. I made one for each of the family.

First, you have to work the Fimo. You can mix colours but I didn't try that this time. Then you form the shapes - this bit is harder than it looks. You bake the finished product for half an hour and once it's cooled, you can varnish it.

I love the colours and am looking forward to seeing these in use. I did learn the hard way that you have to consider designs carefully - the smiley won't stand up by itself!

The possibilities are endless - you can make ornaments, jewellery, all sorts. I'm looking forward to experimenting more.

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.