Review preview - CuteBee Book Nook Kit with a Christmas theme

I received this kit in exchange for a review

Readers of this blog will know that I love crafting and I love reading, so what could be better than a craft which makes a lovely addition to a bookshelf! I have just made a start on this Book Nook craft kit from CuteBee, and so I'm sharing my first impressions before I begin to work on the kit and can share the finished product.

The Book Nook kit is a 3D wooden puzzle with lots of tiny pieces which are slotted together to form a Book Nook - a miniature world which can be displayed on your bookshelf. This kit is called the Christmas Wish Store and features all sorts of sweet little Christmas themed items, including a tree, a train and all sorts of toys and decorations.

The kit is very well packaged with everything fitted neatly inside. Most of the kit is wooden sheets with coloured shapes to press out, there are also some small plastic decorations along with the equipment to add lighting and music. It was very easy to check through the instructions and make sure that everything was included, and all the parts are clearly labelled.

You need a firm hand to push out the wooden pieces, but they are sturdy and I wasn't worried about breaking them. There are some spares for the very fiddly parts, for example the top of the train roof which needs to be curved slightly. It's important to only press out the pieces as you need them as you would very quickly get muddled!

Unused pieces can be stored in the original box, but I found it helpful to have a separate tray to keep the components that are assembled so that they don't get lost or damaged. So far I've built a storage box and a tiny train, and I found putting the pieces together to be really fun and absorbing. 

The kit is mainly assembled without glue, and the parts that need glue (not included) are clearly marked. You can also add a bit of glue if you are concerned that the pieces are too loose, but I found that wasn't usually necessary.

I'm really looking forward to working on this kit, I can see it being something that I work on from time to time when I have a few minutes to craft, as it can easily be picked up and put down and it doesn't need too much space to work on.

I will share the Book Nook when it's complete!

An update on my Nutcracker Christmas cross stitch project

Around this time last year I wrote about my currently incomplete cross stitch projects. There were quite a few! I've made progress on several of them, but the one that I'm most proud of is The Christmas Nutcracker from Bothy Threads. Here's how it was looking last Christmas, with just the shoulders of the Nutcracker stitched.

I worked on it quite a lot in the early part of the year, then I put it aside for a few months. When I fancied doing some cross stitch over the summer I picked up another neglected cross stitch project, as it felt strange to be working on a Christmas project when it was warm and light outside!

But as the cold and dark have returned I've found myself called back to the Nutcracker, and I'm really pleased with how it's getting on. The pattern is in two parts, the first sheet is a layer of cross stitch and then the second sheet is a layer of more intricate embroidery stitches. I don't want to confuse myself, so I'm going to complete all of the cross stitch first before I move on to the second layer.

I would say that I'm definitely halfway through the first layer, so a quarter of the way through the project!

It's quite simple to stitch, there are some mirrored areas and it is mainly worked in blocks of colour with no shading. The pattern is easy to follow, and by working on a colour at a time you can make a lot of progress quite quickly. 

I'm going to be making this my main project over the Christmas period and I'm hoping to get lots done, maybe by the New Year I'll even be able to complete the cross stitch layer!

Some simple felt crafts for Christmas

I love crafting with felt at Christmas. Felt is so versatile - it comes in a huge range of colours, you can cut it easily into all sorts of simple shapes without needing to worry about hemming it, you can sew it or even just glue it easily, and the soft texture feels really cosy.

I've shared lots of festive felt crafts on my blog over the last few years - here are some of my favourites.

My Embroidered felt Christmas bunting is once again hanging up over our mantlepiece like it does every year. It's just large triangles of felt with a simple border using the sewing machine. Then I alternated embroidered stars and snowflakes. This was a lot easier to do than it looks - I used an outline drawn on tissue paper which I sewed through and then removed, it worked really well! 

This year I made a really simple felt Christmas garland using some leftover felt pieces. All you need to do is to cut out some simple shapes from the felt and then sew them together using a sewing machine. It's a bit fiddly at first but sews up quickly and the garland is perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree or around the house.

My Felt star Christmas ornaments were made to use up some scraps of felt in different colours that I had leftover in my felt box. I tried to pick colours that went well together, even if they weren't all traditional Christmas colours. The colours remind me of the Three Kings and their gifts! They are finished with a contrasting button. I display them in a bowl on the sideboard, but they can also be made into hanging decorations with some simple coloured thread.

This Cross stitch snowflake felt bunting is a way of displaying the tiny snowflake cross stitch patterns that I designed - you can find them here free simple snowflake cross stitch patterns. You can use odd scraps of Aida fabric to sew the snowflakes, then turn them into bunting with some felt circle frames and ribbon. They would also make lovely hanging ornaments. 

Another stash busting project is this Felt Christmas tree and bauble bunting. Not just to use up scraps of felt but also ric rac, ribbon, beads and sequins. They have a small amount of padding and are double sided so they can be hung across a window.

Finally, my favourite Christmas felt craft is these Felt Christmas stocking decorations. They are nostalgic for me for two reasons - firstly because I remember my Mum making them when I was little and secondly because they were the very first Christmas decoration that I made when I was decorating my own home. It was so long ago that I didn't even had a craft stash - I had to go out and buy the felt and beads specially for the project!

They are designed to hold a small bar of funsize chocolate and to be hung on the tree as an alternative to the chocolate foil ornaments that you can buy. When my children were little they used them as mini stockings for their favourite teddies!

I hope that you have fun crafting this Christmas!

Hama bead Christmas kit inspiration for adults

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

I love a festive craft project, even better if it's something that I can display in my home as I celebrate the Christmas season. At this busy time of year sometimes you just want a simple project that you can work on when you have some quiet time, and Hama beads are the perfect craft that's both relaxing and satisfying. Working from a kit means that you have everything you need in one place without having to spend time gathering materials from around the house, and I've hunted down some gorgeous Hama bead Christmas crafting kits which would be fun to work on during those long dark evenings.

You'll notice that they are all official Hama bead branded items. While they can be a little more expensive than the cheaper options, I've learned the hard way that the imitation beads are just not as good!

First up is something that you can get a start on ready for next year! The Hama bead Advent Calendar (affiliate link) is a really fun Advent craft, and then when it's finished it can be re-used year after year. The kit contains 24 festive designs and shaped pegboards which can be kept for future Christmas projects.

If you want to make something simple which you can use to decorate your home then the simple Hama bead ornaments (affiliate link) or simple Hama bead decorations (affiliate link) are perfect. The designs are quick and easy to make, and can also be worked on together with small children for some family crafting fun.

I love these Hama bead Christmas trees (affiliate link) because once you have the included small Christmas tree pegboard you can really get creative with different designs. You could even make the trees in different colours to match your festive decor, for example in red/white or purple/silver. Then the completed trees can be used as Christmas tree decorations or turned into bunting.

Finally this Hama bead Santa Claus pegboard (affiliate link) is really fun, and again could be customised to suit your own decor. You could mount him on a stick to prop up in a flower pot, hang him inside a wreath, or prop him up on the mantlepiece.

Alternatively, you could just treat yourself to a big bucket of coloured Hama beads (affiliate link) or a selection of mini Hama beads (affiliate link) and browse my Hama bead Christmas crafts and projects which is packed with ideas for both simple and more complex Hama bead crafts which are perfect for this time of year!

Hama bead fairy light bunting

Simple Christmas felt garland craft

I love crafting with felt, it's so easy to work with and I love the soft texture and bright colours. This Christmas I made a really simple felt Christmas garland to add to my collection of homemade Christmas decorations.

I the same method that has worked well for two previous projects - my simple felt heart garland and my Halloween themed felt bunting. Using scraps of felt and a sewing machine it's a quick way to make some simple bunting that can be switched out according to season. 

This was a stash buster project for me, so I was limited by the felt colours in my stash. I've run out of red which is a bit of a disaster for Christmas crafting! But I had some pre-cut red circles left over from another project which worked perfectly, and I chose shapes based on the colours that I had available. 

I ended up with a red circle, a green Christmas tree, a golden bell and a brown gingerbread man, with each shape measuring around 4cm in height. I cut 10 of each shape and for this project I attempted to keep the shapes in the same pattern throughout. 

Tips for cutting out the shapes - I made a paper pattern for each shape which I pinned to the felt while cutting. Use small, sharp scissors, and don't worry too much about perfection!

When all the pieces are cut then I sewed them together. If you want to keep to an order make sure you know what you are doing, as once you start sewing it's easier if you can have the next one ready to go at all times. Before starting to sew, make sure to pull out a decent length of thread and then again at the end so that the felt garland will be easy to hang. 

Then just line up the shapes and sew them together! It's a bit of a fiddly job but it gets easier as you go along, I had several false starts! Just get the next piece ready to sew before you've finished the previous one, and squish them together a little bit as you sew each end.

The finished garland adds a lovely Christmas hint to the festive decorations, whether hung on the tree or elsewhere around the house!

Christmas themed bullet journal and journalling supplies

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

I regularly write in both my bullet journal and my everyday journal, and one of the things that makes it enjoyable for me is decorating and accessorising the pages to match the season. With Christmas well on the way, I thought I'd share some journalling supplies which are perfect for brightening up a journal now that the days are feeling gloomy!

Photo credit Alisa Anton via Unsplash

I get through a lot of stickers in my journalling! I use them as accents in the corners of pages, to decorate a themed journal page, and sometimes as image journal prompts.

Sometimes I like to use a large Christmas sticker (affiliate link) for some emphasis, or else I also like to use smaller Christmas stickers (affiliate link) as tiny accents or to create a border around the page.

Another way that I like to decorate my pages is with washi tape. I have quite a collection now since I first bought washi tape back in 2013! I love this colourful Christmas washi tape (affiliate link), or else this simpler vintage Christmas themed washi tape (affiliate link).

Finally another addition to Christmas journalling supplies is a set of Christmas paper punches (affiliate link). You can use them for either the punched pieces themselves or to add interest to the edge of a page by cutting away a line of outlines. You could also look for a larger paper punch like this paper punch Christmas tree (affiliate link) which could be used to decorate a festive journal page.

Try working on entries with some cheerful coloured gel pens (affiliate link) or some glittery highlighters (affiliate link) and bring some festive cheer to your journal pages this season!

Different ways to display completed mini cross stitch designs

Most of my cross stitch projects are large designs that take several years to complete. But sometimes I just want a quick win, and that's when I turn to a mini cross stitch kit for some speedy crafting satisfaction. In particular I'm a sucker for the mini kits that are displayed at the till in Hobbycraft, especially as they are usually part of a tempting multi-buy promotion. 

But what to do with all the finished tiny cross stitched pieces? Here are some ideas!

Frame them in a small embroidery hoop

I bought these mini Christmas embroidery kits a few years ago. They were easy to stitch, and as well as cross stitch they also have some different embroidery stitches to add interest. I framed each one in a painted embroidery hoop with added glitter, and they form part of my Christmas mantlepiece display. 

Use them to make a greetings card

This little cupcake design is really sweet! I used my Cricut to make a simple frame and mounted the cross stitch inside to make a card.

Use them as panels in a quilt

This would work best for a decorative quilt, or maybe one that is used as a wall hanging. Just use the cross stitched fabric to make a panel for the quilt, mixed in with different fabric panels or patchwork. You can find a tutorial for a gorgeous quilt here - Cross Stitch and Paper Piecing. 

Use for a cushion, pillow or lavender bag

You can either use a slightly larger piece or combine several smaller pieces to make a cushion or pillow. This is a great way to display your finished project! You can find a video tutorial here:

You can also use a smaller piece to make a simple lavender bag, either by folding over a larger piece of fabric or using contrasting fabric to back it.

Sew a bookmark

This project works best with very small designs, like my free mini cross stitch Christmas motifs. You can combine several together to form a wide strip, or you can even buy cross stitch fabric cut to bookmark size (affiliate link) which you can sew on directly.

Use for gift tags

It's really easy to make gift tags from tiny cross stitch motifs, and they add a lovely personal touch to a gift. If you put a pretty hanging tag then they could be re-purposed as Christmas tree ornaments!

Combine smaller designs for a larger project

I used some of my mini snowflake cross stitch patterns to make a larger framed embroidery hoop piece. It took a bit of fiddling to produce a design that I was happy with, but I was really pleased with the result which I stitched on dark fabric - you can find the free pattern here Snowflake embroidery hoop design.

Sew together to use as bunting flags

You can use small finished pieces to make some lovely bunting, maybe combined with bunting flags in different fabrics. I love the woodland bunting which you can find in this article along with the free patterns - Children's cross stitch patterns. 

For really tiny pieces

I love these really small wooden frames (affiliate link) which can be used to frame those really miniature cross stitch projects. They can be used for hanging decorations and ornaments, pendants, brooches, keyrings and so on.

I hope that I've given you some ideas for ways to display those tiny cross stitch projects!

Christmas gift ideas for book lovers

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

If you have a book lover in your life, then finding a gift for them this Christmas is easy! Just think about what sort of book lover they are (or maybe they are like me, and could fit into every category!)

Gift ideas for book lovers...

...with a large 'To Be Read' pile

I always have a pile of books that I want to read, and I enjoy having a selection that I can choose from depending on my mood. Help your book lover to keep them organised with some pretty bookends (affiliate link),  a decorative shallow basket (affiliate link) or even a large book trolley (affiliate link)!

...who like to be comfortable while they are reading

I love to read in bed, propped up on cushions with a hot water bottle by my feet. Help make your reader more comfortable with a supportive reading pillow (affiliate link), a clip on reading light (affiliate link) or a foldable bed tray (affiliate link) to keep drinks and snacks handy.

Photo credit Micheile Henderson via Unsplash

...who read while away from home

I love my Kindle (affiliate link) for reading while I'm travelling, it means that I can have a book with me for every reading mood and also access to lots of free books to download. A waterproof Kindle case (affiliate link) comes in handy for reading, whether you are the beach, by the pool, or just at home and in the bath!

...who lend out their books

Most readers enjoy sharing their books with others, but sometimes a temporary lending situation can turn into a permanent one - I've replaced books several times that have never made it back to me. I use book plates or stickers (affiliate link) for my favourite books or you could take it one step further and buy a personal library kit (affiliate link) so that no book will ever go missing again!

...who have several books on the go at once

Readers always need bookmarks! I have loads, and yet I never seem to be able to find one when I need one. You could look for a personalised one, make one, or else buy a large pack of pretty bookmarks (affiliate link) so that your reader will always have one to hand. 

Another great idea is a set of sticky index tabs (affiliate link) which can be used to mark favourite chapters or passages. 

Photo credit Kelsy Gagnebin via Unsplash

...who have a particular favourite book or author

World of Books has a dedicated Rare Books section which I love to browse - you might find a first or special edition of a book, and the prices are very reasonable. You could also look for a biography of an author that they like, or a compilation book which includes their favourite author and other similar writers. There are plenty of websites which can suggest new books based on books that you've enjoyed, and you might help them to discover a new favourite.

....who read while they are eating

Maybe it's a bad habit, but if I'm settling down with a book in some peace and quiet I'll often make myself a hot drink and a selection of snacks, or else I will read while I'm eating a meal. Choose food which can be eaten with one hand and doesn't make your fingers messy - think healthy options like nuts or dried fruit, or more indulgent treats like suger coated chocolates, mints and jelly sweets.

An adjustable book stand (affiliate link) or a simple hand book holder (affiliate link) can make reading while eating much more comfortable.

...who enjoy book reading challenges

There are plenty of scratch off posters with top books (affiliate link) which are fun to use and display, and a great way to find some reading inspiration. You can also look for a book filled with book suggestions, like 1000 Books to Read Before you Die (affiliate link) which would certainly keep even an avid reader busy!

...who want to remember what they've read

You can choose a dedicated book journal (affiliate link), or else any pretty notebook and pen can do the job. There is plenty of reading journal inspiration online, so if you are feeling crafty you could even take the time to set up some reading journal pages to get them started. If they are crafty, add some bookish stickers (affiliate link) or a set of pretty washi tapes (affiliate link).

Photo credit Ayako via Unsplash

I hope that this has given you plenty of ideas for the reader in your life this Christmas!

The 2023 Gingerbread Houses

I must admit that every year I approach the annual gingerbread house with some trepidation. But I've been making at least one house every year for about ten years now and I've now got it down to a fine art. This year's was the easiest yet!

A few years back I bought some gingerbread house cutters, and they are brilliant. I've been using the same gingerbread recipe for years which is an old recipe from Tesco, it's not even online anymore. I've simplified it, and also worked out the exact quantities that I need to make two houses from my cutters with a small amount left over.

Here's the recipe that I use for two houses. Melt together the wet ingredients (375g butter, 300g muscovado sugar, 9 tbsp golden syrup) then add to the dry ingredients (940g plain flour, 3 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 3 tsp ground ginger, 3tsp mixed spice) and mix together into a dough. 

I roll the gingerbread out directly onto baking paper, cut out the piece, and then lift the paper straight onto the baking tray so that the pieces keep their shape. This year I remembered to start with the largest pieces first, because it's easier to cut out the smaller pieces towards the end when you don't have as much dough left. The pieces bake in the oven at 180 for about 9 minutes. I make the gingerbread a couple of days before I assemble the houses so that they have time to harden a little.

To assemble the houses I use royal icing sugar and an icing syringe and nozzles set. First I put the walls together, making sure to put plenty of icing under the pieces on the base. Then I leave for a few minutes before putting on the roof and holding in place with plenty of icing. Finally it's time to decorate with more icing and sweets. 

Here are this year's efforts, decorated by the children!

I make two houses because then the children have one each to decorate. This does however mean that I only get to do the building of the houses and not the fun part of decorating, so I think that next year I may make three houses so that I get one to decorate too! The gingerbread keeps for ages, certainly as long as we need it to, and after a couple of days I break the houses up and put them into cake tins.

I always say that I'll make gingerbread houses throughout the year for different occasions like Easter but when it comes to it I can never face it. Maybe this will be the year, as they are delicious if I say so myself! 

A few favourite Christmas scenes from classic children's books

As Christmas gets nearer and nearer I thought I'd share some of my favourite books that have a festive scene that always sticks in my memory! I always feel nostalgic at Christmas time, and going back to old favourite books is definitely comforting when it's cold and miserable outside.

These are all children's books that I have read over and over, both as an adult and as a child, and I'm sure I'll read many times more. They are all classic children's books, and if you are interested they are available to read for free online or to download thanks to Project Gutenberg. 

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

The book begins with the memorable opening line "“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug." and we are introduced to the four March girls as they contemplate a Christmas without presents and their father away, serving as a chaplain in the Civil War which has made it a difficult time for many people. The girls give their Christmas breakfast away to a starving family, but they still manage to have an enjoyable day performing a Christmas play, and later on they receive some treats from their wealthy neighbours.

"There was ice cream, actually two dishes of it, pink and white, and cake and fruit and distracting French bonbons and, in the middle of the table, four great bouquets of hot house flowers."

I love reading about how they are able to make the best of things and share what they have with others even though they don't have much themselves.

What Katy Did - Susan Coolidge

Katy is a young girl when she is confined to bed after an accident on a swing which damages her spine. At Christmas she is starting to come to terms with the fact that she isn't going to get better straightaway, and she wants to make Christmas special for her family. I love reading about the presents that she chooses for everyone and how they all write their Christmas wishes to send up the chimney. 

"Then they all sat down round the fire to write their wishes on bits of paper, and see whether they would burn, or fly up the chimney. If they did the latter, it was a sign that Santa Claus had them safe, and would bring the things wished for."

Then she helps her father and aunt fill the stockings.

""What's that?" asked Dr. Carr, as Aunt Izzie rammed a long, narrow package into Clover's stocking." A nail-brush," answered Aunt Izzie; "Clover needed a new one." How Papa and Katy laughed! "I don't believe Santa Claus ever had such a thing before," said Dr. Carr. "He's a very dirty old gentleman, then," observed Aunt Izzie, grimly."

This part always makes me smile because I used to receive useful things in my stocking, and so do my children!

Photo credit Sabina Sturzu via Unsplash

What Katy Did at School - Susan Coolidge

A few years later the older two girls, Katy and Clover, are away at boarding school and aren't able to come home for Christmas which has made them and their friends feel miserable. Then on Christmas Eve a box from home is delivered for them which is filled with the most wonderful Christmas gifts and treats. I love reading the description of everything that is included and how everyone at home has remembered them.

"What fun it was opening those bundles! The girls made a long business of it, taking out but one at a time, exclaiming, admiring, and exhibiting to Rose, before they began upon another. They laughed, they joked, but I do not think it would have taken much to make either of them cry. It was almost too tender a pleasure, these proofs of loving remembrance from the little one; and each separate article seemed full of the very look and feel of home."

"Never was such a wonderful box. It appeared to have no bottom whatever. Under the presents were parcels of figs, prunes, almonds, raisins, candy; under those, apples and pears. There seemed no end to the surprises."

Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder

In the first book in the series the family are living in a cabin in the woods, and although they are isolated they still have family that are close enough to visit occasionally. At Christmas their Aunt, Uncle and cousins come to stay just for one night, and the the children have fun playing in the snow and eating all the delicious food. 

"In each stocking there was a pair of bright red mittens and there was a long flat stick of red-and-white-striped, pepper-mint candy, all beautifully notched along one side. They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first. They just looked with shining eyes at those lovely Christmas presents. But Laura was happiest of all. Laura had a rag doll."

Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder

The creek has risen and the children know that now Santa Claus won't be able to reach them. And reading as an adult you can see that their parents are also sad that they aren't going to be able to give the girls any Christmas gifts. Then at the last minute their friend Mr Edwards arrives at their house and tells the girls that he met Santa Claus in town and has brought their gifts. 

"They had never even thought of such a thing as having a penny. Think of having a whole penny for your very own. Think of having a cup and a cake and a stick of candy and a penny. There had never been such a Christmas."

I'd love to hear of any Christmas scenes from books that I've forgotten!

Enjoying the last busy couple of weeks before Christmas

I'm sure I'm not the only one that can't wait until the school Christmas holidays! The last couple of weeks of term are always so busy, and even though I try to cut back on things as much as I can after learning from the mistakes of previous years, we still seem to have a full calendar.

Last week Mia took part in her school production of Bugsy Malone. She played a reporter and a dancer and the show was brilliant. She's never done any kind of dancing before, and they had a dance instructor come to the school to teach them. I was so impressed when the curtain went up and she was there dancing away with her friends all wearing their sparkly outfits! She also had to read several news reports by herself on the stage, some of them in an American accent, and she did so well. I watched three of the four performances and loved every one.

Our village always goes all out for Christmas. We have a group of village yarn bombers that put up decorations for all sorts of celebrations throughout the year and they have excelled themselves this Christmas. As well as the traditional post box topper we have a knitted ice skating rink, sleigh, decorations in all the shop windows, hanging knitted ornaments from the trees in the village centre and knitted ornaments tied along any available stretch of railing or bollard. I love spotting them as I go on my regular runs through the village, and it's really nice that people respect them and leave them in place.

Yesterday we had the school Christmas Fair which was as chaotic as always. They have a new system for payment which is very clever - when you arrive you exchange money for tokens which can be used on all the stalls. This means that they don't need to worry about keeping a float of change for each stall. Also the tokens could be bought using a credit card, which is useful for people like me that don't carry much cash. The most popular stall is always the chocolate tombola, and the children did pretty well!

Next week we have a few dates arranged with friends and family, including an evening Christmas meal out for me, and I'm also looking forward to some chilled out family time, doing some crafting and making our annual gingerbread houses. 

I hope that you are all enjoying this festive time of year!

Some of my favourite Christmas felt crafts

As I was putting out my Christmas decorations this year I realised how many of them are things that I've crafted over the years and have enjoyed bringing out year after year. Many of my favourite homemade Christmas decorations involve felt, and so I thought I'd share a few here. 

These Felt Christmas stocking decorations are the very first Christmas decoration that I made, it must be over twenty years ago now! I remember making a special trip to town to buy the felt and the beads as I had just moved out of home and hadn't yet built up a craft stash. I still have some of the beads left and they crop up from time to time in my projects, like the felt star ornaments at the bottom of this post.

They were copied from ones that I remembered my Mum making when I was little - they are designed to hold a small funsize bar of chocolate and hang on the tree as an alternative to chocolate foil decorations. The children used to use them as mini stockings for their soft toys!

Next, this Embroidered felt Christmas bunting has hung over our mantlepiece every year since I made it. It was very easy to make, just pendants of felt and some simple embroidery (using an outline drawn on tissue paper, sewn through and removed). 

I made this Cross stitch snowflake felt bunting using snowflake designs from my free simple snowflake cross stitch patterns. They were very quick to make using scraps of Aida fabric and oddments of thread. I then cut and sewed together simple felt circles to frame them. 

This Felt Christmas tree and bauble bunting is formed of four small felt Christmas trees and four decorated baubles. I loved hunting through my stash to find ric rac, ribbon and beads to decorate them with and they look lovely hung in my office window. 

My Felt star Christmas ornaments were a felt stash busting project, using up felt in different colours that I had remaining from various completed projects. Initially I had them on display in a bowl in the living room, but I've since added some coloured thread so that they can be hung from the tree.

Finally, a few years ago I received some festive ornament felt kits to review and they were lovely to do, simple enough to be completed in a few crafting sessions but challenging enough to still be interesting. If you don't have a craft stash to work from then buying a kit with everything that you need is a great alternative, and they are often very reasonably priced!

I hope that you enjoy your Christmas crafting!

Hama bead snowflakes using the midi beads

A couple of years ago I designed some free simple cross stitch snowflake designs and patterns which I used to make a snowflake embroidery hoop piece. I also adapted the pattern so that it could be used for Hama beads, and I used the mini Hama bead snowflake embellishments to decorate a pretty winter snowflake lantern.

This year I thought I'd have a go at making some Hama bead snowflakes using the larger midi beads. As a reminder here's my Hama bead snowflake pattern - it is made using white beads for the snowflake and then transparent beads in the gaps so that the snowflakes can be easily ironed.

The Hama bead snowflakes made with the midi beads measure about 5-6cm in diameter and are very sturdy. 

These snowflakes make great Christmas decorations. I can see them hanging from the ceiling or in a window, or simply stuck across a window with a glue dot.

Because of the hole in the bead they could also be hung with ribbon for a tree ornament, they could be glued to a name card for the Christmas dining table, they could be used as gift tags or to decorate a gift bag, they could be popped inside a Christmas card for a festive surprise. 

They are so simple to make that it would be a great craft to keep children occupied over the Christmas holidays and of course there's no need to stick to white, you could use beads of any colour, maybe glittery beads or in contrasting colours.

Have fun with your Christmas crafting!

The elves are back!

It's easy to forget when your child is a tiny toddler that those elves are now committed to returning year after year! With the magic of Christmas still fully alive in our home, our elves have returned to join us for the festive season. They are renamed each year, and so this Christmas we have Holly (a conventional name from Mia) and Wernher von Braun (an unusual choice, named by Harry after his favourite rocket scientist). 

In years past they have arrived with a ring on the doorbell, but as it's quite cold this year they just appeared underneath the Christmas tree next to a gift bag containing the Advent calendars. Usually both children just receive a chocolate Advent calendar but Mia has been pestering for a fidget toy Advent calendar for years so we finally gave in. Harry wasn't that fussed about a fancy calendar so we bought him a new book about space instead. They also both have a chocolate one (as do I!)

I remember being so excited on the 1st of December each year when we were given our Advent calendars and they were hung up on a nail in the hallway. The early ones were just a picture, although I do remember progressing to the chocolate ones when they were more readily available! I actually would quite like a traditional Advent calendar with no chocolate, but they are more expensive than the chocolate ones!

And so the countdown to Christmas has begun!

How I use Amazon wishlists to plan my Christmas shopping

I am currently in the middle of my Christmas gift shopping, and I try to keep things as simple as I can. Luckily all the people that I buy for are of the same mindset, and so I don't have too much stress when it comes to thinking about what to buy! But I do like to make sure that I'm finding the things that people want at the best price possible, and so I make great use of the Amazon wish list facility to keep me organised.

All of my family members have their own Amazon wish list which they keep updated. Well, apart from one who has migrated over to a website called Things To Get Me, which lets you add things that can't be bought on Amazon. I have several lists of my own - I have a main public wish list, a shopping list which contains things that I am tracking but would hope not to receive as gifts (boring things like laundry tablets) and a private wish list for things that I'd like but that are a bit personal.

I have a public list for each of the children to share with others, and a private list which only I can see. If I'm browsing on Amazon and spot something that I think they might like I'll add it to this list so that they get some surprises. I can also view and shop from the lists of my family and friends.

Photo credit Wicked Monday via Unsplash

I find all these lists really useful in many ways. They keep me organised, and help keep track of things I've spotted that I am interested in, either for myself or for others. If anyone asks me what I'd like for birthday or Christmas I don't have to worry about trying to come up with something because I already have a list of things ready to go.

But the main way that I use my lists is to track prices. I know that Amazon can be very sneaky with their prices and you do need to be a bit careful, but it will say next to an item if it has reduced in price since you added it (not if it has increased of course!) and there's also a red flag if it's on any kind of deal. I always check the price history on CamelCamelCamel because sometimes the special offer price is higher than the usual price, but it's a good way of spotting something that might be a bargain.

Over the last Black Friday week I went through my lists several times a day to see if anything was reduced and was pleased to save a few pounds here and there on items that I had been tracking. Although some did increase in price, so I'm holding off to see if they go down again before I buy!

I don't do all my Christmas shopping on Amazon of course, but my system has definitely been a big help to me over the last few years!

Christmas diamond painting kits inspiration

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

I love diamond painting, I find it a relaxing and mindful craft and I enjoy admiring my finished pieces, like my Starry Night diamond painting which always gets a comment from visitors. Diamond painting is a brilliant craft for Christmas, it's a fun way to get in the festive mood in the run up to Christmas and produces some lovely sparkly Christmas decorations. A larger piece is also something that you can work on over the festive period ready for display next year.

I've hunted out some different Christmas diamond painting kits, both traditional and a some that are a  bit different, for some festive diamond painting inspiration.

Smaller kits for beginners or groups

A set of small diamond painting kits (affiliate link) is a great way to get started with the craft. They work really well for a Christmas crafting party as they are easy to divide up, quick to complete, and everyone gets to go home with at least one finished project. If you are working as a group it's a good idea to buy some extra pens, wax and trays so that everyone can craft at the same time. As well as being turned into ornaments, they can also be used to decorate Christmas cards or you can also make diamond painted Christmas gift tags (affiliate link).  

Large full drill Christmas diamond painting kits

These large diamond painting pieces (affiliate link) can be complicated and take a long time to complete, but they are very satisfying once finished as the entire piece is filled with the sparking diamonds. You need to be very organised when it comes to sorting out the different coloured pieces, I recommend a storage container with small, labelled compartments that you can decant the bags of drills into. It's also best to work on the piece in small sections so that you don't expose any more of sticky background than necessary to avoid it drying out.

Partial drill Christmas diamond painting kits

Partial drill kits are kits with a coloured background that are embellished by the diamond dots. They are often quicker and easier to complete and don't use such a large selection of colours. The background may be sparkly or shaped for extra interest, and allows for finer detail when printed rather than composed with the diamond drills. This partial drill Christmas diamond painting kit (affiliate link) has a painted background with diamond dots for extra sparkles.

Something a bit different

There are also some diamond painting kits that let you make something a bit different than the usual flat piece. For example this Santa diamond painting nightlight (affiliate link) which would make a brilliant Christmas decorations! There are also kits for diamond painting Christmas wreaths and other hanging decorations.

I hope that I've given you some inspiration for your Christmas crafting!

Hama bead Christmas crafts and projects

I love crafting for Christmas, and over the years I've shared many Christmas craft ideas on my blog. Today I thought I'd share some of my favourite Christmas crafts and projects using one of my most used craft materials - Hama beads. All of these craft ideas are perfect for keeping children busy in the run up to Christmas, can be used to create some individual and unique Christmas décor, and are perfect crafts for both children and adults.

Make sure to click the links for each project to find a more detailed tutorial and patterns.

I love Scandi red and white theming and so I used just these colours to make some simple Scandi inspired Hama bead baubles, finished off with a narrow loop of red ribbon.

These Hama bead Christmas wreath ornaments are so easy to make, and perfect for using up any odds and ends of green beads that you might have leftover from previous projects or kits.

These wreath designs can also be used to make some Hama bead wreath magnets, perfect as a small gift for relatives, as place names for the Christmas table or as gift tags.

My Hama bead Christmas fairy light bunting uses transparent beads, although they could easily be made using solid colours for some cheerful, bright Christmas bunting.

These Hama bead and ribbon bauble ornaments use festive Christmas ribbon for some extra embellishment.

Some more Scandi inspired design with this Scandi style Hama bead Christmas mat which is a great place to put your Christmas cuppa.

This Hama bead snowflake bunting was one of my very first Hama bead craft posts! I used the hexagonal and circular pegboards to make six different Hama bead snowflake designs which I strung up as bunting but which could also be used as festive coasters.

More recently I designed some more Hama bead snowflakes patterns which I used with mini Hama beads to make tiny Mini Hama bead snowflakes.

I used these tiny snowflake embellishments to decorate a winter snowflake lantern. 

I recently designed these free mini Christmas cross stitch designs which can be used for all sorts of pixel crafts, including of course Hama beads. I used them to make some Mini Hama bead Christmas embellishments which are perfect to decorate Christmas cards, to add extra interest to your Christmas decorations, to decorate place cards or gift cards...the possibilities are endless!

I used some to make mini Hama bead pin badges for some sweet little Christmas accessories!

Another red and white craft, these Scandi inspired Christmas battery tea light holders are perfect for some festive decoration when they are filled with a battery tea light.

Finally if you have a Minecraft fan in the house why not keep them busy making some Minecraft Hama bead Christmas baubles.

I hope that you enjoyed this roundup of some of my favourite Hama bead Christmas themed crafts! I've published many different Hama bead crafts over the years, and you can find them all here - Hama bead crafts and projects.