Creative Christmas Inspiration

I like Christmas time. I'm not madly in love with it for I am a Summer Girl at heart, but since having the Little People it has most certainly grown on me. I think it's true to say that it's actually the pre-Christmas period that I like bestest of all. As from about now (a week or so before Advent) I start to feel pretty ants-in-the-pants excited about all the Decorative and Creative possibilities that surround Christmas. Yyyaaaayyyyy it's late November and we can go forth and start making Festive Things! We can do colourful, creative, happy, joyful decorative Christmassy things in abundance!! We can do glitter and sparkly bits and buttons and bells and baubles!!!

I was shopping with Heather a few weeks ago and we went to a charity shop in our town that had just put out it's christmas things. Boxes of baubles for 10p each, oh yes perrrrlease, let me at 'em. You can see my dear little £1.20 haul up above there :: four sweet red vintage glass baubles, and some long shaped baubles to go with my rather sizable collection of round shaped baubles.

Ahhhhh baubles, I do so so so LOVE to see a good collection of baubles. The above ones are also a recent purchase, again aided and abetted by the kind and helpful Heather. These ones came to me (via Heather) from The City after I spotted them on t'internet and nearly melted with desire.

They must be MINE, I said.

I am going to The City, do you want me to see if I can find them for you? she said.

Why that would be FanTAStic, I said.

And sure enough, here they now sit in the Attic and I gaze at them adoringly every single day. They are teeny tiny, about the size of a small cherry tomato, and I have Big Plans for using them in a creative twiggy combo. You know how I like to do twiggy things every so often.

I bought this wonderful Christmas magazine way back last month, it was an extremely good find and has provided me with oooodles of ideas and a huge amount of visual pleasure. I've not seen it in the shops in recent weeks, but you can still purchase it online (go here to see), it really is lovely and well worth the three pounds ninety nine.

The styling (and I am a sucker for good styling) is beautiful, very, very beautiful. The emphasis is on creativity, and there is lots of colour and inspiration in these pages.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, very swoony indeed.

There are some awesome shopping pages........

.....but it's the creative projects that really make this publication special. I've become completely smitten with these sweet little mice, I just love them. They are the work of designer Clare Youngs, and her style and talent is just incredible. I found out that many of the creative projects in the Prima magazine were in fact Clare's work, and that more importantly they can all be found in a book. Well now. Say no more. Whizz to Amazon, search it out, pop it in my shopping basket and b-boom, it's mine.

The book's called "Christmas Crafting In No Time" ** and is absolutely blooming wonderful.

There's a wide mixture of crafts combining a variety of mixed media materials. I love almost all of the paper craft ideas, they are simple but oh-so-appealing.

This pretty little paper Rosette Garland is right up there on my To Do list.

Oh yeah, I definitely have to make me some little Birdy Pegs too, although mine will be multi coloured of course. You knew that without me saying I suspect.

And the owls, oh, so sweet! Yup, on my list. Must makey some Festive Owls with tufty ears.

And horses too? Yes, why not, lets give it a go. I love that these are made from aluminium food containers, how ingenious is that?

Towards the back of the book are some beautifully detailed templates and patterns. I love that they are full size and full of detail.

Ah, I'm off in a creative spin now after writing this, I've got that buzz buzz buzz thing going on. So much fun to be had with Making Things!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ps ** here is the US link for the book, for those of you across the pond **

pps will be bringing you my crochet holly pattern in the next few days.

 

 

 

Comments

[Chryssanthi]

Hi Lucy,
it's been a long time since I last visited your colourful Attic. I passed by to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a very happy and creative New Year

Chryssanthi from Greece (!!!!)

[Susanna Auvinen]

I found Your blog today and must say I am very impressed. Here in Finland are winters quite different. Your pictures made me smile. Wish You wery happy christmas and hope I can read this blog also next year.
best wishes
Susanna

[Allie]

Sadly I ordered the magazine via the link got email confirmation of this and yet have not recieved the prima Xmas makes and cant seem to contact any customer service to query it :-( Dissappoined . com

[Julie B]

In my crochet group on Facebook someone posted a picture of a granny square tree skirt from Anthropology. The link is here:
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=23184401&catId=HOME-HOLIDAYDECOR&pushId=HOME-HOLIDAYDECOR&popId=HOME&navCount=6&color=095&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&isSubcategory=true&subCategoryId=HOME-HOLIDAYDECOR-FORTHEHOME&templateType=subCategory

It's in the wrong colors, but I thought, wouldn't it be great if you were able to adapt your own pattern for something like this! I think it's beautiful...but I'm a beginner and there's not a chance for me to be able to do anything close any time soon! Just thought I'd send the photo your way. :) Have a great day!

[Victoria]

I also bought that magazine. I read the editor's note at the beginning of the magazine...it's been ten years since they last published it! I really love it and hope that they don't wait another ten years before publishing it again. The little mouse is currently work in progress (well, paper pattern cut out) for a gift for my baby's first birthday!

[Lisa]

I have this magazine. It's fab. So delightful to look at and apply. I also love your work! Thanks for sharing xx

[Spots and Stripes]

I love Clare Youngs, discovered her scandinavian needlecraft book last year - it is gorgeous!

[Stitch this]

Ahhhhhh I love that mag - I put my choices on my blog - aren't the mice lovely? I'm hankering after the book now.....such temptation! I can imagine an attic 24 garland would be brilliant!

[Helen@Baby Shoes]

I love Christmas but, only when all the shopping is finally over and you can just enjoy spending some time together!

[Sue Wheeler]

Love the owls!

[Taylor]

You helped me get excited for Christmas! Thanks for the great pics of the magazine and fun things to craft!

[Katherine]

Ooh. I'm a little worried that in showing you this I might completely derail your festive plans, but I saw this and thought instantly of you... Spotted on p56 of the current issue of Mollie Makes, and here's the link to the original.
http://www.anthropologie.eu/en/uk/decorations/knitting-circle-tree-skirt-multi/invt/7585603480002/

I'm sure yours would be prettier and perhaps not so eye-squintingly expensive!

[Alessandra]

Everything is so well explained that I'm in love with all the little things you showed us! Crafts and Christmas : what a good combination!
Love, xxx Alessandra

[Susan Smith]

My very talented daughter got a clear glass vase and filled it with Christmas balls, battery operated string of lights and viola. Very effective.

[Val E (Wales)]

Yes,yes, I'm sooo inspired by Prima Christmas Makes, but need two pairs of hands to make all the lovely motif decorations. I had been looking for festive decorations on Ravelry and saw some sweet fat little fish (might try a small aquarium in a jar with painted twigs???), stars and a rainbow-with-cloud in with some festive pretties by clever Patricia Eggen at http://www.creatingeverlaughter.com/ PLUS some clever jig-saw pieces (fine for little hands) which I shall investigate further in the new year. Thanks for the posting Lucy.

[Gaby]

Hello Lucy,
just in case you don't know this website and want more chrismassy hooky inspiration: http://www.garnstudio.com/juleverksted.php?page=1&lang=en
Gaby

[Susan]

Somewhere in a past post you were asked about where to find the crochet hook with the polka dot handle...can you repeat that info? Thanks.

[Hazle]

Have you ever tried the Book Depository instead of Amazon? They have free shipping any where in the world.

[Lorely]

Ohhhh yyyesssss! Baubles, baubles, baubles,colour, anticipation, glitter, making - doing - creating thingy things! What bliss! Bring on the colour and I am DEEPLY envious of your box of baubles. I need one of those NOW!

[Brianna Asaro]

I'm not so great with paper crafts, but some of these look great. I'm starting to decorate myself this week!

[Lee]

Hello Lucy

I am loving your blog. I have been folowing now for quite sometime and your tutorials have seen me back on the road to crochet. I have always found the patterns difficult to read, but you make it all simple. I have found a pattern from a blanket that is granny ripples!! but I cannot make head nor tail of it. Any chance you would like to undertake a easy to follow tutorial for this method of granny crochet.

[Deb]

Love you for sharing your inspo and did you know that Christmas here in Australia is summer? I know we're a bit lucky. Come here for Christmas one year we'd love to see you! Maybe we could house swap!?! LOL!

[SueW]

The Christmas crafting book looks great, love the little owls. Must look out for that

[Latoya]

I am SO making the nice little horsies!

[Carolyn]

Those ornaments from The City are so tiny and adorable! I don't think I've ever seen them that small before. What a treasure! Looking forward to seeing what you do with them. Enjoy your Christmas prep! : )