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!

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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

[Jennysewlittle]

I love the run up to Christmas too! So many makey ideas, this year I have taught myself to Lino print to make Christmas cards, crocheted snowflakes, started a Pom Pom garland, and knitted Mrs Claus. Gosh when will I finished my normal projects!!!!!!

[RoseRed]

I don't usually comment but thought this might make you smile.. I was reading this post and my 18mo son climbed onto my lap. He was instantly smitten by the box of baubles. He spent at least 20 minutes pointing to each one so I could tell him what colour it was. I didn't think I was ever going to get my computer back!
Thank you, as always, for the brightness you bring to my day!

[Katy]

I found this book about a month ago after seeing it in Hobby Craft. I too skipped on to Amazon and have since done the fan garland and the large paper star. It's a great christmas craft book! I'm def a christmas girl and like you I love the pre christmas period more!

[Ariadne]

Thank you for showing us these beauties!AriadnefromGreece!

[Annie]

What a feast of inspiration. I want to get school reports done so I can play too

[Trickster]

Ooh ooh ooh. I love glass baubles too. Have over 600 but they can't come out this year due to a kitten!

That magazine looks great too.

They tray/plate you have used before. It reminds me of little metal coasters someone in my family had. I think they might have been a petrol freebie in the 70s? ....

[Louise]

Oh such fabulous books! Very inspiring post I'm really in the holiday mood now. :-)

[maypole]

ooooooooh! I want I want I want it! lovely colourful post. I'm going to do a twig this year after seeing yours, it is so effective. I have been making felt things to hang on it.

[lyn]

I have both the book and the mag and as yet just looked lovingly at them but not made a thing!
xxx

[Rachel Mackin]

I love Christmas! I've got the book wanties again now. lol

[Steph @woolythyme]

Oh, dear!!! What a mistake popping into the attic today (just kidding!!!). I've got a houseful of peeps coming for dinner--a Thanksgiving meal to cook--and all I really want to do is make OWLS!!!!!
(So I ordered the book...that's a start!) Thanks for the recommendation! Have a wonderful weekend!!

[Maria]

How many beautiful things there are of these magazines, if I did not have a house full of papers I let groped! o)

[Kate]

Never enough time before Christmas...I too enjoy the run up to Christmas most of all,especially The Making of The Gingerbread House.
That book looks to be proper good.

[Rachel]

*Little Lady or *yourself, I meant, I'm making one for myself as well as my wee one :)

[Rachel]

HI Lucy
Lucky for me summer and Christmas are the same!
That book looks great, and I love the Christmas mice.
I recently crocheted a Christmas fairy crown with bells you might be interested in making for Little Lady, it's on my latest post if you wanted to see it.
Thanks for sharing the Christmas joy
xx

[Stephanie]

Hello Lucy! Greetings from France!

I adore this time of year (though unlike yourself I have always been a winter child). My birthday was on Tuesday and then, joy of joys, there is the delicious run-up to Christmas (with a wedding anniversary on the Winter Solstice in between).

Christmas is going to be simple this year: for the first time every we are really cutting down on gifts and the children are absolutely happy with it. The purity of Christmas however will be relished and the preparations.

After reading your post tonight I have (naughtily) bought that book. I am so in love with making rabbits and mice at the moment AND dressing them so the mouse pattern really appealed to me.

Thank you for your inspiration and that stunning bauble picture.

[Archie the wonder dog]

What a lovely post - for the first time I feel slightly Christmassy!! Thank you!

[Debs]

I got my book from the Book People too along with several others including Jane Brockets Gentle Art of Knitting at a reduced price.

[Kari]

Hi Lucy,
Thanks so much for the Christmas post. I love Christmas and can't get enough of it! Not enough Christmas posts out there yet for my taste. Keep them coming!

[Jenny]

Oooh I have super excited in my tummy feeling now! I really do love christmas! Those baubles are beautiful! x

[Esther]

Dear Lucy, thanks for sharing. I have no children (yet), but I like to decorate my house this year. We will gather the whole family on Christmas Eve at my house and I enjoy my four little nephews (8, 6.4, and two years). So I'm taking note ...Hugs

[anne@andamento]

I love that Clare Youngs book! I've been madly making owls since I got my copy a few weeks ago. I bought it from the Book People who are selling it for only £3.99 - fantastic value for money (they have loads of other bargain books too, well worth a visit). I even bought an extra copy to give away on my blog - sorry, giveaway now closed, but you're welcome to pop over and check out the owls, they're brightening up my blog beautifully!

[karen]

Oh wow, that book looks amazing, as do your beautiful box of colorful baubles, bet they'll be awesome on your tree :D
Karen x

[Rachael]

Another one loving the owls! The Dala horses also appeal though as I'm very into the idea of making stuff from recycled materials. Will have to succumb and buy the Prima makes mag after weeks of resisting... ;-) and will probably go for the book too. At that price with The Book People, it would be rude not to...

I am on a mission to make my usual Advent Calendar that I do yearly for the kids. Little brown paper envelopes, numbered and hung on a line on gold pegs, each containing a slip of paper upon which is written a Christmassy thing to do that day in preparation for Christmas. Did it on a whim one year and was so happy and surprised when 3 of my 4 (and the 4th was too young to express a coherent opinion at the time!)said afterwards that it had been their favourite thing about Christmas. I'd love to think it might become a tradition that one day they pass to their own children :-)

[Mrs Pirate]

Hi
I love the owls, infact I really love the owls!
Great post thanks for sharing x