Crafting for Christmas

As part of our Christmas preparations this year I decided to make our cards.  Like all crafty jobs, this was a simpler thing to say than it's proving to do, but I've made a solid start this week.  I'd say I'm about one-quarter to one-third of the way through, and am enjoying making simple cards to my own design.  I think I'll enjoy writing and sending them all, and I love that as they are blank I have ample space to write a 'proper' message (if I'm sending cards I like to write a wee missive).  I adore sending and receiving cards at Christmas - Matthew always jokes that it's my favourite part!  What can I say, my stationery addiction runs deep....

Here are a few of the cards I've made so far - very simple as I'm a novice crafter - but a fun way to spend a half hour here or there of an evening.  Little  by little the Christmas preparations continue.

Not the snazziest cards in the world, but I like them!

One big basket of 50 cards, ready to go!  I'm in love with these little baskets too, perfect for holding ingredients, crafting supplies or papers - 3 for £2 in Asda.  I'm such a sucker for a cute bit of storage.

Are you crafting/making anything for Christmas?  Some of my friends are super, super crafty and will be doing some major knitting/sewing/creating just now!

PS Thanks for the sweet comments (and emails) on my last post.  It's great to know I'm not alone in this little season.  And crafting is very therapeutic...

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A Crafty Sunday

A couple of weeks ago I was very kindly invited by Hillarys to attend a Crafternoon event, where we'd be making a variety of items inspired by their latest range of blinds and upholstery.  They've been holding these crafty get-togethers all over the country and I was very pleased to attend the London rotation.

We met at the always lovely Drink, Shop and Do near Kings Cross and settled down with lovely cups of tea and cake for those who wished to partake (I was far too stuffed from a gorgeous brunch at Christopher's to join in with that particular fun - such is the peril of a Sunday event!).

We had a great time making jewellry boxes and rosettes and I loved the new range of fabrics and style (particularly the 'Jewel' collection, which had me daydreaming of new curtains for my study for the cold winter months!  Very few pictures were taken on this occasion as I was reeeeeeeally concentrating.  Crafting is hard, yo.

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Project Life Tuesday: A Big Change

Linking up with Jessica, as ever.

When it comes to Project Life, I've made a big change.  As much as I loved doing the digital version last year, I always really wanted to try the 'hands on' version.  So this year, I am taking the leap!  I have ordered the turquoise binder and cards and a box of dividers, and can't wait to get started with them.  Obviously with the late start I will have to approach the task slightly differently, so I'll be doing a range of spreads - a couple of day-to-days for each month and then some for special events (our niece's arrival, family vacation, holiday, weddings) or special themes (getting healthy, katzen!).  I am super excited to get started and will be looking for LOTS of tips from you more experienced scrappers!
How do you organise your folder?  Day to day?  Week by week?  As and when the desire takes you?
This week I have little to share as I eagerly await to arrival of my goodies and a weekend in which to get grafting, so I'll share instead a few of my recent PL inspired pins - there are so many great additions out there!

Source: sglasscock.blogspot.com via Claire on Pinterest

Love these little cards - such a cute addition to your file!

Source: qualitydigiscrapfreebies.blogspot.com via Claire on Pinterest

More sweetness!  I think these might fit well with the blues and browns of my folder!

Source: themomcreative.com via Claire on Pinterest

So many cute things to include!

Source: thisthat2011.blogspot.ca via Claire on Pinterest

I love these!

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Crafty pay-it-forward, via Matin Lapin (and Small Good Things)

The lovely Vixie and I have been friends for several years, and we have several things in common - a mutual love of kittens, RAoKing, tea, crafts and blogs being just a few of them.  Last week she posted about a crafty pay if forward she'd found on a blog called Small Good Things, and I decided to sign up too!  Do please play along if like me sometimes the siren call of the glitter and glue calls to you.....

The details:

~rules~
I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post. The gift will be a handmade surprise by me and I will send it to you sometime in the next 365 days. All you need to do is the following:

Leave me a comment – I will get in touch with you about your mailing address and some other information about yourself.

To complete signing up, you must play along too by blogging a similar post and pledging to make a surprise for the first 3 people who comment on it. 

Huzzah for crafting and....post!

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Claire Gets Crafty: Jars

Old coffee jars, candy, stamps and papers, some ribbons...


Added up to make a wee treat for some colleagues :-).

Surrounded as I am by so many talented folk...

...I sometimes forget how much I like to create.

Even if my own creations are lumpy and bumpy and silly sometimes!

What have you made lately?

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