I love Christmas!

Wow- only one month till Christmas! I love this time of year, especially the lead up to Christmas. Everyone (well, nearly everyone!) is in a happy mood, and we all are busy thinking of things to do and buy and see.

This year, my mum and I were determined to get in early for Christmas, instead of last years catastrophe of only putting the tree up 2 days before Christmas! So mum has already written and posted all her christmas cards this year, and we put the tree up yesterday. Our Christmas tree is a 'cheap and cheerful' one that was originally a fibre optic tree. However, we have since lost the transformer, so we can't make all the pretty lights work! So, this year we have decorated it with cheap baubles, and some lights.
To hide the hideous bronze coloured plastic base for the tree, I whipped this simple cover up yesterday, and in colours that match our blue and silver theme for the tree.

It is my mums 51st birthday tomorrow, and I have been thinking about what to make her for ages. I always make her a gift instead of buying one, as she absolutely adores all the things I create. She particularly likes dolls, so I just started fiddling around yesterday, and this is the little miss I came up with.

She is a cute little girl, and I can imagine her going to school or sunday school, and I just love her hair. I know mum will love her!

Some exciting news, is that I recently won a giveaway on Gail Pan's blog, and this is the pattern I won! (gail pan photo.) Isn't it so cute? It's called Santas Helpers, and I can't wait to make it! *adds the pattern to my ever growing list of things to make*


Well, till next time- happy stitching! Hope you are all well!

A bevy of baskets

I was going to attempt to do this enitre post using alot of 'b' words to coincide with my baskets, but I got stuck on the first sentence and gave up. Yes, I have alot of tenacity and will power, as you can see.

So I have been busy (ohhh...two "b" words in a row! How clever I am,) making some of these cute little fabric baskets from the Pink Penguin as Christmas presents. I plan to fill them with alot of baked goodies (shortbread, fudge, biscuts, etc,) and of course, some chocolate. Who could forget the chocolate?? They are a nice simple gift, but I think they will look great when they are all filled with the goodies.

Keeping with the "B" theme (or lack thereof...) I thought I would show you a photo of one of my Ribbon Browbands on a horse. Remember the browbands I posted about a few posts back? Well, the girl sent me a photo of the lovely apricot and brown one on her horse Vincent.

Finally, thanks to those who signed up for the "Pay it Forward," that was in my previous post! I am looking forward to making gifts for Princess Pudge, Farmyard Crafts, and Erika at My Strawberry Patch. I already have some ideas of what I am going to make! Can't wait to get started.

Pay it Forward

I love the concept of 'pay it forward.' To be able to spread a bit of love and cheer to someones life, who will in turn then spread that to another, and to another and another. Well, it just makes the world a happier and a nicer place to live.

So when I saw on The Royal Sisters blog that she was participating in the Pay it Forward project...I wanted in!!
So, how does this work? Well, for the first 3 people who will post a comment to this post, I will make you a lovely handmade gift each. But, you have to have a blog yourself, and be willing to pass the 'pay it forward' concept on. So you will then have to put it on your blog and make three gifts for other people. Let's spread some happiness and have some fun!
So the rules state that I have 365 days (ample time!) to make a gift in. I would prefer to send to somewhere in Australia (I am quite poor!) but, we shall see. :) And I promise to make a really nice and lovely handmade item...what it will be, no idea yet!
I can't wait to see what Michelle from The Royal Sisters is going to make me! She makes these gorgeous 'royal' dolls that are 'oh so cute.'

So, if you want to join in and have some fun, leave a comment! :D

Firstly, thank you so much to all your lovely comments regarding my doll in the previous post! I'm still quite amazed that she came second! I think the bug has definately bitten now, especially after going to the Lilydale show today and seeing all the craft exhibits. Not that I have any idea on how to enter a show, but surely it can't be that hard, right??

Being the horsey girl that I am, I mainly sat and watched the horse events at the show today, and was able to watch a friend of mine come first in the Show Jumping. There were some lovely horses out and about today, and it was the perfect weather for a show. But of course, I forgot to bring a hat and sunscreen with me, didn't I? *runs to get the Aloe Vera cream*


Not much to write, but I was feeling in a creative and festive mood this morning, so I rumaged through all my scraps and made this wreath....
**Edited to add how I made the wreath for anyone interested. It's very simple. I just used some wire (that I found *cough* in my dads shed...don't tell him!) and made a small circle. Then I literally rumaged through al my scraps and tied them onto the frame. I tried to steer clear of bright colours and oranges, blacks etc...but I really like the colourful look of it. And then I simply tied some bells onto the ribbon, and voila! A very inexpensive, yet cute wreath for Christmas! :)

Some exciting news!

I'm so stunned!! The first post I ever made to my blog was about two dolls I had made for a doll swap on a craft forum. I kept one of the twin girls, and sent the other off. Well, the lady who received my doll liked to so much, that she entered her in the Dandenong Show on behalf of me.

And I just heard last night that my doll came second place!

I'm so stunned and amazed!! I have never won anything in my life, let alone entered one of my craft items in a show. But I think the bug has bitten now! *wonders what I could make and enter in another show*

Ribbon Browbands

Oh my...what slackness of late! I do have some excuses though, but it still doesn't stop me from feeling guilty! Firstly, thanks for the comments about my cute rabbit, Jindi (and for all the past comments people have made to my blog...I really enjoy reading them!) He (the rabbit that is,) is such a character, and I have never met a rabbit with more spunk and personality than him.

Anyway, I have been flat out lately with two orders for ribbon browbands. For the non-horsey people who are reading this going, "Ribbon what-nows?" I'll explain! A ribbon browband is a fancy decorated band with rosettes on either end that attaches to a horses bridle and is mainly used for the show ring.

I've been making them for a number of years now, and so these are the latest two orders. The girl who ordered them owns some gorgeous horses, and will be using them for showing. I can't wait to see some photos of the browbands on the horses!

The first one is a purple and green browband, and the second is apricot and brown, using both satin and velvet ribbon in each browband.

I really enjoy making ribbon browbands, and I enjoy it even more when I see them finished and on the horse! :) So that has been my crafty endeavours of late, well, in between watching the Melbourne Cup Carnival of course!