Satsuma Street Deck The Halls Christmas Cross Stitch

A couple of Christmases ago, I began stitching Satsuma Street's colourful Deck The Halls cross stitch wall hanging, and a few weeks ago, I finally finished it! 

I'm so pleased to finally have it completed after all this time, and I'm really happy with the end result- especially as I had to make a couple of colour changes, and struggled to figure out what to do with it near the end.

It should have been a fairly quick project, and I was close to completing it last Christmas, but I stopped and started it, couldn't decide which colour thread to use for the snowflakes, and took ten months to make it down to Hobbycraft to choose. So something that could've taken me a month to stitch, ended up taking two years. 

I was drawn to the Deck the Halls pattern because of how unique and colourful it was. It's so different to all the other Christmas designs you see at this time of year, and while it has a Scandinavian feel, it's nothing like the typical red and white patterns that are everywhere at Christmas time. (Which I'm sooo bored of these days). It's bright, colourful, and cheerful, and I love that about it.

It's made up of five main sections, including a star, reindeer, Christmas tree, dove, and bell as the centrepieces, with smaller flowers, snowflakes, and arrows making up the rest of the design in lots of reds, greens, yellows, and pinks. It's been designed so that you can stitch it as one long wall-hanging picture, or as five separate pieces, which is really clever. I obviously chose to make it as one picture, but I think it would look just as beautiful broken up in to five. If you're new to cross stitching, you'll probably find it less intimidating that way, but it's an easy project with no complicated stitches or patterns, and anybody should be able to make it once they've mastered the basics.

The pattern comes as a full-colour downloadable PDF, with an easy-to-follow chart, and a list of recommended materials to help you get started. Satsuma Street suggest using a natural-coloured Evenweave, but that didn't appeal to me aesthetically, and I chose to make it on 16-count white aida to make the colours pop, and so that the end result would be a little larger. I'm so glad I did, as I personally think the colourful threads look so much better against the white background.

The only issue with using white aida is that there are white threads in the pattern, which obviously blend in to the fabric. I tried lots of different colours in place of white- cream, lemon, lilac, blue, silver, and more- but I didn't like any of them, and became chronically uninspired. I ended up putting the cross stitch aside last Christmas for ten months, until I finally made it down to Hobbycraft in October to shop for some new threads to try. In the end, after trying more colours, I went back to white for the lines through the arrows, and blended a strand of white and a strand of turquoise for the snowflakes. I'm not 100% happy with the colour choice for the snowflakes, but it's the best I could do, and I like to think it works with the other colours in the picture. Either way, I refuse to change them again. I actually got the picture framed last weekend, so there's no going back now!

Despite the colour-matching issues at the end, overall it was so much fun to sew, and has to be one of my favourite makes ever. The colourful projects are always the most fun to stitch. If you're looking for a modern, colourful cross stitch picture to make this Christmas, I couldn't recommend it to you more.

I now want to try more of Satsuma Street's patterns, and have bought their set of Christmas baubles patterns, which I'm going to begin as soon as I get a spare second. I don't expect to get very far this Christmas, as there's always a million other things to do, but I'm sure I'll keep you updated on my progress on Instagram.

Have you cross stitched or crafted anything so far this Christmas?         

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The Make Arcade Gingerbread Man Christmas Cross Stitch Kit

I stitched the cutest little gingerbread man cross stitch ornament last December, but never found the time to post a photo of the end result anywhere, so it's time for it's debut. Better late than never, right?

This little gingerbread man kit came from an English brand called The Make Arcade who are known for their fun, colourful little craft kits, which are suitable for beginners and advanced crafters alike. I've made a few of their Christmas cross stitch ornaments in the past, and enjoyed them so much, I couldn't resist going back for this one two Christmases ago. It's cutesier than my usual style and much smaller and simpler than what I usually stitch, but his little face won me over, and I knew it would be a fun, quick project to sew while watching Christmas movies with the family.

I stitched it over a couple of evenings in front of the TV, and think it took about seven or eight hours of sewing to complete. It may only be a three inch design, but they take longer than they look! Once the sewing was done, I finished the back by cinching in the aida with a running stitch, and gluing on a circle of hot pink felt, which was provided in the kit. I also glued a yellow pom pom trim to the outside of the hoop. This wasn't part of the set- unlike the other three Make Arcade ornaments I made which came with pom pom trims- but something I purchased from Paperchase so it would match the others. Oddly, it also didn't come with some ribbon to hang it with, which is annoying, and I still haven't got around to buying something suitable. I must get myself down to Hobbycraft before Christmas so I can hang it. I don't understand why The Make Arcade have stopped supplying ribbons in their kits. It's such an inconvenience.

The kit comes with everything else you need to make it, including the aida (fabric), a three inch wooden embroidery hoop, threads, a needle, felt, step-by-step instructions to help beginners get started, and of course, the pattern. You'll just need some sewing scissors and something to cross the chart off with as you sew, and you're good to go. (A glue gun and glue would be helpful for attaching the felt, but you can sew it on instead. I just glued it on as I was being lazy). It all comes presented in a little cardboard box with a hot pink sleeve, so it would make a lovely present for any crafter this Christmas.

The Make Arcade seem to have updated their gingerbread man cross stitch kit design for Christmas 2021 (and I personally don't think it's as cute), but this design is still available to purchase from John Lewis here. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a fun, quick cross stitch project to enjoy this Christmas.

Have you cross stitched anything lately?

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What's In My Christmas Eve Box? 2020

Merry Christmas Eve!

I'm sorry this post is coming to you last minute. I had hoped to have it published a few days ago, but I'm stupidly unprepared this year, and I was only able to take the photos this morning. It might be a little bit late for you to gain inspiration to put your own Christmas Eve Box together (although, not impossible), but I hope you enjoy seeing what I've put in mine just the same.

This year, thanks to Covid, and Boris Johnson's last minute cancelling of Christmas in the UK, more of us will be staying home on Christmas Eve than ever before. 

My family would usually spend Christmas Eve mixing with family and friends at my Auntie's Christmas Eve party, but this year, we'll be spending it quietly at home. (Although, I have done since I developed chronic pain, anyway, so this year won't be any different for me). We won't be letting Covid spoil our Christmas, though; we'll just be making the most of the little things that make Christmas Eve special. We'll be baking tasty treats, watching Christmas movies together, and enjoying a Christmas Eve buffet for tea in the evening. I've also put together a Christmas Eve box full of festive things to enjoy as we count down the last hours 'til Christmas Day, because we need little treats to enjoy more than ever right now.

If you've never put together a Christmas Eve box before, this year could be the perfect time to start the tradition to make your Christmas Eve a little brighter. If you're facing a quiet night in, it will give you something to look forward to, and help make the night more special.

The idea is to put together a gift box full of little things for the perfect festive night in- think cosy new Christmas pyjamas, Christmas movies, chocolates, popcorn, hot chocolate, festive books, scented candles, etc.- whatever you consider necessary for a great festive night in. (If you're making it last minute or are just on a tight budget, you don't have to use all new things; just gather together items from what you already own, and add in a few edible treats)! 

I can't think of a better time to make one than during a pandemic when we're all stuck at home, and can't be out celebrating with our families and friends.

You can make one to share with your family, partner, or housemates, to gift to your kids or friends, or even just to enjoy alone. All you need to do is add in age-appropriate items, and the recipient's favourite treats.

Being a childless old maid hasn't stopped me from making my own Christmas Eve box to enjoy again this year- sometimes you've just gotta treat yo'self! I've added in a few things to share with my family, including chocolates and Christmas movies, but most of the contents will be enjoyed when I'm back upstairs winding down before bed.

So, what's in my Christmas Eve box this year?

♥ A cosy pair of Pusheen slipper socks from Truffle Shuffle.

♥ A pair of Christmas pyjamas to relax in, and hopefully look presentable in for photos on Christmas morning. (I couldn't afford a new pair this year, so I just added in an old pair from my collection).

♥ A couple of Christmas movies on DVD, including Last Christmas and The Muppets Christmas Carol for some fun festive viewing. (Even though we'll probably just end up streaming something).

♥ A beautiful clothbound copy of A Christmas Carol to read before I go to sleep.

♥ A bottle of The Body Shop's Festive Berry Shower gel so I can smell festive over Christmas.

♥ A tub of The Body Shop's Festive Berry body yogurt to give my skin a little TLC.

♥ A Body Shop Warm Vanilla soap to put by the bathroom sink so our hands smell festive over Christmas.

♥ A L'Oreal face mask to give my skin a treat.

♥ A red OPI nail polish in 'I Love You Just Be Cusco' so my nails look festive for Christmas.

♥ A new Erstwilder Christmas brooch to wear on Christmas Eve.

♥ A Cath Kidston mug for all those hot chocolates. (I forgot to add in the hot chocolate for the photos).

♥ Some mint chocolate Lindt Lindor truffles and Cadbury Jingly Bells to share with the family.

♥ A Make Arcade gingerbread man cross stitch kit to sew in front of the TV when I'm relaxing with my family this Christmas. (I never did manage to make it last year).

♥ A couple of Christmas Yankee Candles (Snowflake Cookie and Frosty Gingerbread), and a Nest Grapefruit candle to make the house feel extra cosy and smell delicious.

♥ My Too Faced 'Let It Snow, Girl!' snowman make up palettes to use over the holidays.

Here are some more ideas for things you could include in your own Christmas Eve boxes:

♥ Christmas face coverings.

♥ Festive-scented hand sanitiser.

♥ Cosy Christmas slippers.

♥ Novelty Christmas socks.

♥ A new Christmas dress / top / shirt.

♥ Christmas earrings or other jewellery.

♥ A Christmas colouring book and coloured pencils / crayons.

♥ Little Christmas craft kits- such as a mini cross stitch or ornament kit.

♥ Festive stationery.

♥ A hot water bottle. (Heat patches might also be appreciated for someone with chronic pain, since Christmas can be very demanding on our bodies).

♥ Christmas false nails or nail wraps.

♥ Festive bath bombs.

♥ Seasonal-scented bubble bath.

♥ Hand cream or body lotion.

♥ A cute soft toy.

♥ A gift card or subscription to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +, or another streaming service for Christmas movie watching.

♥ A Christmas scratch card.

♥ Something alcoholic.

♥ Marshmallows.

♥ Favourite edible treats.

♥ Festive treats like mince pies, stollen, panettone, cakes, biscuits, chocolates, cheese boards etc.

♥ A new ornament to hang on the tree.

♥ A Christmas cracker.

♥ A selection of Christmas books for young readers, and a new festive-themed novel for older kids and adults.

♥ Small toys.

♥ A new Christmas stocking to leave out for Santa.

♥ A bag of reindeer food.

♥ A special plate to leave Santa's mince pie on.

I wasn't able to source a special Christmas Eve Box to present everything in (yet again) because I'm on a tight budget again this year, but it doesn't really matter since I'm only gifting it to myself. I just repurposed one of my slightly-festive-looking star-print storage boxes, and it does the job just fine.

You could use a pre-bought Christmas Eve Box, a gift box, gift bag, wicker basket, crate, Christmas stocking, tote bag, or any container you like to present your gifts in. You could even go all out, and decorate it with ribbons, pom poms, garlands, or all kinds of different decorations. It's totally up to you.

If you're planning to make a Christmas Eve Box as a gift, I'd recommend wrapping everything up in wrapping or tissue paper to add to the Christmas Eve fun and excitement, but you can leave everything unwrapped if the thought of wrapping any more presents fills you with dread. I get it. I never want to wrap another present, either.

I'm really looking forward to enjoying the contents of my Christmas Eve Box tonight, after a busy day of celebrating and getting ready for Christmas Day. It will be lovely to finally relax, indulge, and find time for some self-care after such a hectic month. Ah, I can't wait!

Merry Christmas, guys! I hope you have a wonderful few days despite this awful pandemic. 

Have you made a Christmas Eve Box this year? What would you put in one for the perfect Christmas night in?

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DIY Easy Christmas Hoop Art

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve already; where has this month gone?? December has just flown by this year, and I've been so busy preparing for Christmas, I've barely had a chance to stop and enjoy it. I wish time would slow down a little! I haven't even managed to get in to the Christmas spirit yet. For some reason, I'm just not feeling it this year.

I'm sure all that will change today, as Christmas Eve has always been one of my favourite days of the year. My sister and brother-in-law are arriving home from Germany this morning with their dog, Mia, and I'm planning to spend the next few days enjoying Christmas at home with my family, and having a well deserved rest after a hectic month. After I finish the last few errands today, I'm fully intending to watch lots of Christmas movies, eat my body weight in delicious food, spend some quality time with the family, and maybe even push the boat out and play a board game or two. I can't wait!

I'm sure most of us will be busy wrapping presents, prepping food, and travelling to spend Christmas with our families and friends today, but I wanted to squeeze in one more Christmas craft before Christmas Day. You probably won't have time for any last minute crafting, but if you're looking for a fun festive project to make over the next few days, or need some unique last minute Christmas gifts or decorations you can easily make by hand, I have one last Christmas craft I think you're going to love. And that's my easy DIY Christmas fabric hoop art.

I recently realised that while I've featured photos of my hoop art on my blog and social media pages before,  I've never shared a tutorial on how to make them, so I thought it was about time I did.

I started making my own hoop art a few Christmas ago by framing patterned fabric in simple wooden embroidery hoops, sometimes adding embroidery but often leaving the fabric plain, and finishing the backs with some felt, I find the process and end result so satisfying, I haven't been able to stop making them since! It's such a fun and simple craft to make, but they look so effective and make a great statement on any wall- especially when multiple hoops are displayed together in a big group. A hoop art wall will certainly add a unique and personal touch to your Christmas decor, and is sure to be a conversation starter with your guests this Christmas.

Hoop art doesn't just make great Christmas decor, but can also make lovely presents for friends and family, too- especially those who appreciate crafts, and handmade presents. You can even personalise them for the recipient by using fabric and colours relating to their likes and interests, and embroidering their name, a quote they love, their favourite things, or even their pet(s) on to the fabric. A piece of hoop art would make a lovely stand-alone gift, or you could also add one to stockings, hampers, or even Christmas Eve boxes. It's up to you to decide how to gift them. Hoop art doesn't even have to follow a festive design if you don't want it to- you can use non-festive fabric and create them for any occasion throughout the year! To date, I've made lots of Christmas and Easter hoop art, and even some colourful designs for every day, too. The hoops in the photos are a selection I've made over the years using fat quarters from Hobbycraft. (You can find the polka dot fabric here).

If you'd like to learn how to make your own hoop art, follow my super easy DIY below. (Step-by-step photos coming soon).

How To Make Christmas Hoop Art

You Will Need

♥ Embroidery hoops in various sizes. (The hoops I used range from 3 to 10 inches).

♥ Christmas print fat quarters / fabric.

♥ Felt.

♥ Scissors.

♥ Fabric pen / pencil. (If you don't have one a pen or a pencil will do).

♥ Sewing needle.

♥ Thread.

♥ Glue gun and glue stick. (Optional).

How To Make a Piece of Hoop Art

1. Gather your supplies.

2. Iron your fabric until it's completely crease-free.

3. Take a piece of fabric and an embroidery hoop. Place the inner hoop underneath the fabric and the outer hoop on top, move them around until you find a layout you're happy with, and frame the fabric in the hoop.

4. Pull on the edges of the fabric and tighten the screw on the hoop until the fabric sits tightly in the hoop like the hide on a drum.

5. Trim the edges of the fabric at the back, leaving them about an inch long.

6. Thread your needle with two strands of thread, and use a running stitch to cinch in and secure the fabric at the back of the hoop. You could alternatively trim the fabric down further, and glue it tightly to the back of the hoop with hot glue.

7. Take a sheet of felt, a fabric pen, your hoop, and scissors.

8. Lay your hoop on to the felt, and draw around it.

9. Take your scissors and cut the circle out of the felt.

10. Now attach the felt to the back of your hoop. You can either sew it to the back of the fabric using a blanket stitch OR glue it to the hoop using a hot glue gun. You just want to ensure the felt is nice and taut once you're finished.

And voila, your first piece of hoop art is complete!

Yes, it really is that simple! There really isn't a lot to this style of hoop art, so even the most inexperienced crafter will have no trouble with this DIY.

If you're in a rush, or want to create some temporary hoop art just for the holidays, you can get away with not adding felt to the back of the hoops, as you aren't going to see the backs once they're on the wall. Leaving them unfinished will make it easier to switch up the hoops with new fabrics if you want to change them for different seasons, trends, or occasions. However, if your walls are a dark colour, the colour will likely show through the fabric as fat quarters are generally made of thin fabric, so finishing them with felt is always recommended. It will also keep your hoops looking their best for longer.

I've kept the majority of my hoop art plain and simple because I think the fabrics make a great statement as they are, but you could do so much more with them than I have. You could use any fabric you like, and add embroidery, sequins, buttons, beads, pom poms, present toppers, ribbons, and even applique other fabrics on top. As for the hoops, you could paint them in different colours, or wrap them in colourful threads, yarn, or even washi tape. You'll find so many amazing examples on Pinterest and Instagram that put mine to shame!

I wish I had painted or wrapped all of my hoops- adding some colour to the wood definitely gives them a little something extra. Lately, I've also thought about turning them in to baubles for the festive season by adding some light grey felt in the shape of a bauble hanger to the top of the hoops, but I haven't found the time to customise them this Christmas. I'm definitely going to give it a go next Christmas, though, and I'm already planning on making more elaborate designs in 2019 by adding embroidery and designs in other fabrics, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

To display your hoop art on the wall, play around with different layouts on a flat surface until you find one you like, and then you can start hanging them. Start from the centre point, and work your way out. I find command strips are perfect for hanging hoop art on concrete / brick walls, but you may need to trim them down for the smaller hoops. Of course, you could also hang them with nails or picture hooks etc., the choice is yours.

And that is how to make your own Christmas hoop art.

I hope you've found my tutorial helpful! If you decide to make your own hoop art, make sure you leave me a link to your photos in the comments below so I can check them out! I'd love to see any hoops you make.

Have a wonderful Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!

Have you ever made your own hoop art and will you be giving my tutorial a go?

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DIY Christmas Eve Box 2018

Christmas Eve Boxes have become increasingly popular with people of all ages over the last few years, with more and more people putting one together to enjoy with their families on Christmas Eve.

If you're unfamiliar with the Christmas Eve box (where have you been?), a Christmas Eve box is basically a hamper of goodies to enjoy as you wind down on Christmas Eve and get excited for Christmas morning. Think cosy new pyjamas, slippers, Christmas movies, hot chocolate, tasty snacks, scented candles, a festive-themed book, a face mask, glittery nail polish... and anything else you might need for the perfect festive night in. 

You could make one for the whole family, for your kids, to enjoy with your partner, or even just for yourself. There are no rules to conform to here; the beauty of the Christmas Eve box is you can personalise it for your needs, and use it however you like. Gift it, share it, or make one for yourself; it's completely up to you!

The Christmas Eve box is a wonderful tradition to add to your Christmas Eve rituals, particularly if you have young kids or have just got married, and are looking to implement some new family traditions you can look forward to every year. It's the perfect way to enjoy a quiet Christmas Eve evening at home, and having a box full of treats to discover should help distract children from that unbearable longing to open all the presents under the tree and the agonising Millenia-long wait for Christmas morning. 

As I can't travel to my family's Christmas Eve party anymore, and now spend Christmas Eve at home, I've been creating a box to enjoy each Christmas for three or four years now. I'm single and don't have kids, so I mostly just compile them for myself, but I also fill them with a few things to share with my family, like chocolates truffles and hot chocolate. I've been putting the finishing touches to this year's Christmas Eve box this week, so I thought it was about time I showed you what I've put in it this year.

So, what have I put in my Christmas Eve box this year?

♥ A new pair of Christmas pyjamas to cosy up in on Christmas Eve night.

♥ A couple of Christmas movies to watch. And yes, Santa Claus the Movie and The Muppet Christmas Carol are the best Christmas movies ever!

♥ A new festive book- A Literary Christmas- to read before I fall off to sleep. It's full of Christmas stories, passages, poems, and illustrations from the greats.

♥ Yankee Candle votives in Frosty Gingerbread and Snowflake Cookie to make the house cosy and smell delicious.

♥ A tub of peppermint hot chocolate for everyone to enjoy.

♥ A new Cath Kidston snowman print mug for my hot chocolate.

♥ Some chocolates, including Mint Lindor Truffles and Ferrero Rochers (my faves) to share with my family.

♥ Some peppermint candy canes to share around.

♥ A bag of salted popcorn for enjoying while we watch Christmas movies.

♥ A glittery gold Ciaté nail polish so I can make my nails look pretty for Christmas Day. I'm also intending on using one of the red polishes from my OPI Advent calendar.

♥ A L'Oreal Clay Mask so I can pamper myself ready for Christmas Day.

♥ A Peppermint Candy Cane shower gel and  body butter from The Body Shop to make myself smell like a candy cane.

♥ A Body Shop Peppermint Candy Cane soap to put out for the rest of the festive season.

I will likely also add a small Christmas cross stitch to work on while I relax at the end of the day, but I forgot to add one to the box for photos.

Here are a few more ideas for things you could include:

♥ Slippers.

♥ Novelty Christmas socks.

♥ A hot water bottle. (And heat patches may be handy if you have a chronic illness or injury!)

♥ Festive costume jewellery, such as novelty earrings or brooches.

♥ Little Christmas craft kits- such as a mini cross stitch kit or felt ornament kit.

♥ A Christmas colouring book and coloured pencils.

♥ Festive stationery.

♥ Christmas false nails or nail wraps.

♥ Seasonal-scented bubble bath.

♥ A Christmas bath bomb.

♥ Hand cream or body lotion.

♥ A cute soft toy.

♥ A Netflix / Amazon Prime gift card / subscription for Christmas movie watching.

♥ A Christmas scratch card.

♥ Something alcoholic.

♥ Marshmallows.

♥ Favourite edible treats.

♥ Mince pies, stollen, panettone, cake, biscuits, cheese boards, etc.

♥ A new Christmas dress / top / shirt etc.

♥ A new ornament to hang on the tree.

♥ A Christmas stocking so you can hang it up ready for Santa.

♥ A bag of reindeer food.

♥ A selection of Christmas books (for younger readers), a novel for adults.

♥ Little toys.

♥ A special plate for Santa's mince pie.

I'm on a tight budget this Christmas so I've presented everything in a festive gift box I already had lying around the house, but you could also use a wicker basket, gift bag, Christmas stocking, crate, festive tote bag, or any container you like. If you're giving it as a gift, I'd recommend wrapping everything up in festive wrapping paper or tissue to make it look pretty and add to the fun and excitement, but you can leave everything unwrapped if the thought of wrapping any more presents is making you shudder. 

There are so many ways you could then decorate your Christmas Eve box, from adding the recipient's name using stamps or individual letters, to embellishing it with pom poms, garlands, or little decorations. The possibilities are endless. I haven't decorated mine as the box I've used is actually my memory box and needs to be refilled after Christmas, but I admit I was tempted to go to town on it! 

I'm really looking forward to enjoying the contents of my Christmas Eve box in a few days time. I always find these boxes make my Christmas Eve evenings that little bit lovelier and are perfect for creating a relaxing night in, which is always welcome after such a hectic month. I'm looking forward to getting in to my festive PJs, watching a few Christmas movies with my family, indulging in a few treats, and reading a few chapters of my new book before I fall off to sleep in the early hours of Christmas morning. Bliss. Christmas Eve can't come soon enough! 

Will you be making a Christmas Eve box this year? What goodies would make up your perfect box?

P.S. Please excuse how atrocious today's photos are. I know they're beyond awful. The left half of my laptop screen keeps flickering and turning grey, so I'm finding the editing process even harder than usual. I'm awful at photo editing as it is, so they can't be good! Sorry, guys!

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DIY Hobbycraft Nutcracker Christmas Crackers

On Thursday, I finally found the time to make this year's Christmas crackers and take the photos I needed to blog about them, so of course, I'm here to blog about them today.

If you're a long-time reader of my blog, you'll probably know that I love to make my own Christmas crackers and do so every year. I've been making them instead of purchasing a generic ready-made set for around a decade now, and it's something I look forward to doing every Christmas.

I was tempted to make my own crackers entirely from scratch this year, but then I saw this amazing Nutcracker Christmas cracker kit in Hobbycraft for just £4, and they looked so cute, I just couldn't resist them. This set of six crackers features a nutcracker design in vibrant red, blue, and green, with stripes and accents of yellow, black, and white. As you can see, they come in two complimenting colour-ways, and the set includes three of each design.

The crackers come flat packed ready for you to make, and the set includes cracker snaps, paper crowns, jokes, and silver curling ribbons. You just need to buy little gifts to fill them with, and then you can start constructing them.

These crackers are so ridiculously easy to make that almost anybody could make them- including children. All you have to do is roll the cracker in to a cylinder shape, slot the three tabs in to the slots, cinch one end with ribbon, fill it with treats, tie up the other end, and voila, you're done! I can make all six crackers in as little as ten or fifteen minutes (when I'm not stopping to take photos as I go along), but on your first attempt, it may take you a little longer to get the knack. You'll definitely be able to make them within half an hour, so it's the perfect craft to enjoy if you want to do some Christmas crafting but have little time to spare during the hectic festive season.

This year, I've filled my crackers with colourful confetti, Christmas scratch cards, and a selection of festive Lindt chocolates. I was planning to do something a little different this year, but my Mum came back from Costco last month with a huge pack of Lindt chocolates for me to use, and I was hardly going to turn away free chocolate. They'll definitely be a welcome treat on Christmas Day. I also decided to add a £1 scratch card to every cracker as an extra surprise, and to make Christmas dinner that little more exciting. It's unlikely anyone will win the jackpot, but you never know, it could happen, and the possibility of winning a couple of quid is always fun. Fingers crossed they're all winners! 

Helpful tip: if you want to add a scratch card to your crackers, make sure you stick a penny to the back with washi tape so everyone can enjoy them around the dinner table!

Of course, you don't have to stick to chocolates or scratch cards when filling your own crackers; you can fill them with all kinds of small treats. You could use: mini beauty products, make up, nail polishes, lip balms, hair accessories, costume jewellery, small toys (figurines, wind up toys, bouncy balls etc.), stickers, pens and pencils, keyrings, sweets, candy canes, packets of popcorn kernels, other edible goodies, flavoured tea bags, cinema tickets, gig tickets, gift cards, bookmarks, craft and art supplies, mini votives or tea light candles, seed packets, homemade vouchers, letters, money... the possibilities are endless. The gifts just need to be able to fit in to the centre of the cracker, and not be too heavy or sharp enough to cause an injury if it flies across the table as the cracker is snapped! Nobody wants a bag of marbles or a pen knife flying at their head or breaking your Mum's best china! It's up to you whether you personalise each cracker for each guest or fill them with goodies your whole party will enjoy, but if you want to personalise them, you can easily do this by catering to each person's hobbies and interests, and by selecting age appropriate and even gender-specific items. For instance, crackers filled with make up would go down well with your beauty-loving girlfriends, edible treats are perfect for foodies, and toys will always be well-received by children.

I originally tied my crackers using the silver curling ribbons provided, but after I finished, I decided to switch them for some red organza ribbon to make them look even prettier. I think it gives them a little something extra, and makes them look a little more tasteful. I love how it now looks like the nutcrackers are wearing red scarves! 

I'm also considering adding some jingle bells, mini baubles, or pom poms to embellish the crackers, but I need to see what I have left over once I've finished my present-wrapping. If you want to add your own touch to your crackers, you could tie them with ribbons, string, raffia, lace trims, strips of fabric, tinsel, or even strawberry laces. To decorate them, you could use Christmas decorations, present toppers, stickers, Christmas tree chocolates, silk flowers, fresh foliage, buttons, sequins, glitter, fabric... whatever inspires you. Just let your creativity run wild!

Hobbycraft's cracker kits are currently all sold out online, but check in store, as they may still be available. If you can't track them down in store, Litle Crafty Bugs also have a fantastic selection of cracker kits here in countless festive and non-festive designs. You can buy cracker kits from lots of other shops and craft stores these days, including Amazon and eBay, so be sure to have a good trawl through Google to find your perfect cracker kit.

You could also make your own crackers by downloading a cracker template from the Internet, and cutting out your own crackers from card or thick paper. You could use festive patterned or coloured card or use something plain and decorate it yourself. Really, you're only limited by your imagination and willingness to experiement. You'll just need to source your own cracker snaps, hats, and jokes, which you can usually buy from most craft stores at this time of year. Hobbycraft still have a set of cracker hats and jokes available online here.

It's so much fun making your own crackers instead of buying them ready-made, and once you start making them, you'll never want to buy a pack off the shelf again! They'll look beautiful on your dinner table, and everyone will love the personal touch of your handmade crackers.

I'm really pleased with my Hobbycraft Nutcracker Christmas crackers, and I know they're going to go down well with my family on Christmas Day. They always do. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone enjoy them, and finding out if anyone will win anything from the scratch cards. Not long to wait now!

Have you ever made your own Christmas crackers? Will you be making your own this Christmas?

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My Handmade Christmas Crackers and Table Favours 2017

Hi guys!

How was your Christmas? I hope you all had a lovely one, and that Santa was kind to you. 

I had a great, albeit quiet Christmas at home with my family and the dogs, exchanging presents, watching festive TV, and falling in to food comas from eating waaaay too much delicious food. I'm going to tell you all about my Christmas properly in a couple of days, once I finally have a chance to sit down and go through my photos, but in the meantime, I wanted to quickly show you the Christmas crackers and table favours I made this year while I have five minutes to myself. I had hoped to blog about them before Christmas, but life was so hectic I ran out of time.

Every year, I like to make my own Christmas crackers instead of buying a box of over-priced, ready-made crackers full of cheap tat. There's nothing wrong with ready made crackers, of course, but I personally really enjoy making my own, and have fun personalising them each year. I always buy a Christmas cracker kit from Hobbycraft to construct myself, and then fill them with whatever gifts I fancy- which usually ends up being chocolates, scratch cards, or mini beauty products. They always go down really well with my family.

I wasn't impressed with the designs on offer at Hobbycraft this Christmas, and settled for the Santa and Reindeer cracker kit, which was a lot more cutesy and childish than I'd usually go for. I wasn't sure I even liked them until I took them out of the packaging, and started making them the night before Christmas Eve, and realised they actually looked pretty damn cute. 

To make them, all I had to do was to place a paper hat and a joke in to the centre of the back of the card, roll each cracker in to a cylinder-shape, slide the three tabs in to the pre-cut slots, tie a piece of curling ribbon in to the middle of the diamond cut-outs to cinch in one end, drop in the surprises, and cinch in the other end to seal them. It was super easy to do, and I had all six made in under fifteen minutes.

This year, I filled our crackers with an assortment of festive Lindt chocolates, which included mini chocolate Santas, reindeer, teddy bears, and truffles. We had quite a few chocolates left over as each cracker only held four, so I popped the rest in to the little festive fabric pouches my Mum made from some Christmas fabric, and added them to the Christmas dinner table as table favours. Both the crackers and the favours were a winner with my family on Christmas Day; everybody loved them! They were the perfect finishing touch to Christmas dinner, and the chocolate was a real treat at the end of the meal. I particularly enjoyed the milk and white chocolate truffles- they were so good!

The crackers went down so well this year that I'll definitely be making my own Christmas crackers again next Christmas. Who knows, I might even try to make them from scratch next year, although the kits from Hobbycraft make cracker making so quick and easy, I don't know I'll bother. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Have you ever made your own Christmas crackers or do you prefer to buy yours pre-made?

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DIY Christmas Advent House

Merry Christmas Eve Eve, guys!

I've been busy doing loads of Christmas crafting every day this December, and I've been loving every minute of it. I've made a bunch of pom pom wreaths, done a load of Christmas cross stitching, and most recently, I've completed my own wooden Advent house.

I was inspired to try this project after I saw a tutorial from Hobbycraft pop up on social media which showed how to turn one of their wooden houses in to a colourful Advent house. They painted the house white and some of the cubby holes in colourful acrylic paints, and finished off by adding patterned Christmas paper to some of the others. It looked super cute, and I thought it would make a lovely Christmas decoration to pull out year after year, so I popped in to Hobbycraft especially to buy one, and placed a separate order for the paints once I'd decided what I was going to do with it.

From the start, I knew I wasn't going to make it in to an Advent calendar, but instead use it to display small decorations or even some of my nail polish collection. However, I still followed parts of their tutorial, and went for a similar look.

I began by painting the whole house with two coats of white chalky finish paint using a square brush, and a small watercolour brush to get in to the corners the larger brush couldn't reach. This took me a few afternoons (as I had to work in short stages because of back and joint pain), and a whole 250ml pot of paint. I found painting it really therapeutic, but the paint didn't always go on as smoothly as I'd hoped, which I think was because I used a cheap paint brush with crappy bristles from my parents' DIY supplies as I forgot to buy a suitable brush to use. I'm hoping I can neaten it up a little by gently sanding it down, but thankfully, the bad paint job is only noticeable close up.

Once the paint was completely dry, it was time to start getting creative. I gathered my supplies together, and decided to use some of my mid-century style Christmas patterned card, wrapping paper, and fat quarters to decorate some of the cubby holes with to give it a retro look. I still had a lot of amazing fifties-style fabric left over from making hoop art last Christmas, that I knew would be perfect for what I had in mind.

I measured each section with a tape measure, and cut out card to fit. With the patterned card, I simply cut each piece out and popped them in place, but for the fabric and wrapping paper, I first cut out white card to fit, and attached the fabric and wrapping paper to the card with double-sided tape to give them a nice rigid back. I then wedged each background in place, and they've remained in place perfectly, without the need for glue or tape. I thought it was best not to stick them in like the tutorial shows, to make it easier to switch up the backgrounds from year to year if I fancy a change, or want to update the look to keep up with festive trends or a change in our Christmas decor. I also decided not to paint some of the sections in red and green acrylic paints like I was originally intending, for the same reasons, but mostly because I really like the way it looks now without feeling the need to add in bold blocks of colour.

I'm so pleased with my finished Christmas house, and glad to have found another project that allowed me to use my fifties Christmas fat quarters again, because I love those fabrics. I still need to find plenty of small decorations to display in the house, but I think it makes such a lovely and unique Christmas decoration on its own, and fits in perfectly with many of my decorations. I currently have it sitting alongside the Christmas tree in my bedroom, surrounded by a mountain of presents and baubles, and it looks great! I have a feeling I'll be bringing it out year after year for many years to come.

The Advent houses are unfortunately sold out online now, but check your local Hobbycraft store if you want to give this project a go, as they could still have some in stock. Okay, it's a bit late to start a new Christmas project now, but you could always put one away to work on next December. They retail for just £5, and the white chalky finish paint will set you back another fiver. It's then up to you what festive paper, card, fabric, or wall paper to use to decorate your house, and if you want to paint any of the compartments with colourful acrylic paints, which start at around £1.50 a bottle. It's a great inexpensive, fun, and easy project, and in my opinion, totally worth the money, time, and effort. I only wish I'd picked up a second house to paint and turn in to a nail polish display house!

Apologies for how awful today's photos are. The daylight has been so dark and dreary all month, and I've been waiting and waiting for some decent light to take photos in, but it's England and of course, our Winter daylight is shit. I gave up and took a few photos on my phone for Instagram as Christmas will soon be over, and decided to use them for the blog post, too, as I'm running out of time to share Christmas posts. I'll replace these photos with better quality and better dressed photos after Christmas, whenever we finally get some decent daylight again, and I have the energy for taking photos. I really must invest in studio lights for next Winter!

Anyway, I hope you're all having a lovely Christmas Eve Eve whatever you're up to. Are you guys all ready for Christmas yet? I've finally got all the presents wrapped, and the decorations hung, and once I get the Christmas crackers and table favours made, I'll be ready to start baking, relaxing, and celebrating tomorrow. Only two more sleeps!!

What are your plans for Christmas?

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