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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Christmas Bedroom Tour 2020

As I haven't finished putting up this year's decorations yet, and I never found time to blog about last year's, today I thought I'd share some photos of how my bedroom was decorated for Christmas 2020.

I like to put up decorations in my bedroom every Christmas because I spend a lot of time on bed rest because of chronic pain, and don't want to miss out on the fairy lights and pretty decorations when I can't get downstairs or out of the house. It means I can enjoy a little bit of the festivities while I'm resting, and like most people, having decorations up just makes me happy.

My bedroom always looks like Christmas threw up on it by the time the last decoration is hung, and last year was no exception. I put up a little tree, swamped it with presents, hung hoop art and cross stitches on the wall, and put decorations wherever I could. The funny thing is, I never managed to get all of my decorations up last year because I was flaring, so this is me being restrained!

I'm not very restrained.

I began by swapping my dressing table for a Christmas tree and presents. I'll admit the tree wasn't the prettiest. There seemed to be a shortage of small trees in my area due to Covid, and after nine days of searching, I had to settle on this scruffy little fir. We had to repot it, and it was dropping needles from day one, but I think it looked festive once it was decorated. To be honest, I was just grateful to have a tree at all. 

I'm sentimental all the way when it comes to Christmas, and use the same decorations every year, with a few new additions here and there. Theming my Christmas decor has never appealed to me at all- although, most of my personal ornaments are colourful and mid-century modern in style, as that's what I seem to be drawn to most these days. I also have a few vintage baubles on my tree (like the pink bell, and small hot pink bauble above it) from when my parents first set up home in the seventies, which I've borrowed because they fit in perfectly, and they've always been some of my favourites from our childhood tree.

Underneath the tree, I dotted some of my retro deer ornaments, which were all collected from Paperchase over the last few years, and added in my DIY Advent house, where I displayed some of my festive brooches, earrings, and pins for the holidays. I also included some jars of mini baubles, and a few glittery bottle-brush trees, just in case it wasn't festive enough already.

I went with a pastel pink and mint theme for my presents, which was the first time I've ever gone pink and pastely at Christmas. I usually go for something a little more traditional, but I fancied a change, and they turned out to be some of my favourite wraps ever. I loved the pink so much, I've gone with pink wrapping paper again this year. 

Besides the tree and presents, I also had other Christmas decorations on display, including some homemade Christmas hoop art on the chimney breast in my room. I made them a few years ago by framing festive fabrics in wooden embroidery hoops, and finishing the backs with a running stitch and felt.

I cross stitched the retro reindeer a few years ago. The pattern was from Mid Century Maude on Etsy. I changed a few of the colours to make it my own, and wrapped the hoop in red thread for an extra pop of colour.

The little cross stitch ornaments were little kits from The Make Arcade that I made over the last few Christmases. I never know what to do with them, so they began the holidays hanging with my necklaces, and were later moved to the jewellery hooks above my tree, to hang out with my hummingbird decorations and a few baubles.

There were more decorations in my bedroom, including Christmas bedding on my bed, festive tea lights, books, light-up ornaments, and Christmas novelty bags, but I didn't manage to take photos of them all before they got packed away in January. Hopefully I'll have better luck this year, and find time to share photos here or at least on Instagram before this Christmas is through. I'll keep you posted!

Do you decorate your bedroom for Christmas and have you got your decorations up yet?

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The Christmas Book Tag

As a big old bookworm and lover of all things Christmas, I've enjoyed reading The Christmas Book Tag on a few blogs this Christmas, and have decided I have to give it a go myself.

If you'd like to know if I have any Christmas book traditions, what Christmas books I'd recommend, or what my favourite Christmas scene in a book is, keep reading to find out.

What is your favourite Christmas scene in a book?

Probably the scene in Little Women when Beth is given her piano by Mr Lawrence after recovering from scarlet fever, and Mr. March comes home from the war. It never fails to give me all the feels.

Do you have any Christmas book traditions?

Not really, but I've started trying to read A Christmas Carol every year.

Do you prefer to get presents of book vouchers or books?

Oh, that's a hard one. I love receiving books as presents, but it is nice to be able to go book shopping, and pick out books for myself that I know I'll enjoy. Either way, I get new books, so I'm happy.

Do you give books as presents?

I do. With a lot of book lovers in my family, I often buy books as presents, and have done again this year. I especially love finding beautiful editions of books to give as presents.

What bookish item is on your Christmas wishlist?

I can't think of any bookish things I want right now, but some new bookmarks would be lovely as all but one of mine have disappeared.

What three books would you love Santa to have in his sack for you?

1. A beautiful hardback of Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber.

2. The Barnes and Noble edition of Stephen King's The Stand.

3. I'd love the Little Women set from Juniper Books, as they're beautiful and I haven't read the other books in the series, but I hope Santa's feeling generous this year as I haven't found it cheaper than £120 in the UK.

Fake Christmas tree or real Christmas tree?

We have a fake tree in the living room, and I have a small real one in my bedroom, so I get the best of both worlds. I want to say 'real trees are best', as you can't beat the smell of the pine needles, but then again, fake trees look pretty realistic these days, don't drop needles, and don't irritate my skin, so they're becoming more and more appealing each time I get a needle in my bare foot, and come out in a rash decorating a real tree...

What's your favourite thing about Christmas?

There are so many things I love about Christmas, but I think spending some quality time with my family, and sitting down to a meal together as we only do that a couple of times a year. I also really love all the pretty fairy lights and decorations, the music and the films, and all the yummy food.

What Christmas book would you recommend?

If you want to get in to the Christmas spirit, read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, A Literary Christmas Anthology, and Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories. Follow the links for reviews.

What dish on your Christmas menu are you most looking forward to?

I'm already looking forward to my brother-in-law's goose fat roast potatoes during Christmas dinner. They're to die for. Forget the turkey, I just want all the potatoey goodness.

When do you open your Christmas presents?

We open our presents as soon as we're all awake on Christmas morning- usually about 8am these days- and then my sister and brother-in-law will arrive around 11am-12pm, and we'll exchange gifts together, too.

What's your favourite Christmas song?

It's impossible to pick just one! There are so many Christmas tunes that I love, and I have hundreds in my music library. A few all time favourites that come to mind are:

♥ Last Christmas by Wham.

♥ I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake.

♥ A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh.

♥ Step in to Christmas by Elton John.

♥ Mary's Boy Child by Boney M.

♥ All Alone on Christmas by Darlene Love.

♥ It's Only Christmas by Ronan Keating.

♥ Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson.

And that's only a handful of them.

I basically love the Christmas songs I grew up on in the 80s and 90s most. New Christmas songs rarely ever compare.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?

I love snow, so I'd love a white Christmas, but I'm not holding my breath. I've only ever seen one white Christmas, back in 2010, when we had snow and freezing temperatures for weeks from about November. It didn't actually snow on the day, but we had about a foot on the ground and it was like a winter wonderland. It was really unusual for South East England, so I doubt it'll happen again any time soon. It doesn't hurt to dream, though.

And that's The Christmas Book Tag.

I tag... anyone who wants to take part! If you decide to give this tag a go, make sure you send me a link to your post as I'd love to read your answers.

What's your favourite Christmas book?

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Would You Rather: Christmas Edition

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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Erstwilder An Australian Christmas Brooches and Earrings

I know this will come as a shock, but I look forward to Erstwilder's Christmas collection every year, and I'm always excited to see what theme and style they choose to go with. This year has been no exception, as I realised as I eagerly stalked their socials for spoilers the moment Halloween was over. 

I didn't have to wait long to find out, and I was excited when they began dropping spoilers for An Australian Christmas last month. I love Australian culture, and have always wondered how the Aussies do Christmas in the summer, without some of the things we associate with Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere, like frost, snow, and mistletoe. (Even if that's often just in movies and on Christmas cards in the UK). It's hard to picture Christmas in a hot climate.

Sure, a jewellery collection can't truly show us how a whole country celebrates Christmas, but Erstwilder definitely give us a feel for An Australian Christmas with their new collection.

Forget shrimp on the barbie and surfer dudes in Santa hats and Speedos, An Australian Christmas is not your stereotypical affair. (Well, apart from the Australian animals wearing Santa hats). It's a beautiful nature-inspired range featuring lots of animals and greens, reds, and blues.  There are Tasmanian devils and kangaroos, wreaths made from Australian foliage and berry-laden pavlovas, plus a few universal designs like Christmas trees and puddings added in for good measure. It's a beautiful collection, and you don't have to be Australian to appreciate it. 

There are a lot of great designs in the new collection, but if I had to pick a favourite- which naturally, I did- it would have to be the stunning kookaburra snowglobe brooch, Seasonal Merriment. It's one of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery I've ever seen. Everything about it is perfect, from the resins used, to the charming little kookaburra sitting on the branch of an old gum tree in it's centre. (Merry merry king of the bush is he). I love the marbled pearlescent and wood effect resins used to make the snowglobe, and the glittery mint-green background freckled with white snow finishes it off beautifully. We all need a little glitter in our lives at Christmas time. I've only had it a few weeks, but I can already say it's one of my favourite brooches ever, and I'm going to be wearing it to death this Christmas. And every Christmas. And also not at Christmas. Ah, I love it!

You couldn't have an Australian-themed collection without some koala designs, and Erstwilder spoiled us for choice with several koala pieces, including brooches, cardi clips, earrings, a necklace, and even a Christmas decoration. I already have a couple of Erstwilder koala brooches, so this time I didn't go for a brooch; I bought my first non-Essentials pair of Erstwilder earrings! (The better quality, detailed, and more expensive ones they make). I thought the Koala Claus earrings were the cutest of all the options, and I wasn't wrong. I mean, just look at them! They're little grey koala faces with pink ears, and marbled red and pearlescent white Santa hats on their little heads. They're so cute, and are a fun alternative to novelty Christmas tree or bauble earrings. You can be sure I'll be rocking them with most of my outfits this Christmas.

I also bought a couple of pairs of the Christmas Essentials earrings to wear with my Christmas brooches, as I didn't have any decent festive earrings in my collection. They released a great selection of stud and drop earrings in a variety of festive colours and designs this year, and I chose the green ripple resin drop trees, and gold glittery tree studs. 

The studs are simple three-tiered trees made from one layer of glittery yellow-gold resin, and are subtle enough for every day wear in December. 

The drop earrings are also three-tiered trees, but with tree cutouts in the centre, and are made from a gorgeous moss-green ripple resin. They're great statement earrings to wear with a Christmas dress, top, or jumper for night or day, and I think they look tasteful instead of tacky, like most Christmas earrings tend to be. The best thing is, they're nice and light-weight, so they don't hurt your ears when you've been wearing them a while. Not bad for around £5.50 a pair!

Most of these designs, and many others from An Australian Christmas are still available from Erstwilder and their stockists around the world, so there's still time to pick up the perfect finishing touch for your Christmas outfits. I'd still particularly love to get my hands on the King of Christmas brooch, A Splendid Christmas, and The Good Pud Neck Scarf.

Have you bought anything from Erstwilder's Christmas collection?

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