Happy New Year

Here's to 2011....let it bring sanity back into my life! Enough said...

My first vintage...

You may recall that a couple of weeks ago in my search for the perfect Advent Candle holder I began frequenting some establishments that I had hitherto never entered before, namely the second-hand store.....and then be still my aching heart for a mere 20cents each I found these!

Two of them I purchased because I think I may actually sew something from them, the others well - I couldn't leave them there with images like that! Now can you guess which ones I'm referring to?

Oven dress code

What's the dress code in your oven?

I require cakes to wear a collar at all times. A burnt top will never do.

Childproof Christmas decoration

This year I crocheted some of these.

Childproof, unbreakable and cute Christmas decorations.

I think I will be gifting some next year.

Gift wrap big bows - tutorial

Whilst everyone is in the wrapping mood I thought I would do a quick how-to for these easy big bows.

1. Find yourself some poly ribbon. I got mine from the $2 shop. I suggest not using a wide ribbon when you start learning to do these.

2. Make a circle and join the ribbon together with stick tape.

3. Wind the ribbon around until you have about 8 continous circles. Cut the ribbon and join the cut end with stick tape.


4. Cut two notches into each side of the ribbon in the centre as pictured below. Do not cut the notches too close to each other.

5. Cut a narrow piece of your ribbon and tie it on the notched piece with a knot.

6. This is the hardest part to explain, but I will try. Holding the thin knotted piece that you made in step #5 tightly in one hand, and separate out each of the "petals" of the bow and twist about 180 degrees. You may have to do this to each of the "petals" more than once to achieve the full bow look. It is worth perservering and learning this part as this is what makes the bow look professional and perfect each time.

7. And then voila you have your bow.

Advent candle detail

This is what greets me every night as I come through the door, 'tis the perfect antidote to very trying days in the office I can tell you. So without further ado and as promised a couple of weeks ago here are the how-to's for my skippy version of a Scandinavian Advent Calendar....yes and before you ask there are only three candles not four. One candle is supposed to be lit in each of the four weeks leading up until Christmas, but we started ours a week late and the pot was a bit small so bla bla bla....this is how we did it.

Firstly I must attribute inspiration, or absolute rip off from, my favourite blog Chez larsson.

I searched high and low, in top end shops and the $2 shop for a long white planter to put both the plants and the candle in. Eventually I came across this beauty in a second-hand shop, a bit of Rust-oleum and voila.


The plants are Aquilegia Cameo White which are low growing and give the kind of forest floor look that I was after.

As for my little fungus friends on the forest floor, these were made from fimo polymer clay, using this tutorial (or sort of) and baked for 20 mins complete with wire sticks. I have never used this clay before and I've got to tell I was impressed.

What do you do the weekend before Christmas?

An Ikea run of course.

Grab a mate, drive for three hours, Ikea breakfast, shop, shop, shop, meatballs for lunch and then drive three hours home....totally sensible behaviour if you ask me!