Christmas Cards update

Just a quick update, I have managed to make a few Christmas cards. 

 I like to have about 20 made by the end of January so that when I panic in November it gives me a 'phew' moment! 

 Most of them are upcycled cards we received this Christmas, which means they are reused as you cannot recycle cards with any glitter on them so at least they get a 2nd use!

So, not the amount I would like to have made but a good starter for ten at least!

Onwards and upwards

Kyla

WOYWW

Happy New Year everyone and the first WOYWW of 2018.

No desk from me as it is covered in left over scraps, cards and wrapping all ready for upcycling for some cards for next Christmas!  This year I forgot I made about 20 cards from upcycled cards so when I opened the box of Christmas decs and found them it was a lovely surprise and also a relief as it took some of the strain off me-so I thought I would do it again and plan on making another 20 during January.

So instead of showing my desk I thought I would show just a few of the lovely cards I got:

top left is from Lunch Lady Jan, a woodcut printed card by Allen William Seaby, I adore this image so it is going to be added to my craft room wall.  

Below that is the lovely die cut Merry Christmas card from Shaz Silverwolf, so detailed and I love the poinsettia.

At the bottom (blue) is from Kelly Henkins (WOYWW and I also received a 8th anniversary ATC earlier this year)

Top right is a stamped and hand coloured image from fellow crafting coven member Julie (I believe her talented daughter Cat coloured it).

Bottom right is a drawn design my brother's father-in-law (Alan) designed and had printed

This is my favourite though-from my 2 year old niece, Emily.  Her footprint as Rudolph!

Some lovely handmade/inspirational cards, a huge thanks for them

Kyla

Screen Printing

 So I can finally start sharing some of the Christmas presents I made.

Last year I bought a selection of Dinky Screens.  This is a local Bristol independent company run by two young ladies who created a small and compact screen printing kit (it all fits in the tin-how great is that for storage, including the paints!).

I bought the Bristol themed set.

I screen printed in gold the world "Bristol" and heat set the print using an iron.  

Then cut out the shapes, sewing them on the machine and adding some personalised ribbon (it says handmade especially for you by Kyla) and stuffed them with polyester filling and a good handful of lavender from the garden I picked and dried earlier in the year.

There you have it, some fragrant but stylish lavender bags that can either be hung in the wardrobe or placed in a drawer.  I find they are also really useful to keep in suitcases whilst being stored out of season or gym bags!

I hope the recipients liked them....I need to remember next time to make more so I have a few for me!  I added these to the gift baskets I made which also included items such as spiced sugar (with lots of bay, orange etc), homemade elderflower cordial and sloe gin plus a few extras that I will post over the coming days.

Kyla

Coven Crafty Christmas

 Merry Christmas to all my followers.  I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas and New Year.

I had a break from blogging for a month as the pay the bills job was taking up too much of my life and any crafting I did meant I couldn't blog as it was for Christmas presents!

One thing I can share though are some of the presents I got at the Coven party.  Each week for about 7 years we meet and craft and this years Christmas 'do' involved pressies and curry!  

It was our first Christmas without Bex who moved to France a few weeks ago (waves manically to Bex via our skype chats!!) and some of the presents were homemade fudge and peanut brittle (thanks Julie and Jane-none left to show!) and then.....

 These misfortune cookies from Anna!

 The fortune cookies inside were black too!!!

 This wooden spoon was from Chief Coven member, Jill.  Loving her pyrography work.

Then we were all stunned when Arlene (who makes miniatures) presented each of us with one of these......

Each one was modelled on us (Julies had red hair!) and Arlene got my hair colour spot on and even included my white shot I have had at the front of my hair since my early twenties!  She included a pair of scissors on the hat too-simply stunning.

I hope you have had some great gifts this year and I look forward to spending some time crafting over the holidays.

Happy crafting

Kyla