Last of the last minute gifts!

Isn't there always a need for a quick, last minute gift no matter how organised you are??

Here is what I have rustled up today

Spiced sugar jar for a baking friend and last minute invitation. Simplicity itself with layers of dried cranberries, sugar and cinnamon sticks!

Another set of wine glass charms to accompany a wine bottle gift

And Christmas Earrings for my d-i-l and fellow Christmas market traveller :)

They took me all of about 10 minutes and most of that was spent hunting for the cinnamon sticks :)


If you have been rustling up any last minute gifts, don't forget to link them up to this month's

The Link Party is hosted this month by the lovely Marie

Merry Christmas one and all!

Handmade gifts and Happy Post

I haven't been having much luck lately with swaps and Bees. I still haven't received anything from the HoopLaLa swap although the deadline was November 9th! My Sunday Morning Quilts Bee blocks for October and November haven't been seen either, so there has been a lot of anticipation when the postman rings but not much in the way of realisation. Until today!!




This lovely package of goodies arrived this morning from my partner, uberstitch, in the Modern Scrappy Bits swap. Apparently this is Pam's first attempt at a zipped pouch, I would never have guessed it is absolutely lovely.




It was even lovelier when I unzipped the pouch to discover that it was packed with more scraps. On a miserable, wet and windy day this was a real ray of sunshine, thanks Pam!

We had a quick trip up to Scotland this week but only had a short glimpse of this



and this





before delivering the doll quilt and heading South.

I have, though, managed to make another couple of Christmas presents and even roped in my OH on the handmade gifts front.

Last year I made Christmas snowman earrings for my DIL, son's girlfriend and myself using kits from Jillybeads but this year I decided to have a go at making my own. I discovered some seasonal charms at a local bead store and it took me all of 5 minutes to make this year's earrings.



So another two presents can be ticked off the list. My OH has even got in on the act by making these CD clocks, which again took him all of 5 minutes each.



For eldest son


For middle son

For youngest son

The clock mechanisms were just over a pound each and we used their own Cd's so all in all it was not only quick but inexpensive too. The clock parts were sourced from here

Actually they don't know that we have used their Cd's, but as we are constantly telling them anything that has been left behind when they moved out is fair game!

That Christmas gift list is gradually being whittled down, next up is toiletries and jewellery rolls.

Hope you are having a productive, handmade time this year too.

Linking up to Do Something Crafty and Happy Hour Friday and

Buttons, Baubles and HST's

I have been wanting to try making buttons for ages, but have only just got round to making them with polymer clay, and what fun it was. Before Christmas I had a go at making Christmas pudding and Candy Cane earrings from clay for the craft stall at our charity Christmas Bazaar and was really pleased with how they turned out.

So when I found the right glaze and a texture mat in a local shop I was really keen to have a go at some buttons for my cushions, and I finally found the time this weekend. One of the great things about using the clay was that when it didn't quite go to plan I just gathered it all up and rolled it out again, which certainly beat unpicking stitches :) Making the buttons was really straightforward, after you have kneaded the clay for a couple of minutes to get it pliable, you roll it out stamp it, punch holes with a needle and bake it. Once baked I highlighted the stamped pattern with silver paint on some of the buttons and left others without any additional highlighting and then glazed them and left them to dry. I could have sanded them before painting and glazing them but didn't have any sandpaper so didn't, but I think I would in future as it probably gives a more professional finish.

Apart from the texture mat and an acrylic rolling pin the only other equipment I used to shape the buttons was an icing nozzle to cut out the round shapes and a darning needle to punch the buttonholes, so not much of an outlay! I am delighted with my buttons and can't wait to have another go at making them. The red ones I used to finish off the back of my reindeer cushion (the first of my 12 WIP's in 2012 to be finished!!!) and I will use the green ones on the back of my Shades of Green cushion (hopefully, the second of my 12 in 2012 WIP's!).

As we had more snow over the weekend there wasn't much incentive to go outside, so as well as playing with clay I also got the opportunity to tackle my first block for the HST BOM by In Color Order. I was delighted to be able to source all the fabrics needed from my stash, so no need to brave the elements for supplies. As I have no idea where we will be when the quilt is finished at the end of the year, this one is purely for pleasure.

I do like the pace of a BOM, as having made this block everything has been put back into the cupboard until the next block is revealed. I suspect though as holidays and life intervenes later in the year the schedule might not seem quite so relaxing! If you have completed a BOM quilt before you can let me know what to expect :)