Unique Christmas Baubles

Christmas! Baubles for your tree are quite expensive so why not make them yourself? Knit or sew small santa sacks or mini stockings and pop a surprise inside; cut out a piece of card and paint or decorate each side (perhaps wrap some tinsel around the edge); make some bows from bits of ribbon; thread some beads or bells to twirl and dangle; paint some cones - or combine some of these ideas. If you've kept small boxes from, say, moitsuriser, they can be wrapped with old scraps - add a ribbon et voilà! Make your decorations to suit your style, whether glittery or natural. Have fun, save money.

Pattern for baubles in the photo, available from Etsy.

Express yourself: watercolour or acrylic?

 

Both mediums are water-based but behave very differently. Most people believe that acrylic is easier for beginners because you can paint over any mistakes with an opaque acrylic colour. It is certainly versatile in terms of thin-or-thickness and colour-blending. 

On the other hand, using a 'wet' technique, watercolours can also be allowed to run together on paper for a natural merging of colours, e.g. where the sky changes from dark to light or different hues. A difficulty people find with watercolour is to leave the unpainted surface as the white element of the painting, as it is not easy to use white watercolour over another paint colour. 

Great places to view paintings are Pinterest and Instagram.

Pretty up with Primroses

These flowers are quick and simple to make and can be attached to numerous items to pretty up a dull garment.

Crochet and knitting patterns can be found online.

These flowers are not only ideal for baby blankets and feminine knitwear but can also be used for cushions, egg cosies, hats and scarves, and as a gift wrapping accessory on crocheted chains.

Ideal for using up odds and ends or use 'posh' silk yarn.

Bead Patterns to Create Beautiful Gifts

More than a hundred patterns are available for nimble-fingered creatives to produce a wide range of personalised gifts for friends and family members.

Amazing ideas for you to create jewellery and other items are available for download for a small fee. One pattern/tutorial can be used countless times with different bead colours so that every piece is unique.

If you're not creatively inclined, you can give the pattern and a selection of beads (or gift voucher) as a gift. Here is a link to Iceni Bead Design.

(Note: no personal experience therefore not an endorsement).

Ceramic Gifts & Tags, Personalised

Lots of beautiful ideas on this website for personalised ceramic gifts and keepsakes. Whatever the occasion, you will find something here.

Each item can have a special message of your choice and comes in a gift box. Hearts are popular but there are stars and novelty shapes, such as angels, gingerbread men, wine glass and more.

It's hard for anyone not to be delighted with a boxed keepsake with a personal message. Prices start from under £5 so there are no excuses - take a look now - www.queenieofhearts.co.uk

Easter Egg Cake Pops

Easy to make! Follow your favourite fruit cake or brownie recipe so that you have a robust shape to 'play' with (alternative cheat method); roll/press into egg shapes.

Melt chocolate over a pan of water and, using wooden sticks pushed in to the egg-shaped cakes, dip into the chocolate to coat. If required, add sprinkles before the coating dries hard. Once cooled, they can be decorated with tube icing (which also acts as a 'glue' to add small edible items). You can even remove the sticks when the chocolate and icing has set.

Or... cover the 'eggs' with ready-roll icing and decorate.

Cool Watermelon Hedgehog

Here's a simple yet impressive way of presenting watermelon bites. There is also a watermelon shark à la Jaws!

It's easy to work out how to do this. Cut the 'back' away, scoop bite-size pieces from the centre and pile them back in with cocktail sticks representing the spines.

Use the spare skin for the nose and feet and use sticks to secure them. Blueberries are useful for decoration too.

This can be prepared in advance and kept in the 'fridge. Great for summer garden parties and buffets - for adults and children!

Strawberry Santas

Simple to make, fun for children and healthier than many alternative sweets this Christmas.

You need large strawberries, whipped cream (in a spray can) and something to represent a face - perhaps some sesame seeds for eyes and a small sliver of strawberry for a smile.

If you're clever and creative, make some complementary meringue snowmen too!

Gift Vouchers for Craft Course

Better than a shopping voucher, an innovative gift for a home furnishing craft workshop.

"Mrs Steed" offers a 3-hour lampshade workshop in Essex (close to M11/Stansted) which has a relaxed, friendly, sociable atmosphere - plus cake - enjoyed by a small group of people. At the end of the session, attendees will leave with a smile, a new skill and a professional looking lampshade that they have created themselves.

When you purchase the workshop gift voucher, the lampshade kit can be given with it. Gift vouchers are also available towards Mrs Steed's soft furnishing services. That's Christmas sorted for a few people!

D-I-Y Decorating Eggs

 

Practice your artistic skills on some eggs during the long days indoors during winter and by Easter you should be pretty good at it.

You can paint the shells of raw eggs but what will happen when they are cooked? Alternatives are to hastily decorate lightly boiled eggs at breakfast time or pre-cook hard-boil eggs and decorate when cooled or... use empty egg shells so that your art can be preserved long after the natural life of the egg.

Paint your Cladding

Liven up those decorating chores by unleashing your artistic talent to create interesting and varied colours on a wooden wall or floor.

The paints need to be thinned to merge naturally as they are applied otherwise there will be several 'muddy' areas. Try applying just the medium and dropping pigments into it. When fully dry, use clear varnish to protect your art.


You may also wish to visit this colourful collection on Pinterest.

Bright ideas following your Escargots starter

< Item #10042 on this website of decorated shells: Florida Marine Research shop.

Some of the other decorated shells available to buy include Superman, Batman, Spiderman, RugRats, fish, fruit, clowns, butterflies, sports balls and SpongeBob SquarePants with Patrick the starfish.

There are also plain shells for sale or you can take inspiration and paint or varnish your own collection.