Christmas Cards

Over the many years I have collected greeting cards and amongst some of my favourites are the Christmas ones.

I thought I would share with you a few of these.

I love this one with Mr goose bringing the message.

The Toy Shop has a pop-up inside, its one of those you can look at over and over and see something different each time.
Santa's face is wonderful, this is a cut-out card.

This little sweeper looks so lost and cold, you want to take her home to a warm fire.

Ah now I love the angel choir, a 3 D pop up Victorian card, its sooo Christmas.

Of course one of my most favorites is the card on my blog header, the sides open to reveal a wonderful winter scene.

Paint Palette

Another wonderful addition to nature's paint palette! These little nasturtions are growing in abundance in our garden, but the wonderful thing about them is the different shades of flowers that appear along the stems. The colours are so rich and varied and make a lovely little bouquet for an arrangement that last for ages too.

From That to This............

I love taking something that one would normally throw away, and turning it into something one can use.

Here is my Santa Cone............. this is what i did.

I used the inside cone from an overlocker sewing thread, you know those ones one would normally throw away once the thread is finished. I took a page of vintage sheet music and covered the cone. Next I separated the layers of a serviette. I cut out the picture (in this case, Santa) from the top layer and carefully decoupaged this onto the music covered cone. While still wet I sprinkled a little vintage glass glitter. Once dry (and a hairdryer comes in handy here) I sanded any rough spots (joint of music sheet) with a fine sand paper. I then oiled the paper with Burnt umber and burnt sienna, gradually aging it by rubbing the oil paint in gently. I then covered the top and bottom openings of the cone with a round of burgundy felt and finished with a trim of jute (which I aged as well with the oil paints) I finally sprayed all with a matt sealer.

These decorations make great ornament to add to a corner, surrounded by some greenery, berries and a matchless tea-light or add a thread to hang on your tree or turn into a Christmas candlestick and add a matchless tea light on top.

Christmas bells a-ringing............

ding, dong , dell!

Well almost, but waiting fo them to dry then I can add the ding, dong.

These bells were made on an embroidery machine then hand sewn to form the bell shape.

I have added modge podge and covered in vintage glitter in gold and silver. Once dry I will add all the trims. I am sooooo happy to be crafting again even though in small doses, its wonderful theraphy.

Christmas Tags

I am working on my Christmas tags, -old fashioned girls and boys decked out for Christmas and sparkling with a little vintage glass glitter.

Although its our summer time here, I always think of Christmas as a time of snowy scenes and decorate our home as such. Christmas meal is a traditional hot meal of turkey, gammon and all the trimmings.

How do you celebrate your Christmas?

The Great Christmas Giveaway

Well here it is my part of The Great Christmas Giveaway, hosted by Angelina's Trinkets.

I have put together a few original creations made by me, Lynda of Whimsical Prims.

"A Christmas is for Families " hand made journal -a journal bound with string and blank craft pages for you to jot down notes for all your needs to help you through the busy festive season. The journal comes in a separate cover that also has a place to keep your pen handy and comes with a handmade aged Christmas tag.

A small fabric covered kraft page note book for reminders -great to carry in your bag.

A prim hand embroidered heart with jute bow and red berries -great to hang anywhere.

One of my mini chenille stem Christmas angel ornaments with Sing & Dance and gold filigree wings.

A mini red stripe pin cushion

An original design chenille stem gingerbread man pick.

But wait there needs to be a surprise or two so that's all I'm going to reveal.

If you would like to be the winner of this Christmas giveaway all you need to so is leave a comment to this post, make sure you leave your email so I can contact you if you win.

Draw will take place on 24th December and your parcel will be airmail posted to you on Monday 29th December.

T'is the Season!

The Great Christmas Giveaway hosted by Angelina's Trinkets is a wonderful start to the Christmas season. A number of bloggers have joined Angelina in celebrating the true spirit of Christmas and I will be posting here soon all about my Christmas Giveaway, so watch this spot.

Have you ever.................

seen such a beautiful flower.

This fuschia plant is growing in a large tub and has over seventy flowers/buds. Its just so amazing to see nature at its best.

Do you know what its name is, would love to know??

Cluck-Cluck Everywhere

I love chickens, there is just something so fascinating about their simple habits.
We always had chickens of some sort around us, right from my childhood days to the days when our children were growing up.
Now I surround myself with chickens of a different sort, from trays to jugs and ornaments. These new items have just arrived in Granny's Cottage Shoppe. Now i need to finish my hand applique dish cloths -with chickens of course.

Spring Tea Cosies & Jam Preserves

Some of the many new items added to Granny's Cottage Shoppe -Hand Knitted spring tea cosies in a lovely turquoise shade with roses in dusty pink, light pink, cream and added leaves in moss and lime green.
The large tea cosy will fit an eight-cup teapot and the smaller two fit a two-cup teapot.
The tea cup is from the Maxwell Williams floral range. I have a set of these tea-cups in all the different florals and my club ladies get to choose their cup at tea-time.


Another range in my new additions are the delicious Hillcrest Berry Farm Jams and Preserves.
From Strawberry, Blackcurrant and Raspberry, Marmalade with Whiskey, Morella Cherry, and Cape Fig, all delicious -no preservatives or additives, its hard to choose which one is my favourite.