Christmas bargains

I mentioned that I had won some Christmas decorations on ebay and that I'd share pics of them on here when they arrived and so, true to my word, here are a few:

These were all bought from the same lady along with 2 beautiful candlesticks.  I really love the angel and have looked for years for one that I didn't think was creepy.  I am very pleased with this one. 

 These were extra cheeky bids that I won and was really pleased as they're vintage and a little different to everything else I see repeated in high street stores.

I also managed to pick up some unusual pieces in a local charity shop.

These were 10 pence each in a box under a shelf so I did have to rummage but I was very pleased with my efforts.  Above them on the shelf were two paper envelopes with a £1 sticker on.  When I opened them out, I discovered they were these lovely lanterns!  I had a little helper to display them!

This little stash of material set me back the grande sum of £6! The green and white polka dot pieces are 0.5 meters long but 2m wide and the patterned piece is 3m long and 2m wide.

This William Morris piece however, was 50pence.  It is uneven but there's enough fabric for a full a line, knee length skirt or several cushions- ooooh decisions decisions!

Christmas Spirit

I love Christmas; the decorating, eating great food, buying/ making gifts, time off with family, cold weather and fires but I love Christmas for it's true message.  I always try each year to start telling the kids the Christmas story early so that they know Christmas is about Jesus being born rather than just about them getting presents and so buy as many nativity related things that I see and find in order to make it fun.  I bought a lovely 3D nativity puzzle from M&S 2 years ago and a gift set of a book with paper figures and a stable which we got out this week and completed.

I am going to try and post all things Nativity related in the lead up to Christmas including the things I make which follow this theme. 

I saw these on Mollie Makes Facebook feed and wish I was skilled enough to make although I like to think I could manage the cardboard stable....

I had a little look on ebay and etsy etc to see what a knitted/ crochet set would cost me and they seem to be approx £25 which isn't bad for all the time someone would take to create them but I can't justify it at the moment and thus, I have begun to create my own.  Not being the best knitter or crochet chic however, I have decided to sew mine and am going to use a very eclectic mix of fabric to make it totally unique!  Here's the first of my wise men.

Watch this space!

Paper Baubles

I love the very ornate glass baubles from the likes of Russia.  A few years back I went to Poland and regret that I didn't buy any while I was there as they are more expensive over here.  A few searches on ebay has allowed me to purchase some vintage baubles which I will be collecting next week, but in the meantime I have been utilising the big shot to create more basic paper baubles.

I also went shopping for the first time this week and in time for the new pretty Christmas paper with co-coordinating cellotape and ribbon in Wilkinsons.  It was just very hard to choose which range to get as they had woodland creatures and a Scandinavian-esq grey themed reindeer.

I chose the Nordic route and here's what I've created:

For full descriptions for how I created both of these, please look at my project 52 page (which should probably be renamed now as it has been a failed challenge! Yet I am telling myself it was merely postponed and I will try to catch up- eek or at least to 52 new things)  I get very excited at Christmas, starting in November so I warn you that lots of my posts now may well be Christmas related although I can't apologise for it as I'm not sorry.  Did I mention, I love Christmas and love crafting at Christmas!