• Crafts for adults - gingerbread house

    Felt gingerbread manor house pincushion

    For the last few years Pretty Fabrics and Trims have produced a Christmas charity pattern. Last year was the adorable North Pole set which I loved making, and finished stitching in January too. This years pattern was a felt gingerbread manor house so of course I had to make a donation and buy it. I was able to use my own supplies to make this little pincushion, choosing some gingerbread and white coloured felt, embroidery threads and white seed beads. I used freezer paper to cut the different pieces, this is a technique I’ve only recently learned, and find it…

  • Crafts for adults - Crafts for teens - Crafts for tweens - St Patrick's Day crafts

    St Patrick’s Day clay leprechaun craft

    January is a looong month but we are already looking forward to all the special days which will shortly be coming up. We love celebrating St Patrick’s Day and couldn’t resist adding this clay leprechaun craft with you. It’s definitely a craft for older children and my teens love playing with my clay supply. These lucky little leprechauns are dressed in lots of green and may just bring you a pot of gold if you treat them well. List of supplies: Air dry clay or foam clay – you will need a selection of different coloured clays of your choice…

  • Crafts for adults

    Gingerbread house hoop kit

    I thought I would spend January completing projects. I don’t like have drawers full of half finished projects, and I have many drawers full of many projects which I have started and not finished. Not only is this a waste of money but I just hate not finishing projects. If they are that bad I tend to take out the fabric and embroidery threads and throw everything else away. Gingerbread house hoop kit This gingerbread house hoop kit is from love embroidery magazine, designed by Georgie Emery I was so excited when I saw this was a free cover gift.…

  • Crafts for adults

    Cosy Cabin Hoop Kit {first make of 2025!]

    My first make of 2025 is a sweet little hoop, a cover gift with Love Embroidery magazine. Designed my Matilda Smith I have a feeling this has been sitting around for a while now, I started but didn’t finish. Cosy Cabin Hoop Kit The hoop kit contained the plastic hoop, pre-printed fabric featuring a winter scene, and threads. This was a nice, easy project with only 4 types of stitches. I’m not sure why I started but didn’t finish this hoop. Looking back it was probably all those small stitches on the cabin which took forever! When I picked it…

  • Crafts for adults

    What I made in December 2024

    December flew by for me packed with preparation for Christmas. This year instead of a beauty or chocolate advent calendar I signed up for the Pretty Fabrics & Trims Advent Box. The box contained one large embroidery project, a sweet countdown to Christmas, as well as a smaller project for each Sunday of Advent. I loved the idea of something to make for myself and really enjoyed opening the box. However, I haven’t started the embroidery panel. It was just too big with a motif to stitch every day and I didn’t want to start and not finish it before Christmas…

  • Crafts for adults

    How to crochet holly berries

    We love our handmade decorations and have already shared our crochet mini wreaths. They are not only easy to crochet, but they also have so many uses from napkins to adding to a gift. These crochet holly berries can be used in the same way – add them to napkins on Christmas Day, or make a garland to decorate your mantle. Let me know if you try it! List of supplies to make crochet holly berries Yarn Crochet hook Scissors Tapestry needle   Stitches used for this project Chain – CH Magic Ring – MR Single Crochet – SC Slip…

  • Crafts for adults - Crafts for teens - Crafts for tweens

    Gold foil gingerbread house decorations

    Have you decorated for Christmas yet? We put our decorations up today and we are enjoying the colourful lights and seeing our favourite decorations. We’ve been making for gold foil decorations. They are so quick and easy to make and metallics reflect the Christmas lights well. I thought I would share how we make ours. You will need the following items: Metallic foil sheets Embossing pen with 4 different sized tips Scissors Gingerbread house cookie cutter or shape Metal punch Liberty scraps for hanging How to make gold foil gingerbread house decorations Place your cookie cutter or template over the…

  • Christmas - Crafts for adults

    How to crochet a mini wreath ornament

    We are on full on Christmas crafting mode at the gingerbread house. It’s always fun to get out homemade projects, but I’m always happy to add more. This year we’ve made some crochet mini wreath ornaments which are great for popping on the tree. Read on for the full tutorial. List of supplies to make a crochet mini wreath ornament: Yarn Crochet hook Scissors Tapestry needle   Stitches used for this project Chain – CH Magic Ring – MR Single Crochet – SC Double Crochet – DC Half Double Crochet – HDC   How to crochet a mini wreath ornament…

  • Crafts for adults

    What I made in November 2024

    November was definitely a colourful month, as well as a month of finishing off. I had several little projects covering my desk so I worked hard on finishing them and giving myself some much needed space. What I made in November 2024 First up was a Cotton Clara Father Christmas cross stitch. Half way through stitching I had a horrible feeling I’ve already stitched this kit, so perhaps I’ll find it when we get the decorations down. I changed the colours slightly from pink to red (I love a traditional Father Christmas). Then I made the Felt Christmas Jumper kit…