With Christmas just around the corner Toby and Gabe have been getting crafty and making some easy Christmas cards to send to their grandparents. We used craft materials provided by Bostik to make the cards. In this post I’ll show you which products we used, and how you can make this easy Christmas Card craft for kids too.
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I’m sure we’ve all used Blu Tack to stick pictures on the wall or notes to the fridge but it as so many other uses too. I’ve been working with Bostik and they asked me to share my #BluHacks – ways of using Blu Tack that you might not expect.
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Despite the odd unseasonably warm days we keep having, I think we can all admit that Autumn (or Fall if you’re that way inclined) is well and truly upon us. And as we head into October and the nights are getting darker what better to add a bit of sparkle than some glitter?
Read moreIt’s taken two weeks but I have finally finished sewing all the bits of Toby’s bear suit together. It was fairly straight forward apart from the feet (which I’m still not sure I got right!) although I did realise it’s much harder to sew up knitting when you didn’t do the original knitting yourself.
Anyway, here’s Toby modelling the finished product. Isn’t he just too cute?!
After a little break for the Christmas holidays, I’m back with Knitting Friday. I’m afraid though I’m going for a massive cheat this week. Because all the knitted pieces you can see here….weren’t knitted by me! My mum is the one responsible for the knitting here. It’s a cuddly bear all-in-one for Toby which I bought the pattern and wool for ages ago but then I couldn’t be bothered to make it so I gave it to my mum. She very kindly obliged but she hates sewing things together so gave the pieces back to me!
Come back next week to see the finished article – hopefully being modelled by Toby. Don’t forget to pop of to The Laughing Owls too. Becky managed to finish Little Owl’s jumper last week so I’m waiting to see if she’s started something new this week.
Alright, before you say anything, I know it’s Saturday – but it is Christmas so I think you can forgive me!
So last week I posted pictures of the (almost) finished elf hat. And this week I actually finished it. I’ve added the pompom to the top and sewn in an inner fleece hat which serves the dual purpose of making it warmer and also keeping it on. I didn’t use any sort of pattern for the fleece, just cut a piece out and then shaped it by using pins worryingly close to Toby’s head!
I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out in the end though – and I’m sure you’ll agree my little elf looks very cute in his new hat.
Becky over at The Laughing Owls has a Knitting Friday post too – Christmas Shopping has got in the way of her knitting a bit this week but she’s getting there with Little Owl’s jumper!
It’s finished! (Almost). When I had completed the hat it was slightly too small (from the top down the sides) so I picked up all the stitches along the neck edge and free-styled a band in red wool to match the band around the face. I just knitted a couple of rows and then five rows of knit one, purl one rib to match the other bit. I then decreased on two rows before casting off.
I am still planning on lining the hat with fleece but I haven’t hand chance to do it yet. There is still a pompom to be added to the plait coming from the top too. I’m going to do that tonight so that Toby can wear it for his party tomorrow. And I promise I’ll post a photo of Toby in his whole elf outfit after we’ve been!
Becky over at The Laughing Owls has a Knitting Friday post too – last week she had just started on the sleeves for Little Owl’s jumper so why don’t you pop over and see how much progress she has made this week.
I was recently asked to review some Christmas craft bits and pieces by the UK’s largest arts and crafts retailer Hobbycraft. I do love a bit of crafting but it’s not something I seem to have a lot of time for lately!
I was sent a red felt stocking filled with various Christmas craft items – none of which retail for more than £2. I was pleased to see this as I sometimes think that making things yourself can end up being more expensive than buying things ready made if you aren’t careful. Most of the items are available on the Hobbycraft website although I do think that if you have a store near you (and there are loads) then shopping for these kind of things tends to be much more fun if you can browse in the shop.
So some of the items in the stocking were:
Foam Clay Santa Kit / Foam Stickers / Gingerbread man stickers / Gold cards / Merry Christmas stickers (which don’t seem to be on the website)
The stocking itself isn’t on the website either but there are some pre-decorated stockings and a great video with some ideas of how you can decorate your own stocking. There’s a great variety of products on the Hobbycraft website for any Christmas crafting you might like to do – whether it’s making a wreath, your own decorations or your own Christmas cards.
I have to confess I haven’t had chance to use all the things I was sent yet. I have decorated the stocking using some bits and pieces I had left over from previous projects. I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out – the felt stocking seems very well made so hopefully it will last Toby for many Christmases to come. I was going to buy him a stocking but I think it’s lovely that he’s now got one that I have personalised for him – it makes it extra special!
I’ve also used the Merry Christmas and foam stickers to make some gift tags – something I never seem to have enough of when it comes to present wrapping time. I had some small luggage tags left over from our wedding so I used those and just stuck the stickers on. Toby is a bit little for crafting at the moment but I know kids love stickers and if he was a bit older sticking on the foam stickers is definitely something he could help with. The Merry Christmas stickers are a bit fiddly though – even for a grown up!
The glittery gingerbread men stickers are lovely – I think I’m actually going to pop some string on them and just hang them on the tree. And as for the Foam Clay Santa kit (which makes a small model Santa), I think the hubby has got his eye on that one!
I had great fun with my Christmas crafts – I’m looking forward to doing much more arts and crafts as Toby gets a bit older and Hobbycraft certainly have everything we might need. I sense a trip to our nearest store coming up in the not to distant future – or we can always order online. Standard delivery is £2.95 which seems quite reasonable, or free for orders over £30. And having a quick browse around website I’m sure I could spend £30 quite easily – I’ve got craft-lust! I’ve not really had time to do anything crafty since Toby was born so I’m pleased I got this opportunity to be re-inspired. Thanks Hobbycraft!
**Disclaimer: We were sent these items to review. However, all opinions are my own.
Here’s progress so far on Toby’s Elf hat.
I’ve only got another few rows to knit – I need to check because for a big baby Toby has a surprisingly small head! When that’s done it’s just sewing up, a few ties and pompoms and it’s done. Although actually I think I’m also going to line it with fleece to make it warmer and stop it stretching out of shape.
The Baby Sensory Christmas Party for which this hat is needed is next Saturday so it’ll have to be finished by then. Come back next week and you’ll be able to see the finished article (fingers crossed!).
Becky over at The Laughing Owls always has a Knitting Friday post too – why don’t you pop over and see what she’s been up to this week.
Becky over at The Laughing Owls always has a Knitting Friday post, and seeing as I’ve just started knitting something new I thought I’d join her.
So I just started this last night. It’s going to be a Christmas Elf hat for Toby! We’ve got the Baby Sensory Christmas party in a couple of weeks and I’m taking the opportunity to dress him up. Although I would love to make him a whole costume myself, at the moment I don’t have the time or the inspiration. So I’ve ordered him this cute elf all in one from Tesco but I thought it would be nice if I made him a hat myself. And although it’s Christmassy colours he’ll still be able to wear it after Christmas too.
I bought the pattern off Etsy as a PDF download which was quite handy. I had the green wool lying around and as I wasn’t sure if there was enough of any one to make the whole hat I decided to go with the stripes. The hat is knitted in one piece and seeing as it’s only for little Toby’s head I would think I’ll have it finished for next Friday! Come back then to find out how it turns out…