Bottle Lamps

Here we are at the end of another year.  It is true what they say about life being like a roll of  toilet paper - the closer you get to the end the faster it goes.  This year has gone so fast!

I always look forward to celebrating the end of one year and the start of the next with friends.  My philosophy is that Christmas is all about family but New Year's Eve is to spend with good friends.

This past month I have made so many of these bottle lamps to give to family and friends that I have actually lost count.  They look very effective and they are so easy to do now that you can buy strings of lights on a fake cork containing batteries.  They make lovely Christmas decorations but they are also perfect for summer evenings sitting out in the garden.

This quartet of bottles once contained a well known fizzy wine.  In fact, some of these bottles were opened to be drunk as part of our Christmas Day meal.  I think these elegant cut glass bottles make perfect bottle lamps.  However, their labels are stuck on with some of the stickiest glue I have ever come across.  I tried everything I could think of but I could not remove the glue.  In the end I resorted to the internet, my weapon of choice was nail polish remover.  I was a little reluctant to raid by nail polish remover because I only had an expensive brand, but I need not have worried.  All I needed to remove all of the residue glue was half a cotton wool ball with about a teaspoon of polish remover.  It removed all of it, that is less nail polish remover than I use to remove my nail polish!

This pretty blue gin bottle had the remains of the bottle screw top cap around the neck and I was concerned that someone might cut a finger on it.  So when, after several attempts, I failed to cut the metal band off, I decided to wrap the neck of the bottle in some glittery washi tape - sadly the tape kept unravelling, so I added another layer in clear sticky tape.  That did the trick.

This year I have done a lot of knitting but next year I am planning to get back to my card making.  I am not  sure whether I will use ready made topppers or colour my own.  I do have an awful lot of toppers in my stash dating back 10/15 years and they need using up.  I also have a pact with my friend Lisette to start on our Christmas cards in February next year.  Get your tape runners ready Mrs Beez.

I hope that 2020 is a good year for you and your family, may it bring you good health and happiness.

Cheers my friends and 'Happy New Year'!

Dionne

One Last Christmas Present

As the title suggests, this is the last of my knitted Christmas presents, there wasn't time to post these before Christmas.

This is another handmade cardigan, this one is for the youngest member of the family.

The pattern for this cardigan has a very elaborate basket weave design on the top two thirds but I thought that it made the whole thing look very cluttered and just too much for a boy.  So I added a few more parallel lines and left the rest as stocking stitch.

(Sorry, I stood in my own light when I went in for the close up!)

I made the cardigan in cream double knit and the pattern is from the Chevy Collection, number 1376.  I am tempted to just do the basket weave the next time I use this pattern.

Dionne

Girls Lace Cardigan

I have another Christmas present to share with you today ...

A little something in pink to perhaps wear over the Christmas holidays.  Made in Double Knit yarn, this cardigan features puff sleeves as well as a fancy trellis work design up the front and down the sleeves.

Once again, this pattern came from the internet with no makers name but the pattern number is 468.

Dionne

Christmas Cardigans

How was your Christmas?  Were you on Santa's 'nice' list?  I hope you had a lovely time.

As you have probably worked out from all of my talk over the past few weeks, I have two nieces, one has two girls and the other a boy and a girl.  For Christmas I made new matching knitted cardigans for the young sisters.  They are made of royal blue chunky knit and I used a Hayfield pattern number 2415.  This yarn really does knit up thick and the cardigans are more like jackets.

The girls may not be twins but they are very similar in size and, as the cardigans are the same size, I made one with a 'V' neck and the other with a round neck (so their mum can work out which belongs to which of her girls).

I managed to get some lovely matching 'leather look' buttons, which are in keeping with that chunky look.

Dionne

My Christmas Swan Song

I am back for the last time with some of the  Christmas cards I have made with Hunkydory toppers with matching papers and inserts. 

This is another of their non-traditional themes, who would have thought of Christmas swans?  But see, they make great Christmas images.

It has been quite a marathon blogging all of my cards and the knitted Elf of the Shelf goodies but this is my last post before Christmas day.  Merry Christmas everyone, peace and good will to you all.  May Santa bring you what you need and may you and your family be healthy, and happy, and loved.

It is time for all of the little elves to go back to the North Pole to help Santa get ready for tonight.  One last visit to see what Daisy the Elf got up to last night.

Daisy is such a kind little elf.  She has left the girls letters from Santa and an early present for each of them.

Oh look, she is all dressed up warm and in her sleigh ready for her long journey home.  You have had a very busy month Daisy, we hope you enjoyed your visit and look forward to seeing you again next year.

Safe journey home.

Dionne 

The Twelve Days of Christmas

I am back again with some more of the cards I have made this year by using Hunkydory toppers with matching papers and inserts.

I love the theme for this set, I just adore all of the things you can get to do with this song - I have a fabulous set of Christmas tree decorations.

I have to be careful when I make cards for this sister,  She likes to put her cards up on her wall, out of the way, and she says that one of these days I am going to be the death of her ....  Picture this, a nice peaceful evening, my sister stretched out on her sofa chilaxing, the central heating turned up, a nice mug of tea in her hand and the cat on her lap.  When out of the blue a loud crash makes her jump out of skin and the cat flies across the room - scolding tea everywhere!

The heat has softened the glue on her card and the front had dropped off the card blank and crashed to the floor.  Apparently this happens most years, opps!  Sorry baby sister.

Yes, that is a bulldog clip the mistletoe image is hanging from.  It was part of  a little gift I got from my Stampin' Up demonstrator, she is such a lovely girl.

It looks like Arlen and Rowena elf are heading back to the North Pole ....

Bye bye, see you next year.

Dionne

In the Pink!

Christmas Eve a last, time for any last minute panic and then it is all out of your hands for two days, you either have it or your are going to have to go without it.

My little model elf is in the party mood today and is loving this knitted pink outfit, with fisherman's style jumper and matchig skirt, hat and bag.

These lovely knitting patterns are by Helen Cox and are available from Ravelry.

Daisy the elf has been looking for snow ....

But it looks like she got herself trapped!

Dionne

The Wise Man Christmas Cards

I am back again, third post of the day, with some more of the cards I have made this year by using Hunkydory toppers with matching papers and inserts.  I am painfully aware that you must be getting really bored of me by now!

Today I am showcasing my latest stepper card die.  It was not as big as I had hoped but I love the effect.  I was intending to make a lot more cards like this but I was under a lot of pressure to get my cards made and this took about four time longer to make than a straight forward A5 card.  So just the one this year ... maybe more next year.

Here's a side view ...

As I mentioned, the rest of this set became A5 cards, but these toppers are gorgeous, so luxurious.

I just added a bit of bling from my stash.

We have another glimps into the antics of Daisy the Elf ...

What has she been up to?

Oh look, she is using the empty wrapping paper rolls as stilts, what a good idea for hanging the lights ...

but what did she do with all of that wrapping paper?  Oh no, look at the sofa!

Dionne

Hang your Christmas Stockings

I am sure there must be a song about hanging your Christmas stockings.  Answers on a postcard please ....

I had a little play with the shape of my Christmas cards.  I used some of my decoupage toppers from  Hunkydory to decorate these cards.

I really love shaped cards and this is one of my favourite die sets.

I had to photograph it from a different angel so you could see the other panels.

I was playing around with this card and bitterly regret not getting my scoring board first, I would have got much sharper creases if I had.

You can see the decoupage from this side view.

Dionne

Little Ballerina

Not one, but two two knitted elf outfits to share with your today.  The first is a skirt with a table cloth corner skirt.  I can remember this style of hemline being all the rage when I was a teenager.

The skirt has pretty pastel coloured petals, I am afraid that this are none too easy to see in the first photograph, my bad photography again, sorry!

Do you remember that a couple of weeks ago I shared with you a little ballerina outfit which my niece received as her surprise Advent gift. This is virtually the same outfit, but it has one small variation.  This time it consists of wrap around cardigan, a long tutu and leg warmers.

Our little ballerina has a couple of spare cardigans in case she fancies a change.

The wrap around cardigan and leg warmer knitting patterns are by Helen Cox available from Ravelry.  The petal skirt was designed by Leeana Gardiner and is available from Whirlsie.

Rowena has been trying on her new wrap around cardigans and is jumping for joy.

Dionne

And, Lo, the Angel of the Lord Came Upon Them

For the third time today, I am back, this time with some more of my Christmas cards, which were made using Hunkydory toppers with matching papers and inserts.   I just added some glitter card, ribbon and papers from my stash to complete the look.

I kept this set as flat as possible so they could be sent through the post.

Dionne

Peace on Earth

I am back again with some more of the cards I have made this year by using Hunkydory toppers with matching papers and inserts.  This set has the dove of peace as it's theme.

 I just added some glitter card, ribbon and papers from my stash to complete the look.

Dionne

Red Hot!

Not many of these posts left now.  Soon all of my niece's Advent presents will be open and Christmas Eve will be here.

Today one little elf will be receiving this smart knitted outfit in red with contrasting multi-coloured hat and jumper, she is going to look very festive at any party she is invited to.

These knitting patterns are by Helen Cox and are available from Ravelry.

Daisy has been busy putting up a few last minute decorations.

......... or is that her washing?

Dionne