A little bit foodie...

Before we get all stuck into chups n dup and BBQ's.. I had some lovely friends come over to share a pre-xmas dinner. Complete kudos to Mr Oratia for doing his ham AND pumpkin pie! & Debs with her delightful starter - devine! (sorry the pics are a bit shoddy, I was very excited)

Happy feasting team!

a little elfling..

I've been ever so lucky to be housesitting a beautiful tree hut in Titirangi recently. It's been grand having an entire house to mess up/make things in.  I found this great little tutorial on wonderful Etsy and thought I would have a go at shaping up some pyramid gift boxes for this years goodies...later opting for some jars too once things got a little cross-eyed from so much cutting. 

 Pippi is always amused at the crafting antics

I painted up a twiggy xmas tree to display some gorj ornaments received in the swap

I had a go at making white christmas - I hope the team like it !

 MC & Jen will hopefully be pleased when they return to their (soon to be not messy) tree house

.....

and somehow, somehow I managed to fit in a bita this in the weekend

Happy last week before xmas everyone! 

For me it's last week with the tree-hut and mad cats AND last week at work too (more on that later)

xox 

Hope you have been having fun handcrafting gifts, cards, or decorations yourselves?

Xmas dreams

....A bright and merry cherry xmas wish list...

These gorj popsicle crayons have given old (non toxic!) crayons a new life. They've been sprused up with a little soy and carved into lovely treats and I just want to have them in my pocket for sporadic drawing in the street, on some scrap of found paper (quite possibly an icecream wrapper)

 - my kinda bliss

And to the knit wit list... This first lil hombre is just plain clever! And second, ok I know we are going into summer and oh how I love it...but im sure I could get a use or 10 for this GORGEOUS neckie by Larkin&Larkin - starting with sitting round the campfire, Ocean beach, eating smores...

Toms done a new way y yo querio mucho - Brooch from depeapa de Espana, perfecto para mi

Though really I should be thinking about shopping closer to home, and cutting down some carbon yes. From our locales these are the true members of my xmas wish list:

I adore these little notebook covers by NZ Green Buttons (maybe one can go in my other pocket to the crayons?)

A little kick up the boot for saving for more travel is a great gift to give thanks to the hands of Make Believe. Made, photographed, and can be purchased through the lovely here.

And lastly, but definately not leastly, Luu's bonita y linda necklace I have had my eye on for some time - mi gusta!

Feliz navidad to you all! 

P.S: Xmas isn't about getting stressed out over gifts, Ok it's a time about giving so they say - so give time, give thoughts and share a little love. Make with your hands, or buy something by our neighbours hands and put a lil soul in rather than just $ then you can really share love, joy and embrace that true xmas spirit

one of them rainy december mondays

...Where I get to come home with new books to curl up with and find these little critters snooping about ... impeccably cosy for 2weeks from xmas

FOMO

Yes all week i've been suffering from my Fear of Missing Out as I read all the profiles of showcasing makers I was so sorry to have missed the Auckland Art & Craft Fair yesterday. I so hope all of our lovely local makers had heaps of fun (ofcourse!) and sold plenty of goodies.

Even though I was over at Wild on Waiheke with work doing a bit of this....

and a bit of this....

I still managed to feel super left out from a hugely market-ful weekend that I was certain EVERYONE else was having. So come sunday morning I rose early to go here:

and visit here:

and venture here too:

Merry christmas shopping wherever you are :) - and remember shopping local and handmade, is so much fun, and better for everyone!

My Circleful Creative Space

I've been going bonkers with circles this week!

 I signed up to Sew Funky's Kiwi Christmas Ornament Swap about a month ago and have been a busy paper pixie for a while now..

What better way than to spend my days dreaming of the summer on its verge, and the wonderous patches around NZ that I so adore.

so..

Taking a fav spot - Cathedral Cove, 

Raglan - a recently discovered treasure trove

& Malborough Sounds - a mere dream of mine to go...

 I toasted my new stamp set

and dove into my hoards of my rescued old papers

 I turned envelopes to their prettier side... 

...and cut, folded glued and wished well my christmas ornaments to share.

I hope my swap group all enjoyed their treats as I am loving the suprises in the mail too! 

Here's to celebrating all those beautiful spots around NZ for you, your friends, jandy's and chilly bins too!  - Happy Summer everyone!

See what else is happening in Creative spaces here

Simple Fate

...amidst a nostalgic moment, one that involved me and some old family photo albums...

 I spotted a re-occuring colourful dress. I love seeing my mother in such great dresses of the 70's 80's and 90's and have tried to squeeze into the few that remain in her wardrobe...but this one I had not seen in the wardrobe - blast! 

Im sure she probably made it too...I wondered if she had the pattern still, I hadn't come across it in my many rummages through her pattern boxes...

Later that morning, with the usual saturday Salvation Army expedition look what I found!!!

Fate? I think so! So this has gone straight to the top of my to-do pile - if only I could find a print as cool as mums?!?!

Jandals for all!

the oodles of cutting and colouring in my creative space last week ended the week at work with a fun filled friday that was extra bright and cheerful..or atleast I made sure reception was....

I hope you all raised your Jandy and toasted to a safe and fun kiwi summer on our many beautiful surf beaches. Props to all them red and yellow speedo wearers that are making sure our beaches are swum safely!

A Summery Creative Space

For the first time ever I have got to it and finally made some bunting

 - or do you call these garlands?

A little extra summer for a special national day tomorrow...