Monday, December 22

The Christmas Tag

Hello everyone!
Today I am doing the Christmas Tag. I was tagged by the awesome Fran from Elevator Brain. I feel very cool doing a tag because I've never done any. So, let's go right into it:

1. What are your favourite Christmas films?
I really like "Love actually" and the Barbie version of "Nutcracker".

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Christmas morning.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
Not really. But I enjoy Christmas every year.

4. Favourite festive food?
Hot chocolate! Although I drink it all year round so I'm not sure if that counts as "festive". I like salmon too.

5. Favourite Christmas gift?
A Totoro plush hand-sewn by my brother.

6. Favourite Christmas scent?
I'm not a fan of spices like cinnamon or other typically Christmas-y scents. But I like chocolate so smelling it is almost as good as eating it.

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
I watch Barbie Nutcracker with my sister because we used to watch it every year as kids with my parents and my brother. We carried on the tradition.

8. What tops your tree?
A golden bow and a star.

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy) gift you always asked for but never received?
I don't remember asking for really crazy things but I probably asked at least once to have lots of bunnies.

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
I love seeing people's reactions to the gifts I chose for them (if it's a surprise). And of course, I enjoey spending time with my family.

So here it is! Thank you Fran for tagging me.
I tag Bela from A Bit Amusing and Marie from Rainbows and Unicorns. It's your turn ladies!
Love, Elsa

Sunday, December 21

Christmas Collab! DIY Felt Stocking Ornament

 Hello everyone!
I am very excited today because I am collaborating for the first time. I'm very happy because this collaboration is with the lovely Fran from Elevator Brain (even her blog title is cool!). On her blog, she posts sketches and paintings made by her talented self, inspirational posts and some tips. You should definitively check it out because it's awesome! We decided to do Christmas DIYs. She made a Christmas tree out of magazines!

I chose to do a felt ornament. I made this little monogrammed sock. It's very easy and takes a bit of time if you decide to hand-stitch it like I did, but I did it while watching a movie with my family so it was really nice. Fabric glue or hot glue are fine though, since you normally shouldn't have to wash it.
 You'll need: felt in two colors, ribbon, scissors, a needle and thread in two colors (or glue), paper and a pen.
Cut out 2 socks in one color. Then, in your other color, cut out little embellishments like two heel patches or that band that goes at the top. (be careful: if there is a right and a wrong side to your felt, you should cut one and then reverse it to cut the second one) To make the letter, I first drew out a few 'J's on paper until I was happy with how it looked. Then I cut it out of the paper and used it as a pattern to cut it out of the felt.
Sew the letter on one of the sock shapes. After it's done, sew the two sock shapes together.
Sew the little heel patches on both sides of the sock.
Put the white band at the top of the sock on each side, and put your ribbon in between. Sew it all together and you're done!
I hope you liked this tutorial and will use it. I made this little ornament for my class's Secret Santa. The guy whose name I had picked is allergic to lots of things, including chocolate so anything edible wasn't an option. I decided to make this because it's personalized and everyone loves hand-made gifts, don't they?

Don't forget to check out Fran's DIY and have a nice day!
Love, Elsa

Thursday, December 11

DIY: Snowflake Candle Holder

Penguin candle: PRIMARK
Hi friends!
Today I want to show you this simple candle holder I made. I used a glass yogurt jar, white acrylic paint and a tiny paintbrush. It was quite simple but also a bit long. It took me a bit less than an hour to cover the entire jar with snowflakes. You also have to hold your brush as still as humanly possible if you want thin lines. Once I was done, I waited for it to dry completely and put a small candle inside. If you make this, you could also use it to store pens, make-up brushes, or anything else you can put in a jar! This could make a cute small gift. I really hope you'll try this out.
Love, Elsa