Tuesday 3 January 2012

Wow we are in 2012!


I can't believe another year has gone past, time really does seem to be speeding up and I can't find the pause button!


We had a lovely Christmas full of love, laughter and creating things.  I must confess to not being a lover of Christmas, I usually find the run up to it rather stressful and I get annoyed about the commercialism of it all.  I am not particularly religious but I really do think that Christmas should be about the meaning of Christmas and not about buying huge mounds of food, buying hundreds of pounds of stuff that people may not want and buying a new sofa (what is it with all those sofa adverts?)  :-)  There is so much pressure when you turn the radio on, the tv on or even via schools to spend spend spend - why?

With this in mind I tried to avoid the shops at all costs this year.  This meant making more items or buying from artists who put love into creating what they sell.  I didn't get away with buying all presents this way however :-(   Eldest Sweetpea wanted a TV which we all clubbed together to buy him (although he doesn't watch it as much as I thought as he says he gets lonely otherwise - that solved my worry about him hiding away in his room :-)), middle Sweetpea wanted a Hamster (she cried when she realised what was hidden under a blanket as I had insisted no more animals in the house) and Little Sweetpea wanted a scooter (so now I only see her in a blur scooting past me most of the day).  Also for my music loving Dad my sister and I got him a deck which you transfer your vinyls onto your pc - I am sure he will have hours of fun with that (he has hundreds of vinyls).  Unfortunately all of these items are beyond my creative skills :-(

I did however manage to make a few things shown below:

From this felted wool jumper ...


I created a purse/make up bag for my Sis, she loves anything with a tash on so I added that on it for her :-)



This was quite hard to create being my first attempt at making anything with a zip and also the wool for very thick so I couldn't manage to line it.  I filled it with some orange hairclips that she 'liked' on my facebook page and a pair of turquoise earrings made by Red Bird Jewellery.

For my Mum I made a linen lavender pillow for her bed:


It obviously had to have the 'I love you this much' tag added to it as that saying comes from her :-)


I backed it with Amy Butler fabric.  I also had some earings made especially for her by Red Bird Jewellery following a conversation I had with Mum re some earings she saw that she liked last year - she couldn't find those particular earings again so I had them made for her instead :-)  ohh and I found her some wine glass holders that you can pop into the grass so your glass doesn't get knocked over - perfect for our Friday afternoon wines with the children running around us :-)

I will share our (I got the children involved too) other creations with you in my next post as the children are now calling me :-)  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy 2012. 

Take care
Zoe
xxx

20 comments:

  1. beautiful makes (a felted jumper you say???? envy)
    happy new year to all of you too
    fee x

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  2. Love all your makes Zoe...I am sure you had some very happy recipients..I made lots of gifts and decorations myself this year and bought from friends shops too..it made everything much more fun and I will definitely do the same next year...
    Love the photograph of your little sweet pea by the tree and hope you all have a wonderful 2012 full of wonderful things!
    Susan x

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  3. I know what you mean about the adverts...I'm lucky that my daughter still appreciates proper toys- i dread her getting older and wanted computer games!. I luckily and thrifty wise managed to only buy a few things from high street shops- My daughter and her niece had huge stocking filled with hand made and thrifted goods- as good as new. I wish christmas was more to do with family than worrying about buying lots of gifts...over indulging in food too.
    Your little one next to the tree- so adorable!

    happy new year xxxx

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  4. I love the things you have made, it makes them all the more special when you've put so much time and effort in. All the very best for 2012.

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  5. I do love Christmas and am sorry to see it go but am totally with you on the commercialism. We tried this year to cut it back a bit altough a few bits were beyond me too...namely a wii game!! Your makes are beautiful and will certainly be treasured! Cx

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  6. those are some lovely makes. that is a great makeup bag you have made considering its your first attempt.i also wish you all the very best for 2012 and that its filled with happiness. x

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  7. Happy 2012 to you!

    I'm a zip virgin too and very impressed with your first attempt!

    My daughter also had a scooter for Christmas and I love it! I'm wondering if I might borrow it to do my Sainsbury's shop!! :-)

    Hx

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  8. I love your zip purse, especially the moustache. We found it hard to do the handmade christmas for the children too. A dog, two kindles and an ipod, also beyond my skills! but it's still nice to do as much handmade as you can

    Kate x

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  9. I love you presents and it is so good to receive a gift that someone has spent time rather than money on it, I am so glad Christmas is over we had a fuss free one this year and I really loved it,

    Happy New Year to you and your Family

    Denise

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  10. ha ha your sofa at christmas comment made me laugh as i think exactly the same every year . Beautiful makes - i have a stash of zips which i keep thinking i must pluck up the courage to learn to install xxxx

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  11. Happy New Year to you and your Sweetpeas, Zoe! I love making handmade gifts, but always seem to run out of time. After each Christmas I plan to start early, but of course, never do :) Well done to you!

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  12. Happy New Year Sweetpeas. Love that tash! No sofas here, or hamsters. Just a couple of dogs (fake) and rather a lot of chocolate which has now all gone... Ax

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  13. All lovely! I love the rosy fabric on that pillow.

    Happiest of new years to the whole sweetpea gang! I still need to chat with your eldest!

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  14. So with you on the commercialism of it all, madness I tell yee. The little felt make up purse is very cute, love it. Happy new year to you. Lolo xx

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  15. I love your makes, especially the felted tash purse! We try every year to keep some control on the boys presents, I keep asking all the relatives to please buy less and ideally smaller things as they have more than they can play with already and their toys are taking over our house. We're not mean by any means, they get plenty but as they're the only little children in the family (at the mo anyway) they do get spoilt by my family.

    Let's hope for a terrific 2012!

    Beth/the linen catx

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  16. Sounds like it was perfect, happy children and loving family.
    Hoping there's lots of loveliness heading your way for 2012
    Nicky
    xx

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  17. Happy new year Sweetpea family! Such lovely makes, love the label especially........if you do find life's pause button let me know!!! X

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  18. I am new to your blog and loving it! I love Amy Butler fabrics - all of your goodies are so lovely :) XOLaura

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  19. I'm a bit late in popping over to wish a very Happy New Year to you and your family, I hope 2012 is kind to you and that you get all you could possibly wish for xxx

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  20. Lucky family! I asked for a dog but Mr TH ignored that request...

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