Tag Archives: Christmas Decoration

A Christmas Village – electric tea light holders

Over the last couple of years I have created an Advent Countdown here on Planet Penny. However this year, along with other bloggers and makers, I have been invited to take part in the Cotton Traders Advent Calendar with a Christmas crafty make – tea light holders.

Nordic Houses |electric tea light holders | PDF pattern | Christmas Craft

So, as I’ve always a soft spot for tiny houses, and as so much of the Christmas tradition is centred around home and family what better way to celebrate the festive season than with your own little hamlet of cosy cottages as tea light holders?

Materials 

  • Card, suitable for printing, I used 160gsm.
  • PDF pattern
  • Scissors
  • Craft Knife
  • Cutting Mat
  • Glue stick
  • Battery operated tea lights

Method

Print off the PDF of the house onto the card.  A whole village if you like!

Cut round the outline with scissors or craft knife.  Cutting out the windows is much more easily done with the craft knife.

Cut out a rectangle in card 15cm x 9cm for the roof. Mark the central point on the long edge on both sides and very lightly score across to mark the fold line for the ridge on the roof.  Fold.

Using the craft knife, very lightly score along the fold lines on the unprinted side of the card to help make the finished shape nice and crisp.

Fold along the score lines, glue the tabs and stick together and stick together into the house shape.

Then make some more!

I’ve only recently been converted to battery tea lights because I love the natural light of candles.  However there is no denying the dangers of having flames all round the room especially with small children, and these little houses are great for a family crafting afternoon.

I like simple white for a touch of Nordic style, but print off a few sheets and let the children loose with paints and crayons, glue and glitter before cutting out for a riot of festive colour!

Have fun! If you’d like to show off your own version, do send in your photos and I will share then here on the blog.

Happy crafting!

The Penguins Party!

I’m a bit obsessed with penguins at the moment!

I saw the John Lewis advert last week (the beginning of November for heaven’s sake, far too early…but adorable all the same!)

…and in a parallel universe I would definitely have a pet penguin, Higgins would love a little friend.

However, it got me thinking about making something a bit different this year for my stall at the Two Rivers Trail Festive Fair.  With that in mind I’ve made some needlefelt penguins and I thought I’d drop in here for some opinions…

So here’s my little Penguin Party…

needlefelt penguinsAnd the question is, do I or don’t I add little knitted scarves, and would they be better with or without a hanger for the tree?  I’ve thought about too much and need a second opinion! What you think?

And finally thank you you for the lovely comments after my last post.  It’s so good to know you enjoy calling in to Planet Penny.  Higgins, as always, is basking in the admiration of his fans (and really doesn’t want to play second fiddle to some silly penguins!)  Back soon…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Twenty One

Day twenty one of the Christmas Countdown…it’s the shortest day, and the longest night.  A good time to be thinking about candles I think!

Last year for the Advent Calendar I made these tealight holders from an assortment of pretty jars I had collected …

tea lights - Christmas Countdown

Planet Penny Advent Calendar – Day Twenty one

I would love to fill my mantelpiece with little houses…

tin houses - Christmas Countdown

Adorable Home

And maybe next Christmas I could do it with card (although I’d stock up with battery powered tealights first of course!) These look very simple to do…

paper houses Christmas Countdown

Craft Ideas

…and there is a template…

card houses Christmas Countdown

Craft Ideas

And if all else fails you could raid the kitchen…

jelly mold tea light holders

Domesticalia

tea lights in ladles - Christmas Countdown

Kick Can and Conkers

I’ve had my own lighting story yesterday.  As we will be visiting the family for Christmas and won’t be here for the actual day I decided it would be a waste to buy a large tree this year, I would use the little one I had for the fair.  It’s pot grown and a lovely shape, just very small.

I decorated it when I was full of cold and I admit my heart wasn’t in it.  The old lights from the big tree looked ridiculous and every time I looked at it I cringed.  It was all decided for me when the old lights died.  I got up yesterday morning, removed all the decorations, headed to the nearest town where fairy lights were reduced and bought not just one, but two sets.  The tree is now re-decorated and lit and the room has fairy lights all around it and I feel soooo much more festive!

All set for younger son and daughter plus their ‘significant others’ to join us this evening to celebrate the Winter Solstice and the drawing out of the days…

I’ll be back tomorrow…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Twenty

Oooh, not long now! Day Twenty of the Christmas Countdown and there’s something else to hang on the tree, a paper songbird.

If you click on the image below you will find a link to the pattern for this little fellow, and of course, you can make him any colour you like!

Christmas tree decoration | bird | paper | music |

Planet Penny Advent Calendar 2012

This is an even simpler shape.  No pattern, but it shows that it would be very easy to make your own individual pattern and then make a whole flock of little birds.  Great fun for the children to decorate.

paper birds Christmas Countdown

ebabee likes

These fringed and cut paper birds are effective.  It would be nice to curl some of those feathers for an exotic effect.

cut out bird Christmas Countdown

Karin Lidbeck

I love this little birdy from Miss Clara, so many pretty things on her blog…

handmade bird Christmas Countdown

The Notebooks of Miss Clara

And finally… book art.  Isn’t this stunning?  I’m not suggesting you should try and knock up a table centre like this before the big day.  Just make a cuppa, there’s another beautiful blog to look at!

bird book art Christmas Countdown

My Modern Met

So I shall flutter off just now, and look forward to seeing you tomorrow…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Eighteen

Good Morning!  This is going to be quite a quick Christmas Countdown post because  DH and I have recovered enough to tackle a trip to Norwich for the last of the Christmas shopping.  Aftere that I can concentrate on the food aspect of the festivities…

Last year I made these little Spice Biscuits which were a great success and looked really pretty on the tree and wrapped up as gifts…

Spice biscuit - Christmas Countdown

Spice Biscuit – Planet Penny Advent Calendar – Day Eighteen

If you are feeling very ambitious, how about some iced decorations?

iced biscuits Christmas Countdown

Stina Saem

decorated biscuits Christmas Countdown

Buttercream and Chantilly Factory

Aren’t they gorgeous?  Don’t think that’ll be happing on Planet Penny this year!

And finally, with no provenance, no recipe, just a fabulous picture on Pinterest…

Christmas Countdown - iced biscuits

Pinterest

I hope this has been inspiring…

See you tomorrow…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Seventeen

I can’t believe we’re on Day Seventeen of the Christmas Countdown already, time is just flying by. Things are not progressing very fast here at the moment as we are beset by cold germs.  It’s at this point I wish I was SO much more organised and didn’t have such a long ‘Last Minute List’

Ho-hum…maybe I’ll add that to the New Years Resolution List!

But back to Day Seventeen.  Last year in the Advent Calendar it was all about mice and you’ll find quite a selection of them featured in this post.

Planet Penny Mini Mice

Planet Penny Mini Mice – Etsy Pattern

But I’ve been having a scout round and it’s surprising how many mice you’ll find scampering about in cyberspace. These are Racing Walnut Mice!  They sound lots of fun and an easy craft to do with the little ones, just click the image for  the link as always…

Walnut Racing Mice Christmas Countdown Day 17

Oh Baby!

Here’s a dear little tree decoration with a jingly nose…

fabric mouse tree ornament - Christmas Countdown Day 17

Pimp Stitch

A couple of years ago I made this little group of needlefelt carol singing mice which I sold and then rather regretted losing them  I must make some more just for me!

carol singing mice Christmas Countdown Day 17

Planet Penny

I love the little fabric mouse below from Lucy Kate, don’t you?

fabric mouse Christmas Countdown

Lucy Kate Crafts

And finally, we have the mouse in our house who lives in the skirting board.

mouse hole Christmas Countdown Day 17

PAWS – Paper and Wire Sculptures

All right, I’ll admit it, it’s all pretend.  Can you imagine Higgins tolerating that situation?  It’s a little sticker from the very clever Sue McLearie which I secreted on to the skirting board.  So far only one person has noticed it…

Mouse in hole

…but he doesn’t seem too bothered!

I hope you like this collection of Christmas Mice..

I’ll be back tomorrow…x

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