The Poster Girl

Hello Friends

Well it's February and where did January go?  At least the days are lengthening noticeable now.

I've been feeling down lately so been keeping myself to myself.  Nobody loves a moaner but it's been rough. My spirits picked up some when my new metal butterfly dies dropped through my letter box.  

Did I need them? No.

Am I glad I bought them? Yes

I am beginning to think I am the Poster Girl for the peculiar hobby of just buying craft supplies.  Did you know that buying materials and actually using them are two entirely different hobbies?

Here's my first sample run.  There are five dies in total, two solid and three lacy cut out.  The two solid dies fit perfectly under two of the cut out ones. As this is a test run, I used different cardstock and paper weights from vellum to mirri. Anything else will be too heavy as they are not deep cut dies.

I have puzzled over what to do with them, it's not as if I sell them.  I did think to donate to the local hospice for them to use in craft sessions or to sell but then it was suggested that I put them on picks and sell to a florist.  Now there's a thought!

Until next time

Stay safe, stay well

Debbie xx

Festival of Christmas Trees ~ The Wreaths

Hello Friends!

As promised in my previous blog about the Christmas trees, which you can read here, these are the decorated wreaths in the new associated competition.  I think you will agree they are just as creative and inventive as the many trees we've seen over the years, and I think this gives us hope that there will be so much more to come in this new category.  If you look close enough I think you will see a couple of wreaths that may be made by the same creators as some of the trees as they are very similar in concept.  We've got hand crafted, recycled, natural materials, and some with glitz and glamour, even a sprout wreath ~ love them or hate them, they are very much a part of Christmas dinner!  I think the lady who came up with bringing this as an extra dimension was very clever indeed!

THE WINNER!  Papier Mache hand painted wreath by Amy at the National Trust Shop

Which one is your favourite?

Until next time
Deborah xoxo

Festival of Christmas Trees 2019

Hello Friends!

It's the last day of November, all the big Autumn festivities are at a close and now we herald Advent tomorrow, December 1st, and before we know it, it will be Christmas Day, and the next thing it will be 2020.  How did this happen so quickly?

Sixteen years have flown by since I first introduced the concept of a Festival of Christmas Trees to my village.  Oh, boy! You should have seen everyone's faces, their expressions, when I first presented this concept to the Christmas Tree Association.  You could see what each person was thinking, "What is she going on about?" or "What mad scheme is she concocting now?" But, I must have done something good because they let me run with it; that first year we only had nine trees centred in the City Hall, but on the first day you could hear pennies suddenly dropping across the village as requests to "put me down for a space next year!" came pouring in!  The following year we had twenty trees, and the event is now an established part of our Christmas social calendar in the village.

I no longer have a part in the organising, as many of you know I was a care giver for several years and reluctantly I turned over the reins to others.  Everyone is doing a first rate job and the event continues to gather momentum.

This year, a very creatively minded lady suggested introducing a new category, A Decorated Christmas Wreath, to the event and it's a huge success!  The response has been superb, and the wreaths are all beautiful.  More on those in a second blog, as I do not want to overload this one, and the wreaths are all worthy of their own entry, so check back in a few days for that one.

I am always amazed at the imagination and creativity of everyone across the village.  Each year every tree is different, and while sometimes a theme may be repeated, the interpretations are all so different. We see real trees, fake trees, trees made out of trees, and trees that are not trees at all but highly imaginative installations.  It's all good, and it's all good fun!  I love to listen to the comments and see the smiles on people's faces.

So, here are the photos I took of this year's entries, or is that ent trees?

A local hostelry promoting their wares

Hand felted Robins by Menevia WI Craft Group

Tiny hand wrapped wreaths from Coffee and Chat

I wonder what the Ladies' Netball Team has under their goalpost tree?

An ocean theme tree

The Holly and the Ivy

Hand made gifts and surprises in a handmade Advent calendar

Remembering the past through reading in the Welsh language

Stitchy Witches Red and White handstitched tree

Eisteddfod Handmade Tree with Welsh themes

A seaweed tree

National Trust interpretation of the Cross Square with recycled and natural materials

Remembering the Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

Reading at School

 Local Playgroup recycled tree from clean used milk bottles

Recycling theme

All Wrapped Up!

A tree made using the new local doorstep recycling collection scheme boxes

 

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I would love you to tell me which is your favourite, and why, in the comments.

I do hope you have enjoyed seeing all the hard work and creativity on show from my small village, and don't forget to pop back in a few days to see the dedicated decorated wreath post, will you?

Until next time
Deborah xo