Deck the Halls

I have been playing Finnish Christmas songs, decorating our home, baking Christmas treats and wrapping gifts, but it still doesn't quite feel like Christmas. We are in the midst of summer here in Australia, with plenty of sun and warm weather; so the atmosphere is undoubtedly different to the one in Lapland at this time of the year. Nevertheless I'm trying to make the most of a couple of weeks off and spend time outdoors, with friends and my husband.

Here are some decorations I've been playing with lately. Most of them are handmade by me, but the decorations in the top photo I brought with me from Finland. If you are yet to make your decorations, I hope these can be of some inspiration for you. With only one week left until Christmas, I hope you are feeling relaxed (!) and happy!

Top row: yarn pom pom and felt star garland, bottom row: felt ball garland

The decorations for this sugar lace mobile are made out of 250g icing sugar, 2 egg whites and a teaspoon of water (recipe). I piped the patterns on paper and let them dry before hanging them.

This clay decoration is made out of air-dry clay using three different sized circles. 

I finished off the decoration with white spray paint.

DIY Felt String-Tie Envelope Advent Calendar

I'm continuing the grey & white colour scheme with this DIY Advent calendar made out of felt string-tie envelopes. It's an easy, but a little time-consuming project seeing that you will have to make 24 envelopes! I used this template on white acrylic felt and fabric glue to close the seems. This is much quicker than hand-stitching, but you can do that too if you have the time (and patience).

After cutting up and glueing 24 envelopes, I drew the numbers on grey felt using wooden numbers as a template. Then I cut them up and glued at the back of each envelope. Finally I cut 2 x 24 round discs out of grey felt and attached two on each envelope with silver brads and cotton string.

These envelopes are a perfect size for little Advent gifts like wooden Christmas decorations, lollies, and cute messages or pictures. I used white wooden pegs to hold the envelopes on a cotton string.

Hope you have a lovely (crafty) weekend!