Christmas In My Heart

 

This was one of the challenges I set myself to get in the spirit of the "Keeping Christmas in my heart", all year through. Christmas traditions have been going for thousands of years although they were in the form of Nature rituals and it was the Victorians that gave us many of the modern traditions. 

I especially wanted to read Charles Dickens,  'A Christmas Carol again to experience it in this years climate of what has been going on and put it into the context of our life and what the studio could bring to it. 

Especially paying note to the famous quote,

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach."

In the studio I have always encouraged this throughout the year by making Christmas gifts ahead of time and thinking of the people while you make them and making those extra gifts that can go in your present stash for those acts of kindness. In the making at a steady pace and thinking of that person while creating and creating something especially for that person has always given delight in the knowing that it is done and ready. Often unique additions or embellishments take several months to find or come across to add and make the gift unique.

I have had a long held tradition of having hot chocolate in my favourite Christmas mug in memory of a dear friend. We would share our plans and Christmas makes for the year with a hot chocolate on the 25th of every month, whether we could be together or not. it would often be a long and spirited phone call, she would have loved Skype and video calls. I have shared the Christmas Gift making in the studio on the last week of the month for over 15 years, in January the studio would often open on the 25th after the Christmas break and start with Crafting Christmas present 'Show and Tell'.  

This is why I am posting today, share with me if you can with a mug of your favourite beverage, mine of cause is a hot Chocolate and my file of ideas for the year which I will share with you.

Enjoy:))

To share more in the studio and become a Patreon become a member HERE

Santa Award

 

So, I received the Santa Award and un-boxed it, sharing the news with family and Patreons, then to the world via social media especially YouTube. Exciting for the studio because I get to work with The North Pole and The Christmas Imaginarium to create a little magic everyday of the year. 

Magical places and creativity.

I introduced Hugo our resident Elf who is helping with the night shift in the studio:))

I posed the question,What could we call his owl and had several suggestions and chose

'Nikolaus', suggested by Jacquie:)))

Each Month a challenge is set, the first challenge was read, accepted and we have achieved it and more teaming up with a local community. 

Thank you to all those who have and are sharing and supporting the transition of the studio.

If you would like to become a Patreon and share the goings on, receiving all the news and more visit HERE

or if you would like to see videos visit YouTube HERE

Visit the Christmas Imaginarium HERE

DIY Pine Cone Christmas Decoration-Step by Step process and stop motion ...

The fircones were collected on Autumn walks and from a friend's garden.

They were dried so they expanded and we sprinkled the seeds around the woods on further walks.

You need to brush them off before you start the process. 

Enjoy the Stopmotion crafting magic in this video.

Countdown To Christmas

 

So, here we go, a countdown to Christmas making and creating for 2020. 

Several times a week I will be uploading Christmas studio favourites and videos of how to make them via a link to YouTube. The creativity covers many different mediums, so something for everyone. If you would like me to include something that you would like to make, please comment below.

First up is one of our favourites in the studio the Christmas Reindeer, often found in herds and made in many different theme sand colours.

They are an ideal stocking filler and make a great gift. The reindeer can be made to reflect the new owner by choosing the fabric and ribbon to suit. Finished off by, a pom pom tail, red nose and Christmas bell

Remember if they are for Father Christmas there are nine in the herd.

Rudolf*Dasher*Prancer*Donna*Blitzen*Cupid*Comet*Dancer and *Vixen.

Watch the how to YouTube video HERE The reindeer bunting was made by Jacquie.

Add your own bit of Character and *Sparkle*

For the pattern email me on theoldartroom@gmail.com £3.99 with secure pay on Paypal.

For those that are Patrons on Artstudiodaily you get the pattern free.

Click HERE to become a Patron with us in Art Studio Daily on Patreon.

Christmas Bow Decoration

The Old Art Room is so pleased to share the first pattern online and it's a Christmas one:)) "Christmas Bow Decoration'. The patterns are tried and tested by our studio team, clients, students and visitors alike. If you would like to purchase 'The Christmas Bow Decoration' at £3.99 Click this link and fill out your details. http://jeclark176_1.getresponsepages.com/

Starting Christmas Inspiration in September:

   1st: Wall Hangings

   8th & 10th: Nature Inspired

   15th & 17th: Reindeer Inspiration

                  

   Saturday 19th: Sewing Day 10 until 2pm £15

   22nd & 24th: Ornaments and Gift Ideas

   26th: Sewing Day

   29th & 1st October: Own Projects and Monthly Inspiration

Train Advent Calendar

One of Irene's fantastic Advent Calendar's.

Embroidered, beaded, sequinned and glittered.

Christmas Keepsake Junk Journal

I have spent the day learning how to use a new video camera and how to film with it overhead.
This is a flip through of the Christmas Keepsake Junk Journal.
I have enjoyed making this album.

ChristmasTag Book Complete

I wanted to get this completed by Twelfth Night and 

here is a video of the completed Christmas Tag Book

Christmas Tag Book Part Two

I have added more to the Christmas Tag Book.

As you may know I had the red tags as a gift and the

envelopes I made from a Christmas 6"x6"Paper Pack.

I used the front cover of the pack of papers as the first

envelope.

I am using different card, junk scrapping and embellishment techniques.  

I also am trying to get them finished by the Twelfth Night!

See how they started in a previous post HERE

Christmas Tag Book

Well the first day of the year, we took down the 

Christmas Decorations and you go into

withdraw because of the colour and sparkle all gone.

I decided to make a small book made of the tags I

had been given as part of a gift.

Five Tags in pockets and one as a sleeve to hold

the book together.

I made the pockets to fit the tags like coin

envelopes.

I will decorate each one over the next few days.

Christmas Jigsaw

Ever year we do a Christmas Jigsaw.

It's one of our family traditions.

This was the one this year.

A Victorian Street Scene.

It was a second hand jigsaw, 

dated 2000. 

A limited edition but as you can 

see, if you study the photo, one piece missing.

It did say so in the box!

Neither the less fun to do over the Christmas Holidays.