Handmade tutorial collection #1 ~ For her

Well, I can't believe it has been four months since I last blogged. Far too long. I do have an excuse though.
We found out in the Summer that we are expecting our third child - due in March, so I decided to take a little time out.
The sickness has pretty much gone now and I'm just over halfway through so I thought it was a good time to get back to blogging.
I have so many posts stored in my brain - things I've been mentally filing away, just waiting for the right moment to write it all down.

This is one of the things I've been itching to do. I've been trawling the web and lots of fantastic crafty blogs looking for handmade gift inspiration. I'm determined to make as many Christmas gifts as I can this year, and as I am currently obsessed with fabric I have been searching with a sewing head on. I'm not a brilliant sewer - I'm still a novice, so I've been particularly looking for items that are simple to make but look amazing.
Here is my round-up for the ladies

Beaded Fabric Flower Necklace

Knotted Fabric Necklace

Simple Fabric Scarf/Shawl

Fabric Flower Ring

Round Fabric Pinwheel Necklace

Poppy Boutonniere

Chic Wrist Cuff

Rice Heat Therapy Bag

Patchwork Belt

My aim is to post a list every other day over the coming week - look out for: Gifts For Kids, Gifts For Him and For the home. I'm also planning on finding some gorgeous crochet ideas as well as gifts for kids to make (or help make!)themselves.
If nothing else, I hope to introduce you to some fantastic blogs that you may be yet to discover.

Christmas Idea No. 2

I have had an urge for a while now to start collecting and storing the boys artwork in a more effective way. It is currently all over the house and I would like somewhere to put all the best bits. To keep it safe so we can look back over it in the years to come and eventually one day for them to have to show their family.
I have got my eye on these A3 folders for Christmas - knights for son 1 and vehicles for son 2.
By Djeco (again! - I told you their art and craft range is fantastic) and in a range of styles, these A3 folders should do the trick and look good enough to be out on display.

Christmas Idea No. 1

I always start thinking about Christmas presents ridiculously early and already have a little list of ideas for my two little boys (and my big boy!), so I thought I would share some with you over the following weeks.

My eldest son (he's 5 next week) really believes he will be a superhero when he is older. He actually thinks it is a career choice and we have had many conversations about what special powers he will have and how he is going to learn them. I really don't want to shatter his illusions just yet - I have started to hint at the fact that firemen, paramedics, coastguards etc could actually be classed as superheros doing what they do everyday - so am happily playing along with it. With that in mind one of these superhero capes would be perfect for him, I just need to decide which colour scheme to go with - they are all so lovely!