Over the next few weeks I will be sharing my insider knowledge on how to make a chic handmade and homemade Christmas.
A crafty Christmas can easily become a tacky disaster, with horrific tasting chutneys that even the dog won't touch or crochet berets that will never see the light of day. Choose wisely when deciding to make a gift. Sadly, in my experience, not everyone is as enthusiastic about your jam jar snow globe as you are.
I have been blogging on my craft site Ooh la Lapin for almost three years now and I have discovered the good, the bad and the ugly of the craft world. It's also worth remembering that by making gifts and decorations you may not actually be saving any money as good quality materials or ingredients for foodie gifts may be costly.
Plan ahead a little, get inspired and have fun. Making shouldn't be stressful and it also works well as a group activity. Invite a few friends, open some wine and if it does go a bit wrong at least you can laugh at your attempts!
Here are some places you can gather some inspiration and ideas from:
With the tag line 'three cheers for stylish and crafty living', this blog achieves exactly this: an almost effortless amalgamation of the two. You can access all of their online tutorials using the ‘Crafty’ option in the sidebar. For a festive greeting card idea have look at DIY Instacards, use your favourite Instagrams to make cards.
This has to be one of my favourite blogs ever. I love the author, Tif because her style of writing is adorable. She potters about Mossy Shed with her rose tinted specs on swathed in granny chic. This easy 'Jolly Joyful' garland is so simple and pretty that I actually went out yesterday and bought some paper balls to make this myself.
A Norwegian blog filled to bursting with a Nordic cheer, craft, design and the most inspiring interiors. This blog will fill you with ideas about how to use colour, decoration and style. Make a hot drink, settle down and get scrolling.
A craftaholics staple from Pip Lincoln, this super successful blog is so good it fills me with joy when I think about it. It is a treasure trove of tutorials (this is where I learnt to crochet). Pip has even produced a free online magazine at issuu full of Festive goodness. Now I feel spoilt.
For knitting and graphic design all set in a clean minimalist format Studio Meez feels like a peaceful little haven. Explore artwork, photography and adventures. This could make a nice corner of the internet to hide from the Christmas madness. Enjoy.
Images via oohlalapin.co.uk