180 Ornaments or 200 ornaments

 I had a moment recently: I wondered why I didn't I just make two extra of each ornament then I would have had 200? So I have gone back and I am hoping to make up to 200 ornaments!

 In the past few months I have made..... Birds

 Cupcakes

 Gingerbread Girls and Guys

 I think I have done about 136 all up. This is a photo of a lot of them but not all of them. 

There are Houses, Stockings, Hearts, Stars, Tea Cups, Birds, Cup Cakes, and Gingerbread people!

I'm thinking the next lot are going to be some reindeer, a baby deer may be?

Mamie Made Christmas: Getting Started

The last few months here have been a lot of fun crafting and there has been a lot of dreaming. Unfortunately my computer hasn't really been  up to the task of recording it all, I really need a new one but oh well it will have to wait! So while I have been away from the computer I have been thinking and planning for Christmas. What else is a girl to do in a freezing cold Australian winter??

 All this cold weather has inspired me to create a kind of winter wonderland village in my family room this Christmas. So I have begun lots of planning and lots of making so that I'm all organised to create a magical room come  Christmas time.This kind of thing takes lots of time so its great to be getting an early relaxed start on it!

 So far I have made a starry mobile to hang over our dining table and a wintery village to sit on the table directly under the starry mobile. I have also been thinking that some lights would look lovely hanging from the mobile too, we will see how we go. I am planning on buying lots of lights this year so I guess we will have to see how far the lights budget can stretch ;-)

As I finish each thing I have been popping them away with our Christmas decorations, I am hoping that when I pull them all out on decoration day I will surprise myself with how much I've done and also keeping a little bit of mystery so that when my boys see it all there will be an element of wonder for them!

Snail Mail Out Going

I sent this a little while ago now but I thought I would still share it here, better late than never!

Recently I sent off another parcel to my pen pal Sara

 I had been wanting to make a felt envelope for so long and I finally found the time to do it. I loved making it and it is a fun way to keep some letters.

I also added in a blue felt tea cup because I knew that my pen pal Sara would like one. I have been thinking that this would look really cute in traditional Christmas colours of red and white so hopefully I can get around to making some for gifts.

  I added in some paperclips I recently found, some washi tape, a handmade stamp and of course the teacup and my letter.

I added some washi tape to the front and back of the package and popped everything inside and sent it all off.

Mamie Made Stamps

I've recently been making my own little stamps, of course I was inspired by some lovely pictures on pinterest of beautifully carved stamps.

 I have done some lino cutting courses so I thought I would get out my old tools and give it a go.

When I went to find them of course I couldn't, so I bought some new ones. They are relatively cheap I think these three cost about $16 (find them here)and the rubber to make the stamps were $18(find that here) for an A4 piece or about $8 for a 10x10cm piece.  

 The only other things you'll need if you'd like to try our making your own stamps are a ruler, a stanley knife, a pen, a cutting mat (or a chopping board) and some stamping ink, which you can pick up cheaply at a news agent. If you have ever done any lino cutting you will find this much easier, the rubber is not as firm as lino so it is very easy to carve.

I've had fun carving tea cups, houses, envelopes and even some words but just remember if you carve words that you will need to carve them backwards so that they stamp the right way.

I am hoping to make lots more fun stamps to use for snail mail and cards.

Here is some from Pinterest that inspired me!

Here is a cool tutorial from dear handmade life.

There is a gorgeous bird here on Pinterest

Here are some gorgeous flower stamps

Pictures from May

This May...

 There were presents wrapped

 There was chrysanthemums enjoyed

 There was some with tea.

 There was some reading of this lovely snail mail book by Michelle Mackintosh.

 There was a m and m covered birthday cake for my hubby.

 There was a game of mouse trap

 There was some sailing.

 There was some yummy food

And there was tea, always tea. 

It was especially nice in a pink sweetheart cup.

The Evolution of Stars

I did happen to get super behind with my 180 ornaments I feel like it was mostly because I got stuck on March's stars.

I had really wanted to add in another colour but nothing really seemed to work or feel just right.

 I finally ended up making these plain stars and for now I am happy with them.

 I am still catching up with April's ornaments, I am nearly there with three to go. 

 Then I will be able to get a good go at getting Mays ornaments done before June arrives, although the months feel like they are whizzing by!

Mamie + Blake Made: A Heat Pack!

I have  a handmade little heat pillow that I love to heat up and pop on my feet when I am crafting or watching a little TV. Its lovely but I have a problem, my little guy Blake is a cheeky little thief and loves to take it and use it for himself!

 So yesterday on our morning walk I noticed his jeans were about two inches too short (how do they grow so fast!!?) and we were having a discussion about recycling so we put two and two together and came home, grabbed some of his too short old jeans and made a heat pack for him.

 He is absolutely dying for me to make one for Luke too. If I don't make one today I think I will be in big trouble! He cut all the letters, then I sewed them on, sewed it together,  he added rice and I sewed it shut. Simple.

It is going with him everywhere at the moment! Hes been carrying it around on his head and even taking it in the car with us!