(Mia, Milly and Angel Christmas 2007)

Hi ya everyone,

Holidays are so great.  We are having a very fun time but am also getting a lot of crafty work done – for some upcoming projects – much more about that later.

We have had such a fun year with this site.  I love it! I must say that I go to bed at night thinking about things to make and wake up in the morning thinking about new patterns to design, new materials to use, new fabrics I have not used before, new techniques to try out.   This passion continues to grow each day.  Every day I find new things I want to learn.  And I am really looking forward to bringing them to you all!

I can’t wait for 2008.  We have major plans for this site!  Em and I are working really hard on our ideas and will be sure to bring them to you in the new year.  We will give you a sneak peak of what we are up to in the next few days.

Until then, don’t get too stressed over all the Christmas preparations.  Remember what it all really about and just enjoy!

Love and Kisses from my family to yours,

Mia

xxx

(free dress patterns from burda open source sewing.  from left to right, jonny dress, danielle dress, anda dress)

is there anything better than a new dress with a gorgeous pair of heels?  when i was a little girl mum said that if i was in a grumpy mood, all she had to do was put me in a pretty dress and all of a sudden i became a happy little princess, twirling and dancing.  and really.  nothing has changed.  i still love getting all frocked up. 

in our family we really get dressed up for christmas.  we go all out.  i know that it is an aussie tradition to have a laid-back casual christmas in your bathers and board shorts.  but not for us.  all the children in the family get a new outfit for christmas and all the adults too.  it is so fun. 

here are some free pattern links for some pretty christmas dresses for you…

• for those in the north where it is winter, i love this burda tunic pattern.  especially the tartan one with the belt around the middle.  looks comfy too which is good for a long day with lots of socialising and party hopping.
• this danielle dress is adorable and so romantic.  it is a free download as part of burdastyle.com’s ‘open source sewing’.  this is a site to completely rave about.  it is like an on-line community for designers and sewers who share sewing and styling  tips.  once a week you can download a new pattern – and they are so funky!  join.  join.  join.  in the new year i am planning to host sewing parties where all the participants download the same pattern and then sew it.  i can’t wait!
• this anda dress looks amazing.  great for a summery summer in perth but you could wear it with long socks and a thick cashmere coat for a northern christmas.  download the pattern here.
• this jonny dress is amazing and great for a colder winter.
• you may like this off-the-shoulder little dress from fitz patterns.  Fairly slinky.  Maybe more appropriate for an evening do than a family function.
• or if an aussie beach christmas is what you are doing, try this sassy little sundress.  I am loving the white chantilly lacey version.

but whatever you choose to wear, just be gorgeous and you can’t go wrong!

any more links to great free dress patterns?

have fun frocking up!

mia

xx

…or not just your colleagues but anyone who deserves a quick, gorgeous gift crafted by an artistic goddess like yourself.  these gifts are great because they are really not too personal but are sure to be adored by those you work with. 

• marble magnets at not martha.  they look so gorgeous when displayed in little tins!
• cookies in a jar for those who just love homemade food.  these are so cool and i intend to make loads of them in the near future.  basically, you take a cool jar and layer all the dry ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies or other cookies.  then the lucky receiver just adds the eggs and milk and voila, gorgeous cookies.
• oooh i love this.  what about mexican taco mix in a jar or mexican hot chocolate?  or you can make up curry mixes.  the sky is the limit really and these are the sort of presents that are not too personal if you know what i mean?  the only thing may be to check (subtly) if your recipient is allergic to anything.
• a hanging evergreen basket would be a lovely present to receive -oops i mean, give.   or what about a different type of potted plant or basket.  so versatile.  it does not even require that you know if that person lives in an apartment or house.  good one.
• feel like baking?  these cute and easy little sugar cookies might take a while longer but they are gorgeous.  beautifully wrapped these make gorgeous presents.
• a 2008 calendar designed by little hut.  you pay a very small fee for the pdf which is then emailed  to you.  then put together the calendar in no time at all.  so stylish.  i intend to make one of these for myself.
• cute.  beaded wine glass charms.
• fizzy bath bombs.  make some of these and add them to a basket with other soaps and things in it.
• why not make some candles.  if you have never tried before, they are so easy to make.  or if you just have too much on your plate, why not buy a white pillar candle and decorate it with puff paint like Alicia has done.  clever. 

i am working on some other projects.  They are very quick and cute.  Will show you soon…

enjoy!

mia

xx

I love present wrapping almost as much as i love the presents inside.  Here are some great ideas…

• Furoshiki is the traditional Japanese way of wrapping presents in cloth.  The Japanese government promotes it as an artform.  Here is a helpful little PDF to learn how to.
• More interesting information about how and why they wrap their gifts so beautifully in Japan.
• Why not make a mixed CD for a present, wrapped in a CD cover with your own photos, made at Big Huge Labs.  Or make a cool corrugated CD cover of your own.
• Get some great wrapping ideas from Marie Claire Idees.
• Before Christmas each year I start saving shoe boxes and other little boxes to place gifts in before I wrap them.  I like them to look lovely and can’t stand wrapping those fiddly shapes.  I like to wrap my boxes perfectly.  Here’s how.  Does anyone else lust after perfectly folded ends like me?
• Some creative wrapping images for inspiration for the wrap artist in you.  And more arty ideas in Craftzine.
• Green ideas for wrapping presents at greenlivingonline.
• Do you remember how fun it was to make your own paper using potato stamps with Christmas trees cut out of them, as a child?  I do and I will be giving my little girl the chance to make some for our presents this year.
• Each year I choose a different colour combination for my Christmas wrapping.  This year I am thinking purple like the divine Jacaranda flowers which are blossoming in my front yard and all over this city.  I might have red, purple and black.  Yes I love black, but more about that love later.  I am thinking black paper, purple flowers, licorice strands, flowers, red fabric, japanese papers.  Just can’t wait to see what I come up with.
• I love the idea of hemp wrap from Paporganics.  Also many wrapping companies are printing their papers with soy ink which is like giving the environment a big kiss for the season.

Just a few ideas to get you thinking, but I’m sure you have plenty more also.  What are yours?

Mia

xx