Christmas Crafting for 2013

One of my first posts when I started this blog earlier this year was about Christmas crafting trends for 2013 based on some internet snooping I'd done. I shared some ideas about my favourite 3 trends and noted some ways I might use them this year.

Well, my Christmas crafting is well under way for myself, family and to sell at fairs I've booked. I've been searching through my (many) supplies and having a look around shops and on the internet and collected together the materials I'm going to use. The trend that I've found I love the most is the traditional with a Scandinavian twist - lots of red and white with festive patterns and images, with a little bit of the forest influence mixed in (the animals are too cute!).

I've already started to make (and I'm planning on making more of) cards, gift tags, garlands and hanging decorations with these supplies and I thought I'd share some of them here too. 

Fabrics

I hoard fabrics. I often see pretty rolls in the haberdashers, fat quarters in the craft shop, fabric scraps people have left over from projects... and well, everywhere really and I just can't help but collect them up! I already had some fabrics and then bought some more to match them into the Scandinavian theme. I got plenty of plain red and cream as the bases then lots of festive patterns to complement them. My favourite is this red and white snowflake design.

I'm using them mainly in making heart shaped Christmas garlands and decorations but I've also created some fabric cards cutting out bauble shapes to make the images. 

Ribbon

Another obsession! I found these ribbons in a shop in Sheffield (when I was shopping for a new shower curtain which I still haven't bought!) and love how they match into the theme. The colours are traditional and match the fabrics I bought but some of the images give them a fun twist. I love the Russian dolls with little Christmas trees on them and the owls look festive in red and green matching the forest theme.

I'm using them to decorate some of the hearts on the garlands and I'll save some to wrap my Christmas presents with too - I think they'll look lovely against brown paper in particular. 

Buttons

There are so many uses for buttons in crafting that you have to have a big supply of them (that's what I keep telling myself...). For Christmas decorations I like to have a stock of plain festive coloured ones to go with patterned fabrics and fancy ones to go with plain fabrics. To match the traditional and Scandinavian themes this year I've chosen wooden buttons in classic Christmas patterns and some with red and white cross stitch effect reindeer. 

I'm using them to add the finishing touches to some decorations, tags and cards.

Papers

There's a theme building here - more hoarding I'm afraid! I bought a load of papers in the sales after Christmas last year and there are quite a few that are still relevant this year (of course any are relevant because it's up to your personal taste which you use) for this year's trends. Again, I've got lots of others stacked up and sorted through them to find the ones that will match my other makes.

I'm using the papers to hand cut and piece together a range of cards and tags.


These are just some of the materials I'll be using this Christmas; I'm always finding new ones to add in too. They give just a little taste of what's available and what's 'on trend' this year, although as I've said before go with what you love for yourself and your family - it's just I happen to love this traditional and Scandinavian trend too!

I hope this little peek into my Christmas preparations gives you some inspirations for your own festive crafting or buying!