Merry Christmas

That's what Santa does while he is here visiting Australia, before he has to fly back to the freezing cold Northern Hemisphere.

Just a quick pop in for Christmas.

It's an all baking, cleaning, cooking, wrapping frenzy here, on Christmas Eve day, and hot....really hot! Kids are buzzing with excitement and even though its stress, I love my big noisy chaotic family getting excited for the holidays

May you all have a wonderful Christmas, eat, drink and be merry.

Merry Christmas Everyone,

Mel xo

5 Wishes and See You Next Year.

Well I'm wrapping up for the year, the kids have finished their school year and you know what that means, my days just got a whole lot busier! So I thought I would end the year with a little fun.

Leslie over at Violet Imperfection tagged me in a little game where you announce your top 5 wishes. I won't be tagging anyone, mainly because I feel uncomfortable doing that, but if you want to do it let me know so I can check it out.

1. I wish that during the upcoming holidays the kids don't spend 80% of their time either arguing or asking for food. (All the stories about teen boys and their appetites are true!) if you're wondering about the rest of the time, 10% is spent sleeping and the last 10% they probably will be fine.

2. New episodes of SCRUBS would be made.

3. Santa would leave a hot pink Prada bag under the tree.

4. A magic bar of chocolate that actually shed kilograms

5. A trip around the world so I could actually see all the awesome bloggers I have been so lucky to meet online.

Now I know I probably should have wished for world peace but I'll leave that to the Miss World contestants, besides I'd prefer world domination - because I'm a bossy control freak!

Merry Christmas everyone, have a happy and safe New Year and I will return in 2013,back to doing the house with more delights and most likely, plenty more disasters!

Thanks for making my first few months of blogging an absolute riot, laughing with me and cheering me on, you're all amazing friends and I am truly blessed to have found you. (I think I might even be tearing up a little, it better be PMS or else I can forget about the whole world domination thing ever happening)


Mel xo

Ps I will be on Facebook and checking my email if you want  to chat.

Breakfast with the Stars

Morning All,

Today I'm sharing one of my top secrets, the best online craft store in the world - Wholeport.com

I have been buying from them forever, long long before I started blogging, and so I was thrilled when they asked me if I would like to test a few products out. I found them after a hellish day of customer service at not one but two different craft stores and decided that unless I had to have something that day, I would never step into these two stores again. Then I found Wholeport and fell in love with the fact that their products were less than a quarter of the price I was paying.

My first order I was buying beads and resins, one of the items I ordered had sold out. They emailed straight away and gave me multiple options and ended up finding a new supplier with a similar product. The service was outstanding and this my friends was for a $2 product (although I purchased more than $2 worth of goods). I couldn't believe it, the shipping was less than I paid in petrol to drive to my local store and they bent over backwards to make sure that my transaction was a smooth as possible.

Prior to them offering me to try out some product I sent a link to another blog friend who was looking for something, her response - "I think I may have fallen in love"

The best thing, the more you buy the less you pay, so if you have an Etsy store, do yourself a favour and check them out! They have all sorts of items from paper, fabric, baking and soap making supplies to jewellery and hair not mention my favourite lace and trims.


Today I'm sharing with you the Star Shaped Omelette Mould which you can find here. I thought this would be a fun way to serve up a Christmas breakfast.

First up I thought I would try pancakes - um that didn't turn out so well

So I thought I'd stick with eggs and came up with my star breakfast, I used cookie cutters to cut the bread. The kids though this was great. There are also other shaped pans, I think a heart one would be perfect for Valentines Day or a special anniversary breakfast and for $2.99 it's a lot of cheap fun

This store is an absolute delight for any crafters, while I did receive the pan for free, I was not paid to advertise the site. I've had a few offers of freebies before but seriously couldn't think why you would be interested in them. Anyone who crafts should check out wholeport.com they ship worldwide at the cheapest shipping I have found in any online store. 

Thanks for reading,

 Mel xo

No Sew Santa Sack

Morning All,

Here is the quickest Santa Sack you can make no sew no glue no prep - Awesome!

It's a tradition in many Australian families to have the presents placed in a Santa Sack, according to my grandmother it was because way back in the day people couldn't afford to buy wrapping paper so the kids would place a pillow case at the end of their bed and Santa would come and fill it with their presents.

I made sacks for the older three, years ago, which they have used for more than a decade but the two little ones didn't have one so I wanted something quick and easy. It doesn't get quicker than this!

Supplies:

• Pillow Case
• Tshirt transfer paper
• Printer 
• Printable - I used a free one from Pink Polka Dot Creations that can be found here
• Iron

1. Iron the pillow case
2. Print the graphic you wish to use
3. Iron it on and you're done

It's that simple folks! However I tried to do the dark fabric transfer for Max and the iron was too hot his ended up looking like this

So I'm going to get some white fabric and iron another transfer onto that then place it over the top of the existing one. After I created these, Amberly at Bingo Buttercup crafts made a really sweet vintage style printable which I'll be using - you can see that one here

Now I want to share a trick with you that my Auntie taught my cousin who shared it with me, when you make stockings or Santa sacks, make each child two. Why? One is empty for decoration but for the rest of the year the spare one goes into storage and as you find things you fill them up and low and behold, Christmas Eve all you have to do is swap them over - Brilliant time saver!

DIY Delight or Disaster? well clearly one of each but this is a really easy project and once again I want to thank Rita of Pink Polkadot Creations and Amberly of Bingo Buttercup Crafts for sharing their free printable.

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Linking to these awesome parties!

Guest Post At Inspiration Cafe

Morning All

I'm posting over at the Inspiration Cafe again, if you want to make one of these babies in time for Christmas Check it out!

Thanks for reading 

Mel xo

A Day of Silence

Co Hosting Raising Imperfection

It’s Sunday! ~ Welcome to Week #8 of Raising Imperfection!

First an announcement:

There will be no Raising Imperfection next week. Take a break ~ It's the holidays!

 

Link your funny stories, best recipes, parenting successes, parenting fails, DIY projects and tips, photo bomb posts and more! We want to learn more about the people we connect with daily. Then…come back for Feature Fridays! Leslie and I choose our favorite links from the link up and feature them on our blogs!

If you missed last week’s Features click HERE

Please grab our button and help this link up grow!

So join us…your hosts, Leslie from Violet Imperfection & Lanaya from Raising Reagan, every Sunday for Raising Imperfection!

<a href="http://www.raising-reagan.com" target="_blank"><img src=" http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t475/RaisingReagan/RIButtonFINAL.png" border="0" alt="Raising Imperfection "></a> Our Party Rules:  

1. Please follow your hosts Raising Reagan and Violet Imperfection via Facebook and/or Twitter, Bloglovin, Google + or any other form that works for you!

If you are new to the party, please leave us a comment so we know to follow you back!

2. Please follow your co-hosts~ This week’s awesome co-hosts and winners of last week’s giveaway are:

Dara ~ Not In Jersey

Mel ~ Mellywood's Mansion

3. Link up your DIY projects, cooking disasters, parenting successes and fails, funny stories, kid photo bombs, etc.

Please DO NOT link up your main blog page, giveaways or other link ups. Those entries will be changed to your most recent personal blog post.

4. Visit some of the other blogs in the link-up and even follow them! {comments are always recommended and appreciated}

5. Tweet about the Raising Imperfection Linky Party to help spread the word!

Tweet this

6. Come back and visit us throughout the week as we are always getting new links

And be sure to visit for Feature Fridays to see if your post was picked to be featured!

Big News: It's time to Party!

Howdy All,

Super excited, for tonight I party!

I was chosen to be a co host of the fabulous Raising Imperfection linky tonight. 

I truly hope you'll all come and party with me. It's a one off so come back in about 7 hours and show me what ya got.

Looking forward to seeing you there - drinks on a coaster and I will find the person who grinds Twisties into the carpet!

Mel xo

Rhinestone Pendant

Morning All,

A rhinestone pendant - sounds gaudy and well, I'm really unsure whether I like it or not.

I just wanted something very sparkly and I love all those washer pendants, I was inspired by my good pal Nat over at NorthShore Days who make beautiful jewelry.

Here's how I did mine

Supplies

Washer
E6000
Flat backed Rhinestones
Necklace finding

So basically I spread the glue and added the rhinestones, working a small amount at a time so the glue doesn't dry out.

Once it's dry pop it onto the necklace like so

And you're done!

DIY Delight or Disaster? Well I'm not loving it that's for sure I think Elizabeth will have this one.

If you want to see some nice ones, head on over to Nat's page where she can show you how to make ones you will love

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Linking to these awesome parties!

Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even A....

No sew mouse.

Morning All,

This project even surprised me. I hate mice, even seeing them on the TV make me feel sick.

Those people who keep them or worse rats as pets - gross! Anyways I have seen a few versions of the felt mice which are pretty cute and I wanted something to do with Elizabeth for our Friday night craft session. This seem to fit the requirements.

I decided I rather than use my felt, I'd try to make a dent in my massive fabric scraps. I also have a pile of cotton batting because mum makes quilts and for whatever reason, I must take her scraps as well.

Originally I was going to sew and overlock these and make them look stunning, but I broke a needle on the overlocker then the sewing machine and it was too hot so a "No Sew" project it became.

I got the pattern for the mouse over here at Thoughts from an Evil Overlord.

Supplies

Fabric Scraps
Batting scraps -or Felt
Scissors
Heat and Bond Ultra (best for no sew)
Pompoms
Hot glue and gun

First up I traced the pattern onto the heat and bond and cut them out

Ironed onto the fabric and once again  cut them out

Then I ironed them onto the batting and cut them out. Cut two slits for the ears to go into.

Hot glued the nose

Then cut a slit at the back for the Candy Cane tail.

To be honest, I like them better than felt because I can match them in to what I'm doing. The heat and bond makes them a little stiffer but I think it helps hold the shape.
I left the eyes off because I liked the idea of the 4 blind mice.

DIY Disaster or Delight? So much fun for kids to make and of course a candy cane to sweeten the deal! Delight!

Hopefully these will be the only mice I find in these parts over Christmas!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo


Linking to these awesome parties!

Matching Your Iphone with your Jewelry

Morning All,

I love this project! I saw the original from How to Nest for Less and thought it was such an awesome idea. I also happened to have a clear case I wasn't using so I pinned it, then and there.

Fast forward to now, the weather is hot, playing with paper is about the only activity that's not going to give me a case of heat stroke. So I made a  Christmas one and decided to make some of my 10 minute earrings to match - It's the silly season, crazy jewelry is expected! 

When I get on to a winner of a project I have to make dozens, now I have a case to match anything (I may have made a lot more because I do go a little crazy, I think showing you 4 makes me appear a little less so)

I feel an iphone case addiction coming on!

If you want to make one head over to How to Nest For Less for the tutorial and of course my 10 minute earrings can be found here

DIY Delight or Disaster? Oh come on, Delight! I'm in love with these and I love when people come up with simple but genius ideas...that I can copy!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Linking up at all these lovely places

Easy Christmas Cards

Morning All,

I have finally done something that I have said I'm going to do for so many years, I'm not even sure when the idea of making cards occurred to me.

As I mentioned the other day, I am a bit of a procrastinator, every year I'm going to make this, that and the other and Christmas Eve I generally have made nothing! This is also the first year in about a decade that I'm not working so perhaps that made it a little easier but I finally made some Christmas cards.

I have been sorting out my ever growing supply of craft stuff and found a card making kit that came free with a magazine, I pretty sure the magazine was bought before the appearance of the last two children (just to give you an idea of my procrastination). Anyway on Monday most of the house was home sick and I found myself alone, with them all sleeping so I decided to play.

Honestly I could do a tutorial but it was as simple as playing around with the embellishments, cutting the paper and just gluing bits and bobs.

Here are some other ones I made

If you haven't done this before, I highly recommend doing it, I went out and priced this stuff and I found kits range from $5 upwards and after what was a highly stressful week with sick kids and sick husband, it was so relaxing because anything goes. Once the house is finished (yes I know that's what this blog is about I've not forgotten, I'm just sidetracked by Christmas) I'm going to come back to it, so much fun and the purchased embellishments makes it easy for kids to try their hand at it as well.


DIY Delight or Disaster? It's a delight, easy, cheap and oh so relaxing!


Thanks for reading,

Mel xo


Linking up at these awesome parties

More Glitter Bling

Hi All,

A couple more Silly Season accessories.

First Up

The Bauble Bracelet

Supplies

Bead
Baubles
Bracelet
Head Pins - Thanks Nat for letting me know the proper name
Jump rings

So it starts in the same way I made the Bauble earrings except that i started with a bead and then added the bauble followed by another bead and made a loop at the end.

Then using a jump ring I attached them to the bracelet, and there we go, simple, silly bling for the holidays

Here is a shot of Elizabeth's. She loved making them and asked me to put hers on the blog.

Next up 

Supplies:

1 Bauble
E6000
A Ring Blank

Add glue and dry,

Try it on and wonder what a diamond this size would feel like

Ah sweet day dreams!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Linking up at these awesome parties

Christmas Hair Clip

Hi All,

I'm  playing with baubles again!

Madeleine is wearing a blue Christmas outfit this year so I waned to give her a little sparkly hair clip.

Oh my goodness, this is so easy, I cant even pretend that this is something amazing, although it is pretty

Supplies

• 3 Baubles
• Craft Wire
• Hair Clip

Thread the wire through the bauble and wrap it round the hair clip, until it's secure - it's easier if you take the clip apart. They come apart easily.

Repeat with the next two baubles and then wrap the wire and make sure that the three of them are secure

Ta-Da

DIY Delight or disaster?

Simple quick and in this case free - Delight! All going to plan we shall have Santa photos done this week and I'll be able show you the whole outfit which is so pretty!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

 Linking up at all these lovely places

Advent Week Wrap Up

Hi All,

To wrap up advent week I thought I'd share some cute advents that I've seen recently around blog land that should certainly be included in

First up, Ros over at Sew Delicious made this Felt Pocket Advent - first thing I noticed, she used the same advent stickers as me, so bonus awesomeness points, I love how bright and cheery it is and that storage will be very easy. I also got to see it in person the other day - So I can truly vouch that it looks this good in real life!

Next Amy of While Wearing Heels made this Pottery Barn Advent Calender knock off, almost no sew (Genius!) and she included all the patterns for everyone to use.

Thirdly, brand new Mummy to a gorgeous baby boy Estelle made this Rustic Advent over at Rustic Star Designs. My problem is I love all the looks, I see rustic I want rustic I see cute I want cute, I see vintage - well you get the picture. If you're feeling a little clucky head over and have a peek at the gorgeous little man at Estelle's other blog Twinkles, Tutorials and Twirls

And of course if you missed any of mine, here they are again.



   Tween Bottle Cap Jewelry Advent       Sesame Street Advent             Crazy Quick Baby Advent

           Kindle Advent                       Movie Lovers Advent                       Beer lovers Advent                  

Now here's a time saving tip, because I'm helpful like that, if you want to pin any of the advents featured today, and why wouldn't you, do yourself a favor and click on the link. Imagine all the time you'll save when you want to go back and make these. Right blog first time - Delight!


Thanks for reading and to all the ladies above for sharing their awesome advents with the world of craft blogging!

And just so you don't think that I'm getting better at doing this stuff, Jack opened his first advent this morning and guess what, out of 24 books I forgot to download one and sure enough, it was today's - disaster!


I hope you enjoyed advent week, thanks for reading,

Mel xo