red rose cheeks: christmas

Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

31.12.13

Ideas.

For the last post of 2013, I thought I' d share with you some ideas that have proven very beneficial the last few years for me. They make this time of the year really special and fill me with strength and omptimism for the year to come. Shall we?

1. Wrap your own gifts.

You've already bought all the presents for tonight but the view of the plastic bags under the tree is not exactly beautiful to look at? Well, you still have time to do something different this year. Find boxes of all sizes, pick a playful wrapping paper and create different kinds of bows with festive ribbon. Wrapping your own gifts doubles the joy you feel when you offer them to the people you love and that is definitely a good thing :)

I tried out some more elaborate bows this year and, in lack of empty boxes, I rolled up some fabric and created candy shapped gifts! They surely look good!

2. Wear your fancy flats during walks.

There isn't a better way to feel festive than to wear your fancy shoes even it is for a walk downtown. It may be cold, but you should put your everyday boots aside and wear something that will fill you with joy! These particular flats have that special effect on me. Whenever I wear them, I feel like dancing in the middle of the crowd!

3. Enjoy the christmas tree as much as you can.

It may be yet only one week left for holiday decorations, but this is exactly why you should enjoy them to the fullest. Sit by the christmas tree and read your favorite book, all curled up in your blanket, watch movies or even sleep under the christmas lights. You should try to keep this season in you for as long as possible.

4. Wear your silly christmas socks.

Guarranteed to cheer you up in no time.

5. Buy something small but festive to use in your everyday life.

I' ve been using this Starbucks thermos for 3 years now, replacing my everyday one with it. I am always receiving positive comments about it from people around me and it makes me happy. Spent less than 10 euros once, but feeling the joy coming out of such a small thing for years. Success.

6. Or make a small gift to yourself, if you wish.

If you decide to do it, do it with something that you rarely indulge into. I, for example, never spend much money on make up stuff. But once a year, around the holiday season, I usually buy a vernis of a famous label or maybe a good mascara etc. It is just a small luxury I want to save money for, just for me. This year it was Dior's Marilyn vernis 751.

7. Use holiday boxes for the cookies.

Why keeping your cookies inside the carton box when you can open this playful tin box every time you want one? Whimsy and childhood remembrance all in one!

8. Take night walks and photograph the lights around.

They give the night a whole other meaning. If you also capture them with your camera, add some blurry effect to make them cooler, and there you go, you have a luminous collage made of beautiful photos!

✿

Here is to a lovable 2014!

28.12.12

3 Crafting Ideas for the Holidays.

One thing you may not know about me is that I have a thing for crafting. Undeniably, fashion is my one big, true love- I seek for it everywhere. But in those rare moments that I am not thinking about fashion, I craft. Not anything huge- just small, pretty and easy-to-make crafts. I just love it when I make something, anything, with my own hands!

These holidays have been a great inspiration for me and I found so many things to do. So, I decided to show you my top 3 crafts, which happen to make excellent present ideas for the holidays! Here we go:

1. Make your own wrapping paper.

You will need:

✰ Plain paper roll.
✰ Some felt christmas-themed figures.
✰ Watercolors in white or red and green.
✰ A figure punch and a paper sheet.
✰ Ribbon.
✰ Glue.

This DIY is very easy to do. You just dip the felt figure in the watercolors of your choice and then you stamp it randomly on the wrapping paper .

With the figure punch you can also cut out some shapes to glue on the wrapping paper.

Add some festive ribbon and voilà! Your very own wrapping paper is ready! Great for adding a personal touch to your gifts.

2. Make unique holiday cards.

Create a christmas tree with pencil sharpening art.

3. Make water snowglobes!

Clearly, my favorite! I saved the best craft for the end. One of the easiest and most impressive DIY's ever. Ideal for a gift and whimsical enough to decorate your room.

You will need:

✰ A glass jar.
✰ Some christmas figurines (christmas tree or santa figures)
✰ Thick glitter.
✰ Water.
✰ Glycerine. (available at any pharmacie)
✰ Glue.

First, you need to glue the figurines onto the inside surface of the jar's lid. Let them dry for some hours or even better, for the whole night.

Once you do this, the rest of the procedure should not take more than 5 minutes to complete. Fill the jar with water and add just a bit of glycerine to it, so that the glitter doesn't stick to the top of the jar.

* Important tip: Remember to consider the amount of the water that is going to be displaced when you put the figurines in. This depends on the size of the figurines (simple physics rules, hehe. You don't want to be all wet after you close the lid!).

Throw the glitter in.

Put the lid on the jar, like pictured next. Don't be afraid, it's amazingly easy.

You should end up with something like this:

Turn it around and.............Tadaaa!!! You have just made the most beautiful snowglobe!

I hope this post inspires you to do something different these holidays. I invite all of you to try out any of these crafts and let me know how it goes. And please share with me any other DIYs' you are aware of.

And don't forget: Have fun and enjoy these days to the fullest!