SIMPLE AND EASY CHRISTMAS TREE DIY

I really love this festive season, there is so much beauty in the decoration specially if the decoration 

is handmade. And to lit up the dark days in December what better way than decking the halls with 'Boughs of Holly' and jolly decor.

I'd been wanting to have a white Christmas tree for a while but those I saw in the shops looked too artificial for my like.  So last year, when I least expected it , I was cutting down an overgrown fennel shrub and just thought 'this could become a great Christmas decoration'!

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Me encantan las fiestas Navideñas y la tradición de decorar cada año la casa, sobre todo si los adornos (algunos al menos) son hechos a mano. En estos días grises de Diciembre que por estas tierras abundan qué mejor manera de alegrar tu hogar que introducir pequeños detalles que dicen mucho. 

Durante bastante tiempo había querido tener un árbol blanco pero todos los que veía en las tiendas eran demasiado artificiales. Y el año pasado, mientras cortaba en el jardín unas ramas de hinojo que habían crecido demasiado se me ocurrió la idea de pintarlas, y así vine a tener mi pequeño arbolito blanco de Navidad!

All photos are by jade & lime

Simple, inexpensive and pretty, three characteristics I like in a DIY.

What is your favourite type of Christmas decorations?

HAPPY WEEKEND ♡￮♡

TUTORIAL: MAKE YOUR OWN CUSHION WITH LOVELY POMPOM

I was inspired to use the fabric from that old lamp I talked about on my previous DIY post to create a cushion suited for the Christmas home decor.

source: jade & lime

It is an easy project to make which doesn't require great sewing skills.

What you will need is:

• Sewing machine
• pillow insert (mine was 34cm square)
• 2 strips of pom pom trim the length of the pillow insert short sides
• fabric to cover the pillow case: for my pillow insert I had a rectangle of 34cm wide and enough fabric to wrap over the cushion plus about 16cm more (84cm in total) . 

source: jade & lime

HOW TO :

• Press the fabric with an iron to get rid off any creases.
• Sew a hem of 1.5 cm on both short ends (if you prefer you can double up your hem by an extra 1.5cm): make a fold of 1.5cm and mark with your fingers, then fold over again 1.5 cm. Pin along and sew.
• Lay your fabric right side up facing you and lay the pom pom trims on the edges of the long sides of the rectangle at about 16 cm up from the corner of the fabric with the pompom balls facing inwards. At the 16cm mark where the pom pom trim starts fold the fabric right up to the edge of the pom pom. And on the other side fold the fabric over having measured the width of the cushion (in my case 34cm).
• Pin along the open edges where the fabric encases the pompoms and sew it over. As you sow, make sure the edge of the sewing machine foot is right along the trim's edge.

source: jade & lime

Then flip inside out and you'll have a beautiful cushion with cute little pom pom.♡

Hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and if you decide to make your own cushion please send me a link, i'd love to see it.

CHRISTMAS DIY : A HEART SHAPED WREATH

 Are you a person who just loves renewing, reinventing, upcycling, recycling?

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¿Te gusta renovar, reinventar, reciclar?

I just thrive on renewing and reinventing things. My last light-bulb creative moment happened a couple of days ago. I was looking for inspiration throughout Pinterest and came across a lovely picture of a Christmas decoration with little bells.

All of a sudden I remembered I had this lampshade forgotten in the attic, collecting dust and with no purpose whatsoever. This lampshade happened to have these tinny tiny, dainty vintage bells. I was so keen in starting my new project that i completely forgot to take pictures of the lampshade as it used to be and before I knew it I had dismantled the lampshade's metal frames, the tiny bells, pearls.... oooops!.

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¡A mi me encanta! Mi último momento en el que se me encendió la bombillita fue hace un par de días. Estaba buscando inspiración en Pinterest cuando encontré una foto que me encantó. Entonces me acordé de una vieja lámpara que tenía olvidada en el ático no haciendo más que recoger polvo. Y la lámpara en cuestión tenía estas pequeñas campanillas (como en la foto).  Con la ilusión de llevar a cabo el proyecto me olvidé de hacer fotos a la que era la lámpara así que no puedo enseñaros el ante y el después. Pero os enseño el tejido y las campanitas.

But this is the fabric's lamp and all its pieces:

And this is what i have made out of the old lampshade: a Christmas decoration for hanging on a door, or a window......

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Y esto es lo que hice a partir de la vieja lámpara: un corazón con carácter Navideño para colgar en una puerta o ventana......

Or outside..........

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O afuera............

Do you like it?

Next to come : what did I make with the fabric? In my next DIY post.

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¿Os gusta?

Y próximamente: Os enseñaré lo que hice con el tejido en mi siguiente post.

Happy weekend xx

7 GREAT HALLOWEEN CRAFTS TO DECORATE YOUR HOME

It's that time of the year when my girls look forward to start decorating for Halloween. And even though I've never been particularly a fan of Halloween I enjoy sitting down with them to create fun diy's. 

From left to right: De izquierda a derecha:

Diy from Studio Diy for The Sweetest Occasion
I love Craft Passion's Halloween diy; pop over to Joane's blog, it's full of interesting crafts.
These sweet bats were created by Buggy and buddy, simple and effective to create with the kids.

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Aunque no soy realmente una fan de Halloween la idea de sentarme con mis hijas a hacer manualidades con las que decorar la casa sí que me gusta. Así que aquí os dejo estas propuestas que más me han llamado la atención.

Happy Halloween Crafting!

ARTS & CRAFTS

"El objeto del arte es quitar el polvo a la vida diaria de nuestras almas" 

    

I love this quote from the genius Pablo Picasso and i find this to be true myself.

Illustration by jade & lime

After a long absence from the blog (school holidays and other reasons have thrown me out of my daily routine) I'm here with batteries recharged and looking forward to bring you more stylish interior ideas, practical advice and,.......NEW things in the blog ! amazing DIYs and some of the projects I'm working on in my spare time.

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I have a soft spot for different crafty materials be it fabrics, paper, paint, wool, haberdashery and I love to learn all the time. 

 Recently I rediscovered my love for doing crochet which I tried as a little girl and then forgot all about it until a couple of years ago. With the help of lovely blogs and Pinterest I rediscovered my passion for creating new things. It's amazing to be able to create out of a diagram a beautiful crochet design (I love Japanese crochet patterns, but that will be for another day's post). 

For now, I leave you with some of the materials I have lying around the house that I use (or will use) to show you in my incoming posts or projects.

See you soon xxx

Four weeks to Christmas

Yeah!! Four weeks to CHRISTMAS!

This is my favourite time of the year, and these are some of my favourite pictures :

Source: here

Yumm! I need to try and make these...

          

I love online magazines, and this one, "merry makings" by Claire from Heart handmade and her magazine team: Ayda Algin of cafenohut, Ira Zinko of blueberry inspirations , Janna Werner, Jordan Clark of Stellaire blog, Silvia Curti of Ghirlanda di popcorn and Steph is just full of inspiration and great DIY projects.

                   

                                                                              

                                                                                                        

    

Fill your home with heavenly scents

I can't wait to start making some of these projects !