All wrapped up...

Even before I got back in to my crafting groove, wrapping presents would always turn me a little bit Martha Stewart, especially at Christmas time.  Each year I plan a theme and wrap all my presents using variations on that theme.  It is a little frightening how much joy I get out of seeing a big pile of co-ordinated presents under the tree (have I mentioned before that I am a little bit of a control freak?).

Last year it was all about stamps, this year it's paper-cut snowflakes and handmade tags.  And white, blue and silver (like this Etsy treasury I put together awhile back).  I was inspired by a few paper garland tutorials I've been eyeing off lately, like this one on Handmade Spark.

ps. one of the members of the fabulous Paper + Stationery Lovers group I help moderate posted a link to these gift wrap ideas - yowsers!  So much inspiration!  Next year I'm thinking I should embrace the step-sons 'more is more' approach - imagine these done in fluorescent brights!  Now that would be fun!

pps. the Paper + Stationery Lovers group is probably my favourite thing on Facebook right now. The members are so talented and friendly and post really great stuff.   So if you like paper goods, come join us!

More festive cheer!

One of my favourite parts of this years xmas decorations is this giant paper chain the step-sons made.  It snakes along our hallway in glorious colour.  I especially love the play of shadows and the translucent effect produced by the down lights.

My other favourite is the entrance hall, where we have a crochet garland (handmade by The Lovely Lily) and our collection of Alessi ornaments.  My husband has long been a devoted Alessite and one of our new traditions is to add to our collection each year.  The Alessi ornaments are a lovely mix of quirky, cute, funny and they're also sometimes strangely poignant.  

Festive cheer!

The step-sons arrived in Seoul a few weeks ago and immediately set to work bringing some festive cheer to the apartment.  Their decorating philosophy is definitely along the lines of 'more is more', and having them in charge of decor the past few xmases has been a good exercise for me in holding back my inner control freak.  

I have always loved to decorate spaces.  Nothing makes me happier than a collection of treasured objects, arranged just so - a bright print from an Etsy artist, a miniature dachshund figurine placed at just the right angle, a framed wedding polaroid...

But, come xmas, I hand over the reigns and let the rather creative step-sons take control.  And although I normally fidget and twitch a bit during the process, I always love the results.  This year, not even the pot plants escaped undecorated.  And why yes, that is a lego dragon in a paper santa hat!

[Lego xmas house by Sam - complete with snowman, coloured lights and dachshund!]

A Creative Odyssey - Blog Hop

Today I am thrilled to be taking part in a blog hop organised by the talented (and busy!) Jess from Epheriell Designs.  Each day one or two bloggers are posting about their creative goals and dreams for 2011.  You can see the full schedule complete with links to each blog here.  It's been quite fascinating reading along each day, so many different approaches - uber-practical, inspirational, big picture, small picture - a lovely insight into so many paths to creativity.

I've had a bit of time to think about this post and it's help to crystalise the things I really want to focus on in the new year...and here they are:

Make the time : Priority number one for me.  At the moment I have a small notebook full of ideas - designs for pin cushions, softies, brooches, notebooks, cards and a whole bunch of new exciting stuff (like Jorpins brooch/sewing kits).  But do I actually ever make any of it?  Only sometimes. When I craft I am a calmer, happier person.  So in the same way that I plan time to do yoga, or to cook a balanced meal, or to stay in touch with family and friends, I'm going to schedule (and prioritise) some crafting time.  In 2011, I'm going to make the time to create, each and every week.

Take advantage : This might seem a strange one but I realised late this year that I should be honest about the fact that I don't need to treat my Etsy shop as a hard-core, do-or-die business.  In fact, I should actually be taking advantage of my situation.  I don't need to generate a mass of income in order to 'quit my day job' because as a 'trailing spouse' - what an awful label! - I don't actually have (or need!) a 'day job'. 

So, instead of telling myself in a mild panic: 'You have to build up your stock!  Quick!  Make something! And lots of it!, I am going to slowly and steadily grow my shops, with a focus on making unique things that I love.  I have the luxury of being able to take my time with what I make, to work on improving my sewing and embroidery skills, to get creative!  Going forward, I'm going to be taking advantage of that.

Stay involved : Through joining Etsy, wasting investing time on-line (helooooo Twitter!) and starting this blog, I have 'met' so many lovely, talented, passionate, wonderful people (you know who you are!).  Next year I want to continue to connect with other crafters, to support people I admire in whatever small way I can, and just generally share the crafting community love!  

This might mean something small like taking the time to comment on a blog post, or maybe taking the leap and finally paying for ad space on a blog that I love, or continuing to feature talented Etsians right here on this blog and in my posts for Handmade Spark.  And it will definitely mean engaging in group projects (like the swaps organised by Creative Collective), and possibly even starting one of two of my own (I do have one grand idea I'd like to get off the ground, to do with the stories of Etsy items after the sale...).  And it means getting more involved in the two Etsy teams I've just joined (Etsy Greetings and Etsy Expats). 

Take better photos : Oh, how often have I said this?  Photography is my first creative passion, and this year I want to take it a bit more seriously.  Step one is to upgrade from my trusty point-and-shoot to a DSLR (ooh, err).  And then learn how to use it.  Properly.  After talking about it non-stop for a good few months, I think I have finally convinced the husband to get me a DSLR for xmas (in fact, by the time the post is up we will have hopefully gone on the shopping trip to pick it out!).  Now to track down some English language photography classes in Seoul...

Learn new skills : I am a total sucker for craft books, and the list of new skills I want to learn could go on for ten very long blog posts.  But I need to make the most of the crafty time I'm going to schedule (see point one), so I've narrowed it down to two things:

1. Learn how to make my own moleskine type notebooks, which I can then embellish and embroider.  This tutorial looks like a good place to start.

2. Tackle some needle felting projects from this craft book that I just bought.  I'd love to felt up some fanciful pin cushions!

3. Ok, three things.  I really, really want to learn how to tie Korean knots.  I have no idea how I'm going to learn that skill.  Any crafty Seoul-ites reading this who want to teach me?  Hmm, looks like I may have to purchase another craft book...

So, there you have it. (Actually, to be honest, I could go on.  But I won't.)  I'd love to hear your creative plans for next year - please do tell me in the comments!  And if you're in the mood for some more creative odyssey-ing you should head on over to the my girl thursday blog.  Partly because I think it's an ace blog, and partly because she is my partner is crime today.  So go, have a read!

Festive Seoul

This year will be our first Christmas in Seoul and, to be honest, we have no idea what to expect. Korea has a long history of traditions based on Korean Confucianism and Buddhism, and most of the public holidays and associated celebrations and rituals stem from this.  On the other hand, well over half the population of South Korea are Christians and Christmas Day is also on the calendar of public holidays.

So whilst we are still figuring out the degree of difficulty involved in procuring tinsel (low, you practically trip over it in the streets), mint jelly (high-ish), and gravy powder (near impossible), one thing is abundantly clear - Seoul knows how to put up a Christmas light!  It seems that almost every day we spy a new festive extravaganza going up in our neighbourhood, the streets of Myeong-dong are a veritable twinkling feast for the eyes.  

And seeing as it's getting dark around 5pm these days, it's easy to enjoy the light show (provided you don't think too much about the cost and the waste and the environment...).  Here's just a sampling of what's on show, my particular favourites are the mash ups - a hint of xmas cheer + a bit of happy new year + a healthy dose of bunny (if you're wandering how the bunny fits in, the next lunar year is the year of the rabbit, which should make for some very cute lunar new year souvenirs!).