Hi and welcome back to the Chrissie Murphy Designs Blog. Well, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! Everywhere you go… and nowhere more than my home and studio. Today’s post is a quick update on what’s been happening behind the scenes as my family prepares for the joy that is Christmas.
It began with Murphy Family Tree Night
1 December is a special day on the Murphy Family calendar, because it’s Tree Night! It’s the night when everything pauses…. tv’s are turned off, phones are silenced and carols are played.
Hot chocolate is drunk, rumballs are unearthed and the house is adorned in seasonal beauty for Christmas. Here’s a few pics of this years event.
Then it’s into making things
Next it was full steam ahead with making gifts. In my last post, I touched on the creative heritage of my family. I mentioned that my intention was to try and make things for those I love this Christmas. In doing so, I feel like I’m expressing myself by paying homage to my grandparents who lived a life of creative generosity that I’m ever in awe of.
Well, one of the gifts I’ve been working on is a crocheted face washer. I finished crocheting around it and I’m so pleased with how it turned out. What do you think?
And then it was on to another secret project
I have also been working on another project that I will share pics of shortly. And I am so excited about these!! You are going to love them!
Just like the face washer, they are to be given as gifts for friends and family, but unlike the washer, until they are received, mum’s the word 🤫 I won’t be sharing pics, as I want to preserve the element of surprise for my loved ones.
These are something I’ve had on my heart to make for a while.
I made some personalised gift tags
Next on the Murphy Family Christmas agenda was gift tags. I wanted to create something personalised this year, and thought that initials would be perfect!
I have the We r Memory Keepers Alphabet Punch Board, and I used it to make all the letters I needed for my family and friends.
I also have a die cut in the shape of a gift tag, so I run some Quill Board through my Kaisercraft DIYcuts machine to create the tags. A little background stamping, some Distress Ink for an aged affect and woila!…. the gift tags were done.
And some crocheted snowflakes
You know how much I love gift wrapping. One of the things I love the most is burying little treasures in the gift wrapping as an added bonus to the gift. Here’s a pic from last year…. I buried pencils, erasers and candy canes in the wrapping, but this year, I wanted to add something lasting.
I have crocheted a bunch of snowflakes (someone else suggested Christmas Stars) in Christmas colours. On each one, I added a loop so they can be hung as a decoration on a Christmas tree. And these are what I am adding as buried treasures to some of this years gifts.
They tick all my “creative intention” boxes for Christmas
◦ Something lasting
◦ Something handmade
◦ Something beautiful
And lastly some gift bags
The most recent thing I’ve finished have been these gift bags. They’re just a little gift to say thanks and merry Christmas to my workmates.
So it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas
Yes, it really is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Over the next week I will be focusing on gift wrapping and cooking. And then Christmas will be here!!
Want to be more Expressive?
Join my Expressive’s List to begin to learn ways you can start to express yourself creatively. There are no moulds or limits with the Lord, just possibilities and the promise of one day unearthing who you were created to be.
Expressive Subscribers receive an email each month that contains creative inspiration and ideas, links to helpful resources and a month’s worth of journal prompts to stimulate creative expression. These prompts are a great way of learning to express yourself when you’ve never really tried it before. Fill in your details below to sign up.
Until next time, listen to your heart and sharpen your coloured pencils. A masterpiece awaits!
Bless you my friend
Chrissie xx
