It's the 4th day of advent and here's our gift to you
A further 15% OFF the Hucklebones Collection.
Our Hucklebones collection has already hit the sale so that's a whopping 45% OFF the original price.
So if you're looking for delicious dresses, fine fabrics and charming knitwear in the softest cashmere mix then the thoughtful tailoring of Hucklebones with their inspiring palette and heirloom quality is a wonderful collection to fall in love with.
This was supposed to be a secret makery kept quiet from the kids saved for a fun advent calender filler, but it didn't end up that way at all! With very little materials making these animal ear hairclips for the girls were so simple, quick and fun.
We began with bears ears and little kitten ears with a pink bow. When I find some mini bells I'll add those to the kitten ears too. But for now they'll stay as they are. The girls had so much fun with them and have suggested we make bunny, reindeer (I did manage to make these ones already secretly from their eyes and have stashed for the advent) dalmatian (quite an obsession with little Oona) foxes and leopard ears too. Thankfully they're inexpensive to make and take 10 minutes.
Here's what you'll need:
faux fur fabric, felt,
card for template
needle and thread
hair-clips
Here's how:
Begin by drawing a template (see pic above) cut out and use it to draw your cutting outline on the back of your fabrics.
Cut out the fabric shapes and lie one on top of the other so that the top of the fabric is facing in.
Sew around the edge leaving a turning hole along the bottom
Turn the ears the right way out and pinch the bottom together. Sew the bottom together in a fold.
Now take a hair-clip and with the slimmer end facing away towards the back of the ear open the clip up and sew the ears onto the upper part. I used embroidery thread for this to make it feel more secure.
That's it. Simple and ears-y! The fabric for both ears cost me less than £1.40 and the hair-clips were from a stash of the girls own collection. I've enough fabric to make another 2 pairs and a stack of more colours to get sewn too. I'm going to make some more with pretty ditsy floral fabrics. Oh, and for the reindeer ones; I drew and cut a simple antler template, cut 4 pieces of coloured felt and lined it with a sheet of wadding to give them a fuller look. (I'll add pictures later when the girls have opened their advent)
They're great for some simple fun, and a dressing up box can never be too full!
I might even make a whole batch for Christmas day so we can all have silly ears with our silly Christmas hats!
Happy Making
xx
This is part of our weekly Monday Makery where we bring you a recipe to bake or a craft to create. Visit our Monday Makery when you're in need of inspiration for something to do on a rainy day or to use as interception of the words 'I'm bored', or just because being creative with your children is something you all love to do.
Our other popular blogposts include 'The story behind our collections', 'Tell us its Tuesday' , An A-Z of Sisters Guild, The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas, and our 'Once upon a week' gives you a glimpse into life behind the scenes at Sisters Guild.
It's the 3rd day of advent and here's our gift to you.
Actually we cannot take credit for designing these. Only discovering them.
These Christmas gift tags are some of the most beautiful we've ever seen.
In fact absolutely everything on the site is just wonderful.
Check out Little Paper Dog blog here, print off your own free gift tags printables here and do check out her etsy shop too, this is one inspiring and clever lady!
It's the 2nd day of advent and here's our gift to you
No. We're not giving you all adorable children in Christmas hats. We are however giving you all 20% OFF all Christmas stockings and sacks! Take a look at the great designs by Maileg & En Gry & SIf.
To receive your 20% discount code just enter 'DOOR2' at checkout.
The offer is vaild for 3 days and will end midnight 5th December while stock lasts.
Take a look at all our Christmas inspiration, crafts, offers and ideas here.
It's the first day of advent and here's our gift to you.
If you don't have an advent yet why not try this one from Mr Printables. We quite fancy adding one to each pocket of our advent, building up to a whole Christmas street. You can print it off in colour or black and white so children can add their own colours and decorate to their hearts content. Put secret messages or treats inside before sealing the last edge, thread them like giant beads to make a garland, you could even hang them from fairy lights, or just have fun arranging your very own advent village where 'every house has a story'. I can't wait for my children to get there hands on this!
Thank you to Mr P for letting us share this with all of you. When we first saw it we knew we had to share it with you as well as including it in our childrens advents at home. Now CLICK HERE to go and get your free printable advent street. Believe me once you've seen the site you'll be stocking up on printer ink to satiate your appetite for all things Mr Printable
Proud and happy feet standing in Christmas Street. So now to decorate the tree! Glitter and glue here we come!
Soft toys and backpacks and dressing up lions, feathers and sparkles and tutu's to try on, luxurious playhouses, a tower and a king..... these are a few of my favourite things.
The boutique is rich with Christmas gifts,stocking fillers and decorations. We've put together a few of our favourite pieces as well as some of the most popular and best loved.
If you're looking for a gift why not let us help. You can email us at info@sistersguild.com, simply title the email 'gift guide' and we'll do our best to steer you in the right direction.
Last week we showed you some beautiful advent calendars and since then we have had lots of requests from all of you for ideas for what to put inside, and if you are like us you won't want to fill them with things easily forgotten or easily lost. You'll want something that lasts: a tradition to begin, to revisit each year or a day spent together that will never be forgotten.
Though I love the countdown to Christmas I don't feel it needs to have you searching for a further 24 gifts! Sometimes the best thing inside is a special something to do. So, here's a list of ideas we've put together to help you fill your advent with special treats and surprises, new traditions and inexpensive gift ideas.
1 A notebook to record the childrens very own countdown to Christmas. Write it as a diary of all the getting ready for the big day. Include pictures and used tickets for a fun memento as well as a good keeping busy book.
2 A good book from a charity shop. Look out for book sales at libraries too.
3 Tickets for fun things to do: a day at their favourite museum, a Christmas fairground or festive craft day.
4 Edible treats especially for weekend days. Sometimes a chocolate really is just the thing.
5 A ball of string leading to a basket..... go out for a walk and fill the basket with pine cones, fallen berries and any natural treasures you can then use to make a centre piece for the Christmas table. We love pine cones sprinkled with glitter, with mini pom poms or felt balls glued on.
6 Christmas decorations to hang on the tree. This is a great tradition to start where each year each child is given a new decoration to hang.
7Cookie cutters or pretty cupcake cases with a recipe to bake together for that day. Or perhaps an invitation to make mince pies. I have such fond memories of making mince pies with my mama.
10 Print out a colouring page or a dot to dot. Mr Printable always has great to do projects here
11 Paper chains are a great activity and kids love their instant cheerfulness
12 Temporary tattoos, though perhaps save these until later in the advent when there is no school !
13 A treat certificate easily drawn on paper offering a hot chocolate or cake from their favourite place
14 A CD of Christmas songs.
15 A 'you're in charge' certificate! Or perhaps a better phrased 'you choose what we do today' voucher (for those who are brave enough to give it).
16 A ticket for a late night drive, bus ride, or walk around the city to look at the festive lights. We do this every year and it really is so magical. The girls always fall asleep on the way home and I imagine their heads full of happiness and wonder as we carry them upstairs to bed.
17 A pack of Christmas cards to write and send to friends. Or, better still a few craft materials for them to make their own.
18 A trip to go Ice -Skating written as an invitation.
19 Theatre or cinema tickets (look out for weekend early morning specials for the cinema for £1)
20 Home made playdough ....add glitter to red coloured playdough for a nice surprise
21 Small inexpensive gifts, like notepads, a pack of cards, marbles, bells, rubber stamps, pens and pencils, bouncy balls and bookmarks make great gifts for very little.
22 Go see carolers hold a hot chocolate in hand and feel the atmosphere warm you up. Make it a tradition each year, meet with friends, drink hot chocolate with marshmallows and sing under the stars.
23 Make paper snowflakes and decorate the windows
24 Hyacinth bulbs make a wonderful gift that will last. Plant them in Hyacinth vases and watch them grow and blossom over the coming weeks.
25 Multiple day items, ok perhaps this is a little like cheating but it's a good way of dividing a extra special something like a puzzle divided over a series of days, or lego, or a matrioksa doll.
26 The first clue in a treasure hunt which can lead to a gift, perhaps on Christmas eve. The build up to the big day can be so overwhelming giving one special gift from under the tree is a lovely tradition especially if they have to hunt for it.
27 A lantern made from an empty tin can with holes cut out or a jam jar painted with a candle inside to celebrate solstice.
28 A trip to see Father Christmas. You could write it as a personal invitation or a voucher. If you're children are a little too shy to see the big man himself (one of mine is) perhaps spend some time to send him a letter instead.
29. A sprig of mistletoe to hang, ready to surprise mummy or daddy with a kiss!
30. A Christmas joke - that will trigger lots of new made-up ones or old favourites: Who hides in a bakery at Christmas? A Mince Spy! 31. An empty bag - to fill with things to give away as a donation to a local charity or children's hospital ward. Let your child feel that they can directly help another child at Christmas.
32. Christmas Stamps. I always get excited about the Christmas stamps issued each year and I fondly remember my trips to the Post Office to receive the First Day Covers. The Christmas designs this year are by the wonderful illustrator Axel Scheffler of Gruffalo fame!
33. A copy of The Night Before Christmas
to read and re-read each year on Christmas Eve. It's magical every time.
We're recycling some candles and making some Christmas gifts at the same time. We've got lots of short candles which have lost their pride of place for being almost used. We also discovered some wilted candles - when our candelabra was placed on the windowsill above the radiator the heat made the candles in it wilt so they can no longer be used either!
So with a few easy to get supplies we've been busy making some gifts for the festive season and are so happy with the way they turned out.
Here's what you'll need:
old candles / paraffin wax and beeswax
a double boiler, or one saucepan on top of the other
wick - these are easily available at craft stores
teacup or similar container....
scissors for cutting the wick when finished.
Here's how:
If using an old candle you will first need to grate it into easy to melt pieces.
Placing the wax into a small pan, place it above another pan half full of water and gently melt the wax over a low heat.
Once the wax has melted pour into your chosen teacup.
Drop your wick into the teacup and hold the wick in place by resting it against two pencils or tack the top to a pencil using bluetack and rest the pencil on the cup.
The candle will set quite quickly and will harden from the outside in. Sometimes this may mean the candle 'dips' a little in the middle which can then be topped up with a little more wax. Out of our seven candles we made only 1 did this and we left it as it was ..... not trying for perfection.
Once the candle has set hard you can snip off the top of the wick leaving a good 1cm length to light.
We think these will make wonderful gifts for Christmas and its a great way to recycle old candles too. You can even add a few drops of essential oils to the wax to create scented candles of your choice. I'm hoping we'll have a couple left after wrapping them for gifts that we can then have. Else we'll be off to the charity shop again to look for more teacups!
Happy Making
xx
If you don't get a chance to make any and you'd like to buy some for gifts this Christmas - you must pop over to Tea 'n' Cake for some scented Tea Cup Candles as well as Bird Feeders and Cake Stands. They really are beautiful.
This is part of our weekly Monday Makery where we bring you a recipe to bake or a craft to create. Visit our Monday Makery when you're in need of inspiration for something to do on a rainy day or to use as interception of the words 'I'm bored', or just because being creative with your children is something you all love to do.
Our other popular blogposts include 'The story behind our collections', 'Tell us its Tuesday' , An A-Z of Sisters Guild, The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas, and our 'Once upon a week' gives you a glimpse into life behind the scenes at Sisters Guild.
In the past few weeks there's been audible squeals, 'wows' and 'hallelujahs' as Little Titans is delivered to online boutiques and independent shops, and on to customers up and down the country. Little Titans is a revolution in boys tights - comfy, stylish and practical too! We are so excited to be one of the first stockists.
Carly the wonderwoman behind this new brand, must be starting to realise just how much us mamas, along with the new generation of boys, are so utterly grateful for her new design. Little Titans was an idea that started when her son was born and just like his big sister, those boys legs 'must have tights too.' Of course, why not! Carly should expect plenty of fan mail - if my 8 month old Ruben could talk I'm sure he'd say 'My tights rock' or something along those lines!
It's not just about the thighs and wriggling bottom looking cute, it's about being practical too. Tights mean no escaping socks. Tights allow for movement too - so toddlers can pull their moves whether crawling, cruising, or just kicking about!
The stripes are fresh and innocent, with contrast colour knee pads, cosy terry feet and non-slip soles. There's a full terry pair too - for extra winter cosiness. AND the Superhero style is irresistible:
Grab your pair here, and embrace the boys-in-tights thing.
As a mum of boys I'm certainly celebrating.
Oh, and did I mention, they come in a cool gift box too. It just gets better & better - ticking that gift list....
If you have daughters that dream of other worlds, worlds that sparkle with all that glitters, worlds in which they take centre stage. Then let them take their dreams in hand with beautiful dresses and accessories that transport them to days of being woodland fairies in 'Dew Drop' dresses, graceful princesses in 'Crown Princess' dresses, with a collection of intricately and delicately made pieces there'll be something there for every girl of every age with dreams of their own.
We've been rummaging through our craft cupboard for inspiration this weekend and came across a huge tub of buttons. We decided to use them for some Christmas cards and ended up doing something on a much larger scale by making a big picture coloured in with the buttons. We wanted the picture to be festive but not so festive that it would look out of place hanging up long past Christmas. So, we drew a reindeer but we made his antlers heart shaped.
We used a cork noticeboard I picked up at a charity shop for £1, some card and glue and of course lots of buttons. It was such fun to see the picture take shape as we went along and though its not perfect as we didn't have a large enough sheet of card to fill the frame (we had to use 2 pieces so there is a slight visible break) we love it.
I'm going to get some bigger sheets of card so we can make another one, for a more polished finish I'll find a box frame too. We've certainly got enough buttons for a few more and I think they'd make wonderful and unique gifts.
Here's what you'll need:
a cork board or box frame
glue - we used a glue gun to secure the buttons
card
pencil
Here's how:
If using a cork-board as a frame give the edge a quick paint with white poster paint.
Then cut the card to fit the size of the frame you are using
Draw an outline of your chosen image, remember to keep it simple. It's silhouette should be clear enough that it is easy to see what the image is.
Once you're happy with the outline of your image stick it to the cork-board, you can tuck the edges under the outer edge for a neat finish.
Now using your glue and buttons stick each one in place, making sure you stay within the sketched outline. You can keep the colours to a theme or use as many varied colours as you like.
To make the card, simply fold a piece of card vertically in half. Draw a silhouette of a something Christmasy onto a seperate piece of coloured card, cut and stick on. Then embellish with buttons or sequins, pom poms or beads. Why not draw a Christmas tree silhouette and decorate with ric rac, sequins and poms poms, or a robin with a red velvet tummy. Simple unique cards can be so simple, and children will be so proud to give something they imagined and created.
Happy Making
xx
This is part of our weekly Monday Makery where we bring you a recipe to bake or a craft to create. Visit our Monday Makery when you're in need of inspiration for something to do on a rainy day or to use as interception of the words 'I'm bored', or just because being creative with your children is something you all love to do.
Our other popular blogposts include 'The story behind our collections', 'Tell us its Tuesday' , An A-Z of Sisters Guild, The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas, and our 'Once upon a week' gives you a glimpse into life behind the scenes at Sisters Guild.
Today you can expect to see sunshine in the sky with a chance of rainbows in the South as the wind blows them across the sea for everyone to enjoy
Children have such a unique and quirky, playful and often charming point of view of the world which we love to immerse in. The designs of Corby Tindersticks take us on this very poetic and playful journey into an interactive world of fun with their wonderfully crafted felt toys and illustrations.
Carly Gledhill is the new UK designer and founder of Corby Tindersticks (what a great name) who driven by her own need for a creative outlet is bringing to the world these fun, wholesome and and oh so stylish creative designs.
We love their 'far from the highstreet' vibe, their vibrant colours and unparalleled creations.
Carly's passion for the fun and colour is one we hold dear and we prize her ethos of looking after the environment and sourcing ethically too.
The long wait for the arrival of the hand sewn collection is over as we now welcome Corby Tindertsicks into Sisters Guild.
Take a look at Hip Hop Harold, Minty Macaronie, and the appliqued orange felt 'line up' . Designed for children and grown ups too, there are so many pieces to fall in love with, to play with, to cherish and enjoy and we are so happy to be part of it and share with you too.
I know the Christmas festivities are six weeks away but we're so excited and have so many things planned to make, bake and create we've started early to make sure we get them all done. These vibrant garlands add so much wonderful colour to the home and are simple to make with only a few ingredients. Though we made these garlands as gifts for family and friends as well as to hang up in our own home for Christmas we're already quite taken with them hanging up where they are. So there they'll stay. I know they'll still be hanging long after Christmas too.
Here's what you'll need:
felting wool - we used carded lambswool
a bowl of hot soapy water
a towel - folded on the table ready to catch all the excess water
embroidery thread
wool needle
Here's how:
Take a small wad of wool and then wrap around and around it with further strands of wool until you have a ball shape twice the size of how you want it to be.
Dip the ball into the hot soapy water.
Gently roll the ball between your hands, go gently you won't need to crush or squeeze the water out just keep rolling. At first it will fell like a soggy mess but after a minute or two it will soon firm up and take shape. When the water starts to cool, warm it up again. It's the hot water that does the trick.
Leave to dry. We dried ours overnight and they were ready the next day.
Now to create your garland: Thread a large needle with embroidery thread and tie a loop knot at the end so it can be ready to hang.
Thread on one ball at a time leaving a 1 inch space in-between each ball.
Finish by tying another loop knot at the end.
Now your garland is ready to embellish your home. Hang your garland above a child's bed, along the mantlepiece, or put your garland into a pretty jar and tie a ribbon around it for a pretty gift. We know once you've made them you'll won't be able to save it for the Christmas tree! We're using it as an excuse to make more using cookie cutters for shapes for stars ad hearts...... nothing too Christmasy because we'll never want to take them down.
There's so much more you can make with your felt balls; thread them onto pieces of elastic thread for beautiful friendship bracelets or longer versions for necklaces, sew them together to form a disc to create colourful coasters and trivets, stitch one or two to a hairband elastic for a colourful transformation, make small strands to cover a plain wreath ready to hang for the festivities, or if you can make enough why not try making a felt ball rug!
Happy Making!
x
This is part of our weekly Monday Makery where we bring you a recipe to bake or a craft to create. Visit our Monday Makery when you're in need of inspiration for something to do on a rainy day or to use as interception of the words 'I'm bored', or just because being creative with your children is something you all love to do.
Our other popular blogposts include 'The story behind our collections', 'Tell us its Tuesday' , An A-Z of Sisters Guild, The Art of Living posts bring you all the things we are passionate about and the things we discover in our lives as mamas, and our 'Once upon a week' gives you a glimpse into life behind the scenes at Sisters Guild.
With a wonderful selection of advent calenders from a Maileg Pixy disguised as Father Christmas to a garland of tie-bags, stockings and envelopes and even a delicious chocolate advent thanks to a collaboration between Maileg and the choclatiers Lindt, there's new traditions to begin and great ideas for little gifts as we count down the days, slowly, one by one in the expectant waiting and preparations for the festive fun and celebration of Christmas.
Fill your advent with little treats and surprises; wrap up Christmas decorations to hang on the tree, invitations for festive games, sleigh-bell rides and snowball fights, print out colouring pages and dot to dots to fold into envelopes for a surprise to keep children busy, add sweet messages or gingerbread biscuits and small chocolates. The fun of counting down the days is all part of the festive fervour that is Christmas.
Our blog trip Around the World with YOU has come to an end.
We've been taken to many different places in both hemispheres. It is really interesting to see how the places you have chosen are places of space, of expanse and openness. It's obvious we are naturally drawn to the the wide outdoors, whether it's the green of a grassy park or common, an open space in a busy city, the blue expanse of the sea and sky, the rolling hills or craggy mountains. The only indoor space was The Wolesley and even that space is tall and wide and airy. Maybe it's in these airy places that our mind rests, our thoughts settle and thus the place remains in our memory more strongly.
Today we have numbered all the entries and used random.org to pick a number. And now we can announce the winner picked at random is.......Nissa Redmond
Congratulations!
Thank you to all of you who sent in your favourite place and for being part of the Sisters Guild journey.
Beyond this little blog series the journey continues, so do send in your stories, photos, links and ideas anytime: carla @ sistersguild .com
to read and re-read each year on Christmas Eve. It's magical every time.
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