Giving Thanks & Merry Christmas

  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful community around me, supporting and encouraging me in my business and creative dreams; reading my newsletters and blog posts, leaving comments and feed back, sharing my pictures and creations with friends, playing a part in growing my handmade business and of course buying, wearing and gifting my jewellery.

I have long had this dream about working with people to create jewellery that reflects their loves and wishes, their creative side and sentimental side. Jewellery that is made from silver and gold and will be passed down from one generation to another without dating. A dream that involves supporting Australian suppliers and artisans, from the company that creates the gift boxes I use, to the local small businesses that specialise in master engraving and Diamond setting. This dream has been coming true with your help.

How far I have come in the past two years, and how much bigger my dreams are for the future. Thank you again for all your support, big and small, for when doubt and fear creep up on me, I look back over the number of sales I have made during the year and the kind emails I have received, and I persevere.

Already I am filling my sketchbook and journal with ideas for 2016. I hope you will join me again as my creative journey continues.

A wonderful and safe Christmas to you,

Christina xx

PS. Usually we are a 'stay at home for Christmas' kind of family, but this year we have booked eleven days by the beach with interstate family! And so, the Christmas order cut off for my store is today. After today orders will be processed and mailed out after the 4th of January. Today is your last chance to tuck a little Christina Lowry Designs under the Christmas tree!

Christmas Photo Shoot

There are so many things to love about running your own business (although a guaranteed income is not always one of them) high on the list of pros is most certainly creative freedom. Only in my own business can I be a designer one moment, jeweller the next, social media marketer before lunch and a copy writer after lunch. Much like Mothering really, where one moment I am referee, next I am nurse, then I am counselor, and then cook. If I wasn't born this way, then having three children has definitely made me a multiskilled multitasker. 

I remember when I was an employee at jewellery stores, I watched with interest as photographers picked up and returned jewellery, then returned once more with product and lifestyle photos. It was all very exciting and out of the ordinary for me. Especially seeing those images in print, and having brides-to-be bring in magazines and point out our ads. I once watched on from the sidelines as a high end jewellery catalogue was produced - models and locations chosen, jewellery pieces designed and created, days spent photographing on location and in a studio while the Marketing Manager apparently sat around bored, as she was bound by insurance to wait with the jewellery. 

But now, as a multiskilled multitasking small business owner, I can create my own photo shoots for my own jewellery pieces, and have an absolute ball while doing it! There is a lot of tea and laughter involved when photographer Trudi Le Brese and I get together for a photo shoot. While Trudi specialises in portrait and family photography, she was brave enough to throw herself in the deep end with me when I proposed our first photo shoot - a product and lifestyle Look Book of my jewellery. I bribed my beautiful yoga teacher at the time, Harriet, with jewellery so that she would model for us, another friend allowed us use of her library and garden as our location, and together we stumbled our way through our first shoot and produced photos that I am still so proud of!

This time around, with a little more confidence, I decided to tackle a Christmas shoot to create content for the holiday season, and broke the rule again about working with children and animals! As Harriet had moved overseas (please note jealousy) I put myself in the firing line, together with my youngest two, with my kitchen and dining room as our location. Together we baked, decorated, faffed and styled our way through the shoot. And I think, for two self taught multiskilled multitasking Mama's we did a darn good job at creating some amazing images!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

Decorating wrapping paper

A robot, a rocket, two suns and a moon. Perfect!

Baking with the children.

Our much loved tree.

My hand print from when I was four.

Cohen's hand print when he was four and this year's ornament. Each year the children's great Aunt buys them their very own ornament. Such a lovely tradition.

Emerson's hand print as a baby.

Cohen's Christmas cards - Santa in his sleigh, Oscar, Cohen and Emerson build a snowman, and Santa leaving presents under a Christmas tree.

Happy Christmas Eve!

Made By Hand

Custom order

It is the season to be crafty! And I am feeling particularly inspired after reading the lovely comments on the Handmade Christmas Giveaway post. I love hearing about the handmade touches you add to make your Christmas special. I'm also delighted to read about the thoughts and love that go in to your gifts and decorations. 

This past week there has been a start on the Christmas crafting, a finished custom ordered pendant, a new collection of beads in the shop, and work on a few pairs of earrings, which I hope to share with you soon. My advent calender supplies arrived in the post, (hooray!) so I believe that will be our next project. Though I am looking forward to a bit of card making, wrapping paper decorating and a touch of Christmas baking too. 

Only a couple more days until we put up the tree. Our tradition is to wait until the 1st of December. How I looked forward to that job as a child! The excitement has returned now, as a parent. Cohen usually starts out with much excitement and hangs several ornaments, before sitting back and supervising the rest of the proceedings. But secretly, I don't mind. I love decorating the tree.

Have you been crafting or making this week?

Will you have a Christmas tree?

When do you put it up?

Made By Hand

DIY air dry clay ornament tutorial from last year

I've started thinking about Christmas - day dreaming about all the crafts and gifts I'd like to try my hand at in the coming month. I've been perusing Pinterest, pinned a few things to my Christmas Craft Inspiration folder, I've written a list of family and friends we'll give presents to and I've been thinking about crafting and baking with the kids. And then reality kicks in and I'm reminded of how tired and unmotivated I am feeling whilst pregnant, how I've been told to 'just rest' by my doctor, how my pregnancy has been classed as 'high risk', and how much cleaning up those crafting and baking sessions necessitate...

Regardless, I so want to create a loving, memorable, handmade, simple Christmas. So this year, instead of trying to make as many of the gifts as possible myself, I will be turning to my favourite makers and crafters and buying from them. I'll focus on some simple crafts with the kids - like simple handmade Christmas cards, stamped wrapping paper and a paper bag advent calender. We'll be sticking to the golden rule for the children - 'Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read." And I won't be volunteering to do the family dinner here on the day either!

Last year I traded in the aisles of the major shopping centers for for the aisles of craft markets and online stores for our Christmas shopping. I pledged to celebrate a handmade Christmas and make as many gifts as I could, and buy everything else from Australian crafters. From wrapping paper to Christmas cards, we made as much ourselves. And what we didn't make, we brought from small businesses or thrifted. There was the occasional book for the hard to buy for, and this year there will be a bike with training wheels for a certain little boy. But my focus was on handmade and on encouraging others to think about where they are spending their money. 

This inspired the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway on my blog, where twelve of my favourite makers showcased their wares and one item a day was given away to one lucky reader. This year I am running a similar giveaway, only all 12 items will be included in the one giveaway, which will be open for one week, with one winner. So, to celebrate the season of giving, and to encourage all of us to think handmade and local, I have asked eleven of my favourite crafters to join me in a special giveaway which will be posted Monday. I would love it if you would consider these clever crafters when looking for your Christmas gifts.

Have you been thinking about Christmas? 
Or crafting for Christmas?
Do you buy handmade?

Ornament Swap Goodies

A crochet Christmas tree, knitted star and Lego tree from Little Woolie

A felt and doily pudding and an embroidered felt bell ornament from Wombat's Picnic

Oh dear. Teething. I had forgotten how difficult it could be. Just as I have forgotten what an unbroken sleep feels like. So please forgive me if you are waiting on a return email from me. Feel free to re-send any correspondence you think I may have missed. I am endeavoring to make use of all day time napping opportunities. Even going so far as visiting my sister, only to curl up for a nap after an hour, leaving her to mind the children. (Thank you darling, understanding sister!)

I have been waiting for a chance to share the beautiful ornaments I received in the swap. I have been so lucky.  My partners, Jules and Cyndy, both spoilt me with two ornaments - one for me and one for Emerson. While Jules' son made Cohen his own Lego Christmas tree, a massive hit with my Lego obsessed darling. Thank you so much Jules and Cyndy! Your gorgeous ornaments are hanging proudly on our tree alongside our own handmade ornaments, gold baubles and decorations from my Mother and Grandmothers past Christmas trees, making it all the more special.

I'm so pleased with how well the swap went this year. All you clever crafters out there! Thank you all for participating. Would you be interested in doing it again next year?

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Ornament swap house keeping - I know many of you have received your ornaments in the swap, (I love seeing them pop up on your blogs and instagram!) while some of you are still waiting. I have been checking in on late ornaments for concerned swappers, ensuring they have been sent. Some international swappers may still be waiting. I have had a few emails to say that ornaments were sent later than expected, but no emails so far to say that ornaments haven't been sent at all. So I am hopeful everyone will receive their ornaments with time. A few swappers have forgotten to reveal their blog or email addresses with their ornaments. If you can't contact your partner and would like to, shoot me an email. Thanks again! :)

Christmas Ornament Tutorials & Swap details

L-R: DIY ornaments, clay birds,star decoration,
embroidered felt ornament, impressions in clay, smocked ornaments,
crochet snowflake, pinecone ornaments, folded ornaments.

Today is the last day to sign up for the handmade Christmas ornament swap! Thanks to all those who have put their names down and sent me their details. I have more names on the list than emails so far though! If you have signed up but haven't emailed me yet, please take a moment now to send me your address, likes, dislikes and the number of ornaments you wish to create/receive. Thank you!

There are so many beautiful and clever crafty Christmas ornament tutorials out there. I found those above after a short search and hope they will inspire or guide you as you start thinking about the ornaments you intend to make. Etsy has a list of 101 Handmade Ornament Tutorials. If you've posted an ornament tutorial on your blog before, please share it in the comments.

Once I have chased up everyone's details I will start partnering the swappers up, then email you your partners details. Don't forget to keep them a secret! 

At the end of the swap I will post another link list that you can add a link to your finished and received ornaments, so we can all have a look.

Ornament Swap?

Snow day ornaments, Knitted stocking, 

Dala Horse, Ice Skating Afternoon

I started thinking about Christmas recently, as it always has a way of sneaking up on me. So I have been making lists, looking for inspiration and planning to make, or buy handmade, for as many of our gifts as possible. I want to support the makers of the blogs I read and admire, and share the products of their skills with the people I love. I've also been thinking about our blogging community and ways in which we can strengthen out ties, our sense of community, and reach out to crafters all over the world. I thought perhaps a crafty ornament swap would be a lovely way to share some creativity and 'meet' some new crafters. Crochet, knitting, quilting, embroidery, felting, fimo etc. - all crafts would be welcome.

Would you be interested?

Would you prefer to make one or two ornaments?

Do you think it would be nicer if the partners were kept secret so that the ornament was a surprise when it arrived?

Would a month be long enough for the making?

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Merry Christmas my beautiful boy,

At three you seem to be the perfect age for Christmas. Or "gris-gris" as you so happily pronounce it. You understand so much more this year and have been relishing all the signs of the season. Particularly the Christmas lights, chanting "more, more lights" as we walk through streets lit up, or drive past houses unexpectedly decked out in their lights. You're fascinated with, though still weary of, Santa. Leaving out biscuits and milk for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer was one of Christmas Eve's highlights for you, the other being the Muppet's Christmas Carol. Come Christmas morning the first thing you did was check the glass and plate and declare excitedly "Santa biscuits gone!", ignoring your gifts to marvel at this eventuality instead.

We were all spoilt Christmas day with family, food and gifts. You were delightful to watch. Your excitement was contagious. There is nothing quite as sweet and amusing as watching a three year old tackle the task of unwrapping his presents, and a few of mine. Giving out kisses and thank yous in return, proudly displaying your new toys. You are now well stocked in Lego and books, a balance bike and art supplies, remote controlled car and a dinosaur egg (which is submerged in water as I write, a dinosaur slowly cracking it's way through the shell under your watchful and curious eye.)

My dear boy, what a wonderful Christmas it was. Traditions were honored and new traditions created. Next year we will be celebrating as a family of four and I can't think of anything better.

All my love,

Mama

10 good things

A simple Christmas 

A pantry full of good food

The chance to just potter around the house and garden

New plants

Ticking the last things off the to-do list

A whole day to spend baking tomorrow if I so please

The Cooper St top I op-shopped yesterday, that fits my bump and shall be worn Christmas day

Rainy weather

All our photos up to date (finally) - printed, sorted, dated and in the albums

A little boy who can count to ten with me

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The wonder of Christmas lights. Cohen is awestruck by them. While they remind me of my Grandfather. It's strange how people and things can be linked in ones mind this way. But Christmas lights remind me of my Grandfather. Which reminds me of his sayings, his handwriting, his jars of sweets. The way he wrote his initials in the front of library books so he'd know he'd read them, his leather shoes and long socks. His Maple leaf lapel pin from Canada, his handsome wedding photo, the wonderful way he would read us stories. My Grandfather was always a big part of our Christmas when I was growing up.

And while I celebrate with my family this year, we shall drink a toast to those no longer with us and the wonderful memories that remain.

Happy Sunday

Hello quiet Sunday morning. 

You couldn't come too soon after days and nights of birthday parties, dinners and Christmas break ups. 

Hello pancakes. A nap. A cute little reindeer. 

What are your plans for the day?