Wednesday 31 December 2014

Happy new year!



The last day of 2014 is here, and as we greet the new year tonight a lot of people will be thinking of their their new years resolutions...
After all what better time to make some changes to your life, than the start of a new year?
Starting a fresh, you may want to start living your life in a healthier way: Dieting to lose weight, get down the gym to get fit, stop smoking or breaking any other bad habits in life....Or maybe you have decided to make 2015 the year you achieve some other goal, like getting your career on track, start studying or maybe even redecorate your home?
Whatever goals you have set yourself for 2015, I wish you the best of luck!


However, personally, I have decided to not take on any such resolutions this year, as I feel like this next year will bring enough challenges for me as it is!
Instead I've made myself some promises, that hopefully will help me focus on creating a brighter focus for the future:

1: Let go of the limiting filters and live my life out loud!
Express myself with a deeper level of authenticity ad transparency: Say what I mean and not hold back!

2:Let go of grudges and resentments!
Surrender...its not about giving up, giving in or selling out, but make peace with what is and embrace life as it shows up

3:Focus on what truly matters!
Learn to love myself and work out what would make ME happy!
No regrets!
On behalf of your dreams, stop making excuses!!
If the opinions of others didn't matter, what would you choose to do?

4:Focus on a happy future and Go after it without looking back!



These promises may seem vague and a little "self-help", but as we turn into the new year, I know that this will be a year that is going to require a lot of personal strength and I truly feel the need to turn my focus inwards to help myself find that strength!



Most of all I would like 2015 to be the year where the choices I make will have a positive impact on the future...











For Little Miss Moo....but also for myself!
Because If the trials and tribulations of 2014 has taught me anything, it is that at the core of a good life is inner happiness!!




So I raise a glass to the New year, bring what it will...and wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Tuesday 30 December 2014

FREE downloadable 2015 calendars...


From the www
Wow...2014 is almost finished!
If you happened to catch my last post (that I've now taken down) You'll know that as far as I'm concerned: Good riddens!! Anyway....onwards and upwards: 2015 is right around the corner, and I am trying to approach the new year with a positive attitude!
And one of the best ways to start a fresh is by getting organized....
...with a new a new calendar!!

So today I am sharing a few of my favourite FREE downloadable calendars from the www. 
All you need is paper and ink and these could all be printed out at your convenience, just click on the links below the picture of your favourite to get redirected to the site for the download!
 

This printable calendar from Vanessa Quijano is just hauntingly beautiful, yet simplistic...
 
 
And I adore the simplicity of this monochrome beauty from Chantel Emma

The cute and colourful mini calendar from Scrappy Sticky Inky Mess speaks to the geek in me!
 


Or how about this funky one from 3.bp with a splash of colour?

If you are after something a little more fun , how about this one from design is yay?


Or if you want something a bit different, how about this geo-ball shaped  desktop calendar from a piece of rainbow, just print , cut and fold...

 
Or if you'd like something a bit more arty, how about this beautifully illustrated desktop calendar from Sara Woodrow?
 

Or maybe this freebie from  the etsy digital designers is more to your tastes?



I like the classiness of this one from classy clutter
And I definitely share my name is snicker doodle's love of hexagons!

These are just a few of the freebie 2015 calendar designs I love on the www right now...If none of these are to your tastes, there are loads more available out there, and I've made up a little pinterest board of printables, that has loads more calendar designs as well as downloadable artwork and templates that you can save to your computer and print out at home at your convenience!
So please check it out!
 
I've also made a treasury of my favourite printable 2015 calendar designs from my go-to site when I'm after something a bit different than what the high street has to offer, ETSY....You can view it here!
With prices ranging from just 13 pence to £8, there is bound to be something for everyone!!
 
So, here's to a fresh start of 2015, and an organised new year!!
 

Tuesday 23 December 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

god jul

I can't believe it!
It's nearly Christmas!
This is my last post before the holidays, and I thought I'd share some pictures of our Christmas tree with you all!

Most of the decorations this year are handmade, and if you visit my DIY gallery you will find all the tutorials!


This years tree are decked in Origami of a variety of sorts...


Which makes  for a soft and elegant, but modern look...


Throw in a few baubles, some vintage silver tinsel and some himmeli decorations...


And the look is there:
A modern but nostalgic Scandinavian Christmas tree!


Now all that remains is to wish you all a very merry Christmas!
I hope you all have a great time!

I will be back before the new year with a few posts,
so until then:
Enjoy!!

Sunday 21 December 2014

Small decorative Origami paper stars...


...to jazz up your Christmas table....or your tree lights!
With instructions on fireproofing the paper


When I saw these cute little paper stars on pinterest, I knew I had to give them a go!!
I could think of a million uses for them (OK, maybe a slight exaggeration, but...)
And once you've practiced a few times they are really easy to make, and take no time at all!!

All you need to make these little stars are strips of paper! For your convenience I've made up a simple template with 12 strips drawn up in the right dimensions....all you need to do is cut them out. Click here to download and print!

Then head over to  minna may blog to see how to easily fold the strips to make the stars!
When you have folded each strip into the pentagon shape, use your nails to push in the sides, as shown below:

Image from Minna May blog

It does take some practice to make the stars come out perfect, so if you don't get it right the first times, keep going: Once you've got it, its easy....and its not like they take very long at all to fold!!


Use these cute little paper stars as decorations on your festive holiday table, string them up on a garland by pushing some thread through each one with a needle, or use as filler together with some chocolate in these gorgeous free printable "kraemmerhus" (Paper baskets) from ilva, and hang on the tree!!


I used mine to jazz up the LED lights on our tree:


I just made sure they'd be safe to put around the lights by spraying the paper templates with fire-retardant and leaving to dry before cutting up the strips and folding the stars:



I got my fire-retardant from here, but you can also make your own with some borax and water! See full instructions here


Then I used a scalpel blade to make a small incision in the side of each star, so that I could insert the LED bulb!


NOTE! I would NOT recommend that you use anything other than LED bulbs if doing this, EVEN if you've fire proofed the paper!! SAFETY FIRST PEOPLE!!


As this years tree decorations includes of loads origami paper ornaments, such as the kraemmerhus, above, the paper star I showed you earlier this week and the kirigami paper gems from Little miss moo's advent calendar, these little stars fit perfectly in with the look of our tree!!


I will be revealing the complete look of this years Christmas tree in my next post... My final post before I clock off for the holidays!😉
Until then, I wish you all the best with your last preparations for Christmas...And don't worry if you don't get everything done: CHRISTMAS WILL COME......AND BE MERRY, ANYWAY!!

Wednesday 17 December 2014

DIY Paper star ornament

So today I am sharing another DIY Christmas tree decoration...This time a star made of paper!
I found this 3D paperstar template via better homes and gardens, but as it only printed 1 star per sheet of paper, and I hate paper waste, I've made a new template with 3 stars per page for you all:
Download my template HERE, print out twice on 200 mg cardstock, and you'll have enough to make 3 decorations.
Other than card stock for printing out the templates, you will need Scissors, twine/ribbon and double sided tape (or glue...but I found tape to be better)

Cut out the templates...You will need 2 templates for each ornament!


Fold along the dotted lines...
...the slatted lines fold the other way.


You can already see the 3D effect!
Repeat!


Using the double sided tape....


Fold and stick down the flaps at the end of each star point...


...So that the star sits flush on your work surface.
Repeat on the other folded template!


Next get your twine or ribbon...


Attach it to the inside of one of the star-halfs to create a hoop for hanging.

Add pieces of double sided tape on the underside of each star point!
It helps if you do this on both halves!


Remove the backing of the tape and press the two half- stars together...


Ready to hang on the tree...


Our tree is all done up with paper ornaments this year, and it looks lovely!
In my next post I will show you how I made the cute little paper stars on the fairy lights, just seen in the picture above!!
So make sure you pop back again this weekend for those!


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