secret santa Archives - Zeens and Roger

Christmas feels like it was months ago. A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks to really make sure it has completely distanced itself. However, it wasn’t really that long ago and I think I’m still allowed to talk about it today (if only in a crochet/crafting capacity).

I do hope everyone had a good one and all that. I received so many lovely things and I’m going to share some of them now.

First off the bat is my wonderful gift from Bekki at The Dartmoor Yarn Company. I got an amazing array crafty of things. They were all indivdually wrapped and it was so much fun to open them all on Christmas morning. I managed to lose a couple to my littlest, who thinks that all presents are for him. I don’t think he was impressed with receiving yarn though. I was! Thank you Bekki, I love it all but my particular favourite is the Blacker Blends pistachio yarn (a project has already begun). And the teeny advent sack is so cute! This gift was all part of Stitching Santa, organised by Shelia from Sewchet. I sent a gift to another craft blogger and felt terrible because I hadn’t included half as many things. I hadn’t even thought to include chocs or sweeties. What kind of Christmas gift is that?! No chocs or sweeties, it would’ve been a sad day…

I also took part in another secret santa swap. This one was all arranged by Emily of Make.e over on Instagram. I got a gift from Emma of Moomaloom. The pencils are brilliant and now I really want to make a pencil case, just for them. In the initial sign up process we had to give a little bit of info about ourselves. I wrote that I didn’t do princess stuff and that I was a fan of GoT. The Khaleesi mirror fit the brief perfectly and it made me laugh. I’ll make the Christmas Robin next year, I can’t bring myself to do festive anymore. And I’m totally keeping the tissue paper, it’s gorgeous!

This one isn’t strictly a Christmas present but I’m including it anyway. My name was pulled out of a hat as part of a Giveaway from Eleanora at Coastal Crochet. It worked out quite nicely because we were both celebrating reaching 1000 followers on Instrgram. I’m a meany and didn’t think to do a Giveaway for my milestone. Maybe when I reach 2000! I’m not sure what I’ll do with the seaglass, maybe something for the garden? A mosaicy type thing… The bunting was put up immediately and looked wonderful as part of the Christmas decor. And Crikey, the Malabrigo yarn is beautiful. I think there’s enough for a dainty scarf of some sort. It’s lace weight, which means it’ll go quite far. I hope.

My last gift of internetty origins is the Humbug Scarf pattern by The Crochet Project. Jammy sod that I am, I was sent it as a gift because once again I named it! It was a few weeks back that I had the good fortune to name another two of their new patterns (the Kelpie hat and the Selkie shawl). I have promised not to keep doing it! If only I could come up with decent names for my own projects. Anyway, I’m using the Blacker yarn for this project and I started it last night.

In the real wordl, I got a massive load of threads from my mother-in-law. I need to sort them out. I got little plastic bobbins too so wish me luck in all the winding.

Look at this teeny bunny that my mum found at a craft market. He’s so cute. She mentioned coals and Newcastle but I don’t really knit so it’s not the same thing.

And I bought myself presents from a very smart wool shop in Bovey Tracey (I dragged the family there after going to visit Father Christmas at the House of Marbles). I want to make some mittens with the purple and a shawl with the mustardy stuff. Both have slight variegation which I (secretly) don’t normally like. But since working with some green Malabrigo recently, I’m on the turn.

Magic trees are an essential stocking filler, no?

There are a few more things that could be classed as crafty gifts, like books. Mostly crochet stitch dictionaries that I forgot to take a picture of (not that they’d necessarily make a good photo). And I’ve also purchased another skein of yarn that I’m waiting for posty to bring. Anyway, I’m off to make pizza dough for tea. I’ll sort out the pics of the things I made for presents and do something about it next week. That doesn’t have to be a Christmassy post. I don’t think any of it is actually festive themed so I can get away with that in mid Jan.

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All old crochet blankets (and I don’t mean really old, they’re all this year’s but they’re just not mega recent – I renewed my Etsy listings yesterday and I’ve chosen to show these as they’re all on there waiting for someone to love them). What else can I do at this time of year?! Everything else that’s going on right now will be a Christmas present and I can’t show those. It’s a serious dilemma for a crafty blogger, I’ve got nuffink to talk about! Actually, I have managed to scrape a few bits together…

I enjoyed last Saturday at the local school Christmas craft fayre. Not exactly a money spinner but it still counted as a success in my eyes. Plus it gave me an excuse to make things and making things is what I Iike best! (The owls are my new favourite).

I won’t blather on, I did that last week. Needless to say, I’ve got enough Christmas felt designs to write a book! (I even looked into that the other day but I’m still not entirely sure how it works. I’m too much of a chicken to ask the experts all the stupid questions that have arisen in me noggin).

Anyway, Christmas came early for one person (sort of). I took part in my first (of three) secret santa type sign ups. It turns out that these things are absolutely brilliant. You get exactly the very best presents! Why wouldn’t you when like-minded crafty people are doing the buying and making? It’s great!

This crazy dolphin/reindeer was the present I made for my Colour Pop Craft Swap person. This swap was arranged by Miki at Set Free My Gypsy Soul. In my head it was the stuff of Legend: A Grand Stag of Epic Proportions! It ended up more cutesy and feeble than I’d envisaged, but do you know what? The recipient loved it and that’s what counts.

I used a pattern I’d found in a magazine from a couple of years ago. It’s also on Ravelry as Little Deer Toy. I designed the antlers and made two pairs, which I stitched together for a bit of stability. I also made up a little sparkly star to jazz up his rump.

I felt the need to compensate somewhat (I had rushed my deer and he didn’t turn out as expertly crafted as I wanted). Into the parcel, I also popped a few cotton coasters and a little toadstool brooch. I love these coasters, so so quick to knock up; I bet every crocheter has had a go at making these at some point.

These are my Christmas spoils. They arrived beautifully packaged, from the Netherlands. I was so happy to receive this fabulous bundle. I can tell you that the cat has had her eye on the spangly jangly stars. She pounced on them this morning and I’ve had to put them out of reach. I’ve been wearing my wrist warmers ( I changed to mittens this morning cos it was -2) and I absolutely love my Father Christmas. He is super awesome! Mirjam from Stin’s Place is the creator behind all these marvels.

The last few days have been focussed on getting my winter set of cosy things ready. The patterns need typing up and some photographs need sorting. Then I can hopefully have a pattern for sale. This will probably take longer than I want because I’ll be making it up as I go along (when am I not?)! I’m aiming to work on it all day on Friday and I think that should get me a good way into it. Given more time and more energy, I’d make a whole other set in different colours. I really like it all would love to see it in a different guise. What I need now is a need a name!

Well, I haven’t done too badly with this blog post. This time of year is definitely a struggle. I’ll be scraping the bottom of the barrel next time. Crikey, what’ll I do!? Anyone else suffering from the same problem? At least there will be plenty to talk about in January!

Tag: secret santa

Christmas Present Round Up.

The Craft Blogger’s Seasonal Nightmare.