Wrapped up 5: crocheted gift bow from scrap wool

Wrapped up 4: give a beautiful bag from Verb no need to wrap!

Adele from Verb designs bags made in India under fair trade conditions. Inside these fantastic bags is the story of the worker who made the bag sewn into the lining. How great is that? She launches her company early in 2012. http://verb-doingsomething.com/

Wrapped up 3: a slightly more manly wrap

Sometimes the craft world is dominated by feminine patterns and colours. Here's my attempt at wrapping that is a little less "pink and floral". It is for my brother.... Who will think I'm a nut for not just buying wrapping paper. Hope he likes it.

Present 2: voucher in an old paper sleeve with details from a Xmas card

Take stuff from around the house and wrap presents

Some festive themed junk mail from a local insurance company, an old crochet project, and a christmas card-all fair game today!

Wrapped up part 1

This year I'm trying to wrap my Xmas presents using recycled stuff from around my house. Hope the family doesn't mind!

Present 1 is the apron I made last week from up cycled fabrics. Wrapped up with recycled tissue paper - always hard to find a piece that isn't torn - and tied up with a crocheted "ribbon" using scrap wool.

Crochet newbie takes on mohair

Went to a fantastic local yarn shop and came home with the most beautiful mohair blend yarn. It is far too multicolored for me but I'm hoping to make a scarf for my mum. Have started and realized that working with this fiber is going to take a lot more concentration than my regular cheap acrylics. It is so soft!

Sewing newbie dramas

I made a skirt but still can't get the hang of sizing when making my own patterns. This one is about two full sizes too big for me.

Any advice?

Would love to make something I don't have to give away!

I made a little town

Have you ever seen one of those super cute craft projects that makes you think "hell yes, I need to make some of that cute stuff right now"?

Of course you have.

That's what happened to me when I saw these most amazing gingerbread houses by Megan over at Not Martha: http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches...

The woman is amazing. She single-handedly inspired my recent gingerbread frenzy. I won't say that there wasn't tears when I realized that we were out of eggs (this is after leaving all the ingredients locked in my office at work) and I can't say that they looked anything like Megan's. But they were delicious and I did get to serve them to a small army of appreciative gingerbread lovers.

There is something seriously strange going on with American mug sizes because even though I used Megan's pattern to cut my cookie constructables, and they didn't expand much during cooking, the houses were waaaaay to big for little old Australian mugs. No one minded.

Try it out yourself- if you dare.