Cracker Snaps

Christmas is not very far away now - still time to make your own Christmas Crackers and I have packets of cracker snaps to enable you to do this. Packs of 10 for only NZ$4, discount if you buy 5 or more packs.
Crackers are so easy to make, if you are not sure I can show you when you call in to purchase some.
You can personalise the items you put in your crackers if you make them and you can put much better items in than the pre-made ones you buy.
Why not get the kids together and make some especially for your family this year??
Dianne

Christmas is coming

Yes, I know that you all know Christmas is coming, but before time runs out .....
Have you thought about making your own Christmas Crackers - you will do a much better job of them than buying them as you can personalise the items inside to suit your guests. They are very easy to make as well. I sell the cracker snaps that give you the 'bang' in your cracker. They are only 10 for NZ$4. Do call in buy some before they run out (or you run out of time to make them)

We also carry LED lights to add to your Christmas crafts. Have you thought about adding these gorgeous lights to your patchwork wall hangings? There are 20 tiny lights connected together that can either stay on or flash, battery operated, just add a little pocket behind your work to hang the battery pack.

There are still a couple of Advent Calendar wall hanging panels - I know it is already December, but if you hurry and make it this weekend you will still have fun opening the rest of the days.

We will be closed Christmas Day 25th to Monday 28th, open Tuesday to Thursday and then closed again Friday New Years Day to Monday 4th, open again from the 5th January 2016. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, please stay safe if travelling and looking forward to seeing you all over Christmas into the New Year.

In January I am going to have Summer School craft classes - check out the blog next week as I will have a list of what classes I will be offering for January on the web on 8th December.
Dianne

Cracker Snaps Available

More cracker snaps have just arrived in store. Not sure what they are?? That's what gives you the bang in your Christmas Cracker. We sell them for $4 a packet of 10 and there is  10% off if you buy 5 or more packets. Have a go at making your own Christmas Crackers- then you will get far better things inside than the ready made ones. They are very easy to make.
My tips - use a paper that is not too hard to pull apart, so maybe a lightweight paper which will easily pull apart and then you can always decorate with the fancy paper around the middle.
 - place your paper face down on the table and then lay a cracker snap down followed by the cardboard tube. I do this so that when it bangs you do not get a black mark on the items in your tube. - place a second tube about 1" away from the first. Roll the paper around the centre tube and tie one end very tightly between the 2 tubes. The second tube ensures that your paper doesn't squash and keeps it very nice and neat. You can push the 2 ends portions together to get that professional look. Once tied you remove this second tube and you should have a very neat and tidy looking end.
- fill whatever you want in the tube and place your spare tube in the end before you tie your last end. Once tied remove the spare tube and you should have a very professional looking cracker. Decorate the centre portion with fancy papers, decorations, glitz, whatever you want.
- enjoy pulling them. If you want to ensure the snap does go SNAP, then hold the ends making sure you have the end of the cracker snap  under your fingers so they do pull apart and bang.
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

We will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, open again on Saturday morning, then closed Monday (as we usually are), open Tuesday and Wednesday then closed Thursday and Friday. Do call and visit, we have lots of lovely fabrics arrived in store for you.

Best wishes and seasons greetings to all
Dianne and Colin

Christmas cards, gift bags & Cracker Snaps

The weather is wonderful at present with some days reaching 27 degrees, Christmas is just around the corner and things need to be done. I have had fun making some Christmas (and general) cards using fabric, fusible webbing and cardstock. I fuse the back of the fabric, cut out the designs and iron them onto the cardstock then use a Pigma pen to "pen stitch" around the designs for emphasis. I sell these in the shop for NZ$2 and they are quite popular. Here are some of the cards

You can make some very easily for yourself, or if you have no time, pop in and buy some from me.

While making the cards I was also thinking about gift bags. I played around with strong plain brown paper and fused some designs to those as well, making a variety of sizes of bag. Here are some designs -

Christmas Cracker Snaps
Would you like to make your own Christmas crackers and have something nice to put inside them. I sell the cracker snaps that give you the 'bang'. There are 10 snaps for NZ$3. They are so easy to make, I can show you how.
NEW FABRICS
Yes, we have had some more new fabric arrive in store. This one is Mr Fix-It NZ$25.40 per metre.
This has 6 different border/row stripes featuring handyman tools and gardening implements. Each strip has a different background colour. Ideal to make a quilt for the man in your life. Could be a row by row quilt, easy peasy or could be used as a border or sashing stripe.

Some gorgeous Japanese inspired fabrics have also arrived in - the colours are so rich and the designs gorgeous.

Make a quilt, wall hanging, cover a canvas, make a cushion, ideal for bags and so much more. Have fun playing with them.

For the Flower Fairy lovers we have a new Flower Fairy Alphabet panel. Only $16 per panel (approx 60cm wide. You could make this into a wall hanging as is or cut them apart and make a lovely quilt.

And here is a close up of the fairies

Thanks for popping by and checking out what is new.

Dianne