How to Create a Cosy, Homemade Crafty Christmas

As the festive season approaches, many of us feel the urge to make our homes sparkle with holiday cheer. But rather than relying solely on store-bought decorations and gifts, why not embrace the charm and warmth of a homemade crafty Christmas? 

There’s something magical about creating your own Christmas decorations, gifts, and wrapping from scratch. Not only does it allow for a personal touch, but it’s also an eco-friendly and budget-conscious way to celebrate.

Here are some delightful ideas to inspire your crafty Christmas this year:

1. Handmade Christmas Decorations

Nothing beats the feeling of trimming the tree with decorations you've made yourself. This year, try crafting your own ornaments:

Salt Dough Ornaments: Salt dough is incredibly easy to make using just flour, salt, and water. Roll it out, cut it into festive shapes (such as stars, hearts, or trees), and bake until hardened. Once cooled, paint them with acrylic paints, and don’t forget to add some glitter for extra sparkle.

Upcycled Paper Baubles: If you have old magazines, wrapping paper, or even sheet music lying around, you can transform them into beautiful baubles. Simply cut circles from the paper, fold them in half, and glue them together to create a sphere.

Pinecone Decorations: Nature often provides the best materials. Gather pinecones from a walk and give them a festive makeover with a bit of gold or silver spray paint. Add a ribbon, and you have a charming, rustic ornament.

2. Homemade Christmas Cards

Sending out Christmas cards is a cherished tradition, but instead of buying packs from the shops, why not make your own?

Watercolour Cards: A splash of watercolour on thick cardstock can create stunning designs, whether it's a simple wash of colour or a more intricate scene like a snowy village. If painting isn’t your forte, you can use stencils to guide your brushwork.

Stamped Cards: Craft your own stamps using potatoes or rubber carving blocks. Simple designs like stars, trees, or reindeer can be easily carved, dipped in paint, and pressed onto your cards. For a unique look, try layering different colours.

Pressed Flowers and Leaves: For a nature-inspired card, use pressed flowers or leaves. These can be glued onto your card for an elegant, minimalist design.

3. Personalised Gift Wrap

There’s no need to spend money on expensive wrapping paper when you can make your own that’s both eco-friendly and charming.

Brown Paper Wrap: Brown kraft paper offers a simple, rustic look that you can customise with stamps, drawings, or hand-written messages. Tie it up with twine and add a sprig of holly or eucalyptus for an earthy, festive feel.

Fabric Wrapping: Using fabric, like old scarves or tea towels, is a sustainable way to wrap gifts. The Japanese technique of furoshiki involves folding and tying fabric to securely wrap your presents, and the fabric itself becomes part of the gift!

Recycled Paper Wrapping: Reuse old newspapers, maps, or sheet music as wrapping paper. Add a colourful ribbon or hand-drawn doodles to make the package pop.

4. Crafty Homemade Gifts

Creating personalised gifts not only saves money but shows your loved ones how much thought and care you’ve put into their presents.

DIY Candles: With a few basic supplies (wax, wicks, and essential oils), you can create your own candles. Choose festive scents like cinnamon, clove, or pine to really evoke the Christmas spirit. Decorate the jars with ribbon or personalised labels to add a final touch.

Homemade Bath Bombs: For a pampering gift, make your own bath bombs with ingredients like baking soda, citric acid, and essential oils. Add some dried lavender or rose petals for a touch of luxury.

Hand-knitted Scarves or Hats: If you’re handy with knitting needles, this is the perfect time to create a cosy scarf or hat for a loved one. Choose a festive colour or opt for neutral tones to suit their style.

If you are a talented artist or a skilled woodworker you will be able to produce some truly unique and -one-of-a-kind handmade Christmas gifts for the people in your life who you really care about.

5. Festive Food Gifts

Food is often at the heart of Christmas, and homemade edible gifts are always well-received. Some ideas include:

Spiced Biscuits: Christmas biscuits, whether gingerbread or spiced shortbread, make for lovely gifts. Decorate them with icing or wrap them in festive packaging for a delightful homemade treat.

Flavoured Oils and Vinegars: Infused oils or vinegars are simple to make but add a gourmet touch to any kitchen. Add herbs, chillies, or garlic to a good-quality oil or vinegar, and store in a pretty glass bottle.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix: Layer cocoa powder, sugar, and mini marshmallows in a jar, tie it with a festive ribbon, and you’ve got a cosy gift perfect for cold winter nights.

6. Get the Family Involved

Making Christmas crafts isn’t just fun for adults; it’s a great activity for children too. Involve your little ones in simple projects like decorating biscuits, making paper snowflakes, or assembling Christmas garlands. Not only will you create lasting memories, but the kids will also feel a special sense of pride when they see their handiwork displayed around the house.

Conclusion: A Christmas to Remember

A homemade crafty Christmas is about embracing creativity, reducing waste, and making the season truly personal. The effort you put into creating these handmade decorations, gifts, and cards will not only fill your home with warmth but also bring joy to those around you. So, gather your supplies, put on your favourite Christmas playlist, and let the crafting begin!

Checkout local retailers and also Home Bargains, The Range, Rymans, Hobbycraft, Poundland and One Beyond for a wide range of DIY Christmas goodies.

Here’s to a cosy, crafty Christmas that’s filled with love, creativity, and a sprinkle of DIY magic!

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New coffee brand Rage will be gifted all over the UK this Christmas

A Leeds-based marketeer, coffee lover, and sporting enthusiast has managed to bring all of his interests into play to enter into the world of entrepreneurship and he is celebrating having joined forces with his favourite Indian cricketer, as he brings a new coffee brand to the UK.

Taking care of Influencer Marketing and Brand Partnership for Myprotein India, Pradeep Singh Narwal, who was born and raised in Haryana, North India, has worked with a large number brands and celebrities but it was cricket legend Virat Kohli who recently captured his attention, and his association with a new coffee brand, which it is reported is an ideal alternative for the health conscious coffee drinker, which has led him to become an entrepreneur in his own right.

Pradeep, 35, who joined us in the UK in 2018 to pursue a Master's degree in Sports Business at Leeds Beckett University, is, as you'd expect, a massive sports fan and from a young age aspired to play cricket professionally. 

Although life's circumstances led him to pursue a different path, he still loved to play cricket and his passion for sports never waned. 

With a Masters degree in Sports Business and a background at MyProtein as an influencer marketing specialist, he got the chance to connect effectively with athletes. Having grown up in Bangalore, India, Pradeep developed his love for the rich taste of filter coffee from a young age but motivated by his own health and wellness goals had recently started to look for alternatives. 

He said: “Bangalorean filter coffee is absolutely, really amazing. There's a stall at Bangalore airport named Hatti Kaapi where we used to go almost every weekend, but if not, but at least once a month to have coffee. Even the small vendors, local vendors, used to sell filter coffee and drinking coffee was always a big part of my social life too -  we used to have late night talks with friends, with a coffee.”

“When I moved to the UK, I still missed that taste of coffee but I got used to the coffee here over time. Now I'm a black coffee drinker, so I need my black coffee early in the morning, and I just can't start my morning without having a black coffee, and I often go for butterscotch or dark chocolate flavours now, which is an enjoyable energy kick.”

Which brings us to Rage Coffee.

Rage Coffee is infused with plant vitamins, focusing on gut health to avoid acidity and bloating and offering flavours that evoked nostalgic memories, such as the rich butterscotch and dark chocolate varieties that reminded him of his days in Bangalore, Pradeep was drawn in- but it was the fact that Virat Kohli, one of his all time favourite sportsmen, was an ambassador that turned his head the most..

Pradeep said: "As a huge Virat Kohli fan, his involvement with the brand initially caught my interest but when I was introduced to it I was amazed by its strong caffeine kick without the bitterness and its qualities as a healthier alternative to traditional filter coffee, using no artificial syrups for its flavours. 

"I also love the science behind it and I learnt that the 100% natural extracts included in the blends are typically found in foods, but not always easy to get from one's diet alone.  I am a huge coffee lover, after all it’s a part of my heritage, but as I have matured, like many of us I have become more health conscious and try and make better nutritional choices. 

And he's not alone. Recent research indicates that 53% of UK coffee drinkers are showing an interest in information about caffeine levels and products offering varied levels of it, yet only a few brands highlight this aspect.

Featured in media worldwide including Forbes, The Statesman and BBC Good Food Guide, every 3.25 gms serving contains 275 mg of all-natural plant extracts including:

L-Theanine - Tea extract that balances daily anxiety; Ginkgo Biloba - The only living fossil consumed since the earliest days of human history;Panax Ginseng - Known to improve work efficiency, physical stamina and athletic endurance; Bacopa Monnieri- Used for improving memory and better cerebral blood flow; Rhodiola Rosea - Adapts to any kind of stress like anxiety, fatigue, and also nervousness; and L-Glutamine - Amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins.

Pradeep is passionate about helping to give coffee a new, brighter image, and is passionate about putting the customer back in control, helping them understand exactly what it is we are consuming. 

He went on to say: “We clearly indicate the caffeine content, and all the plant based ingredients in each blend. It's about giving people the choice and control over their coffee experience. I’m really excited to now build this business and to find ways to spread awareness of how we do things differently."

Rage Coffee is available as both filter and instant coffee, for purchase in the UK. 

To learn more visit them at https://ragecoffee.uk. 

Seeking out the ideal Christmas present for a coffee lover? We've found this for you from KitchenAid

Just check out the all new KitchenAid Espresso Collection which has recently launched. 

The NEW KitchenAid KF8 Fully-Automatic Espresso Machine includes some fantastic new features, spiffing cutting-edge technology, a durable metal body, best-in-class performance, a Quiet Mark certificate AND a prestigious Red Dot Design Award.

They are available from kitchenaid.co.uk in Stainless Steel, Cast Iron Black, Porcelain White and Juniper for a RRP of £1,899.

Also available in the new Fully-Automatic Espresso Collection is the KF6 - RRP £1,299 and KF7 - RRP £1,599. 

Or for a more hands on coffee experience, why not go for the Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder £699? These are available in Porcelain White, Cast Iron Black and Stainless Steel.

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