Merry Christmas!

Emma Makes gift vouchers #stressfreechristmas

You’ve missed all the posting deadlines now but fear not!

This year I added Gift Cards to my online shop – you can buy them here – in any amount you want above $10. Buy for your loved ones and they’ll receive an email with their gift card, which is valid for two years. A great idea when you’ve left it a bit late or just don’t know what to get.

Thoughtful hostess gifts #stressfreechristmas

I think if you’re heading to someone’s house over the holidays then it’s nice to take them a little present so say thanks. Flowers from your garden or a bundle of herbs are a good idea and here’s some others:

Luminaria (candle) bags. $13 for ten.

A pretty purse, beautifully wrapped. $22

A wee bunch of Christmas pencils, from $7.50.

A little bunch of felt hearts, from $5.

All purchases under $25 ship free from Emma Makes. Gift wrapping is always free – just ask at checkout.

Table dressing ideas #stressfreechristmas

For any occasion I like to dress our table and Christmas is no exception. I like to keep it pretty simple because to my mind Christmas should be pretty but also relaxed – I don’t want to be sitting at a table that is so formal or precious that I’m scared to move.

Right now I’m in denial about the weather forecast and hope to sit outside under the walnut tree. I’m going to wrap our table in paper and have a big jar of roses and hydrangeas, which are both plentiful in our garden.

I also love the look of the spotty paper in this dinner party and think kraft (brown) paper looks brilliant with white and green.

When I’m at Mum’s house for Christmas I almost always dress the table in garden foliage. Mum has an amazing garden so I haul in ivy and other creepers, some fresh flowers and anything else that looks good and drape them down the middle of the table. Easy, quick, unfussy.

If you’d like more inspiration for the wild flower look then Saipua is a brilliant blog to read.

All images via Pinterest.

Great holiday reading ideas

A pile of good books for holiday reading is a must for me. During the year when I’m not at work (at my ‘real job’) I’m working on Emma Makes so I don’t have a lot of time to relax.

Christmas holidays are when I really do nothing – I lay about, read a lot of books and nap.

One book I’d recommend adding to your reading list is The Last Days of the National Costume by Anne Kennedy. I’ve only just begun reading this but it’s so great – the main character’s voice is really strong and it’s witty and smart and greatly interesting if you’re a sewer. Here’s a review by the NZ Herald.

When I was at Art School I read Kennedy’s A Boy and his Uncle and it’s stayed with me as a great read. Here’s a few more recommendations of books I’ve actually read this year and rated four or five stars.

That’s a Wrap #stressfreechristmas

It’s amazing how the simplest designs can give off such a great sense of personality.

When it comes to wrapping gifts I tend to stay away from the expensive wraps that are on offer and stick with the basics. A simple sheet of brown paper and a little bit of imagination can go a long way. There’s something special about handing over a gift, dressed with love.

For me, giving a gift always starts with the wrapping because that’s when people truly start to feel special. It’s like sharing a little piece of yourself and it never goes unnoticed.

The Emma Makes store sells brown paper bags, and more, to help you create a stylish personalised gift.

Final Christmas shipping dates for Emma Makes #stressfreechristmas

I’m not going away for Christmas so the final shipping dates for the Emma Makes store are quite late – lucky you!

6.00pm on Thursday 19 December
If you’re paying by bank deposit or buying pencils only then this is the cut-off to have your gifts shipped to arrive before Christmas.

4.00pm on Sunday 22 December
If you’re paying by Paypal then this is the cut-off to have your gifts shipped to arrive before Christmas. I will post everything by courier on the morning of Monday 23 December to arrive at your place by Tuesday 24 December.

4.00pm on Tuesday 24 December
If you happen to live in Featherston then you’ve got a ridiculously late cut off time because I can just deliver to your doorstep!

It’s always better to shop early but if you totally forget then you can always pick up a gift card. My shop won’t close over Christmas.

Free gift wrapping all the time at Emma Makes #stressfreechristmas

One of the best ways to cut down Christmas tasks is to get your gifts wrapped when you buy them – that’s problematic for a control freak like me though and I’ve often been known to re-wrap things when I get home because they’re not good enough.

At Emma Makes gift wrapping is always free – you just need to ask for it at checkout. I’m great at gift wrapping (the secret is double-sided tape and good taste).

This year I’m using a black and white stripe gloss paper and a kraft paper with white spots. Add to that an array of washi tape and ribbons in lots of colours and I can do something great and special for you pretty easily.

If you like to wrap yourself then I’ve also got wrapping supplies in my shop:

Doilies – white and heart

Heart pegs

Double-sided tape (the best thing you can use for great wrapping)

Bakers twine

Ribbon

First Flutter Fine Art Print

Did you know that here at Emma Makes you can purchase original art?

This is just one of the limited edition fine art prints available. 300 x 300m paper, woodcut, acrylic paint and pencil.

The prints are entirely handmade – from initial sketches, to cutting the print blocks, to printing. There is no machinery involved. These are only limited editions with nine of each print being available. Grab one today from the Emma Makes store.