Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house..

Not a creature was stirring, except for Samsara who's been desperately trying to get her presents done for Christmas. So much for time off before the big day to get stuff done. I've had an interview for a job, an interview for a course, private tuition to the worlds laziest student, who's parents are desperately trying to kick his arse into gear. Anyway, let me show you what I've been up to lately. There's been lots of painting, starting with this tree for Karan, heavily influenced by the one that the Felt Fairy gave me in the Stocking Swap (Thank you Penny, it has pride of place in my studio). Karan Wisted it, so I made it quite similar, I toyed with the idea of making it muted colours as Karan's house is decorated in neutrals, but then I decided that that might make it disappear, and the original was so lovely, how could I not pass the love on :-) Hope you don't mind Penny!

I've been recycling too; I keep all my old Christmas cards to make gift tags with, but there has become a mountain of cards over the years, since I started teaching, so this year I decided to use a few up by making new cards with them too.

And here are a few of the others. It's quite therapeutic making recycled cards, you almost don't have to think; it's like the bubblegum of the craft world; insubstantial, but highly enjoyable. Please don't take offense card-makers, I mean that in the nicest way. I hope all of you will save the cards you receive this year and make new Eco-friendly cards with them for next year.

I also made some bookmarks using old cards and notelet cards that people have sent over the years with swap packages. I'm a terrible hoarder and hate to throw anything pretty away. Some of you may recognise some of the bookmark inserts *lol*

As I have been doing a craft fair a week for a while now, painting has also taken up quite a bit of my time. Here's a snap shot of some of the things I've been working on. They will be arriving in my eBay shop shortly (if they don't sell this weekend). Most of my glass art is ethically sound as the glass I use is purchased from charity shops, so I'm recycling, and also supporting charity.

And sensitive as ever to the idea that this is my busiest season of the year, my brother always seems to turn up with little side projects for me. He works as a medical photographer at our local General Hospital and there are three of them in their department; he wanted a set of mugs, one for each of them, with their names on. It's hard to tell in this photo, but the mugs are pint mugs (big). He gave me a free hand, but said they shouldn't be girlie. I only had a couple of porcelain paints, so this is what I did with what I had. Shame it won't be a paid job, but if he insists, I'll charge him a bottle of wine *lol*

So, what presents have I been working on? This is for the above mentioned brother. It's a work-in-progress. He's into tropical fish, and Koi carp. When he was with The Bitch (ex GF), he had a Koi pond and a tropical tank, but when she kicked him out, she let them all die. Bitch. I hope the painting turns out okay.

I've also painted some wineglasses, and will probably pop a bottle of wine in with them. Money's a bit tight this year, so I'm really trying to craft with what I've got in my stash.

I've also been making these yarn baskets which I think may serve as gift baskets. (I'm determined not to buy gift wrap this year - such a waste of paper!) There's about three or four strands of yarn crocheted together, so the baskets are nice and sturdy. It looks a little misshapen in this photo, but it's not IRL, I promise you!

I made the stocking part of these last year, but never got around to completing them, so I finished them off this year. I have such a splendid new stocking myself, (thanks Penny!) that I couldn't let M not have one. The other one was originally going to be for me, but now it will be for the Hound of the Baskervilles, or the Girls (my cats). I have a few little trinkets to pop into M's already, but he won't think to get anything for my stocking. I was going to treat myself to a few nice things to pop in it, but with money being tight, I guess that won't happen now.