Winter mountainscape / Peisaj de iarna

Two years ago we moved in the Apuseni montains. And here it is what we see from our window.

Acum doi ani ne-am mutat la munte, in Muntii Apuseni. Si iata ce vedem de la geamul nostru.

Rosted walnut as Christmas presents / nuci prajite ca si cadouri de Craciun

I have been thinking a lot what to gift this year. Last year I gifted wreaths and table centerpieces. This year I wanted something edible. And since we have lots of walnut trees  I thought I just roast the walnuts with sugar. The result is delicious and so easy to make. I am making some from time to time and I think they are perfect for Christmas.

And I have been thinking how to wrap them. Of course I wanted to be special, not just some wrapping paper. After long and hard thinking , considering the size and quantity, I thought red fabric is just lovely. And here it is...

M-am gandit mult ce cadouri sa fac anul acesta. Anul trecut am daruit coronite si aranjamente pentru masa. Anul acesta am vrut ceva de mancat. Si pentru ca avem multi nuci in jur, m-am gandit sa prajesc niste nuci cu zahar. Rezultatul e delicios si forte usor de facut. Cand mai am pofta mai imi prajesc si cred ca sunt foarte bune de Craciun.

Si m-am gandit cum sa le impachetez. Normal ca am vrut ceva special nu doar hartie de impachetat. Dupa ce m-am gandit la tot felul de metode, luand in calcul marimea si cantitatea, m-am gandit ca un material rosu e foarte nimerit, cu o fontita si 2 globuri mici.  Dar prima data le-am pus binenteles in ceolofan. Si acestea sunt...

Cakes, cakes, cakes

I recommend to arrange them in 3, 4 or even 5 'tiered cakes'. They look better and gives you more freedom to play with flowers, butterflies or ribbons.

Eu totusi recomand aranjarea in 3, 4 sau chiar 5 'torturi'. Arata mai bogat si iti da mai multa libertate de creatie.

16-tiered paper cake / tort din carton cu 16 etaje

Here is my newest 'paper cake'. It is a 16-tiered cake and it will sure make a big impression on your special day! Also with my newest paper flowers!

Aici este cel mai nou 'tort din hartie', care are 16 etaje si cu siguranta va face o impresie minunata in ziua nuntii. Deasemenea am folosit si noile mele flori din hartie!

Paper cakes / Prajituri din hartie

Here are some paper cakes

Butterflies / Fluturi

Since my best friend's wedding is closer and closer, I started making the wedding decorations. So here are some ideas: butterflies as place cards, chair decorations or just placed around the venue. My problem is that she has no clue of what she wants so I have to make lots of  samples till she makes up her mind.

Din moment ce nunta prietenei mele e din ce in ce mai aproape, am inceput sa fac decoratiile. Aici sunt cateva idei: fluturi ca si card de nume, decoratie pentru scaun sa pur si simplu agatati prin sala. Problema mea e ca nu imi zice nimic astfel ca trebuie sa fac o gramada de mostre pana se hotareste.

Christmas favor box with holly berries...

Playing around....Christmas favor box with holly berries...

Christmas favor boxes / Cutii pentru Craciun

 

Ideas of favor boxes for Christmas, in this example with gold tassels and red bow.

Idei de cutii pentru Craciun. In cazul acesta cu ciucuri aurii si fontita rosie

Santa's suit favour boxes as Advent calendar / Cutii marturii pentru Craciun, calendare de Advent

 

The thing with my paper crafts is that in summer I think of winter and the other way round. So, last summer I was brainstorming for Christmas. Beside other ideas that came to me, also these Christmas favour boxes that I was thinking to use as advent calendar boxes. Although I love them I just didn't have the time to add them in my shop and sell them. Oh well, maybe next year...unless I come up with better ideas.

In ceea ce priveste creatiile mele din hartie observ ca vara ma gandesc la cele pentru iarna si invers. Deci, asta-vara ma gandeam la proiecte pentru Craciun. Printre alte idei pe care le-am avut pentru Craciun se numara si aceste "cutii marturii" de Craciun pe care magandeam sa le folosesc ca si calendare de Advent pentru copii (se deschide cate o cutie in fiecare zi pana la Craciun). Cu toate ca imi plac foarte mult, nu am avut timp sa le pun anul acesta in magazinul virtual sa le vand... Ei, bine... poate anul viitor, asta daca nu o sa-mi vina alte idei mai frumoase :) 

Tutorial: advent calendar for adults

 This is a last minute tutorial that anyone can follow. I have made lots of Advent calendars for children, so I thought I'd make one for adults. If I think better it's not even a tutorial, but an idea. If you take it like a tutorial than the difficulty level is very easy.  

What you need:

any kind of envelopes - 24 one for each day; punch, number stamps and ink pad, nice Christmasy thread or ribbon, scissors. Oh, yes, and small gifts to fill the envelopes. 

 So, after you make the Advent numbers, fill in your envelopes with the gifts of your choice. I thought of tea bags, coffee or flower seeds because this is what I would love someone dear to gift me. 

 

After you added the goodies just tie each envelope with a nice thread or ribbon and add the 1-24 Advent numbers  

 

I thought they look too simple so I added  some paper flowers that I made last year.

In this way that special someone will think of you each day of December as opens his/her presents :)