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Make a Christmas napkin ring

December 22, 2011 By 1 Comment
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Over at Birds on the Blog, I have been encouraging a handmade Christmas with decoration and gift suggestions.

 

For my last post in my mini-series, I have put together some ideas to decorate your dinner table for Christmas day.

 

I thought I would put together a free pdf for my lovely blog readers as a little Christmas gift; for printable star and bauble napkin rings.

 

I hope you like  them. :)

 

To recieve your free pdf download, please add to cart.

Instructions are included.

 

When you add your details (name and email address) to your shopping cart and proceed to make your order, you will then receive an order confirmation. Within your order confirmation email, you will receive a link to go through to my Handmade Greeting Cards blog, and a code that you will need to input on a special page with your email address, in order to gain access to the free download. :)

Anita

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Christmas cards with the extra special touch

December 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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This year we have a special collection of individual Christmas cards that can be personalised with your loved one’s names, as well as our usual botanical Christmas card packs.

 

They are available individually or as a pack for £11.00 ( a saving of £2.20)

 

In the collection we have -

 

 

For more information and to buy – Nita Joy Designs Christmas cards

 

Looking for another special offer?

Readers of Small Business Training receive a special offer on our Christmas card packs

 

I hope you like the collection. If you do, please share :)

 

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Make a candle Christmas gift

December 10, 2011 By 7 Comments
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As a contributor over at Birds On The Blog, I am running a mini series, encouraging us to make handmade Christmas decorations and gifts this year.

 

Last week we looked at some suggestions to make Christmas tree decorations.

 

For my second part of my series, we will be looking at general Christmas decorations for the home, including a Rachel de Thame Christmas wreath, using material gathered from around your garden, and a cute Christmas garland (will be published 10.00am 10th December).

 

As well as making personalised greeting cards from my botanical photography I also enjoy a range of crafts such as paper crafts.

 

Earlier this year, I picked up some blank candles which were on special offer and wondered how I could add a decoration to them.

Through various designs such as using dried flowers, and adding transfers that I made with my flower images, I also came up with an easy project to share, using stamps and ink.

 

To make this decoration you will need:

 

  • Plain candle – You can pick one up for a couple of pounds at a variety of shops
  • Stamp ( if you have a local Hobbycraft, or independent craft shop near by)
  • Pigment Ink (as in below image)

 

As you can see I used a pretty dragonfly stamp, but you can use any stamp.

My recommendation would be to either use very small ones dotted all over the candle or long stamps.

 

Here is how I decorated the blank candle:

Directions:

  • Put stamp on table with the stamp facing up
  • Dot the ink pad over the stamp image until the raised section is covered evenly with ink
  • Place candle carefully from the right hand side and roll gently and firmly over the image carefully so as not to smudge the image
  • If you do accidently smudge the image, take some tissue and wipe it off gently and try again :)
  • Leave to dry.

 

Finished candle:

For a gift suggestion you could wrap in tissue paper and finish with some festive ribbon (once it has dried)

 

I hope you will enjoy making some decorations this Christmas :)

 

What have you been making?

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Printable Christmas card and tag set

November 10, 2011 By 14 Comments
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Raising funds for a Christmas party for children in Ruhanga Uganda

 

My friend Ida Horner is fundraising  for children in Ruhanga, Uganda.

 

She is looking to raise £300.00  for a Christmas party for the school children, which is being held on the 2nd December.

 

There is not a lot of time left, and at the moment she has £80.00 towards the target.

 

I wondered if there was a way I could help.

 

So I have put together a christmas card and tag set, in PDF format that can be printed on your home printer at no extra charge, all I ask for is a donation to the – ‘Santa visits Ruhanga Development School’

 

My aim is to help raise £220 so that these children can have a wonderful party.

You can make a donation to Ida’s fundraising page, by clicking on the image below.

 

My Charity Page Sponsor Me Now

 

This is what you will get in return for your donation:

  • A5 size Christmas card folded to A6 -  just print, fold and write your message and send :)
  • An A4 sheet of 6 tags – just print, cut out, add some ribbon and add to your pressies :)

 

                            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you like the designs and enjoy using them this Christmas, Anita :)

To know more about Ida’s and Ann’s valuable work please visit – Let them help themselves out of poverty

 

T&C’s and info


  • Please make your donation on Idas Fundraising page, and then leave a comment on this blog post letting me know you have made a donation.
  • Please contact me letting me know your email details (or I can use the email used in your comment), so that I can then email you the pdf’s.

(Your email address will only be used in order to receive the pdfs. I will then delete your email address from my personal records once I have sent you an email).

 

  • If you would like both items or just one of them, please let me know. I will then check the fundraising page before sending you an email – no donation = no pdfs.
  • I will send you an email containing the pdfs within 24 hours of receiving your notification email.

 

  • Please only use for your personal use.
  • You can use them as many times as you want.
  • Please spread the word and let’s raise as much money as we can in 3 weeks – to help Ruhanga school children have a wonderful Christmas party.

 

Update 18th November

Ida has managed to raise £253.00 so she is now looking for just an extra £47.00. It would be lovely if we can help her reach her target.

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The Christmas Card Countdown – Don’t miss Out!

December 13, 2010 By 2 Comments
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We have been enjoying making Christmas cards this year for our regular and new customers.

Christmas is such a lovely time for greeting cards. I always enjoy opening the latest post to see what Christmas card design a friend or family member has chosen for us.

As we work hard this week on making special Christmas card orders, I wanted to let you know that the last order date for Christmas cards and other gifts through our online shop is the 18th December (excludes handbags which ends on the 14th December).

At the top of the list for Christmas cards sold is the stunning Snowdrop, then our new card for this year – ‘Waiting for Santa’, which is loved by dog owners and fans.

We are running a special offer for our newsletter readers.

If you sign up to take advantage of receiving our news and latest offers, we will send you a code that you can use, when you order 2 packs or more from our Christmas card range, to receive *5 extra small cards.

Personalised Christmas cards

We can change the wording on front of our cards and add your special message.

We can also make a special set of cards with your own photo and message for no extra cost.

So with just 6 days to go, there is still time to order your Christmas cards from Nita Joy Designs.

We look forward to making some special cards for you.

Delivery date is for UK delivery only.

T&C for Christmas card offer

*To receive an extra 5 cards when you order 2 packs or more from our Christmas card range, please sign up to our newsletter and we will send you the code. This must be added at the time of your purchase, as it can’t be applied later.

The 5 cards will be chosen by us from our small Christmas card range. The value of these cards is £5.50

(If there is a particular card design that you would like for the 5 free cards, you can let us know. We cannot guarantee that you will receive your choice due to stock availability, but we will do our best for you.)

Offer ends 18th December 2010

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Winchester Christmas Market

November 30, 2010 By 1 Comment
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Some of the ninety-one stalls at the Christmas...
Image by Anguskirk via Flickr

The countdown to Christmas has began with the start of Advent.

I really enjoy the lead up to Christmas, and on my list of favourite Christmassy things to do is to visit Christmas craft fairs and markets.

Today I had the joy of visiting one of my favourite Christmas Markets in Winchester.

It was bitterly cold! But the warm ambiance and selection of goodies lined up in pretty wooden chalets, in the Cathedral close, made the visit certainly worth while.

Visiting Winchester Christmas Market has become a bit of a tradition in my family that we started a few of years ago. We found a lovely welcoming pub last year called the  Wykeham Arms which has a lovely menu to tempt you for lunch and dinner. A warm lunch with a glass of mulled wine, was much needed to give us the energy to survive the freezing blasts of around -3 degrees. I must say we felt very sorry for the stall holders, who did an amazing job to keep their spirits high for their customers.

The exhibitors included pretty wooden decorations, jewellery, photographic prints, stained glass designs,  rustic country gifts, pampering gifts and so on. I was happy to see one of my favourite exhibitors was there -  Somerset Lavender! I can never resist their beautifully scented candles and handcream. We also enjoyed Henry and Primrose who specialise in lovely rustic Christmas decorations. This year we also came across a beautiful display of  pewter jewellery and gifts inspired by nature from – Glover and Smith. The designs were stunning!

Winchester is a beautiful city to visit, and the delicate Christmas lighting that lined the streets, made it quite magical. There are many cafes and bars that you can visit for a warming drink and restaurants galore to tempt you.

Winchester Christmas Market runs from the 25th November – 19th December.

Times

Sunday – Thursday 10 am – 6 pm

Friday – Saturday 10 am – 8 pm

To see the range of exhibitors please visit the markets website for further details – Winchester Christmas Market exhibitors

I encourage you to go, as I am sure you will have a lovely time

Do you have a favourite Christmas Market?

Anita :)

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Choose a Special Christmas Card For Your Loved Ones

October 25, 2010 By 3 Comments
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I love creating personalised cards, and Christmas has a special place in my heart.

I am not into the materialistic side of Christmas, but I do love sending cards and receiving cards. I love the sound as they crash through my letter box and wonder who they are from. I love decorating my shelves and walls with the varied designs that gives such a homely feel at this special time of the year.

Nita Joy Designs has 11 Christmas card designs that include berries, holly, poinsettia… we also have 2 new cards for you this year.

50p from every pack sold will be donated to the charity Bullying UK, helping young people and families affected by bullying.

Introducing our 2 new cards -


‘Waiting For Santa’

This is our little havanese dog, who joined our family early this year. We are looking forward to spending Christmas with him.

We thought it would be nice to make a special card featuring our new furry friend and hope you like it too :)

Star Of Wonder -

I have always been fascinated by stars, and as they feature strongly in the Christmas story, I designed this card with this thought in mind. There were many stars that night, but only one led the way for the three kings.

Why not have a bespoke Christmas card made for you!

We can also make a pack of cards for you, using your photo. Why not use a fun family photo, or a photo of a special event, or dress up with santa hats … there are so many ideas you could play with for your family Christmas card this year.

If you are looking for some special Christmas cards this year, please take a moment to look through our collection.

Free P&P for cards delivered in the UK

We look forward to making some personalised cards for you, and welcoming you as a customer of Nita Joy Designs.

For any questions, please contact us through our website contact form.

Anita x

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A snowdrop in December? Thank you card inspiration

December 18, 2009 By 3 Comments
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Through the seasons of the year – The Snowdrop

the beautiful snowdrop

One of my favourite flowers is the snowdrop, associated with the month of January.  It used to be that snowdrops grew in early January – March, but it’s not uncommon to spot them pre Christmas. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I get, as I look forward to seeing this beauty.

My birthday is in February and I often request a visit to see the snowdrops, alongside a trip to a lovely English tearoom of course!

In the language of flowers the snowdrop stands for –

* A friend in adversity

* Hope

Snowdrops are also a good flower for condolence and thank you cards.

Want to know more about this fantastic flower?

  • Snowdrops are known as Galanthus
  • There are more than 100 species – you have to get up close and personal with these lovely flowers to spot the difference.
  • Snowdrops grow best in dappled sunlight/shade under trees or shrubs, particularly deciduous.
  • They can be grown in containers, so if you live in a flat with a little balcony or small patio there is no need to miss out on this beauty.
  • They prefer a well drained soil.
  • Even though they flower at the beginning of the year, it’s important to care for them through the warmer months, making sure they don’t dry out.
  • You can buy snowdrops as bulbs or ‘in the green.’ I have tried both and have to say we have been more successful planting snowdrops in the green. The term ‘in the green’ is snowdrops just after flowering.
  • Over time snowdrops will spread naturally.

Gardens to visit to see the splendour of the snowdrop

Check the following websites for special snowdrop days.

Fancy adding the glorious snowdrop to your garden or patio?

Here are some nurseries –

Flower cards and gifts

Nita Joy Craft Design – have snowdrop cards and gifts available.

The snowdrop greeting cards can be with or without words, and can also have your special message included at no extra cost.

We also have a tote bag and small cotton gift bag with snowdrops.

Our calendar includes the lovely snowdrop for the month of January,

Our plum leaves notebook has a photo of snowdrops added to the cover.

Anita

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