So much sunshine in a weekend!

At last after so much rain we had a gorgeous bright weekend!
On Friday evening we had a performance and it went exceptionally well!
And that was because inspite the fact that the lights and music went out twice during the performance and we continued acting and singing without music, the audience still applauded us warmly and told us how much they enjoyed the play!That is so rewarding! Especially because we are amateurs and we act for free and only for charity. It was fun too that after many many years I met a fellow classmate from Primary school! How time flies!
(photo of some members of our Teachers' Association Drama Club taken by hubby)

Then on Saturday we walked Barca at the foggy sea front...

 ...looking at the little sailors at sea....

 ...and ended up drinking tsipouro in "Volos" restaurant.

I had known the chef there since I was a student at University. Unfortunately Dimitris died in summer and in that bright sunshine we drank tsipouro and said goodbye to him! Isn't it the best way to say goodbye to someone?
Memories always blur my eyes...

...but soon I came to think that in the end life is beautiful...no matter how much we hurt....

Then we went to collect sea glass at that tiny beach at the sea front...

And although it was a weekend filled with shadow puppet performances and theatrical performances and art gallery exhibitions and lots of Christmas bazaars finally we decided to relax!
So we stayed in (apart from walking Barca again and again).
We simply watched movies (Forthnet and Nova gave us a free month so we are taking advantage of it!), did some more Christmas decorating (that will appear on another blogpost), read some craft magazines (I only bought two this Christmas!),

 and I made some felt ornaments for the school bazaar we will be having this Wednesday.

Have a nice week!

Christmas Gifts

This year I tried not to spend too much on gift giving. So I made my own gifts.
I also tried not to spend too much on gifts to myself.
I had to buy my cologne as it had finished and found a day that there was 30% off. Pure White Linen, I have been wearing it for years.I love the little sample gifts they give with the purchase of the cologne.
I also bought 2014 charms and some felt wool for my stones in colours I didn't have.

 That was something I hadn't done for a long time! Buy craft magazines. I bought my dear
Marie Claire Idees which is so good and so cheap. Inspite the fact that I don't speak French, at least I can see the great pics.
I also bought Crafts Beautiful for the felt ornaments it had in the kit and hope to make them.
Finally I bought Mollie Makes for the first time. I had heard so much about this magazine but it is soooo expensive in Greece. But again I really wanted to buy it for the felt kit on the cover and to have the experience of it at last. It is very good. I really loved reading it. I want to try so many things in it.

 Now things I received. A little money that I gave good use to (more on another blogpost).
Two bags.

One from hubby(red) and one from my cousin (felt grey).Unfortunately there was a pin on the grey bag and I lost it!
And a watch from hubby!No it isn't gold.

This lovely coffee maker from my sister-in-law. And lots of coffee and chocolate!

I love making filter coffee without having to use the big coffee maker.

This little porcelain bird from one of my students. I haven't received a gift from a student for ages and it was a nice surprise.

Hubby and I received this beautiful dish with homemade cookies from one of his old students and there were beautiful metal gifts in it.

 The children are designs from an old school book and the other two are Shadow Puppet figures.

I also received my photo portrait from school.

And a gift from my best friend this felt bag with chocolate.

And the things I gave.

This felted stone to my best friend.

 I also made her the fairy bread (I found the recipe in DesireEmpire blog. Thanks Carolyn!). It was super easy, really beautiful to look at and absolutely delicious and the kids loved it and also my effort to make something from their mum's background was appreciated).

 And one of my felt ornaments.

 I made my niece this pendant. I bought the metal charm, painted it and added beads and laces and a chain. She loves photography! That's why I chose this charm.

 I made this stone for my cousin in Athens.

 And this huge one for my other cousin. I had found the coin at the beach and thought that since he is an archaeologist it suits him although it isn't a very old one.

 And this one for my other cousin.

I also made this felt ornament charm for my sister-in-law.

I love making, giving and receiving gifts! Don't you?

Making things for Christmas....

I want to make things all the time, but I don't have much time.
Here are some things I made for this Christmas in between other things I made. Well those who follow and read me know that I made about 35 felt Christmas ornaments and donated them to the Parents' Association at my school and they were sold and all profits went to them to spend on good things for the school.
You can read all about it here.But I also made felt ornaments for friends as little gifts. Like this one!

I also made lots of felted stones to send as Christmas gifts and made some giveaways (I still owe a couple of those) and some for the shop. You can see some of them here.

And some more like these ones.This purple one was for a friend who asked for a purple one and I really loved making it!

Here are other things I made.
I painted lots of stones gold!What for? Well I just decorated them around the house. And I am planning to felt them for next Christmas!

I made wire tree felted stones, added some 2014 charms and gave them as gifts.
Here's my desk while creating. Well actually it is my son's desk and when he is not studying I use it.

 I painted some pinecones for decoration too.

I made some beaded wire pomegranate charms.

I made a toilet paper roll star following directions I learnt in this workshop. Thank you Anna!

I also made some jewelry for gifts or for the bazaars I took part.

 (Some of the jewelry is in the shop and some more will be added  soon.)
I was also asked to make felt brooches and I really loved creating them.

Finally here is the Christmas twig tree I tried to make this year!
Just a couple of twigs and you end up with a lovely tree behind your door! I had also added some little ornaments but Barca ate them up! I found the idea on the Internet here.

Oooops!