Herbert and Friends - Handmade Softies by Torunn

Here's a peek at what I've been up to over the last week. I just finished these custom wedding softies, super cute couple!  

And I've been doing a bunch of gardening. I'm really enjoying having a garden again! 

Here are some holiday snaps from our adventures in the Northern Rivers area. I have to admit one of the highlights was taking my nephew to Movie World. I thought I'd be too old to enjoy the rides and wasn't too excited by the prospect of having to go on them, but it turned out they're just as fun as ever and I couldn't get enough! 

We enjoyed several days of perfect beach weather. 

We also rented kayaks and this standing board thing that I don't know the name of, but it was super fun! 

The local pool had this big inflatable wipeout device which also provided hours of entertainment. 

Overall it was everything a holiday should be. Now I'm struggling to get out of holiday mode and get back into work. I just want to go back to the beach! 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Mine was everything it should be - full of family, food and moments of awkwardness. Today we're off on a family holiday to Mullumbimby where we'll be having a pretty low-key new years ever.  

Happy new year everyone! 

Here are some of the things I've been making over the last week. First are these baby rattles shaped as fruit which I made for a friends baby. It's been a while since I made any felt food, I'd forgotten how fun it is! 

Next are our Christmas tree decorations. We haven't had a Christmas tree at our place for at least six years so when we decided to get one this year it became clear we didn't have anything to put on the tree, so I made some little decorations. 

Last but not least I made these Christmas tags using this awesome stamp set I bought on Etsy from Riyo of Talk to the Sun. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Eve! I'm off to help out at Oscar and Friends Booksellers as a gift wrapper for all the last minute shoppers.

Sweets Workshop are having a little Christmas market up until and including the 24th Dec. There are heaps of awesome gift ideas (including Herbert & Friends cushions and a super cute yeti among other things). You can check out their opening times and address here. 

One of my all-time favourite Swedish Christmas traditions is baking gingerbread. Each year the family gathers for the annual gingerbread bake accompanied by a warm glass of glogg (Swedish mulled wine). This year I've stepped it up a notch with no less than three gingerbread baking days! Yesterday was simply the perfect day for it, so a friend and I got together and baked the afternoon away.  

We hadn't planned on making a gingerbread house but we got carried away in a moment of inspiration and gave it a go. There were a few instances where I doubted whether the little house would stay upright, but it pulled through and I have to say I'm very happy with how it turned out in the end! 

I'm packed and ready to head to my first Canberra market with these little critters below and much more! 

If you're in the area come down to the National Convention Centre over the weekend and say hello! 

I received a very exciting package in the mail the other day - Homespun Magazine with a two page spread on me and this little penguin below! It's the first pattern I've ever made which was actually quite fun, and it's really rewarding to see it in print. If you want to check it out, get your hands on the summer issue of Homespun! 

Tomorrow is my last Sydney market before Christmas and the last Eveleigh Artisans' Market before Christmas. I'll also be selling cushion covers in Sydney for the first time! I've been madly sewing trying to get the finishing touches done. If you're out and about in Sydney tomorrow or want a reason to be out and about come down to the market! 10am - 3pm just outside CarriageWorks! 

1. Started a new fitness regime - going to the gym every weekday morning at 7am (very challenging)
2. Got the evil flu that's been going around
3. Watched Mildred Pierce (great mini-series!) 
4. Was photo assistant at 2 weddings
5. Prepared shop orders (still in progress)
6. Made (and still making) more cushion covers
7. Watched Toby's movember moustache grow
8. Took lots of photos of friends' baby
9. Read Divergent by Veronica Roth (super excellent teen-fiction book)
10. Visited friends' new house
11. Had birthday lunch for Dad - his actual birthday is today. Happy Birthday Dad! 
Now. Finishing off shop orders, thinking about Christmas presents and listening to Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut.