We have winners!

Just like I told you earlier, my 100th Like for my Facebook page giveaway has closed at Christmas time and it's time to announce the winner! I won't talk much, but a small change from previous information. I decided to pick two winners this time.

Congratulations Kristīne L. and Molly M.! You both have been picked as lucky giveaway winners!
Both winners please contact with me within a one week to specify address where to ship your gifts!

Secret Santa [decor] swap review 2 - what I received

Wow, it's Christmas so soon! This is definitely the last moment to show you the wonderful things I got from my Secret Santa [decor] swap! What I sent out is described  here. It's not a long story, here are the photos:

From Melissa I received some really cute things (what's more - this was her first swap). 

She sent me a dark emerald/green
pearl garland (?), which was transformed into my
Christmas tree in the first
evening. As we have so little
space, this is a cute way to
bring a celebration feeling inside!

"Let it snow" I probably should put this sign
somewhere outside as it's not snowing yet :( 

Little handmade gift tags

A cute Christmas bird. I still can't figure out how is it made?

Handmade greeting card (I wish I could
receive gifts that big this year :)  )

Postcards, off course! This is one of the most
important things I hope to receive from anyone! 

A Christmas flower with A LOT OF glitters!
It will be placed on my family's big Christmas tree!

From Olga:
Sorry, I need to make a confession. As I put together pairs in my swap, I managed that my partner is Olga, because I am in so deep love with her lovely sewn animals (I will just recommend you to check out her shop just right away after you have seen what Olga sent me )

As Olga has a great Etsy shop, she knows what Packing means.
Everything is packed safe and sound!

No, these are not pin cushions,
those are cushion and star ornaments!
(That Christmas sock on the left is really in my Christmas tree)

One more thing which makes me think
about snow - a winter's pin button with a bear

Long, long garlands in typical Christmas colors. 

Handmade greeting card and envelope
with such a wonderful owl sticker!

And as an extra gift - vintage postcards! I remember
from my childhood that we used to have a typical form
for postal code on all envelopes and greeting cards,
just like these have! 

Thank you all who took a part of my swap, I hope you all had a great time while preparing gifts and receiving them or at least stepping by and watching what I received! Thank you Melissa and Olga for these packages!
See you soon!

Merry Christmas! 

Secret Santa [decor] swap review - what I sent out

While ago I announced my very first hosted swap - Secret Santa [decor] swap. In my Facebook page you can find pictures what participants made/received, but in this blog post I want to show you what I made and sent out!

Since the first moment I got this idea about hosting a swap, I was sure to take a part of  myself. When deadline closed, I paired people and I got a partner from Australia - Lisa from SweetLittlePretties. Little bit after deadline I was contacted by Melissa from themindofexchange and she wanted to take a part as well. I decided to be her partner as well and prepare two packages for this swap. Here are all the goodies I made myself or with help of my boyfriend!

This year I had some kind of craziness with drawing a postcards/greeting cards, so I prepared a brunch for my friends and both swap partners.

Package with handpainted cards for Mellisa
and handmade paper for wonderful letters in future

Handmade recycled sock (made it from old knitted
sweater so it was a real challenge to finish it! ) 

I believe one of the best thing in my country is chocolate - we have historic candy factory Laima (Laima is a Baltic goddess of fate) and I try to send something made in this factory to each swap partner, in each package I send abroad. This time Melissa got some Christmas mini-chocolate, traditional candies and  even a candy garland made of Laima's Christmas edition candies! (as I know how tasty they are this garland wouldn't stay up at my home for too long time :) )

Some sweets from Latvia and sweet tape with circus theme

Christmas chocolate candy garland

Christmas tree decors made of felt and beads

Melissa lives in Belgium and evening there probably are not too lighter than evenings here in Latvia, so to be safe in late evening walks (when Melissa will be able to take a great city-night shots), I made her a reflector which she can add to her bag or coat and drivers will see her earlier (In Latvia everyone needs to wear a one in dark weather- nights and evening to improve our road safety for themselves and others).

Handmade reflector for late night walks

Tassel garland in typical Christmas colors

Paper in size of  a postcard transformed to
a great letter with help of white, gold and silver pens.

I found a box in my stash which was covered with
gold color. I think, it was perfect for Christmas gifts :)

Lisa signed up in Secret Santa [decor] swap and provided her partner with some facts - her favorite color combo is blue + silver for the Christmas time. I replaced silver with light grey or white (take a look at her blog to find hundreds of ideas what to do with it!)and here is what I sent her: 

Pom-pom garland (Thanks to my boyfriend
who made these pompoms :) )

Pop-pom garland packed for safe road

Christmas tree ornament in shape of
Christmas tree - felt embroidered with sparkly flitters

Lisa is a great sewer so I had to
send here something from my fabric stash

Lisas pashion is Washi tapes  so I looked up for
tutorial how to make your own washi tape
and I made one (or at least I tried to make :D)
I used the same fabric I put in package and
I really can't wait to see if it was worth it!

In case if my handmade washi tape is useless,
in package I added some cute tapes for
upcoming Valentine's day letters

Greeting cards/postcards I sent for Lisa.
One is made specially for her - with a lot of tapes on top.

I decorated two Christmas tree balls with country style lace
and wrote on them Merry and Christmas!

A regular post shipping box I decorated with some washi tapes
and a lot of white/silver/gold snowflakes on top of it

Inside of package which left to Australia

Two packages were put together with a lot of my love. I was really glad to get back a messages that both of these girls liked my package :)

Melissa blogged about this swap here. Take a look there and stay in touch with Akwiinas to see wonderful things I received!

Giveaway to celebrate my 100th Like in Facebook!

I have decided to host not only my very first swap this year, but make a next step - to host a Giveaway! At the moment I write this, my Facebook page has 94 likes and I feel that moment of 100 likes is so close! I still think that 100 likes is a lot, so I would like to give a gift at least to some of my friends! I am giving away a surprise package with handmade goodies. I will tell you something more about a gift little bit later, I want to keep it more or less a surprise :)

And now, short about rules:
1) Giveaway is open till the 100th Like in my Facebook page (or if it comes too early, I will keep a giveaway open till the Christmas night);
2) To take a part of this giveaway you need to use a widget little bit lower and sign in with your Facebook account (trust me, it will help you to take a part in other giveaways based on rafflecopter in the future) or email;
3) There is only one mandatory point to be in - you need to LIKE my Facebook page;
4) If you want to get some extra points, you have some more options (but - fill the mandatory first);
5) When giveaway is closed, I will contact a winner trough email or Facebook account which was provided in sign-in process.
6) Have fun in this time of the year!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Can't wait to see who gonna be the 100th liker ;)

TOP 32 Christmas greeting cards

To make it easier to greet your friends and relatives this year, I want to show you some really inspirational greeting cards from all over the World! December has just begun, but I am sure, you have friends as much as I have and you want to greet them all with the sweetest, the most beautiful or just really funny Christmas card!
Here is collection of Top 4 cards for different recipients from Etsy, but my Christmas cards Pinterest board waits you with a lot of creative ideas how to make the best greeting card this year by yourself or where to find a card for the last moment!

1. Santa Gets All The Credit But we all know Mom Really Deserves The Milk and Cookies by Katndrewcards
2. To my deer mum and dad by Helloclacky
3. Mum, Thank you for still buying me an Advent calendar (please never stop) by NaughtyLittleCards
4. Personalized Merry Christmas card by PikakePress

1. Duck holiday card by NickiNickiGallery
2. Set of retro Santa and black cat cards by vpauld
3. Pop-up Christmas card with jingle bells by Yesterdayunknown
4. Set of 6 hand illustrated cards by indieBerries

1. With Love To Grandma by TheVintageGreeting
2. Quilling Christmas tree by SbirOtak
3. Especially for Grandma at Christmas from pinkneonvintage
4. Grandma Gets Run Over By A Reindeer by  DivaGoneDomesticToo

1. Christmas Camper by rachelink
2. Hipster deer with matching temporary tattoo by pepperink
3. Set of 10 Christmas tree cards by BubbyAndBean
4. Decorating Deer by SweetBellaStationery

1. HO-HO-HO Merry Christmas by Mashkamanart
2. Set of 10 personalized stationery cards by letterhappy
3. Pretend you're drunk and tell your co-workers how you really feel by IllKnowItWhenISeeIt
4. Funny Robot Santa by HappyDappyBits

1. Wishing you a very silly Christmas by EyeshootPhotography
2. You were expecting some other bearded guy in a red hat? by ArtyDidact
3. Ho! Ho! Ho! Bitches and Hos! by dewlawdees
4. Son of a Nutcracker!  by UrbanPrey












1. The weather outside... by JThoem
2. Printable "Happy Holidays" card by SamOsborneStore
3. Good things come to those who Bake by stephsayshello
4. Embroidered Christmas tree by KotoDesigns

1. All I want for Christmas is you...naked by JulieAnnArt
2. 'Tis the season by  RowHouse14
3. First base under the Mistletoe is soooo last year. by FunGirlsCards
4. Merry Christmas Sexy by FayeMoorhouse