HobbyCraft Autumn/Winter Press Day

Autumn and Winter are my favourite times of year. I love watching the leaves on the trees turn from green to brown and feeling that first chill in the air which makes me look forward to winter. Autumn and Winter have some of the best celebrations: Halloween, Fireworks Night and of course Christmas! I was lucky enough to have been invited to the HobbyCraft Autumn/Winter Press Day where I was able to indulge my inner child and marvel at the amazing crafty goodies which will be available later on in the year.

The first collection on show at the Press Day was the festival inspired range. I love the tepee complete with tropical cushions and fabulous jar-glasses – pretty and practical for enjoying a cheeky drink outside this summer festival season. Temporary tattoos have become a huge trend this summer and I love the metallic designs on offer from Hobbycraft.  Although I have my own collection of real tattoos, I think a bit of bling works well for some extra decoration with the gold and silver looking great on tanned skin.

I had the chance to try my hand at making my very own paracord bracelet which was fun despite my rocky start. I really love the weaved pattern which was created simply by knotting the paracord behind and in front creating a ladder effect. I unfortunately ran out of cord before I could finish the bracelet, but it’s something I recommend as a fun holiday activity for kids (or grown-ups!).

I love to bake, so when I spotted the Halloween and Christmas inspired baking goodies I just had to get some photos. I love the hanging bats and the vibrant colours you can see in the October display. Decorating cat, bat and ghost shaped biscuits is a great activity for kids for a Halloween party (or for adults who love being creative!). The sparkly skull is one of my favourite items from this year’s range – I think it adds an elegance to this spooky celebration. I always remember having fantastic Halloween parties as a kid, with my parents having made their own huge cardboard witches and ghosts to decorate the house with. This is something I really want to continue when my husband and I have children and will certainly be looking to Hobbycraft for inspiration!

Christmas is my all time favourite time of year. My parents always made Christmas special with a multitude of decorations, tasty treats and of course gifts! I love the idea of these edible labels which could make great party favours or place settings for a festive get together. I had a gift-advent calendar growing up which was simply made of fabric – the modern 3D versions made with wood are just fabulous and add another level of excitement to counting down the days. If you’re struggling for a gift idea I think the festive hampers make a classy choice. This year’s selection of Christmas tree decorations are bursting at the seams with textures with pom poms and nature-inspired designs being a popular choice.

The HobbyCraft Autumn/Winter Press Day certainly had me ‘squeeing’ with joy and I am really looking forward to celebrating Autumn and Winter this year.