I think I’d better confess – my grand plans of making all my Christmas cards this year are looking all-too optimistic. I’ve found myself in real need of lots of last-minute festive ideas to see me through these last few weeks!

Thankfully the You Can Craft design team have come up trumps with lots of speedy makes that anyone can rustle up – and in bulk too, if needs be! Tech ed Angela was telling me: “It’s been great fun making lots of festive ideas using a craft kit that’s in less-traditional Christmas colours!”.

I’m just as impressed by the huge craft kit we’ve put together for you this month. Rich coordinating papers and embellishments… exclusive glitter stickers… a rubber stamp to use over and over… even beads and cord for a bracelet. Treat yourself or make a fast-fix stocking filler…

Meanwhile I’m looking forward to boosting my crafty stash on Christmas Day – maybe spending some gift money in the sales – and also getting on with more makes in the New Year. With thank yous to do and spring birthdays around the corner (both of which we've featured this month), I’ll be busy…

Until next time, on sale on 24th December,

There are exciting developments afoot and on Wednesday 7 January 2009, a brand new knitting magazine will hit the shelves, designed especially for you.

The Knitter will feature more than ten challenging patterns in each issue, as well as regular features and a column written by Mason Dixon.

“As the editor I’m looking forward to bringing knitters patterns by the best designers from around the world,” says Juliet Bernard, The Knitter’s new editor. “As a knitter, I can’t wait to start knitting them!”

Hotfoot it over to the Simply Knitting blog for a bit more information and to keep up to date with what’s going on!

Congratulations to Eleanor Reid from Angus and Debra Siddle from County Durham who won a massive box of glittery crafting stash each! Well done ladies!

Hold onto small boxes and bags, and pretty packaging to embellish later for gorgeously wrapped gifts. Make matching tags!

A very handy product to have in your stash is Bondaweb. It's a fine mesh that turns sticky when heated with an iron. Great for fixing hems and attaching felt shapes to fabric, all without a needle and thread! Get some here and at all good fabric shops and haberdasheries.

When drawing around templates, use a pencil on paper, a felt tip on felt and chalk on fabric.

Today's tip is from You Can Craft designer, Charlotte Stowell. "When it comes to scissors it’s best to keep your crafts separate. Having different pairs for fabric and paper is essential to stop them getting blunt, but it’s also handy to have another pair for anything sticky, like for cutting tapes!"

If you fancy having a go at incorporating craft wire into your cards, try bending it around cocktail sticks for tight coils, or other shapes like glue stick tubes etc. Embellish these with small beads for a bit of sparkle.

Run out of buttons for your cards? Use paper ones instead. You can cut them in any colour, in any shape and with as many holes as you like to stitch through!

Like a torn paper effect? Make it easy by dampening the paper first using a fine, wet paintbrush or even a cotton bud, and then tearing along a ruler.

The winners have been picked for our Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair in London competition and the lucky ladies are:

Fiona Waldron in Fleet; Patricia Holt in Basingstoke; Sonya Wakenell in Romford; Sandra Blickett in Epsom and Paula Boardman in Egham. Have a great time!

Our Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair Scotland competition was won by:

Gini Winterbourne in Norfolk; Kirsty Whitehead in Broxburn and Sue Welch in Bournemouth.

The London fair starts today and if you weren't lucky in the competition, you can still get tickets from www.countrylivingfair.com

Save your scraps! Ribbon cut offs, bits of paper – they'll all come in handy! Use a different jar for each or get colour coordinated!

You Can Craft designer, Jenny Ellory always keeps her scraps of paper. "They will always come in handy for something," she says. "Usually petals or leaves for flowers."

If you’re crafting with glitter there are different glues for the job. For covering large panels, use Spray Mount glue. For straight lines, use double-sided tape. For small details like eyes, or flower centres try a dab of PVA glue or glue dots.

Make super-quick ribbon flowers by running a needle and knotted thread along one length of the ribbon and ruching it up towards the knot. Hold it in place with a few stitches.

Today’s tip comes from You Can Craft designer, Judy Balchin.

“Here’s my tip – I always roughly draw out my card designs before I start cutting and sticking. Just a quick, pencil guide means that mistakes are minimised and I can get an idea of where embellishments and panels of card work best.”