The amazing adventures of me

23/11/2025

I love this little make of mine ♥️

21/11/2025

To the young in heart we dedicate this AD

The Wizard of Oz theme at Webbs Enchanted gardens 2025 is stunning. Easily the best Christmas experience in the Midlands and my favourite light trail. Bold claim I know but this one is truly something special.

The riverside gardens have been transformed yet again by a team who work for an entire year, and for the fifth time they have simply blown us all away (pun intended). I always think there is no way that they can beat the previous year, especially now that this is the fifth time they have transformed the gardens but this time I was actually overwhelmed with emotion because the Wizard of Oz is my favourite film.

There are so many little details throughout the entire trail to soak in and after a hectic week at work I felt like I walked straight in to the movie. Every single one of us had little moments which are stashed forever in the memory bank. Paloma’s face when she first saw Glinda, my dad looking up at the lanterns in the trees, mom dancing around everywhere like Elphaba and Arlo skipping along the yellow brick road like scarecrow, and for me, just standing somewhere over the rainbow and then having snow suddenly appear.

With three generations of my family I convinced to cosplay with me, we wandered through the gardens together following the yellow brick road - laughing, dancing and just soaking it all in.

Webbs of Wychbold is super easy to get to, just off the M5, this trail is accessible, family friendly and I think great value for money.

Open now

Dates: 21st November - 3rd December (except for Xmas Eve, Xmas day and Boxing Day)

Time slots: from dusk around 4.30pm daily until last entry around 6.50pm

Ticket prices:

Adult 16 years from £17
Child 3-16 years from £11
Child 0-2 years from £0.00
Family Ticket from £53

SEN session on 11th December with reduced capacity

Full review is live on the blog now

17/11/2025

Merry Christmas Brum

You’re looking beauts this evening ✨

16/11/2025

25 Christmas Light Trails in the West Midlands and Beyond 2025

Looking for the best Christmas light trails near you?

This year’s updated guide includes:

✨Warwick Castle after dark
✨Trentham Estate Winter Light Trail
✨ Winter Glow Three counties show ground - Malvern
✨ Webbs of Wychbold - Enchanted Gardens
✨ Himley Hall and Park .hall - Enchanted adventures
✨ Luminate at the botanical Gardens and Coombe Abbey
✨ National Memorial Arboretum - Illuminated Arboretum
✨Biddulph Grange Gardens - Festive Lights
✨ Telford Town Park - Festive Gardens
✨ St Peters Garden Centre - festive light trail
✨ Blenheim Palace -

The guide features over 20 more magical trails across the Midlands and a little further afield for those who like a festive as well as updates to changes to some of our favourite venues

Find dates, ticket prices and more in my latest blog post.

The full guide covers every confirmed 2025 light trail in the West Midlands, East Midlands and nearby counties.

Read the full list via the link:

https://arloriverrex.com/christmas-light-trails-in-the-midlands/

09/11/2025

🤶

Day 1 – Thrifty Cricut Christmas

Handmade, pink, and perfectly personal, These reusable Christmas crackers are made entirely from cardstock, ribbon, and vinyl.

Based on a design by the fabulous I chose to use the font BFC Christmas cards to personalise these.

✨Cost to make: around £1 each
✨Time: 25–30 minutes for a set of 4

Fill them with sweets, mini gifts, or handwritten notes for a thoughtful touch.

I used soft pink shades with white vinyl and ribbon for a modern twist (and because that is what I had available) but you can switch to festive red and green or perhaps even kraft paper for a rustic vibe.

Ideal to use as a place setting for the table, or perhaps even as a fun gift box for your secret Santa. I’m tempted to make a few and place them in my Christmas tree for display too!

Project link: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/68fca8819806810a13330cc7

09/11/2025

☕️

Day 3 of Thrifty Cricut Christmas

This little Hot Cocoa & Gingerbread Station might be one of my favourite ever makes. Simple, cute and can be adjusted to fit whatever you already have.

You can find trays like these in charity shops, at car boots and in all the high street bargain stores and I love using a variety of different jars to fit whatever treats I want to include.

I use black permanent vinyl for this - most new machines come with a sheet of this as a sample so it’s the perfect project to start with and practice weeding and using transfer tape.

Would you make one of these for your kitchen, or gift it as a hot chocolate set?

Design space link: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/69071c08682aba6ac9065a1b

09/11/2025

🔔

Day 5 - Believe gift tag

Sometimes the simplest crafts are the most magical.

This navy and gold “Believe” tag is finished with a red ribbon and a little gold bell — perfect for gift wrapping, tree décor or handmade hampers. Quick to make, budget-friendly, and full of festive charm.

Is it too soon to start drinking hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies?! 🚂

Design space link: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/652ab35db727adacb77481f5

09/11/2025

🌲

09/11/2025

🧦

Day 7 – Personalised Stockings

For day seven of my , I’m sharing these personalised stockings - such an easy and affordable project!

Hobbycraft have a whole range of stocking blanks, including these velvet ones for just £3 each. Perfect for adding that extra bit of festive luxury without spending a fortune.

I always spend way too long scrolling through fonts in Design Space, and Christmas really is the best excuse to try something new/different.

These stockings only need a couple of inches of iron on vinyl to personalise them so again a perfect project for leftovers and offcuts, or for a first attempt with iron on vinyl.

Font used: BFC HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I’ve uploaded a simple project to design space just so you can find the font (I think I already have a new idea for a new hashtag too …. “Font feature Friday”)

Design space also has a menu within each individual project to show you which of its access fonts and images have been used in projects - so if you see something you like whilst scrolling through for inspiration then you can save it for use in the future.

Did you know that you can save your favourite fonts in design space by using the bookmark, just like you can for projects and images?

Design space link: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/6197ed709e28b3acb320ab82

09/11/2025

🐮

Day 9 - Acrylic disc decorations

Today’s make is a festive little acrylic disc featuring a cute gold vinyl design straight from Cricut Design Space. These blank discs are affordable and can be sourced in different sizes and colours too.

When I typed in highland cow, there were over 15,000 different design space images which came up!

To make this, just measure your disc, pick a simple image, resize it and and cut it out in gold for instant Christmas vibes.

By adding a gingham bow and you’ve got a handmade gift which gives off those Ralph Lauren Christmas vibes.

You know when you’re making something that’s guaranteed to make someone squeal when they unwrap it, and that’s the best feeling for a crafter. I love how these machines help me to spread that feature magic!

There’s a couple of other images I love to add to these baubles and have used in demo’s recently so I’ve put them all in one project for people to find on design space:

https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/68ea4d27a519280b4698bb3f

09/11/2025

🦌

Day 8 – Reindeer with chocolate nose!

Today’s make has been shared by my good friend - we found some fab shiny cardstock in last week which is just perfect for this project!

Each reindeer is made from shiny cardstock and personalised with a little extra white vinyl, making it a great way to combine two different materials in one make and these colours just pop!

The Curve Tool has been used here on the name in design space which helps to give the text shape, adding that extra touch of quality and professionalism to your finished piece.

This design uses a simple reindeer shape with a cut and a score which folds with enough space for a Lindt chocolate truffle to rest as the nose, creating a fun and affordable handmade gift.

A quick project with big festive impact, ideal to make in bulk batches for classroom treats, stocking fillers or table favours!