If you’re someone who enjoys trying their hand at DIY or delving into a creative upcycling project, chances are you’ve stumbled across Stacey Solomon’s Instagram account at one point or another.
Documenting her home renovations on social media, the Loose Women and Sort Your Life Out presenter’s willingness to get her hands dirty has gone down a treat with her online followers.
Transforming her £1.2 million Tudor-style Essex home Pickle Cottage room by room, 33-year-old Solomon’s crafty videos have amassed millions of views.
From adding a lick of paint to wardrobes to building bespoke picture frames and mirrors, the hints and tips she serves up in her tap-to-reveal social media posts are seemingly endless.
Now though, the former Queen of the Jungle is set to turn her hobby into a brand new festive BBC show.
Returning to our screens, together with husband and fellow presenter Joe Swash and their five children, Stacey Solomon’s Crafty Christmas looks set to entertain adults and children alike.
Packed with creative makes and crafty projects suitable for the whole family, Solomon is also joined by Sort Your Life Out co-star Dilly Carter as part of the one-off special. The piece de resistance? A Christmas grotto for her whole Essex neighbourhood to enjoy.
Ahead of the festive one-off special airing on BBC One, PA's Danielle de Wolfe caught up with Solomon to find out more:
Stacey, what specifically appealed to you about making this show?
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love crafting – and there’s no better feeling than giving someone the perfect gift. DIY gifts mean so much more, and they save a bit of money too.
Craft is as much about the therapeutic effects as it is creating something beautiful, isn't it?
Crafting is something I can really lose myself in. Life for many people is really fast and busy, and when I craft my mind has to focus on the task at hand. You can have all these thoughts running around in your head but you have to push them to one side to focus on the thing in front of you. It’s so relaxing.
But it can also be daunting if you're not naturally artistic - any tips?
It’s fine if it goes wrong… that’s part of the fun. I’d say the bauble wreath is one of the easiest crafts you can do. It’s literally threading baubles on a hanger. It’s minimum effort and maximum satisfaction because it looks really posh.
Where do your ideas come from?
I will look anywhere. There’s so much online now – Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram. I’ll be inspired by anything and everything. I’m trying to adapt the ideas I see online to make them even simpler, and I’m trying to use things that everyone has around the house. The bauble wreath is something I’d seen on TikTok but they were using different materials. We decided instead to use a coat hanger – everyone has one of those.
We meet Dilly Carter too, was it fun to work alongside another incredibly creative person?
Dilly is so savvy. Even when you think that an idea is a good one, she’ll either tell you an evolution of that idea, or why it won’t work. She elevates everything. She doesn’t just look at things that are aesthetically pleasing, she actually finds things that will make people’s lives better.
What was your favourite part of the show to make?
Me and Rex made these marbled baubles by dipping them in old nail varnishes in a bowl of water, which I thought was really cool and really easy. He loves messy play so it kept him occupied for an hour. He didn’t leave the table. He’s three years old and his attention span is questionable, but he loved it.
With Christmas just around the corner, what will you and the family get up to this year?
Lots more crafting, of course. I’m yet to make my Christmas door. But I’m most looking forward to spending time with Joe and the kids. It’s been a busy year so I’m excited to wind down and just do nothing.
Stacey Solomon’s Crafty Christmas will air on BBC One and iPlayer at 8pm on Thursday, December 15.
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