Christmas Fairy

Stuck for a gift idea? This came from a friend of ours (thank you Sarah).

Inside the lid is the recipe for cranberry and white chocolate cookies.

Bloody brilliant!

Traditions

Our favourite thing to do at this time of year is to take comfort in making

our own decorations & wrapping paper, we also love to make our own jams/chutney's etc.

Big D and I have done this since little P was born.

It's fantastic now that she's 8, because she is wholeheartedly involved

in both these traditions.

When you have your own household traditions for Christmas,

beyond just decorating the tree, it seems

to take the edge off the mass consumer mentality that goes on

outside the home. Yes Christmas is a mad time of year, and people really

go crazy with the spending ... trying to fill a void maybe? keeping up with

the Jones's maybe? What ever the reason, it's just stuff, it's not going to

make you feel any better about life. Where as actually making stuff can,

there's something comforting about getting out the

hand made decorations every year, they are without

doubt, our most favourite!

It really doesn't take much time to make things,

and they aren't going to be 'perfect' but that's

where the love is .... hopping in the car,

driving to the shops, finding a car space blah, etc

takes a lot more time, and a lot less thought.

(pics from Family Circle 'Homemade Jams & Preserves' brilliant book).

Grow some baubles.

Baubles, hand made fabric ones ... simple and easy to make, good for using up scraps.

I was doing paper mache with Little P, which naturally lead on to

'fabric mache' - photos soon from that experiment!

Hip (H)op - happy!

Orange and white floral and spots, linen mix I think.

Geometric pinks and orange.

And my favourite ... stripes.

Also found this rather fetching piece. Love the cross-stitch effect.

Made in Japan, cute as a button!

Santa - The Biggest Loser?

I wonder which cafe they will congregate at every Sunday Morning?

Found at the oppy - too good to pass up!

Flashback ... of the craft kind

This is the first thing I ever made.

I made this kitten when I was 9 years old, at Zetland Primary School,

Redcar, in Northern England.

I gave it to my Gran, and it lived at her house, until she died,

then it came across the sea, to live with me.

13 years ago ...