Our lovely Family christmas

This year none in the family was particularly looking forward to christmas due to my lovely Nanna dieing in November, all of us at some point would have been going to visit her, she really was the monarch of our family. For my aunt and cousin Christmas without my Nanna would be particularly bleak as they lived with her all their lives and as such have never had a Christmas on their own.
Christmas is a time for familys. So I am pleased to say that all though Nanna was obviously missed we have had a lovely time anyway. My sister, her husand and my neice have been staying with me for a week and a half already and are likely to be here at least another week. My brother came to stay from Christmas eve and went home yesterday evening. On christmas day I had 11 people (including myself) to cook for. I was a bit nervous of this as its rather a few more than my usual handful of people. I realised my table was too small and I had a too few chairs. However with some planning and resourcefulness we all sat at a table in the kitchen. It looked like a scene from Goldilocks. With 3 differently sized tables being used. The dinner was a complete success as well.
After dinner we went to a different aunts house for tea and to play games. I was asked to take along my wii so that we could play that. Oh my did that wii provide some entertainment. It is one of my most extravagent purchases but we LOVE it. And now so do the rest of my family. I think it would be good if we all made an effort to have a regular family day where we get together to enjoy games (elctronic or otherwise).
I am now looking forward to next christmas when we will be able to do the same again, with another adition to our family (my cousin is 20+ weeks pregnant).

I have had such a lovely Christmas and was particularly pleased when both of my children said they have had their best christmas yet.

Despite the extravagances we have indulged in, I have managed to have a Christmas where I have considered my eco tryings! The thing I have done which can be considered eco are;

1) buying some of my gifts from ebay (second hand).
2) buying my vegetables from a local box scheme
3) buying a free-range organic turkey from my aunts friend who has a local small holding.
4) cutting down on the amount of presents I have bought, and limiting them to ones I am sure they will use a lot, and will last.
5) My sister has brought her dogs with her so there has been little in the form of food waste!

Merry Christmas to you all.

do you have odd socks or holey socks?

There always seem to be odd/ holey socks at the bottom of the clean wash basket. Tonight I found something to do with them!

Thats right I made these little stars for the children's advent tree treat. They are made using some small peices of fabric I had and stuffed with a sock from the bottom of the wash basket. What a great way to recycle something that drives me mad!!

a little treat!

I decided a few years back that I didn't want my children to see advent as getting chocolate out of a calendar each day, the chocolate being the excitement rather than getting ready for christmas. So I got them a reusable advent calendar each and I fill it each year with little treats, such as christmassy hair clips etc. A few years ago (pre-Stephanie) I got Dylan a small christmas tree for his bedroom and each day he got a little decoration for the tree so that by christmas his tree was decorated.
Due to space issues I have not done  this since having Stephanie. Now we have moved to a house and they have a room each I decided I would od that again this year. I bought the trees and they got those the other day. I also got some small decorations in the shops, but as I am trying to make things for myself and be more self sufficient I want to make some of my own.
Bewing slightly disorganised this year these preperations have not been done yet. So I am spending the evenings tryng to organise the next days treat. Tonight I have sat and sewn 2 stockings for the children whils watching christmassy programmes. Now they are not perfect but they were made with love. Meet treats in box number 9;

Now I need to think of some more ideas for other days. The thing I love about these tiny decorations is that they are using up my tiny scraps from other projects. Very eco!!

A lovely new bag!

I started sewing my hexagon quilt together again this week, what with the enforced stay home due to the snow. I found a problem though- my bag I had been storing them in since I started back in the summer, has become someone un-bag-like.

So to find a solution to the problem where did I turn? that's right GOOGLE- how did we survive before the internet?

Anyway I looked through ots of sites until I found something I liked that looked as though it would work for my sewing problem when I found this site; changing bag I thought fab! its just what I need I'l over look the fact it is designed as a nappy bag because the pockets are useful and it looks good.

Next I went through my fabric stach and found the beautiful floral fabric I ordered from here Stefanie at etsy back in the summer. Armed with the printed pattern and the fabric I made this;

I LOVE it! it looks slighty orangey in the picture, it is actually my fav colour- red. I am so impressed with the bag I need to find a more weatherproof material so that I can make one as my handbag!