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!

Snow day!

Yes here in Kent the world was brought to a standstill for approx. 2 nches of snow. Both of the children's schools have shut for the day so we had no choice but to stay home and play.

we made snow angels

and a snowman

we went to the park sledging.
Then once we got back and warmed up I did some of the jobs around the house which have been waiting for months for me to do. I made;

1. Stephanie's new dressing gown, she is very pleased with it.
2. sorted through a bag of clothes I was given for Stephanie
3. I tacked down the edging of the laminate floor
4. I hung my mirror on the wall
5. and i made this:

Yep, my very own draft excluder. It is made from left over fleece and is stuffed with old pillow innards and scraps of fleece. So not only is it eco helping to keep the drafts out, it is recycled too. Not bag huh?

Ok I know its far from the prettiest draft excluder you ever will find, but it does the job and cost me nothing!

homemade Christmas

Ok so our christmas won't be totoally homemade, but I am trying to make it so as far as possible. In this spirit we have been making some decorations today, here have a peak;

to go on the tree

Stephanie's first real sewing

The pro in action

the finished products

making chains

Did you notice Stephanie getting right into the spirit in her santa dress??

Not long now. I have looked through my hidy places and Stephanie has 5 presents, Dylan has one. I also have a few knick knacks for each of them. I had every intention of cutting back our christmas shopping this year and my dire financial situation due to a string of recent unfortunate events means that I am absolutely broke and so the christmas cut backs are now enforced cutbacks!

Chistmas is coming.......

Today I have been and got Stephanie the christmas present which she has been asking for for months! So am looking forward to a very happy girl come christmas morning. :-)

We visited the library this morning and got some christmas inspired books. I found some craft ones, am feeling rather inspired by this one christmas decorating. it has lots of fab ideas for making wreaths and table decorations. We will be going for a Sunday walk tomorrow to see what items we can find to use. I really want to make a traditional christmas wreath, so according to the book I need to find some;

1. pine spruce
2. twigs
3. fir cones
4. sweet chestnuts

I know we found sweet chestnuts on the ground in September so am not feeling very optimistic about inding any tomorrow- or do they have a very long season? (I suspect not!)
Even if we find all the things I do not think that my attempt at making a wreath will look anything near as gorgeous as the one in the book, but miracles do happen- right??

Stephanie and I spent some time this afternoon making christmas crafts. We made these;

aren't they great? My Nanna taught me to make these snowmen many years ago, so it seems only right that I continue with her teachign and ensure that my children knwo how to make them. Dylan was lucky enough to make them with my nanna when he was young, unfortunately this is not something Stephanie has been able to do. Both children have agreed we should leave one at my grandparents grave so that it is christmassy there. So anoher reason to visit the churchyard tomorrow, or Nanna's garden as my neice has renamed it.
Keep watchign fo rmore christmas crafts over the next few weeks.
I also need to make Stephanie a new dressing gown as we seem to have totally lost her NEW one. I have some fleece which will be perfect for a dressing gown, very snuggly and warm. The difficulty is that the pattern I have is for a 7 year old, and Stephanie is in 3-4 year old clothing. I measured her this evening and she is waaaaaaaaaayyyyy too small for the pattern. So the evening has been spent searching the internet to see if I can find a free pattern with no luck.
That leaves one option I need to work out how to alter the pattern I have so that it fits her. That will be my mission for tomorrow when she is up and about and able to be measured against. unless anyone knows a pattern I can download- or has simple instructions for altering the existing pattern?

Answers in a postcard please? (or a blog comment will help!)