Man I am so busy at the moment!

As I'm sure you are aware that season is upon us. Yes there are only 36 sleeps til Santa comes now which means I am up to my neck in Christmas presents. Where is my pack of elves to help me sort all this? This year I will be making everyone's gifts. I tried this last year and failed miserably. I took too much on and had no organisation at all. This year I've been a bit better but I'm still starting a bit later than I would like. I just can't get into the mood for Christmas presents til November.

I've limited what I'm making this year to food, soap and a few sewn/knitted goods. Food is a good one as I can do a lot of it the night before we go visit people rather than having to have all this stuff done ages in advance. I've got some jars of chutney and jam for some people and I'll do biscuits, cakes and maybe truffles for others. I have 3 different kinds of soap curing at the moment which will be wrapped up prettily for various folk. For the 4 small children in our friends group I am making soft toys; a bear, a mouse, an owl and an turtle. For friends I am planning on making some messenger bags and needle rolls for those who knit. For my Niece I'm going to make accessories and maybe a make up brush roll. I am a little stuck for my Nephew so I'll have to ask his mother for ideas. I'm going to stencil a tshirt for one of our male friends (boys are so hard to make for I think). For the cold pawed of my friends I'm going to make some wristlet/mitten things using this tute from Erin at Luck and Bliss. Charity shop jumpers here I come!

All this in 36 days. Plus I need to make my dress for our Christmas party which is on the 10th. Yeah I've taken on too much again. The frustrating thing is none of it will take too long as long as I stay motivated. With this in mind I joined Crafty Christmas Club. I'm hoping that presenting my goodies to the group will motivate me and all their pretties will inspire me. So here's counting!

Oh, and one more thing, I need to make an advent calendar and fill it my the first. I think I need a lie down.

9 sleeps til Santa comes

Ah single figures. Not long now. I think most of my office is actually counting down to the 10 days we get off work. I have to admit to being one of them. Its not been that long since my last days off but man am I ready for a break. I like my job, don't get me wrong. But it's not really the industry to fit into my ideals and my latest project has been terribly sabotaged by pretty much everyone else involved. Well, that's surely an exaggeration but it feels that way at times.

Christmas is always an emotional time for me. My favourite part/ideal of Christmas is the feeling of goodwill that it should inspire. It's a time for spending with those you love and helping those less fortunate. That's what it should be about anyway. These days it seems to be about making up for not spending time with those we love and what we are getting as gifts.

I know I certainly don't make as much out of the Christmas spirit as I would like to but I am finding I am more able to now that ever and intend to look into what programs I can get involved with next year. Maybe a knitting for the homeless project, or some kind of soup kitchen type thing.

I am a very lucky person. My health is pretty good, I'm in a better place financially than I have been in years, I'm in a loving relationship and I have a good relationship with most of my family. What more can a person ask for really? I feel I should really help those who are less fortunate than myself. So that is one of my aims in the new year. With that in mind I leave you with a quote I heard on the radio today which struck me as very apt. If we, as a species, were able to follow this a little more the world would be a happier place. I'm not sure that our species is really capable though.

From each according to his ability, to each according to his need

10 sleeps til Santa comes

Ah we are finally at the point where I can count in sleeps :o)
Christmas is upon us and even though we're not really celebrating in my house I still like the season. Well, certain aspects of it. I hate the rampant commercialism of Christmas. Advertising campaigns that start in July to get us buying stuff we don't need. The anxiety over getting the "perfect" gift for everyone. The endless wasted packaging.

I am making all my gifts bar 2 this year. That is 2 boys getting a bottle of wine each because, frankly, I have no idea what to make them that they might like and need. I have put thought into all my gifts and a little bit of love too :o) I hope they are used and appreciated. I hate it when I am given something that clearly is not what I would like. Smellies are my pet hate! Hopefully nothing I give will make anyone wonder "what on earth was she thinking"?!



With this in mind we are giving Spadgersdottier money this year. Well, we're putting it in an untouchable account for her. She isn't too happy about this as no 8 year old would be. But she has things from last year that she hasn't touched in a year. She has quite a large family so there will be no dearth of presents to open. We've asked all the family on our side to put at least half of what they were going to spend on her in this account and buy her something smaller with the rest.

Hopefully this Christmas we can start to instill a different message in her apart from that of gifts for "me". I'll save what I like about the season for another post.

As to the baking marathon I have now completed another 4 dozen mince pies, one batch of lebkuchen and have 2 lots of shortbread waiting for caramel and chocolate. I'm getting there!!!!

Christmas decorations

Well today is the 12th so our Christmas decorations have gone up. We haven't got Spadgersdottier this year so we have decided to go very minimal. Due to our Kermity ways we don't have any lights anyway. Nor do we have any tinsel. Last year we had our plastic tree decorated with home made paper chains, salt dough ornaments and a few baubles I had inherited from a shared household. Well we bought a very tiny live tree which we are going to grow to a suitable size but this year it (Frederick) is far too small for many decorations.

Me and Spadgersdottier sat down and made snowflakes which we hung on paperclips and attached to Frederick. I think he looks rather spiffing.


Now Spadger and Spadgersdottier are making a bird box we got free from Tree O'Clock. As you are aware we no longer have trees so not sure where it is going at the moment.