Merry Christmas

My first Christmas cake is all decorated  and we have been sitting eating crackers, cheese and the sweet chilli jam I made in November.

Hoping  Santa will make an appearance later

Merry Christmas

snowman poop

Normally by this time of year I have made lots of different Christmas things, this year I've not been feeling well and  really  can't  be bothered,  but today I quickly made some bags of snowman poop.

Tags are from this website here  

http://area512.htmlplanet.com/xmas/snowmanpoop.html

The bags I used were small because I couldnt find my larger ones and ended up using cake pop bags. For the snowman poop I used Cadburys snow bites.  1 bag for each bag of poop.    I really should have made the tags smaller because I ended up with huge tags and small bags lol

I really will have to put a bit more effort in next time.

Sweet chilli Jam

My sweet chilli jam that I made at the end of November now has a jam lid cover and tag  and is ready to be wrapped and delivered.

the recipe for this jam is from the link below

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8257/sweet-chilli-jam

looking forward to eating the  jar of jam I am keeping  with cheese and crackers.

Christmas craft swap

I recently took part in a Christmas swap.  This is only the third time I have ever taken part in a swap and I always get panicky that people are going to think what rubbish is that she has made.

The item I made was a bunting garland type thing. I made one for myself as a bit of a test to see if it looked ok.

Here it is on my mirror in our living room

It is made from crochet stars and red felt hearts.

Apologies for the next photos which turned out blurry. I really should drag camera out of cupboard instead of using ipod. (maybe that could be my new years resolution)

This is the gorgeous item I received!!

It is currently on the back of my chair because the colours look lovely in my living room but I will be moving it to our table in kitchen on christmas day and at new year.

first attempt at decoupage stars

Today I had my first attempt at decoupage stars. I saw them at  http://www.makeitandmendit.com/2011/12/11/how-to-make-christmas-decorations-from-old-cereal-packets-and-junk-mail/  and thought it looked easy and something nice I could make later this weekend with the girls.


I used an old magazine for the decoupage  (a Christmas one so there were lots of red and green),  cardboard from a box of cereal for cutting out the star shape and matt mod podge glue.

I still need to attach a ribbon or piece of string to it to hang it so in the meantime its just sitting in the tree

It looks a bit like there is a santa face at the right side of the star, there isn't lol

Hurricane Bawbag

Hurricane Bawbag struck us last night. The noise the wind was making was very scary. When I put on my outside light and looked out I could see my shed doors had been ripped off and it was just a matter of time before the fence went as well. I ended up sleeping on the sofa (not that I got much sleep).  The noise and the wind blowing through my closed bedroom window was too much to take.  Thankfully the kids slept all the way through it!!

While I was looking out the trampoline started moving off the patch it sits on.  If only it had moved earlier it could have held shed doors in place lol

Diy Christmas tree chocolates

I saw these gorgeous little chocolate teddies in tesco. Attached a metallic string to the back of them and now I have lovely little teddies to hang from the tree.

monday night knitting

In the process of knitting handwarmers with leftover aran I had from making my hat.

The pattern is from here and better still it is free

http://blueskyalpacas.com/patterns/one-cable-mitts-free-pattern/

praying I have enough wool for this because I want to make them for a present.

Tis the season to get ..... ill!!!

Had a few weeks of  me and the kids feeling ill. Every time one of us got better another seemed to get ill again.

On the craft front I have been busy making hats.


The teal one comes from a book called  celebrity slouchy beanies and the white one was made with free wool and a pattern from lets knit magazine.

How the teal one looks on

This morning I have been making  sweet chilli jam

I use this recipe http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8257/sweet-chilli-jam   its really easy to make and tastes lovely with all kinds of cold meat or crackers and cheese.

I will be eating mine over the Christmas and New Year holiday.

One jar will be for us and I am thinking of giving the other jar to one of our family members. I get really nervous at the thought of that in case I manage to make someone ill lol

candles obsession

I have a slight obsession with candles but some of them are so expensive. On Thursday we went to lidls and they have some gorgeous candles at not totally out of it prices. (loving the red stars hoping they still have some left next time I am in)

                                                                  gorgeous tealights

  < angel candles in this corner

So pretty it was very hard to chose. I ended up getting two packs of tea lights but they both look too nice to burn.

Im getting into the Christmas spirit and cant wait until dec to start decorating.

Christmas lights and Christmas crafts

A few days ago we had a visit to a garden centre which was all done up for Christmas (it seems to come earlier every year!!)

They have an area filled with all kinds of lovely lights and light displays which you enter through a lit up tunnel.

I especially loved the Toadstool lights 

and the shabby chic style lantern

the polar bear and penguin display looked lovely and my mum couldnt help herself and went and bought a little penguin.

first time I have seen a donkey wearing wellie boots

while I was there I couldnt help but pick up a few bits and pieces for Christmas

A few days ago I bought a bundle of felt and some other bits and bobs from the felt fairy 

http://thefeltfairyuk.blogspot.com/

I have been busy making a few different bits and pieces 

Soup, sparklers and sausage rolls

We went up to my mums house yesterday for a Halloween/bonfire night celebration because my husband is away in a few days and will miss bonfire night.

We had a very yummy meal of soup and not just any sausage roll its a m&s sausage roll which we ate in her summer house.  My step dad had a heater and a hob to keep soup warm, and Christmas tree lights for lighting so it was all very cosy.

summer house being built

unfortunately our picture of the summer house lit up didn't come out too good. Might have been because camera was on firework setting.

The fireworks pictures however came out really good even with me taking the pictures.

and everyone even the grown ups had fun with the sparklers  

when we came home we carved our pumpkins

vampire pumpkin

jack the pumpkin king

and this poor little guy ate too much sweets at the party!

vomiting pumpkin

when all of this is over we really need to dust

Tiny Christmas stockings

Dk yarn
4mm double pointed needles
small buttons
coloured thread
Stockings measure approx 3 1/4 inches from top of stocking to tip of toe.

cast on 16 stitches over 3 needles     you should have stitches placed like this  5.6.5  
knit every round until piece measures 1 1/2 inches
knit 4 stitches turn and purl these 4 stitches and a further 4 stitches, you will now work on these 8 stitches to make a heel flap. ( pop remaining stitches on to other needle).


Heel flap

stocking stitch 4 rows

k1, slip 1 k1 psso, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1
p1, p2tog, p2tog, p1
knit 2  with new needle knit the other 2 and pick up 2 stitches down side, new needle knit across middle needle, new needle pick up 2 stitches up side and knit first two stitches of this round.

on the three needles you should have 4.8.4

knit 1 round

knit 3 put last stitch on to middle needle k2tog then pass back to first needle.  k6 move last stitch on to last needle and k2tog leave on last needle knit toend.     4.6.4

knit 3 rounds

knit 3 put last stitch on to middle needle k2tog pass back to first needle. knit 4 pass last stitch on to last needle k2tog  knit to end.   4.4.4

knit 2 rounds

k1, k2tog,k1  repeat for all 3 needles

knit 2 rounds.

cut off length of yarn and pull through remaining stitches you have on needles. Sew ends in.


I did a crochet length to hang these up and sewed a button on to the front.

Getting into the Halloween spirit (early I know but I got excited)

I'm enjoying decorating for autumn.

 I have already carved a pumpkin   ( I have another giant one to do for Halloween)

even one of my candles is a pumpkin

and we have  tealight candles like nuts that are too pretty to burn

little dried pumpkins in the potpourri

even my knitting has taken on an autumn feel

I've gone slightly crazy :)