So This Was Christmas

A little Christmas over view from our house....

"What is it? Give it back!  It's mine!"

This dog is really cool.  You read the book & he responds on certain parts with a bark or a howl.  So cute. Plus the dog is really cute anyway.  

"oh wow!  It's Thomas!"

Chocolate letters, yumm...  table place cards this year!  Poor BJ had been bitten all over on the Friday & of course his eye swelled up more on Christmas Eve as is quite obvious here.  

Lots of fun playing Pop Ball with mum.

Our Little Family

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

Brothers

Big & Little = BJ & DJ

Hanging out together already....

Kids Handmade Christmas

The resources available online are amazing these days.  I've had a bit of a browse around blogland this week & found some terrific tutorials for all sorts of things.  One page that really had me hooked though was minieco.  

There are a whole load of things there for kids to do.  Not just big kids but some a bit littler too.  So, we had a go at these bird feeders!  I had everything in the house!  I had bird seed left over from our feeder that broke.  I think our visitors got too fat & the bottom fell off the top!  So along with the plastic cups that I had 4 of after making jelly last week & some lolly pop sticks & twine, I even found a block of lard in the fridge. Ready set go!  To see details check out the bird feeder details.  It really is easy!  BJ managed it quite well.  I did get the cups ready.  He did all the mixing & spooning into the cups yesterday.   They have been in the fridge over night.  

Here we have one ready revealed bird feeder.  We have 3 which is pretty cool, so each set of grandparents will get one on Christmas Day.

BJ wrote some tags & I tied them up ready.  They look pretty cute.  I have left them in the fridge though.  It's pretty warm at the moment & I don't really know how well they are going to hold up in the summer.  They probably really are more sensible for the winter but oh well, if that is the case it was fun all the same & it is something that BJ has made himself.

I can't believe it is almost Christmas already!  Only 3 more big sleeps!  But who is counting!  lol  

More Decorations

 Like we need more, but I can't help but buy these MDF pieces from Kaiser each year.  They brought out this cute sleigh this year.  Well I hadn't seen it before if it was out before.  I got it awhile ago & on the weekend had the sudden urge to make stuff.  So I went through my stash of scrapbook papers (yes I have a stash of those too, not because I scrapbook as I don't, but because I like them.  It's the paper version of fabric is it not?)  So I was very good & used what I had even though I didn't have much in the way of Christmas paper left & I certainly wasn't thrilled with the ones I had as I am sure there are much nicer ones available again but I was good & went with what I had.  So there you go.  I got to use some ricrac on the sleigh & some gold bells & ribbon which are on the front & you can't quite see the bow but can slightly see a bell.  It was good.  I am quite please.  At the moment it is under the tree, hopefully it will survive the week there.  On Christmas day it will go on the table with a few little sleigh pressies in it.  I do this now as a tradition instead of Christmas crackers full of rubbish.  So this is fun.  I get to find a little gift for the people that are coming for dinner.  All good fun!


I had to do DJ his own decoration with his initial on it too, so he got a gingerbread man.  These are the ones I did last year for the dinner guests.  I can't have him being the only one in the house without his initial on the tree.

 Then I found these Kaiser craft stockings.  They are quite large & probably too big for the tree but the boys won't care.  So once again, whipped up with stuff I had, mini ricrac, paper, alpha-stickers & cute green check ribbon!  Good fun!  So that's that done & I have had a little creative time during the weekend.  Yay!

Jelly Isn't Boring!

Especially if you are a kid!  We have been having the usual Christmas parties for the playgroups & stuff.  So what do you do for a bring a plate to a barbeque with dozens of kids?  Something easy for the kids to manage & hygenic for everyone without child handled food on the table ( I really hate that idea!)  Well most kids love jelly.  I had these plastic cups still from some other event.  So make a stack of green jelly, add to cups.  I got over-excited & then went & added ribbons to them all.  I got some of that squirty whipped cream.  I don't think I have ever bought that stuff before.  I had them all on a tray & added the cream before serving because it goes flat quickly.  The put the tops on & put a candy can through the hole in the top.  Quite cute & festive & it seemed the kids loved them.  Oh I did do some without cream too...  I know for sure that the idea is going to be used again for other parties next week, so there you have it - Festive Jelly Cups!


Glad we have run out of Christmas parties as the boys are just worn out already from all the excitement!

Where have the days gone?

Far out the days are just flying by aren't they? I have been trying to get on here to post this for a few days but life has taken me in other directions each time. I've had a sick big boy last week & a sick little boy this week so it hasn't left much time for anything else when all you can do is hold, snuggle, rock, comfort, not sleep & do a lot of sitting around.

Anyway, this is the finished Hitchhiker scarf that I did finish last month. I am quite please with it. I love the colours. I love the simplicity of the pattern & I love the effectiveness of it to wear. Come winter it should be quite warm & snuggly I think. In the mean time it is sitting at work on display. I used Magic Garden Classic Prints in 4ply from Naturally for it & really enjoyed using that stuff. It feels nice. I need to find something else I can use some of it for.

Last week I finally started a new ripple. Ahhh... the soothing & relaxing motions of a ripple blanket. Love it... I have been itching to start it for a few months now, but had to get my colours right. I have started now though ever so slowly with all that has been going on. But it's all good. I am just happy to be able to ripple away for even five minutes if that is all I get in one sitting. This ripple is for Dylan, so there isn't any hurry for it anyway as he isn't in a big bed for a long while. I just needed an excuse to start one, though since when I need an excuse I will never know! lol

Well it is a sunny Sunday so I should get the day started properly & see what the day brings - other than a treat in the Advent Calendar which BJ is thoroughly enjoying every day. At least I can get him to eat his breakfast quickly these days as he isn't allowed the treat until after he's eaten that. I really love this calendar though. I feel quite clever each year when I get it out again. I have to get another one now to make for Dylan I think. They are too nice not to have one each for them I think, though I don't think they are quite as nice as this one.

Happy Sunday to you!