Christmas decorations

Here are some of my favourite christmas decorations that were hanging from our christmas tree! If you have been reading my blog for a while then you will already know - I love reindeer!

A mixture of shop bought, vintage and handmade!

New christmas eve pyjamas - purchased last minute in tesco on sale. I like new pj's any time but there is something fantastic about new pj's on christmas eve, adds to the magic of it all I think!

Reindeer plates, all purchased last year - I haven't found any this year, and it seems they need to be square!! I think it could be difficult to add to the collection but I will keep trying!

Lastly my gingerbread house - there were many problems along the way but I am very happy with the end results!

Christmas 2012

Happy Christmas - I had a fantastic day and was truly spoilt (I am going on a plane to barcelone in 9 days - I have never been on a plane before and I am very excited!!)

Handmade gifts - I did rainbow cookies in a jar and chocolate on a spoon to melt in to hot milk to make hot chocolate - stir with the candy cane for mint hot chocolate!

Hope you all had a good christmas!

Gnomes take over

I may have gone slightly over the top with the gnomes but I like it!!! They photographed so well and I could make them in to so many patterns!! Then I found a new use for them - someone at work suggested we wear christmas jumpers for out last day - so I added a gnome to one of my old cardigans (I will try and get a photo for you) This inspired me to make t-shirts for my nephews and one for my brother!

Happy christmas to you all!

Gnome enterprises

This weekend I setup Gnome enterprises! I had a production line going in the craft room! I sat and cut out lots of gnome parts, then ironed them all together with interfacing. That was it for Saturday as we went to Cardiff in the evening, for a wander around the town and to look at the christmas lights. We drove the scenic route there and saw snow covered hilltops - it was lovely.

Sunday came around and then began ALL the stitching - first thing was stitching all of the faces on and then it was the applique detail. Finally the finishing touch of a button or bell was added to each and they were done! There was a little break in the middle when my sister and nephews came to visit and then me and Manny popped out to the M and S food and Sainsburys (we had headed out for the local car boot but it wasn't on this week :( we shall have to wait for the new year!)

There will be a christmas tree and wreath post next - no more gnomes for a bit I promise!

Reindeer advent

This is the advent calendar my lovely sister got for me. She knows I LOVE reindeer and so this was the perfect christmas countdown for me! You add a new piece to the scene everyday - it is very well made and will be brought out every christmas!

Christmas wreath number 1! I made this at a friends for her front door the night we had a christmas party - it is the first time I have made one using a moss ring - I think it turned out OK considering it was out together quite quickly! it has holly, mistletoe, ivy and pine cones - everything for christmas! Wreath number 2 pictures will be up shortly! Here is last years wreath

Christmas tree purchasing

 We went to Oxford Friday night and stayed over for the night (travelodge had a £12 sale!) by chance we pcked the night they were turning on their christmas lights so there was a funfair, market stalls and entertainment. It was a cold but fantastic night. We then returned on saturday to do some christmas shopping in the lovely side streets, which hold some fantastic non-high street shops!

On the way bac to Gloucester we spotted a christmas tree farm and stopped off to get ours - perfectly sized for the back of my tiny car! Decorations are still being added as we get them, or when I have made them! I will show you a picture of the tree when it is a bit fuller!

I had to show you the 2 latest gnomes! The bottom one is my favourite one so far, but each day I have a new one!

Christmas gnomes

I have a tale of christmas gnomes for you all! It started when I wanted to do some more christmas crafting - I remembered from last year some fabric that I really wanted to get but didn't - it was by happy zombie and featured this little man gnoma claus 

So then came about my little christmas gnome - appliqued fabric scraps and a stitched face. I was so proud of him! From then on everything had to be red and white and it was all I could think about!

Christmas gnome went to Ross to visit my grandma and he came with us for a trip in to the town, where we found the perfect matching baubles for the bargain price of 50p. I walked proudly around the streets with them in my basket - people must have thought I had gone mad!

I knew that there had to be more gnomes - so the next one was created! Then due to it being the day before advent I decided gnomes had to wait whilst I finished of my other christmas project - my own advent calendar. I have never down quilting before and it is not perfect, the lines aren't straight and the whole thing has a bit of a wobbly to it but I am very happy with it and it will come out every year!

Today another gnome joined the group, so now there are 3. My plan has been to make some for christmas presents but so far I cant seem to bring myself to give them away - I am also not sure everyone has the same view on them as I do and perhaps it is just me that loves them and is often daydreaming about making the next gnome!!

Sunday

Same mincemeat as before, but this time different wrapping!! Two presents in one, vintage doily to decorate the lid! 

I am off work all next week and can't wait. I am hoping to fill it with baking, crafting and shopping for christmas presents! I started some of the crafting today - below is how far I got!

Buzzing bee

This is one of my latest creations, a present for a friends birthday, I am really enjoying using felt at the moment and need to restock my supplies!

I am currently sat on the sofa with a blanket and a nasty cold, no felt shopping for me!! If anyone wants to send ice cream to soothe a sore throat that would be lovely!

Cupcakes

I made these last weekend for a friends birthday, I love how different the little cupcake surrounding makes!

I am getting a bit excited for christmas and am looking for some felt decorations to make - or any decorations really! I have done lots of baking so far but no crafting!!

Home made mincemeat

My first attempt at making mincemeat. I think perhaps the decoration of the jar went better than the mincemeat! I didn't quite have enough apples but hopefully it will still be lovely!

I have been trying lots of different christmas recipes , the first few were with shop bought mincemeat which inspired me to make my own!

Mincemeat cranberry and pistachio whirls - they were delicious and I froze half the batch before cooking it so there are even more to come!

Day - who cares he will be here soon!!

In about 5 hours he should be home!! My last day was spent at work and then at the cinema!!

This was the morning sky as I got up for work - beautiful and pink!

Biscuits cooling!

Sorry the pictures aren't very good but it looks good up!

I'm off to sleep, or stay awake I just don't know yet!!

Day 10

The bunting was finished (a picture will follow tomorrow) then much tidying happened - I managed to fit in the time to make some biscuits - fork biscuits discovered on The Quince Tree blog

Then it was my turn to do the car boot - it was very very windy but it didn't put people off buying which was good!

Then I laid out a few gifts ready for Manny's return!

In the evening I watched Vicky Cristina  Barcelona, chasing Amy and clerks!! I am trying to fill the days as much as possible so they go by quickly!!

Day 9

Saturday  - I spent the morning doing some tidying and I popped to the range to get some ribbon and then to the car boot to help my mum and dad set-up! The afternoon saw me meeting up with my friend Rhi at her dad's studio

Then there was the evening! I had invited a few friends over for films ad nibbles! There were nibbles but there was no film, instead we melted records, made pompoms and sock owls! It was a good evening and everyone went home with something home made!

I also started to put up some of the welcome home decorations!! Pom poms, paper chains and bunting!! Tomorrow more will be going up and then Monday will see the animal balloons go up!!