Merry Christmas!

The late nights have paid off and I have finally finished all my pre-Christmas sewing!

At least I say "all" but only because I decided not to do half of it!

I had a moment of clarity the other day when I was feeling guilty about all the Christmas craft activities I had planned and failed to do with the little Lockets.

What I realised was this: when I was a child we always had a much longer holiday from school before Christmas actually arrived so there was time to do lovely things, whereas the little Lockets only break up a few days before Christmas so there just isn't the time to do everything.

I know I always set my expectations way too high each year but if I really want to do better next year I reckon I'll have to start preparing in February at least!

But I'm sure we will all have a really lovely Christmas with or without the homemade extras!

And I hope you do too!

Lots of love to you all, Lucy xxxxx

Christmas is nearly upon us and I'm nowhere near ready - even though I don't have to think about food shopping or catering as we always go to mum and dad's for the bulk of the holiday!

I've just got so much sewing to do:

• I still need to make a m_ _ _ _ _ _ _ for Daisy
• 3 S _ _ _ _ s for Fred
• and I've no idea what to sew for Dorothy although I may adapt a G _ _ _ _ _ _ pattern to make a R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ similar to one I've seen somewhere that I can't possibly link to right now because little people have inquisitive eyes!
• and I'd really like to make a h _ _ for Mr Locket (at least you stand a chance of guessing that one!)
  

But I'm pleased to say that some more Christmas sewing has been finished


Firstly a little doll from this pattern for my friend Jane's 5 year old daughter because she fell in love with the Lockets' friends from the summer


and a dog - of my own design!!! (hence the wonky legs and ears) for her 2 year old daughter who promptly said "My Dog!" when she opened it!

I also managed to knit Jane some super-long wristwarmers and bought her this beautiful stitchery pattern to get her well and truly hooked!

I have been busily corrupting Jane over the last few weeks/months by getting her nearly as hooked on sewing as I am so next time I will show you the lovely eyemasks she has made for the children and some of the other lovely things she has been doing. I can't show you the eyemasks this evening as the children have naturally taken them straight up to bed!

Talking of lovely sewing, I was very lucky to receive a totally unexpected surprise in the post last week - a parcel of goodies from Maria!


Thank you so much Maria - I was so delighted to open such a lovely parcel!

And I'll leave you tonight with a rather strange photo of our rather strange (and very titchy tiny, teeny-weeny) Christmas tree because I love the shadows cast by the paper chains!


Happy Christmas!

A tribute to Melly and Me!

PHEW!!!!!

I have finally finished the sewing that I HAD to do before Christmas!

I can't tell you what a relief that is!

Now I just have a mountain of things that I NEED to make and REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT to make in the next 7 days!

This post truly is a tribute to the wonderful design talents of Melly and Me - I love their patterns so much - and so do all my friends it seems!!!

So let me please introduce you to Dilbert's cousins

Philbert

and Lilbert

who are for two of Fred's school friends after they fell in love with Fred's birthday present.

And accompanying young Lottie from a couple of posts ago, may I introduce you to Blossom


(a rather brighter and more brilliant version of the one Dot received for her birthday!)


And finally, a photo of Dot herself - a poorly girl, who spent her days lying on the sick bed sofa stitching away on another Melly and Me design which will have to remain a secret for another few days!
Hopefully I will be back again before Christmas day but just in case I'm not I'd like to wish all of my lovely bloggy friends a very, very HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Lucy x

Oh no!

It's only 2 weeks now!!!!

Sorry I'm being such a bad blogger - I just don't seem to have time to write posts and lots of the things I should be working on are presents so I can't show them.

I do have some Christmas-sy Little Locket photos though

first up is poor Cinder-fred-erella cleaning out the fireplace


child labour I know - but he looks fairly happy with his lot doesn't he?

Then we had a visit from Father Christmas himself this evening!


He came to help raise money for the Rotary Club as he does each year - but he's never actually come to our door before - I think he took pity on the littles in their p-js!


and whilst the littlies were being entertained by the big man himself, my gorgeous Dotty Locket was at her first disco at "big school"

I know I'm biased - but doesn't she look gorgeous?


And here she is modelling the new hat I knitted from this tutorial and the scarf she knitted for herself! This chunky self-patterning wool was so cheap but absolutely beautiful!

And talking of beautiful things leads me to a wonderful discovery....................

Amy Butler fabric at our local John Lewis!!!!!


I just couldn't resist!

And today's closing photo illustrates the fact that children just love cardboard boxes!

I just wish I had a photo of when Daisy was "harnessed" to the box (with my scarf) complete with musical reindeer antlers while "Santa" Fred (complete with hat) sat in the box directing her! Unfortunately the box died before I got a pic :o(

Starting to be Christmassy

Oh my goodness - it's only 3 weeks tomorrow until Christmas Eve!!!!!


Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhh!


There is so much to do and I seem to have left it all to the last minute again (no surprises there!) so I'm feeling a bit panicked.

The one thing that is making this a better year than normal is that I made the decision not to do any craft fairs - in fact I haven't done one since about May I think. Unfortunately I still have a fair few commissions to do but I've decided to prioritise those that HAVE to be done for Christmas and the rest can wait because I really want to make as many of the Little Lockets' Christmas presents as I can (along with a few others for friends and family too)

I'm quite happy today because I have finally finished this lovely Melly and Me ladybird


I say "finally" because I started it ages ago but then had that long period where my wrist was hurting too much to craft so it didn't get finished in time for the recipient's birthday so it has become a Christmas present instead.



The other thing I managed to finish and post was my Christmas swap present for Vanessa - this is the main thing I sent (along with a bag and some buttons)


I used the free Wee Wonderfuls Elf Stitchette - I just love that design!

I'm also pleased because I seem to be more organised about doing crafty Christmas things with the children. At the weekend Dot had the chance to go and spend the night at Granny and Grandpa Dog's house so Daisy, Fred and I made some of Michaela's mincemeat:

here they are displaying Fred's "ingredient sculpture"

and then we have the stirring photos


and then Fred decided we needed to have a "cute" picture too


And so I don't leave Dot out all together here is a photo of the Christmas card she designed and made for a school competition. She was getting stressy about her drawing "not being good enough" so I suggested that she use her talent for collage instead.


I love the way she has used all the different greens (lots of them from the Boden catalogue) and lots of Christmassy text for the snow.

In other Christmas-Crafty news, we have a little matchbox advent calendar that I made last year and in each day there is a chocolate coin and a little activity. The first one was to make mincepies and I left the task in the capable hands of Mr Locket and the Littles, but I don't think I will publish photos of how they turned out!!!!!!

Tonight we will be doing "fingerprint robins" so come back next time to see how they turned out!

P.S Do you think 9 Advent Calendars is a bit excessive????