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????

A thank you post

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on my last post - it is so nice to have such caring friends. I will be trying to reply to each of you in the next couple of days.

I've been feeling quite a bit brighter - partly because I am beginning to attack my "to-do-list".

I am busy making a boy "betty bunny" - not sure what he is going to be called yet, and have cut out two more Dilberts - only these are called

Philbert


and Lilbert


I have also stitched the central panel for Rachel's mini quilt and have started my Russian Doll swap present for Emma.

I have a craft fair coming up in two weeks at a local kindergarten which will be a fantastic place to showcase some of my "made from children's clothes" toys - although I have set myself a totally unrealistic target of things to display and things to sell. I just have to accept that I am being unrealistic and not get too down when I don't manage to do everything.

With this craft fair in mind I got some lovely fabrics this week - firstly from The Fat Quarters where I took my friend so she could choose the fabrics for her son's dinosaur herself (see Philbert above)
I think these ones would be great for a wallet


and I expect you can guess what I plan to make with this!


And these came from this ebay shop


I love these Michael Miller retro prints but I wish the designs were smaller so I could use them on wallets as I'd intended. I think they will have to become parts of bags or pencil rolls instead.

I also bought this fab pattern


because I thought it would be a good one to have for little people.

I've spent most of today's crafty time turning and stuffing doll and bunny limbs (my very least favourite part of too making) but I took some time out to make jam with all the strawberries that I keep bringing home from the allotment - I got another 4lbs yesterday too!


I used Michaela's instructions - and she is right, it was so easy and so quick and I now have 4 jars and two little pots of the most delicious jam for the grand price of 70p for the sugar as the strawberries were free.


Following Michaela's instructions to the letter I then had to make some scones (not something I have ever really done) and although they were disappointingly flat they tasted scrummy!


And I'm getting excited now as it is not long until the conclusion of Dr Who!!! Please don't let them take David Tennant away! He is so fantastic - practically fizzing with glee and such fun to watch!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend - ideally a much drier one than we are having too!