Counting down

Only 3 more sleeps, 3 more times of asking "How many sleeps till Santa comes?", 2 more days to forget to buy sausage rolls, 1 more present to buy (I hope) and hopefully NO more lists!

I was on the cusp of a Christmas spreadsheet you know, a plan of which presents for who from who was right up there, a necessity given so many relatives decided to send me money with which to buy presents for the children. Spreadsheet crisis averted, and a very tatty list of lists in hand, I have Chrisrmas sussed. *smug face* Well, when I say sussed, it would technically be more accurate to say delegated. The Mr has a list for tomorrow that he caught sight of earlier. It is fair to say his Christmas spirit was suddenly lacking.

And while we are counting down, only 10 more sleeps until another year of 365project is completed. 741 days of photos done, 10 to go. Well actually an infinite number of days to go. I'll still be snapping daily snippets next year, to my children's delight, catching them caught in a moment, or posing them artistically, whichever suits my mood, or causes most embarrassment.

For example, this week we have feral poseurs...

... Ghostly torch walk poseurs...

... caught unawares but still posing...

... Disdainful 'have you taken the photo yet because its your turn' pose... 

... posing nativity shepherd...

... not posing at all so gave up and used an inanimate object for today's subject...

... mass posing/crushing...

... and another week of me snapping, them posing/dodging the camera to come. 

Join The Boy and Me to follow other 365ers

And Make Do and Push for The Week That Was Instagrammed.

My favourite Twelve Things Christmassy

~ sings to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas ~

In the run up to Christmas

Center Parcs asked of me

My favourite 12 things Christmassy

On the twelfth day of Christmas my favourite things would be

Twelve hours of laughter

Eleven facebook greetings (LOL)

Ten toes toasting

Nine IG tree shots (#nofilter)

Eight Baileys on ice

Seven snowflakes falling*

Six cracker jokes boom-tish

Five gold sequins

Four leftover sausages

Three excited children

Two weeks free of school runs

and a Christmas special Downton Abbey!

*In truth I am hoping for more than seven snowflakes. At the Center Parks Winter Wonderland they use 2700kg of artificial snow which would be a rather nice addition if the weather doesn't oblige..

I hope your Christmas brings you all your favourite things too x

This is my entry to the Center Parcs and Tots 100 December challenge. If I’m chosen, I would like to visit Sherwood Forest.

I could tell you but then...

 ...I'd have to kill you.

Not exactly in the spirit of Christmas you might be thinking but when it comes to hiding the Christmas presents my lips are sealed. Over the years, my hiding places have had to evolve into ever more cunning and elaborate cubby holes, evolve at a pace faster than my eldest child's imagination and ingenuity.

The back of the wardrobe is no longer safe, not even under the shoes boxes containing the heels that I can no longer wear without fear of falling or blisters.

Under the bed is a favourite hiding place, for children that is. Hide and seek sees them fighting over who can squeeze between the occasionally used suitcases and my stash of crafting goodies.

The loft has potential but the sound of a ladder being extended and the delicate footsteps of Santa's reindeer on the ceiling may just be too much for a three year old to bear at midnight on Christmas Eve.

The garage? Would definitely be an excellent hiding place. As long as I left a trail of glitter. I still haven't found the crabbing buckets I started looking for in July.

We do have a shed and I know for a fact that they would never think of looking in there. Not because it wouldn't occur to them but because of the family of spiders that have taken up residence. I may put up some Christmas stockings in the shed for the spiders actually. If I wasn't scared of the arachnids myself I would definitely use the shed to hide the presents.

I have had a dry run with the Big One's birthday presents in the back of the Mr's wardrobe. Hah! He so didn't think of looking there but then he spotted me putting something away and wouldn't let it lie. Twenty minutes of grilling and me sitting in front of the wardrobe doors later I admitted defeat and removed the 'something' and handed it over. He was less than impressed with the Argyle socks I've bought for Dad for Christmas, but at least he stopped his nagging.

So where oh where will I hide his satsuma, bag of chocolate coins and rubber ball?

Right in full view, in the toe of his stocking in the fireplace, to taunt him and teach him a lesson.

And should Santa deem that he has been well enough behaved over the last 12 months to grant him a Christmas gift, then he can keep it tucked away in his grotto with all the other presents until Christmas Eve when he can hand deliver it down the chimney. Because he still believes, and long may that remain so ;-)


This post is an entry into the Hudl Christmas cheer competition.

Tesco's Handmade Vintage Christmas

Back in July, when the mercury was hitting 30 degrees in London, I entered into the Tesco's Christmas Grotto to get a sneak peak at what they had to offer for Christmas 2013. I was expecting to see a range of lovely designer inspired Christmas decorations and gifts and a table laden with delicious fare to eat on Christmas Day. I wasn't disappointed.

I just love the deer cushions and I'm sure I could find a home for the lit blossom tree.

What I wasn't expecting to find was the array of vintage inspired and handmade delights to adorn my tree. There was even a hint of kitch which are on my 'must have' list.

Tesco have really scuppered my plans for Christmas this year. I love making things, creating something from some scraps of fabric or some wool but this Christmas it looks like I don't need to because the range has some amazing handmade decorations which I would have spent hours crafting.

I'm sure I could bluff it and convince everyone I have been stitching bird decorations out of my Dad's old tweed cap and wrestling wire coat hangers into bird cage card holders.

Not only that but I am going to amaze some guests this Christmas with my new found confectionery skills when I milk the big Tah-dah moment unveiling these cakes and confectionery.

Admittedly they may not believe I hand carved the chocolate turkey (!) but Yes, I was absolutely up till 3am tempering my chocolate and hand dusting my marzipan fruits. Oh and that cake. Yes I've been feeding it brandy since August. The thing is, the Tesco Christmas Cake has been drinking brandy for months just like you would do at home if you didn't have three children and your need to drink the brandy was far greater than the need to get a cake drunk.

The attention to detail that goes into the confection is astonishing. You see that chocolate cuff around this cake...

Well it has been especially made for Tesco so that it doesn't shatter as soon as a knife even so much as winks at it. It is flexible. And edible. And delicious.

I did get some crafty inspiration though. All I need is two dozen packets of assorted biscuits, 12 blocks of chocolate, 3 kilos of sugar and scaffolding. Gingerbread houses are so 2012.

And should I find myself with 120 eggs, 6kgs of castor sugar and a week I don't know what to do with, I may just whip up a few meringues to build a Christmas Tree.

Happy Christmas list writing x

Disclosure: This post is part of the Britmums project with Tesco.

What I have learnt about Christmas - The 2012 edition

Two days left and I will have completed my 365 project (ok, technically 366).

What I have learnt about Christmas - The 2012 edition:

• Adding a dash of homemade trimmings to a present generates a satisfying amount of oohs and ahhhs on Christmas day.
• You can have too many lights but too few just looks lame. *adds lights to the sale shopping list.
• An 8 year old likes to think they they are too cool for toys, but they love them and will happily play with a toy garage bought for the three year old.
• Boxing Day at Burghley for a brisk stroll is a Stamford tradition (especially if you take a flask of coffee laced with Baileys.) *cough
• It is never too cold to walk on a beach.
• Window shopping is not just for grown ups and you are never to young to appreciate quality cookware.
• It is possible to buy three pairs of shoes for three children in the sales without tears or too much damage to the bank account.

I'll be back again next week with the start of my new 365 project!

I'm joining in with my fellow 365'ers who never let life get in the way of a good photo over at The Boy and Me.

My photos are in my album on the 365project site. I'd be so happy if you went to take a look.

Silent Sunday

Tis the season to be thrifty...

Tra la la la laaaa
La la la laaa.

Sing along now!

What thrifiness can I impart on you today in the run up to what will be a thrifty Christmas and a nifty thrifty New Year?

First of all I want to share two awesome finds in my new favourite shop Wilkinsons. I went to a different store than I normally go to and found some amazing stuff to help get Christmas swinging and thought you may want to see my finds so that you can hop along there before I buy all their stock!

This heart door hanging (can't call it a wreath really, on the basis that it isn't a wreath) was only three Great British Pounds! How incredibly good value is that?

I am now torn between hanging it on my front door for the next 30 days or install it as a permanent feature in my living room.

And this cute pack of magnets which should be adorning every single fridge in the land was only £1.2(something). I've lost the receipt and there isn't a price on it but the website says £1.50 so I think mine was discounted! (Double Yeah!)

Not only was I wowed by the Christmas and gift ranges but I have a further dilemma and need to decide between these two wallpapers for a feature wall on our stairs.

I am a great believer in good value and I have to applaud Wilkinsons for 1) managing to delight it's customer this week (me) and 2) for coming up with fresh and desirable products in what was a fresh and clean store.

I am only writing this post because I was so impressed and have not been paid or received any products to review.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Well not quite. You see it isn't Christmas until it snows (according to those wiser than myself and of younger years) and so far this year we have avoided the white stuff.

Two Christmases ago, we woke up to a good old dump of snow, and as is traditional in our house, we set off for a quick walk with the dog between a late breakfast, and round two of present opening. We donned our wellies, new Christmas hats and gloves and carved a path through the snow drift at the end of the drive. (Of course that is an exaggeration but we always exaggerate about snow in Britain.)

As we turned the corner at the top of our road, we came across an ice castle. Nothing so humble as an igloo. An actual, 7ft and still rising, ice castle.

The architect and builder had even fashioned ice windows.

I was supremely jealous of his snow skills right up to the point when my toes went numb and the lure of a log fire and mulled wine drew me back home.

I can't wait to see if it snows again this Christmas and to see if our snow architect has submitted plans for his ice castle again this year.

I'll keep you posted.


Joining in with The Gallery and the theme of Christmas at Sticky Fingers.

365project Week 48

I am not the person I was four or five years ago. I do not have the disposable income I had four or five years ago. I have discovered a love of crafting and upcycling. My Christmas shopping list this year hasn't been compiled from the great gift guides of our favourite retailers.I am on a thrifty mission. A mission to craft my way through Christmas. Yes, I will save some money but I will give what can't be measured. My time and love and thought.

And a lot of time and love and thought has gone into my week.

My Bagpuss mouse, unearthed at the school Christmas Fair, sings "We will find it. We will bind it. We will stick it with glue, glue, glue." This is my new mantra.
My paperback Christmas trees sold out at the fair.
Sometimes the greatest pleasure is free: watching the wee one squeal as he runs.
A cup of tea. Cheap as chips and oh so perfect.
Handcrafted (squished and squashed) salt dough Christmas decorations in production.
A fast paced walk to school burns as many calories as a custard cream biscuit (probably). Who needs a gym membership?
Crocheted snowflakes experiment turns out better than hoped.

I'm not a Bah Humbug kind of person, but the exuberance of Christmas is definitely looking a bit tacky this year.

Hope your Christmas preparations are coming on nicely x

I'm joining in with my fellow 365'ers who never let life get in the way of a good photo over at The Boy and Me.


My photos are in my album on the 365project site. I'd be so happy if you went to take a look.

Silent Sunday

How To Make Angels and Christmas Trees From A Paperback Book

It is a sad fact that even charity shops have to pulp books after their pages have curled on the shelves too long. Incredibly not everyone wanted to read Mills and Boon 'Christmas Nights' by Sally Wentworth. If I was Sally I would be gutted.

But I have found a craft so simple, so easy, even those missing the craft gene can do it. And in the process we save unloved books from a fate worse than landfill.

Turn unwanted and unloved paperbacks into Christmas Trees and Angels.

I should warn you though, there is one problem making these, especially for a book worm. The temptation to try to read as you fold the pages is IMMENSE and you may find yourself drawn into a fictional world unwittingly. If you resist, these decorations can take less than half and hour to make. If you are sucked in, more like 72 hours.

Here are examples of what you can do with that unwanted fiction...

Simple Christmas Tree made from The Yellow Pages:

Embellished with a little gold spray and a Star:

Blinged baby!

Here's how.

You want a paperback that is about 120-150 pages long (that is numbered pages, not leaves of the book). If you have one longer, just tear it in half. I know that this goes against all things literary but take a deep breath and rip. Now rip off the cover and bend that spine back. If anyone is hyperventilating at the thought of mutilating a book, have a paper bag on stand by.

For a simple Christmas tree.

Fold each page so that the top right hand corner folds down into the middle of the book.

Then fold the page again so that it meets the middle of the book.

Turn this folded page over and fold up the triangle that is sticking out at the bottom.

Tuck this in.

Carry on doing this for every page.

It will get a bit difficult towards the end as the folded pages increase the volume of paper at the spine but try to get each fold into the center of the book. When all the pages are folded it will stand up on its own in a tree shape.

To embellish it, paint with a little glue and add a dash of glitter.
Or lightly spray paint it.
Add a bauble star.
Make an origami star.
Add tinsel. Okay maybe that is a step to far.

To make an Angel:

Fold the first 20 leaves of the book as if you are making a Christmas tree. Then fold the next 5 or 6 leaves upwards, varying the amount of the second fold for each page to create a fan effect.

This is one of the angel's wings. Continue folding pages as you did for the tree until you are about 25 leaves from the end. Then repeat the upwards fold for 5 pages reversing the order of the fanning effect in order for your angel's wings to be symmetrical. Fold the remaining pages as you did for the tree.

To complete the angel glue a bauble on the top for a head or a polystyrene ball or ping pong ball. You can spray paint it or glue and glitter it to create your desired effect.

You don't have to use a book if you find you cannot bring yourself to do it. You could use a quality magazine (as long as it has a glued spine) or a catalogue.

These are seriously easy and hopefully I have inspired the bloggers who are making decorations in aid of The Society of St James, a charity for the Homeless. If you want to know how you can get involved to add a little Christmas cheer for the homeless of Southampton, then visit Mammasaurus blog to find out more.

Cheap as Chips Christmas

On a budget?
Feeling the pinch?
Or just plain old skint?

I am on the hunt for thrifty Christmas gifts, decorations and Christmas crafts having just spotted this present idea on City Girl at Heart. Her idea of framed Puffin Postcards is really lovely and I love that you can really match the Puffin postcard to the recipient showing how much thought went into your £1.53 gift!

I made this fabric cover for a notebook the other day for a friends birthday present and I am going to make a few more for more Christmas gifts. Tutorial here.

I may change the notebook for a diary or address book to mix things up a bit. Rebel aren't I?

And last Christmas I got creative with some magazines and catalogues and made Christmas trees with them.

I have also made stars and angels.

But I am on the hunt for more thrifty Christmas gift ideas, new or charity shop finds, recycled or re-purposed, homemade or bought. Have you been scouring the Internet for bargains, or traipsing through charity shops for vintage finds? Are you a crafter and busy making gifts? Have you set up a sweat shop to get the kids making decorations for Christmas?

Come and share your "Cheap as Chips Christmas" finds!

Please link up to this one time only Cheap as Chips Christmas bloghop and lets get Christmas in on budget!
Don't forget to add this badge to your post, old or new :-)

I can't wait to see your ideas *excited face*



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