Christmas Goodies

I bet I'm not the only one who, despite loving Christmas, always feels like I've run a marathon!

We had a pretty quiet Christmas for us, only 7 for dinner, but we've been visiting friends and family, had family to stay and then rushed back to work. I'm tired, and missing the fact that I've got no crafting done at all, but we had a good time and I got some lovely presents, these are just the craft related ones.

All these from my OH

This book from my Wish List from my in-laws - now perhaps I can figure out what to do with all the excess fabric in the back of bodices!

And another from my son - I am very keen to get to grips with knits but I've been putting it off as I don't have an overlocker. Time to up my game I think, perhaps this is the best route to avoiding fit issues?

These from my daughter, isn't the hanger fab?

And these surprises from my good friend S

I know, spoilt rotten.

Despite this bountiful haul I might just have bought myself a little something from America ...

Isn't it beautiful? Totally inspired by the exhibition at Somerset House I've been trawling for patterns, vintage Valentino, fab-u-lous! I have just the fabric from Japan, what a happy coincidence.

I have so many plans for the New Year, I'm really looking forward to getting going.

I'm planning on making the version in red on the pattern envelope

This is Plan No 1, totally inspired by Sam's coat I'm going to tackle a simpler project but my first outerwear. I loved this version over at Kestrel Finds and Makes, when I first saw it nearly a year ago. I'm planning on lining it, although it doesn't call for that in the instructions. Now I just need to figure out the best method for pre-shrinking/steaming the fabric which is 70% wool.



Realistically, nothing much is going to get created until all our visitors have gone and we're back to what passes as normal round here. In the meantime I've made a start, I've watched the first 4 episodes of the Project Runway dvd - small steps!

Right, I'm off to Brighton for a surprise lunch for a great friend who is celebrating A Birthday of Significance. I'll finish with an entirely gratuitous Christmas photo of my OH and my little niece - just when I was all puffed up with pride that she can say my name I discover she thinks he is Auntie Jacq!

Wishing you the very best of everything in the New Year, Happy 2013.

Jacq

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A Christmas Tutorial

I'll be honest, there's not much crafting going on around here, definitely not as much as I'd like, but it's OK, I've decided to cut myself some slack. I have made 1 very complicated item, other than that I'm going to start afresh in the New Year, I have plans and lists.


Here it is:

A thing of beauty, don't you agree?

Now I'm sure you all want to make one so here goes, my first tutorial ...

1. Find an old hairband

2. Search your house for any old bits and bobs of Christmas stuff

3. Hot glue gun everything to the headband

4. Cover it in glitter

5. Add a bit more stuff and extra glitter

Optional extra - add bells for festive sound

And finally, go to dinner with your buddies

I've really enjoyed connecting with other crafters through blogs this year, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope that 2013 is a peaceful and happy New Year.




Jacq

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Happy John Denver & The Muppets Day!

I've mentioned before, and I know we're not alone, my family have many traditions at Christmas time. Some started when my children were small, others got added as new people joined the family - we like to be inclusive, there's always room for another special tradition!

This one dates back to 1976. I was 10, it was Brother Number 2's first Christmas and my Dad brought home a vinyl album. It has been played from December 1st every year since, on a daily basis through the Christmas period. It got a bit scratched over time, it jumps on one track and Brother Number 4 always sings it that way because that's how he learnt it!

As we've grown up and moved all over the place everyone has got their own copy. In Wales, London, Kent & California today is John Denver & The Muppets Day. We play it to put up the tree, we open presents to it, I wrap gifts to it, this is the background music for my family.

It's a proper singalong album - you cannot help but be festive. The world over we're all belting out The Twelve Days of Christmas - and Mum does the 'b-dum, bom, bom' Miss Piggy bit wrong every time ... For 36 years!

Enjoy!

JD & The Muppets 'Twelve Days of Christmas'

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The Great Christmas List Debate

I made what I thought was an innocuous comment at work and seem to have stumbled across a contentious issue!

My family all write Christmas Lists - apparently this is sometimes frowned upon.

The children don't, mine didn't when they were small, but there are so many of us we've all found it a really helpful thing to do as adults. Nobody expects to get everything on their list, there's still much whispering and secret planning because somebody has thought of the 'perfect thing' that's not on the list. But from a practical point of view, especially when many people are really cutting back on expenses, it's lovely to spend my hard earned cash on a gift I know my brother would love to receive.

My sister-in-law and I held the annual family Christmas draw on Saturday - instead of buying for all adults we each buy for one other - it's a fundamental part of our traditions, Christmas has begun!

This is absolutely on my Christmas list this year - does that make me 'greedy'? (source)

Does anybody else write a list?

:D

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Christmas Gift Planning

I know, the 'C' word twice in 2 days, I'm not even going to apologise.

If I don't get my head around gifts now I will be stressed to the eyeballs. Anyway, I like lists, in fact I love lists. And September through to December are really busy birthday months for friends and family too - just bad planning all these people being born in the autumn/winter!



I have a Christmas system (who'd have guessed?). I have a little notebook that I carry with me and I list who I'm buying for and jot down as I pick stuff up. Immediate family in the back of the book, everyone else at the front - basically I work towards the middle. This means I have several years worth of info in there and can ensure we don't inadvertently repeat an idea. I guess this sounds overcomplicated but we buy for lots of children, little ones get stuff passed down from older siblings - it's no good buying a game for Little A if we bought it for her big brother 3 years ago. And our Stocking gift model requires it's own rule book - makes sense to me but new inlaws have been mind boggled so I guess it's evolved over a period of time and it helps if you were in from the beginning!

I'm trying to move to using my iPad but am struggling, I do love notebooks, some kind of stationery fetish obviously.



To add an extra level I come from a big family, we gave up buying for everyone years ago. We each buy for one other person (little children get dispensation - for me Christmas is about the children, I love that they believe in the magical aspects of it, we keep that going as long as we can manage). This really works for us, we mix it up, try to make sure it's not the same person we're buying for every year, share ideas and aim for each of us to get one thoughtful gift parcel from 'the Tribe' and minimise the financial impact, it's all about the level of thought and effort.



Now is the time for this to be planned, it's a feat of negotiation but all part of the build up for us. And the master list goes in my book - yes, we did have one year when P and I ran round on Christmas Eve because somebody (Star Wars name Lando Calrissian for exactly this reason, cannot always be relied upon in a tight spot!) forgot who they were buying for - good grief.



Thanks to some travelling this year I already have a pretty good stash of novelty stocking gifts - result. I am planning to make some things too but I need to be realistic about what's achievable. So I'm going to keep a check on myself by listing on here, a combination of motivation and realistic expectations, not an easy balance for me.



I'm starting by signing up for Karen's Apronalong at Did You Make That? The Pyjama Party was great fun earlier in the year and I've got several potential recipients for aprons, and not insignificant amounts of fabric! I'm not going to buy the pattern Karen is using, I have promised myself I won't buy any new ones unless I stumble across a total bargain in a charity shop (ie under £1).

This is my 'No Buying Patterns until after Christmas Pledge'! It's out there, I'm sticking to it!

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PS - yes, I am the eldest sibling, I know, textbook case!

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