Getting ready for December

Tomorrow is the start of nativity so today, whilst Toby is at school, I have got most of my decorations out to see what I like and will put out this year (kitsch, blown glass baubles, bright pastels, white, snow covered trees and huge paper pompoms) and what I need to get (snow frosted fake tree, angel for the nativity, special kitschy glass baubles for our annual collections). I also started wrapping gifts with white thick tissue I have in for wrapping my sculptures, bright candy coloured ribbon bows and Toby's Christmassy stickers.

I love the colours this year and am so excited about putting them all up and making the pompoms from the gorgeous tissue paper ;)

This Friday my sister and I are taking the boys to see Father Christmas on his sleigh arriving in Knutsford to turn on the lights (and drink Mulled Wine from the stalls) and at the weekend I will cover the table and floor as well as an excited 3 year old with oilcloth and transform an empty wine box into a stable to house our inherited family nativity set, with paint, scrunched paper, straw and moss...so exciting ;)

Autumnal Cheshire

Spotty Freddie

I spent an hour or so this afternoon with Toby hand cutting circles from my fabric stash, stitching with contrasting coloured threads and attaching buttons to one of Freddie's old tops for his spotty clothes day at Nursery tomorrow for Children in Need. Toby chose the buttons from my button tin and helped chose the fabrics and felts and I did the rest. He says he particularly likes the birdies in the tree and the flowery button ;)

I just love it. It really makes me smile.

Toby has a glittery pudsey temporary tattoo to wear to school tomorrow for his Children in Need day and insisted on lending Freddie his yellow Pudsey ears from last year *bless*

Crafty Nana Kits

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a copy of Boots' Christmas gift catalogue and whilst flicking through it noticed a kit for a felt cake stand and 3 cakes that I thought looked ridiculously like my work...then I realised it is my work!!


In Boots!!

*squeal*


So I emailed the lovely Tai at Crafty Nana all excited and asked if she could send me a set (my little village Boots is not stocking it sadly) and yesterday I got one in the post...along with a London Bus one I did a while back that has also been put into production.


This has been a ridiculously exciting week!

I also received a proof of a photograph taken by a leading London photographer using my pieces to tie in with the Olympics in good ol' Blighty next summer but I'll share that tomorrow as I think I may have to go lie down and cuddle my cat before my head explodes x

Bonfire Cakes

I just wanted to show you the bonfire fairy cakes I made for the children on Saturday. I love them and they were happily munched.


EDIT: I have been blogging from my phone for the last week but it is only now, on my friend's computer, that I can fully appreciate how bad the photos look...so I will have to organise another way of taking and editing them (though I am hoping to be able to afford our very own computer soon *excited squeal*)

Happy Guy Fawkes Night x

The Calm before the Storm

The excitement and anticipation of fireworks finally overtook Toby & Earl.....


...I'll wake them up soon as Nanna will be here shortly to go to Aunty Ruthie's for sparklers, bonfire cakes and baked potatoes.

All Hallows Eve

Last night our little home was visited by ghosts, ghouls and other scary beings who helped themselves to sweeties from my hot pink plastic bread basket before politely saying thank you (do witches normally say thank you?) and wandering next door.

Our only real decoration was the little ghost Toby made (with a little help).


Roll on Bonfire Night on Saturday. Truly one of my favourite evenings of the year. That feeling in my tummy as the fireworks bang, thick sticky slices of Parkin, bonfires, Mum's chilli and hot salt encrusted baked potatoes.

Ooooooooooooo...