Favourite thing Friday

My Organised Kitchen Cupboard

I love looking at my one really tidy, white crockery cupboard.

If only the rest of my cupboards looked like this :)

Merry Christmas

I want to wish all you blog readers out there a very merry Christmas.

In the words of John Lennon "So this is Christmas, and what have you done. Another year over and a new ones just began" (sorry if this is not word for word).

This is a great time to reflect on the past year, count your blessings and remember JESUS is the reason for the season.

Mini albums

Another gift finished. For a few family members who wouldn't appreciate a photo key ring I have made these mini albums.

Very simle but effective.

Favourite things Friday

RETRO TEA TOWELS

Here is just a small part of my collection. I love them because they tell a story of yesteryear. These ones I use.

but, these ones are purely decoration.

What a day!!!!

Miss Lulu (nearly 3) climbed onto her brothers highchair and promptly fell off, head first onto out tiles. There was screaming (and that was me), and blood, and more screaming. My husband had to take her to the doctor as I was too upset. Anyway, Miss is fine and nothing broken, just bruised.
Then, in the pm my husband rang to see if we could look after a 6 month old for a couple of nights as the mum is on drugs and the dad in jail.
So we have a very cute addition for the next couple of days.

AHHHHH! The lead up to Christmas. You gotta love it :)

Favourite Things Friday

Dee of sew-funky is doing Favourite things Friday.

So I decided to join in.

This week it is MY BED

I love my fluffy cushions (or as we call them Emu bottoms)

I love freshly laundered white cotton sheets.


But most of all I love bed time.
I LOVE MY BED!!!!

Felt Pen Holders-blog roundabout

Last year my two girls were giving felt holders made by Dee of Sew-funky who saw the tutorial here on One Red Robin.
They have been taken on car trips, to church and anywhere else a little colouring is required.

So this year I am making some for my nephews for Christmas. I hope they get as much use out of them as my kids do.

Funky Orange Aprons

For the tweens in our family I have made these aprons and I am including a boxed cookie mix for Christmas.

What kid doesn't like fresh, hot cookies straight out of the oven :)

More Santa Sacks

These are the last 2 santa sacks I needed to make. Well...half make, as they are pillowcases and I just monogrammed them, as we wouldn't want santa getting mixed up now, would we?!!!
Now all 4 children have new santa sacks. HO HO HO.

Christmas Santa Sacks

My husband was brought up on the tradition of having a santa sack on the end of the bed that is filled with little (cheap) gifts that can be played with straight away. So we have continued the tradition. I have never wanted Santa, Father Christmas, The Jolly Red Man taking the credit for the gifts our children get. So, this is a good compromise. Santa brings the little gifts and leaves them on the end of the bed and mum and dad get the kudos for the real pressies.

Is it just me who thinks having a fat man in a red suit sneaking around your bedroom late at night is a little scary.

Pajama pants blog roundabout

I saw some children's easy to make pants on rookiemoms.com who saw them on red current and thought "I can do that".
My 12yr old daughter really needed some pajama pants and I remembered these pants that I had seen (they were made for a toddler though) . I used a pair of pajamas shorts as a template and whipped these up in about 5 mins each. I can honestly say these were the easiest thing to make ever especially with the detailed photo instruction that rookiemoms.com gives.

Christmas stockings

I have made some Christmas Stockings for our 2 new children. I am really pleased with how they turned out. Our other 2 children have stockings that I brought at a craft market and they look similar. Not long now before Santa slips in the cat door (we don't have a chimney) and fills the stockings with yummy goodies.

Homemade Holidays

If you haven't already checked out Sew, Mama, Sew! blog then do.
Over there you will find a fabulous list of tutorials and present guides all in one place.
If you wish you can also participate by sending in your great ideas for a handmade Christmas.

So please, please, please check it out. You won't be disappointed.

49 Sensational Skirts

If you haven't seen this cool book yet by Alison Willoughby, I recommend you do. My friend Dee from sew-funky lent it to me and I love it. It contains great ideas for making and accessorising skirts. I am so going to make something and accessorise it with sushi rolls (pg 59).

Piggy Love

Those who know me well, know I am a Porcine fancier.
So, it came as a lovely surprise today, that two of my friends gave me piggy stuff.
My friend Dee gave me these gorgeous materials inside a homemade piggy bag :)

This one above is my favourite and it says Exercising is good. Accessorising is better.

Dee made this gorgeous bag below out of a top. How clever.

Then my friend Vicki gave me this adorable hand painted pig that has a new home on my bookcase. Please excuse the mess on the table ;)

Dogs look up to you. Cats look down on you but pigs treat you as equals.

Our Christmas tree

I always put my tree up on the 1st of December and this year was no exception.
I have to admit that I am a bit anal when it comes to my tree, so I decorate it
and the children get their one to decorate.
Because of our 2 new kiddies (and 1 naughty kitty) I have enclosed our tree this year :)

Advent

Advent started this Sunday. This is my Advent wreath (not quite traditional).
Each Sunday the children take turns lighting a candle, we have our reading, prayer and fun activity.
What family traditions do you do?