Pre Festive Preparations

Hi everyone, I have started writing this post at two minutes to midnight on Christmas eve, having just finished all my Christmas chores and preparation. I thought I had done it all last week but then when I started thinking about it there was this and that needing to be picked up from the shops, a few cards I had forgotten and calls needing to be made and so forth! Oooh! It's just turned midnight! Merry Christmas everyone!

Anyway I thought I could jot down some of the things I did on the lead up to Christmas so you can all see how unprepared I was and maybe as a reminder for myself to get started with my preparations FAR EARLIER! July should just about do it!

Back in October my partner and I had a conversation where we agreed we would sit down and work out our Christmas list so that we would know what we needed to buy for each person, work out a budget, and most importantly I could work out what I was making for whom! We never got around to it in the end so I started working in November on some handmade gifts for some of our friends and family, and left the rest until later, as one does!

Here are a few of the things I made...

These guys were fun to decorate!

A boy's stripey scarf

Two little girls rainbow scarves

One of many kinds of biscotti!

Monster hat and scarf set. GRRR!

Man hat in manly colours!

girly owl softie

Ladybird Beanie - Cute!

This took ages! A rainbow capelet. Worth it though!

My Christmas cake! The first year I made one.

A rainbow bracelet for a cupcake fan!

Mince pies on Christmas eve!

Converse booties - a Christmas commission!

rainbow set for a one year old tot! small is always sweet!

When I look at it like that it seems I didn't do too badly really! It has been exhausting though and next year I have promised myself to pick a couple of patterns which I can mass produce and start in at least September making them! Famous last words I know!

We shopped for the other items and gifts we needed last weekend and cleaned our home from top to bottom this weekend so we can laze around at Christmas without guilt! I now feel prepared but I'm not looking forward to waking up in the morning in time to put the bird in the oven! Better get some sleep! 

I hope Santa brings all of you what you asked for and you have a great Christmas break with your families or relaxing with a break from work. See you in the New Year!

Pinspiration

Well we spent ages updating our blog and making it really pretty for you to see when you visit, and then ran out of steam when it came to writing a post! Sorry about that everyone!

We haven't done much pinning for a while either so I sat down and started searching for a few of the things which have piqued my interest over the last few months...

I love the colours on this one!

I have been looking for some cowl patterns to crochet and started one, but am not sure of how it is looking. So one of my searches was on crochet cowls and I added a few of these to our crochet board.

OMG how cute!

I then remembered that yarn bombing was coming up a lot recently and I have been given permission by my boyfriend Mr D to yarn bomb his big office chair! I now need to work out how to do it and what colours I want to use etc. and so far I haven't got a clue! So... I have started a yarn bombing board on pinterest and will be doing a bit of googling on techniques.

Making trees even more beautiful! Who would have thought it could be done!

This is the kind of thing I want to do to my office chair!

Whilst I was looking at yarn bombing I found a few links to Freeform Crochet images. These things can be amazing! I really want to learn how to do this now too! Maybe I will try a flowery cushion cover or something. I think a few youtube tutorials may be a good idea on this before I get started!

Towards the end of my pottering around on the web I stumbled across this GLORIOUS ta-dah! project unveiling on Memerose's blog. It is so beautiful. Oh no! I feel another blanket coming on and I still have two to finish! Must be strong! I did a bit of digging and the pattern for the tiny hexagons (only two rounds) is on BunnyMummy's blog and is really well photographed at all stages. Very tempting!

memerose's masterpiece!

So now I am bursting with inspiration but find myself running short of evening with which to put it into practice! Ah well it is the weekend now and then Christmas! I am a lucky thing and have the middle days off too so I am sure to find time for a bit of hooky!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and have lots of crafty times! Us birds will be back with some snapshots of our Christmas makes and hopefully our lovely festive dinners from the big day! As if you wont all have seen enough of that kind of thing by then!