Designing Christmas Danglers

Hello all.

Yes that is Christmas ribbon in the picture and a Christmas tin. Now lets make something clear; I don't do Christmas until December. I don't want to see it or hear about or even think about it until the 1st December. I think it stems from working for Marks and Spencer for half of my life. You certainly see plenty of Christmas if you work there I can tell you. I suppose you could say I have an aversion to it normally but... I have been invited to take part in a couple of craft fairs and although I don't usually make many Christmassy things, I thought it might be a good idea to include something a little bit festive on my stall.

So on went the thinking cap and out came the sketch book. Last year I made some Christmas garlands; some little housey ones and some little hearty ones but I really wanted to make some little robiny ones but I just couldn't get my little robin sketch right! (top picture) Now I'm the kind of girl who secretly likes a challenge and really doesn't like to beaten by said challenge. So I thought I'd have another try this year (picture above) and whip-de-do! I've cracked it! Hoorah!

This little robin is perfect. Just what I wanted, all fat and fluffed up. Feeling I was on a bit of a roll I had a go at a Babushka doll too. Not bad at all if I say so myself.
Out came my felt stash, mostly donated by my best friends mum a couple of years ago, thank you Mrs B.
Hey Presto! One little, fat, fluffed up robin.
Four, little fat, fluffed up robins.

OO! a whole flock of little fat, fluffed up robins.

Ok I'll stop now with all the f's now.

Here's little Miss Babushka.

And her sisters.

I luuuuurve these toadstools. Not necessarily Christmassy I'll grant you but I didn't want to make the usual green felt Christmas tree with buttons stitched on. I thought these would still look good hanging on a Christmas tree but were a bit different. The same with the Babushka dolls.

All in all a nice little distraction from my Christmas wreaths. I'm still having trouble with them...

Till next time.

love Fi x

Our Journey to School.

The photos are gloomy snaps of our 16mile journey to school yesterday evening as it was starting to get dark, so apologies for the blur.

Yesterday evening was on one of my least favourite parental responsibilities...parents evening. I hate them with a passion and as my youngest child is now in the 6th form, it came as a bit of a shock to me that I still had them to attend.
I didn't think to start taking photos until we were about a third of the way through our 16 mile journey, but I thought you might like to see what the hills looks like on a gloomy October evening about 6pm-ish.

We'll be driving right down that valley in front of us, from Yorkshire over to Cumbria. This is our nearest school with a 6th form and #2 does this journey there and back every weekday on the school bus.

My objection to parents evening is that they seem to be a waste of time, both mine and the teachers. I've been enduring them for 12 years now so I'd like to think that I'm entitled to my rather negative opinion of them. Now then my two beautiful children have always been shall we say average at school. They've neither particularly shone at anything or on the other hand particularly had difficulties with anything. They have never been in any trouble or caused any trouble. So I really don't see the need to be summoned to school in my time to queue up to see a teacher who's appointment system never works, only to spend 3 minutes sat on a plastic chair being told that my child has no problems and is doing fine and all is on track. Thank you for coming.

AAAAAARGH!

'Ah' I hear you say, 'What if your child did have a problem or was having difficulties'.

Well dear reader in that case I would expect the school to contact me immediately not wait until the next available parents evening (which is sometimes several months into the school year). The same would apply if my child was found to be excelling at a subject and needed extra work to stimulate them. It all feels too much like they're just going through the motions. I wonder if it would be better if the parents evening was reserved for those who really need it, parents of children who do have problems and difficulties or ones who are minor genius. They would surely benefit from an extra 3 minute 'appointment' with the teacher... they could have mine!

The river is on the left just out of view weaving it's way alongside the road. In the summer there are usually people camping here. We drive through 7 tiny hamlets on our way.

Here at last! Its getting quite dark now. Thank you for enduring my parents evening rant. I hope you weren't too bored. I resisted photo taking on the return journey as it was pitch black and we don't have street lighting out here in the sticks!

Oh! If you were wondering. The outcome of our hour long (including the 3 minute sit on a plastic chair) 33 mile round trip... #2 is doing fine and has settle in well in her new school. Thank you for coming!

A little something I forgot about

Well I knew I could rely on all of you. Thank you for your advice and input with the Christmas wreath, I'll keep you informed as to my progress and what I do with them. I've already decided to alter the width of the wreath. It's a bit narrower now. I'll show you soon.
Here's a little something I prepared earlier and totally forgot to show you, doh!
Gosh! It's so darned hard to photoghraph a string of bunting! Got to be far enough away to get it all in yet be close enough to see the applique.

A little something for the boys.

Big, bright, boys bunting!
Or girls, if tractors are your thing.