Sunday 1 January 2012

Little Christmas round up...

So, after the whirlwind of school plays (GB was a king, complete with carpet beard!) and end of term shenanigans Christmas appears to have come and gone since my last post.

In the spirit with which my blog is meant, as both a diary for me and a sharing of all things crafty, here are the best bits of the last 2 weeks:

Christmas started as it will officially end (tomorrow), with the drinking of snowballs with lovely friends.


Pre-Christmas I became, what can only be described as, obsessed with clay modelling and the endless possibilities it offered. It started with a bookmark for the snowball drinking Jane, the idea of which I borrowed from a pin, although I can't seem to trace the source (I went as far back as here).

After trying a couple of other clay options I went back to using good old Fimo, coloured the legs in with a Sakura Glaze pen, painted the shoes with red acrylic paint then coated with red glitter. If you fancy making one remember to slice the top of each leg before firing (which you can then slot a piece of strong card in for the marker)
What a great idea (wish it had been mine) and, as always, much harder than it looks (which is why one leg is much fatter than the other!)

I also used fimo to make this years Christmas place settings, for both the toadstools (on a painted and stamped block) and the little tags wrapped around the cutlery.

 

Our Christmas day pudding was individual Christmas pudding trifles (recipe here) served in little jam jars. They are decorated with a strip of doily, ribbon, a jingle bell and a fimo tag. All tags were stamped pre-baking.
 
I didn't stop there with the fimo...oh no, I spent another inordinate amount of time making other tags for presents!  I borrowed the idea from this pin 
from (marleyandlockyer thanks Planet Jane!)
using real doilies to make these little beauties. 

Here's how to do it:
1) roll out some white fimo 
2) take a doily and place it on the clay 
3) use a rolling pin to make an imprint of the pattern onto the clay
4) use a cookie cutter to cut out a shape of your choice
5) use a sharp pencil to make a hole for hanging
6) stamp a word on if desired
7) bake in the oven for 30 mins

The best bit of all these tags is that they were reused by hanging on the Christmas twig above the table and will all be making an appearance next year. My fimo passion lives on....




The elephants got their special ruffles on
(there's your blocks Emily...still yours for next year!)
 We saw lots of all the special little people in our lives 
(Sonny, Luca and Mabel)

and enjoyed the company of our boys
(Thank you Mackies and Davenports for great outfits/accessories!)
Cleggy, master of fun, devised some excellent entertainment in the form of a Christmas day quiz. It's only right to include a couple of photos....sorry family

(Phineas and Ferb, Granny as Cher and The Simpsons)
(Cam from Modern Family, Nelly as Wee Jimmie Krankie and me as Pat Butcher)



It was a particularly enjoyable Christmas this year - and lovely to spend so much time with all our slightly unhinged but very funny family.

Quick animal update:

Minnie the new pig has settled in extremely well. She was moved down to  the the bottom of the garden because it was hard work keeping her in the kitchen while catering for 10 people and also because cooking a large Boxing day ham in her presence just felt wrong.
She gets more confident by the day - and despite loving her new house also likes to sleep in with the chickens. If she does spend the night in her own house she goes over the wake all the others up the minute you let her out in the morning...oinking and banging her snout on their door. I might have to film it - it's too cute.

Mr Bob Boblington (GB's new hamster) has survived the clutches of Mabel and also the 'total wipeout' style obstacle course that Nelly helped the boys build for him.

Ned continues his hibernation in the workshop fridge - so far so good. We open the door once a day to make sure there's enough oxygen in there and weigh him weekly to check he's not losing too much weight.

And finally - to fight the 'end of christmas' holiday blues I've been happily making boxes from Christmas cards
idea borrowed from here
 And finally got my head around crochet. I had been taught the basics by patient Jane earlier in the year - but needed to get a grip of other stitches and also learn how to read a pattern (of which Jane has no need - she is toooooo clever!)
I treated myself to this wonderful book for Christmas and received the other from Granny (thanks Granny!)

With help from the two books, and after much frustration (why would English stitches be called something else in the US?? WHY?)  I've managed to create some lovely things, which have given me immense pleasure, including these jar cosies (check out the variety of stitches!!!)


and inspired by Lucy over at Attic 24 this pencil pot.

Passion for crochet lives on too.
All that remains is to wish all my friends, 
old and new, near and far, 
 
Happy New Year

 I hope it brings many adventures and lots of laughter. 
fee x

40 comments:

  1. What a b-e-a-utiful post! Your home looks lovely at Christmas... your family look happy....and Fimo and crochet on top... just WOW! I'm glad you had a such a good time... may you have an equally happy New Year! :)x

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  2. A very happy New Year to you to :) Looks like the entire family had a great time, hope you have a good 2012 xx

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  3. Great post, your boys are great, loving the carpet beard! Well done on all your fab makes and learning to crochet very exciting, that's it now it will take over your life you know!

    Hope 2012 is brilliant in every way for you and yours!

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  4. Happy New Year Fee!
    Those pudding pots look amazing. I'm definitely going to have to look into those - craftiness and foodiness my favourite combination.
    Ellie
    x

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  5. Happy New Year to you & your family Fee x

    Fab post! Excellent pics.....you all look so happy to be in each others company. And your house looks gorgeously festive! Wowsers to the jar jackets....oh my goodness you've got your crochet groove on!!! I LOVE the mistle toe one!!!! Yippee for crochet pics :)

    Jo x x x

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  6. Fee, I loved reading this post. All of your makes are gorge - love the bookmark (went to see the Wiz yesterday) and the trifle jars are cool too. I tried to make Fimo decorations exactly the same as you from pinterest but found the Fimo really hard. Any tips?

    Also, I am planning on making some covered box files for my home office and thought you'd be the ideal person to recommend suppliers of pretty papers and a bot of advice on how to do it.... Think you can give me any pointers?

    Anyway, happy new year and lots of love
    Nicki xx

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  7. Lady, to say that you A>M>A>Z>E me is a the most glorious understatement.

    Your happy home with all the creativity, fun, animals and food is what I imagine when I hear the word bliss.

    To you and all in the Chipper Nelly encampment, may this be a year of generous blessings, sparkling health and riches beyond compare.

    Waving excitedly from across the seas.
    xx

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  8. Hello Mrs Chipper - happy new year to youdvfvc bvdwqvb dfg erzrergtrwqq (ha ha - that last bit was courtesy of M - either that or I've had one too many bday drinks (just thought I'd drop that bit in there...))
    What a lovely, colourful post - glad you've had a good hol. Can't believe it's all over already - feel a bit sad about the boys going back to school on Tuesday.
    Love the blocks, btw, looking forward to seeing them in MY house now!
    Emily x
    PS - a little bird tells me you've got an Olympus dslr, spookily enough I've been given one for Christmas and, frankly, I don't have a cow man - any hints for how to actually make it work??

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  9. Oh Fee dear, I have missed your world SO MUCH! SOO GOOD to see what has been happening in your household! Minnie is lovely and it was so good of you to take her out of the kitchen, whilst baking a ahem......a (ham) shhhhh.....

    I LAUGHED SO DARN LOUD when I read your second comment on the legs of that little well-heeled baby...dear one, I KNOW MY LEGS LOOK LIKE THAT from the back! WOOOOOOOOO...that's what being 53 will do ta ya!

    BUT ALL IN ALL, life is splendid, and I love your creations. Your home is warm, just like YOUR HEART, and all your wares are splendid. Let's raise our glasses to a year of ON FIRE (love that) creativity!

    Anita

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  10. Fee....your Dorothy legs are seriously cute. I just know you would love it here in Kansas. Fimo! Really is there no end to your talent. What a luscious Christmas and Holiday you all have had. I am dreaming of all that piglet fun already. Crazy stitching. I am super jealous. Something I haven't done for years...sending off your package on Tues. Thanks for the laughs and all the crafty love...Renee

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  11. It looks like you and your family had a blast on Christmas.

    I understand completely about your frustration with the different terms between UK and US patterns. Here in Aus we use UK terms and I taught myself last year using a collection of reference books. The main I used one was printed in Australia so I learned the terms and felt comfortable with them, then the next one I consulted had the US terms but neither publication indicated ANYWHERE that the terms were different from country to country. It made for a very confusing time until I realised that the diagrams, if they had them, used the same symbols. YAY!!! That helped immensely.

    xXx Helen

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  12. Gorgeous catching up on your lovely blog Fee, your crochet is rather wow and most DEFINITELY beyond the basics. I mean, I spotted bobbles!!!! Glad it's making you happy, lots of hooky goodness to look forward to this year.
    Much love, and many thanks for the coffee and wafer, I'll be going for that in town tomorrow and will think of you my sweet xxxxxxxxx

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  13. Happy New Year Chippers!! Oh a pig named Minnie, too cute & ironic!! Love your family antics & fun, right down to the toadstool letter block, gorgeous.
    FYI Cam is our favourite Modern Family member, he is so brilliant, apparently he only acts "gay for pay" & boy does he do it well. Love Posie

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  14. Happy New Year!

    Your Christmas holidays looked wonderful! I did a 180 and relaxed my way through my week off. It was wonderful...

    I LOVE the bookmark with the red shoes sticking out! So cute!

    Emilie
    www.liveeatsmile.blogspot.com

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  15. Learning to crochet was my challenge for the Christmas holiday too, but one Granny square in life took over. So it's now something to tackle during January evenings by the fireside.

    Happy New Year Fee. May 2012 bring peace, health and prosperity to you and all who you hold dear, including that ace little piggy x

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  16. Seriously is there no end to your talents!????
    Really????
    Glad to hear the pig is doing well :)

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  17. Happppppy New Year to you dear Fee..
    Your blog post really made me smile.. so vibrant and full FULL of festive cheer! Well there's no stopping you is there.. I can see that this year will be full of grand projects and much inspiration.. Please slip some under my door.. sadly lacking in the inspiration dept. here.
    Have a wonderful year with your lovely boys.. and man.... and Ned!
    Michele xxx
    P.s Winnie is being kept awake this winter on the advice of the Tortoise Shop folk. Poor thing has an alarm call every morning and a warm bath.. whether she likes it or not.. and she doesn't!

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  18. Its obvious you had a great christmas, all your makes are just fab, I love the fimo tags too, I will have to give that one a go. I've got a box as big as my head of fimo in the craft room i'll have to dig out. Happy new year to you and your family.
    Katie x

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  19. fab crochet :) looking forward to you showing me how and sipping a few more snowballs before the nights over x x x x x x

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  20. This post is just utterly awesome!!!! I HAVE to make these Fimo book marks and what an amazing idea. The Wiz of Oz is mine and my family's fave ever film.
    Like yours, we are very unhinged and nuts to anyone else but we don't care.
    We've had the best Christmas ever and I am trying hard not to feel flat.
    I LOVE everything you made for Christmas, you are talented and inspiring. Can't believe you have overtaken me in the crochet stakes. Well done bird, well done.
    Oh and yes, re Facebook pics, it's been a good one but after NYE and rarely staying up that late, I am still hanging!!!!!
    Happy New Year beauty
    xxx xx x x x

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  21. What a fabulous post!!! Gorgeous photos - and they really show what fun you all had! :-)
    You've been VERY busy - and are super-super-clever!!!
    Happy new year!
    Carly
    x

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  22. Hi Fee,

    A Happy New Year to you and your family too! Wow....you had lots of energy over Christmas. To make all those beautiful things. You must be supermum! Your crochet work looks lovely. So does your table, but your bookmarker is definitely my favourite. It put a smile on my face. Never seen anything like it! I might follow your example. I think I must still have some Fimo somewhere in a cupboard from the girls.

    Have a lovely new week!

    Lieve groet, Madelief x

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  23. Happy, HAPPY new year, dearest Fee. May 2012 be full of joy and laughter!
    I look forward to a whole new year connecting with you xxx

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  24. I raise my cup of coffee to you this very moment, sweet Fee xx

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  25. HAPPY NEW YEAR!! :) What a gorgeous post full of wonderful Christmas family fun. It looks like everyone had a wonderful time.
    Your crochet looks wonderful, so exciting to learn a new skill and then make something beautiful.
    Anne xx

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  26. Looks like you had a fab Christmas!! Love your makes too. Happy New Year xxxx

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  27. WOW! Lovely photos, lovely story, now I'm exhausted! You've been living life at quite a pace, there - have a wonderful (and possibly restful?) New Year!

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  28. Oh Fee, what a fabulous post, you crafty minx! I adored all your creating -I had completely forgotten about Fimo. Will have to buy some now. As for those tags, they're made by my gorgeous friend, Ness of Marley & Lockyer (http://www.marleyandlockyer.com/) - she's as divine as her tags. You did a fabulous job with yours. Have a sparkling 2012, Lovely. J x

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  29. I NEED to see a video of your piglet, Fee! Please! :D
    And now, I totally know what to do with all the branches I have laying about the yard!
    Happy New Year! ♥

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  30. Oh my...you inspire the pants right off of me my friend..not only can you create such lovely treasures...your home is amazingly darling..and your little farm animals are just thriving...what a good mom you are.
    Love to you and thank you for such a fun filled 2011...I always look forward to coming over here...your adventures make me smile and make my life look pretty darn boring...love to you. xoxoxox

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  31. Thanks Fee for the link back to Marley & Lockyer and my tags. Looks like you had a ball! I love your witches legs- brilliant and thank you to Jane for always being a sweet heart.
    Ness xx
    Marley & Lockyer

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  32. Happy New Year Fee!

    I am so impressed with your crochet, and adore your witches legs. You are so very talented!

    Wishing you a healthy, wealthy, happy and very crafty 2012.

    Sarah and Mabel x

    p.s. thank-you for all you comments on my blog over the past year - your words of encouragement are really appreciated. x

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  33. Hello! What a dandy of a round up! Happy New Year to you and yours! It's been such a treat following your blog in the last year!

    And thank you for the kind words about our baby on the way! I'm 22 weeks and that little boy (yes - we found out it's a boy!) is kicking to beat the band! I should get advice from you on raising boys! You're a pro no doubt.

    xo

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  34. Soooooo much creativity, nice work re the crochet btw, I'm addicted (too many projects and not enough time atm but I WILL get there), also been fiddling with Fimo myself of late and will be again no doubt having seen that amazing bookmark!

    Thanks for sharing the greetings card box idea, I've just fished a load of them back out of the recycling bin so I can have a go.

    Glad that Minnie and Ned are doing well and that you all had a marvelous Christmas and New Year. x

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  35. Happy New Year lovely, love and light to you and your loved ones
    Nicky
    xx

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  36. Oh I am so slack, thought I had left a few words here, but alas I haven't. You had the bestest Christmas with your funny antics and your scrummy family. I love your crochet, you are doing better than me!!!! Is the 'Happy Hooker' a good book? I have the other one, but it took me aggessss to crochet a flower, I just couldn't get my head around the patterns, I'm ok now thank goodness.
    Looking forward to more of your great posts this year.
    xx Sandi

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  37. hey - happy new year Fee - your house looks just georgously Christmassy - makes me feel like I should have made more effort in my own house!! loving the crochet too x

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  38. Hi Fee,
    Have a look over at my latest blog post - there's a surprise there for you.....
    Carly
    x

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  39. What a truly bollocks post! The crochet is cack. The fimo stuff is rubbish. The blocks you made for the place settings are average, I've seen better on someone else's blog. Don't listen to the crap all those 40 odd messages have written, they are lying. Who on earth would dress up and do a quiz on Christmas day?.......Feeble.

    Oh Fee! How did I miss this post? How? It has made me yearn for Christmas all over again. Gosh I love your shenanigans. You rock you do.

    xxx

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  40. ps. best looking snowball ever. I polished off a whole bottle of advocaat to my self in one week. I'm proud.

    xxx

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I LOVE reading your comments!
fee x