Merry Christmas

Have you met me?... Well then you'll know I love Christmas! I'm often told off for mentioning the 'C' word far too soon, but the scoldings never deter me!

I have always worked in the childcare sector, the excitement of the children only serves to further my enthusiasm for the holiday season.  I love the build up to the big day, the santa letters and decorating the tree.  This year I am working in a soul sucking paper pushing job.  The benefits are great, and I am very, very grateful for my job but there is not an ounce of christmas cheer to be found.  It was ruining my christmas buzz, so I decided to inject a bit of christmas sparkle into my life...

Thats right, I worked a couple of shifts with the big man himself.  I signed up as a volunteer elf at a local Santa's Grotto at Hillside Garden Centre.  The grotto was run by CLIC Sargent, a very worthy cause doing fantastic work.  In fact only this month they opened a new home from home centre next to The Royal Victoria Hospital.  This provides a place to stay for families who have to travel miles and miles for their child to receive treatment.  As Santa's helper I got to see children's reactions to seeing meeting Father Christmas.  It restored my christmas cheer to see this magic at work and even more so to know that every smile that came through the door meant that a donation had been made to a great cause doing great local work.  I only worked 2 shifts at the grotto but I will be back again next year!!

Topped up with festive cheer I was ready throw myself full pelt into traditional christmas preparations!!  Mum and I got together for our christmas baking day.  We whipped up a festive frenzy in a domestic goddess way and made yummy gifts for family, friends and neighbours.  We made cranberry sauce, apple and onion chutney, cranberry and pistachio biscotti as well as spiced chick peas (a wee idea I found from Mrs Thrifty.)

We bought jars from Ikea to put the cranberry sauce in.  A little fancy curly ribbon and they looked lovely as a gift!

The apple and onion chutney made the kitchen smell like window cleaner.  I expect it was something to do with the entire bottle of red wine vinegar in the recipe.  I am yet to get any feed back from anyone who received this as a gift from me, perhaps it has just ended up in the bin!!

I also managed to whip up a few knitted christmas tree dish cloths as gifts too, here's the pattern.  Dead easy, if I can do it anyone can! 

I continued my domestic goddess streak with wrapping all my presents that night.  Yes I am one of those people who love wrapping presents, twirling ribbon and making gift tags.  It makes me giddy, get over it.   

This year I was extra excited about Christmas as I was looking forward to soaking up every magical moment of baby Joel's first Christmas.  Over the next few days we created some lovely moments with Joel...

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Dancing with daddy at the santa band in Hillside Garden Centre. 

Sussing out this santa bloke...

Look  at him, we packed in so much christmas cheer he's all drunk on festive-ness!!

Mesmerised by the dancing snowmen in Auntie Chloe's christmas garden. 

This time last year I was spread out on the sofa like a beached whale lapping up my last days of relaxation.  Joel was due on the 26th December but kept us waiting until Jan 5th before he made an appearance.

Last year I was served my christmas dinner with my feet up.  I savoured my dinner, had a selection of deserts followed by a wee snooze and then more treats, mince pies and tea.  It was a day of relaxation and over indulgence. This year however I was running after a very energetic 11 month old, stuffing my dinner into me before he got fed up in his high chair and juggling nap times and family commitments. I wouldn't change it for the world.  I am a very lucky girl who's mum and dad cook the christmas dinner and all I have to do is turn up, but boy christmas day has never been so tiring!!
It was wonderful to create new traditions as a family.

Dressing silly for christmas dinner.

Taking the new wheels for a spin, in his new threads!

Adding the new 'Baby's First Christmas' decoration to the tree.

And what was my favourite present I got on christmas day?  A tin of beautiful handmade mince pies. Baked by two of the main men in my life, my husband and my son.  These photos were stuck to the tin..

P.S I know I haven't blogged in a while.  But I'm back!  2014 will be a year of continuing to document all our new discoveries...

Quest to become a Quilter!

I am just home from my first quilting class at Quilters Quest, Woodstock Road. 

I have to say I was very nervous about going, it all seemed like a great idea in July when I paid my deposit and signed up.  However the more I thought of it the more I realised that I possess none of the basic skills required to make a quilt.  I cannot sew or use a sewing machine, I lack patience, I have the attention span of a flea.  And when I arrived at the class, with my basic sewing kit hopefully tucked under my arm, I realised I have None of the essential equipment to begin quilting.  I have borrowed a sewing machine from my lovely sister in law but am yet to build up the confidence to open it, I have no blades and cutter, measuring ruler, mat or even useable material! 

My fears were confirmed, I was in well above my head.  

My friend Gemma and I were first to arrive which meant we had a chance to explore the treasure cave of beautiful patterned fabric.  We planned the quilts we would make, meanwhile realising we know nothing about fabric measures.  

Note that around five sections of this fabric is christmas themed!  YAY!

  

One by one the other member of the class began to arrive and it became clear to us that we were the only beginners as they all greeted each other warmly.  Everyone was very open and friendly and made us feel very welcome in she class.  

The class instructor, Varlerie quickly sussed out our skill level and advised us on what project would suit us best.  I had brought with me a wee bundle of Joel's baby clothes as my hope was to make a quilt out of them.  She discussed with me the challenges that my notion presented, and warned that the stretch of the soft fabric of his clothes would be tricky for a novice sewer like me.  So with her encouragement we decided that the best idea was to begin with a simple cushion pattern to learn all the basic skills and then decide if I could transfer these newly learnt skills to the baby quilt I wished to make.  

So we began by choosing our fabrics, anyone who knows me will know that I made a bee line to the christmas section (SQQUUUEEEEEE!!!)

It was difficult to choose which fabrics to use as there was so much choice!  I pulled a variety of different fabrics down and lined them up and finally decided on these three.

  

Once they were cut to the amount of fabric we needed we ironed the creases out.  This is important to ensure that when cutting the fabric to size out measurement weren't skewed by wrinkles and creases. Here is lovely Gemma demonstrating how to iron like a quilting pro.

  

Next it was time to cut the fabric to size.  We needed a measuring ruler and a fabric cutter.  I'm pretty sure those aren't official terms.  Valerie showed me how to use these tools to measure the required size the cut safely, always move the blade away from you! Making the first cut to the beautiful fabric I had just purchased was scary, I was terrified I was going to make a mistake.  However once I had taken the initial step it was satisfying to cut the fabric into perfect square's.

Like I said, I didn't have any of these equipment but the other girls in the class were generous with their stash and were happy to offer me the lend of what I needed.

Its all I managed in my first 2 hour class but it was a great sense of achievement!   AND WE GOT A CUP OF TEA!

Look at that lovely perfect cutting! 

I'm really looking forward to the class next week, I will be bringing the sewing machine with me to learn how to set it up and how to sew together my perfect cutting. 

 

I have a feeling the next week will be filled with obsessive internet hunting for good value equipment and unusual material.  

Any hints and tips and equipment recommendations are welcome!! 

Check out this place;

http://www.quiltersquest.co.uk

A treasure trove of fabric and a great bunch of welcoming girls.  Beginning to think that making a quilt might be achievable...