Christmas Lists....

 My family are great on lists - well for one of my nieces, B, it's spreadsheets, but that's just a refined list really, isn't it?

Mine are a mass of crosses and squiggles, but they work for me!

My Mum has always got her notebook on the go - she used to have small pocket sized books, but I've noticed of late how they've grown in size! Dad was a great one for lists too. Before he retired he brought home a stock of tiny notepads that were to be scrapped as they had the wrong contact details for his company and we used them for years. For my wedding day one of them held a list of 'to-dos' which Dad opened up at speech time, referred to the fact that the last thing on the list was 'leave for church' and pretended to sit down - his list being done.. only pretended though - there was a speech....

Anyway I digress. Last time I started on a list of lists to make... Now you can begin to add to them to make them more helpful. You can expand the list of who you're buying for by adding in suggestions. You may have already started, but where there are blanks you could ask some of them what they might like, or list things they enjoy to prompt further ideas or even begin to note how to source them. (This is beginning to sound like one of B's spreadsheets!)

While chatting at this early stage try, if you don't already do so, to set a limit on what's to be spent. We do, although there are some of us in the family who regularly break the rules (you know who you are Mum...). But generally it does create a bit of a sense of balance.

I know it's early, but it's really useful, especially when you can save cash too. My sister and I tend to take photos of things we like and send them back and forth by mobile. My nieces take it one step further by sending links ready to click on and order. It means that there's no mistake or getting the wrong thing for a start. And if you have someone like B who is a whizz with flash sales and bargains you can get what you want quickly and at sale price too. Too close to Christmas and the problem of low stock, higher prices and postage issues intervene.

By casting an eye over the stuff beginning to appear ready for the festive season I've already found these at reduced price. They're fine date-wise for Christmas and just the right size for the crackers I want to make AND I know that keeping them in my storage box for Christmas will discourage me from nibbling away before I've used them for their proper purpose.

I've been chasing down some mini gifts and freebies. There's lots of things you can send off for - although I keep a separate email account for it so my regular inbox doesn't get flooded with later advertising! These sample perfumes will be perfect for one of our traditions. My sister has also begun her stash for it too.

We've always had a little extra at Christmas that we open when we're all together - usually on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. It used to be a tree present each. There were always rules about them. One year we weren't allowed to spend more that £1 each, another the gifts had to come from a charity shop and yet another they had to be free! It was almost as much fun tracking down the presents as it was getting them.

A few years ago after I'd moved to Devon we were able to get all our diaries aligning and got together on Christmas Day. It was a bit last minute and I wanted to take something, but my sister had already got everything sorted out. The only thing I could think of was a Lucky Dip'. I amassed a number of small items, wrapped them randomly and we spent a long and enjoyable time picking our Lucky Dip items out and swapping any inappropriate ones with anyone else who'd appreciate them more.

It sort of grew from there. The year my younger niece, who lives in Italy, got married in England she even took a mini Lucky Dip for her household back with her, as they were having an Italian Christmas and wouldn't be with us.

This year it's a bit different, obviously. She and her family are in Italy and the rest of us can't plan to gather en masse as we don't know what the rules on numbers will be in December. We're going for a Christmas Tombola anyway! The only difference to an ordinary one is that every ticket will win a prize. More about how we'll manage that another time...

Next time it's onto the fun stuff - making things.............

Shhhh - not the dreaded planning ahead for C........ yet

Sorry to bring it up, but the festivities will start all too soon (and my local supermarket already has mince pies and Christmas puddings on the shelves!). BUT - there is some sense in starting a few quick and easy steps towards making it a manageable feast.

I've been meaning to lay out some of the ideas we've tried as a family to eat the Christmas elephant (you know - one bite at a time!) and make it as stress free and pocket light as possible - especially with the growth of minis in our clan. 

The first preparation is simple - find yourself a box. Yep, any old box. You could start with a shoebox or something bigger - no buying a box, just one that's around or that you can pick up from the empty boxes at a local shop. It may seem premature, but we start our box off after Boxing Day (that was unintended - honest)! In it goes anything that will help spread the fun and cost for the festival.

What are you going to put into your box? ... you may ask.. 

Well, start off with anything which you think might be helpful when you see one of those 'buy one, get one free' promotions that you know someone on your list would welcome.

There, that was a fairly easy one to start with....

Now you can add anything you might make or see on sale that might fit the bill. 

This is the haul that's been building in my box - I may have to transfer it soon into something bigger - a spare suitcase in the loft is what I've got my eye on! It includes items such as bunting from some scrap material I had last year, hand-knittted socks, scrunchies, coasters from left over yarn.. you get the idea? I can't list everything as I need to give the family some surprises - they can't be allowed to preview them all here before the main event can they?

Next double check for any left-overs from last Christmas - spare cards, wrapping paper, gifts you haven't used (label these with who gave them to you...) and add them to the box.  Here's mine so far - it includes some I got reduced when they were selling off the 2019 stock...

I also keep some odds and ends of cards and gift tags that might be useful for creating new cards - like this... ( I know it needs repositioning - that's for the full on making session later!)

Now collect any containers that might be useful when creating presents (more about this another time) - this is what I've got so far...

And finally... if you're like me you may well have some projects, kits from magazines, ideas that haven't developed yet .. all lurking around. Gather these together and put them somewhere handy - not hidden away so you can forget about them. This is my box...

Now the very last job for this time - make two lists...

The first is all those people you might send/give cards to. 

It doesn't matter where or how you make it - on paper, in a notebook, on your phone, in a spreadsheet. Just make and keep the list where you'll find it easily. Add any addresses to it that you need too. This is a list you can update during the year - starting with straight after this Christmas when you realise you missed someone off or they sent you a new address!

The second list is gifts you need to supply - you notice I say supply... not buy, although that might be necessary too. If you've got any ideas or something you usually get for these recipients add it next to their name.

Right - planning/auditing/sorting and storing done? 

Big pat on the back and then draw breath before the next session!

So where was I?

Now I know when I last wrote I talked about rethinking things, simplifying life and creating space, BUT a world wide pause on 'life as we know it' was not what I had in mind....

Every time I've sat myself down to write I've deleted my words as nothing felt serious or respectful enough to take up space.

I thought, like many others I guess, that the lockdown, stay at home, whatever this last six months gets to be called, would mean that I'd get my house in order (literally) and have time for being creative, productive and all those things. Yes, the household stuff I had in mind got done, as did the list my other half had down to do too. The garden has been tidied and sorted and plans for alterations to it made. 

Crops have been grown and harvested, jams made and all looks ship shape outside.

            

It's been great to eat straight from the garden (and not actually buy stuff!).

And with a glut of basil we've been on regular feasts of pasta and pesto 😋

Now though, I think I have to stop prevaricating and step forward ready for what comes next.

I have mentioned before ideas about the Wento project (which is about refocusing finances) and about producing some step by step instructions for creative projects. 

But each time I sit down to write about finances it doesn't seem like the right time and writing step by step instructions comes face to face with my inertia... 

I did think I ought to write about playing catchup with lost learning as I've had some fun during lockdown trying to think of active ways to make home learning interesting for my great-nephew. While I've got some ideas already sorted I'm not sure this is the forum for them so I'll have to think about that. 

Mind you at about the same time Mel, the writer of Ink Spots and Grass Stains, (who I first met many years ago when we were writing for the Scout Association) has just launched a new website about play and life,  (the link is on the right) so perhaps there's some mileage in my thoughts. The coincidence of her starting this up as I was thinking about the role of play isn't the only coincidence in our lives.... She moved to Scotland and I moved to Devon only to find that she used to live a few couple of roads away and babysat for one of our neighbours!

Oh gosh, out on a tangent again.. well the long and the short of it is... I'm not going to follow any of those threads just yet. Instead I'm thinking I'll start with (whisper it softly) Christmas... There's a method in this particular madness and it will link to playfulness, crafting, decluttering, money saving, instructions and so on... just you wait and see! 

Create Space....

Happy New Year! 

I know it's a bit later than usual, but that's deliberate... It's part of a new regime...

Just recently everything I've picked up to read seems to say that the way to go is to have 'a word' that will sum up, point forward, provide focus, whatever, for the year ahead. Well I've got two words, not one -  'Create Space'.

It's been something lurking at the back of my brain for a while. Whether it was while I was Marie Kondo-ing stuff or just generally wondering why I don't seem to be able to sit myself down at the laptop since retirement; creating space for a number of things keeps nagging at me.

I've a lot of ideas for projects floating around, but in the (almost) three years since I finished work they have just been that - floating ideas. Then just before Christmas I thought it's time to sort out my thoughts, but what with one thing and another there wasn't any - time that is not thoughts!

Time ran out before Christmas for a number of reasons - one was a craft fair that I said 'yes' to. It wasn't so much the craft fair, it was the fact that I needed to produce some extra items for it that ate into my 'making time'. That had the knock on effect of pushing the Christmas knitting and gift making dangerously close to the 'big day'. Then there was my husband's 70th which we celebrated with a short trip to Cardiff. 

Everything taken individually was great. I enjoyed it all, but I truly ran out of time and space to get everything done. Hence the decision to Create Space and get some of the 'stuff' that I really want to do underway. 

A digression now (but relevant).

This is a picture by a local-ish artist that we've got hanging in our dining room. It's huge and it's got a proper title (Waterfall in Dialogue) and a back story (about pollution and the environment). But in our house it's called Sue's Brain. Graeham had his eye on it for a long time before he bought it. Unbeknown to me he'd already told Steve (the artist) that it looked just like my brain.  Then it so happened that I was in Steve's shop when Graeham asked me what I thought it looked like - 'it's the inside of my head' I said and Steve nearly fell off his chair knowing that I wasn't told in advance what Grae had said!

Well, it truly does look like my brain feels. Lots of interlocking stuff going on with only a few bits joined up. Depending on the way the light falls, sometimes it looks more disjointed and at other times the golden hues stand out - yep - still my brain...

The picture's been there a few years now, but it and my brain still resemble each other, so it seems about time to focus on those golden thought bits and do something useful with them, but needs space for me to do so! 

First step then is - no more craft fairs. A number of items - hats and scarves mainly - are now in a local library on their donations rail for anyone who needs them. Some stuff went straight to the charity shop and other items are waiting to be unpicked and re-made into things that have a pre-decided purpose. I have got about a suitcase full of items that I'll try and sell elsewhere - Facebook groups maybe or perhaps in an Etsy shop, but no more making without purpose!!!

Then there's a new financial planning project that I've been musing over since some conversations with my niece. More of this next time, but it's the sort of thing that lots of platforms come out with on 1st January and that everyone thinks is a good idea and forgets by the end of the month. So I'm not starting it till next blog post.

Finally I'm taking on board the ideas of Sara Tasker of me_and_orla fame with her 15 Minute Magic prompt cards. Even I must be able to organise myself for 15 minutes each day to do something productive and useful surely? If only to make sure that these posts happen more frequently and regularly.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I'll be back with the first part of the Wento Project or the Eating a Money Elephant or the 366 Ideas Book or whatever it ends up being called very soon, spurred on by my prompt cards - now if only I could find the safe place I put them in...

Finishing off

Do you get those traffic jams of projects? You know, when you’ve got a growing queue of things that just need finishing off. Of course, there’s always a good reason - I need better light/sunlight to sew it up, some more yarn ( that always seems to be in the loft), to work on larger needles for a while, to get a present finished....

I've been trying to catch up - especially as I want to try something a bit different with this blog in the coming weeks...

I've been doing a bit of small scale weaving and have taken plenty of photos of the process so that I can start putting some step by step guides up here too..

The Donkey Sanctuary near us is a favourite outing with my nieces' children. So I had a go at making a donkey - albeit a rather wonky one. Every time I make a stuffed toy I promise myself it'll be the last time as the combination of my sewing on of limbs and consistent stuffing skills are at a minus level. Then I spot a great pattern and think 'oh I've got the yarn for that in the loft' and behold another wobbly headed, floppy footed character.

We did have  trip earlier this year to Devon World of Country life - got to love an alpaca - even if it reminds you of the fleece from Widdecombe Fair that you bought three years ago and haven't finished spinning .. yet.

!

Ahh well - that's the first batch of pictures I meant to pop up … I'll get the rest of the makes and memories from this summer up and posted soon so I can get on with that next project

Celebrations and Occasions

We love a party in our family! I enjoy planning for presents and surprises while others get the food and games sorted....

Just recently we've had my niece and her husband visiting along with my great-niece, and had her Peppa Pig party (hence the picture of her Peppa Pig jumper in a previous post).

Last week it was the turn of the youngest member of our clan (at the moment). She's mad on Paw Patrol, but could I find a Paw Patrol pattern anywhere? Mulling it over with my spinning group they told me how to transfer a picture using special graph paper with the suggestion of copying it onto acetate first so that the graph lines appear on top of the picture. So here it is!!!

Then there was the small matter of a birthday card. There are plenty of 'Happy 2nd Birthday' ones and some Paw Patrol ones for 3 year olds, but not for a two year old. So what could I do - well let's raise a glass to the good old laptop and some photographic paper!!

That just left Mothering Sunday. All buoyed up with my knitting achievements I attempted to knit a picture 'M', but somehow whatever I did the tension came out all wrong so I was in my sister's local craft shop when I spied a wooden letter that I could cover with fabric - day saved - Ta-dah!


                                               

A couple of years ago it was my elder niece's 30th. I was able to collect pound coins from almost all the years since her birth, but none from the year of her 30th. So I made her a purse and filled it with a selection of coins from all the years that she's been around making up £30 and mounted a pound coin from her birth year and a different coin from her 30th year for her. This year it's the younger one's turn. It's even more tricky as the pound coins from her birth year have now been withdrawn so I'll have to think of something else.... Watch this space!

Doing Two Things at Once

Now I know that when I finished work I promised myself that I’d not rush around anymore trying to juggle multiple tasks, but...... well I must admit this time it was pretty pleasing to realise that I’d ticked two items off my list without realising it!

I got a Kindle as a present the Christmas before last and I’m converted totally. I always thought that I’d never take technology over handling a book, but I’m truly sold on my new-ish toy. I’ll never be able to turn my back on my love of physically turning a page or retreating to the bath with a paperback, however the sheer joy of having virtually any title I want in my hand immediately is both addictive and mesmerising.

I've indulged my butterfly brain over and over by flitting from one book to another, having multiple pages open, never losing my place and all without driving himself mad by leaving two or three (sometimes more) lying around part read. He’s more of a ‘one thing at a time till it’s finished’ kind of guy - suffice to say it’s just not in my nature. Now I can have as many books on the go at a time sometimes reading parts of two at the same sitting without annoying anyone - well with my reading habits anyway.

I'd downloaded Marie Kondo's 'Spark Joy' a while ago, but only dipped into it so decided to read it properly along with Cait Flanders' 'The Year of Less' and came to the conclusion that it was time to tackle my excess 'stuff'.  I won't bore you with the list of tired t-shirts or solo socks that now no longer fight for space in the bedroom or the books liberated from dusty shelves to gladden new hearts.

It was time to tackle the loft.... The loft contains all my craft resources. Having started with plenty of kits from magazines that I will never start (let alone finish) - boot fair - and two smelly fleeces that I will never spin (there are still four left, but let's not talk about those) I was feeling like I was getting somewhere.

Then my sister needed some new cushions so I stopped and made some covers for some old cushions I 'just happened' to have up in that loft... Then my niece rather liked an applique one I gave to my sister so I did a couple for her. What a result - I now have no cushions in the loft AND I got to do some sewing just like I promised myself I would earlier in the year. Two for the price of one without even trying - Howzat!!