feeling surprisingly amazing

 I feel surprisingly amazing. Surprising because I usually find this time of year a challenge. There always seems to be so much to do, so many commitments and preparations and crafting and lists. But this year it has been so effortless. I think it has helped that I made a big space for this time in terms of doll work and I didn't try to hand-make all of our gifts. I did all my shopping online. We are all well and healthy (apart from a UTI which I have gotten a course of anti-biotics for today, but even that has been ok). We have still done lots of things: visiting santa, crafting at school, seeing friends, writing cards, going to parties etc. But all of it has been so easy, so effortless, so happy. And now suddenly the holidays are starting tomorrow :-)
 We had our last Buddies session of the year yesterday, which was lovely.
We sang some Christmas songs and then danced energetically to some slightly less seasonal songs. For our activity we decorated some Christmas Tree cookies:

 greens and reds, sticky fingers and mouths

 At snack time we ate delicious apple cake and porter cake with mulled apple juice, and for the story I told the kids the nativity using our little felt nativity set as puppets

me in full story telling mode :-)

 At home I have had lots of quiet space to read, to play with the kids and for my own little projects. I'm knitting Rebe a pair of warm woolen bed socks at her request. I've really enjoyed them and will start a pair for Benny next I think.
 I made Joa a tail, because all dogs need a tail,

what a helpful dogger!

 Today after visiting the doctor in town I got all of the last of the presents and stocking fillers, another load of jobs easily ticked off the list.
This afternoon after school we baked:

Instead of writing a little card to each child in the class (which is the tradition in our school) the kids choose something to bake for their class to share on the last day of term. Benny chose to make a Christmas tree cake and Rebe made a batch of fudge.

The kids finish early tomorrow and will spend the afternoon with Andy, they will also be there over night on Saturday giving me lots of time off to relax and prepare for next week when Garry and his dogs will come and celebrate Christmas with us in what is going to be a very happy, noisy, crazy, fun and lovely, lovely time!

I can't wait :-)

meeting Santa

Today was the kind of day that I just adore. We didn't get dressed until well into the afternoon, instead we spent the morning making Christmas decorations in our pyjamas. 

 I cut out some cardboard starts for Joa to paint gold while Benny and I made some apple sauce and cinnamon tree ornaments.

 I have wanted to make these for a few years and finally we got around to it. Basically you make a dough from 1 cup ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp ground cloves, 2 tbsp glue and 2/3 of a cup of apple sauce. It makes a really fab dough to play with, we rolled it out and used cutters to make stars and bells and rocking horses, then we baked them in a low oven until they dried. Oh the smell!!! Pure Christmas. I tore an old pair of flannel pj's into strips which we will use like ribbons to hang them on the tree when we put it up.

 Rebe spent the morning in bed making a paper chain and listening to 'The Enchanted Wood' on audio tape. I think the chain ended up being about 20 ft long! Benny cut the strips and did the fetching and carrying while Rebe looped them all together and sellotaped the ends. I also started some simple felt embroidery ornaments. Having finished knitting the bonnet for my friend's baby I needed some kind of project and thought this would be a nice way to pass the time.

So eventually, at about 3pm, we got ourselves dressed and went down the village to our wee cafe. Just as we pulled up we heard the ringing of a bell and saw Santa getting out of a very cool, bright red kit car (who needs a sleigh!). This was Joa's first time seeing Santa, it was so sweet he just ran in circles sucking the collar of his jacket!

 The Golden Pheasant was hosting Santa as a fundraiser for the Philippines. We paid our fee on arrival and were given our tickets to wait to see the old beardy man. The waiting was terribly pleasant, with cupcakes, mince pies, carol singing, friends to chat to and mulled wine.

Then when it was our turn we followed an elf along a path lit with tea lights in jam jars,

 and over to Santa's grotto

 where me met the man himself. Well actually, he was terribly honest with us and told us he was in fact not the real Santa but his cousin. The real Santa had so much work to do that he had asked his cousin to come and meet the boys and girls and to ask them to write their letters and remember to put on their addresses.

 He had also brought them a little something each to tide them over until Christmas day.

 Each of the kids got a little paper bag filled with goodies; a little wooden boat, a shoe keyring, sweeties and a balloon. It was just so special and so sweet and I am so happy that we got to go!

We had a very quick run on the beach on the way home, the wind blasting away the cobwebs and we came home happy and tired and relaxed in front of a film eating pizza off our knees.
Ach what a great day :-)

christmas creativity

It's been a busy few days here and I've been enjoying lots of different kinds of crafting.

 I've been knitting a rainbow bonnet for a special wee girl who's celebrating her first Christmas this year. It's my favourite pattern, very simple and super practical. The yarn was sent to me by my mum, it's a lovely bamboo/ wool blend making it really soft and comfy to wear, very important if you're still very little.

This morning I went to Benny's class to make little felt stockings with the kids. It was so much fun!

I was amazed at how well they all did, they had to learn 2 different stitches and for many, if not most, it was the first time they had sewn anything.

me, taken by my photographic assistant Joa

 At times the classroom was completely silent with little concentrating people working hard and quietly.

Benny very kindly shared his lunch with Joa while I helped some students finish off their work

 We took a good bit of time, but everyone got to take home their finished stocking and they were all so proud it was really heart warming.

my photographic assistant took a few liberties with my camera

Straight after finishing at the school Joa and I headed over to playgroup with the gingerbread men I had baked yesterday.

 I set up a little table and the wee ones took it in turns to come over and decorate a gingerbread man or 2 with icing and sweeties,

 and then of course they ate them :-)

Aside from that I have been doing a little crafting for Benny:

Since Garry has come into our lives Benny's love for the lifeboat and his ambition to be a crew member has strengthened, so much so he asked me to make him a lifeboat pager just like Garry's.

He wears it clipped onto his trousers at all times ready for a shout, my dear sweet little lifeboat boy!

preparations

We're really getting into our festive preparations here Under Rainbows, 

 the last of my Christmas orders are finished and in the post.

At Buddies this week we made snowman pictures...

 I'd just brought all the bits and pieces ready cut out and easy for the wee ones to stick together

 Joa's snowman.
On Thursday evening was the school Christmas concert. Benny's first performance, he was so proud,

 and really gave it laldy!

 (look at how hard he's concentrating on his moves bless him!)

 Rebe was also in the show,

 both of them were great and we really enjoyed it. Joa on the other hand was an uncontrollable liability. He spent most of the time running up and down the centre aisle pretending to be a train. At least his 'choo choo's' were in harmony with the soloist who was trying to give a recital. His running around was the lesser of two evils; when I did manage to get him on my knee he would insist on lying back and shouting at me (very loudy) 'tickle doggy's tummy' and asking if he could have a pee in the holy water. Good grief!

The coming week has more festive fun lined up,
There is the playgroup Christmas party for which I need to bake 2 dozen gingerbread men for the little ones to decorate.
The head teacher of Benny and Rebe's school has asked me to start doing some fibre work with the kids so I am going into Benny's class this week to help them sew little felt stockings,

 I spent the morning cutting out felt shapes and threading needles in preparation.

 On Tuesday evening my choir is singing at an Amnesty International vigil, so I have been doing my best to learn the all the words. Garry is going to come with the kids to watch, although we may have to slip away after the first few songs if the 'uncontrollable liability' proves too much of a handful, but I'm so delighted they will be there, and we might find time to wander around and have a look at all the lights and drink a hot chocolate.

The last of the Christmas presents are just about bought,

I only need to wrap and send them off with the cards.
This evening Garry and I are going to the Lifeboat Ball, which I am really looking forward to. So it's all lovely here, festive and fun!
How are your preparations going?

the beginning of advent

Today is the beginning of advent, last night I hung the advent calendar up in it's usual spot at the window in the kitchen. My mum made this advent calendar years ago when Rebe was only 1, and every year she takes so much time and effort to think of something special to put in the bags for the kids to open to mark each day until Christmas. 

This year she and my brothers had a great deal of fun making up little lego models, taking pictures of them and then breaking them up again to pop into the bag along with a little chocolate each. The kids take it in turns to open the bags and they just get so much pleasure from it.

Bubs also sent them a little advent card each with teeny tiny doors to open.

and of course Joa has his salt dough advent spiral that he made at Buddies last week and that is now baked hard.

 I am so excited about Christmas this year. Garry is going to spend it with us and it is so wonderful to have someone to share it all with. The five of us are having so much fun planning what we will eat and drink, what we will do, which movies we'll watch and approximately how much chocolate we are going to need. I'm so filled with joy and gratitude that I can share everything that makes this time of year special to me with him :-)

The festivities have already started with our Buddies mum's night out last night. We went to a wonderful restaurant and although we missed Flo who is poorly we had such a nice time. The food was gorgeous and there was a pianist and singer playing, we laughed and chatted and heard big, exciting news. We've also resolved to try and keep up going out together every once in a while.

I'm feeling pretty organised and relaxed about the festive season altogether. Most of the presents have been bought, I will try and wrap them gradually over the next few weeks.

I only have a few more handmade things to finish off...

 so there isn't a big crafting panic looming on the horizon.

 I am slowly writing the Christmas cards. I usually make them by hand, but this year the kids school have made cards as a fundraiser. It's great, each child coloured a picture and then the parents were given the opportunity to order packs of those cards, with the proceeds going to the school.

I am also just about finished all of my doll making work. I have 1 custom doll to finish, but she is going to Dublin so I don't need to worry about long shipping times. All of my other dolls that I made have sold, all apart from this wee angel:

She's still for sale in my shop and I would love her to find a home before Christmas. I am offering free shipping on her this week (worldwide and if you order before the 6th she should be with you to sit atop your tree by Christmas) the code is XMAS13.

So all is good and lovely here. It's been a really great week. Garry was off work and so we spent nearly every day together and we did so many lovely things, walks on the beach, eating chips out of the paper on the harbour wall, lunch out, dinner in, movies and mulled apple juice laced with rum. So much chatting and laughing. It's been very special.

The coming week brings so much to look forward to as well, Rebe and Benny have their school show, meeting friends, Buddies and on Saturday it is the Lifeboat Ball (and I'll get to wear my dress again whoopie!)

Life is wonderful and special and as you might have guessed, I'm very happy :-)

lots of dolls

For the past 2 weeks I have been working every hour I could find to try and build a little stock for my etsy shop in the run up to Christmas and I thought I'd share with you the sweet little dolls I made in that time.

Last night I finished this heavy baby doll. She is weighted with 2 little cotton bags stuffed with organic grain and then tightly wrapped in wool roving. She is button jointed and her arms and legs both move making her gorgeous to pose and she sits alone beautifully.

She has detailed fingers and toes.

Her hair is of softest mohair boucle knitted into a cap and then firmly stitched onto her head and brushed out to give it that baby fuzziness.

She comes wearing a little cloth nappy, a pink organic cotton nightie and matching hat. She also comes with a newborn sized babygro, handknitted cardi and booties in pure wool yarn.

I have also made her a mei tei sling in this really funky, retro flower fabric. If you are interested in buying her please pop over to my facebook page and message me there of you can email me laura.whalen@yahoo.ie.

e

 She was so much fun to make and I hope she'll find her new mama or papa in time for Christmas.

 I have also made a host of angels this week;

 four tiny 3 inch ones,

 and one Christmas tree angel. She has a hollow tube instead of legs and will look down from upon the tree smiling love and good wishes over the people of the house.
And finally I made a bundle of snuggle buddies, all perfect for a babies first or second Christmas. The 3 in the front row are all organic cotton and they will all make wonderful snuggle companions :-)

Please pop by and have a look at my shop and see if there is anyone there calling you to give them a home.
I have ambitions this week for 1 custom 16 inch doll, 2 tiny fairy dolls and a requested 2nd set of clothes (and then I might think about crafting for our own Christmas lol) x