I've been sooo busy this November and December making presents for Christmas for everyone.

So far I've made:


5 hotpads (aunt & uncle)
1 poncho (friends daughter)
1 baby blanket (friends son)
1 vest/jacket (aunt)
1 filet christmas tree square (mom)
dozens of snowflakes (assorted folk)
1 garbag can made out of hundreds of little circles made out of magazines (grandma)
& now i'm working on a cardigan for my not-so-little guy

if i've got time i'd like to make a few other small items...but i have a feeling i'll be running out of time.

Christ was not born at Christmastime
invoked by practised choirs,
embraced by plastic mangers
and fulfilling our desires.
No kindergarten was his home,
no drummer boy his page,
no earth had frozen snow on snow
when God had come of age.

Instead on the periphery,
eccentric through decree,
the power behind the universe
was born a refugee;
a refugee from heaven above
became the world's creator,
and chose an unknown peasant girl
as host and liberator.

-Final verses of "The Antichristmas Carol" by John Bell

So far I have spent $274ish on Christmas. This is presents for Husband, Andrew, the dog, the Secret Santa I participated in, and stockings for the 3 of us. Husband and I don't usually exchange gifts...but I did buy him a few little things this year. I told him about this, so I wonder if he's gotten me anything.

I've paid off $143 of it and I'm deciding how I want to pay off the other $130. I know, I know I didn't pay cash for everything. Spank me now. I can take it.

We have $30 in our house fund so I am planning on using that. That would bring the balance down to $100. I'm thinking of taking $1oo out of our Emergency Fund. I know Gail would scowl at, but really using the EF is better then having debt right? Spank me now. I can take it.

I still have to pay the sitting fee ($180) for the photographer for my whole family's portraits. The sitting fee is my gift to my whole family (ie. parents & grandparents and extended relatives). I don't have funds saved for that (except for money in the EF). I know, I know, spank me now. But i have a super secret plan. We almost always get some money for Christmas from people, so my plan is to use our Christmas money to pay for the sitting fee as we aren't taking pictures until December 29th. Super secret plan sound okay?

This is the really the first year that I have not stressed about Christmas. Actually, I've hardly given it any thought. Once I decided to do the photography thing and I agreed with my friends not to exchange gifts and Husband and I don't really exchange gifts. All I've had to worry about is presents for Andrew and Christmas stockings for the 3 of us. It's nice just being able to relax and enjoy the season...especially with 2 weeks off work!

We bought this fleece for Christmas Presents. We got 1.5 metres of each for a total of $24.

I've got big plans for this 3 metres of fabric. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get 4 items for presents for Andrew (possibly 5). Andrew loves cars, so this fabric is perfect for him and it was not too expensive, only 8.99 metre. The solid blue was on sale for 4.99/metre, so it was all good deals!

1. No Sew Fleece Blanket - We got a blanket like this from my half sister a few years back. Everyone loves it here and Andrew has a small baby blanket version, but he's rapidly outgrowing it. If this blanket is successful and not too difficult to make, we will make more of them for other people for Christmas.

2. Fleece Hat -- I'm thinking a simple one like this, but with some spikes added down the top ala dinosaurs.
3. Fleece Scarf -- A nice easy scarf.

4. Fleece Mittens -- Just some simple mittens for Andrew that match the hat and the scarf.

5. If there is any fabric left over perhaps another scarf, hat, and mitten set for my young cousin for Christmas.

I think the no-sew blanket is perfect for us because Husband can do most of the work (ahem, tying ;P) for the blanket.

Has anyone had time to think about Christmas yet? Crafts and presents and baking and shopping and decorating--oh my! I've not even had a minute to think about any of it yet this year.

It is comforting knowing that we have just under $100 saved for gifts, we just need to sort out who we're buying for and what we're planning on buying for everyone.

I've started taking part in a Spare Change/Penny Challenge on Frugal Village. While I am hardly frugal, I find their challenges and ideas awesome. I'm getting so many ideas from their threads. I think this spare change challenge is such a great idea that I've started it on another forum that I frequent.

I'm saving my spare change and pennies for Christmas presents. So far I've got $11.17 in my jar. I started on March 9. I'm going to aim for $15 a month to go into the jar. That would give me $150 for Christmas presents which is about where I want to be.

This is a totally fun challenge. I see a penny now and I get giddy. A nickel and I'm excited. A dime and I'm ecstatic. lol. I've only been putting in the odd loonie or quarter. My savings have been stricktly pennies, dimes, and nickels.

I'm preparing for the dinner tonight. I'm pretty on track, I think. I've got the veggies cut up, the dips made, the cheese on the platter. house is (mostly) cleaned.

This is what I have left to do:

put chips out
put bread out
put cold cuts out
put everything out actually
cook the perogies, perishky, and chicken fingers
finish last cross stitch (i'm afraid to cut this one)
vacuum back room
make coffee (which i don't think i'm going to do as i have no idea what i'm doing)
put ice bucket out
maybe do some more laundry...

get dressed! i need to get dressed. i still have my pj's on. lol

A big Merry Christmas Eve to everyone. May the peace and love of Christ be with you all tonight and tomorrow and forever.

I'm hosting Christmas Eve dinner this year for the first time in my life. It's a big change for my family. We have always had Christmas Eve dinner at My Grandparents. Always. But things are changing. Grandpa passed away a year ago and my Grandma is in her 70's. It's hard for her (even though she won't admit it) and she also cooks SO MUCH that it is TOO MUCH.

I am breaking with tradition and only having finger foods and snacks and appys. *GASP* Don't worry--no one is missing out on Christmas Turkey Dinner....we have that Christmas Day at my Aunt and Uncles. In fact Christmas in my family is a 3 day holiday extravaganza. Dinners and lunches and presents and booze oh my. This is my attempt to make Christmas more low key and relaxed and fun for everyone involved.

But, I need a plan of attack especially because Christmas Eve is exactly 1 month away today. I need a list (mostly because I like lists...) We have several areas that need addressing. We need a menu, We need a cleaning schedule which would also involve more de-cluttering, we need the home improvements to be completed by December 24th schedule and I also need to work on my holiday crafting list (which I have been avoiding doing...but had made a spetacular to do list of gifts to make and have not even looked at it since then).

Tentative Appetizer Menu

Veggies with dip (carrots, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, tomatoes)
Cheese and crackers (variety of cheeses)
Hot Artichoke Dip with Tortillas
Seven Layer Taco Dip
Cheese Fondue with bread
Cold Cuts with Buns
Perogies*
Perishky
Maybe some sausage rolls
Maybe chicken fingers
Deviled Eggs?
Garlic Sausage?
Pickles?
Fruit Tray?

Cleaning Schedule

All the obvious things (sweep, mop, clean up, dust)
All the not so obvious things (THE BASEMENT, all my craft stuff needs to be moved out of the dining room, the bathrooms need a THOROUGH cleaning, & the crap outside in the yard needs to be put away somewhere)
Kitchen Cupboards need to be de-cluttered so everything fits nicely in them
Fridge needs a good & THOROUGH cleaning because I know my family and where they will look

Home Improvements to be done

I dream of having the kitchen drywalled (at least, painted would be like winning the lottery)
Back Door needs to be fixed
Kitchen cupboard needs to be put back on
Living Room needs to be drywalled and painted
Door needs to be put back on to porch
My Fathers junky old van needs to be gone from our parking pad

Crafty things to Make**

Slippers for Andrew
Slippers for Aunty Heather
Slippers for Rylie
Many, Many, Dishcloths
Some kind of blanket or something out of all the granny squares i have crocheted for my parents
I really really want to make felted wreaths but if I do I need to start scouring for wool sweaters stat
I am thinking of make nuts n bolts or granola as well for the gift baskets.

Sigh. I love making lists. :P

I am being very low key this Christmas. I am refusing to get worked up over anything. I am not making ridiculous amounts of gifts so that they will not be appreciated. I am not fretting over what to make. I am just making whatever i feel inspired ot make. I am not exchanging with my cousins. I am not exchanging with my sister and her kids. My list to buy for this year is small. Steve and I aren't exchanging gifts and Andrew is still too little to realize what he's missing out on. I am going to be happy and relaxed and I will enjoy this Christmas. I will.

*Please note that the perogies are my grandmas idea. She has made 'mini' perogies and sent them over already. So I will humour her

**Please note that this list is subject to change at a moments notice. It always does.

Egads! I just realized there's only 70 days to Christmas. I've gotta get Christmassing.

I'm really not feeling focused this year about what all I'm making even though I've made lists and charts and diagrams.

I made some slippers (one pair for myself, one pair for Andrew, and one pair for the craft sale or Christmas). I made a scarf...but then didn't finish it. *sigh*

Hit me with some motivation and some focus....now.

I think for the rest of this week I'll work on my scrap-ghan and maybe make a snowflake or two and if I feel real stuck I'll make a dishcloth. Dishcloths always make me feel better.

this year the goal of christmas is to keep it simple and keep it homemade and keep it earth friendly.

with this in mind i've purchased 5 large baskets (which are going to replace wrapping paper) for the 5 main groups of people i buy for.

i'm going to keep a running list and cross things off once i'm finished them. i need to stay organized this year and i don't want to become overwhelmed or...ahem...forget something.

1. Grandma's Basket
--Small Cross Stitch (working on)
--Snowflake ornaments
--Felted Wool Wreath

2. Parents Basket

--Gift Certificates
--Snowflake Ornaments
--Scrap Afghan (maybe)

3. Aunt & Uncle
--Small Cross Stitch (purchased)
--Snowflake ornaments
--Felted Wool Wreath

4. Aunt
--Small Cross Stitch (purchased)
--Snowflake ornaments
--Felted Wool Wreath

5. Sister and Family (1 husband and 3 kids)
--Snowflake ornaments
--crazy scrap scarves (3)
--cutlery cases (3)
--Felted Wool Wreath

6. Sunday School Kids
--I'd like to make each of the little kids a snowflake ornament (about 20)

7. Cousins
--I'm still on the fence about if i should give them gifts this year

PATTERNS
felted Wreath
Snowflakes

i'm also thinking of making nuts n bolts and putting them in mason jars or something similar for the gift baskets as well.

Weeee. I love picture posts.

these are my snowflakes. i adore them. initially they take longer to figure out how to make but eventually they do get easier. there is a lot of counting involved in them. six chains here and 8 chains there and single crochet into 4th chain from hook. lots to remember. The pattern has 10 snowflakes to make and i've been giving them all a whirl. there have been a couple that i haven't been able to figure out. picots confuse me apparently.

the instructions say to starch them. that seems like quite a bit of work, so i don't know if i want to do that and it seems quite 'grannyish' (not that i want to insult my grandma cause she always starches her crochet and it always looks gorgeous--i'm just not sure it's the route i want to take). i think they look perfectly adorable all soft and floppy. but maybe i'm the only one that sees that?

i am planning to make 1 snowflake for each of the children's church kids. there was 16 of the little buggers today! so i've got lots of crocheting to do! i would also like to make some for the craft show and some for christmas. the smaller easier ones i can make 2 or 3 in a night (i think). the bigger more complicated ones take longer. i think i could 1 of those in a night. i don't know if you can tell, but for some of them i've added these tiny little cream beads just to give it some sparkle. i love sparkle. :)


i took a picture of all the ones i've made so far. it's my group shot.

i'm feeling quite proud of myself today. i'm dead chuffed. chuffed indeed.

ps. in case anyone is wondering how i've upcycled these (or if i've upcycled them) the answer is: 1. the hook is handed down to me from my grandma and 2. i bought the thread at a used store.

pps. chuffed = british speak for pleased with yourself

that's right. you read that correctly. i'm already starting to think about christmas. but it's not just christmas that i'm thinking about, it's the presents i'm thinking about. it's excitement and worry at the same time. how will we afford it? will people like what we give them? who should we buy for? who should we not buy for? what can i make this year? what can i make that people will actually like, enjoy, and use?

while, i enjoy christmas and all the extras i do confess it is very easy to be swept up in the consumerism of plstic. i've been reading about something started by a group of mennonites called Buy Nothing Christmas. it's a very powerful idea summed up in their FAQs as:


What is Buy Nothing Christmas?

Buy Nothing Christmas is a national initiative started by Canadian Mennonites who offer a prophetic "no" to the patterns of over-consumption of middle-class North Americans. They are inviting Christians (and others) all over Canada to join a movement to de-commercialize Christmas and re-design a Christian lifestyle that is richer in meaning, smaller in impact upon the earth, and greater in giving to people less-privileged.
Can I be a part of Buy Nothing Christmas even if I buy a few things?

Definitely. We are all going to have to buy some things. When you do buy things, we encourage you to remember principles like buying locally, fairly-traded, environmentally friendly packaging, recycling or re-using, buying things that last, and so on. The main aim of this campaign is not to save money (although that can be a side benefit), it's not to slow down the pace of Christmas (although that can be a side benefit), it is to challenge our over-consumptive lifestyle and how it affects global disparities and the earth. So, even though you might buy a few things at Christmas, it's important to think in these global economic terms.

religion aside, it's an interesting concept. i've been seriously considering particpating in this event. i know that i will buy some things (ie. housekeeping services for my parents) but my fantasy is to either make something that the receiver will love and cherish for years or that the receiver will use in real life for years. in short, i don't want my gifts to end up in a closet, in the basement, or in a landfill. also, andrew is young enough that he doesn't really understand christmas and 1 present is as good as 12 to him. in the end he always ends up playing in the box anyways.

some simple and easy things that i can do in support of the buy nothing christmas ideal

1. make handmade christmas gifts (& all year round gifts too!)
2. stop using wrapping paper. this year i will not buy wrapping paper! newspaper works wonders or i will make all my own reusable bags to put the gifts in.
3. buy handmade or free trade when neccesary to purchase a gift
4. buy local as well when purchasing a gift (ie. housekeeping services for my mother)
5. agree to not exchange gifts with a) co-workers b) adult friends & c) adult cousins (really, it would be much more fun to all go see a movie or go for supper anyways...)