Sharpie Christmas Plate

It was the only plate I could find to try out my new Sharpie pens. Apparently if you decorate a plain ceramic plate or mug using a Sharpie, bake it in the oven at 180oC for 30mins it fixs and becomes permanent. Seems to good to be true so my Christmas plate is baking as I type! I will let you know how it gets on!

I am going to be on a charity shop hunt as I buy up every white mug or plate I can find to scribble on!

Our first craft table

Finally I have taken the plunge and alongside three of my crafty friends have had a table of our handmade crafts at two local toddler groups. The success has been mixed but I have sold a few things and am surprised at how much I enjoyed the mornings. Lj (and today my niece) were little stars, happy to go off and play while I set up shop. Not surprisingly at the toddler groups I am selling the kiddy things, like hairbands, hair clip tidies, hats and aprons.

My next venture may be to set up a facebook page! Watch out for 'Lilyjean- Quirky & Handmade'!

This week in our house

We have been busy making this past week...

M and MJ are building their first Willow Dome

A finished hat and hot water bottle for MJ.

Our first attempt at Raspberry Jam. Lj kept telling me that she was my helper, I think it would be more accurate to say that she was my taster!

Another first. I have just discovered Zentangle and am having fun relating it to Christmas.

Winter is coming

Sorry I haven't been blogging much recently, there are a number of reasons.
Myself and a few friends are having our first Christmas craft stall at the local toddlers group in a couple of weeks, so I have been busy making, sewing and crocheting in order to have a good display.
Also I'm looking forward to Christmas and am making lots of presents for family and friends so I don't want to give all the surprises away.

But as the days and evenings get colder I have been wrapping up and thinking of ways to keep myself and my family warm this winter. So there is a bit of a theme with the latest batch of making.

Keeping our...

Heads and hands...

Beds...

and toes, all cosy and warm.

I found a wool blanket which was passed onto me a few years ago and thought I would give it a hot wash to felt it. Then I had a go cutting and sewing a hot water bottle cover and a pair of slippers. The slippers need a little bit of fanciness but they are certainly functioning, my toes are toasty...now I'm off to bed to try out my new hot water bottle cover!

Night night!

November play

This morning we thought we would have a go at No. 1. I really love these sheets from 'Let's expore' they inspire me to play when I'm running low on energy.

It didn't take long to set up. Scissors, straws and a shoe lace. I'm sure you could use wool instead of a shoe lace but I wanted it to be as easy as possible for Lj to thread. As I'm doing colours and shapes with Lj at the moment, this was good colour practise also.

Cutting practise. You can even use a buggy to collect them in!!!

Threading the straws takes concentration and patience.

And when she got bored of that activity she thought a tight rope would be a good use for the shoe lace!