I Live In Santa's Workshop

Gosh! I have been away for so long. From my blogging, I mean. And I owe too many emails too- all of a sudden, the days have started slip slide skidding away- it must be getting near to Christmas!

I have been doing Christmassy things since I last posted- and doing them on ‘pajama craft days’ that were an idea planted in my head by lovely Alicia at www.rosylittlethings.typepad.com

Sunday was a pajama craft day. It is so cozy when it is cold and dark outside to putter around inside all wrapped up. The only thing that could have made the day better, would have been hot chocolate. Alas, no chocolate in the house- and I wasn’t getting out in my pajamas to get some!

So, Christmas crafts- I have been making Christmas cards. Snowflake cards for nearly everyone, except for 3d angels for work friends, Christmas tree cards for family, and the 12-days-of-christmas series (that I MUST get a hurry up with!) for Carl. I still need to make some cards for the children I know, and then write all the cards I have made…

Best of all, a Christmas wreath is all ready for our front door. Inspired by the same lovely Alicia of pajama craft day fame. Last December she made a fabulous wreath, and I have adapted it. I got a polystyrene wreath form from Hobbycraft, and covered it with strips of felt in bright pink and bright blue. There are embroidered green felt holly leaves and mistletoe, and buttons for holly berries. I embroidered a leaf with ‘Joyeaux’ and then made ‘Noel’ out of glittery pipe cleaners. The whole thing is to be hung with a bright pink ribbon with gold edging. These are my Christmas colours this year! I am going to wrap up presents in bright pink paper with blue ribbons for girls, and bright blue paper with pink ribbons for boys.

Lovely, lovely to make- the mincemeat. I have used the Delia recipe that I make every year, only this year I have added some dried cranberries that I had left over from my cake. I always make too much, so I have some to give away. Always a jar each to my Mum and Sister, then one for dear Carl’s Mum, and a little one for my kind friend Lisa. I used vegetarian suet this year which seems to have given it a slightly strange texture, but Carl has been ‘testing’ it for me and declares it to taste well. There is something really satisfying about a little row of recycled jam jars, all odd shapes and sizes filled with mincemeat, labelled prettily and given little paper hats to wear!

It is funny though…for all of this, I still don’t feel as Christmassy as I normally do. Perhaps I am more relaxed this year, and it is this relaxed feeling that is unfamiliar?

Random thoughts- when I was making the mincemeat, I had my Christmas music cd on (Santa Baby, When A Child Is Born, Mary’s Boy Child, White Christmas, all of those) and the wind was gusting beautiful gold leaves from the trees outside my kitchen window. The air smelled of Christmas, and I felt really contented.

I am reading ‘Bel Canto’ by Anne Patchett. It is really, really good. I am only two chapters in, but I find myself scurrying off to snatch a page whenever I can.

Probably enough randomness for now- except to ask, does anyone know what has happened to Brocante Home? Where has lovely Alison and her scrumptious site gone?!?

Oh, one last thing- well, two- the pumpkin soup was AMAZING, make it (from last post) and thank you all for your lovely comments. I cannot believe it has been a fortnight since I last posted! I will be a better blogger from now on! And again, thank you for your comments and emails, they always brighten my day.