A new month

I wanted to post this yesterday, but we got busy, then had company for dinner and then I couldn't be bothered downloading pics blah blah...

Being the 1st of December yesterday we put our Christmas tree up as is our family tradition. For Nathan this was almost as exciting as Christmas day for him (in fact I think he kept thinking it was and was getting confused about it all) since he woke up at 5.50am (about an hour too early) and came into our room saying "can we put the tree up today?"

So, up it went (only a little fake tree so didn't take long). As I was putting the decorations on, I thought about how I had made the majority of them over the past 3 years.

Last years' effort was making felted balls from varying coloured wools and some of them I added beading to. I also made some some balls using entirely beads threaded onto twisty ties - they were fun and quite effective. (Unfortunately the photo came out a bit glary).

The year before I made some from driftwood and added beads and glitter glue.

I haven't made any this year, the tree's not really big enough to take anymore anyway!

All potted and ready for Christmas!

I thought it was about time my grown-from-seed tomato plants were put into bigger pots. So, it was my first chore for the today. These are looking better than my own plants, and were selected as gifts which will be for my two grandmothers and another elderly relative. Flowers are already starting to appear on a couple of the plants. I've been nipping out the laterals and feel like I finally know what I am doing with tomatoes - now just to wait for my own plants to get bigger.

I've been sewing!

OK, so no pictures just yet, but my evenings this week have been spent at my machine.

I made a couple of cushion covers for my mum using a couple of long linen dresses (they actually belonged to my mum and she wanted a gift made out of them). Just need to find some buttons or domes to do them up.

I've made my rice bags and just need to get the rice to fill them - made from the linen napkins I got from the op-shop.

Nathan now has a pair of pirate pants which is to be a part of his Christmas gift - they were refashioned from an old skirt of mine. I was able to use all the darts, side seams and waistband - so was only about 5mins of sewing! Just need to figure out how to make the shirt now.

More homemade gift ideas...

So far I've come up with these ideas:

Potted tomato plants
Potted capsicums
Make a cushion cover using recycled fabrics
Scented bath salts
Dress up clothes
Lemon honey
Laminated pictures (using the kids paintings) for grandparents
Hot rice bag (rather than wheat bag)
Ginger beer

Thinking of Christmas presents

Well this year there really will be homemade gifts. I always have the best intentions, but to date haven't really found anything that feels right. This year I am growing a tomato plant for each of the great-nana's since none of them need anything, and what better than fresh produce. Maybe I'll have a go at making soaps for others and then just need to come up with a few ideas for the blokes. Any ideas?