Christmas Post II

Just a week before Christmas it was the youngest jammer's 6th birthday. Our kids are great at not really wanting anything in particular for Christmas and birthdays. We never get long lists of wants - thank goodness! When we ask them what they'd like the answer is usually "a surprise"! However a while before her birthday Little Jam did spot this rather lovely doll in M&S. We made a mental note and came home to order it. Unfortunately it was out of stock online so off I trekked to my local (tiny) M&S to see if they had one. No luck, it appeared Emily Button as she's known had sold out across the country. Just our luck! My kids have never wanted the toy of the year but all of a sudden I had to have one. A picture was printed and posted in my staffroom at work. 'Please look out for an Emily Button on your Christmas shopping trips'. The following Monday a lovely colleague produced Emily from her bag. She was cooed over and her ric rac hair admired. How I'd love hair like Emily's! I hoped the youngest jammer would be as thrilled as I was...

Luckily she was so that meant I could get Emily's friends for Christmas (for LJ not me you understand). A kind Auntie bought her a spare set of clothes - school uniform says LJ. Wish school uniforms really were as nice! All she needed now was a cosy pair of PJs to snuggle down with and that was my job last night. 

 Perfect!

Oh and Emily is back in stock at M&S, wouldn't you know it!

x

The Christmas post

This was my run up to Christmas. 24 photos capturing a 'Love is...' moment each day. I thought I'd throw them all together and see what my month looked like!

 But now it's been and gone. After all that build up the big day is over and I've looked back through my photos to see what to post. However they are mostly taken up with my gorgeous new niece who isn't mine to share with you online! This little one is though. As you can see she spent most of the time wearing different hats in different ways

Whereas our Eldest Jammer loved the hat Santa left in her stocking so much she wore it all day and again all day Boxing Day! I can't believe how grown up she is looking all of a sudden.

 Baby niece did seem to appreciate her blankety bunny though.

Awww!

Now us Jammers are all vegetarian which usually makes for good perusal of recipes as we decide what to have for Christmas lunch. It's always something that can just replace the meat and go alongside the roast potatoes and veggies. This year we had an old favourite from the Vegetarian Good Food magazine from 2007 - Forester's Pie. The most amazing thing was that my dad who is a bit of a meatatarian thought it smelt so good he'd better have some alongside his turkey (and other assorted creatures that adorned his plate) - ha victory!!!

What did you eat I wonder?

x

Love is... prison visiting!!

Late this afternoon we took a walk down to Dorchester Prison! No we weren't going in but along the mill stream walk past the prison gardens to look at these...

Every year the prison put on the best display in town with the garden lit up with dozens of reindeer, some articulated.

Back at home things are looking festive in the living room.

I'm hoping by next Christmas we will have decorated the living room and have a logburner. More days at work needed I think!

and a last minute blankie bunny make this afternoon for my baby niece!

Merry Christmas to all my followers and the friends that stop by!
xxx

Love is... colourful

My lovely jars full of trimmings or passementerie have inspired today's 'Love is'. It's been a bit of a making day and a colourful one at that!

 Tonight I finished this set of hedgehog T-shirts for Little Jam.

She's really into hedgehogs and I know she'll love them!

 

There was colour in the kitchen too.

 Making Simon Rimmer's Christmas Muffins.

And decorating them with my new reindeer from Acorn & Will. Thanks Daniella!

Elsewhere Hectic was taking a colourful nap

 and I'm loving my dotty paper under the tree!

Love is... beginning to feel Christmassy

Well the bed that was propped up next to it has been delivered so time for a photo. Here is our lovely big Tincleton Christmas tree!! I love it and I loved unwrapping all the gorgeous bits and bobs that go on it. 

When we moved into our house this year the little jammers were pleased to find this mini tree left in the garden. It became a table decoration for my youngest's birthday party last weekend.

Santa has been brought down from the loft and has found himself a Christmassy corner in the hall.

 The advent calendars are nearly done. I'm a mean mum and don't buy chocolate ones! The Playmobil one comes out most years...

 ... and we loved Eric Carle's tree so much last year I put all the decorations back in and blu tacked the doors shut!!

Love is... other people's lights!

Definitely not mine but makes me smile whenever I drive past! Sometimes I take a sneaky detour just for a peak.

 Unfortunately I'm still a regular visitor at the hospital but it always looks cheery and festive when I arrive in the evenings.

Finally a thank you to Sophie for dreaming up this 'Love is' idea. It's been a welcome distraction from the chaos of my life this month and made me look and think each day. Some of it you just can't photograph though.

Love is... a handful of jewels

For weeks I have pondered the gorgeous Cox & Cox catalogue sat by my bed. I have played around with the copious amount of goodies sat in my online basket trying to make them look less (cheaper). I have tried to make the 25% off sound as reasonable as possible. Then all of a sudden I'd missed it. I went out on Friday night and clean forgot that was when the offer expired. So what did I do on Saturday but log on and find my most favourite decorations had 30% off! So out of my basket went all the unnecessaries and I quickly checked out before I changed my mind again.

 Today this handful of jewel like nuggets arrived. 24 of them packaged beautifully in their own little compartments but I wanted to see their colours together so they didn't stay neat and tidy for long!

I was so keen to get these pretty birds on the tree I forgot to photograph them all together but you get six in a set.

The tree is looking lovely but unfortunately is decidedly unphotogenic today with the last customer order before Christmas stacked up next to it - yes another bedstead! Once the bed has been delivered I'll try and get a picture of the whole tree.

Thanks for your lovely comments about our tree digging expedition by the way. I'm hoping we dug enough root to be able to use it next year but if not then yes, it may well become a tradition and a jolly nice one too.

Love is... being able to read your own cards

Finally the day she has been waiting for is here. After months, weeks, days of counting down, today Little Jam is 6!!!!

Love is... passing the parcel

Today was Little Jam's 6th birthday party. I can't believe our little one is going to be six tomorrow! Lots of fun was had with six little people passing the parcel.

 And of course party lunch!

They loved their stocking party bags but unfortunately I was running so late I ran out of time to stamp nice labels and sew on the bells I'd bought. Maybe next year...

Best of all her little friend who moved away a fortnight ago made the trip back especially for the party and a play afterwards.

Thank you M & M!

x

Love is... digging your own

This morning is cold but beautiful and sunny. Having decided to 'shop local' we headed out to Tincleton to look for a Christmas tree

complete with our spades!

 The little jammers carefully check out the selection.

Little Jam fancied this one but I wanted something a bit taller.

Mr Jam and the eldest get stuck in.

Success!



One man and his tree.



Straight through the fabby netting machine.



Hot chocolates for the girls to warm up with.

and a friendly dog...

...and duck!





Now all we need to do is clear some junk to make room for it!

We've got Little Jammer's party tomorrow so the rest of the day looks like some serious tidy time.

x

Love is... XVI

Flowers from your boss and sweet angel chimes from Secret Santa.

Christmas can officially begin now!

Love is... being a blatant bloggy thief!

Today was my first day off in what seems like ages so I decided I couldn't put it off any longer. Yes, I'm talking about the dreaded Christmas shopping. Just presents for the jammers' teachers mind you, the rest can wait 'til next week! Anyway I walked aimlessly around the town without much inspiration. I'm not good at shopping - I get cross quickly with queues, of which there was a ridiculously long one in the bank. I decided what would probably help would be a Starbucks Gingerbread Latte but sadly the queue didn't move fast enough for me so I stomped out and went home, grrrr!

It's only then that I see Nattie's post. Nattie has been very organised and made her teacher presents already. Well, I think smugly to myself, it pays to be late with everything. I find myself heading back to town for kilner jars ready to copy her fab idea. DIY cookie kits. Brilliant! The jammers assembled them themselves leaving me free to stamp some pretty labels and knock up a mulled wine kit for a friend.

 I made a simple bag from Vanessa Arbutnott's plain dotty which I love and filled it with a bottle of wine, a clove studded orange and a muslin bag of sugar and spices.

Check out Nattie's lovely blog Florence and Rose for the cookie kit recipe!

I thoroughly recommend last minute shopping. On my second trip to town I remembered the small matter of Christmas cards, all half price now!! I'm putting Christmas on hold now, that's enough for one day.