Billie’s Stained Glass Windows

While Beetle was making her lovely canvas paintings, Billie made stained glass windows.
The detailed instructions are at Kids’ Craft Weekly, but I basically peeled back half a sheet of clear Duraseal and let Billie stick bits of cellophane, ribbon, feathers and sequins on it, then stick the other half down over the top. Then, to [...]

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Welcome to Bethlehem

Beetle and I went for a drive tonight, with Nanny and Aunty Emily, to see Christmas Lights. We visited the “Come to Bethlehem” drive-through Christmas display at a local church.
Beetle brought with her a card she had made to give to Baby Jesus. It said, “Dear Baby Jesus. I love you so much. Love from [...]

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If a tree falls in the lounge when I’m cooking dinner….

The girls took the tinsel outside to decorate a bench seat on the deck. The “decorates” were taken down for a “quiet Bethlehem game” and in the process the tree lost its feng shui and fell down.
I feel pretty much like that tree at the moment.

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Beetle’s beautiful Christmas gift paintings

I am so proud of Beetle.  I decided yesterday afternoon to make Christmas gifts with Beetle instead of baking an infinity of gingerbread cookies with her. (The baking can wait til next week) I remembered a stack of tiny block canvases I had tucked away somewhere, so we sat down with a half a plan.  [...]

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Meals Most Men Prefer

This is a list from a book I bought on Trademe – Tui’s Common Sense Cookery, from the 1950s.  “Tui” was the “Lady Editor” of the NZ Dairy Exporter – a publication my grandmother contributed to.
Bear would sooner not eat most of the suggestions on the list. Fussy.

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The Glorious Clutter Wreath

The Glorious Clutter Wreath
Originally uploaded by thinkingchair
My Mum was first to make a wreath like this, wielding her hot-glue-gun with purpose, her craft-table glittering and strewn with op-shopped baubles.
But as soon as I spotted a supermarket bag full of unsorted, donated Christmas decorations outside my favourite op-shop, I knew I had to make one of [...]

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Happy dreams.

This is our Christmas card picture, if I can get it to somewhere on time for it to be printed. Probably the chemist.
Damn off-shore digital photo printing outfits.  *scowling at vistaprint and the apple photo store*

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Opshop conversations

I was browsing the opshop when I overheard a conversation between the opshop ladies, unpacking a box of donations.
“Look at this, Gladys – it says it’s to hold your cheese down on a cheese plate!”
“What…. so it doesn’t fly away”
“Imagine! to hold a cheese down!”
I realised what they were talking about so, unable to mind [...]

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Origami Wreath

Another op-shop find was this, surprisingly violent Christmas tale from 1955. (Santa gets fed up with all the dressed-up Santas in the world, and goes on a rampage around a cold winter city, ripping the beards off their costumes)
Again, it was damaged (and, frankly, kind of scary) but its three-colour palette was perfect for a [...]

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Doing the washing

I found this book at the op shop today: Doing the Washing by Sarah Garland.
The book itself is totally trashed. Ex-Glen Eden Public Library, missing at least half its pages, scribbles, rips, and browned ancient sellotape all through it.  But I had to buy it because of this page:

I understand, book lady.

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