Wee felt gnomes for the wee one

I'm not going up to the wire with christmassy-making this year, as tempting as it may be.  'Project Baby' is making itself felt, with the swelling of my belly (and some serious huffing and puffing yesterday when I attempted some usually-easily-accomplished canyon steps on one of our favourite trail walks),  some sharp jabs in the ribs, and some reminders ('when exactly are those nursery curtains going to be made?).  So, the eight-week deadline (God, is it only 8 weeks?!) has become more imposing than the next-week one.

However, before the elvish streak abandoned me, I put together these wee felt gnomes for Boo.  Gnomes have been her only request this year, no doubt inspired by the gnome fun she has at school.  I also picked her up some  of these wooden ones from Natural Pod for a bit of variety.

I used the instructions for felt gnomes available here which are very clear.  I really would recommend using 100% wool felt - the quality/feel is so much superior to other felts, and it doesn't get that nasty bobbling polyester felt does.

 
 
I made some even-more-wee gnomes too, to create some family dynamics.  I should probably make some little babies to go with them too!

This would probably make a great sewing project for kids too - its so simple.

Boo and I have had a couple of other elvish moments too of late, but I'm keeping them under wraps for the time being so as not to spoil any surprises... and by the way, exactly how do you get a 3 year old to keep secrets?!

Lazy Mama's Door Wreath

 

Our advent activities calendar tasked us with making a winter wreath today.  But Mama couldn't find any green garden twine to attach wreathy materials, and it was heavy sleet outside the door so I didn't feel like venturing out on a collecting mission. Cue some lazy wreath-making...

We have a wreath base (Walmart I think) into which its easy to poke materials, so a few off-cuts from the christmas tree found themselves wedged in.  Then we raided the 'autumn box' for some fir cones, and Boo's 'ribbon box' for some ribbons, and just tied those fellas on there.  Finally I pulled out the unspun wool, and we made some strands of wool to wrap around.

Lazy, but at least our door is now decked, and we are keeping pace with the advent calendar... only 10 more!

Picture Book Picks for Christmas 2010

Here's my top picks for childrens picture books of 2010 I think any young bibliophile would be thrilled to unwrap on christmas morning...

 
'Cave Baby', Julia Donaldson (author), Emily Gravett (illus), Macmillan 2010

When you bring together the inimitable talents of Donaldson (Gruffalo, Snail and the Whale etc) and the fluid pencil work of Gravett (Apple, Pear, Orange, Bear etc), you are most likely in for a cracker.  A stone age baby fond of cave wall daubing romps with a hairy mammoth and other creatures.

 
'It's a Book', Lane Smith, Roaring Book Press, 2010

This is a very 'knowing' and funny book, and for that reason in many ways I think its one of those children's books which might be more for the adults.  Certainly my little girl would not 'get it', knowing little about the technological world, which is the way I would prefer things for the time being.  Older children who are familiar with technological gadgets and gizmos but have a great love for the printed book would probably enjoy the humour. But maybe the grown ups even more.

 
'Owls see Clearly at Night', Julie Flett, Simply Read, 2010

Julie Flett is a Cree Metis Vancouver illustrator (Zoe and the Fawn) whose exquisite digital collage work we recently saw at 'Collage Collage'.  This book is a Michif alphabet with beautifully spare illustrations.  Boo liked the bear hiding behind the tree.

 
'The Quiet Book', Deborah Underwood (author), Renata Liwska (illus), Houghton Mifflin 2010

A book about many different kinds of quiet - from comfortable quiets to the quiet of having done something wrong.  A beautifully meditative book with some adorable animal characters, rendered in fine pencil with digital colouration.

 

'Shadow', Suzy Lee, Chronicle 2010

Suzy Lee hasn't put a foot wrong as far as I can see.  With her wordless books 'Mirror' , 'Wave' and those with a spare story ( 'The Zoo'), her lively marks in charcoal, ink wash or pencil convey the energy and imagination of a young girl's antics.  In 'shadow' the girl plays in a dark attic, where the shadows begin to have a life of their own.

 

'Up and Down', Oliver Jeffers, Harpercollins 2010

Oliver Jeffers can do no wrong.  'up and down' is the next installment in the adventures of the boy and his friend the penguin, who decides it is his mission to learn how to fly.  'The Great Paper Caper' remains my favourite, but who can resist another deadpan tale of adventure and absurdity?

 
'The Tree house', Marije Tolman and Ronald Tolamsn, Lemniscaat USA, 2010

Boo and I were mesmerised when we came across this at the library.  The cover was enough for the Boo, who is obsessed by polar bears, and to look inside to see that he is joined in the tree house by a brown bear who flies there on a boat, she was sold.  So was I by the quality of the art work, which is stunning.  A wordless book, the tree house remains throughout as it is visited by hoards of flamingoes, rhinos and other animals who join the bears to hang out and enjoy the tree.  Magical. 

Happy Reading!

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Our paper decorations are up...

 

 
Boo requested 'hand in hand animals for her room...

 
 
There's snow on the window trees (just waiting for the real snow outside now)...

 
The salt dough ornaments are on the trees...

 
 
The winter nature table is all set up (ok, I know it's not officially winter yet, but these things came out when the christmas box was opened, what can ya do?)...

 
... and yesterday we completed 'the gingerbread house'.  I say 'we' but in reality Boo spent most of the decorating time munching on the sweets.

 

 
We are enjoying our christmas preparation, hope you are too!

Salt Dough Christmas Tree Ornaments

Day 2 and we are off and running with our advent activities! 

Today's activity was to decorate some salt dough shapes.  It was a case of 'here's one I did earlier' (for those people who are familiar with Blue Peter!), as we'd already cut and baked the salt dough shapes on another day.

There is a recipe for salt dough here.  I've had a few issues with getting the cooking time right, it has to be long n low, but I've had things come out overly soft if they are thick - the cooking time listed here is about right for thin shapes, but you will need to increase time or temp for thicker pieces.  I managed to overcook my thin shapes this time, not heeding my own advice, so they bubbled up slightly, but ho hum there you go.

 
We used some small and medium sized christmas-shaped cutters for our ornaments, remembering to pierce a hole in the top for the hanging attachment (I used a bamboo skewer for this).

 
Baked it...

... then today, painted and decorated them.

 

 
Now we just need the tree!