Setting up the Christmas Crib

We have a very basic Christmas Crib
(is it called that here, that's what we called it growing up in Kiwiland...)
and it consists of just a few figures that remain from a much larger set.

So the kids and I made a couple of new ones:

This snazzy looking guy is Joseph



And this bright little fellow is the Drummer Boy



Er, without his arms and his drum, which was to be made from a gum nut. Master 4 who was doing the artistic direction (hence the multicoloured punk hair and green leopard duds) does NOT want pipe cleaner arms or a drum. So it will be.

They will soon join the existing crew, see below:



Mary is on the right and Amahl on the left has been standing in for Joseph.



And sometimes they are visited by some other random lady with her baby, her puppy and her pet tiger cub. And a lego knight drops by occasionally too.

Mary and Amahl were made by my mum many years ago and are the perfect solution to crib figures for small children. I think we'll make some new ones every year, as happened when we were kids.

Hmmm, who to make next?
I have a faceless body on my work table awaiting a personality.....

Progress

I managed to hit Spotlight today and picked up some bits of wool felt for Superman, as well as red and blue satin for the rest of him. Nothing much in the remnant bin today, although there was a clearance table with rolls for $3 per metre. So I grabbed a few metres...here is a sneaky peak...




I'm planning to use these fabrics for one of my ongoing projects, cloth bags for Christmas, so I can completely do away with paper wrap. I whipped up some last year and they were a hit, easy to make and...here's the greenie in me... recyclable of course.



They looked beautiful under the tree, and no huge mess of paper to fit in the recycling bin. No mess of bits on the floor, no fuss, no sticky tape to run out of, no scissors that you can never find: my husband is now a convert and H loved them too...good for keeping toy soldiers in!

It's been a while..

Gee, it's been a long time since I was on here. Lets see, what's been happening? Well, Christmas, for one. Very busy with two kids and two large extended families, lots of shopping, baking, sewing and crafting. And, back at work after maternity leave, yikes. Granted, its only two days per week, but the organisation required is phenomenal, who'd have thought that, huh?? So, might be re-thinking that one in the near future. Mind you, I've become an expert in bulk cooking and stocking the freezer with easy to prepare meals. Well, maybe not an expert yet, one day perhaps.

Now, back to where I left off...the beautiful piece my sister sent me home with after a visit to her in rural WA



I happened to admire it hanging on her wall, so she took it down, wrapped it carefully and gave it to me, saying it was a late birthday present. How nice was that?? I say it again, my sisters are my life savers.

A little bit of the detail...


She said it was a challenge piece: my one sis left in New Zealand and my eldest sis in Tom Price (at the time) give each other quilting challenges to meet.....at least I think that's what it's all about, this is not an area of sewing I know a lot about. Oh, and she sent me another of her quilts for Christmas, a wall hanging that she was working on while I visited, and I happened to fawn over.

Right, enough on those!


House hunting, that's something else that's been on the agenda. Oooooh, I can't wait to have a sewing room, my husband's after a gadget room, and we both would like a decent size backyard for the boys, who are 1 and 4. Way too much energy for a small house like ours, there is only so many times I can stand spiderman leaping off the furniture onto our wooden floors before I start to feel the reverberations in my bones. First thing we're investing in once we find the right place is a trampoline, spiderman can practice his leaping skills on that.



What is it about small boys and costumes? Although I imagine the same goes with small girls as well, but seeing as I don't have any I can't tell you.
They loooove them! See spidey, above. And this little gem....

Yes it's Mr Nearly 4 in a..........chicken suit.


Currently, the Buzz Lightyear outfit is in favour, although Superman gets a regular airing, as does Batman. That reminds me, I need to get suitable receptable to hold above mentioned superhero duds...

More soon, as I've discovered this is a good place to order my thoughts and keep my sanity, it's no wonder blogging is such a popular pasttime.