Christmas comes but once a year...

thank goodness!

What a busy couple of weeks. My wife really gets into the spirit of Christmas but does it take some organising? She runs herself (et moi!) ragged with buying all the food and trimmings, presents, cards, organising this and that and generally getting quite stressed out. I'm a laid back sort of guy, but if I value my bits and pieces, I have to get involved. It's not that I am a scrooge, but I believe most things would take care of themselves... if allowed to.

Anyway, we visited Baddesly Clinton recently. It is a National Trust property, and for those of you from across the water; this being the UK organisation which looks after our national heritage. Grand ( and some not so grand) houses, mansions and castles, etc and huge swathes of our countryside. This year for the first time, they had opened this property at christmas as it had been decorated in a victorian style. It was really a spledid sight. The volunteers who man the property had done a wonderful job. We were so knocked out with it all that we decided to try something similar at home this year.

Depsite mountains of decorations in the loft, it was to be a hand-made theme throughout; apart from the lights and a few items like candy canes, etc. So, being seen as the crafty one, I was set down to creating decorations for the tree. A couple of paper chains ( I remember making something like this at school, I am sure) and vintage style tags. Well I was making a few of these things anyway, so what's a few more. Thought you might like to see the results of my labours.

Here are a few of the tags and a partially decorated tree; it still requires in this photo some gingerbread biscuits and a star which is to be made from holly and ivy from the garden. Will try to get another shot posted when completed.

Well got to go and dig the car out of the snow now, beginning to look like a real Christmas. Hopefully back very soon with more crafty creations for Christmas.