phew, all our festivities are over for another year….they began with church on Christmas eve which was a hot and crowded affair with a sweet nativity play put on by the parish school complete with a real baby jesus, tea towelled shepherds and tinsel angels…Christmas morning Keira had to be woken up to open up presents

lunch was a very Australian affair with prawns, lobster, ham and cold turkey

and the next day we did it all over again with more family….this year the vegetarian in me should have planned the menu because little did I know the oven door seal was worn and the long turkey cooking time led to burnt kitchen cupboards and doors on either side…whats a girl to do but pan fry her almost cooked turkey roast

and turn Nigella’s festive couscous into festive turkey couscous…..it was lovely even if it was like a scene from a bad Christmas movie but ever the optimist it does mean a new oven is coming my way….

after lunch there was time to test the water before taking a dip in the pool

open more presents in our second dress for the day

watch the twins wrestle

then nap

and now mummy can get the house back into order, put her feet up and enjoy a week of retro daddy at home…..

yes I’m all done, all out of Crafty Christmas Ideas now that I need to get cracking with the cooking and cleaning! 8 guests on christmas day and 18 on boxing day makes for a busy mummy

so put your feet up and have a wonderful Christmas….I won’t be putting my feet up by the way especially as I now have to wrap all of the presents!

OK we’re getting really close now…..not much time to be crafting when you have food to prepare and a house to clean for visitors and while I was in the kitchen I had a glance over at my super cute kitchen pot holder I was given by Belinda this year! 2 squares of fabric, some batting and a little loop to hang….too easy

perfect for a present filler…thanks Belinda!

I’m sure if you delved into your pile of WIP’s you’d find something perfect to be gifted away……last night I remembered this blanket and thought it would be the perfect gift for a new mummy of twins who will be in hospital over Christmas…so a couple more rounds of crochet and it was done

then wrapped with some other goodies and will be given away this afternoon! and thats one less item in the WIP pile and one less present to start before Christmas!

I don’t know about your family but in mine a few members are crafty and this year my sister has revealed she would like to learn to sew little dresses for her little miss. I’ve made up a sweet box (I almost needed a degree in architecture to put this box together from kikki.k) full of everything she needs to get started……………

its a nice way to share some crafty love with someone you know….

Oh dear this tutu has been a long time coming…I’ve made 2 or 3 no-sew tutus for my little fairy keira but felt I was cheating her out of a proper one. Armed with Simplicity pattern 7351 (sorry its an older pattern), lycra and tulle I bravely ventured into the world of sewing with lycra…and here is my first ever leotard….

and a few hours later here is the tutu complete with apple juice down the front followed by some wee wee too….got to love toilet training time!

anyway, apple juice and other things aside I’m so proud of this little outfit particularly as its been a long time between sewing projects in this house. I think you have enough time before Christmas to whip up one or two for the fairies in your life.

There are some fabulous fruits at the moment just screaming out to be preserved…..this morning I decided to make a little bit of jam and a few hours in the kitchen produced 3 jars of Plum & Apricot jam.

All you need to make jam is equal quantities of fruit and sugar (too easy), water, a packet of jamsetta (that clever miss marzie told me I need the jamsetta after my first ever marmalade decided not to set properly), sterilised jars and a big saucepan….

Instructions are on the back of the jamsetta and make sure you do test that it sets or you’ll need to rename it coulis!!!! And also make sure you slop a little of the jam around the jar to make it look like you made it….oops but not to worry as I think some pretty fabric around the top of the lids will make them even sweeter!

Rum balls that is…..Christmas is the only time of year I make rum balls and I’ve cut a bit of rum from my recipe this year as I can’t stand alcohol at the moment….I think I must still be recovering from the twin pregnancy!

I think they are an Australian classic and this is an AWW recipe…
400g madeira cake crumbled
1/4 cup sifted cocoa
2Tbsp rum
1/4 cup apricot conserve, warmed (if you want full on rum balls omit this and add more rum which is how I traditionally make them)
1-2 Tbsp water
chocolate sprinkles

mix cocoa and cake crumbs together and add your conserve and rum and stir. Add water or more rum if needed to make them moist then roll into balls and in chocolate sprinkes. Keep them in the fridge and enjoy later. I’m not sure how long mine will last in the fridge now that retro daddy is on holidays.