CHRISTMAS x

It's never too early to get prepared for christmas, and for the last two or three years I've followed the grand plan on www.organizedchristmas.com to get myself organised for the festive season. It's not just about the gift buying, it's about having the house cleaned top to bottom, everything stocked up and ready for dinners, parties, etc; and all the gifts sorted as early as possible including hand made gifts. I love it when i'm all organised like this and then i can hibernate over the winter period, especially the christmas holidays. The year I was expecting my little boy all pressies where bought and wrapped by the end of september as he was coming along in november! crazy some people may say, crazy but organised, therefore I am calm and unstressed which makes for some happy holidays. I hate shopping 1. in bad weather 2. With babies in prams and 3. in the christmas chaos where everyones freaking out and bumping you all over. We as a family like to visit the metrocentre at christmas solely to laugh at the freaking out and walk around chilled and enjoy a nice meal out knowing we are all sorted for christmas.

This year because of moving however my shopping will have to be made a little later this year, octobers pay packet will have to do the majority of the shopping as we have had to pay for a new bathroom and a new garage roof. This is very late for me though so I intend to have my lists and I will do one day where I visit some toy shops and the rest will be done all at once online. I'm thinking probably amazon, so that I don't have to have millions of deliveries too.
I love handmade gifts and am getting together with some friends tomorrow to get some ideas going and hopefully learn a bit of sewing. I am also browsing the charity shops for cheapo gifts too.

I will definitely be making cards this year and some mini scrapbooks. Here are some of my cards I made a couple of years ago. They are quite basic and I am so much better than that now. Also here is a picture of my reindeer flannels. I made these for little lasses nursery teachers one year and they loved them. I've also made shabby chic signs for teachers too, they have cost nothing to make as I have already had the materials for them.







So the first week of the grand plan is list week. I have this week to make a christmas planner (which I half did last night), make all the list suggested like for example food lists, gift lists, etc; and then you have to thoroughly declutter and clean the porch (which I have done). I just need a couple of mats at the front door and a shoe tidy for keeping wet wellies on and stuff and then I'll be ready.

Ooh I made this box one year and am yet to finish it, inside has a book for photos!



I love this picture of little lassie.



Oh and here's a close up of our tree, my hubby is disney obsessed so we have a tree of grolier disney ornaments, this is the only one I could find so I'll try and dig out some more!



Here's another one I love of little lassie and titch last christmas.xxx



Happy planning everyone. Anyone else think the planning is the best bit? :-)

Things just got exciting...

I read loads of blogs and am always looking for new blogs to read. A few new blogs came about this week and i'm going to mention a couple of them as they have got me all excited about blogging again. They've also got me excited about other things too, crafting, being thrifty, setting goals, but mostly just about being myself and enjoying being a stay at home mam/ housewife.
The first blog i have to mention is that of a good friend who i have grown up with. We've know each other for years, since we were born really. I hadn't seen her for years and then we cross paths again for one reason or another. We start chatting on facebook, etc; and i come to realise we have loads in common. I thought i would love to read a blog written by this mam and she has started one, it's going to be great and already is right up my street. Read this blog at: http://thenotsoperfecthousewifeblog.wordpress.com/

The other blog i found is so honest and familiar, it's a great read. I loved the article she wrote where she posted a photo of a room that some would call messy but some would call lived in. I clicked the follow button when i read that she often gets comments about her being a single mam with two children very close in age, people say to her "wow you must have your hands full" to which she replies "if you think my hands are full you should see my heart". Such a beautiful sentiment, fab blog at : http://notsosuzy.blogspot.com/

So lets see if i can stay true to my word and get back into more regular blogging, there seems a point to blogging when you think someone might actually be reading.