Christmas Crafts
Christmas PomPom Delight
A while ago I wrote about these fabulous pompom makers which I bought as a slight indulgence for a bit of Xmas crafty silliness. They’ve been worth their weight in £1 coins though and we’ve had masses of fun with them already, as have a quantity of people who have visited. Pom pom making is very therapeutic when it is easy and these really ARE easy.
I ended up being most pleased with this pompom garland swag that I made to go up in the window. It was really cheap, made from £1 balls of Robin DK yarn from our local cheapy shop, in an assortment of rich colours. I think there are about 40 pompoms and it can’t have cost more than £12 in all. It felt stupidly lovely too – Max and I ended up with it sat on our lap like a pet snake! It would make a good draft excluder too
There has also been much fun with a pompom Christmas tree (4 of varying sizes, in two wools wrapped simultaneously and covered in tiny fluff balls from Tesco) and snowman display. They look gorgeous and are largely due to the brilliant and patient Maddy for patience in putting it all together. Buttons and felt made all the accessories.
Seriously, if you aren’t impressed by our pompom Nativity scene, you are reading the wrong blog ![]()

With the addition of some silly eyes and foam sheets, one of our Christmas craft sessions produced pompom robins, reindeer, penguins and erm.. puffles ![]()

I would say these pom pom makers deserve full on purchasing, they are a great craft cupboard addition. The Large blue, green, medium blue, yellow and light pink ones are the best value and work the best (extra large, large and small here) and the dark pink and purple, which are extra small and the same size, don’t work quite so well. We’ve had so much fun and I’m definitely inspired to try more with them.
Christmas Camp 2011
I’ve got a group of friends who I met online when Maddy was tiny, using now wildly outdated ways of connecting with like-minded souls such as yahoo groups (before Facebook and Twitter, imagine!). They became real life friends remarkably quickly. We did our first camp together, some of us, when Amelie was 4 months old by which time I’d already met several others of them in person. Since then we’ve stayed at each others houses, shared holidays, become godparents to each others children and much more. We’ve seen each other through tragedy and triumph and waxing and waning fortunes and friendships. In some respects I feel I’ve grown up with them; they are my family of choice and rank up there close to my brother and sister in terms of the people I turn to in a crisis or tell news to first.
I’m incredibly blessed to have them; some of them are the only people who met Freddie, some of them are the only people who came to his funeral, they are people who chose the music and helped write the poem and know my darkest secrets. Among us, this group of people, are women who have been exactly where I am and because of them I am the parent and person I am. I was a very different emerging parent when I first met them and I’m so grateful and glad of the influence they have been on me. And they’ve championed our business, packed and carried boxes on visits in the olden days, bought from me when cash was tight. I’ve tried to do the same in return, though I am not sure I’ve had the opportunity to return all the favours
For the last few years we’ve done a Christmas camp together, getting together to share a few nights of fun and frivolity and friendship before the festivities start. There are always people who can’t go, through work, or school commitments or health, money or distance and this year, I was one of them
I was fully paid up and intending to go, but the girls did the panto audition without me fully realising them implications and, because camp was in our busiest business week (so Max couldn’t ferry girls back and forward) and we only have one car, I was then in the position of having to let one pair or another of children down. I was gutted too as last year was a camp I barely made it through, it being filled with happiness when I was desperate and overrun with the latest batch of toddlers and babies who I could barely face. I’d been really looking forward to going this time, even if Fran might have had to stay behind for school.
Thankfully these friends offered (I may have hinted a bit!) to take Maddy and Josie with them and mum and dad them for the week. To my surprise Josie went for this idea without hesitation, not bad for a child who is only just 7 and was a real home bird till recently. Maddy, who basically needs no one but herself, was delighted by the idea, so everyone got to do what they wanted (except me, but I guess that’s a mum’s role at times!)

Josie decided quickly that any temporary mum with in car DVD players was okay by her
In the entire week, I spoke to her and Maddy once; they were just having too much fun to bother with tedium like speaking to their parents. According to my friends, they were mostly seen as a passing blur as they whirled between friends. Josie was supposed to come home with one or other temporary head mum on Thursday but didn’t, preferring to stay to the very end – 5 whole nights away from home! She had so much to tell me; long walks, geocaching, dinners, who she played with, what they played – but not a single “I missed you!” I think that’s a good sign
Christmas Camp is characterised (apart from late nights and drinking!) by the Christmas dinner and Secret Santa which is done each year. We had originally had places, so we had pairs to make for (and receive from, thank you!) The girls are all pretty good at making their own now (they have to be handmade or charity shop or under £3) and here are our offerings.

From Fran. (Her best ever model, she was so proud!)

From Amelie (She has a matching bracelet as hers was for her BFF!)


From Josie. (Loved her models, she is getting good!)
I was charged with making one for the Secret Santa organiser who has just had a very exciting year!

No pressure then! I was very proud of it so you can see more photos and all about it over at my Fimo-Ideas blog if you wish.
I may have missed out this time, but I’m so grateful to my friends for giving my girls a great week, for including me and sending me updates and photos of them and for being people I could absolutely trust to keep them safe and well and happy. Love you all. Can’t be long now till the children are booking these weeks themselves and asking us if we’d like to be parked in the annexe while they stay up late and drink wine without us. I hope so anyway. I’ve got a lot of Christmas camping left in me yet
Christmas Beaded Elves
Next up on the Christmas Crafts list was these Beaded Elves. I bought some wooden beads from another eBay seller (trying very hard to support small businesses this year where I can). I had planned to make Fimo faces but the beads were cute and easy. The girls made the hats though.
These are the first goes and I think they are lovely. We’ve got plans to add scarves (Maddy made the fairy one) and try a few different hat designs. The Fimo hats have a hole through the top and are blued to the head – there will be a photo of them all displayed at some point
We found the old style thin pipecleaner (bought from a tobacco seller) worked best but big beads and chenille stems from a craft seller would work too.
Here are some step by step photos of the elf’s insides!


The beads are glossy and easy but could also be made with Fimo, especially those left over bits and blobs
Fimo Christmas Penguin Tutorial
Josie had a belated birthday party this week with her friend BB. I’m a bit of a party failure and Josie was always going to be upstaged by BB’s amazing playable Angry Birds cake, but I made her some Fimo penguins to go on a (oh the shame) bought cake and she was very delighted with them.
It inspired me to have a go at making a Christmas penguin and creating a tutorial. I’m really pleased with it and I hope it will inspire you to have a go with this amazing craft material.
The girls have also been having a go with some tester snowglobe ideas, using tiny jars from Hobbycraft. Here is a taster of what they made – we’ve got more plans for these later!
Christmas Pom Pom Wreaths & Pincraft Crafts
And then I’m done.
Painted wooden trays using acrylic paint. The idea was for them to paint a design but we ran out of time s I’ve temporarily added wooden shapes – we can finish them another time.
This pompom wreath is a work in progress but I really like the idea. It was going to be a string of pompoms but we got carried away – I think wired on and done all in festive colours with glass beads, this would be really lovely. Definitely something to try next year.
Finally, the Pinflair craft. This was tough, too difficult really for Josie but the others managed them and they are very effective, I have to say.
I have to say, all things considered, I think we ended up doing pretty well
May you all have the best, most peaceful and most joyful Christmas possible.
Sock Snowmen Christmas Craft
I’m not sure where to credit this idea to, although I got it from my friends Katy and Sarah. It’s great. (When i find a link, I’ll add it
)
Fill a sports sock to nearly the heel with rice and tie a knot. Then tie a white string (or a scarf) around the neck to give it definition and make a head. Fold the ribbed part of the sock back over on itself and over the knot and then paint it. We turned a little rim back up again to give the hat a cuff, as it were (at least some of us did).
Add goggly eyes and draw on buttons etc.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Ps – Josie has been playing with the nativity (that is in fact two amalgamated nativities!) Can you tell?

































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