5th December - Sticker Book

I'm so glad I pre planned these crafts as today was a bit of a nightmare. Millie ended up in hospital last night and is in for the foreseeable future. So these advent crafts are a great distraction for Scarlett left at home without mummy and her little sister.
She's taken her sticker book along to grandma and grandpa's for a sleep over today.

Sticker books are a great Christmas craft for the advent, because you can't spend every day sat with them doing something and making a mess to clear away, so this type of activity keeps them busy and give you a break.

Struggling to feel in the festive spirit today, but hopefully illie will be sorted soon and we'll all be home together again.

4th December- Snow Flakes

I precut snow flakes..here's a good site for design inspiration Snowflakes

I then let the girls colouring them in then hung them from the ceiling in their bedroom. I have to be honest, I like my Christmas decorations and some of the bits the girls do aren't exactly in keeping with my theme, so these are what I use to decorate their room. It makes for a lovely colourful display.

Bonfire Night Crafts

Fireworks night is one of my favourite celebrations of the year. It always brings back fond family memories and we always make the effort to go to a display, whatever the weather.

Scarlett has been off school sick for the past couple of days but thankfully has recovered in time this year to go to the village display.

So to keep her busy this morning we made a couple of crafts to celebrate the event.

Firstly we made a lantern to help light the way on the dark damp walk to the fireworks. These are fun and practical. They also save you from having to pay out for one of those crappy flashing light toys they always flog at these events.

Firework Rocket Lantern

So to make the lantern you will need the following:

• Clear plastic tube, I used a tennis ball tube.
• Battery powered fairy lights or torch
• Stickers
• Sparkly things
• Ribbon/ create paper

So this is really simple. I let Scarlett pick as many bits out of the craft box she liked to fill her tube.

We then tied together different lengths of colour ribbon. I pierced a hole in the lid and fed the ribbon though. I then sellotaped it to the inside of the lid. 

Scarlett then covered the tube in stickers...lots of stickers. 

Lastly we put the lights into the tube, put the lid on and we were done. This was great as Scarlett did most of this herself and was very happy with the finished product. 

Our second craft was indoor sparklers. Safe, colourful and fun.

You will need:

• Scraps of foil, ribbon and coloured paper
• Straws

Firstly cut a slit into one end of the straw. Place strips of foil, plastic, ribbon and paper into the slit. Seal the slit with tap, securing the sparkles. Millie was a fan of waving these about. The foil makes a nice crackling sound a bit like sparklers too.

Cress Heads

This is a great penny pinching home craft for the little ones.

The kids enjoy getting messy making them, lots of stickers decorating them, then watching them grow. The best bit is they grow super quick for those impatient kiddies who tend to loose interest if they can't almost see something growing before their very eyes. These only take a week or so to mature so are perfect.

So here is how:

1. Cut up an old pair of tights around the ankles.
2. Pour a few cress seeds into the toe part of the foot.
3. Top with soil and tie up end. (for the daddy pour a few extra seeds in around the top of your soil to create a beard before you tie up)
4. Turn upside down onto the tied up end.
5. Decorate with stickers. We did a mummy, daddy and Scarlett. 
6. Place into little dishes to collect water.
7. Water thoroughly at first, then just pour water into the dishes when they start to feel dry.
8. Watch them grow.
9. When shoots appear to be trying to break through the tights, cut a small hole to let them through
10. Add to salads and sandwiches when you want to give them a hair cut.

Day 1

Day 3

You can see the shoots coming through. 

Day 7