Dusting off the Knitted Baubles

I made these beauties about seventeen years ago now, when I was a very hard up student.  Six of us lived together with no money but a great sense of fun.  One Christmas, a tree came from nowhere...and we all made the decorations.  My best buddies boyfriend was a chef in the Royal Navy and he came over and cooked a 'Christmas Meal' for a load of us.  Happy days.  Today at Euan's request, it was time to dust off the baubles.  First I had to majorly declutter the living room...I have moved all the junk into the bedroom, so I will have to vault from the door to the bed tonight!  I love getting out the decorations...it is a trip down Memory Lane.

I made this 'Christmas Fairy' when I was three or four, so she is quite a wise old lady now and has survived very well indeed.  I am very pleased to see her each year.  My Mom used to teach Music at a private school and she could take me with her to the Nursery class from the age of 3-5.  I made her at school.  She is made out of a cotton reel and I think she has melon pips for her nose and mouth.

I made this Christmas Pudding at school when I was about ten, there used to be an apple and an orange too but I don't know what has happened to them.

I made this Attic 24 'Christmas Bauble' last year and my boys said it looks like a Cheeseburger, it is now known as 'The Festive Cheeseburger.'   I had a sorry looking Christmas Tree for years and I was really fed up with it...I did not have the money to spend on a new one and although real trees are beautiful an artificial one seems easier.  A couple of years ago my Mom took Euan out shopping and they came back with a bargain of a tree...it was used in a shop display and it was sold very cheaply with all the decorations still on it...Euan's little face looked like he had struck gold.  Now instead of having a sparse tree I have a completely over the top, chocca block full with Christmas Bling Tree.  Henry's favourite are the Peppermint Candy Canes and he has always prided himself on sneaking them off the tree before Christmas day!

I found it very hard to photograph in all its glory!  So we are feeling very festive indeed.  I have done lots of housework today and no Hooky time yet...I will ripple away in peace later.  One of the jobs I had to do today was terrible, but someone has to do it.  I did clean the chicken coop out, but that is not what I am talking about....

 I sorted out my Blackberry Brandy, straining off the fruit and funneling it into bottles.  Some of it wouldn't fit in the bottles!  It was a shame because I had to drink it!  At the end there was a panic with it overflowing so I had to quickly stick the end of the funnel into my mouth and surrender!  I will make labels and prettify the bottles next weekend.  I am not sure any of it will make it to 'Christmas Gifts',  it is going to be hard to part with, as it is delicious.   Next week I will have to do the same to the Raspberry liqueurs!  Tut tut, 'A woman's work is never done!'