SNOW strikes hard on the UK...really!!!

 Decorating our Christmas gingerbread ornament cookies with all the cousins over here is always fun...only little M was running around by our feet without patience to sit and place tiny silver balls on the icing...oh well...those pitter patter of feet will grow bigger very soon...and then we'll be waiting for the next little cousin to be on the move...my sister is expecting another one in January...busy times...the families are growing!

 this is Miss J's gingerbread house which she is right this moment as I type...stealing spaceships from and spiling sherbert ALL over the mantel...(SUCH fun!)

 Miss A needed a break from cookies and switched to play-doh for half an hour...

 then out came the lego...aaahhhh the lego...they both can play with this for hours upon hours...

 down went the Sun and out played the girls....we had another 15cm of snow yesterday afternoon...wonderful for us...not for travellers over here in the UK...they REALLY have NO idea how to function in the Snow...
LUCKILY Mr.R arrived early Sat morning and on time...3 hours later Gatwick and Heathrow closed down for the day...and I do beleive are still cancelling flights.

 Jumping in the snow never looked like SO much fun! Wouldn't that hurt ones knees though?

 I drew SNOW KINGS in the snow...and the girls made mazes and snow houses...

the trees are covered with with snow...as are all the roads...and the news can't stop talking about it.
England has a LOT to learn about how to deal with Winter conditions, but I don't think they want to pay out what they would need to to keep their Country running in these conditions....

How is the weather where you are?

Snowy wishes for a wonderful week...hey, perhaps we'll have a white Christmas!
HUGS
Char.x

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS : gingerbread ornaments...

 every year when we visit my Scandi parents we make a fresh batch of Gingerbread ornaments for the tree...the tradition started 10 years ago...my parents moved into  their home and hadn't unpacked all their moving boxes....so ornaments for our tree were no-where to be found...

 so out came the flour and rolling pins...cookie cutters and aprons...we decided we would make the ornaments out of gingerbread cookies.We have continued this each year when we come over for the Holidays...as the girls get older...they get more and more excited.

 this year we bought ready made dough from AHEM(Ikea) ...this cut our time in half and we were able to make ALL the cookies yesterday...
The hearts have already been eaten...we have stars,angels,trees,snowflakes and houses to decorate this afternoon.

 my Mama loves to help out...which the girls love too!

what have you been baking lately?

Ok...back to decorating...I have a little lady tugging at my arm saying "I'm ready!!PLEASE Mummy...now?!"
Cinnamon HUGS
Char.x

HANDMADE Advent Calendars

 I'm a little late posting as our car is being fixed and had to be driven this morning to the mechanic...oh, I hope we get it back by this evening...as I haven't prepared much for my Mr.r and his Birthday tomorrow...so...as promised I would post some pics of Advent Calendars which I have been Pinning on Pinterest. The above image can be found HERE.
I have a goal to make one this year for our girls...we had one growing up when we were small...and I just loved waking up in the morning and getting excited over opening a little gift our mother had wrapped up for us...the gifts were usually small...but thoughtful...they could even be a little chocolate bar...or a pack of hair-bands...

 

 I don't have any pictures of ours...but I think ours had numbers sewn onto the wall hanging and strings attached to each number so the gifts could be hung from them.

This one above with the little stockings is so precious...it can be found  HERE

I love this one...go HERE to see a closer picture

LOVE these painted individual boxes go HERE to see more...

for these little cones go  HERE

 Pottery Barn make this one if you don't have time yourself to make one...go HERE to buy or see a close up of it.

 Pottery Barn also makes this one and has it for sale...HERE

 This has to be the simplist....and very effective...if I don't complete my idea...this is where I will be heading HERE

AND last but not least...one of my faves...as you could use this little cubby as a seasonal display...go HERE

WHAT traditions does your household have in prepparing for the Holiday Season?

I am now off to start and finish a commission for a family portrait...which will be a little like THIS one I made...and tomorrow I can show you the commissioned piece I finished last night...another family portrait in the same style...but I will be delivering the piece...


HUGS...and have a FAB Tuesday...
Char.x