It's beginning to look a lot like ...

 

The tree is up, I'm smashing chestnuts and school's out. Everything's looking and smelling very festive. But what's that on the sofa? Could it be a new furry addition to The Raggy Rat? Yes, that's two year old Ash, and this is his first Christmas in a family home. He seems to be taking it in his (long) stride .... 

With wings!

I asked the girls to let me take a picture of them on Christmas day, and they promptly cuddled up together!



Then I asked them to turn round and show us the winged-bags that I made for them, and they did this!


Then they quickly flew off!

Happy Christmas Blog Readers!

These lovely candles left over from this years advent spiral made cast a lovely glow on the Christmas dinner table ...



so I popped the camera on the table for want of a handy tripod ... i do a lot of table top or sewing-machine top photography in winter!



wow, look at that face - can you believe that's a three-year-old with sprouts in front of her? Now its time to give thanks, and tuck in! We all hope you had a lovely Christmas day!

looking christmassy!

The tree down from the loft and ready to sparkle!



Ben and Grandma-moon-bun where they can see all the action!
I was pleased to find Ben's hat again in the bag with lasts years wrapping paper!



Our cute nativity set with books ... Daisy can now read most of these this year!



and a very special garland made by my girls in Sunday school from self-hardening clay


I had to give in and use the flash on my camera to share all this with you! Hope your house is looking nice and festive too xxxx

Nativity time - feeling christmassy?

Well it was a lovely evening when my little girls stepped out for all to see in their mummy-made costumes, so of course I took the camera along as one does at such special times!

Mary did very well despite me not giving her lessons in stairs-and-long-dresses! My favourite grown-up costume was the chicken, what did you like best?

Christmas! some festive sewing ....

is your sack ready for Santa? or your stocking? :-)

Russian Christmas swap goodies ....

i love secret santa - look at these lovely Tyler Poncho Toys we received here in raggy rat land ...



my children also wanted to hold and meet the new friends ...



pose with them - awesome colour!



and of course, talk them up too - we love our Tyler Poncho Toys! Thanks Tyler xxx

Happy Christmas Blog Readers!

Thought you would like to see my tree, before it is raped and pillaged tomorrow! matty set up the cute nativity scene, apart from the angel who is a pole dancer as usual!

Rat Bag ....

I lined a rat bag - rucksack - with this, while listening to shooglenifty "troots" ... good working music!

big, naked rabbit dolls ....

how about some tails, please?



oh, and could we have some clothes?

plush team plush swap ....

we went out to play today and when we came home we found a small box in the porch ...



so we came inside with it and i made lots of toast, then opened the box - i spy fabric, a wrapped present and some little green frogs ...



i love the message on this sticker !



and all wrapped up, a special hedgehog pincushion made by amy, aka squirrel momma, just for me! and now mary can say hedgehog ! thank you amy, i love it, and thanks for asking about my poorly babies too ... xxx



there were also some small frogs to play with, one for daisy ...



one for matty ... we like frogs, she says !



and one for little mary ....

A Merry Christmas!

little rainbow-sparkle horse will also be unwrapped today ... clip, clop!

pink pony - another christmas present ready in time!

now all i want is for my three littlest poorly girls to feel better ...

meet chunk and ninja ....

this is chunk



this is ninja



sometimes, it's nice to make something special ...

swap doll arrived !

in the summer tantehilde (see blogs of note, left) fell in love with my wolly goats and so we agreed to trade and i sent the goat over during october ...


and this lovely girl has been made for mary ...


i made her a blanket, from sparkly cotton and white fleece, and edged with red binding to match the carry-cot hilde made.


go and visit hilde's dolls, they really are beautifully made ... thank you tantehilde!

it's that time of year again ....

Dorset for Singing Christmas Concert

An evening of musical entertainment from one of Dorset’s largest choirs!!
Featuring well known popular songs and much more!

7:00pm on Thursday 3rd December
All Saints School Hall, Wyke Regis

Adults £2.50, Under 14’s £1
(Cash bar available throughout the evening)

Proceeds to be donated to
“South Dorset Alzheimer’s Society”

Musical Director - Ed Hintze
Produced by Michael Anders

Tickets available from Christopher Robin Party Shop,
70 The Esplanade, Weymouth, DT4 7AA

Phone Jenny on 01305 759644 | email info@dorsetforsinging.co.uk

liberating giraffes from christmas paper ...

i made two giraffes from some amazing freecycled vintage fabric, for matty and daisy, using the pattern from SOFT ANIMALS A TO Z ... carolyn vosburg hall.

i wont forget daisy's squeal of delight when she realised what was inside the package!

hope you had a lovely time! xxx

singing for seb

singing for seb
Originally uploaded by RaggyRat

remember the concert on the 4th of december?
well here we all are at the run through before hand ...

if you want to have a go at spotting me, click through to flickr, and to 'all sizes' to make the picture bigger, and have a good squint at it

please ask permission before using this photo
thank you xxx

three big chicken pouffes for christmas!

and a happy new year to all blog readers, remember i am happy to exchane blog links with you ... its one of my favorate time wasters, hopping blog links

well all the girls enjoyed their chickens and louise carried hers all over the house to ensure comfort while playing small electronic games ...

daisy has got the hang of climbing on, but matty isnt so keen yet ...

i am very pleased with them and hope their cousin mia likes hers too ...

a happy christmas !

thanks to all my new friends in blog land and over on flickr, for your friendly support and encouragement over the past year .... hugs !

3 large chickens will be unwrapped by my girls today ....