Firstly let me apologise beyond all apologies for not writing a single thing for a very long time, i have no excuse to be honest, other than not really being inspired to write anything and trying to avoid boring you all to death...however it is christmas and i have been having alot of "creative" fun so thought i'd share with you and catch up with the last three months?!?...so sorry!


Joseph had his debut performance as a shepherd at church last week - an upgrade from the sheep costume that has done us proud the last two years. Some of you will remember my rant about 'off the rail' nativity costumes, well i can tell you we had great fun cutting and designing Joe's shepherd outfit...and sock sheep (which are really hard to find - people don't sell toy sheep!) He did a sterling job and made us proud...although it was slightly embarressing when he started making what my mother referred to as "very realistic shepherd noises" whilst sat on stage and started all the other shepherds giggling!
We also went to a local Farm for a nativity which was fantastic and i'd recommend it to anyone! It's done in a barn thats been decorated as bethlehem and as the children go in, they can become angels or shepherds - Joe's speciality! Then a lovely farmer chap tells the story in the middle of all these sheep and donkeys and the Children kind of get dragged round by parents to the right places in the story! Fabulous! Oh i forgot to mention that Joseph Morgan was not in the bestest of moods that morning and so Daddy had to be a shepherd to! He loved it really!


I don't know if any of you watched Kirsty's homemade home on channel 4, well she did a christmas version at the beginning of the month, which even though was slightly 'patronising' as one of my friends described it (refering to Kirsty's handmade bear - starting at around £75!!!)she did have some great money saving ideas and it got me making things i wouldn't have thought of before. Joseph and i had fun making some salt dough decorations for our tree and got in a right old mess painting them. But what i really enjoyed making (although my fingers would not agree as i abused them terribly in the process) was a christmas wreath for the front door. I actually went one better than Kirsty as i didn't have a ring to build it on so made one out of some old willow in the shed, but i went with a friend and joe on a lovely walk in the woods to collect greenery and Joe thought it hilarious to chase us round with a sprig of very prickley holly, and then brought it all home to start a project i was not sure would ever work! But it was easier than i thought and even though i made an almighty mess in the kitchen (as it was far too cold to stand outside) i am quite pleased mith the finished product!


http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/kirstie-s-homemade-home/index.html

Anyway i'll leave you to your last minute wrapping, whatever you do don't go to Tesco - it's very scary! And wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a creative New Year!