Making your own gifts and decorations this year 2017

Making your own gifts and decorations this year.

This year now that both of my children are older I am looking at celebrating this year with them for the fist time and to try and teach them the true meaning of the festive season.

For me it is “The Gift of Giving” so we are in the process of doing this and celebrating Yule.

So this year their dad is already underway with making the boys their Yule gift and I am looking at decorating the house and what food and events that we are going to take place.

So it is the 20^th November 2017 and a month before I will be looking at decorating the house and the tree.

So where do I start.?

One of the things that I am looking at is what I have in the house and how I can use what I have instead of buying things new and also about what I can forage from the !!br0ken!!

One thing that I have been looking at is the following links for inspiration and Facebook pages and group that I am in.

Cloves

one of the things that I am looking at for The festive season is buying Cloves.

What are Cloves?

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice. Cloves are commercially harvested primarily in Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. Cloves are available throughout the year.

Buying them “Fair Trade”

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/what-is-fairtrade

Because they they are from over seas I am looking at buying them fair trade and to also look at selling them whole sale when I set up my own business. I am looking at selling dried products for making things with in the future. Cloves can be brought al year and can be purchased form any supermarket so why use them them for the Winter Holidays what makes them so important?

Health benefit can be found by following the links below.

Cloves are a good source of manganese, selenium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, dietary fibre and vitamin C.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=69#healthbenefits

http://www.antioxidants-for-health-and-longevity.com/benefits-of-cloves.html

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cloves.html

What do they have to do with the Winter Holidays?

With cloves coming to the UK from places like Indonesia but the region with the largest production is Zanzibar in eastern Africa; most people know of Cloves being Used in Mulled Wine and Christmas Cake.

Now that the UK is so divested with culture, and traditions it would be nice to see Cloves used more and why not start by using them at this time of the year to decorate the home and in cooking.

Make Cloved Orange: A Regency Pomander

This is the art of using Cloves and Oranges to decorate the home and to give as gifts of family and friends at this time of year. For the history y of Clove Orange: A Regency Pomander please follow this link below.

https://www.janeausten.co.uk/cloved-orange-a-regency-pomander/

One thing that Make Clove Orange: A Regency Pomander look like are Christingles.

What is Christingle?

Christingle's is a lighted candle symbolizing Christ as the light of the world, held by children at a special Advent service originating in the Moravian Church.

It is sally on the First Sunday of advent which is a Christian way of celebrating this time of year. You can attend a Christingle celebration at your local church and get a Christingle as part of the services whilst collecting money for charity.

Useful Yule recipes./links

http://recipesforapagansoul.weebly.com/yule-dec-21-23.html

https://Wiccan/celtic/akasha/yule.htm

Use full link about Spices

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/grow-to-eat/where-do-christmas-spices-come-from/

Week before

Week before Nursery starts.

I can not believe that the summer holidays is almost over. And that both of my children will be off to nursery. I think to myself BREATH! 15 hours a week and no children. The only reason that this happening is due to be being able to claim the 2 year funding.

I think to myself IF I did not get the two year funding what would have done? Only my oldest would be nursery and the youngest still at home. BUT that is not bad thing, after all children grow up so fast. You blink and you miss it.

I have worked since I was 15years old so now it is time to have a break to be a mum and take care of someone other myself full time.

SO 15 hours per week what is my plan? Thinking about it, I only have 3 hours per week after dropping them off each day and waiting to pick then up to really do anything.

So I ham going to try and put a plan together and take things from there. The main thing that I would like to do is be more clutter “FREE and to remove any thing from my life that I no longer need.

I am looking at sorting out all of my books first and only keeping the ones that I love, need and are not damaged.

Since having the boys, I have read more and this is something that I love to do and wish I had more time to do.

So my first Aim is to read one book by Christmas and work on my own book to get the final prof reading over and done with.

So this weekend I will spend it with my children finish and before “nursery” shopping and get ready for the first week back.

https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds

My Garden 409

My Garden 409

Book for sale

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322452436690?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

I have just listed a book on eBay for sale that may interest one of my followers.  For more information please contact me.

The Idle Women: Recreating the Journey

Christmas Blog

Good afternoon Morning (was going to post yesterday) and a “Happy Holidays” to my readers.

I hope that year as gone well for you and next year will be better.

So lets face it tomorrow is going to be one of the most stressful days of the year, especially of those who have chosen to cook on the day and not prep the day before.

After working in hospitality and catering for over 10 years I know how import prep is and even I fall behind now that I have two children running around all day.

So now might be the time to put the kettle on and sit down and run though my check list and see if it helps.

1. Tea is important, you always have time for tea!
2. STOP! Washing the clothes. If you have not done it by now leave it until after Christmas. There is nothing worse than the smell of damp laundry. So put all the dirty clothes in the laundry basket with an air freshener, put the iron away and the clothes that I dry.
3. Find out your clothes for the morning.
4. Put the washing machine on WITHOUT any thing in it, possible white vinegar, disinfectant or glucagon just to give it a clean and a fresh smell for when your guest are here.
5. Now have a cup of tea!
6. Make a list of now many people you think that you will be cooking for towmarrow and decide when is the best time to start cooking and preparing. REMEMBER the fresher the better and “IF in doubt throw it out!”
7. Check that you have enough tables, chairs and remind people to bring a chair with them IF you need one do not feel embarrassed to ask for help if you need chairs, cups plates, etc.
8. Think about using paper plates and plastic cups IF they can be recycled on the day.
9. Clean as you go! Start with the kitchen and then the bathroom. They are a MUST!
10. Have a cup of tea.
11. If you are cooking from frozen with meat reed the instructions so that you cook it correctly to avoid food poisoning, the same when mixing any cooked and uncooked food., Meat, fish, dairy.
12. Check who is eating what, NO you are NOT running a cafe BUT some people may have special dietary requirements or allergies so if cooking from scratch be careful and if from a box/packet keep the information to hand.

I can not think of any thing else a part from, keep places that MUST be off limits to children or pets closed off where ever possible.

Do not forget to wash your hands!

Have any area that is for children to play in and adults can talk if possible.

It is OK to ask people to take their shoes off at the door.

DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE

HAVE FUN!

PS Practice safe SEX or make sure you have one more seat next year!

PPS any thing that I have for sale will be on E bay by Boxing Day.