Deck the Halls

Well, I have finished the sewing and the machine is put away and I have spent two days 'spring' cleaning the house, from top to bottom, inside and out and it feels lovely! I have a great furniture polish recipe for anyone out there with any antique or old wooden pieces of furniture, what I like about the mix is it sinks into the wood rather than coating it with a waxy residue like most sprays and cream polishes which in turn attract dust and general dirt. From Home Time by Jocasta Innes: Home made furniture Polish:

2 parts raw linseed oil

1 part white spirit

1 part malt vinegar

Mix together and shake well as you use it because it behaves like a vinaigrette with a tendency to separate. The vinegar is the cleaning agent, while the white spirit cuts out the fattiness of the linseed oil. Use sparingly, applying it with a soft rag.

So now that is done I have started to get out the Christmas decorations, I took Evie out the front of the house to see the few lights I put by the front door and the berry wreath on the door and asked what she thought - 'Lovely Mummy, and I like these raspberries' - will now always think of that as the 'raspberry wreath'. On Sunday we will decorate the tree and go and visit a Father Christmas somewhere, then snuggle down to watch a few Christmas DVDs.

I have to say that if you saw my desk at the moment, you would know I still have stuff to do, paperwork, bookwork and filing both for home and the shop, but once these are done I am really looking forward to having a go at these projects of Anna's and this banner from Two Peas.

Henry has had his Christmas lunch at school this week , where the children are invited to make a

Christmas hat to wear, this year Henry decided he wanted to go as Joseph (which Henry and I saw at the theatre at the beginning of the year and LOVED!) so he wore the head dress my mum had brought him back from Egypt!:

Then Friday was Santa Fitness Friday where they had to wear a Santa hat for Huff and Puff, we all stayed in the playground to join in - even our local PC, a couple of Santa's and Sherbet the school mascot joined in - good fun for all:

And I spent Friday without Evie (she had a few hours at mum 's) and I went to Amanda's at Your Touch of Craft to help organise their 'Spring Workshop' it's in Newmarket on Sunday 29th March 2009 if you want to book phone her on 01284 761222, then I went off to school to help set up for the Christmas Fayre.

Evie has made us laugh with a few of her little sayings. Jonathan came in from work and gave her a kiss the other day and she looked at him in his shirt and tie and said, "nice scarf Daddy" ! She mis-pronounces a few words which make us smile - swimming cosmume, smamich (sandwich) and water mountain (fountain) are favorites!

Nearly forgot to give you Anthea's two week countdown!:

*Post any last minute cards or parcels

*Buy your tree, but bring it into your house as late as possible

*Decorate your front door with a wreath

*Ice and decorate your Christmas Cake if you've made one

*Buy or collect evergreens and other foliage for Christmas decorations and arrangements

*Order non-perishable foods and have them delivered

*Order flowers to be delivered next week

Isn't Anthea's world wonderful! As we are out on Christmas Day I have not had to do much food preparation (just the pudding and cake) but I will make a Russian Fish Pie for us for Boxing day and freeze it so I don't have to do much on the day, I will post the recipe for this on my recipe blog next week.

When we were children we always arranged the decorations on the Christmas cake once mum had iced it and I am trying to recreate this tradition with my children and niece Daisy:

I have also just made some of Anthea's Mincemeat Blondie's, which are very tasty, so I will get that recipe on my recipe blog asap!

Have a great weekend xx