Day 17 of the Advent Season

Homemade Mini Tote Bags

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The girls got these mini tote bags today from the Advent calender, I made them from the trouser legs of an old pajama bottom that was made for my eldest when she was about 15 months old. What's nice is that both girls wore this pajama set during their toddler years and I have been wanting to make them a mini tote bags for awhile but kept putting it off. When I came a across this pajama set in my mend it bag, tote bags screamed out at me and well here you are.

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They both love them and have attached the handbag charms the received over the weekend. The little one wore hers all night before going to bed and has fulled it with all her Advent goodies plus other stuff. I'm really happy I made these out of the old pajama bottom, these pajamas are from a set of five pajama sets I had made for my eldest when she was just turned 1yr and it was her first ever big girl pajama sets (nightclothes), as prior to that between the ages of 6 months and a year living in the Trinidad I simply put her to bed in nappies and a armless vest. And as I am and old sentimentalist at heart every time I look at these bags it will help me to remember those early days of parenthood.

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They heard two bible stories today.

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Heavy snowfalls forecasted and it has begun.

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Another parang influenced Christmas song and the title says it all... Trini christmas Is The Best!!

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Susan Macio - Trini Christmas Is The Best.

Day 16 of the Advent Season, First Snowfall and The End of An Experiment

Handmade Paper Dolls

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The kids received paper dolls today from their Advent Calender, I made them with jointed arms using paper fasteners to create the joints and made simple clothes for them to start off with. My eldest made me proud by immediately making boots for hers and her sister's doll, which slips on and off quite well. Why did I feel proud? Well I wanted to make shoes for them but couldn't quite figure out how to do so without using a tab fold over edge (and she did) and I was also happy because my main reason for making them these type of dolls was to encourage them to use their imagination to make new outfits for the dolls which I hope will help to stretch their creative juices in relation to the materials they may use, etc. So I was really pleased that its purpose worked so quickly. (Golly just reread this and what a lot of waffle to explain something so simple, sorry about that).

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The bible story they heard is pictured on the right.

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Woke to an even more frosty morning today, with mini ice crystals designs on the conservatory window, frozen shed locks and completely frozen to the bottom bird baths. In the greenhouse the water in the watering can also had a frozen surface, these two very icy nights I'm afraid have lead to the end of the 'extend the season tomato experiment' and put paid to the hope of picking homegrown tomatoes on Christmas day. But there has been enough benefits for me to repeat this next year, I mean how great is it to pick ripe tomatoes right up into December :) The picture on the right shows how many more full tomatoes I had slowly ripening on the plants. I cooked some this evening for dinner, chopped up with onions and sauteed in a little olive oil, salt and black pepper.

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The yukon plants have also been completely killed off from the frost and so I'll be harvesting some roots soon to try.

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Well the frost doesn't only mean doom and gloom and to prove it, below are some pictures of beauty frozen in time for you to enjoy.

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Calendula

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Annual Salvia

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Heartease

These although they were pretty droopy with the heavy frost, once it was melted by the sun they perked right up.
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Sweetpeas - I couldn't choose between them so I decided to show you all both pics.

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Now the sun did come out really bright and warm today and was much more efficient at melting the frost today than yesterday, it go so much warmer that I was sure the promised light snow forecasted would not have materialised, hmm? How wrong was I? Here is a short video this winter's first snowfall all be it a light one. It did settle enough to let you leave foot prints but during the night it was washed away by a light drizzly period.

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Today's Trini christmas song is another parang tune originally written and sung by Daisy Voisin who I told you about here. This time the singer is another lady who is making a name for herself in the parang feild of music.

Sharlene Flores - Sereno, Sereno.

Day 15 of the Advent Season and The First Hard Frost of Winter 2009

Floral Headbands

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The girls got some more hair accessories from the Advent Calender today, they both loved them and the little one didn't take hers out till bath time and the eldest has plans to wear hers to her school dance on Friday.
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The bible story they heard is pictured on the right.

Well if I wasn't sure I am now, winter is definitely here. We woke this morning to our first hard frost, everything is coated in a layer of icy crystals.

Plant foliage, seed heads and fallen leaves taken on a wintry beauty, which helps to take your mind off the numbing cold but only just! The birdbath and mini ponds with their frozen surfaces needed melting too.

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The greenhouse door was frozen shut, when I finally wrestled myself in, I found standing water frozen and frost damage to my yakon and tomato plants (those leaves are frozen and

were crinkly to touch).

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There was a small ray of warmth, this chocolate cosmos (given to me by a thankful freecycler back in the summer) which I am attempting to over winter in the greenhouse was blooming! It sadly had no sent but I would think it would need the warmth of the sun to gets its oils going.

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Well with the definite return of the cold weather, I decided it was time to start feeding the birds. I normally start to feed the birds with the return of the first hard frost, I generally don't tidy the garden too much at the end of autumn, so prior to this first hard frost there was lots of foraging foods for the birds to find amongst slightly tall grass, fallen leaves, wind fallen apples, numerous seed heads, etc.

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So with the ground becoming frozen and the temps getting to -1C during the night and barely getting above 1C during the day, its time to help out the feathered friends of the garden. So I have put up three feeders to begin with, a fat ball made by myself with lard, rowan berries and seeds, a regular bird feeder with wild bird food and another feeder(not pictured) filled with nyjer seed to attract goldfinches and sikens.

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For dinner tonight I used some of the pumpkin 'Snowman' in a rice and beans dish, I found the taste quite bland not much sweetness all. There is three quarters of it left in the fridge and I'll try it i at least two other types of dishes before making a definite judgement on whether I'll grow it again but at the moment its not looking too good. Interesting to look at though.

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Today's Trini Christmas song reminds us that not everyone enjoys a merry Christmas but be aware the singer I believe is getting his comeuppance for possible past bad behaviour but a surprised ending. Its a very catchy tune and is another local favourite sung by a Calypsonian with a parang influence to the music.

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Crazy (his stage name) - Yvonne

Day 14 of the Advent Season

The Completed Nativity Creche

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Well with the arrival of the three wise men and the Christmas Star in tonight's bible story the nativity Creche is now complete. It was fun to make and I'm glad I made time to create it this year.

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Next year I'll make a proper wooden stable for the characters and I might even add a camel or two next year as well.

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I look forward to using it for many of years as part of our Christmas decorations.

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Today I also added some new items to my blogshop, on the left are the book thongs (markers) and there are also some hair accessories as well.

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I have been trying to advertise my blogshop and was wondering if the twitters among you would recommend it as a way to get my shop name out there.

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I have shunned the social networking sites mainly because I spend way too much time on the PC already but have been wondering if I should try twitter as mainly another advertising opportunity.

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I am also toying with the idea of a Christmas give away of one of my items again to encourage traffic to my site.

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So what do you all think of these ideas, all suggestions welcome.

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Here is today's Trini Christmas music, its a song that is calypso influenced and sung by the legendary 'Grandmaster' of calypso 'Lord Kitchener', hope you enjoy it.

Lord Kitchener - Drink ah Rum

I have posted two posting today so be sure to check out the first one to remain fully updated on my going ons, tah!