Tuesday 20 December 2011

More creating and a new member of the family


We have been creating in the Sweetpea household again over the last few days.  I find that if I keep the children busy making things there is less time for them to wrestle with each other :-)

I thought I would share some of our creations just in case some of you wanted to have a go.  Firstly we made bird feeders in the form of pine cones covered in lard and seed.  Firstly we melted some lard.


oohh that stuff smells so yucky when you melt it !  We then tied some raffia to the tops of the pine cones to form a loop so they could be hung up.


I poured the melted lard into a cup and we dipped to pine cone into it.


When the lard had built up after a few dips we rolled them in bird seed - didn't get a photo as it got a bit messy at that stage (the kids really loved that part as you can imagine :-)).

We then hung them on the trees, they look really pretty hanging up, we hope the birds love them.

I also cut some strips of brightly coloured paper so that the children could make paper-chains, they love making these.


They really enjoyed this and spent ages sticking them together - even little Sweetpea created one (although it was a slightly different design to the traditional style paper-chain bless her).

They look lovely stuck up around the house.


Another item that is now hung up over the fire place is a pom pom garland.  A friend of mine lent me her pom pom makers, wow these are fab!  They make pom pom creating so much quicker, they might not be as full as the original style pom poms but they still look great.


I love our new fluffy garland !


Just had to pop this picture in too as I love the coloured lights over our other fireplace, they let off a lovely colourful glow :-)


And now for the new member of our family, here is Spike the hedgehog.  He was found on a dog walk the other night and when we weighed him at home we realised he was too small to be out in the cold.  We are feeding him slugs and snails which he pounces on (I never knew that hedgehogs pounced!).  Eldest Sweetpea is out most mornings looking for slugs for him.  He is putting on weight and seems very content.  Unless a hedgehog does look too small to be out or is out in the day I wouldn't recommend  moving them.  We only picked up Spike as he couldn't get up a curb and looked far to small to be out and about.


Just in case I don't get to blog again I would like to wish you all a very relaxing and lovely Christmas and New Year. x

Oohh I nearly forgot to leave you with a festive photo of me ........


Little Sweetpea wouldn't wear this for the nativity party at 'Little Lambs' so of course I stood in :-)  Do my ears look big in this photo ? :-)

Luckily my mates are just as crazy, we were the only ones dressed up  (BearsFootprints is below if you read her blog - oohh she will love me for this :-)).

27 comments:

  1. lovely little spike glad he is getting on ok, our paper chains are up also mind you it took abit of help from me or they still might not of got done. Lastly im glad you loved the photo so much, it does bring a smile to my face everytime i see it. Merry crimble sweetpea's wishing you all a fun filled christmas, from everyone one in Bears Cave x x x

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  2. Merry Christmas to you too Mrs Sweetpea. I am going to make pinecone treats for the birdies tomorrow- they are fabby. Thanks for the idea. Ax

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  3. I just love that fluffy garland, so pretty. And Spike is just adorable!! Have a lovely Christmas. Lolo xx

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  4. hi there, i love the pine cones and the pompoms are just lovely....i love all the ideas out there for holiday decorating with kids...much needed here!!

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  5. When I read about your new family member I thought "Oh no, don't tell me she got a pig!" Phew it is only a hedgehog.
    xXx Helen

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  6. I love the paper chains, we used to make them when we were kids! Yours look fab as do the pom-tiddly-om-poms!

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  7. Love your pom pom garland, it looks fabbytastic,thanks for the bird feeder Idea,guess what the kids and I are doing tomorrow
    Merry xmas too
    p.s donkey hat looks great x
    XX Manda XX

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  8. You sweetpeas have been having such fun this holiday season. What a darling little donkey you make!!!
    Wishing you a wonderful Christmas too my friend.
    hugs...

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  9. Love the pine cone birdfeeders- what a great idea!!!
    Also love your hedgehog- how adorable is he!!!
    happy Christmas

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  10. I picked up a pack of paper chains in the sale last year and Eleanor made them last night, I just have to decide where to hang them now. What a gorgeous new family member you've got, I wouldn't fancy snail and slug hunting though. All the best to the Sweetpea household for Christmas and New Year.

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  11. Lucky birds! I'm going to try that out over the Christmas/New Year week- thank you!
    P.S. Spike is gorgeous...

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  12. I love the pinecone idea and the gorgeous pom pom garland. Lovely pictures of the sweetpeas making their paper chains too. And the donkey....well, you are obviously one of those lucky people who look good whatever they wear! Merry Christmas, Zoe!
    Helen x

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  13. Oh you are busy! I love the bird feeder cones, I bought some (cones as couldn't find any on our local trees) with the intention of making some nice firelighters as gifts but we are sadly running out of time, might change over to bird feeders instead. Love the pom pom garland as well.

    Wishing you a very happy christmas. Beth/The Linen Cat

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  14. What's different about your ears?!!
    Lucky you, finding little spike .. and lucky him being found. So pleased he loves your offerings, I would willingly send some snails to you but I'm not so sure Mr Royal Mail would approve.
    Happy Christmas to you all.
    Kate x

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  15. Wishing you a very happy Christmas. We made these little birdy pinecones last year and they lasted really well and kept the birds going through all that snow, they still look pretty when they've been devoured too. Bettyx

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  16. Actually, you've given me an idea for something I haven't followed thru on..

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  17. The pine cone idea is such a good one and they look so pretty hanging in the trees.
    If you can't get enough slugs etc you can always use tinned dog or cat food and biscuits. I'm sure you know all this, I've used this site (as well as others) in the past.
    http://thehedgehog.co.uk/diet.htm

    Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and all good things and good times for 2012

    Jan x

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  18. Your home looks absolutely lovely. Love the pompoms and the colourful paper chains. You looked like you had great fun dressing up - hilarious! Happy, happy Christmas to you!
    Katie x

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  19. I love this post it has brought back so many memories of my own childhood (paper chains) and making things with my boys when they were a bit younger - it all looks lovely and Christmassy. I'm so pleased Spike is doing well - how funny that hedgehogs pounce, although I'm rather dismayed at the thought of having to collect slugs as I really dislike them! Have a lovely Christmas all of you xx

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  20. love the pom pom idea (tomorrow activity sorted!) Looks like you have had a fun week ....not long to go now! x

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  21. You have a hedgehog!!! That you found outside on a walk. I mean, that's akin to living in a magical land, from my perspective!

    Love all of that happy creating going on at your home. And the pom pom garland is FABULOUS!

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  22. Aww, your decorations look gorgeous! I love paper chains and the Pom poms, we used to make paper chains and snowflakes when I was wee. The hedgehog is really sweet too, I haven't seen one alive this year. :(. Love the photo of you dressed up too! :) x

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  23. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
    x

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  24. Sending you New Year Wishes for Health, Happiness, Success and creativity for 2012 xx

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  25. Hi Zoe,
    Hope you are well, looks like you have had such fun times as always!
    Happy new year to all the Sweetpeas and hope 2012 brings lots of joy and happiness x
    Andrea x

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  26. I love the pine cone bird feeders! Such a great idea. I didn't know that hedgehogs pounced either! You look very fetching in your costume! Have a great 2012. x

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  27. Spike is so cute! also love the pine cone bird feed idea, I may have to give that a go!

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